Bo Law Kung Fu

10/08/09

Awesome

by suistt

I’ve been at Bo Law for almost a year, and I average 4 times a week. I never ever did martial arts before, and a friend suggested I give it try for a month. I was hooked! I signed up for a year after my trial month. I also quit the gym, because I no longer needed it. Within the first 3 months I dropped 10 pounds and since then added more muscle definition. The training there is better then I could have imagined and beside the occasional time I get to pick up a weapon I don’t lift any weights at all. I love it. The classes are very organized, and all the other students there are focused. It’s not like a gym. The students there are nice, and friendly which makes it another plus, because I really got to meet great people and make new friends. But it’s not all physical at Bo Law. What you get is a new self awareness, and an urge to make yourself better. Master Koh is always there morning and night, and he understands the personal needs of his students. Bo Law is my second home, and I never could have dreamed of the personal benefits I have thus far received or even would have thought I needed since I’ve joined. I highly recommend Bo Law for Master Koh’s wealth of knowledge in Martial Arts, and for the physical and mental transformation you’ll receive.

• Pros: physical and mental transformation

06/01/09

Great school

by maul533

I enrolled in Bo Law's program, and unfortunately had to stop going due to my busy work schedule. In my short time at this school I learned a lot. I entered this school with a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido. Kung Fu was a brand new venture for me, and Bo Law was a great place to start.

Its bit hard core (which is great for serious martial artists, but not so great for less intense people). The floors are a little shabby, and made of hardwood which makes knuckle push-ups very uncomfortable. Also, the floors make moving difficult (your shoes either stick to the floor, or enough dust has accumulated on your soles that you constantly slide),

The floor of the school appears to be the only downfall. All the instructors are great teachers, Sifu Paul Koh is an amazing martial artist and a great teacher.

I highly recommend Bo Law to anyone interested in studying kung fu

• Pros: instructors and corriculum
• Cons: the floor

08/22/07

Do It With Your Mate!

by monsoon1

Cannot say enough great things about Bo Law Kung Fu. I joined with my husband to lose weight and get in a healthier state of mind. This was not the first attempt getting physically fit together. These failed attempts at excercising together really just strained our relationship rather than time being spent together (which is what we were hoping for). However, studying Kung Fu together leveled the playing field. Although physical strength is critical; so are style and technique so women can advance through the ranks as fast as men.

We have both gotten much more out of it than we anticipated! Not only do we challenge ourselves physically, we gained so much mentally and spiritually. With our busy schedules, Bo Law offers us the flexibility w/o compromising our home/family life. Learning forms, practicing techniques has only improved our focus and helped us gain confidence. Most of all it has strengthen a bond that we share between us.

Our instructors are amazing, stern and patient when appropriate. Also, I cannot say enough about Sifu Paul Koh truly a master and a father. His eternal wisdom in the form of life lessons constantly captivates me in class. When you step into his Mo Gwoon you leave the rest of the world behind. The instructor to student ration is high and you get a lot of personnel attention. It may sound silly but they all remember our names, and things they worked with us on months before, and will check in on us. Some times complementing us on our progress, some times reminding us that they took time to show us a move; to focus and get it right.

The etiquette in our Mo Gwoon is very traditional and respectful. I consider my Sifu and his instructors, Si Heng and Si Jeh, (brothers and sisters) as an extension of my family. Training with Bo Law has given my husband and I greater depth into our physical, mental and spiritual abilities and a family that I feel proud to be a part of.

08/19/07

Bo Law Kung Fu = Highly Recommended

by ppopeson

I recommend the Bo Law Kung Fu school to prospective students - without reservation.

There are general workout classes for the basics and other classes devoted to specific forms, weapons, and training applications. The workouts combine stretching, cardio and strength training, and provide excellent physical exercise and an enjoyable athletic challenge (on many levels). But the real value lies in the school?s concentration on teaching the principles as well as the practices of martial arts. The training is not limited to only the physical and mental aspects of martial arts but also focuses on martial arts ethics as well.

There is a martial arts saying that one should train both internal and external. External training includes the hands, the eyes, the body and stances. Internal training includes the heart, the mind, the spirit and strength. The Bo Law school, under the direction of Sifu Paul Koh, is a place where traditional Kung Fu training and philosophy is practiced as well as taught.

As a practitioner Sifu Paul Koh is a talented and skillful martial artist; his artistry is inspiring and lucky for us (his students) his skills and talents extend to teaching. It has been my experience as a student of six months that all of the instructors at Bo Law are dedicated teachers. At Bo Law I?ve come to rely on the commitment to a discipline matched by a generosity of spirit and a sense of joy in learning the art of Kung Fu.

08/15/07

Bo Law...Sifu...Father?family?

by auvraygargano

Inescapable self awareness; spend a few years at this school and this is what you will achieve. Having only spent but a fleeting moment studying at this school thus far, I look forward to respecting it more daily. Having been a life long gymnast I started at Bo Law desiring to look inward and learn to understand myself more deeply. I brought with me my preconceived ideas and notions of traditional Kung Fu; I simply wanted to feel the beauty of that movement. I would simply acquaint myself with this movement and I would change. I felt this would be enough to grow. Well, speaking words without meaning is meaningless; and application is an integral part of what you learn at this school. I repeatedly find through the diligence of Master Paul Koh that while wanting one thing; I am unprepared for the surprises that come with continued study. The thing that I want becomes obsolete as perpetual clarity elucidates a growing self-awareness. The old saying, ?the more you learn the less you know,? becomes resoundingly clear under his tutelage. To say you grow as a person would be an understatement. To quote Marcus Aurelius ?nothing can ever happen to us that is not in accordance with nature.? At Bo Law you continually come to understand your true nature in an ever-evolving life. I have only one other person in my life, now gone, who ever truly conferred to me the simultaneous feeling of confusion and understanding that Master Koh provides; that was my father. I find it very suitable that I can ascribe the term Sifu to Master Koh. He has truly shared with me an inescapable self-awareness through hard work and a willingness, and my sometimes unwillingness, to grow that I continually look to refine. I have not reached this goal, but I do realize that, to quote Tennyson ?all experience is an arc where through gleams that un-traveled world.? You will find that the understanding of your own nature never sets as you move towards the horizon, as life will continue along with you.

01/10/07

Taking the Positive with the Negative--or NOT?

by freethinkernyc

I think it is important to be fair to the school and say, firstly, that Sifu Koh sets a very positive example for his students. He is the embodiment of professionalism, skill, and he always tries to model this for his students. As a beginner, I find the beauty and the simplicity with which he executes certain stances, punches, and Tai-Chi positions to really be so incredibly graceful, yet undeniably possessing power. In the sense that some people are a pleasure to watch in life, I would say that his Kung Fu is one of them.

That being said, the school suffers from a serious dearth of students who are willing to ask questions (some!). There is too much sarcasm from some of the top instructors and not enough patience from a few of the less senior ones. I have observed some inappropriate laughing on these counts at new students (from some older students and instructors) who were trying (but not) executing the moves well--but we are all beginners at some point. This was a real turn off to me as someone who had some experience in dance prior to martial arts.

The final thing that turned me off to this school before I left was the absolute hegemony with which a minority of some of the instructors demanded as a prerequisite to your being able to relate to them. In this writer's opinion, being an open sentient person will get you into some trouble at this Ma Guoung.

I agree with a previous writer, lack of space can be annoying and some of the students were pretentious, with a very much holier-than-thou attitude. Sadly, the cooperative spirit which the Sifu emanates DOES NOT successfully fall down the ranks of the school. I think this is why the school has difficulty retaining new candidates. This is perhaps, in my opinion, the largest drawback of the school. As any reader can see from some of the previous write-ups, there is a certain amount of sycophant like admiration which, as a FREE THINKER, I found to be a turn off as well.

• Pros: Sifu Koh
• Cons: Dogmatism of some of the less senior instructors--too many people telling you too many things with authority, no room for plurality, too many "Chiefs, not enough Indians."

07/23/06

Unlocking your Physical and Mental potential

by geoffreygoodridge

To find a Kung Fu school that inspires personal growth and finds a balance between feeding my soul and strengthening my body was my quest, and I found it in Bo Law Kung Fu. Let me explain:

As with most things in life: what you put into it is what you will get out of it. Having exercised

in a gym for most of my life, I recently began to question why I was doing it in the first place.

In order to break my routine, I found myself searching the web for a discipline that would bridge the gap between a physical and mental workout. Since finding Bo Law Kung Fu, I have restored that balance.

One of the things that makes Bo Law Kung Fu different than any other school is its teacher and his carefully selected instructors, each uniquely qualified to train you, watch your progress in the class - as an individual at whatever level in your training you might be, and ultimately as a team. During this process you will be taught a new way of listening and taking direction, and find yourself changing on several levels when applying these lessons to your life. So, if you are interested in learning the true meaning of Kung Fu and unlocking your physical and mental potential, then Bo Law Kung Fu is definitely for you.

• Pros: Teacher, Instructors, Lessons / WorkOuts

07/06/06

Best Kung Fu Anywhere

by psion

I believe in basic virtues, and that they allow us to understand larger truths. I feel very

fortunate to have a place with such brotherhood, and a Teacher (Sifu) whom I respect so dearly.

I feel for the first time, in a long time, someone really investing in me for no other reason

but to see me excel in something. I have really missed that.

The instructors, their words of wisdom, and the overall positive energy in this school has done

wonders for my self-esteem; I am proud to be a member of such an outstanding school. Training at Bo Law Kung Fu consists of a rigorous physical workout as well as mental, and you really feel that the discipline, art form, emphasized here has been passed down from teacher to student, in a tradition kept alive for generations.

07/05/06

Phenominal- traditional atmosphere with family warmth.

by kbnau

I am very pleased, and Honored to be a student of Master Koh.

I read a couple other reviews prior to writing this.

Yes the school can be a little strict in that is asks for respect and appreciation.

Kung fu is more than just physical training it trains the spirit, the mind and more.

This school keeps many of the traditional values and hierarchy of traditional schools while adding some new touches that always keeps the training fresh.

I found Master Koh and his instructors patient and understanding.

Wanting more for me than I may be always ready to give and gently nudging me along.

I would and do recommend this school to anyone looking for a real "martial arts" experience.

If you have patience and are ready to.

You can learn a wonderful art form from a very gifted instructor.

• Pros: Great instruction, traditional environment

02/12/06

Too crowded and too strict

by valou99

ost instructors are very good. However, the classes can be incredibly crowded (especially after 6:00)-to the point you cant fully practice the moves without hitting someone next to you. Another draw-back is that the classes are very repetitive for the first few months (they can become very boring). Also, the workout is not balance-it mostly focuses on your groin and the upper leg muscles, so if youre looking for a broader sort of workout, then its not for you. Finally, the rules are rigidyou must agree on a schedule and tell them in advance when you are going to miss a class. Like most new Yorkers, my schedule is constantly in flux so this rule can be a total nuisance.

• Pros: Location, schedule
• Cons: Crowded, not very friendly, difficult to ask ?s