Tim Greer

There's nothing wrong with building your body. I'd suggest more people do. It's not like you are forced to build just bulk. Build your body for more strength, stamina and power -- go for the quality of the muscle building, not just for mass. As long as you work out smart, stretch, etc., you will not lose any flexibility. Of course, if you get too huge, you can go too far, but that would be rare, as long as you do it right and don't just bulk up to "look" tough.

Here's some in NJ and NY that I found, i only a few seconds. I can probably get some school's recommended, if you still are looking. http://www.njkarate.com - Adojo Shaolin Kempo Karate Center - Livingston, New Jersey: A full service Karate center offering group and private lessons from ages 4 and up. Located in Livingston, New Jersey. Style is cross between Shaolin Temple Boxing, Kung Fu, Kempo, Ju Jitsu, Karate, and Chin Na (white tiger). http://www.albenderskungfuacademy.com - Al Bender's Kung Fu Academy - Bloomfield, NJ: Over 20 years martial instruction in traditional chinese styles of kungfu, kuang ping tai chi, hsing yi, pakua, weapons. For self defense, discipline, self-confidence, weightloss, and improved flexibility. http://www.chinahand.com - China Hand Gung Fu Academy - Brick, NJ: Shaolin Long Fist Site with complete information on kung fu and chinese culture. http://www.kungfu-wusu.com - Chinese Kung-Fu Wu-Su Association - New York, New York: Non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the traditional Chinese martial arts. Grandmaster Alan Lee, a Taoist priest and Kung-Fu Wu-Su Grandmaster, is the driving force behind a system which teaches Shaolin and other temple arts. http://www.nshaolin.com - NY Northern Shaolin Gong Fu - A traditional Northern style Gong Fu School whose mission is to preserve the Scholarly Transmission of Gong Fu. http://yeeshunggabrooklyn.webjump.com - Yee's Hung Ga Kung Fu Academy -Brooklyn - Brooklyn, New York: The Brooklyn Branch of YHGKFA teaches traditional Shaolin 5-animal Kung Fu

They had a demonstration on tv of a guy who aused fire from his hands using chi. Like I said... like we said... again.. again.. again.. You mentioned Hsing-I, and John Price lives in my own town. Surely you must know who John Price is, if you know much about Hsing-I and it's lineage. Knowing who he is and what he knows, why wouldn't these things be known to me, or him? _________________ Regards, Tim Greer | xanth@digital-star.com | Phone: 530-222-7244 I study any and every style and I'm always looking to spar!! Also, if I'm not around for a while, I'm just away training. This Message was edited by: Tim Greer on Aug 3, 2001 3:53pm

BackOrafice is only good, if someone on the other end has that trojan installed, as I'm sure you are aware. There's some other programs similar too, but all these programs require the person on the other end, to have an infected system for the connections to work. (I'm sure you probably know that too). Backorafice and the other similar programs do probes of subnets anyway, searching for any IP's that might be infected and your chances of being hit (if you were infected) have greater odds of happening from a probe, than someone specifically targetting you, hoping your system is infected -- chances of that are so slim, it'd not be worth trying.

As for being aware of internal styles, yes I am. Since you mentioned Hsing-I, I may as well make mention that John Price actually lives in my town. I also study Baguazhang, Tai Chi Chuan (Taujiquan), Taiji Chin Na (Qin Na), various Shaolin Kung Fu styles, such as Long Fist, White Crane, Shaolin Qin Na, etc. (Of course, there are many other's, but having mor to do with this thread, I mention those). These also cover Chi/Qigong and various Internal and external aspects, and more.

Can you elaborate a little on what you mean exactly? Are you talking about practicing one attack/technique more than other's, or using one as a default, or using one more often, trying to more often, or making it your forte', or? If it's any of those, I don't suggest any of them being committed to more than anything else. Of course, there are reasons to train and use certain techniques over other's, but never commit too much time to one technique and never have one technique be your "best" either. Never. I don't know anyone around my area that is faster than I am, but I don't commit to developing speed over anything else, nor do I plan to commit to maintaining it over anything else. I plan to maintain everything. However, some techniques are probably not something you want to spend as much time training and using other's, but there's a lot that are useful and should be used and trained a lot and I would never commit myself to anything, other than being ready, dynamic and able. Everyone has enough time and ability to develop many aspects and techniques to acheive this, and not commit to any one technique. If you're referring to something else and I misunderstood, then please explain, because I'm not entirely sure along the lines you're speaking. If you are and I did cover that, then I'd also not suggest on trying to be the best at everything, but trying to have or be the best or have one best technique over other's, is a bad idea in my opinion and it is too static and will just get in the way. There's no reason or logic to excel at only one attack/technique and commit to it over other's, unless it's a weakness and would be of value/an advantage to work on.

Correct. You can't get any information about anyone from an IP or really use it for anything. And, as Patrick said, it's not "certain". Both these posters were on AOL, and that's a large ISP. However, two new posters, being this is the only forum and only thread they commented in, saying the same things, typing the same exact way -- and knowing about and participating in this exact forum and thread, knowing it's there and not any other forums did they participate in, pretty much says that it's the same person to me. The IP's aren't exact, because of how IP's on AOL vary and alternate. There's never any definites, even with the same IP, but I personally don't question it being the same person based on all those aspects.

Nope. Also, I don't see why it would be. Looking at the IP's of the posters, doesn't do or affect anything at all. I haven't had a reason to yet for abuse issues or whatever -- and it wouldn't have been a big deal to not to look in this case -- but just out of curiosity to see. I thought it was relevant. Other people might disagree, but that does surely dismiss the stories we've heard. Looking at the IP doesn't mean anything at all. I think a lot of people are confused about what IP's are, mean or can be used for. In fact, IP's mean abosolutely nothing, so it's odd that they aren't just shown to everyone.

Wow, it's amazing how people will milk the whole "Bruce Lee" legend for everything it's worth -- or not worth, because they don't realize what he really did or stood for. I can suggest many in-depth books if someone wants to learn the facts about Bruce Lee. Anywya, why do I have this eerie feeling that "ChangWuJi" and "Anonymous2" are the same poster... hmmm.... (looking at IP's, yup, well, so much for agreeing with yourself using a different username -- that helps reaffirm it all). Anyway, oh well. Maybe a myths and legends forum can be created. I'm not bothered by it, but passing it off as fact, just sort of takes the value of real discussions away. However, that debate is best left to another forum, I'm sure. Have fun everyone. _________________ Regards, Tim Greer | xanth@digital-star.com | Phone: 530-222-7244 I study any and every style and I'm always looking to spar!! Also, if I'm not around for a while, I'm just away training. This Message was edited by: Tim Greer on Jul 31, 2001 4:45pm

I should take this opportunity to make mention; A lot of people often think that if someone's truly not a threat to them, that it's good practice, they don't get hurt, and you don't get hurt -- since you can control the situation and not hurt them or be hurt, yet still get real fighting experience by getting into fights. This is not always true, and you won't know until it's too late. This is where the ego issue comes into play. Be it that it's ego, anger, whatever. Whatever reason that makes you stay in a fight, act touch and not back down to be able to walk away or otherwise avoid the fight. Okay, fine, but then you might just find out the hard way, that you didn't see his other 10 friends, his knife, his gun, or the police officer that's walking up the parking lot towards you. These are all bad news and you don't find out until it's too late. There's too many things that can go wrong and you'll have no control over anything other than what you do... so you better think hard about what you're about to do -- and if you have time to think, you have time and opportunity to avoid it. In otherwords, the non threatening confrontation, should not only be avoided because you are smart or skilled enough to be able to get out of fighting, or getting into a lot of fighting, but because of these other unknown variables as well. It's not all that uncommon, and it might be a decision you might really regret -- not to even have mentioned that you might not intend to do a lot of harm and end up killing some guy just because he's a stupid, loud mouthed punk trying to act cool when his friends are around. Just a thought. _________________ Regards, Tim Greer | xanth@digital-star.com | Phone: 530-222-7244 I study any and every style and I'm always looking to spar!! Also, if I'm not around for a while, I'm just away training. This Message was edited by: Tim Greer on Jul 31, 2001 3:04am

/* Start rant... I can't help it.. I can't. I must comment, I simply must. My "Chi" compels me to comment.. I have no control, it's taken over my mind and my universe! That said... I have never heard anything so ridiculous in my life, and I sincerely hope you are joking! Unless this "master" is Jesus Christ, I'm just blown away that you'd say you saw someone walk on water. I ask you, was this water only an inch or so deep? Please, don't confuse this with questioning it, disbelief or no faith. This can be construed as an interrogation, but that wouldn't be correct. It's more of a mocking, I won't lie. This, offends and insults me, unless you care to explain that you're joking. I mean, I'm sure you are, but you seem to serious. Maybe you should write a novel or a movie? Really, honestly, seriously, this is ludicrous! I have studied Shaolin Kung Fu styles, I've studied physiology, I understand how the body and mind functions. I understand the real purpose and function of what is referred to the "chi channels", and what a "meridian" would be described as. This in no way allows people to manipulate reality, gravity or do the impossible. It's what affects the nervous system, sends the body into shock or death, etc. I emphasize, this does not give people the ability to do the impossible, such as manipulate gravity, go back in time, bring the moon crashing down to Earth, part the Red Sea, or shoot fire out of their eyes. Someone slipped you some really intense hallucinogenic. Out of everything I've studied, I haven't heard of some of these "styles" you claim. This is also not my reason to choose to not believe this hog wash either. It's not simply because "I don't know" or "haven't seen it". It's simply because it's not possible. Flat out, it's not. I woke up this morning, thinking about someone claiming Kung Fu master's could walk on water. I thought to myself "That would be really funny if that was true, but that's ridiculous -- it was just a dream.. why the heck did I dream that? That's insane!" Then, I checked this thread, since it was updated since my last visit, and low and behold, it wasn't a dream and someone was actually saying this. My goodness! Now, this isn't an insult or a complete mocking or an attack, but come on here! I mean, I'm open to people doing things that are possible, such as having so much adrenaline pumping, they can lift a car off someone, but there's nothing in the human body that would make it possible for someone to take flight or walk on water, unless you're talking about a _very short duration_! I am of the opinion that this site, these forums, are for speaking about real things, theories, stories and myths too, sure.. but only as story and myth, for fun. To claim these things and clutter the forums with these claims, really bothers me! Believe me, I've studied enough to have to defend people's mocking attacks on many styles, because they don't understand that some things are possible. However, it's things like this, that create these inquisitions and make us either avoid the issue or bother to explain how certain things truly are real. This, however, without any humorous content, has no place in a serious discussion in my personal opinion. However, this isn't my forum/site, so I'll just state my view point about this, and simply ask that you be straight forward and stop joking around, without accusing you of any more than that. Martial arts is important to a lot of people that participate here and at other sites, and nothing bothers me more, than misinformation or ridiculous claims. Mind you, I'm not stating that you can't attack someone's nervous system and send them into shock, paralyze a part of their body, stop their heart or breathing or brain activity, or that you can't otherwise kill them given a certain technique. I've studied the human body to know that certain things are possible, due to how the body functions. Any serious martial artist will study these aspects, the bones and how much pressure and the angles you need to know to be able to break it effectively, subdue a person, cause great pain, have them lose consciousness or their ability to continue to live. I know that things can work, even without trying them or seeing them. I also know what can not work. Also, you state that you're met so many people that know "death touches"? What exactly do you mean, and how do you know it works? Did they kill someone in front of you? How did they apply this "death touch", since you're being so open about it? I've seen some people do some pretty amazing things, but they were real things, based on real theories and things the human body is capable of, not things of myth and legend. You can't stand in front of someone, not even touching them or providing some type of force/power to move them. You can't create wind and change the weather. You can't turn water into wine. These things simply are not possible. These things can't be done or come from the human body. If someone moved you without having some physical force by a person or some natural or environmental element, then you allowed yourself to be tricked. Chi, in some or most senses, is real, depending on what you "think" it means. In interruption of your body's "flow" (nervous system, blood flow, etc.) can make you ill, it can kill you. It can kill you slowly or quickly. However, it can not and does not have anything to do with voodoo, magic, impossible feats or the like. If you have a bruise in a cavity that your "Chi" is said to flow through, you can become ill. This is because the blood flow, muscles, tendons, nerves, cells, whatever, can be obstructed. It's like any medical condition, in a lot of aspects. There are vital areas on the body that can be used to harm someone, by making use of knowledge of how they will be affected, if you do damage to a certain area. That goes without saying. I ask that you not post tall tales, without making it clear you are, or that you are joking, or perhaps are 8, or perhaps are under the influence of something or have some mental illness, because otherwise, it's just getting in the way of the real subject, and the real meaning of it. I just can't sit here though, and listen to some ludicrous mocking about martial arts and gross misinformation based on bad movie plots. I just can't. End rant... */

Indeed, it might be difficult to attack a pressure point in a real fight. You also have to be accurate and know the right depths, etc. Especially for cavity presses, but that's often best left to use when you've already got them in a lock or something. Once you go, you can do a cavity press, hit a vital nerve and send them into a painful situation they will never forget.

If I have a choice of the action I'll commit in a situation like that, then I certainly have the choice to not need to take action in the first place. Granted, everyone has emotions and can get pissed off and not walk away when they could have -- I know it's happened to me -- but assuming you don't have a choice not to, there must be a threat to your body, in which case, laws be damned and they go down by whatever means. Assuming you didn't have a choice, you don't worry about legal ramifications. Assuming you do have a choice, then yes, walk away if you are smart emough or otherwise get out of it or end it without violence or a lot of violence, and end it without causing any true harm to them. However, if that's the case, it must not be much of a challenge and you needn't expose yourself to the situation anyway -- otherwise, do whatever you feel you must. That is how I look at it in a nutshell and some times you don't have time to consider these aspects. In the US, a broken leg, if someone attacks you, I don't see you getting into any legal trouble at all (criminal or civil). If you kill them, that's different and you better prove it was a mistake or intentional -- but both better be based on neccessity and that you likely didn't have many or any other alternatives. In all likelihood, I'll be too involved to consider much else, other than ending it.

Ooops, wrong thread.

If you take JKD, you'll find that you're taking something based on some styles and ideas, but the entire meaning and style of JKD from beyond that, would be how the instructor teaches it. Hence, "The artless art". It's just creating and using techniques yourself or from other systems and incorporating them into a style that suits you. JKD in it's essence, is basically your own style, but it's commonly known to be based on some basics, like Wing Chun, Western Boxing and the like. It uses trapping and feints and whatnot too, which is some of the basis for the idea, but the idea of JKD is not to have a pattern, but simply to be dynamic and alive, not just executing techniques that have been burned into your mind and possibly limit you from being dynamic enough to adapt to a real situation that you might need to make use of other things. Or, actually, reading over your post again, you seem that you might know this already -- even though I probably didn't explain it well.

Angus, you think we train only 4 hours a day? Heh.

Yeah, break their leg on your first move, if you are able, that will stop anyone. Also, any technique that hits a vital area. Something to interfere with their breathing, or their ability to do much in the way of continuing a fight -- such as breaking their leg. Not many people get as easy a chance to execute a technique to someone's head on the first contact and knock them out of imobolize them, as much as a broken leg or crushed wind pipe would. Not exactly doable in anything but a real situation, but you get the idea.

I don't know about New York, but there's a few in California: Master Nguyen Thi Cam Binh, San Jose, CA. Instructor Tran Huy Loi, Oakland, CA. Instructor Tan The Minh, Sacramento, CA. Master Tran Van Vinh, Pomona, CA. However, I think that Master Nguyen Dan Hung (7th dan) is located in NY. Check with some organizations for any information about any schools near you, they will probably know.

...or, just don't try and kick someone in their head with a high kick, unless you have a very open opportunity and can easily do it.

As I've said probably too many times here, and that's that I only use a belt to help reduce injury and shock to my internal organs. Other than that, I couldn't care less. However, being that a lot of schools base what they teach you on your belt rank, it can be something to worry about. It makes sense, and a way of keeping track, how far someone's come along to be able to know they have the skill and bases to learn the next techniques, etc. That makes sense. And it's okay to deal with, even if you have to wait to learn other techniques that are more advanced that you probably could have handled already and now -- even though it sucks you can't, it's okay. However, I don't care about how they keep track, but in a lot of dojo's, as well as McDojo's, a lot still do delay or otherwise hold off on teaching you the next level of techniques, because by your rank, you aren't exactly ready yet. And, that would really be terrible in a situation that you couldn't advance at your own pace or were a victim to politics. As you say though, don't worry -- and let me add -- just as long as you find a real school.

Yeah, Will Smith is a cool customer all right. I don't know anyone that doesn't like him. He's come a long way and is so hugely successful since he first came into the acting scene. It's pretty impressive.

Sounds like a lot of typical McCrap to me and I don't know why the Mchell people stay in places like that. I think you guy's made the right choice. I've seen far too many McSchool's that simply refuse to give you a higher ranking belt, even if you have all the knowledge and skills, until you've had a minimun of so-many months invested. I'm sure there's a lot of various McReasons and McExcuses they have, such as keeping you in their McDojo longer, so they can make more McMoney from you. Next time you see something like that, ask them in you can have fries with your McDojo. _________________ Regards, Tim Greer | xanth@digital-star.com | Phone: 530-222-7244 I study any and every style and I'm always looking to spar!! Also, if I'm not around for a while, I'm just away training. This Message was edited by: Tim Greer on Jul 28, 2001 6:14pm

Yeah, he does look pretty goofy. I've just seen, what I think, him doing some pretty good acting -- for certain parts, in certain movies. He's definitely got that dork quality going on though. Speaking of idiot's and acting, you probably don't like very many martial arts films with people like Van Damme, Seagal and the like, do you? I can't blame you.

Now I was reminded of Chasing Amy... Now that was a funny movie!

Unbreakable was a little slow and reminded me a lot of the Sixth Sense, but it was the same director and that could be why, not to mention Bruce Willis in it as well. A good movie though a good ending. The Legend of Bager Vance was okay, but I didn't think it was anything too great. It had it's moments though. I'm not a golf fan either. As for Matt Damon, are you serious? You have to see Dogma! He has been in some good movies and played some good roles. He's a pretty good actor, depending on the role he's playing... well, I think anyway -- unless you're talking about his roles in movies like Bager Vance, then I could understand. *l*