Hello The, you said: Ummmm. I had no idea I was asking you to Train Bak Fu pai. I had no Idea I was asking Swanstrom to Train Bak Fu Pai. I want him to have a space to train what THEY want to...I wanted them to have a space to train...ya know...as Kung Fu Brothers. NOTHING more. Ok that's fair enough and it seems like a nice gesture on your part. Thanks for the clarification. RD

just new here but had to put in my 2 cents richard shergold is not only one of the best teachers i have ever had. he is also a good person just my opinion that and $1.46 gets you a large tims double double

I will say this...I hope he is doing well...but I prefer if we do not associate anymore. Our opinions on things diverged quite a bit. Especially on the opinion "Never teach everything...or they can get better then you..." And believe me...he did live by that. Um...I believe in exhaust all knowledge...and create masters instead of students.

Agreed. There's a difference between waiting until a student is ready, and deliberately keeping knowledge from them for selfish reasons. It seems unethical to me. I've also heard this about Shergold from other sources. RD

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RD, " I've also heard this about Shergold from other sources......" This commentary is pretty sad. You're the first person to get your head up your ass as soon as someone mentions someone you train with yet you post crap like this? Heard it from who?,,,,,oh ya, the "masters" that followed Shergold. I heard it from them too.....then I met Richard. In fact we had him up to our area for a seminar. Richards ok......why not call him? Isn't that you're standard response? HE could teach you a few things.

Hello DaveS, More flamebait? You never give up do you... RD

To all concerned parties, As someone who trained a long time ago, I can tell you that the ideas of "secret knowledge" and having serious concerns about the "treachery of students" were prevalent back then. Sad really. Especially when one considers that a knife in the hands of an untrained but aggressive and fit person can take away an expert's first five years of training. A gun...well, need I say more? Regards, MrE2Me2

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Flamebait eh? Let me re-phrase it for you: "Agreed. There's a difference between waiting until a student is ready, and deliberately keeping knowledge from them for selfish reasons. It seems unethical to me." (negative opinion) "I've also heard this about Crossman and Swanstrom from other sources..." (associating a negaitve opinion to someone based on 3rd party information).

Hello Mr E, Your point is well taken. A teacher shouldn't let an inadequately prepared student think they are ready for a situation that requires years if not decades of training. Instilling false confidence in a student can have disastrous results. The student's skill and confidence should grow gradually over time. More advanced techniques are taught when the teacher is satisfied that the student is ready. For this reason, the teacher imparts knowledge gradually. But I think THE was making a different point. Fear that your students may become better than you is not a reason to withhold knowledge. When a student surpasses the teacher, it is a great compliment to the teacher. I applaud the idea of wanting to create masters... eventually. If he does indeed live by "Never teach everything...or they can get better then you..." then it's Shergold's own insecurity that blocks his student's path. RD

Hello RD, As someone whose classmate was Mr. Shergold's first teacher (back when Mr. Shergold was a teen) my comment about "secret knowledge"was directed toward the various pompous and posturing donkeys that I have seen from various styles and, indeed, various countries, who embrace the idea that they alone, possess the one "TRUE" style of martial art that makes them invincible, invulnerable and infallible. I was NOT singling anyone out here. (Picture me smirking here :-D ) I was once taught that it is the person that makes the style. Another time I learned that the style makes the person (a better human). I have since come to realize that both statements are true within a balanced framework. Regards, MrE2Me2

As I said I hope he's doing well. I liked him a lot once... Anyhoo... Yes knowledge should be taught appropriately(sp?) My goal is to make all my students the very best they can be, and you can quickly overload a student. Too much can confuse and frustrate them. They will learn all I can offer, then one day they can begin to continue this.