fireka Posted June 27, 2003 Posted June 27, 2003 im a karate-ka, but i just read an article about the philosophy of the shadowless kick, this makes since. the thing is though, we are tought that being low gives you a better base for balance. i wonder if there is a way to combine the ideas of stances in karate, with the shadowless kick ideals of chinese martial arts. "i could dance like that!.......if i felt like it...." -Master Betty
Ali Posted June 28, 2003 Posted June 28, 2003 Shadowless Kick is one of the famous technique of Hung Gar and Master Wong Fei Hung. Dfferent from what you seen in movie "Once upon the time" starred by Jet Li. But nothing special, just to throw a strike by hand to draw other people attention and do a groin kick. I am not quiet understand your saying of combining Karate and Chinese MA??? Darkness grants me pair of dark black eye,Yet I determine to look for Brightness
fireka Posted June 28, 2003 Author Posted June 28, 2003 oh, what i meant was, this article described the shadowless kick as a kick that has no predenotation. for instance, in karate (isshinryu style anyways) we are taught to focus on the opponets shoulders, because from there we can see everything he is doing based on the way the shoulders move, this article described the shadowless kick as having perfect posture all the way through, the kick therefore has no 'shadow' for which base were the real thing will strike. However, i have noticed a lot of Chinese forms use high, natural stances, where a lot of Okinawain styles like low stances. i wonder if i can combine the shadowless kick techniques with the stances of the okinawain styles. "i could dance like that!.......if i felt like it...." -Master Betty
Ali Posted June 28, 2003 Posted June 28, 2003 No predenotation? Yeah, I understand what you said In common situation, if you deliver right high side kick, you can notice your left shoulder draw backward. Shadowless kick started with a posture that your whole front body facing the opponent. Usually with strong balance on your lower part. Hear from my sifu, some people would practise this kick by placing 2 bowl of water on shoulder. When you kick, any sinking or raising of body would make the bowls fall. Same case, drawing backward of shoulder would make the same result. Repeatly practise can make opponent cant witness your kicking intention. This is only reference. Hope this help. Bowl of water just a tool and don't stick to this. Darkness grants me pair of dark black eye,Yet I determine to look for Brightness
Ali Posted June 28, 2003 Posted June 28, 2003 Yes, some would practise with 2 egg on shoulders. Forget something. If making extremely general divide between Southern and Northern part. Most of southern Kung Fu use more hand skill with lower stance and Low kick. (Like Hung Gar, Wing Chun, Choy Li Fu and etc) While most northern Kung Fu use more high kicking with high stance. In Southern part of China, more river and ports. Struggle for interest was keen near Pier. Hence, balance is most important to avoid falling into water. Sometime even need to fight on boat. Riding Lamb stance is Wing Chun is extremely good under this situation. Moreover, southern city comparately has more narrow lanes and more crowded people than northern part. Low stance, more hand technique. Darkness grants me pair of dark black eye,Yet I determine to look for Brightness
paolung Posted June 30, 2003 Posted June 30, 2003 my sifu always said "if you want to see a shadowless kick, turn out the lights and kick!" seriously though... the no-shadow kick is NOT based on misdirection (throw a hand out to distract your opponent) but is based on speed. mok gwai lan (wfh's last wife) learned the mo ying gerk and said she would never use it because it was "too murderous". "It is not how much you know but how well you have mastered what you've learnt. When making an assessment of one's martial arts training one should measure the depth rather than the length". - MASTER "General" D. Lacey
Ti Posted July 4, 2003 Posted July 4, 2003 uhhh there is still a shadow right? Isn't wong fay hong fictional?
Karateka_latino Posted July 5, 2003 Posted July 5, 2003 No Ti, Wong Fei Hong isn't a fictional character.. He was a true martial Artist/Doctor, He was an expert in Hung Gar Kung Fu, he was the son of Wong Kai Yin, the shadowless kick DO exist, he's a REAL Chinese folk Hero.
Prodigal Son Posted July 8, 2003 Posted July 8, 2003 we are taught to focus on the opponets shoulders, because from there we can see everything he is doing based on the way the shoulders move, this article described the shadowless kick as having perfect posture all the way through, the kick therefore has no 'shadow' for which base were the real thing will strike. However, i have noticed a lot of Chinese forms use high, natural stances, where a lot of Okinawain styles like low stances. i wonder if i can combine the shadowless kick techniques with the stances of the okinawain styles. Firstly, watching the shoulders works okay - but if you want to know a wicked secret, watch the CHEST. You can see everything in the pheripheral field much more easily. Try it ! In Wing Chun, our kick is shadowless because we do it in such a way that the opponent does not see it - it just strikes and takes his knee out. We can do this because our weight is usually on one foot. Kick the post. The kick does not miss. >>>PS<<< ------------------------------------------------------------------------Self-defense is only an illusion, a dark cloak beneath which lurks a razor-sharp dagger waiting to be plunged into the first unwary victim. Sifu Wong.
ShirKhan Posted July 9, 2003 Posted July 9, 2003 What I was taught is the no-shadow kick sounds similar to the previous post....a kick to the knee that isn't betrayed by any other body movement to "telegraph" a kick is coming. It's done at close quarters. I also saw the post about balancing eggs on the shoulders? You can also balance a book on your head at the beginning...saves the mop, lol...
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