Advice on which seminar to take?

So the time has come at my school for Grandmaster DFW to come down and teach seminars at my school. He does this once a year. The thing is, all of them sound good and I am having trouble deciding which one to do.

I can't really afford more than one, and it is too hard for me to learn two forms at the same time.

So I am hoping some of you may know something about any of these forms (especially the other CLF/ Yang Tai-chi people) and give me some advice on which one to take.

1. 5 dragon double cudgel form.
Plus
-Not taught to the public (in our lineage) before. So its a chance to learn something rare.
-Stick type weapons are always one of the more practical weapons to learn
-apparently a good one for doing in tournaments

Minus
-apparently an advanced set and I am intermediate. So, it may be difficult to learn at my level


2. Eliphant hand form.
Plus
-Not taught to the public (in our lineage) before. So its a chance to learn something rare.
-I do two tournaments a year, and I don't have something that qualifies for open hand forms in my knowledge base. This would qualify.
-Focuses on in close fighting techniques.
-I like learning animal forms.

I can't think of any negatives.

3. Push hands
Plus
-Push hands is my absolute favorite thing in either CLF or Tai-Chi and this is a chance to learn from our GM

minus
-I will probably get this chance again as he teaches this on a regular basis at seminars, while the other ones I may never get the chance again.

4. Tai chi Spear form

I have pretty much decided not to do this one, merely because it is part of our curriculum at an advanced level, so I will get to learn this at my school later on. But if someone knows some compelling reason I should reconsider and learn it now, I am all ears.


Thanks for any and all input. I always respect the advice of people here.

__________________
I must not fear.Fear is the mind-killer.Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration.I will face my fear.I will permit it to pass over me & through me.& when it has gone I will turn to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.Only I will remain.F.Herbert

That Elephant form seems pretty sweet and useful.

__________________

“	Originally Posted By: KungFuMan I also learned a praying mantis fist style from watching the actual insect itself. This was before I actually learned some seven star mantis.	”

Make 2 and 3 happen! Otherwise kind of a toss up between 2 and 3, with 3 getting a slight edge perhaps, depends on how important having the hand set for the tournament is to you...
Have fun!

__________________
"It is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought the fool, than to open it and prove it so." KungFuTze
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." T. Geisel

Shouldn't put yourself down aaradia, Intermediate is close to advanced and would give you something to work towards and on for further skill improvement.

When I was a beginner I had the chance to try out an advanced form, other than seeing I couldn't do it it gave me a foresight on what I would need to work on and what not.
When I hit Intermediate I found it less hard to do Advanced level stuff and gained a better comprehension and vastly improved my skill sets.

I'd say go for the seminar that isn't taught as much and will give you something to work on and reach for(#1).

“	Originally Posted By: Solera Shouldn't put yourself down aaradia, Intermediate is close to advanced and would give you something to work towards and on for further skill improvement. When I was a beginner I had the chance to try out an advanced form, other than seeing I couldn't do it it gave me a foresight on what I would need to work on and what not. When I hit Intermediate I found it less hard to do Advanced level stuff and gained a better comprehension and vastly improved my skill sets. I'd say go for the seminar that isn't taught as much and will give you something to work on and reach for(#1).	”

I would have to agree...go for #1 one!

__________________

Go do the Elephant. It's a Lau Bun form which generally translates in no show, all use.

__________________
Terrorists aren't overseas. They're at the gas pump.
********
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. -- Kung Fu-tzu (Confucius)

I would go with the elephant fist. The 5 dragon cudgel form will probably be really hard (not imposible) to learn. I don't have a lot of experience or knowledge about dragon but what I have seen and learned is it's very hard to learn because you have to have your hips aligned just right while you are advancing forward and there are a lot of foot stomp thrown in as well. Unless you have a little bit of knowledge with Dragon I wouldn't do it.

__________________
Mark R.

I would suggest #3.

While it will be offered later on, the core you will learn is an extremely valuable tool you will see right away.

Plus, its hard for me to get excited about learning a form at a seminar. I would much prefer to learn a specific skill that would permeate the rest of my training. I get even less excited about weapons forms since it doesn't sound like you will get training on their actual use...so its kinda just a dance.

#2 might be a good option too if you are taught applications at this seminar and are allowed to actually practice those applications at the seminar. If its just a straight memorize thing with DFW showing application on someone and then going to the next move...I would still go with #3.

__________________
"You must eat bitter before you can taste sweet"- Iron & Silk
"I see no virtue where I smell no sweat"
"Arm yourself because no one else here will save you" - Chris Cornell

“	Originally Posted By: Jade_Dragon_03 I would go with the elephant fist. The 5 dragon cudgel form will probably be really hard (not imposible) to learn. I don't have a lot of experience or knowledge about dragon but what I have seen and learned is it's very hard to learn because you have to have your hips aligned just right while you are advancing forward and there are a lot of foot stomp thrown in as well. Unless you have a little bit of knowledge with Dragon I wouldn't do it.	”

The name of the set is 5 Dragon... it has nothing to do with any kind of dragon type techniques anything.

That's like saying since we have a set named Small Plumblossom we should run around like a little flower... :c ensor:

__________________
Terrorists aren't overseas. They're at the gas pump.
********
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. -- Kung Fu-tzu (Confucius)

“	Originally Posted By: clfsean The name of the set is 5 Dragon... it has nothing to do with any kind of dragon type techniques anything. That's like saying since we have a set named Small Plumblossom we should run around like a little flower... :c ensor:	”

okay, excuse me.....I didn't know. When someone says they are going to perform a tiger form I assume its going to be tiger or if they say I'm going to do drunken monkey I assume its going to be monkey techniques done like it were drunk. When someone says dragon I assume its going to be an dragon. And don't come back and give me some dumb a$$ saying that when you assume something you make an a$$ out of you and me because what I did was make a common mistake. I don't know much about Doc Fai Wong or his style so NO need to get all rude on me. Is that clear?

__________________
Mark R.

accused forum rat......the name fits.

__________________
Mark R.

“	Originally Posted By: Jade_Dragon_03 okay, excuse me.....I didn't know. When someone says they are going to perform a tiger form I assume its going to be tiger or if they say I'm going to do drunken monkey I assume its going to be monkey techniques done like it were drunk. When someone says elephant I assume its going to be an elephant. And don't come back and give me some dumb a$$ saying that when you assume something you make an a$$ out of you and me because what I did was make a common mistake. I don't know much about Doc Fai Wong or his style so NO need to get all rude on me. Is that clear?	”

No...here's what's clear... you don't know, yet you spout off at the mouth like a fountain. If you don't know or aren't sure... ask. Anybody would gladly give info, including me with a smile.

BUT... when you going shooting off your mouth about something you don't know anything about... well... you've already proved the ass part.

__________________
Terrorists aren't overseas. They're at the gas pump.
********
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. -- Kung Fu-tzu (Confucius)

“	Originally Posted By: Jade_Dragon_03 accused forum rat......the name fits.	”

oooohhh... how original with the comebacks on the handle.

__________________
Terrorists aren't overseas. They're at the gas pump.
********
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. -- Kung Fu-tzu (Confucius)

As an impartial observer...I'm gonna have to side with JD here. He assumed the 5 Dragon Cudgel was based on Dragon and offered a rationale as to by this might be tough to learn.

I think you might have flipped out a bit prematurely...and unfortunately JD tends to flip out equally in response! XD

__________________
"You must eat bitter before you can taste sweet"- Iron & Silk
"I see no virtue where I smell no sweat"
"Arm yourself because no one else here will save you" - Chris Cornell

I DID NOT spout off at the mouth as you so put it. I was giving sincere advice on what I thought would be the best choice (thinking it was an animal style). It could have happened to anyone. As I have stated, there are numerous animal styles. How could I have known that this 5 Dragon Cudgel wasn't part of Dragon Style Kung Fu unless I'm a practitioner of Doc Fai Wong's style and knew it. Your the one spewing at the mouth about me. I have done nothing to you but yet you still want to lambast me.

__________________
Mark R.