Prodigal Son

IMHO Jet Li, as I have said before, is a true martial arts badboy - not just an actor. For those of you who didn't see Fist Of Legend, he employs very direct, nasty techniques throughout the film - lots of late form WC - and gives more than a nod to Brucey's theories by using Western Boxing techniques (including the footwork). It is probably his best movie, and a must for all collections - although Warners (or Dinsney or one of that lot) have bought the rights to it, re-edited it, deleted scenes (including Jet Li smoking opium) and changed the story to make it more suitable for the American market - as well as their lawyers getting heavy with anyone selling the original Chinese version. Check out https://www.hkflix.com for info. And he gave a great answer to the original question ! >>>PS<<<

ROTFLMFAO ! So that rookie fool represents WC ? I think not. I could write a long list of all the holes in that guy's form (even before we talk about his pathetic girlie fight) - but my mother, God rest her soul, taught me 'Never mock the afflicted' - so I'll make only two points; 1. He's fat. 2. He doesn't know Wing Chun. Comparative styles my ar se. >>>PS<<<

JJ is definitely very effective on the deck, but IMO Wing Chun is a considerably better standup art than MT - no disses to MT intended, but I've done 'em both and as far as my own structure and mindset goes, there is no comparison. Have you thought about a WC/JJ combination ? >>>PS<<<

It is fast compared to Shotokan (well, most MAs are...) because it uses much higher stances and is therefore more mobile. The punches we use are shorter and more direct. We don't over commit our techniques, which means that one technique can turn into another before it is fully executed, should something change in the situation - for example, in other MAs the 'opponent' will often stand stock-still and allow you to counter. In WC we do not do that (because people don't do that when they fight), we move naturally, so it is much more fluid. It is considered by some a 'soft' art because we don't use force when we can use technique instead - but in terms of it's application it is amongst the most vicious and effective arts. >>>PS<<<

I'd kick the stick from under him, before whuppin' his as s with it. Looks very impressive tho ! >>>PS<<

If the dude is holding the bat out in front (usually yelling "come on !", he's an easy target. As he winds up for the swing (pulls it back), just rush in and wail on his soft bits. If he is holding it 'coc ked' {wow - that word's blocked, too !} -and by that I mean behind his neck- then he has possibly used a bat before, so be more careful. You should still be able to beat him to the draw, though. Simply control the leading elbow (thus stopping the swing) until you can get the bat from him and beat him to death with it. Always worth avoiding chaps with weapons, IMO. >>>PS<<<

You can buy Austin Goh's (Master Of WCKF) DVD on https://www.play.com, where he does the forms (including the knives, for what it's worth). Austin does lots of posing on this DVD, and he rips though the forms with little explanation, but none the less it is well worth watching. He's a good practitioner - though the Jong he sold me wasn't all that >>>PS<<<

Yeah, you're right Stephen Lee - we're all saying this stuff 'cause we're secretly frightened he'll learn more than us, and come back from 3 weeks at Shaolin with some nasty Buddha Palm style, ready to mess us all up. It's obvious, really. But don't tell HIM that - we want him to think that it's friendly advice. >>>PMSL<<< P.S. And the Chinese really LOVE sharing their deep martial arts secrets with us Foreign Devils, too... I just forgot for a moment.

As we say here in London, it's a Long T'ing. That video didn't show a WC fighter - he was disgraceful. And everyone's a GM these days - but even Yip Man never claimed to be that... And yes, WC does have grappling techniques - it's just not taught at the early stages. I reckon Elvis would do Bruce Lee. >>>PS<< (Grand Poobah Of Nuthin')

LOL - everyone who thinks that they are invincible is proven wrong (except me, of course) and I am sure that the guy you speak of will fall by the wayside when he sees how far he has to go to become good. Unfortunately, MA does attract a lot of tossers and it's usually best to just smile and say "Oh yeah ? Cool." And then beat them up Best of luck with your training, dude >>>PS<<<

For a martial ARTIST, no. For a MARTIAL artist, definitely. Fighting is fighting, and dancing is dancing. And unfortunately there is only one way to learn what works in a fight... >>>PS<<<

That is exactly what I tried to put, Mokoto. And I don't think it's at all fair to make it into a dirty word, because if it IS an offensive word, then by definition it is an offensive act, and those who would describe themselves as such are not good people. And that is boll ocks. Many people the world over are les bian and should be treated as equals, here and everywhere else. On the other hand, those who are homophobic should be treated as those who are racist - and hospitalised. I feel that this issue deserves the attention of a Sensei. >>>PS<<<

Careful mate - the boys from Clifford Street in Byker will be waiting for you with a big net. that's what happened to me... The electric shocks weren't as much fun as the free drugs though... >>>PS<<<

I never said martial artists can't fight, treebranch - I said that martial artists understimate boxers. Read my post again if you are having problems understanding it. This thread is called Champs Against Champs, and that is what I am talking about. Champs Against Chumps is different. And if you want to talk about real fights, some of the best doormen I know are boxers - and they beat up 'black belts' all day long - no bells or silly gloves. >>>PS<<<

LOL Kirves - name an art which doesn't claim to be the best ! Just imagine some Karate Sensei saying "Shotokan is the second best martial art..." Never ! We all do what we do because we think it is the best way. If you do something because you think it is the second best way, then surely you are wasting your time ? If I thought there was a better art than WC, I'd be doing it - and I think we all share that feeling about our art. Respec' >>>PS<<<

Well you should have ! There is only one fighting distance - and that is when we are close enough to touch. Outside that distance you can do what you like, but we only fight when we can touch each other. Your friend sounds like a fool to me, because with eight lessons under his belt any WC student with 9 lessons or more should be able to beat him. Anyway, he shouldn't be doing anything but punching for the first six months. If you are telling me that you are doing Chi Sau in eight lessons, I would gamble that the standard of it is very, very poor. It takes years. Anyway - to your points: No it's not. If someone attempts a tackle, they must go in a straight line. The WC man angles off. And once you start using a sandbag, you will find the power to knock others out. Not in two months, though. Nobody said that you would - it's a training exercise, not a fighting style. Try it against someone who has been doing WC for any amount of time - he'll simply close in and push you over. You just cannot execute a jumping turning kick quicker than an equivalently fit WC fighter can rush forward. We train for EXACTLY those moves. You need another teacher if he has not explained how to close your gates properly with a punch... I've knocked dozens of big guys out - and I'm only 5'9". It's called practice. And anyway, the punch is only the delivery system, like a missile - the warhead can be a fist, a palm, or a Biu Jee - which puts EVERYONE down. Seems to me like you are very new to WC. Don't make the mistake of thinking that you understand it yet - you don't. It's very, very complex and is a journer of many years, and a good Sifu will give it to you bit by bit when you are ready for certain information, and what he gives will answer your old questions and give you some new ones, over and over. Oh, and ANYONE who practices more than you will beat you. if you want to be the best, you must practice most. twice a week in class is not enough - punches every day, form every day, drills every day. More than the next guy. Good luck with your training - remember that it is the one true ULTIMATE martial art , and make sure you slap some sense into your friend. >>>PS<<<

Let Bruce RIP ? Are you serious ? Someone who wanted the limelight as much as Brucey would turn in their grave if they thought they were not being talked about after their death. The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. I liked Stoneskin's point about quiting when you are ahead. Perhaps Bruce would have gone the way of The King, if he had lived long enough and eaten enough squirells. Maybe he would be running a cheap JKD school in the YMCA, cashing in on his former glory... >>>PS<<< P.S. I think he was a great martial artist and actor - but by no means the best. Doesn't mean he was a 'fake', though.

WoooOOooo.... looks like I hit a raw nerve ! Okay - I'll meet you in the carpark outside the bar and we'll touch hands. ;-P >>>PMSL<<<

The boxers we are refering to here would win every time. You are not taking account of the reach that these guys have - a 5'4" japanese MA guy simply couldn't get close enough to a 6'7" boxer without getting hit. And I know that all the Karate guys think that you can take anyone out with a Gyaka Tzuki - but it's not true. Tyson or Lewis would kill most of us mortals with one good head shot, and they can take punishment from guys their own size all day long - so even if you could hit them 50 times, they'd never go down. The eyes (or a devastatingly good knee-job) are the only way with guys like that - and think how close one would have to be in order to reach up to Tyson's eyes.... And even a good grappler would have difficlty with the sheer strength of those guys - it would be like grappling a wild gorilla ! Martial artists need to repect boxers as martial artists - because they have wicked art and they actually fight. >>>PS<<<

Relax. And do lots of punching. >>>PS<<<

I think we are born with aptitudes for certain things - I am a competent fighter and musician, but hopeless on a football pitch or with a paintbrush - so it's not just about strength, speed, 'creativity' etc. And some people are born with the aptitude, but can't finish anything - but those who are born with determination and much less aptitude will do better if they choose to take up MAs... Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Telsun made some good points - but I would add that no great fighter LOOKS for fights or has a short fuse, because that will ultimately lead to their being beaten by one who is better on the day. A great fighter should live and die undefeated, and that means choosing your battles carefully. >>>PS<<<

It's all about control. If you are just an untrained punter who hurts someone badly enough to warrant the po-lice getting involved, then you can say "I didn't mean it - I was scared and it just happened..." and you may just get away with it. If, on the other hand, they search your house and find the books, punchbags, weapons, jong etc that we all have - or for some weird reason you actually ADMIT to being a martial artist (in which case you deserve to go to jail for being so stoopid) - then they will argue that you knew perfectly well what you were doing - and in the eyes of the law you will be one who fights for pleasure and therefore dangerous to society. Don't pick up the soap. And another important point - no doubt off topic but I feel it is relevant anyway - is keeping MA weapons in the home. If, like many of us, you keep a Katana by your bed, or nunchuks, baseball bat etc, and in self defense you do an intruder with it - you must tell the police that you firstly "got it from the closet in the spare bedroom" coz you were SO afraid. If you admit to keeping it handy for just the proper occasion, you'll go to jail. At least in the UK. Anyway - I think the story of "My hands are registered as deadly weapons" is one of the oldest boasts in martial arts. Just for a laugh, go to the po-lice station and see what they say when you apply to register your iron fists... >>>PS<<<

Sorry Cross, I am misunderstood here What I meant was, if the dude was trained by the Russian SF, then he would know ROSS or Sambo - both of which ARE martial arts, and pretty good ones I believe - so that would qualify the dude as a MA. Respec' >>>PS<<<

Well, if we're not allowed to continue dissing each other, I guess I should list my ten faves... 1. Wing Chun, which as everyone knows is the ONLY effective martial art and the rest in no particular order... 2. san soo 3. muay thai 4. judo 5. boxing 6. krav maga 7. bjj 8. ross 9. shorinji kempo (only coz I did it & got some results) 10. 9mm pistol >>>PS<<<

Sorry - got a bit carried away. >>>PS<<<