Please understand before I say what follows, I was only awarded a !st degree black belt. The last rank I was ever officially awarded. Also for those who think I might be telling tall tales I was the kung fu instructor for almost two years in an MMA club called the Samurai Club. Which was ran by Mr. Moni Aizik. ( to find out more about him go to commandokravmaga.com) The single instructor I will refer to later was also an instuctor there. The only reason I left Moni's club was because I had to focus 100% on my own. We had disimilar veiws on tournement fighting but we respected each other. Don't get me wrong he is an awesome martial artist that he respected me was an honor. What I have to talk about is being put on the line for this art. Since I left TKF that's the only thing I did. I no longer had a master or grand master to rely on. I had my art though. I have met, done demos for and trained with many high ranking martail artists in Toronto. As well as some inernational who I met in Toronto. I never met them as a student but as me. I will tell you I have never done a tournement mainly because I don't see the point in it. It always meant more to me to gain the respect from masters and even a few grand masters of other styles. Never did I lie about where I gained my knowledge or who my masters where. One time an instructor from another style told me his GM knew my GM. He told me his GM couldn't beat GMS on the mat but GMS didn't have a real style. I laughed at him. I have been told by others it's just me not the style I train it won't work for others. I would always say how do you think I got here? never got a response. One time I did 3 demos 1 1/2 hrs each. In the sun, in the sand and in one day. At the trails of beach volley ball for the Australian olympics. GM Sunny Tang's school did demos at the same tournement. Only the two of us demonstrated. I guess what I am trying to say is that this art is what you make of it. Shoalin is an idea not a particular martial art. Trevor