Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

[James Y]

Man threatening with a hammer gets KO’d.

Not necessarily martial arts-related, but effective.

https://youtu.be/5210JSVQsu4

Jim

[vivi]

One of my old training partners is on the new season of The Ultimate Fighter. He's good - has power in his stand-up, good cardio and has good knowledge of subs.

Here's his tapology - https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fi ... yan-battle

Short article on TUF appearance - https://fansided.com/2021/04/19/ultimat ... an-battle/

Interview for TUF - https://youtube.com/watch?v=yZHHpP8tBaA

Here's two of his fights:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=uodPsjFTFM0

https://youtube.com/watch?v=b0jLclkCMcA

Excited to watch someone on the show that I've sparred!

[James Y]

One of my old training partners is on the new season of The Ultimate Fighter. He's good - has power in his stand-up, good cardio and has good knowledge of subs.

Here's his tapology - https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fi ... yan-battle

Short article on TUF appearance - https://fansided.com/2021/04/19/ultimat ... an-battle/

Interview for TUF - https://youtube.com/watch?v=yZHHpP8tBaA

Here's two of his fights:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=uodPsjFTFM0

https://youtube.com/watch?v=b0jLclkCMcA

Excited to watch someone on the show that I've sparred!

Very cool! Thanks for sharing, vivi.

Jim

[James Y]

Lee Morrison: Head Controls.

I almost didn’t post this video because of the camera holder’s puffing and wheezing, which is annoying as ****. But the material is great, and shouldn’t be overlooked just because of that.

https://youtu.be/cFFoYs3MUEI

Jim

[James Y]

Lee Morrison, Axe Hand.

https://youtu.be/9UJaVWd9ecQ

The axe hand, also called the knife hand, or the ‘chop’, is an extremely valuable technique (and among the most practical) for hand-to-hand SD. Lee Morrison uses the same hand position that the legendary W.E. Fairbairn advocated; with the fingers completely straight and the thumb held straight out. Fairbairn had survived literally hundreds of real fights (IIRC, over 600), so he only taught what had worked for him. So he unquestionably knew what he was doing.

For me personally, I’ve always kept a slight bend towards the fingertips, and I keep the thumb against the hand. IMO, this lessens the chance of the thumb or a stray finger getting caught against something (clothing, etc.), or being grabbed by the opponent. Lee Morrison’s position is just as good; I simply prefer to keep all my fingers together. But whatever works for you is all that matters.

There are SOME modern combatives instructors who, when doing the axe hand/knife hand, almost hyperextend all their fingers and and splay them apart. IMO, this not only creates far more risk for the fingers, but also reduces the compactness of the ‘weapon’ and the tension in the hand at the moment of impact.

The axe hand, or edge-of-hand chop, is not only among the most practical strikes if developed properly, but also among the most underrated. To most people, the ‘Karate chop’ or the ‘Judo chop’ is a joke, a cliche. “HIIIIIIII-YAAAAAAAAAHHHH!” In actuality, most martial artists underrate it so much in favor of the standard punch that they never develop it. It’s not allowed in competition. Hmmm. Why is that? Even Bruce Lee referred to edge-of-hand strikes as “movie chops.” He thought they only worked in the movies. I thought so, too, when I was younger. It’s only been in recent years that I’ve been really developing the axe hand strikes. The axe hand is also an unconventional way to strike, and if delivered with full commitment, is harder to spot and avoid for many people than a conventional punch. Regarding full commitment, I personally train to keep my strike on the target for a split-second on impact, to enhance intent and penetration, as opposed to whipping it out and back in a snappy motion. But that is just my preference.

I personally only train three variations of the axe hand, all initiated from natural positions (i.e., no obvious pre-set fighting stances or ready positions), and all to the neck: sides of neck/carotid artery area and the throat. The latter should only be applied if it’s a life or death scenario. Of course, if you avoid trouble as much as possible and are put in a position to where there’s no choice but to fight, the situation is probably already potentially life-threatening. Again, I train only three variations. IMO, too many variations and including too many lesser potential target areas can create hesitation, or momentary “freezing” in a real situation, due to having too many options.

Jim

[Naperville]

Uncomfortable Truths Of Self Defense. Rory Miller interview.

Part 1
https://youtu.be/ZXq-wIju5PQ

Part 2
https://youtu.be/LJFfaW7UO_A

Part 3
https://youtu.be/KsOOwvMwEcE

Part 4
https://youtu.be/TvHvOFlaH1c

[James Y]

Uncomfortable Truths Of Self Defense. Rory Miller interview.

Part 1
https://youtu.be/ZXq-wIju5PQ

Part 2
https://youtu.be/LJFfaW7UO_A

Part 3
https://youtu.be/KsOOwvMwEcE

Part 4
https://youtu.be/TvHvOFlaH1c

Good stuff, Naperville.

I started reading Rory Miller's books several years ago; I might have almost all of them.

I also read one of Tim Larkin's books.

Jim

[Naperville]

Good stuff, Naperville.

I started reading Rory Miller's books several years ago; I might have almost all of them.

I also read one of Tim Larkin's books.

Jim

I like Larkin and Miller's books and videos.

In 93, I bought books from my university regarding Hapkido written by the course instructor. In 2002+ I purchased books and DVDs of the escrima and arnis arts emerging from the Stockton, CA area. But I did not have any other books or videos on any other arts and instructors other than Black Belt Magazine until around 3 years ago.

Since 93 I've researched on who I was going to train with. But after 2017 I felt like I'd never train again, so I collect what I can for fun.

Some of these arts/instructors feel like selling videos or books regarding their art as selling out. It's a real turn off trying to deal with them trying to obtain the materials. Now, I just ignore them.

8 billion people in the world. You would think that people want their arts out there. They are treating their arts like a secret society.

[James Y]

Good stuff, Naperville.

I started reading Rory Miller's books several years ago; I might have almost all of them.

I also read one of Tim Larkin's books.

Jim

I like Larkin and Miller's books and videos.

In 93, I bought books from my university regarding Hapkido written by the course instructor. In 2002+ I purchased books and DVDs of the escrima and arnis arts emerging from the Stockton, CA area. But I did not have any other books or videos on any other arts and instructors other than Black Belt Magazine until around 3 years ago.

Since 93 I've researched on who I was going to train with. But after 2017 I felt like I'd never train again, so I collect what I can for fun.

Some of these arts/instructors feel like selling videos or books regarding their art as selling out. It's a real turn off trying to deal with them trying to obtain the materials. Now, I just ignore them.

8 billion people in the world. You would think that people want their arts out there. They are treating their arts like a secret society.

For the most part, I’ve stopped dealing with martial arts people in general, because most of the time it was such a turnoff. Apart from still being in contact with a couple of my two surviving teachers (Kenpo and Choy Lee Fut), both of whom I had trained with a long time each, and a couple of former classmates, I don’t discuss martial arts in my personal life. And even with them, martial arts aren’t much a part of the conversations.

I taught martial arts for a few years. During that time, a former friend (who taught another system) and I started a non-profit, multi-style, Chinese martial arts organization that was even approved by then-governor Schwarzenegger. The idea was to promote large-scale events, such as tournaments, with a better sparring platform. The ultimate purpose being to promote real Kung Fu and increase its popularity. But shortly after it was formed, and after a large meeting that involved all the other member teachers and their students, I withdrew and let my friend be fully in charge of it. I don’t know how far the organization went after that, and I don’t care. I found out this ‘friend’ was a shady person and cut off all contact with him. Many Chinese-style martial artists (including this former friend) talk about ‘martial ethics’ or ‘martial virtue’ (in Mandarin, wu de; or in Cantonese, mo duk), but make exceptions for themselves when it’s convenient to do so. When the organization was being formed, I’d wondered why my Choy Lee Fut teacher had been so indifferent to the idea and distanced himself from it. Well, I figured out why. When I told him I’d left it, he just kinda shrugged his shoulders.

I’ve long felt there is too much BS associated with martial arts. And with a lot of teachers and practitioners, there’s too much arrogant strutting and self-importance. Which has nothing to do with reality. All of the genuinely best, effective and proven real-life fighters (including fighters without formal training) I’ve ever met or seen (like my two surviving teachers) are the ones who could really “go” for real, and none of them strutted around like peacocks. Instead, most of them, with rare exceptions, were humble about it. When I was younger, sometimes I thought maybe a little too humble. I grew out of my martial arts arrogance in my early 20s, but I’ve seen ‘masters’ into their 60s, 70s and 80s who are still full of themselves and saying they and their art are “the best.” And then they’re disrespectful of other practitioners and styles (or even their same style as taught by someone else). But they won’t do it face-to-face.

At this point in my life, in terms of empty-hand and staff work (both long and short staff), I have no need of new or more stuff. I already had enough material/‘tools’ to work with a long time ago. It’s really the basics (of whichever art or arts you do, which are NOT all the same), adapting and refining them, and making them second-nature and effective for yourself. I’ve actually pared down a lot of stuff in my own practice.



Jim

[Naperville]

Amen!

[James Y]

Chinese martial arts master Adam Hsu on Long Fist (Changquan) and Chen-style Taijiquan (Tai Chi).

Adam Hsu is one of the world’s top living authorities on northern-style Chinese martial arts/Kung Fu systems. In the late 1970s, he came to the States from Taiwan, and taught in the San Francisco Bay Area for about two decades. He then moved back to Taipei, Taiwan, where he still teaches. My second northern-style teacher in Taiwan (who died in a motorcycle accident in Taiwan in 1999) had been a much-younger classmate of Adam Hsu’s, under Grandmaster Liu Yun-Chiao at the Wu Tan Institute. I met Adam Hsu once in the early ‘90s, when he was visiting Taiwan (when I was still living there, and before he moved back there permanently) to attend Liu Yun-Chiao’s funeral.

Adam Hsu has written extensively on Chinese martial arts, and specifically, the Kung Fu method of generating power through “Chan Si Jin” (silk-reeling energy), involving twisting and spiraling of all the muscles and joints of the body. He had a regular column in the ‘80s in Black Belt magazine, and he has also been featured in the now-defunct Inside Kung Fu magazine and Kung Fu/Tai Chi magazine, as well as his own books. Having studied both northern and southern Kung Fu systems myself, I know for a fact that genuine methods of Kung Fu movement and power generation are unique and takes years of specialized training; thus the reason that most Kung Fu systems take longer to become proficient at. This type of information is much-needed, because in my observation, most non-Chinese style martial artists and sport fighters have the mistaken assumption that Kung Fu is all flash and no substance. Adam Hsu is correct (at 10:25 in the second video) when he states that many Long Fist and Tai Chi forms and movements were designed to deceive the observer and non-inner-door practitioner, in that they often hide or disguise the real intended application of the movement(s). This was not limited to just Long Fist and Tai Chi, but applies to many Chinese martial arts.

I will mention that I respectfully disagree with Adam Hsu on some points. IMO, the ability to generate power in the “Kung Fu way” and actually applying it against a fast, aggressive opponent are not always the same thing. Adam Hsu is very dogmatic about keeping Kung Fu “pure.” Meaning, there are certain things that a ‘true Kung Fu person’ will and won’t do in a fight. He shows examples in the videos below. One I really take issue with appears in the first video, from approximately 12:00, and he reiterates his reasoning again at 13:46. Adam Hsu is a northern-style practitioner. Many southern-style practitioners (such as Choy Lee Fut and Hung Gar practitioners) can and will strike the opponent’s forearms (at angles) to cause injury to the opponent’s arm without injuring themselves, which can be done if you develop Tie Bi Gong (“Iron Arm” Kung Fu); methodical forearm conditioning/hardening. Adam Hsu’s styles clearly did not include that type of training, but it doesn’t mean that such methods are not valid, or that striking or bumping your forearm against the opponent’s will render you unable to fight anymore. IMO, it’s much harder to “brush” or roll the opponent’s punch away with your arm, as he demonstrates, if the other guy is really trying to take your head off, and if he isn’t punching at you in a perfectly straight line (which very few street attackers do).

Personally, I am against dogma, especially when it relates to ‘can and can’t-do’s” in real fighting or SD. IMHO, if someone absolutely MUST fight, the higher-level person is the one who’s still standing, or still alive afterwards, whether that person was formally trained or not. One only needs to be ‘higher level’ in that one moment. Demonstrating detailed, sophisticated methodologies on a cooperative, slow-moving person is WAY different than applying it aggressively and spontaneously in the sudden chaos of combat. Perhaps because of my previous background in various non-Chinese methods prior to studying Kung Fu, I’ll do whatever it takes to survive. And if that means my Kung Fu is “impure,” or isn’t good enough, then so be it; I can accept that.

Please keep in mind, I am not being some disrespectful Internet critic. I’ll never post anything that I wouldn’t say to someone in person. I’m saying what I’m saying because Adam Hsu has openly stated many times (and in his books and articles) that if you aren’t fighting in a certain “pure” way, you aren’t using real Chinese Kung Fu, and are resorting to lower-level fighting.

Then again, I could be the one who’s wrong. These are just my opinions based on my own experiences, FWIW. And if you read this entire long, rambling post, then I apologize. :)

https://youtu.be/jmyj_OlTFGk

https://youtu.be/_1At80-mluU

Jim

[James Y]

Ti Lung teaching Wing Chun Chi Sau.

Ti Lung was one of the very top actors in Kung Fu and wuxia films at Hong Kong’s Shaw Brothers Studios, during the studio’s heyday, from the late 1960s through through the mid-1980s. Later in his career, he acted in more dramatic roles.

Ti Lung was among the (relatively) few actors in Kung Fu movies who had actual fighting experience on the street, as well as being a legitimate master of Wing Chun Kung Fu. In addition, he also studied Goju-ryu Karate, Muay Thai, and some other systems. According to the late American Jeet Kune Do instructor and actor, John Ladalski, who was a friend of Ti Lung’s, the Wing Chun lineage that Ti Lung had studied (under his sifu, Jiu Wan), was a bit unusual among Wing Chun methods. He also stated that Ti Lung sometimes mixed in Karate when he applied his Wing Chun, claiming Ti Lung told him that the combination made him more effective at fighting, especially against other Wing Chun-trained opponents.

https://youtu.be/v8QcPXWjlLk

Jim

[ladybug93]

i just watched best of the best again last night and watched through cobra kai recently. hollywood sure paints a horrible picture of martial arts and martial artists. apparently, we're just a bunch of arrogant jerks looking for fights.

[James Y]

i just watched best of the best again last night and watched through cobra kai recently. hollywood sure paints a horrible picture of martial arts and martial artists. apparently, we're just a bunch of arrogant jerks looking for fights.

Hi, ladybug93.

I saw the original Best of the Best sometime in the late '80s, when I was living overseas. I thought it was OK. I don't recall if it presented all martial artists as arrogant jerks or not. But I suppose it stands to reason that if martial arts/martial artists are going to be featured in movies, it's going to be about fighting to some degree or other. All movies, whether they feature martial arts or not, need some kind of conflict to make the story.

I've never watched the Cobra Kai series. I don’t get Netflix, or whatever it's on. A couple years back, I rewatched the original Karate Kid movie, and IMO it hasn't aged well at all. The Cobra Kai bullies come across like a bunch of rich kid/amateur tough-guy wannabes. I didn't find it as entertaining as I did when it first came out.

There's a new American independent Kung Fu film out, called The Paper Tigers, that's supposed to be quite good in terms of story, drama, comedy, and characters; it's been getting lots of great reviews. I haven't had an opportunity to see it yet.

Jim

[James Y]

Tim Larkin Interviews Lee Morrison:

London’s Finishing School On Violence.

This 3-part interview is my favorite of any I’ve ever heard regarding the subject of violence and self-protection. Mindset is absolutely the most important aspect.

I will mention that, even in Chinese martial arts, there is an old saying: “Yi Dan, Er Li, San Gongfu.” Which translates as: “First, guts (courage, mindset, etc.); second, strength; third, gongfu (AKA, Kung Fu, in this context, meaning physical skills). The importance being in that order. Without the proper mindset and willingness to engage when necessary, the best skills in the world are useless.

Lee Morrison pleasantly surprised me near the end of part 3, when he discusses the metaphysical, and even mentions Eckhart Tolle.

Note: Lee Morrison uses some colorful language when making his points, but for anyone interested in protecting themselves and loved ones from real violence, his experiences and insights are absolutely invaluable. Morrison’s background makes him uniquely qualified to discuss these subjects, and he is more than worth listening to and taking notes. He teaches to help people, and if anyone finds some of his language jarring, well, real street violence is WAY more jarring.

Part 1:

https://youtu.be/7w_RgasUAE8

Part 2:

https://youtu.be/hgZy_O4OT4w

Part 3:

https://youtu.be/y4nT4meRsJk

Jim

[vivi]

haha, was browsing oooooooold photos and came across my red belt days

[James Y]

haha, was browsing oooooooold photos and came across my red belt days

Thanks for sharing more of your history, vivi!

I’ve got some old photos of me in my teens from my Karate days, taken in the late ‘70s, and some from the period when I lived in Taiwan training northern-style Kung Fu in the ‘80s to early ‘90s. And some that I posed for, for my Choy Lee Fut sifu’s website taken in the mid-‘90s/early 2K. Otherwise, there aren’t a whole lot of photos of me at all compared to most people out there, including of me doing martial arts. Maybe someday if I figure out how to scan them here, and if this thread is still going by then (two big “ifs”), I will post a few of mine up, too.

Jim

[vivi]

haha, was browsing oooooooold photos and came across my red belt days

Thanks for sharing more of your history, vivi!

I’ve got some old photos of me in my teens from my Karate days, taken in the late ‘70s, and some from the period when I lived in Taiwan training northern-style Kung Fu in the ‘80s to early ‘90s. And some that I posed for, for my Choy Lee Fut sifu’s website taken in the mid-‘90s/early 2K. Otherwise, there aren’t a whole lot of photos of me at all compared to most people out there, including of me doing martial arts. Maybe someday if I figure out how to scan them here, and if this thread is still going by then (two big “ifs”), I will post a few of mine up, too.

Jim

I'd love to see them Jim. It's fun looking at old martial arts photos :)

[James Y]

Lee Morrison: Musashi’s Three Preemptions.

https://youtu.be/i65WTn136U4

Jim

[James Y]

These photos of me were taken in 1979 (age 16). During the period I was training in Shito-ryu Karate. I was also training in Kenpo at another school at the same time. :)

Pic 1: Side kick.

Pic 2: Japanese-style roundhouse kick (kicking with the ball of the foot).



Jim