Private Wushu Instructions

Yes, you can get private instructions, but I don't recommend it if you want to learn a modern style or Sanda. Private instructions can be very good if you are learning Taiji or a very traditional style, but private lessons are often slow and boring. Furthermore the instructors are used to teaching classes of 15 to 30 students and it could either be very exhausting or really boring for you to train with a personal instructor. If you are going on a short vacation and only have 2 weeks or less, you can probably learn more if you take private lessons. But it's impossible to learn acrobatic wushu jumps with a private teacher who doesn't even show you. Class mates will show you all the time and sometimes they will teach you more than your coach. In a class you will get used to a real training routine. Training will be fun and your teacher will not overtrain you. Also check out our wushu section if you want to get ready.

More: Private Wushu Instructions

  • Take private instructions if:
    • You want to train for a few weeks or days only.
    • You want to learn something very traditional that nobody else practices.
    • You want to learn Taiji
    • You don't want to work out with little kids and teenagers.
    • You don't want too many people watching you all the time.
  • Attend regular classes if:
    • You want to learn acrobatics.
    • You want to learn Sanda.
    • You want to learn a wrestling style.
    • You want to learn a modern style.
    • You want to do competitions.
    • You are training in China for more than a month.
    • You want to learn Chinese at the same time.
  • Mix private and regular classes if:
    • You want to learn acrobatics but there is also a traditional form you want to learn ASAP.
    • You are not thinking about competitions, but want to learn forms and bring yourself into shape at the same time.
    • You are injured and want to take it easy for a few days.

Advice: Private Wushu Instructions

  • Most wushu schools in China (including Song Jiang Wushu School) will give you a private instructor if you don't ask for training in a regular class. One thing I can tell you from my experience is, that your private instructor will not always show up at 5:30 in the morning with the Chinese students. So even if you want to stick with your private lessons, it could be a good idea to work out with the Chinese students in the morning.
  • If you are going to a wushu school and there are too many foreign students, ask if you could work out in a different class. They often throw all the foreigners into one class and as a result the training becomes really really slow. Then the instructors talk more than they teach and you just waste your time. If you are going to China for high performance wushu, you are probably not interested in a chat room. Also ask how many Chinese students there are and what they teach in regular classes. Some schools only have 15 Chinese students and 30 foreigners, ... and that sucks. At Song Jiang they will allow you to train in any class, but if you want to work out in a top class, you should ask in advance or be very advanced yourself.
  • At Song Jiang you don't have to pay extra for private lessons, but you also don't get money back if you want to attend a normal class. However, If you plan to attend a class with Chinese students for a long time and also speak enough Chinese, you can try to ask the schools headmaster for a discount. Of course you will have to explain that you can't afford it. There is no chance they will lower the price if you can't ask without the help of your translator.