Alan Armstrong

Isn't the point of BJJ is to get a submission with a joint lock or choke hold?The embarrassment should be with the person doing the slapping and not the one being slapped! This practice of mounting another person and slapping them from a spectators point of view looks like physical abuse and not looking anything resembling a martial art technique.

Oil and water don't mix. Children alongside or under the feet of adults practicing martial arts is a health hazard and an unnecessary distraction. The children should be in an area quietly warming up or practicing their katas, under strict supervision away from the (live) active area of the dojo.

Is there no Style in self defense? Attackers don't use style they use opportunity. Attackers don't take classes twice a week to learn how to be bad they use the element of surprise on unsuspecting people. Awareness and preparedness intelligence, can go a long way in defensive situations and not any particular martial art style being better than another. Attackers more often than not come up from behind or flank and not face to face as practiced for most martial art sport type confrontations. Using slippery defensive movements in a struggle are very effective, very young children do this instinctively without any martial art training whatsoever. I have used this slippery method of getting out of a situation while a knife was held to my throat; in my pre martial art days. Had I tried to use a counter knife defence strike I would most certainly would have lost in this situation.

Thanks for sharing. Making the full rotation of the huen Sao can be forgotten very easily due to the escaping flick of the tuet Sao idea from the fook sao to the man Sao, as the last movement from the first set (sil Lum tao) is a proper huen Sao. When I practice the huen Saos in the first Wing Chun form, I add a twist with the wrist inwards as if punching in to the opponent's chin. Another (visual) good point from the video is how the huen Sao with an extra twist helps to form the bong Sao shape.

If the technique fits the situation; then use it.

Dirty tricks to one person is an effective method for others.Once upone a time, kicking was considered dirty fighting, now it's proven to be viable and acceptable! The cossbow was outlawed for centuries because knights with heraldry and a life time of training, could easily be killed with a single flying dart by any untrained person; similar to an untrained person poking a martial artist in the eye with a one finger.

Long hours training doesn't come with guarantees, usually that person is open to injuries and setbacks. Quality training with an experienced instructor does improve your chances of gaining higher standards quicker. Training intelligently and safely with attainable goals in mind is advisable. What are your martial art goals? That is the question you need to ask yourself. Once you know what your goal is then making the approximate steps to meet it, will give you the correct answer to how long you need to train. My personal goal is to maintain my health, therefore I train all day in the A B C method, which is Always Be Conditioning. So when cleaning house (wearing a backpack full of weights and wearing ankle weights also) or watching TV I'm doing something constructive for my health, such as stretching, seems like a bit of a double life. When I not conditioning I'm actually doing martial arts alone or teaching it, for at least two hours every day = 60hrs a month. Shaolin fighting monks condition all day, they say that the more they do the happier they are!

I don't know about biting through denim but ears are very easy to take a chunk out of and are very painful on the receiving end; not a laughing matter, ask Mike Tyson's opponent's Closing one's eyes when eye gouging doesn't stop the gouge from happening! Groin strikes might be a bit hit or miss, but using groin attacks other than striking with the hand, foot or knee are also available it just takes getting past the obvious physiology aspects.

Thanks for the input LLLEARNER A few more add-ons: Hair pulling on any part of the opponent's anatomy. Biting your opponent if you are hungry enough to survive. If all else fails tap your knuckles as hard as possible and as many times as possible on the opponent's chin, the same way that a very determined and persistent rent collector would do it to the front door of house, when the rent hadn't been payed for a substantial amount of time.

Studies show that concussions lead to depression, memory lose, sleep deprivation and Parkinson's. One of the reasons for being on this forum is to keep my mind active. I've had my fair share of head traumas, to feel the need to keep mentally active is important for me, use it or lose it. Head traumas I believe is something we carry with us throughout our lives, the less times our brains get knocked around the better IMHO

Is there no style in self defence? I believe there is no style in self-defense situations but preparedness is all important. I would like to put across an idea to all maists, something I'm calling "Umbrella SD Techniques" For example, in a situation where as someone grabs a hold of you be it your wrist or throat or your coat collar, as long as you have one hand free, you can poke the attacker in the eye. Sure there are plenty of counter wrists locks and the like to be used but a simple finger jab in to the eye works wonders, without all the Aikido jitsu maneuvers. We have been conditioned from childhood, as good children "Not" to poke another person in the eye because it I dangerous. Yet to be attacked by knife point, should be greeted with a carfully placed pleasant arm bar "Not" There is absolutely no talent required in using a poke in the eye on an opponent, to get out of a physically restrained or a potencially dangerous position. As martial artist we can love the art too much and forget the simple things that work without much fuss or fury. Here are a few reminders: Poke a finger in the opponent's eye. Control the opponent by holding on to their ear. A swift kick to the opponent's groin. An open hand slap to the opponent's face. A toe kick to the opponent's shinbone. A foot stomp to the opponent's toes. A quick blow to the opponent's nose using most any solid enough part of your own anatomy. The Surprise Element Would Also Impove Your Chances Of Success.

Hi Occam, welcome to KF.com You might seem a little lost on what to do at this moment, this is perfectly normal. It takes time to know oneself enough to have a clear decision on which martial art path to take. A few suggestion: 1) ABC =Always Be Conditioning. No matter the MA style you choose, you will be better prepared for it if you are physically fit. 2) Use the internet. Search out martial art styles that appeals to your wants and needs 3) Honestly evaluate yourself. What are your martial art strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes. Do you have a dynamic personality or are you more layed back. This could help you on what martial art style is more suitable and those that are not. Tai Chi Chuan is better for those that are more relaxed as opposed to Muay Thai boxing. 4) Use of weaponry. Some styles have a variety of weapons to work with and some not so much. Perhaps you like samurai swords better than other weapons then that is the direction you should be heading in, or perhaps you don't like weapons but like kicking, then turn your attention to Taekwondo. 5) Role models. There are more books and videos on martial arts these days than ever thought possible. Which martial artists in popular culture do you admire the most. Old or young it doesn't matter, For kicking purposes I like Bill Wallace and the Bruce sisters Chloe and Grace. 6) Having a mentor. Having a mentor that can show you the ropes and give you good advice and keep you safe all at the same time is probably the most difficult thing to find but not impossible. You had a mentor with a bad knee, help him and he will help you!

Yin Yang terminology for the West, starting with synonyms and antonyms or Sesame Street favorites such as "Near and far" "High and low" and so on ... Art classes are full of Yin Yang terminology as nothing can be visually described without reference to something else. Ironies and predictabilities. Everything contains Yin and Yang this is what keeps everything simultaneously together and apart. Opposites attract. Relationships that are both Yin or both Yang cannot produce or reproduce or contribute in the Yin Yang cycle naturally or harmoniously most of the time but with all things exceptions do happen. Pessimists need optimists as one cannot be defined without the other. The Chinese character for disaster is the same character for opportunity. "Birds of a feather stick together" as with people that congregate that have similar interests; such as here on KF.Com. "The best defence is a good offence" As the solution is part of the problem. "Hair of the dog" As another alcoholic drink will cure a hangover, that was originally caused by drinking to much alcohol. Murphy's Law is full of life's ironic Yin Yang twists of fate "If anything can go wrong it will" There is no escaping this world of Yin Yang on this planet, like it or not; in contrast with the movie "Avitar" with floating mountings isn't apart of our world but there was a very strong connection with the original inhabitants with the land, plants and animals, something we could all be more like and mindful of, as we go about our Yin Yang daily lives.

Yin Yang isn't Western or Eastern it's Universal and within this realm the laws of nature apply to all of us.The Yin Yang is symbolic of how balance is a way of attaining harmony. Bruce Lee used the Yin Yang symbol in his JKD logo; why? JKD is American and not Eastern. It is born out of eastern concepts. Do we have similar ideas in the west? Likely we do, but no terminology comes to mind. Perhaps the idea of the "Renaissance Man" is the closest I can think of in Western aspects.Many Eastern concepts have been incorporated in to the West.Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood. We know or have heard about the five elements on how they interact and complement each other. Chinese martial art styles draw insights from studying there interaction and it is a way to keep things in order. In ancient China, the five elements were how societies were kept in order, not much different than today. Water Dept, delt with everything related to water and so on for the other four elements, a type of system that could be separate and also interact; in the USA it is called "The Pentagon" The American railway was built with Chinese labor. Another idea borrowed from the East and used in the Western Europe was crop rotations. We in the West owe alot to the East by borrowing from them. Italian spaghetti is Chinese noodles. In health care, vaccinations and psychotherapy are Chinese originally. The Renaissance man is a good description of a balanced person of today that is intelligent and physically fit. Leonardo Da Vinci as a Renaissance man was heavily involved in developing military weaponry. The question on the equivalent of Yin Yang for the West is very easy, as we have been borrowing from the East for centuries. The reason we have needed to borrow insights from the East is because we wiped out all of those insightful people in the West with witch hunts and inquisitions, something the East never endured. The five elements were considers evil (in the dark ages) in the West, while in the East it was a way to understand and live in harmony with the surrounding world.

Yin Yang isn't Western or Eastern it's Universal and within this realm the laws of nature apply to all of us.The Yin Yang is symbolic of how balance is a way of attaining harmony. Bruce Lee used the Yin Yang symbol in his JKD logo; why? JKD is American and not Eastern.

I belive that having a great working understanding of Yin Yang concepts can improve any kicking or punching technique making them more efficient and effective. Not limited to just kicking and punching but all martial art techniques can be enhanced. The boxer, Mohammed Ali's saying of "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee" is a direct correlation to using Yin Yang concepts in his boxing style. Human body mechanics combined with Yin Yang concepts is how to make the most out of the least. Bruce Lee's saying of "Be like water" is about adaptability and change "I Ching" is the book of changes, that is based on Yin Yang understanding.

There is a physiology aspect to Systema that matches the body mechanic aspects equally and this could be the answer to how this methodology would benefit civilian self defence needs. As civilians self defense wouldn't need the Systema part, that use alot of ground level acrobatics that are not easy to master and wouldn't make much sense to learn unless constantly in a military zone.

What is coming out on concussive injuries?

I must agree with your comments about resistance training.I have seen Master Wong demonstrating in seminars with the participants trying to do what he does. Years of training on his part and the few minutes learning a technique from willing combatants resisting each other hardily is a winning system but it does make people question what they are doing wrong or what they have learned isn't totally right. What Master Wong is trying to do is share very basic fighting principles to the average person in his video format and not generally targeted towards other martial artists. He is allowing the average person to learn his basic self defense techniques without the formalities that are usually associated with martial arts. As there are many pros and cons in martial arts at least he tries to explain any and all questions asked of him. It is easy to find fault in another person's training methods if that is what you are looking for, yes a person would leave themselves vulnerable to an uppercut by covering up as he shows yet to have no defense whatsoever might be alot worse. What Master Wong teaches, is called layer training and to cover up one's head protecting it first, the second move depends on the situation to use the elbows as weapons or another course of action. It is apparent in Master Wong's videos about protecting oneself first and taking the situation further from there as in closing the gap or controlling limbs ... There is no Ip Man fighting gentleman stereotype with Master Wong's attributes but I do believe so far that he is good man with good intentions with excellent fighting skills and willing to share with tireless enthusiasm.

Are you teaching Yin Yang concepts in class? How important are Yin Yang concepts in your chosen style? We in the West have a saying "Every action has an equal or opposite reaction" how do you apply this to martial arts? "I Ching" The book of changes, is a classic Chinese way of understanding Yin Yang with trigrams and hexagrams. Is this relevant to your martial art style or system?

Maybe from a weapon perspective that the bow can launch a projectile like a gun is at question here. Then if it is an issue, is a hand held catapult a martial art weapon also, or a sling shot or could it be that a boomerang is OK because it is thrown by hand? Is it the weapons in question or is it the person using it that makes it a martial art weapon or not, or a combination of both? A stick in the hands of a martial artists can be just as deadly as a samurai sword.

One thing Master Wong is not and that is a text book martial artist. My vote for him is his bluntness and not on the other side of the coin being pedantic and boring that some others do by not getting to the point.

How is the Tai Chi working out?Pung = bounce Gee = press Lou = pull Ann = push These are the four virtues on how to use Tai Chi effectively. With practice these four can be effectively used in other styles also.

I'm not a grappler in the sense of specializing in horizontal fighting methodologies but I do understand from a Chin Na perspective that where the head goes the body will follow. I find this controlling the opponent's head to be very effective and also a very dangerous practice. It is noticeable that grapplers try to keep their head close to the opponent's body as it is more difficult to stike and control when positioned this way. Also grapplers tend to be using a method of using more body contact the better, in such a way that limits the opponent's options for techniques, using a few obvious wild animal tactics similar to a 'Boa Constrictor' and a 'Monkey on my back' combined with some 'Alligator wrangling'

As Master Wong was originally from Vietnam, a place that has a very strong Wing Chun style that includes acrobatics and chi kung. I view Master Wong as a well rounded martial artist. He isn't a carbon copy of anyone else that I can recall. Who else is doing what he is doing in the way he is doing it, with so much enthusiasm for his martial art? He isn't selling cemetery plots with a sympathetic sad face instead he is very much alive with an in your face attitude whiling to help anyone and everyone with martial art questions. There are many celebrity martial artists, perhaps Master Wong will become in the future a martial art star, that got there through his own determination and perseverance; I hope he can continue to do what he is doing for many more years to come.