Tibby Posted September 7, 2003 Posted September 7, 2003 Hey guys, I’m mostly a Japanese Artist. I don’t know Jack about the Chinese Arts. All I know comes from late nights with 70’s Kung Fu movies. Anyways, my current school is a Jujitsu school that focuses a lot on Combat and training. After a few months of this, I’m really enjoying it, but I’m starting to miss the Kata we did at my Karate school. I’ve been thinking about the old Kung Fu movies me and my friend love so much. You know those seens where the hero is training alone in the Jungle or a temple or something, and he does these beautiful but fast Kata (or whatever you call them)? Well, I was wondering what is it called, and where can I get video’s to start practicing it a little, just for my self. Also what kinds of keywords to search for when looking for tape? I know, I know, I should find an instructor, but there are no schools in my area. So, if anyone knows of an instructional video’s that teaches you kata similar to the ones done in the old movies, please let me know. If those are even real kata’s, and they aren’t made up but Hollywood, that is.
delta1 Posted September 7, 2003 Posted September 7, 2003 ...I don’t know Jack about the Chinese Arts...where can I get video’s to start practicing it a little...I know, I know, I should find an instructor... Find a good instructor... I'm not beind a smart (!). There are a lot of intricacies to most CMA styles that you won't be able to get off of even the best videos. Some of these, like the relationship to your feet and knees, can dammage you if practiced incorrectly. Americans, for example, are for some reason prone to knee problems when doing Taiji with less than competant instruction. I'm not trying to discourage you. I think it would be a good idea to do something like Taijiquan-fa (martial Tai Chi). But first find a good instructor and get private lessons oce every couple of weeks. Ask this instructor which videos he/she recommends. This way you will get the right style, and a video that meshes with the method of instruction you are getting. Taiji will eventually enhance any other martial art, and is an outstanding martial art in its own right. It is also completely forms based. It is also a good form of meditation for those of us who prefer movement. It is often called meditation in motion. But make sure you find someone who teaches and understands the martial aspects of the art. The health oriented dancers get less than half the health bennifits and nothing else at all out of it. Freedom isn't free!
Tibby Posted September 7, 2003 Author Posted September 7, 2003 I'd loveto go to a teacher, but I can't, like I said, there arn't any around here.I always tell people on the Jujitsu and Karate baord "You can't leanrfrom video's" and i know where you are coming from, but in htis part of Texas, We have Karate, Karate, and Karate. Maybe a little TKD to, and the Jujitsu school I'm at is the only grappling school for miles! Boxing is even hard to find in this area! This isn't like Cali(which is good in some ways ), we don't have a Martial Arts school on every block, so we have to take what we can get, and what we can get is karate, karate, and karate.
Fa-Jing Posted September 7, 2003 Posted September 7, 2003 We usealy call a it a form . If you want some thing that "LOOKS COOL" Wu Shu might be good . Do you want something that is Effective or just looks cool? Weapons arn't that hard to learn from VIDEO and You perobly won't use it in combat so if you learn bad habits thats not so bad as a empty hands. Look for Classical Forms or animal styles craine, monkey, snake,tiger,dragon, ect.. Drunken style, and drunken monkey is cool looking but could never hope to learn from video. And don't dout the effectiveness of Drunken style either ... As Stated above videos leave out the foot work most of the time which is so importand. Plus stuff like weight shifts,timing, Softness, uprooting of power and balence, angle ect... won't be learnd in vidios. Look for old Kung Fu movies made in Hong Kong or China not hollywood the kung fu is way better ... Good Luck "You punch like a pig and kick like a dog"
Tibby Posted September 7, 2003 Author Posted September 7, 2003 Cool or effective? I want both, to be honest. I know from Karate that Kata can really help you with your speed and make you comfortable with strikes. I do want to do it for that aspect, but mainly, I want it to look cool. I get enough combat and fight training from class and extra training, now I want some stuff that looks good, a foot sweep and an arm bar can work great, but it not look smooth, and it isn't the kind of thing people will think of a Martial Artist doing. Plus, the Fast pace, cool-looking stuff they do in the movies- effective or not- looks like a fun! That is really the main reason, it looks like a lot of fun to do! I'll look us some of the stuff you suggested.
Ali Posted September 8, 2003 Posted September 8, 2003 Looking for Hung Gar if you would like to learn something as what you have seen in 70's Kung Fu movie. Because at that moment, most of Action instructor on that movie was from Hung Gar. Good luck!!! Darkness grants me pair of dark black eye,Yet I determine to look for Brightness
paolung Posted September 9, 2003 Posted September 9, 2003 uhh yeah but most of what you saw in the movies was not authentic hung kuen "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
Ironberg Posted September 10, 2003 Posted September 10, 2003 Boy, I sure would enjoy learning a bit of kung-fu kata - preferably Shaolin Kempo. However, like the other poor boy, I'm stuck in a miserable small town. The only good thing in this miserable town is the Karate school I train at. "An enlightened man would offer a weary traveler a bed for the night, and invite him to share a civilized conversation over a bowl of... Cocoa Puffs."
Drunken Monkey Posted September 12, 2003 Posted September 12, 2003 just came to mind. i heard that shorin ryu is based on shaolin. does anyone know how similar/different they are? post count is directly related to how much free time you have, not how intelligent you are."When you have to kill a man it costs nothing to be polite."
paolung Posted September 12, 2003 Posted September 12, 2003 shorin = japanese for shaolin that's what i was told... "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
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