Alan Armstrong

I thought the secret for grapplers was to control the none grappling opponent's hips.

The advantage in a nutshell, grapplers tend to be more in the now during a fight and stand up fighters tend not to be so fortunate due to very different training methods.

Wing Chun is not the same as boxing therefore the Wing Chun man isn't going to trade punches like a boxer or much of anything else for that matter. Wing Chun isn't a sport and boxing is. There are those however that use there Wimg Chun in a type of competitive boxing maner; something I don't adhere to. Using a forearm to jam a boxing punch is similar to a baseball player slamming a bat against a basball. As the Wing Chun elbow strike is traveling in a horizontal trajectory meeting an incoming fist; the boxers energy is delivered from the ground, whereas the Wing Chun force is coming from the twist of the waist and hip. The baseball is usally intercepted or it is simply allowed to slip by; this is also true with the fundamental Wing Chun concepts or yielding and jamming. Many Wing Chun techniques are setups in conjunction with deflecting and jamming, the forarm meeting a punch is an intercepting maneuver, it is a millisecond shock concept to interrupt the opponent's flow; opening another option to follow up on. This shock concept needs to be followed up with a real strike or a feint or something equally unpredictable. Master Wong's version isn't carved in rock as the holy grail Wing Chun standard that the world should bow down to, what works for him might not work for others. If you see a crack in one of Master Wong's techniques perhaps it is because he is slowing it down for people to see. The opposite is true with Bruce Lee with the need to slow down the film to see what he did in an instant.

Many martial art stand up styles are alot like cars, they might look very much alike from the outside but under the hood the engines are very different; transmissions and steering mechanism are also different. Could take this car metaphor a little further with the front wheel drive and rear wheel drive, not forgetting the 4X4's. Martial art styles have become more mechanical, this is the reason why grappling has become more successful. We in this modern age live in a minimal or none touch society, grappling on the other hand is very close to intimate fighting. Another metaphor using the game of chess. Some chess games use a clock to add up the seconds in case of a draw, this is stand up style fighting for a quick win with a knockout efficiency. Whereas grappling is a chess game of taking one's time (without a time limit) by removing the opponent's options piece by piece till there is nothing left only hopelessness to forfeit. What I find fascinating is that contemporary grapplers tend to think that they have invented something new, whereas I believe them to have found something old. There is absolutely nothing new under the sun concerning martial arts, only the cooking recipes have changed. We still have all the same human body parts to use as we had thousands of years be fore us. Concerning the stand up styles, they will need to eventually look very far back in time to find the lost art of stand up fighting, as it wasn't mechanical at all but instead energy based connected with the virtues of nature. Grappling is closer to the energy connection with nature than stand up fighters are. Nothing wrong with stand up fighting styles just that they need to change or modify their engines to fit the demands of this 21st Century contemporary race track. As some stand up fighters are aware of keeping their balance while standing and belive that they have no balance when on the ground fighting, while the grappler is trying to not get knocked out while getting the opponent on the ground to control their hips, in the strategy to get an arm lock or choke hold... As this is being played out I hear commands given by the grappling coach "yes, yes, that's right, take your time, yes that's right" seems that grapplers have an an added advantage by listening to their master's voice. While the stand up fighter's coach throws in the towel!

If I truly believe in no way as way, then what holds more knowledge; that which is contained in a belt colour or that which is not? I don't disrespect or respect belt rankings as both perspectives would become equally types of cages. I do however accept that many martial artists like and need belt rankings for better or for worse, similar to those that wear a religious symbol on their person as a type of garment as a part of their faith. Uniforms and coloured belts and ribbons have proven to be effective methods of gaining respect from others in many professions but it has, like everything else had it's negative sides for disrespecting authoritys; that ironically in the martial art world, creates another MA style! As there are many types of authorities of martial arts that are called styles, websites such as here on KarateForum.Com is more interested in building bridges between people than building high walls; very commendable...

Master Wong isn't just a Wing Chun man, he is equally proficient at JKD and Tai Chi.Yes he is very open minded, yet he doesn't loose his sense of reality and knows the differences between fighting on the street in a ring or in a cage, he also recognizes and umderstands the shortcomings and disasters awaiting those that don't train or adapt to modern fighting circumstances. Master Wong eats sleeps and works Martial arts 24/7 in fast forward mode; I've needed to slow down his fast talking video clips just to understand what he is talking about. As mentioned using (Wing Chun) an elbow strike (Ding Jarn) to stop incoming punches, it does seem inappropriate at first glance, but from a perspective from fighters that use the ground to generate power it would seem wrong. Consider a grappler using these elbow strikes to a person's face while sitting on the opponent's stomach and knees are on the ground, all the power is coming from the hacking motion from the shoulder and no force or energy is coming from the ground. Using the elbows to stop a punch from a very skilled and knowledgeable Wing Chun fighter is using perfect form and judgement. As the skilled WC fighters engine shouldn't be reliant on using the ground for generating power. An imaginary senerio of a WC man in outer space fighting with a fighter that generates power from the ground. The WC man can hit with all of the usual parts of his body, flicking out strikes and it will not disturb where he is. As when meeting force with equal force (such as a elbow with a punch) but when the person that usally generates power to make strikes or blows from the use of the ground both fighters will fly off in two opposite directions as it is a pushing type of engine, whereas the WC engine doesn't need a suface. Bruce Lee snaps his low front kicks in this manner (power coming from the knee) The same idea when two hockey players fight, they are using the same type of force as WC fighters, this is why they both hold on to each other adding stability and pulling the opponent in to the strike. Two men jumping out of an airplane with parachutes unopened fighting in a free fall, again this is the WC fighting engine, in (Russian System) it is referred to as using balistic strikes; that can shoot out in all directions. So when Master Wong uses his elbows to stop a boxer's punches, perhaps consider what he is doing as a ballistic elbow jamming technique, a suitable effect method, that would be similar for a boxer punching a solid brick wall. Can be difficult to comprehend that the Wing Chun style has no blocks; instead deflecting and wedging tactics are used instead. Wing Chun is very deceptive, sometimes too much so that even those that practice the style can understandably fool or confuse themselves to no end...

Thanks again for sharing your views and comments on (this video) Wing Chun that are always appreciate.Hope it is OK for my personal input on this subject as well? Internal martial art training (In this case with Wing Chun) must be the most difficult aspect to understand. My Wing Chun teacher's Sifu from the Ip Man lineage, constantly told him that he needs to practice smiling. As my teacher was very serious and tense most of the time. Chi doesn't flow around the body easily when muscles are tense. This is why a more relaxed atmosphere is encouraged during a Wing Chun class. This relaxed way starts from thoughts, with the Sil Lum Tao, small thoughts. As this 'Sil Lum Tao' form is practiced with the little ideas of each movement for the hands and arms only, while standing in a grounded stance. The movements are not for choreographed fighting techniques (as in karate) but are used as body mechanic segments that develops muscle memory and coordination for internal training purposes. Sil Lum Tao is also akin to doing Tai Chi as Wing Chun is also a Yin/Yang style. Using the analogy of peddling a bicycle helps describe how the Yin/Yang principle works. As in Tai Chi the flowing body and hand movements is possible, due to as one part or muscles tenses the opposing part relaxes; this tension and relaxing movements in Wing Chun' Sil Lum Tao is isolated to the three joints of the wrist, elbow and shoulder; also included are all of the finger joints. The coordination practice for synchronizing these three joints needs to become second nature for instantaneous attacking and defence porpoises; 'Sil Lum Tao' promotes this little idea also. At this point with the 'Sil Lum Tao' it is a way to develops good body structure and form, practiced on a boat that is slightly rocking will add the propreceptive aspects of stability and balance, that can be simulated on dry land, while standing on a rocking board or on a large Yoga exercise plastic ball. As in Tai Chi forms and Wing Chun's Sil Lum Tao, it can take as long as three months of daily practice to start to feel the 'Chi Flow' circulating around the body; this is the first part or stage of recognizing your own energy flow and later on you will be able to recognize and control your opponent's also; the bonus is to be able to differentiate your energy from the opponent's that is practiced with 'Chi Sao' that is called (it is not the literal meaning) sticky hands. Would be a good moment to point out that 'Chi' means energy and 'Sao' means hand. 'Jing' means how energy 'Chi' is used. Such as pushing or pulling, twisting or bouncing and the list goes on... spiraling or pressing... Sil Lum Tao practices the energies of these different 'Jings' throughout the form and coordinating these energies seamlessly in to one continuous flow; without hesitations! So when it comes down to practicing the Sil Lum Tao, from start to finish, if done well, you should feel and keep all of the different 'Jings' flowing effortlessly from one to another. Chi is like creating internal energy fuel that works only in your human combustion martial art engine and all the Jings need Chi otherwise they don't work, alot like a toy that needs batteries to work. Chi is the energy that powers the Jings that creates Chi; a cycle. To practice 'Sil Lum Tao' slowly is recommend because firstly it's not a race of speed but more of a way to feel the differences of the energy flows within the form and keeping them all connected, so when you see someone doing this particular form fast, "feel" confident that they are doing it incorrectly; for demonstration purposes it is displayed fast to look more like a fighting style and less similar to Tai Chi Chuan. Sil Lum Tao, translation, the little idea. It starts out as a little idea like an acorn seed. That once planted continues to grow with more little ideas. With the idea of "Ohh that makes sense" "Ohh I like that move" that should be happening to you. With more practice more little ideas are unlocked and improvements gradually rise to your consciousness. Sil Lum Tao has small differences in movements fom one lineage to another lineage, this I not important, what is important is the keep practicing and trying to understand all the theories also to learn the applications that are related to it. Sil Lum Tao can be practiced standing on one foot or practiced blindfolded or even practiced in reverse, with the idea that power comes from your relaxed movements and not from tension. Ultimately your movements will move natural from your "mind intent" and not from consciously moving muscles but from a relaxed state of mind.

"Fight Quest" interesting and educational on the different martial arts around the world; if anything is learned it must be "Don't drink the local water my friend"

Why is slapping allowed in jujitsu? Isn't it enough to be in an obviouse dominant position that the opponent has lost and is ultimately helpless in, without the need for slapping, adding more insult to injury?

(To overcome the outcome) isn't a quotation from someone else. Breaking (Tameshiwari) ribs or grapplers breaking joints; for me same difference; both are methods to cripple or severely injure another person. I've been in situations that I had a choice to possibly injure another person very seriously, but I chose to walk away instead. Being a martial artist should be a way to promote peace as opposed to seeing how much of a damaging force is possible to infiict on another person. Perhaps a sparring block is something worth practicing in a dojo, why fight someone that I have no problem with. This was Mohamed Ali's stand against going to war against the Vietnameses. People in wars are taught that the enemy is sub human, making it is justifiably easy to kill them. I had fellow student that needed to sit it out when we sparred, during a JKD class. I pointed out to him what my strategy was, even still, what I was doing was very overwhelming for him. He explained to me that he understands what I'm doing but his body just cannot react to it. I coached him out of it (this sparring block) yes he did snap out of it eventually; with some subtle relaxed sparring practice. There is alot of "fork tounge" in martial arts as being solely used for self defense porpoises, ironically more often than not it is used as a confidence building tool or for brutality justifications; as well as knocking out opponents that there is no real reason in it, only for the sport of it. Martial art styles teach how to attack and defend within the style. Do something different with in that style that hasn't learned how to defend against it, then it is called unorthodox, with a rashional explanation why it isn't practiced or taught. Same style with approximately the same experience and the bigger will win more times than not. If the smaller one wins then an exterior influence has tipped the scales to victory. So much has been said for instance of how effective BJJ is. But never has it been mentioned that the Gracie's body types is very conducive for Jujitsu. Just as the Korean body type is very suitable for kicking with. As Chinese martial arts styles have developed from using body structure and body mechanics that are not based on developing overly big muscles to generate power. While Karate is based on smaller stocky body types that utilizes lower gravity techniques. Yes I'm generalizing here about stereotyping martial arts and Asian bodytypes, of course there are many exceptions described but I believe there is also a strong element of truth to these observations. Martial arts is a way to increase one's chances of winning a physical confrontation against another person that is bigger, faster or more athletic than oneself. This martial arts as a way... can take years or a lifetime to achieve, with no guarantees or promises attached, that can only minimally at best help to increase a person's chances of survival in unforeseeable, unpredictable circumstance and environments.

Today's technology is yesterdays magic. Today's Sci-fi is tomorrows reality.

Spelling isn't a problem due to Korean words becoming Romanized in to English. Chinese only has about 1000 words when Romanized but it is the tonal accents that regenerates each word differently in to other meanings, depending on the accent placements. Spanish also use different accents on the same word to change it's meaning. Cantonese is the oldest Chinese dialect compared to Mandarin, with alot less people that speak it. As Cantonese is the spoken language of many Southern martial art styles, it does keep things continually interesting deciphering Romanized interpretations, as many techniques sound very similar yet have very different meanings. It is possible to develope an ear to differentiate Cantonese and Mandarin but learning one and talk to someone the speaks the other is another story.

Isn't grappling an anti stand up fighting style?

To brennan the rabbit Why go back go Karate after learning Wing Chun for three years? Could it be that you would like to test drive your Wing Chun on a Dojo floor? Or isn't Wing Chun practice fulfilling your needs any longer? I'm very curious why you feel the need to switch back to karate or cross train with Wing Chun?

I wonder if in the near future, martial art computer simulators would be unbiased with their findings of what techniques and styles work best. Or would it just start a new debate on which simulations are better than others? Perhaps fight simulators would need to battle it out amongst themselves and leave the humans out of it. UFP The "Ultimate Fighting Pixels" Championship of the Wooorrllld!

You are one of the fortunate, to have had a great relationship with your Sensei; however this is not everyone's experience; for me some 35 years ago. My Sensei was legendary for his toughness in the city where I learned my karate as he was also a bouncer in night clubs there. He also did some strange performances in martial art tournaments, such as piercing himself with meat hooks and shish kebab skewers and hanging heavy things and obects from them. He put a death grip on my throat, as I merely walked in to the changing room one time; I was in shock from that experience at a yellow belt level. Most people that knew this person were justifiably in fear from him, in and out of the Dojo. During a bout as an orange belt, I did manage to floor my Sensei with a front kick; it gave me a reputation that lasted for a few decades. Must admit that having an ultra rough and tough Sensei in the beginning; made many other CI's in my future seem like kittens in comparison. I find it ironic that those that practice breaking techniques the most such as punching and kicking styles, have the greatest difficulty with grapplers that more often than not choke them out; why is that? (Grapplers don't practice or try to choke out inanimate objects!) (To overcome the outcome) To overcome my adversities regarding fighting and fear, is to continually train and practice every part of my being, to be in the most advantageous positions while simultaneously attacking my opponent's most vulnerable areas; relentlessly without thought or remorse of the outcome; or just walk away! LOL

Buddha hand Fut Sao Wing Chun makes sense to me as an older style of martial arts; as strength comes from softness; as the soft internal styles were the dominate styles before the hard external systems took over.

We used Ouss! in Shotokan Some 35 years ago, when all bowing in then again when bowing out, it was a way to signify the start and the end of a class. Ouss! can be used like Booo! Ouss! Can be used very effectively as a Kia, it's enough to dramatically shake another person effecting their nervous system, if done very abruptly when not expecting it.

Martial arts can breed fear in to students. It was once asked here on KF.com "Do you fear your Sensei or is it respect" Looking back I believe it was fear conditioning 80% and respect eventually flew out the window over time. Also with the external styles, it is based on toughness and domination, not techniques and skill. When a person does posses technically skillful martial arts then they are labeled as flowery and ineffective. This is why breaking bricks, boards and chunks of ice is important, to show off who is the toughest. As Bruce Lee pointed out "Boards don't hit back"

Hi JR 137 wishing you a full Speedy recovery. Perhaps a tick repellent might be in order as not knowing the where's when's and how's of getting infected. (Ticks are the toughest creatures on the planet, that can survive eight years without water, that carrying many infectious diseases) Hope you beat this thing JR 137 and makes you much stronger than you were before this unfortunate mess ever started.

In all probabilities, if my friend had thrown the tin of baked beans at the bandits, they would have most possibly run to save their lives and the bus driver would have sufficient time to make an escape by driving away. If the bandits did take the time to examine the tin of beens that was thrown at them, it would still have given the driver enough time to make a getaway, the bandits could very well end up fighting each other for it's content.

There are styles that contain soft and hard such as Wing Chun; which is considered a Yin/Yang style. Hard style/external/difficult vs Soft/internal/easy styles, there are many misconceptions about the differences; both need one and the other to function, perhaps the differences come about on how much one or the other is used or relies opone to make the style functional. Thinking that Tai Chi is for the old is another misconception. Tai Chi is a fighting style that is also practiced solely for it's health benefits. Tai Chi practice is usually more dependent on the teacher's perspective and benefits than anything else, therefore you will need to match yourself to what the class is offering. Perhaps for your age, competing would satisfy your martial art young spirit, then competitive styles might be better suited for you. Chinese styles usually demand a 50/50 balance of physical and cultivating ones character. The art part of martial arts is similar to drawing, thefore my advice is to draw/take what you need or want that satisfies your uses, as your needs and wants will change with age, then do what feels right now, and deal with later when you arrive there. I've personally bounced between MA styles and dance to stay physical and other interest that has lasted through out my life such as art, travel and culture. With balance and moderation, patience and perseverance most worthwhile pursuits are attainable. Enjoy your choices, all the best!

Just growing up in the environment and being aware of the surroundings we learn by watching and doing. Take a City Man from any major European city and drop him off in the wilderness in Africa. His environment has drastically changed, his survival tactics need to change with the environment. Same holds true for a person that has grown up in remote areas and end up displaced in a city. A friend of mine many years ago in Ethiopia, while on a rural bus, was stopped by bandits, they demanded money. He bluffed and confronted them to let them pass, so they let them all go. He bluffed them with a can of baked beans, without the label on, he screamed at the bandits that he will pull the firing pin and blow them up if they don't let them go. Point being, where he came from (many years ago in a time of famine) hand grenades where more accessible than tins of baked beans.

I disagree- what ever environment you're in your opponent is also in too, therefore both of you are back to neutral as it were. For example, I've been in fights in bars, bathrooms, sidewalks, city streets, basements, parking lots, and so forth. The altercation doesnt suddenly change because the environment did and no one was more difficult than the other. In short, it sounds like a strawman argument to me... As you can only speak from your own experiences (TJ-Jitsu) then that is your perspective alone and not representative of everyone everywhere.Using the environment is very important in an altercation due to using it to ones own advantage, if a person knows how. If a person doesn't no how to use the environment to ones own advantage, then yes I agree that it will be a level playing feild for both involved.

For martial arts self defence to be practiced realistically, in fact it isn't realistic. Places people need to defend themselves in are on trains and buses, elevators and public staircases, parking lots and in their own car, or in an office or a public washroom; parkways and crossing bridges. Places and environments that are very un-dojo like do need to be considered as potential places of danger. Dojos are a safe place to train in and are most likely the place that being attacked in will never happen!