The HJU Martial Arts Thread

[Lustful Butchery]

I have a question: Who would be your favorite someone that has created & developed a certain martial art that you love the most & why?

 

[Bolt]

That's hard to answer, because most arts aren't created or developed by just one person (despite what the lineages will tell you), but I've always respect guys like Masutatsu Oyama for taking impractical traditional karate and making it lethal again with Kyokushin, Nai Khanom Dtom for making Muay Thai famous as a totally dominate fighting style, and Ng Mui for innovating Wing Chun and adapting it for suitable practicioners. And of course Bruce Lee, who didn't really invent a martial arts style, but might have done more for the discipline as a whole than anyone else in relatively-recent history.

 

[Impulse87]

alrite boys, time for a thread revival

so a few months ago I found out one of my coworkers is a blackbelt in shaolin kenpo, we got to talking and eventually we sparred each other, great fight if i do say so myself, although he did dominate, since he was WAAAYYY more experienced, i felt it was a great learning experience

here's a video demonstrating a few of the top guys at his school in action, very impressive, though kenpo lacks versatility in their sets, they make it up with very intense counters

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuZzAcRHCA4[/ame]

 

[Bolt]

Speaking of Kenpo, I was watching my girlfriend and her brother do that workout program P90X today, and the day's exercise protocol was a "Kenpo X" workout. It was a joke. It was basically just watered-down beginner-level karate with some boxing punches thrown in that weren't even taught correctly. It reminded me how much I hate McDojos and traditional blocking.

Impulse, what kind of techniques are you taught to use during sparring? The reason I ask it because since I'm not a kung fu stylist I really have no concept of what's taught during the sparring and self-defense portions of the classes, especially it being an animal style.

 

[Impulse87]

Impulse, what kind of techniques are you taught to use during sparring? The reason I ask it because since I'm not a kung fu stylist I really have no concept of what's taught during the sparring and self-defense portions of the classes, especially it being an animal style.

since Northern Shaolin is not an animal style unlike white crane, seven star mantis, eagle claw, etc, I can't exactly explain what to do.

Personally I was taught to keep my body as linear as possible, in other words to twist at the hip, there are two purposes to this, firstly the twisting of the hip while punching increases the reach, speed and overall power of the punch. Secondly, by keeping the body linear while striking, you are more likely to dodge a counter attack.

In terms of blocking we have the cleaving circular blocks that you would see shaolin monks use in the movies, there are two ways to do this, the open handed method, where the hands are open in a karate chop formation, it tends to be very fast. Or my preferred method, the closed handed method where the hands are fists, though it's slightly slower, you get the added benefit of smashing your opponent's legs or arms.

Offensively, since Sifu is also a master of Buk Sing Choy Lee Fut, there are two techniques taken right out of the choy lee fut playbook which are my personal favorite, the gwa sao where you would swing your right or left arm out at your opponent in order to either strike or break their guard and follow it up with the other arm, bent at roughly a 120 degree angle with a closed fist. The target of this strike is either for the jaw to knock out the opponent or the temple if you want a kill shot. A blocking/striking variation of this exists called the pak chao which is essentially the same except with the arm twist upward in a 120 degree angle instead of sideways.

There's also a double handed version of the gwa sao called "twin winds strike the ears" where both hands strike the temples/jaw at the same time. A most definite and deadly kill strike. I've used this once where I leaped into a jumping thrust kick and immediately followed up with this move, luckily I used control and stopped an inch away from my friend's jaw to keep from knocking him out.

Of course we also have a few animal based techniques such as the classic tiger's claw, which I usually save for the throat or shoulders to end an encounter or the crane's beak which can either be used to bash the chin or the pointed fingers which make up the beak can be used to strike the eyes or the temple.

There are also kicks, side kicks to the knee in order to dead leg them and thrust kicks to keep your opponent at a distance. And of course the famed tornado kick which is never used in realistic combat, especially if you're facing a skilled opponent.

hope that answered a few questions you may have had bolt :anime:

 

[Bolt]

since Northern Shaolin is not an animal style unlike white crane, seven star mantis, eagle claw, etc, I can't exactly explain what to do.

Oh, right. For some reason I keep thinking you practice Wah Lum Nortern Mantis.

So the double-handed gwa sao is actually efficient? Most two-handed strikes I've seen are useless since by throwing both hands at once you lose your whole power generation source. The leaning double punch ("dragon punch") may be the only exception since one hand hits the groin or solar plexus and you perform it with a whipping motion. I would never trust a double-hand strike to the face, though, unless it was an ear slap.

 

[Impulse87]

well the double handed gwa sao is intended to be a follow attack since it leaves you way too open, in the forms that I know, it's preceded by two crane beaks to the chin followed by two slaps to the knees to distract the opponent or two slaps to the face followed by two slaps to the knees to distract the opponent

in the sparring set, it's proceeded by a jumping thrust kick

for animal styles applications, you could always check this out, a few videos from the legendary late grandmaster Brendan Lai's of the seven star mantis style

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M7M7rLxcYg[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8nmSZxIxd0&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG3533Rktzg[/ame]

brendan lai was known for his incredible speed and technique a very good watch

 

[Bolt]

Figured I'd revive this thread if for no other reason than that it's a shame to see such a wealth of information and enthusiastic discussion go to waste. Any thoughts or questions you have relevant to martial arts should go here.

I've been slacking lately on my non-strength training, and it felt good to do a few rounds on the heavy bag this afternoon. My technique hasn't suffered as much as I had expected and I'm still surprisingly flexible. I'm going to try not to go as long between martial arts workouts in the future and see if I can't brush up on some skills I have getting stale.

 

[Blade Dancer]

I've been slacking in general, too. :shakefist

My class is on Saturday mornings, and I keep either being out of town, or committed to doing something during it. Makes me mad. This weekend I'll be at a wedding three states away, so there's no chance I'm going. Again.