A Tai Chi demo? Or a rant in Public?

[Harkon72]

This video has been highly commented on tonight on FB in the UK.

Some love it, some see serious flaws; as Chinese martial arts stylists, what do you think guys?

http://youtu.be/uj499l28pa8

I know relatively little about the style as portrayed here, can you help me out?

[sensei8]

Hhhhmmmmmm,

Tai Chi, per this demo, has just, imho, loss some of its validity with me. If these two gentlemen tried what they've demonstrated in a true SD situation, they'd be at a desperate disadvantage.

Drop down in a long and low stance while punching towards someone's side, as demonstrated, is going to be drove upon mercilessly. Why not just transition by slipping said attack and then, by staying close and more upright, drive said punch with the hips?!

I'm not a proponent of Tai Chi, although I've cross trained in it from time to time. I do see value in the slowness of the movements, and some, and I mean some of the given techniques speed up practically can be effective in a SD situation.

Shindokan is flawed, as is any MA, imho!! But we close the gap, stay in said gap, and jam the gap, and what this demonstration spoke in volumes to me was..."DON'T". Don't try what they've demonstrated against a style that lives within the space of contact when one can't manage space.

Flowing and fluid, as anything in the MA, imho, has its purpose, but knowing when the time is the right time is a valuable key to defending oneself. Fancy techniques, imho, are just lucky movements against a MAist that's not easily drawn against said movements.

Imho!!

[clfsean]

Not good... not good really at all

[muttley]

That whole knife defense thing was rather convaluted wasn't it? "In the arts that teach locks and holds, they wouldn't work, they're great against a drunk"...maybe not a direct quote but that's what he was trying to say...great, apart from someone under the influence of alcohol or drugs doesn't tend to feel pain hence so putting pressure through a joint lock won't work that well. Knife defense for a start you shouldn't concentrate on the knife, it's the person holding the knife who is trying to do you harm so the simplest way is to get off line and smash him/her in the kneck as many times as you can until they are on the ground. Take out the head and kneck (control box at it is put) and the human body can't work. It's not rocket science, it's not something "special and only taught in internal arts", it's comon sense.