There are legends and stories in many martial arts cultures where a good fighter gets owned by an old guy and then trains under them. In my own life, that’s how I started training in Bak Mei. I came to check out the school and the sifu, Dr. Y.Q. Wong had me show him an exhibition of all the things I’d been trained in then told me to go ahead and give a shot at attacking him with my best effort. He whipped the fire outta me with what seemed to be no effort or real movement. I signed up that day and have never regretted it.
Would you, in your martial arts experience, sign up and switch to learning whatever style some old person teaches if they swatted your best efforts down with ease and grace? Have any of you experienced this in your own life?
I hear where you are coming form. To some others, I might be that old man. But in all honesty. i am still seeking knowledge and training myself. I always will be. If I ran into someone that i could learn a lot from, i jump at the chance to learn from them. Such opportunities are rare.
Since you bring it up…. A friend in Ohio was approached by an old man many years ago. my fiend had a Sandan (3rd dan) in A traditional Japanese style of Karate. The old man told him that he was going to teach him. My friend was not sure how to take the comment. The old man told him that he was going to teach him correctly. Because the old man invited him my friend went to be polite. He was so impressed by the old man that they became close. The old man’s name was Dr. Andrew P. Tamper. Dr. Tamper inherited a 500 year old Kung-Fu system known as Yee-Chong-Mu-Gow. When Dr. Tamper passed away, he left the system to my friend. I have the legal paperwork stating that my friend was to inherit the system. Dr. Tamper passed away a few years ago.
I knew Dr. Tamper and worked out a little with him. He was amazing for an old man.
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