KungFuMan

SifuAbel, I believe he is referring to people who "bounce" around when they are sparring a la tae kwon do or western boxing, instead of using proper kungfu stances. KungFuMan

Agreed, and the irony seems to be that if you take the Tai Chi that is taught solely for health improvement you are less likely to improve your health then if you were studying Tai Chi in a complete way which of course includes the martial aspects. KungFuMan

Sevenstar, REAL taiji is out there just like REAL kungfu. To find it one must first look for it, and do this with the right attitude. Obviously not every town and city in the U.S. or Europe is going to have a resident Tai Chi or for that matter a kungfu master (not real ones anyway). You are correct in implying that there are not many around but those who look hard enough will find them. And it is worth the effort because there are many rewards for those who do, and of course I am not talking about tournament trophies. KungFuMan

Agreed. When it comes to Tai Chi - as well as some of the other major kung fu -systems there is no need to cross train.

Agreed. My problem is with courses that tell you that you can "earn a black belt at home", or become a "deadly fighter" etc. However, well produced video courses featuring real masters who know their stuff can be a useful tool for the experienced martial artists. KungFuMan

Wing Chun prepares one for basically any situation using its principles and concepts. Well this is at least true in my "school". KungFuMan

Stick to your karate for now. Get to know it first before you decide wether it is good or bad for the street. Obviously if you don't like it then it is another story. However most of the major/authentic karate styles are street effective if you are patient and committed. Karate takes a longer time to master than many of the other MA's around, but that is because it is a rich art. KungFuMan

I believe home courses are an extension of the Mcdojo culture so for real results forget Videos and go and find a REAL martial arts school. Well that is my advice. KungFuMan

Coonaxus, I think it is best to practise Chi Kung exercises especially new ones with a master first before continuing on your own, because believe it or not some of these exercises can be dangerous it practised the wrong way. KungFuMan

dtstiachi, According to my research practicing authentic Taichi with an authentic master or qualified instructor will never be harmful to your knees. If anything your knees will become more powerful. I believe the above statement to be true for kung fu styles as well. KungFuMan

"development of Jiu-jitsu" https://www.kyokushinbudokai.org/downloads/Guide.2.01.pdf KungFuMan

Whoops I almost forgot, for more info on bajiquan checkout https://www.bajimen.com My personal opinion is that it is a very practical and devastating style. The training is very hard. However, apparently it can be learnt and put into practice in a relatively short amount of time. KungFuMan

I have looked through the site carefully and I have come to the conclusion that the author is not as pro CMA that some people might think. As far as Thai boxers and the San shou fights are concerned. If the Thai's think that the rules are unfair to their style of fighting then they should not enter into combat with the Sanshou guys. Anyway, thai boxers have always been happily thrashing other martial artists who fought under Thai rules. KungFuMan

Davison, LISTEN to Shorinryuu. KungfuMan

Interesting links Ovineking, As you can see one can also ARGUE that jujitsu has no links with CMA. You see, it takes two to argue. KungfuMan

They will understand what you are saying when they get older perhaps do a little research of their own and enlighten themselves to the fact that a lot of big muscles are not necessary to be an effective martial artists. They may also understand things better if they get beaten up by some 75 year old man who has practiced Taichi.....LOL KungfuMan

I am talking about groundfighting, ie. when both parties are on the ground trying to trap each other and strike as wel when opportunity arises. Chin-na is only part of the story. KungfuMan

jedimc, EXACTLY! You need the power but it does not have to come from big muscles and hence the much misunderstood internals. KungFuMan

If POSSIBLE jujutsu link to china are UNVERIFIED then one can still ARGUE that there is a link. If not by anything maybe by the fact that there are what are claimed to be factual accounts of "meetings" between chinese boxers and japanese martial artists before the creation of Jujutsu. These encounters may or may not be factual, but I suppose one can still ARGUE or even DISCUSS the possibility. OvineKing wrote: "anyway. it being argued doesn't make it a fact". That is also true for the other side of the argument as well. KungFuMan

Well if some of these other styles of Wing Chun "do not have them" then they must have done something to not have them. The reasons why some of these aspects do not exist in some other schools/systems of Wing Chun is explained I believe by my and pvwingchun's previous posts. As for the grappling. My main reference was to the GROUND FIGHTING aspects of WC which of course incorporates Chin-na as well as striking techniques all within the WC principles and concepts. Eventhough Chin-na techniques are present in Kung Fu in general, the way they are used is not necessarilly the same in all styles. This all depends on the individual styles theories and concepts as well as their strenghts and weaknesses. E.G. an eagle claw practitioners use of certain chin-na technique will be different to that of a WC exponents' of the same technique - stance, guard, etc. So you are right there is no Wing Chun Chi-na and I have not say that there is. However there is chin-na that is "adopted" by WC as it may be adopted by Tiger Claw within its own theories and concepts. I have also practiced non-style old school trainning, usually for conditioning and Chi-kung, and that was always specified as shaolin exercises and not Wing Chun - eventhough there is the obvious overlap. KungFuMan

You may be right that this was before kyokushinkai's official existance however this was after Mas Oyama's defeat of the Thai Boxer, which makes the fit of the old Tai Chi master even more incredible. It also demonstrates Oyama's open mind and progressive thinking. KungFuMan

Meguro, Agreed. A lot of the times the winner is the one with the bigger fighting spirit. KungFuMan

They may be "separate entities" today but they are LINKED by a common history/influence and therefore in many ways techniques. Sevenstar wrote: ".....It [jujutsu] is said by some that it has chinese roots.....naturally the japanese say it is pure japanese and the chinese say otherwise....." I.E. One can ARGUE that they can trace their rootes to cma's. You are just restating my point. "...Who cares?" I do and anyone else who is researching the martial arts to expand their knowledge. KungFuMan

jedimc, You are welcome. This article is specially interesting because not only does it inform one of aspects of Oyama's life that are not well known and of course its implications for Kyokushinkai, but it also enlightens the unenlightened to the mighty internal martial arts. Internal martial arts such as Tai Chi, where the exponents do not enter no holds barred contests and as a result are regarded as ineffective martial artists by many ignorants in the MA circles. Glad you enjoyed it. KungFuMan

Here is an interesting link: https://www.crane.50megs.com/index6j.htm It is the story of Mas.Oyama's only defeat at the hands of a Tai Chi master and how Oyama stayed and studied with him and incorporated some internals into Kyokushinkai. It is arguable wether much of these internal have been maintained in the style of kyokushinkai, specially after Mas. Oyama's passing. KungFuMan