I really love the way eastern martial arts complicates the field of fighting with its detailed attention to technique. There is truly a relationship and proportionality between practioner and practice. A real mutha fucka is one who has concentrated his efforts into the innovation and employment of specific techniques that were too complex for other practioners to start with. Although like any other practice, time and ability create barriers to learning everything, a practioner may become abnormally expert in a few essential specifics, or, they can have general knowledge in many areas and be only fairly proficient in every one at the expense of expertise. There is even the opportunity for those few who have attained great proficiency to individualize movements, paving the way for new styles and sub-branches. Even internalizing good schtick from other unrelated fields such as acrobatics, meditation and psychology. Daiz some sick shit.

indeed,

do you train in any system or style at the moment?

i train in shaolin gong fu mostly but do practice many other styles aswell here and there, i absorb as much as i can from as many good sources as possible,


peace.

indeed,

do you train in any system or style at the moment?

i train in shaolin gong fu mostly but do practice many other styles aswell here and there, i absorb as much as i can from as many good sources as possible,


peace.


Yes, I study aikido at a dojo. But I also get some exercise with boxing, basketball, and sometimes weightlifting. :D

Which branch of kung fu are you a student of? The two I am most familiar with is Wing Chun and Wu Shu, though I have never been tutored in any of these forms.

Peace.

Btw, I believe it is possible to become a black belt in 7 months for very few people if they devote many hours, almost every day of the week. The martial arts is a mind/body challenge essentially. It requires routine practice to become imprinted into the motor skills. Some styles are simpler than others, like boxing and wrestling, or sumo and jujitsu. I believe that if one concentrates on obtaining the knowledge in each of these simpler techniques, one can learn them on their own. However, more complicated forms require the physical journey to the local dojo. That part isn't always fun. :rolleyes:

Wushu means millitary art, and refers to all Chinese martial arts. Becoming a blackbelt in 7 months...that's doubtful, but it depends on the system/style regardless. Martial arts started off as collective knowledge of physics, physiology, and some psycology, and I believe any collective knowledge can be employed, in some way to martial arts.Budoseek.net (http://Budoseek.net) is a good martial arts site where a lot of your questions can be answered. Don't talk politics to them, because there are a few fascist neo-Nazis in the group.

Also, jujutsu is a fairly complex system compared to say..Tae Kwon Do.

Yes, I study aikido at a dojo. But I also get some exercise with boxing, basketball, and sometimes weightlifting. :D

Which branch of kung fu are you a student of? The two I am most familiar with is Wing Chun and Wu Shu, though I have never been tutored in any of these forms.

Peace.


i study in shaolin gong fu mostly, and at the moment i am focusing on 2 finger zen, iron conditioning methods, the 5 basic animal forms, and as always my lohan basics,

at the shaolin temple we have a little joke about wu shu students, i must say they are not very well respected as warriors to be honest, i wont say any more though, wing chun is good it branches off from shaolin i have studied some myself,

i dont just train in gong fu though, i train in alot of qi gong, taiji, muay thai grappling, mongolian wrestling, and i train in systemma and judo with my uncle who was scottish judo champ a long time ago,

peace.

peace,

Wushu means millitary art, and refers to all Chinese martial arts. Becoming a blackbelt in 7 months...that's doubtful, but it depends on the system/style regardless. Martial arts started off as collective knowledge of physics, physiology, and some psycology, and I believe any collective knowledge can be employed, in some way to martial arts.Budoseek.net (http://Budoseek.net) is a good martial arts site where a lot of your questions can be answered. Don't talk politics to them, because there are a few fascist neo-Nazis in the group.



yes wushu directly translates into (martial arts) but it has become more of a theatre and show style, rather than an actual combat art for selfe defence, flowery fists and embroided kicks, they dont have black belts in chinese systems traditionaly, they usually identify status with sashes,

but i agree when you say gaining a black belt in 7 months is doubtfull, but sadly you can aquire one with ease in the western system branches, its a dissgrace, but these western Mc dojos are nothing more than a buisness they put real martial warriors to shame with there gimmicks etc,

the colour of ones belt does not matter in my eyes, i have been training for over 17 years now nearly 18 i think, and i am not a black belt in any art, i do have a yellow sash at the shaolin temple though, but again to me it means nothing, the hours of hard work i put in training is what matters to me, and personal improvement,


anyways i have to go i wanted to say more but i have to go and meet some people,


peace.

i have to go and meet some people
TO KILL THEM???!?!!!!111

Then he'll eat their heart for their courage, smoke their eyeballs, and use their blood in his ink pens.

Btw, I believe it is possible to become a black belt in 7 months for very few people if they devote many hours, almost every day of the week. The martial arts is a mind/body challenge essentially. It requires routine practice to become imprinted into the motor skills. Some styles are simpler than others, like boxing and wrestling, or sumo and jujitsu. I believe that if one concentrates on obtaining the knowledge in each of these simpler techniques, one can learn them on their own. However, more complicated forms require the physical journey to the local dojo. That part isn't always fun. :rolleyes:

i am a teacher and you can not reach black belt in 7 months and have been taught properly.

I realize Tai Chi may hold some of what I am thinking, but is there a discipline of martial arts which is taught slowly? Too often, the styles seem to be action-reaction, lickity-split. While good for someone with a good deal of control, it's too easy to "project" what you're trying to do, but not actually accomplish the move successfully.

My only exposure has been to various forms of Tae Kwon Do and Kenpo, but in both types of classes, speed was emphasized over accuracy or form (grace). Of course, it was meant to be flashy--"Oh cool, I can block a punch and strike a man's adam's apple at the same time!" But I can't shake the feeling that if the moves were taught in slow-motion, there would be a better chance they would be internalized (you can see action-reaction already laid out in your mind) rather than guessed (I think this is how I react to that person's punch).

I realize Tai Chi may hold some of what I am thinking, but is there a discipline of martial arts which is taught slowly? Too often, the styles seem to be action-reaction, lickity-split. While good for someone with a good deal of control, it's too easy to "project" what you're trying to do, but not actually accomplish the move successfully.

My only exposure has been to various forms of Tae Kwon Do and Kenpo, but in both types of classes, speed was emphasized over accuracy or form (grace). Of course, it was meant to be flashy--"Oh cool, I can block a punch and strike a man's adam's apple at the same time!" But I can't shake the feeling that if the moves were taught in slow-motion, there would be a better chance they would be internalized (you can see action-reaction already laid out in your mind) rather than guessed (I think this is how I react to that person's punch).I did a number of years learning a style of Karate that was more about body condition - the ability to absorb / deflect / utilise weight of opponents attack, and the ability to utilise your own body weight through your own blocks and strikes - than complex techniques.

It's called Shotokai Karate (KDS) - led by Sensei Harada in the UK - who got his 5th Dan (highest in the style) from Gichin Funikoshi himself.
It's not a sport-style - so no competitions - and probably isn't heard of much.
But it's a fluid style - very different from Aikido, though.

Only problem is that it is quite a small organisation - mainly University based - and the quiality of teaching varies across the UK.

What would you practitioners of martial arts claim is the martial art most apt to allow one to kill another human being unarmed in the most amount of positions, situations, and quickest? In essence: What is the most effective martial art in delievering death to one's enemies?

I am thinking either ninjutsu or ken(m)po, but admittedly, in the case of the former, the inclusion of weapons in so many of the techniques makes it seem less likely to be as effective without such.

What would you practitioners of martial arts claim is the martial art most apt to allow one to kill another human being unarmed in the most amount of positions, situations, and quickest? In essence: What is the most effective martial art in delievering death to one's enemies?

I am thinking either ninjutsu or ken(m)po, but admittedly, in the case of the former, the inclusion of weapons in so many of the techniques makes it seem less likely to be as effective without such.

Most people that have been practicing a martial art for a long period of time possess the knowledge and the skills to kill a person with ease, regardless of which fighting style they have learned. However, I believe that most fighting styles are not appropriate for street fights. Most martial arts place more importance on the art of combat, rather than the tactics of real combat. I personally think that it is never logical to kick someone above the groin area when you are in a standing position in a street fight. That is why I think popular fighting styles like Karate and Tae Kwon Do are not appropriate for street fights. Spinning kicks may look cool, but it is a foolish thing to do in a real fight.

Most fighting styles have effective moves for delivering death to your enemies. The Human body is very fragile. You just have to apply enough pressure in the right spot to kill someone. I don’t believe that there is one specific martial art that teaches you all of the best tactical moves to defeat your enemy. There are definitely some martial arts that are better than others, but I think it is best to learn specific moves and exercises from multiple art forms.

I think Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and Kung Fu styles that involve the use of finger attacks (tiger style, Ect) are the most effective styles for street fights. I believe that any healthy person that practices a few moves and exercises from the fighting styles that I just mentioned can defeat any black belt in a real fight. They may not be the most skilled fighter, but an attack in the right place at the right time can kill anyone.

Finger attacks are the most deadly strikes in martial arts because a skilled fighter can use his or her fingers like a bullet or a stabbing instrument. A black belts punch can exceed 1600 PSI. Enough to crush a coconut or a skull. A 1600-PSI finger strike can puncture a person’s flesh like a bullet. You could easily rip out someone’s throat. Precision is also very important when you are using finger strikes. Perfect precision can allow you to hit the right pressure points or pull out your opponent’s eyes.

Edit:I got my information about the PSI of a punch from a documentary about martial arts. But I recently read an article with conflicting information. According to the information in the article, some fighters can punch with a thousand pounds of impact force. Click on the link for more information.
Link (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/08/060814-fight-science_2.html)

As for weapons, I think the only weapon that is logical to practice with is a bow or a broomstick. When was the last time that you saw a real sword fight?

With sharp swords? Never. With blunts- last week. I do historical fencing. But what you learn at historical fencing can easily be done using a slightly shorter broomstick.

I realize Tai Chi may hold some of what I am thinking, but is there a discipline of martial arts which is taught slowly? Too often, the styles seem to be action-reaction, lickity-split. While good for someone with a good deal of control, it's too easy to "project" what you're trying to do, but not actually accomplish the move successfully.

My only exposure has been to various forms of Tae Kwon Do and Kenpo, but in both types of classes, speed was emphasized over accuracy or form (grace). Of course, it was meant to be flashy--"Oh cool, I can block a punch and strike a man's adam's apple at the same time!" But I can't shake the feeling that if the moves were taught in slow-motion, there would be a better chance they would be internalized (you can see action-reaction already laid out in your mind) rather than guessed (I think this is how I react to that person's punch).

Actually, you probably want to try Bagua or Xingyi before Taichi, Taichi is more advanced. I took Judo, Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido for quite some time. All were taught in slow motion durring some classes. TKD has an enphasis on speed because speed makes the difference in TKD tournaments. If you can block or sidestep, thn move in and score a point, they've done their job. /Judo and Hapkido are a bit different, so I didn't get into high speeds with those until a few years after I started.I've also done boxing and wrestling in school, which both empasis speed and accuracy.

qo101:

"Most people that have been practicing a martial art for a long period of time possess the knowledge and the skills to kill a person with ease, regardless of which fighting style they have learned. However, I believe that most fighting styles are not appropriate for street fights. Most martial arts place more importance on the art of combat, rather than the tactics of real combat. I personally think that it is never logical to kick someone above the groin area when you are in a standing position in a street fight. That is why I think popular fighting styles like Karate and Tae Kwon Do are not appropriate for street fights. Spinning kicks may look cool, but it is a foolish thing to do in a real fight. "

I would agree that spinning high kicks seem to me to be an utterly absurd way to fight in most circumstances. Gung fu styles seem to suffer from the most superfluous move sets that I cannot imagine are anything but training tools for greater limberness, strength, and agility, rather than actual techniques for delievering death to an enemy.

"Most fighting styles have effective moves for delivering death to your enemies. The Human body is very fragile. You just have to apply enough pressure in the right spot to kill someone. I don’t believe that there is one specific martial art that teaches you all of the best tactical moves to defeat your enemy. There are definitely some martial arts that are better than others, but I think it is best to learn specific moves and exercises from multiple art forms."

So you suggest an eclectic style to blend the movesets for maximum efficiency?

"I think Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and Kung Fu styles that involve the use of finger attacks (tiger style, Ect) are the most effective styles for street fights. I believe that any healthy person that practices a few moves and exercises from the fighting styles that I just mentioned can defeat any black belt in a real fight. They may not be the most skilled fighter, but an attack in the right place at the right time can kill anyone."

Why do you think Brazilian Jujutsu? From what I have seen of the art, say, through UFC or Pride Fighting Championship, it looks ridiculous for anything outside of a ring, what with the move to "fight on the back". In a BJJ gym I ever saw some woman go down on her back to try to get the guy into a move, when he was still standing and completely capable of just kicking her ribs in! Similarly, Muay-Thai seems too focused on kicking almost exclusively.

Why do you think Gung Fu styles with finger attacks are good? What about them do you find particularly effective?

"Finger attacks are the most deadly strikes in martial arts because a skilled fighter can use his or her fingers like a bullet or a stabbing instrument. A black belts punch can exceed 1600 PSI. Enough to crush a coconut or a skull. A 1600-PSI finger strike can puncture a person’s flesh like a bullet. You could easily rip out someone’s throat. Precision is also very important when you are using finger strikes. Perfect precision can allow you to hit the right pressure points or pull out your opponent’s eyes."

That's pretty effective. How long does it take to train to that level? And does it cripple one's hands for other usages? For intsance, I play musical instruments and type a great deal. Would this deform my fingers beyond usage for those things?

guthrie:

"With sharp swords? Never. With blunts- last week. I do historical fencing. But what you learn at historical fencing can easily be done using a slightly shorter broomstick. "

You think so?

qo101:
Why do you think Brazilian Jujutsu? From what I have seen of the art, say, through UFC or Pride Fighting Championship, it looks ridiculous for anything outside of a ring, what with the move to "fight on the back". In a BJJ gym I ever saw some woman go down on her back to try to get the guy into a move, when he was still standing and completely capable of just kicking her ribs in!

A person that is trained in the art of Brazilian or Japanese Jiu-Jitsu is not going to get down on the ground to fight someone in a street fight. Jiu-Jitsu is not Judo. Most real fights involve punches followed by a lot of off balanced shoving, grappling, and pushing. A Jiu-Jitsu fighter is not going to engage in off balanced shoving, grappling, and pushing. A Jiu-Jitsu fighter has an advantage over a boxer when he or she is in a close proximity to their opponent, because they easily gain control of the boxer, and break and arm, leg, use chokehold, Ect. If you want proof just watch all of the old UFC fights.

Similarly, Muay-Thai seems too focused on kicking almost exclusively
The best Muay Thai fighters can punch just as well as they can kick. You are also forgetting about the knee and elbow strikes that are involved in the sport. I think there are only three logical places to kick an opponent from a standing position in real fight. #1 The side of the knee (slightly behind it) #2 The front of the knee (it can cause a dislocation if your opponents knees are not bent) #3 The groin. Two of the three kicks that I just mentioned are common attacks in Muay Thai.

Why do you think Gung Fu styles with finger attacks are good? What about them do you find particularly effective?

Have you ever seen a person lie down on a bed of nails? The person that is lying down on the nails is not injured because the pressure from the weight of his or her body is distributed to all of the nails. A punch is like hitting a person with a bed of nails. A finger strike is like hitting a person with one nail.

That's pretty effective. How long does it take to train to that level? And does it cripple one's hands for other usages? For intsance, I play musical instruments and type a great deal. Would this deform my fingers beyond usage for those things?

It depends on the individual. Perhaps a couple of years. It shouldn’t deform your fingers in anyway, unless you injure them in the process of your training. People that do tiger style develop the muscles in their fingers by thrusting their fingers into a dense sand or rice, and by doing push ups with their fingers. You also have to be able to focus your energy when you’re striking or you can injure yourself.

q0101:

"A person that is trained in the art of Brazilian or Japanese Jiu-Jitsu is not going to get down on the ground to fight someone in a street fight. Jiu-Jitsu is not Judo. Most real fights involve punches followed by a lot of off balanced shoving, grappling, and pushing. A Jiu-Jitsu fighter is not going to engage in off balanced shoving, grappling, and pushing. A Jiu-Jitsu fighter has an advantage over a boxer when he or she is in a close proximity to their opponent, because they easily gain control of the boxer, and break and arm, leg, use chokehold, Ect. If you want proof just watch all of the old UFC fights. "

So I am wrong in my presumption that BJJ is primarily interested in ground fighting, with a particular emphasis of leverage from a supine position?

"The best Muay Thai fighters can punch just as well as they can kick. You are also forgetting about the knee and elbow strikes that are involved in the sport. I think there are only three logical places to kick an opponent from a standing position in real fight. #1 The side of the knee (slightly behind it) #2 The front of the knee (it can cause a dislocation if your opponents knees are not bent) #3 The groin. Two of the three kicks that I just mentioned are common attacks in Muay Thai."

I should have clarified that in kicking I also meant knee strikes, and yes, Muay Thai does employ elbow strikes. But you are now saying that Muay Thai also employs many punching, and not just elbow, striking? But yes, I would agree with the leg and groin focus you have postulated, although I have also kicked someone in the region of the kidney's with effective results.

"Have you ever seen a person lie down on a bed of nails? The person that is lying down on the nails is not injured because the pressure from the weight of his or her body is distributed to all of the nails. A punch is like hitting a person with a bed of nails. A finger strike is like hitting a person with one nail."

But can the fingers be conditioned to make that an effective means of penetration for a normal practitioner? For the fingers are prone to breakage and have three joints, all which are prone to crumple up when struck.

"It depends on the individual. Perhaps a couple of years. It shouldn’t deform your fingers in anyway, unless you injure them in the process of your training. People that do tiger style develop the muscles in their fingers by thrusting their fingers into a dense sand or rice, and by doing push ups with their fingers. You also have to be able to focus your energy when you’re striking or you can injure yourself. "

And do you think the employment of such finger strikes can be used in situations one could likely meet in the present day?

So I am wrong in my presumption that BJJ is primarily interested in ground fighting, with a particular emphasis of leverage from a supine position?

You’re presumption is correct, but having the ability to fight on the ground is an important skill. A man can have the fastest punch in the world, but he is an incomplete fighter if he can’t defend himself on the ground.

I should have clarified that in kicking I also meant knee strikes, and yes, Muay Thai does employ elbow strikes. But you are now saying that Muay Thai also employs many punching, and not just elbow, striking?

I’m a big fan of the Muay Thai sport. I use to be a boxing fan until I watched my first Muay Thai match. I’ve noticed that the majority of the fighters in Thailand are better kickers and the majority of the fighters in Europe or North America are better punchers. But as I said before, the best Muay Thai fighters can punch just a well as they can kick.

But yes, I would agree with the leg and groin focus you have postulated, although I have also kicked someone in the region of the kidney's with effective results.

I don’t like kicks that require you to raise your leg above a 90-degree angle. Once you commit to raising your leg above a 90-degree angle to hit someone in the torso or head, you better make sure that you make contact with your opponent. High kicks leave you in a vulnerable position because you are in a stationary position when your leg in the air. Continuous movement is very important when you are fighting, because it is always harder to hit a moving target. High kicks also leave the knee of the leg that is still on the ground in a vulnerable position.

It is usually logical to use your hands to hit your opponent in the torso or the head. It could take 0.2 – 0.3 seconds for your fist to make contact with your opponent from its original position. But it can take two to three times longer for your feet to make contact from its original position.

But can the fingers be conditioned to make that an effective means of penetration for a normal practitioner? For the fingers are prone to breakage and have three joints, all which are prone to crumple up when struck.

Yes, I think so. A normal practitioner can begin by doing push ups with ten fingers. Over a period of time they could try to work their way down to two fingers. During this time the person can learn how to focus their energy when they strike by doing things like breaking wood or practicing the one-inch punch. They can also build the fast twitch muscle fibers in their arms by performing different exercises. I like to practice my punching, blocking, and kicking skills with 5kg – 10kg ankle weights wrapped around my arms and my legs. I also do Tai Chi exercises with them on. The weights increases the velocity of your punches and kicks.

And do you think the employment of such finger strikes can be used in situations one could likely meet in the present day?

Yes, of course. What is a person going to do if someone that’s stronger and faster than they are attacks them? The neck and the eyes are some of the most vulnerable spots on the human body. Nothing ends a fight quicker than a quick strike to the front of the neck. (Thyroid cartilage) Well that’s not entirely true. The testicles and the front of the neck.

I teach my student's martial art, so they dont have to fight, to have the knowledge to drop a person with one blow, does not mean you have the right to use it.

I teach my student's martial art, so they dont have to fight, to have the knowledge to drop a person with one blow, does not mean you have the right to use it.

I agree. I haven’t been in a real fight since I was a child. I avoid conflicts whenever I can. Martial arts can also give you the knowledge and the skills to defend yourself without attacking someone. It takes a lot skill to be able to defend yourself against an attacker without using some kind of offense. Most people that are not trained in some kind of martial art do not possess the speed and the knowledge to block the attacks and subdue an opponent without using any offensive moves.

q0101:

"You’re presumption is correct, but having the ability to fight on the ground is an important skill. A man can have the fastest punch in the world, but he is an incomplete fighter if he can’t defend himself on the ground. "

None can deny such, certainly.

"I’m a big fan of the Muay Thai sport. I use to be a boxing fan until I watched my first Muay Thai match. I’ve noticed that the majority of the fighters in Thailand are better kickers and the majority of the fighters in Europe or North America are better punchers. But as I said before, the best Muay Thai fighters can punch just a well as they can kick."

But does the system itself teach such techniques, or does it come with involvement with other styles?

"I don’t like kicks that require you to raise your leg above a 90-degree angle. Once you commit to raising your leg above a 90-degree angle to hit someone in the torso or head, you better make sure that you make contact with your opponent. High kicks leave you in a vulnerable position because you are in a stationary position when your leg in the air. Continuous movement is very important when you are fighting, because it is always harder to hit a moving target. High kicks also leave the knee of the leg that is still on the ground in a vulnerable position.

It is usually logical to use your hands to hit your opponent in the torso or the head. It could take 0.2 – 0.3 seconds for your fist to make contact with your opponent from its original position. But it can take two to three times longer for your feet to make contact from its original position."

All true. I particularly find those extra high kicks - to the head of the opponent and the like - as utterly ineffective in almost any situation. If one miss, one is essentially ruined, and one's balance is completely screwed to resist any sort of pressure exerted.

"Yes, I think so. A normal practitioner can begin by doing push ups with ten fingers. Over a period of time they could try to work their way down to two fingers. During this time the person can learn how to focus their energy when they strike by doing things like breaking wood or practicing the one-inch punch. They can also build the fast twitch muscle fibers in their arms by performing different exercises. I like to practice my punching, blocking, and kicking skills with 5kg – 10kg ankle weights wrapped around my arms and my legs. I also do Tai Chi exercises with them on. The weights increases the velocity of your punches and kicks."

How many years do you think it would take to reach a point where one could employ such finger strikes at a whim? Two years of training? Three? Or is it more a matter of months (unlikely it would seem)?

"Yes, of course. What is a person going to do if someone that’s stronger and faster than they are attacks them? The neck and the eyes are some of the most vulnerable spots on the human body. Nothing ends a fight quicker than a quick strike to the front of the neck. (Thyroid cartilage) Well that’s not entirely true. The testicles and the front of the neck."

Very interesting! I shall indeed have to consider these techniques. I am reminded of a similar - although clearly, not the same - scene in a movie, where Sean Connery beats down a man with his thumb.

BLASTOFF:

"I teach my student's martial art, so they dont have to fight, to have the knowledge to drop a person with one blow, does not mean you have the right to use it. "

What style?

prince james, my students are taught all forms of martial art, not just one, i was taught by master Ho Chi Wan, and he taught me well, so his teachings his son and myself are passing on to our students, we teach kendo/ kick boxing/ Tai Chi/ his son and i have been taught bushido, we incorporate all the techniques, into our teaching's, we have some good students. you talk about Muai Thai i have seen and participated in afew Muai Thai fights, the fighters are fantastic, fast strong, and they are procise.these are just a few of what we teach.

What would you practitioners of martial arts claim is the martial art most apt to allow one to kill another human being unarmed in the most amount of positions, situations, and quickest? In essence: What is the most effective martial art in delievering death to one's enemies?

I am thinking either ninjutsu or ken(m)po, but admittedly, in the case of the former, the inclusion of weapons in so many of the techniques makes it seem less likely to be as effective without such.

kuntao kungfu, or it's offshoot "kuntao silate".
no doubt about it.

i have studied martial arts my entire life, and since my studies in this style started (about 3 years ago), i have never had to practice so much restraint in my technique, as it is primarily based on striking first, and not needing to strike again. there is no defensive technique in the style that does not involve some sort of grevious bodily injury being committed upon your foe.


im speaking of martial arts without weapons, of course....and my knowledge is far from definitive on the subject. most importantly, you should know how NOT to fight, before you study any martial art.

That's pretty effective. How long does it take to train to that level? And does it cripple one's hands for other usages? For intsance, I play musical instruments and type a great deal. Would this deform my fingers beyond usage for those things?



not at all.

the technique i am most fond of is filling a large bowl with sand, and repeatedly thrusting my hands, fingers pointed, into the bowl 200-300 times as fast as i can, once per afternoon. i have been doing this for 3 years or so, and can easily still play my bass guitar with no problem.

and that is correct, btw...finger attacks are the most likely to cause severe injury to a foe, if administered by someone that knows what they are doing.

It is time to move on to a harder substance,try small pieces of gravel. it all works towards hardening your fingers, you can progress later to hot shail, or even hot broken bricks.

:) i use the sand to keep my hands conditioned, as i dont train as much as i did in the past. :)

i have already broken a 3 inch plate of concrete with my fingertips for a test given by my uncle (my trainer)

how long have you trained/i have broken a 6 inch concrete block, facing downward with fingers, how many push up's on your fingers can you do, and how many fingers do you use, this is a serious question, please dont think i am making fun, martial art is my life and i take it very seriously.

well, i have been studying varying martial arts since i was 5 years old....the brick i mentioned above was broken using "the whip" technique. only 2 fingers came into contack with the block, my index and middle fingers.

every morning i do 70 10 finger pushups.

i know you arent making fun.

BLASTOFF:

"prince james, my students are taught all forms of martial art, not just one, i was taught by master Ho Chi Wan, and he taught me well, so his teachings his son and myself are passing on to our students, we teach kendo/ kick boxing/ Tai Chi/ his son and i have been taught bushido, we incorporate all the techniques, into our teaching's, we have some good students. you talk about Muai Thai i have seen and participated in afew Muai Thai fights, the fighters are fantastic, fast strong, and they are procise.these are just a few of what we teach. "

How do you find the different styles to mesh? Do you have to make changes to them in order to let them merge with one another, or do you find that they can all ready interlink enough?

The Devil Inside:

"kuntao kungfu, or it's offshoot "kuntao silate".
no doubt about it.

i have studied martial arts my entire life, and since my studies in this style started (about 3 years ago), i have never had to practice so much restraint in my technique, as it is primarily based on striking first, and not needing to strike again. there is no defensive technique in the style that does not involve some sort of grevious bodily injury being committed upon your foe."

Can you tell me more about this system? I am intrigued. Have you ever had to use it in a position where your life was in danger? Or in a competition where there was little need for restraint?

"and that is correct, btw...finger attacks are the most likely to cause severe injury to a foe, if administered by someone that knows what they are doing. "

Very interesting!

Can you tell me more about this system? I am intrigued. Have you ever had to use it in a position where your life was in danger? Or in a competition where there was little need for restraint?


on the varied origins of the style:
http://www.kuntaw.com/history.htm
http://www.mindspring.com/~achentaiji/kun%20tao%20summary.htm
http://www.mindspring.com/~achentaiji/kun%20tao%20history.htm
these are all fairly dry sources, but will tell you the basic history of the style.

no, i do not believe in competitions, and i seriously doubt that any north american or european organization would hold a kuntao competition....there is very little emphasis put on defense in the traditional sense in this style. one of the basic "combat principles" is that if you are going to strike me, i should strike you before your blow lands...once. in that way, it doesnt really lend itself to anything but full contact, and that would be an insurance agency's worst nightmare.

i have also studied qi gong, wing chun, jun fan, kenpo karate, shotokan karate, tae kwon do, hapkido, and gracie jujitsu over the last 20 years or so, along with western boxing, of course.

anyhow, i hope the links above are useful to ya! :)

guthrie:

"With sharp swords? Never. With blunts- last week. I do historical fencing. But what you learn at historical fencing can easily be done using a slightly shorter broomstick. "

You think so?
Yes. The main difference being that instead of severing their head from their body, or chopping off an arm, you just knock them out, or maybe break the arm. Depends on the stick you are using as well of course. Too light and whippy and you have to use techyniques more like those developed in the 19th century for cane and walking stick fighting. Or if you are using a heavier stick, any number of techniques from medieval longsword to backsword will do.

I am talking western martial arts here, stuff in Europe. I have no idea about katanas etc, I dont think you could do stuff with them using a broomstick.

For the last 7 years or so I've been training ITF Taekwon-Do (some years before that too, but not serious), but I feel that tkd limits me to just kicks/punches and blocking, but there is no continuation, i.e., I do block, strike and then repeat ad infinitum, it's only an exchange of punches and who can endure them longer, but due to my complexion and small weight that's a disadvantage for me if the opponent is a lot heavier than me.

I watched a few aikido videos and some of them seem (particulary with Steven Segal) very effective and close to real life, while others have nothing to do with real life combat and presume your oponent is an idiot and only knows a few punches. So I'm puzzled, one one hand some of aikido looks what I need on the other many masters seem like spent thousands of years in their dojo and have forgotten what an uncontrolled environment is like.

Anyway you here seem to be knowledgable, is there something else similar to aikido and where one doesn't have to be very muscular to be effective?
I like the idea of evading oponent's strike and doing something nasty with that striking limb, but don't really have anyone to practice that with in my tkd club.

For the last 7 years or so I've been training ITF Taekwon-Do (some years before that too, but not serious), but I feel that tkd limits me to just kicks/punches and blocking, but there is no continuation, i.e., I do block, strike and then repeat ad infinitum, it's only an exchange of punches and who can endure them longer, but due to my complexion and small weight that's a disadvantage for me if the opponent is a lot heavier than me.

I watched a few aikido videos and some of them seem (particulary with Steven Segal) very effective and close to real life, while others have nothing to do with real life combat and presume your oponent is an idiot and only knows a few punches. So I'm puzzled, one one hand some of aikido looks what I need on the other many masters seem like spent thousands of years in their dojo and have forgotten what an uncontrolled environment is like.

Anyway you here seem to be knowledgable, is there something else similar to aikido and where one doesn't have to be very muscular to be effective?
I like the idea of evading oponent's strike and doing something nasty with that striking limb, but don't really have anyone to practice that with in my tkd club.


i would look into Jun Fan, avatar. it is better known as "Jeet Kun Do", of course.

kuntao might also be something you would be interested in. send me a pm, and i can put you in contact with a few instructors in the states who can recommend resources in europe for you.


btw: steven seagal uses kuntao in his films too. he was trained briefly by Guy Savelli, who is a grandmaster of the chinese/american style. you can see it in his film "under siege" and it's sequel. most of the striking he does in those films are HEAVILY kuntao based.

Latvia is small. After I have the name of a style I can just ask my instructor. Everyone knows everyone around here. The sad part is that many of the martial arts are not represented in this country too. So thank you for the advice, I will do a research on Jeet Kun Do.

p.s. The video of Steven Segal was that made during him teaching aikido, so I know it wasn't any other style. (Aikido The path beyond thought - Steven Segal)

Okay, I'm now downloading Artes Marciales - Jeet Kune Do - Training Film Narrated By Bruce Lee, will look at what it is like.

Latvia is small. After I have the name of a style I can just ask my instructor. Everyone knows everyone around here. The sad part is that many of the martial arts are not represented in this country too. So thank you for the advice, I will do a research on Jeet Kun Do.

p.s. The video of Steven Segal was that made during him teaching aikido, so I know it wasn't any other style. (Aikido The path beyond thought - Steven Segal)
im not sure what video you are talking about....i was speaking of 2 specific movies that i know he uses "movie" kuntao in.

*shrug*

prince james/most martial art can blend into one another quite easily, there are of course some movement's that can not.

the devil inside/ 70 push up's on ten fingers excellent, do you teach, belts dont mean much, well that's my way of thinking, but what is your colour.if you dont mind.

i dont teach, and i am independantly taught by my uncle. when he feels i am ready to learn something new, he teaches me.

The Devil Inside:

"on the varied origins of the style:
http://www.kuntaw.com/history.htm
http://www.mindspring.com/~achentai...o%20summary.htm
http://www.mindspring.com/~achentai...o%20history.htm
these are all fairly dry sources, but will tell you the basic history of the style."

Thank you for the resources. They are proving most interesting at the moment!

"no, i do not believe in competitions, and i seriously doubt that any north american or european organization would hold a kuntao competition....there is very little emphasis put on defense in the traditional sense in this style. one of the basic "combat principles" is that if you are going to strike me, i should strike you before your blow lands...once. in that way, it doesnt really lend itself to anything but full contact, and that would be an insurance agency's worst nightmare."

Yes, I'd imagine! If your intent is to kill the person with one counter strike, it would prove very dangerous.

But tell me, why do you not believe in competitions? For moral reasons, or for practical ones? In either case, might you elaborate?

And have you ever had to strike someone who was threatening your life with such things?

"i have also studied qi gong, wing chun, jun fan, kenpo karate, shotokan karate, tae kwon do, hapkido, and gracie jujitsu over the last 20 years or so, along with western boxing, of course."

Very impressive!

guthrie:

"Yes. The main difference being that instead of severing their head from their body, or chopping off an arm, you just knock them out, or maybe break the arm. Depends on the stick you are using as well of course. Too light and whippy and you have to use techyniques more like those developed in the 19th century for cane and walking stick fighting. Or if you are using a heavier stick, any number of techniques from medieval longsword to backsword will do.

I am talking western martial arts here, stuff in Europe. I have no idea about katanas etc, I dont think you could do stuff with them using a broomstick. "

That is really very interesting! Do you have any specific resources on applying such techniques to sticks? Or just have you used your fencing and swordsmanship skills and applied them to sticks?

The Devil Inside:

You may be interested in looking up some information regarding Aikijujutsu and Daito-Ryu Aikijujutsu, the seed-systems that spawned Aikido. The problem with Aikido is that, whereas it is a brilliant martial art, a lot of American and European sources - like in most martial arts - have somewhat toned it down to appeal to a suburban crowd.

Basically, people have forgotten that aside from being a spiritual system (which it explicitly was meant to be by the founder) it is also a system for dealing with threats and neutralizing them. That is, that it is meant to be -usable- in combat.

But yes, Steven Segal actually is a pretty accomplished aikidoka.

steven seagal was a bad mofo in his day, thats for sure.

ill look into the styles you mentioned, thanks!

no, i have never had to strike someone in such a way as to kill them, or ever felt that my life was sufficiently in danger enough for something like that. like i said, someone should know how NOT to fight, before learning any martial art.

Call me lazy, but what style are you talking about? I read Steven Seagal, so is it Aikido? I also read something about western martial arts, is it marbo?

chinese kuntao kungfu.

not the malaysian or indonesian style.