ShouShu - Shou Shu

Hello to everyone in the Shou Shu family. I studied this great fighting art on and off for about 2 years combined back in the early '90s. I was fortunate enough to be brought up mainly by Shi Gung Way when he was a 1st and 2nd degree Shifu. Shun Shifu Jones (3rd degree at the time) was the head of the Merced studio then. I received my High Green belt from DaShifu Sr. back in 1995, and left the same year.

I'm back now for good and was hoping someone would be kind enough to give me some ideas on how to re-learn all of the techniques. Everyone in the Livermore studio has been nothing but welcoming, supportive, and understanding of my long hiatus. I owe it to them and myself to get back on track ASAP. I hate slowing down class because I cannot remember something from a lower belt--very embarassing. Shun Shifu Jack and Shifu Lewis have been alternating me between my low belt material and the 3rd brown material, which has helped me get back into it and given me something to look forward to all at once. I'm just looking for a way to do some work at home, because I have a 45 min commute to the studio which cuts down on my studio time.

Is there an definitive printed list of the techniques and their movements I can acquire from someone? I hate always asking the Shifus and browns to make special arrangements to get me on track, so if anyone has some ideas I would be very grateful. I will attend this next camp in September which I'm sure will help get me started. Thanks in advance to anyone that can offer some help/advice.

Mark Adolphson
High Green
Livermore Studio

Mark,

In the June 19, 2008 posting, under the topic PRACTICING SHOU SHU, Da Shifu Siegfried wrote,

ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS TO CONCENTRATE ON IN A FIGHT (TECHNIQUE) IS TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TECHNIQUE IS TRYING TO TEACH YOU. DON'T GET CAUGHT-UP ON THE ENDINGS, WEAPONS OR ANGLES, FOCUS ON "UNDERSTANDING" THE "TRUE" OBJECTIVE OF THE TECHNIQUE (FIGHT), THEN DIAL-IN THE REST. IT'S A QUICKER AND EASIER WAY TO LEARN SHOU SHU.......SHOU SHU IS NOT THOSE TECHNIQUES, THEY ARE A WAY, A PATH TO SHOU SHU.

This is awesome advice from Da Shifu! Remember this as you re-learn Shou Shu.

Camp will help you a great deal.

Ask your shun shifu about obtaining a copy of a list of the lower belt techniques with descriptions.

Great to have you back!

Shi Gung Way

Shi Gung Way,

Thank you for the reply and the advice; I will do what you (and Da Shifu Siegfried) suggested. And it's GREAT to be back!

Salute Sir,

Mark