White Warlock

The telegraphing he is referring to is similar to the tendency for inexperienced fighters to pull their arm back before striking. You need to learn to generate the energy from zero point. Try to think of yourself, and all your body parts, as being on the edge of a cliff. Forward and toward the target is the only option. Hope that helps. Another thing to consider is to visualize 'impact.' Mentioned earlier was the idea of posting your hand out there to remind yourself of the point of impact. This is important, because the motion of the leg is irrelevant, if the power generated is distributed throughout the entire circular pattern of these strikes. Your target is at one 'point' in the line of travel, so you need to generate the power to focus (centralize) at that 'point' and release after. And, be careful about the application of the crescent kicks there. If you decide to practice by impacting a stationary object, start with a light and moveable stationary object and then move to more sturdy targets. I noticed a slight hyper-extension in your leg, which... upon impact, could cause injury to you rather than your opponent. By initially working on light stationary objects, you'll get the opportunity to 'recognize' those subtle flaws, correct them, and therein prevent serious injury to yourself. Otherwise, looks good. Anymore have clips of their techniques to share and discuss? hehe, this thread has turned into a critiquing seminar.

hehe... rubs it in

Why am i tempted to say something here?

Agree with Tal

I'm thinking the problem here is that people sometimes let the system they studied dictate, rather than let common sense dictate. The system they study is a means to an end, not the end in and of itself. And i agree, Sasori-Te, everything has its application... the problem comes about when someone truly doesn't understand when to apply what application (apple, orange, or a fruit cocktail). I.e., lack of tactical skills and personal confidence often causes people to either abandon everything they have learned in school... or steadfastly adhere to it. Either is a bad course of action.

Hehe I'm thinking the best martial art is the one that motivates the other guy to shake your hand and buy you a maserati. http://www.supercarsrentals.com/graficos/maserati-spider-2.jpg

Sounds more like you agitated a nerve in your neck, or strained a muscle above your shoulder blade and it is putting pressure on your nerves. I recommend trying a soft massage of the neck and shoulders and possibly a visit to the chiropractor. addendum: You might also want to cut down on the amount of use you're putting to that mouse. Ergonomics lesson: The computer mouse forces you to 'elevate' your shoulders in order to hover the mouse about with subtlety, and then periodically cause your fingers to go a'clicking. If you can get used to it, i recommend switching over to a trackball, where your shoulder can rest and stay in one spot, leaving your thumb and fingers to do the browsing.

A PhD in IT is not even remotely a good comparison. IT is a fast expanding field of study, where you could fall behind in a matter of months. Many martial arts are 'just' as they were 200 years ago. It would be better to compare a BB to a PhD in history, but that would be taking it to the 'other' extreme and still it would merely be posed as a 'pursuit in knowledge,' rather than a pursuit into training the mind and body to work as one. If we were to toss out a comparison, it would be better to compare it to some other physical endeavor, such as tennis, dance, or swimming. If i was a champion swimmer in college, but then stopped swimming for 10 years... would i drown in a bathtub? Obviously not. The mind and body, when trained together, hold to what is learned... almost forever. As a bike, a skateboard, a keyboard, or walking... once you've learned... you've learned. The catch argument here is, what about 'memorization of katas?' Well, what about them? Katas are not the system. They are a means to develop and strengthen the system, just as pushups and situps are a means to strengthen certain muscles. The assumption that someone has obtained a 'tire' about his waist being some sort of disqualifier, is ridiculous. Especially when you consider that many elder practitioners just happen to carry not only a tire, but a tire iron as well. Anyway, we're going back to that silly argument. If someone obtains a BB, does anyone other than the person who presented that BB have the authority to take it away? I do not feel so. As i indicated earlier... a stupid BB is merely a mental indicator of their status. If a person has obtained a BB, and they are unwilling to put it down... then so be it. As an instructor of a school, you have the 'right' to not let him practice in your dojo while wearing that belt... but can you truly see a situation where it would be necessary to 'cut someone down' like that? Maybe... just maybe... something like that may happen, and you'll have some guy walking in wearing a BB.. that hasn't been practicing for a very long time... and can't remember what side of his left foot to walk on. Well, if, after you talk to him, he's unwilling to put his BB in his closet, be humble, and put on a white... then why are you wasting time with him in the first place? His belt and his ego can go practice somewhere else, right?

Here's where i step on toes. Choi or Choy = Tsoi Lay or Lee = Li Hun = Hung Tsoi Li Ho Fut Hung Ga = San Soo http://www.geocities.com/san_soowushu/Drama2.html http://www.clfma.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=33 Choy lee fut and tsoi li ho fut hung ga (san soo)... supposedly same origins, diverging only within the last few generations. I have yet to visit a choy lee fut school to determine whether the systems are, in fact, the same... but arguments posed on various sides do tend to end up with the same seeds, and thus the same tree. From what i have thusfar been able to gather though, 'san soo' is far more into hands-on practice, while choy lee fut is more into forms. This is a hotly debated issue and frankly, too political for my tastes.

Ahh, hehe. The floundering wonder that is internet discussion boards.

It is my belief that three things determine learning speed, with 'mindset' being the most critical. If someone enters with a personal agenda that is far removed from the training program established in the school, his studies are going to be specialized, which means he won't grasp the total system... and won't progress as quickly. Thus the old line, "empty your cup." Another is... there are four basic learning behaviors. That of group interaction, sight, auditory, and tactile (or physical interaction). Not everyone is built the same, and people who are more sight oriented need to 'see' things done in order to learn them while lectures work wonders for those strong in the auditory arena. Others find social interplay to be the quickest way for them to learn, and still others find that hands-on is really the only way for them to go. If a school's manner of instruction does not coincide with the manner(s) in which a student takes in information, the student will be at a disadvantage. And last is 'prior' experience. Walking into a completely different martial arts system is not 'usually' as daunting to someone already well versed in one or more other systems. edit: Sometimes the last clashes with the first. I.e., someone well versed in one or more systems has some preconceptions (mindset) as to how things are done and due to this will be less willing to 'accept' a new approach.

Sounds to me like the definition of chivalry is in question. Chivalry: The qualities idealized by knighthood, such as bravery, courtesy, honor, and gallantry toward women, or a manifestation thereof. It is not a requirement to be humble if you are chivalrous. On the other hand, how many of you are willing to admit having come to the rescue of a damsel in distress... in this day and age? Problem is, society has changed. Women sometimes take offence to such an act, men tend to think you're 'whipped,' and police are more likely to arrest you than they are the assailant. Then again, maybe i'm a little jaded.

I don't discount judo because of lack of strikes. Not sure where you got that from what i posted. My comments of, "being blocked is soon followed by a few elbows to the back of the head, or possibly a snapkick to the shin/knee. Maybe even a footstomp or ear wrench" was in reference to the person who blocked a judo throw. A purist judoist isn't used to dealing with someone who blocks their throw and then proceeds to follow up with strikes, or that blocks in conjunction with strikes. Granted this is based on personal experience and therefore my opinion. Hehe, yes you are correct. That's what i get for rushing in to make a point. Hehe, that's good. Most people nowadays associate ju-jutsu with bjj, and therefore assume groundwork.

Well, i have no videos of myself doing anything other than maybe lounging around in the newsroom or in the office.

Graphic arts, writing, reading, fishing, helping others, learning. I recently purchased painting equipment (acrylics) and will soon try my hand at it.

Definitely shouldn't be in the 'Chinese' martial arts section.

Probably somewhere around 89'

Battling multiple opponents is not as hard as most people think. You can freely hit all of them, but they can hit only you. This is an essential part of the strategy when dealing with multiple adversaries. There are paths and angles. If you allow them to surround you, then you are in trouble, and is essential that you remove yourself from the center of hostilities. What you want to do is get them to 'crowd' each other or get in each other's way. You can do this by attempting to line them up, or have their paths cross. This essentially limits the amount of targets to one at a time, mobility is the key. Stand still and they have time to move around you. One step of yours can equate to 4 or 5 of their steps, so you can undermine their efforts far quicker than they can undermine yours. Now, who to attack first. The first person to attack is the person who is most likely going to attack you. When dealing with multiple adversaries that clearly intend on causing you physical injury, you 'have' to be the aggressor. Two factors decide who you must attack first. One is, the aggressiveness of your different adversaries, and the other is, proximity. Do not spend too much time on any one adversary. Strike and move. Do not allow anyone to get behind you and at the first 'reasonable' opportunity, run. And, of course... if there is a way to 'talk' your way out of it all... even if you have to apologize for having done nothing wrong, swallow your 'ego' and do so. Property is not worth it, ego is not worth it. edit: yes... being vicious is important. Those holding to a degree of hesitation may back off. But, don't focus too hard on any one opponent with your fury, as you can get mentally locked down. Also, if possible, periodically yell "stop" and "fire" at full volume. This 'can,' surprisingly, end it. "Stop" reminding them that 'they' were the initiators, and "Fire" reminding them that people might come to your rescue, or police may be coming any minute. The mental game is just as important as the physical game.

Agree with Sasori-Te, it is a fear reaction. You need to desensitize yourself to the fear of being hit in the face. Boxing head-banging drills help to work this out. Once you've done that, you can properly train your body to block, parry, slip and dodge.

hehe. i don't know about you, but i could have sworn soul fighter was attempting to be facetious.

I visited the sites in question earlier. Normally i don't judge, but i do tend to speculate. The name of this ju-jutsu system is "ishin ryu ju-jitsu," created in 1990. Spelled differently than the karate form created a century ago. I don't doubt whether Kevin Pell is capable of teaching, or of being able to create his own 'variation' on a theme... but... Ishin ryu ju-jitsu is not a variant of isshin ryu karate. It seems to be well established but my feelings are that he capitalized on the 'pre-existing' reputation of a 'pre-established' martial art form. It's not a bad business move, and not necessarily wrong... but it does tend to go against my personal philosophies. I'm also not keen with him giving himself an 8th degree black belt in it. So... what do you guys think? Should i open up a Gracie judo school and give myself an 8th degree black belt in it?

I use it all the time, every day, in real life situations. To open doors, to talk to a client, to drive down the road through ugly traffic. As to a tournament... last time was back in 86' As to real life confrontation... last time was two months ago, ended with no violence. As to real life with violence, last time was about two years ago. Did a snapkick (top of foot), smacked someone in the back/side of the leg. Basically to let them know i had enough (i already warned them to quit attempting to provoke me). The strike pretty much shook them up and the confrontation ended there. All in all, i lost my cool, and i'm not happy about it. As to real life violence (not practice or sparring), full physical drag-out, last time was when i was working in mental health, back in 96'. It was a job... no regrets. edit: hehe... looks like i tossed out too much info, in comparison to others' responses. Anyway... I was wrong about the 'real life violence' one. I recall throwing someone against and through a door about three years back. A kid (young adult, brown belt in tkd) intentionally pressing my buttons and then assaulting me. Wasn't happy about that situation either. Would have preferred to have just blown it off... but this was a challenge that, if unanswered, would have been a longstanding behavioral problem. The end result was that he later apologized of his own volition. We fixed the door together.

hehe, a wing chun guy who only practices wing chun.

Grappling provides far more 'sensitivity' to the actions of your opponent, and therefore allows you to better manage the degree of damage you wish to apply to your opponent. It also allows you to be able to better 'predict' the actions of your opponent when your bodies are in full merge, as opposed to a stand-up situation, where air serves as a buffer to sensitivity and you end up relying far more on your eyes. Striking is a crapshoot. You hit right, you hit with the right part of the body, you hit in the right place, you hit with sufficient force, you hit while the opponent isn't wheeling back and away, you actually hit. Granted, you roll enough dice and you're bound to roll doubles sooner or later... but it's still a crapshoot. Only in 'competitions' does it turn into a game of chess. Grappling is far more a game of chess from the onset. Far more strategy is applicable in grappling, than in striking. The benefits of knowing how to strike, where to strike and when to strike come into play because you have obtained skills that many others simply do not have, or have not applied sufficient studies into... but the 'stand-up' strategies taught for striking competitions actually can go 'against' you in a real life confrontation. Real life confrontations interfere with the purity of strategy, be they stand-up or groundwork. However, the more physical contact you have with your opposition, the more sensitivity you have, and therefore the more likely you will be able to predict your opponent's actions. Here's a toss... most people assume grappling is all groundwork, and this has been emphasized by BJJ and wrestling. But, it is not. Grappling is actually applied as standup techniques as well. When two opponents are clinched, working to obtain an advantage, maintaining a lot of physical contact, they are grappling. Wing chun applies a degree of grappling, via the forearms and arm techniques utilized. Many other systems enter into some degree of grappling, whether it be to hold an opponent's body part while striking, or simply to 'push' an opponent away. The issue of 'going to the ground' is where many people 'can' get into trouble if they are dealing with multiple opponents, or there is a possibility of such a threat. The advantage of remaining on your feet when dealing with multiple opponents is that you can cause your opponents to trip all over each other. It is far harder to do this if you are on the ground, for the obvious reason that all your opponents aren't on the ground right along with you.

nope ... Nope And there it is... you're 'guessing.' Will agree with DM. May i request you not talk trash about something you have insufficient knowledge of? Every system has its strengths and weaknesses, and it's okay to discuss them... but do so knowledgeably and ask questions on those things you don't have sufficient knowledge of... and are wanting to understand more of. I doubt anyone here needs to be impressed by posturing. 'Closing' your mind at such a young age is detrimental to your growth in the martial arts, and otherwise. Anyway, wing chun is an effective system, but it is not designed for 'sparring' or competition. It is, ultimately, designed to crowd the opposition and prevent him the opportunity to strike back. It poses the greatest risk to grapplers attempting to 'close the gap,' but once a grappler has brought a wing chun practitioner to the ground, the wing chun practitioner (assuming he's a purist) is in trouble.