Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

[James Y]

How to Keep it Simple for the Street!



Jim

[Doc Dan]

[James Y]

Thanks, Doc.

I believe I posted about this Vietnamese fake Qigong master before. I can’t imagine that he’s still pulling this scam to this day, but who knows. Lots of people all over the world, including right here in the US, fall for all kinds of cults, big and small, all of the time.

Jim

[Doc Dan]

Thanks, Doc.

I believe I posted about this Vietnamese fake Qigong master before. I can’t imagine that he’s still pulling this scam to this day, but who knows. Lots of people all over the world, including right here in the US, fall for all kinds of cults, big and small, all of the time.

Jim

I love seeing these fakers. Great laughs. If they actually fought anybody they'd get seriously hurt,and more especially if they were real martial artists they fought.

[James Y]

Thanks, Doc.

I believe I posted about this Vietnamese fake Qigong master before. I can’t imagine that he’s still pulling this scam to this day, but who knows. Lots of people all over the world, including right here in the US, fall for all kinds of cults, big and small, all of the time.

Jim

I love seeing these fakers. Great laughs. If they actually fought anybody they'd get seriously hurt,and more especially if they were real martial artists they fought.

True. But they wouldn't be doing that.

These frauds also give Qigong a bad name. Yes, qi is a very real thing. Not like in DragonBall Z, or other pop media. It is life force. But fraudsters like the guy in the video clip try to present it as something that it's not.

Jim

[James Y]

His Girl Saved His Life

The young guy is a fool. He did not see the knife in the older guy's hand, with the blade just out of sight. Avoid conflicts whenever possible, and never underestimate anyone.



Jim

[James Y]

The Walking Style That Screams "Easy Target" (Revealed by Inmates)



I would also add staring at your phone while walking.

Jim

[James Y]

MMA Fighter Sinead Kavanagh Arrested After Altercation on Airplane



Part of me wonders if this could be CTE-related.

Jim

[Naperville]

I have made a decision about my future martial arts activities. I am going to study Filipino martial arts full time for another 2 to 3 years. I will be taking private lessons, and they cost quite a bit, at least $10,000+ per year and right now I think that I will be studying 2 arts.

Right now I am selling a home. I still have a lot to do with the home sale. Still packing, throwing things out, trying to maximize the value of the property. I have a full time realtor and lawyers involved in the sale. People look at the home every day.

I have a few arts in mind but have not yet decided 100% yet. Still weighing options. I'll let everyone know what I decide to study in James Y's martial arts thread when the time comes.

[Naperville]

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Actor in ‘Mortal Kombat’ and ‘The Man in the High Castle,’ Dies at 75
https://variety.com/2025/film/obituarie ... 236600753/

'Rest in Peace. Your Soul Is Eternal' — Tributes for Mortal Kombat Actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Who Has Died Aged 75
https://www.ign.com/articles/rest-in-pe ... ed-aged-75

IMBD
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0846480/vid ... m_ov_vi_sm

Mortal Combat
https://www.mortalkombat.com/en-us

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/caryhiroyukitagawaofficial/

Wikipedia Entry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cary-Hiroyuki_Tagawa

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortal_Kombat

[James Y]

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Actor in ‘Mortal Kombat’ and ‘The Man in the High Castle,’ Dies at 75
https://variety.com/2025/film/obituarie ... 236600753/

'Rest in Peace. Your Soul Is Eternal' — Tributes for Mortal Kombat Actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Who Has Died Aged 75
https://www.ign.com/articles/rest-in-pe ... ed-aged-75

IMBD
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0846480/vid ... m_ov_vi_sm

Mortal Combat
https://www.mortalkombat.com/en-us

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/caryhiroyukitagawaofficial/

Wikipedia Entry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cary-Hiroyuki_Tagawa

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortal_Kombat

Wow. Nowadays, 75 seems young. Especially as we get older ourselves. I remember seeing Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa some years back when he made a guest appearance on a talk show, and demonstrated some of the exercises he did to stay fit. He seemed very health-conscious. I guess you never really know when your time will come. R.I P.

Jim

[silver & black]

I wasn't going to post here because my martial arts days have been over for quite some time. When I was young/er I was a serious practicioner and competitor. I hold a 2nd deg. in Tae Kwon Do and a 1st deg. in Kuk Sool Wan. I studied privately with a Kung Fu practitioner straight from China. That was in my 20's. I haven't been "into" Martial Arts since then. I'm 66 now.

I saw Bruce Lee give a demonstartion of his 1" punch in Deerborn in 1972 (I think). I saw Joe Lewis fight on numerous ocassions. I met and talked with the likes of Glenn Premru, Glenn Keeney, Bill Wallace, Chuck Norris, and more from the 70's - early 80's Martial Atrs scene. That life seems so far away now, but it was a big part of my life.

[Naperville]

I wasn't going to post here because my martial arts days have been over for quite some time. When I was young/er I was a serious practicioner and competitor. I hold a 2nd deg. in Tae Kwon Do and a 1st deg. in Kuk Sool Wan. I studied privately with a Kung Fu practitioner straight from China. That was in my 20's. I haven't been "into" Martial Arts since then. I'm 66 now.

I saw Bruce Lee give a demonstartion of his 1" punch in Deerborn in 1972 (I think). I saw Joe Lewis fight on numerous ocassions. I met and talked with the likes of Glenn Premru, Glenn Keeney, Bill Wallace, Chuck Norris, and more from the 70's - early 80's Martial Atrs scene. That life seems so far away now, but it was a big part of my life.

Just asking. I am 65. I cannot sit in front of this computer 8+ hours a day. It's driving me nutz. I'd like to work out 2 hours a day for 5 days a week to stay alive. I cannot afford to do that where I am.

I had a good and active job in an Amazon warehouse but I developed heel spurs and they can be very painful. The inflammation subsided with rest, but I am not going back. I'll look for another job after I relocate.

What do you do to stay alive and keep fit? According to the American Heart Association you need almost 200 minutes per week of exercise to ward off cardiovascular issues. You also need to keep your mind active so that you do not get dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Meeting with people, and keeping active in your community is important to good mental health. I don't know about living to 80+, but what if it happens? I worry.

Those reasons are why I am reentering martial arts to study escrima / arnis / kali. Yes, self defense is important, but I plan to live in a fairly safe location. I am more worried about my activity level for health, than getting mugged. I also plan to walk whenever possible. Last year or the year before I had a problem with spinal stenosis that interrupted my walks, but for the most part it is nonexistent for now. I feel pretty good right now.

I cannot do Muay Thai, or Boxing, and I think BJJ would be too much for me physically right now. The sparring would not be right for me at the moment and I am not that flexible. I had open heart surgery in 2017.

[silver & black]

I wasn't going to post here because my martial arts days have been over for quite some time. When I was young/er I was a serious practicioner and competitor. I hold a 2nd deg. in Tae Kwon Do and a 1st deg. in Kuk Sool Wan. I studied privately with a Kung Fu practitioner straight from China. That was in my 20's. I haven't been "into" Martial Arts since then. I'm 66 now.

I saw Bruce Lee give a demonstartion of his 1" punch in Deerborn in 1972 (I think). I saw Joe Lewis fight on numerous ocassions. I met and talked with the likes of Glenn Premru, Glenn Keeney, Bill Wallace, Chuck Norris, and more from the 70's - early 80's Martial Atrs scene. That life seems so far away now, but it was a big part of my life.

Just asking. I am 65. I cannot sit in front of this computer 8+ hours a day. It's driving me nutz. I'd like to work out 2 hours a day for 5 days a week to stay alive. I cannot afford to do that where I am.

I had a good and active job in an Amazon warehouse but I developed heel spurs and they can be very painful. The inflammation subsided with rest, but I am not going back. I'll look for another job after I relocate.

What do you do to stay alive and keep fit? According to the American Heart Association you need almost 200 minutes per week of exercise to ward off cardiovascular issues. You also need to keep your mind active so that you do not get dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Meeting with people, and keeping active in your community is important to good mental health. I don't know about living to 80+, but what if it happens? I worry.

Those reasons are why I am reentering martial arts to study escrima / arnis / kali. Yes, self defense is important, but I plan to live in a fairly safe location. I am more worried about my activity level for health, than getting mugged. I also plan to walk whenever possible. Last year or the year before I had a problem with spinal stenosis that interrupted my walks, but for the most part it is nonexistent for now. I feel pretty good right now.

I cannot do Muay Thai, or Boxing, and I think BJJ would be too much for me physically right now. The sparring would not be right for me at the moment and I am not that flexible. I had open heart surgery in 2017.

I have been retired since I turned 63. I lost my job of 30 years to the Covid thing at 61. I had planned to work until I was 70...or unable to do so any more.. I have since worked full time for a furniture restoration/re-finish guy for the last 5 years.

Working every day and just moving keeps me going... plus, I walk my 125 lb. American Bulldog every day, rain or shine for about 30 minutes. As far as taking up martial arts again.... not for me. I spent a lot of time competing and getting hit...lol. I was a member of the PKA and competed in some of the first full contact events. I won a few and lost more...lol. Even when you win, it still hurts the next day . I have no desire to re-enter the martial arts world, even without the competiton aspect.

I have thought about taking up Tae Chi. Everything I read about it says it's very good for older people to stay in shape and keeping things oiled and moving. I hear you about not being able to sit for 8 hours. That's why I still work full time even though I collect SS. I also have a wood shop that I build things in for myself, friends an family.

[Naperville]

I wasn't going to post here because my martial arts days have been over for quite some time. When I was young/er I was a serious practicioner and competitor. I hold a 2nd deg. in Tae Kwon Do and a 1st deg. in Kuk Sool Wan. I studied privately with a Kung Fu practitioner straight from China. That was in my 20's. I haven't been "into" Martial Arts since then. I'm 66 now.

I saw Bruce Lee give a demonstartion of his 1" punch in Deerborn in 1972 (I think). I saw Joe Lewis fight on numerous ocassions. I met and talked with the likes of Glenn Premru, Glenn Keeney, Bill Wallace, Chuck Norris, and more from the 70's - early 80's Martial Atrs scene. That life seems so far away now, but it was a big part of my life.

Just asking. I am 65. I cannot sit in front of this computer 8+ hours a day. It's driving me nutz. I'd like to work out 2 hours a day for 5 days a week to stay alive. I cannot afford to do that where I am.

I had a good and active job in an Amazon warehouse but I developed heel spurs and they can be very painful. The inflammation subsided with rest, but I am not going back. I'll look for another job after I relocate.

What do you do to stay alive and keep fit? According to the American Heart Association you need almost 200 minutes per week of exercise to ward off cardiovascular issues. You also need to keep your mind active so that you do not get dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Meeting with people, and keeping active in your community is important to good mental health. I don't know about living to 80+, but what if it happens? I worry.

Those reasons are why I am reentering martial arts to study escrima / arnis / kali. Yes, self defense is important, but I plan to live in a fairly safe location. I am more worried about my activity level for health, than getting mugged. I also plan to walk whenever possible. Last year or the year before I had a problem with spinal stenosis that interrupted my walks, but for the most part it is nonexistent for now. I feel pretty good right now.

I cannot do Muay Thai, or Boxing, and I think BJJ would be too much for me physically right now. The sparring would not be right for me at the moment and I am not that flexible. I had open heart surgery in 2017.

I have been retired since I turned 63. I lost my job of 30 years to the Covid thing at 61. I had planned to work until I was 70...or unable to do so any more.. I have since worked full time for a furniture restoration/re-finish guy for the last 5 years.

Working every day and just moving keeps me going... plus, I walk my 125 lb. American Bulldog every day, rain or shine for about 30 minutes. As far as taking up martial arts again.... not for me. I spent a lot of time competing and getting hit...lol. I was a member of the PKA and competed in some of the first full contact events. I won a few and lost more...lol. Even when you win, it still hurts the next day . I have no desire to re-enter the martial arts world, even without the competiton aspect.

I have thought about taking up Tae Chi. Everything I read about it says it's very good for older people to stay in shape and keeping things oiled and moving. I hear you about not being able to sit for 8 hours. That's why I still work full time even though I collect SS. I also have a wood shop that I build things in for myself, friends an family.

125 lb. American Bulldog takes you for a walk every day!

Excellent that you are keeping busy. That is just what I need to do. Maybe I'll look into what you are doing, thank you for the idea!

I might take up Tae Chi myself. I was going to do it here but never got around to it. I will do it.

I am bored right now, but I have a lot to do to get out of here. I keep applying for jobs in my degree field and if I land one, I'll stay. I would like to stay but the property taxes are pretty high, $11,000 per year.

Once we get working, then we look for free time and there is none, hahahahaha.

[Scandi Grind]

I might take up Tae Chi myself. I was going to do it here but never got around to it. I will do it.

I'd take a look at some Qigong too if you are interested in Tai Chi. It is more generic than Tai Chi and has far more options so you can kind of pick and choose what you like, but the core principles are the same for both in terms of basic posture, breath control, and Qi manipulation. Many of the supposed Tai Chi practitioners I came across were in reality doing Tai Chi inspired Qigong, and there is nothing wrong with that, but actual Tai Chi is a very specific set of movements so it gets a little confusing trying to figure out what is what sometimes.

I have a lot of health problems so it is very difficult to get proper excercise and not exhaust myself, in fact I've got a growing headache right now because I was playing some pickleball this afternoon. Qigong has been a pleasant thing to have on hand to keep moving without having any painful impact on my body. I also do lots of Ba Gua Zhang circle walking and forms, sometimes while carrying bricks to make it better excercise. Once you do some of this stuff you start inventing your own routines that suit your needs over time. I'll see if I can find any of the links to websites me and my brother found useful and post them.

[Naperville]

I might take up Tae Chi myself. I was going to do it here but never got around to it. I will do it.

I'd take a look at some Qigong too if you are interested in Tai Chi. It is more generic than Tai Chi and has far more options so you can kind of pick and choose what you like, but the core principles are the same for both in terms of basic posture, breath control, and Qi manipulation. Many of the supposed Tai Chi practitioners I came across were in reality doing Tai Chi inspired Qigong, and there is nothing wrong with that, but actual Tai Chi is a very specific set of movements so it gets a little confusing trying to figure out what is what sometimes.

I have a lot of health problems so it is very difficult to get proper excercise and not exhaust myself, in fact I've got a growing headache right now because I was playing some pickleball this afternoon. Qigong has been a pleasant thing to have on hand to keep moving without having any painful impact on my body. I also do lots of Ba Gua Zhang circle walking and forms, sometimes while carrying bricks to make it better excercise. Once you do some of this stuff you start inventing your own routines that suit your needs over time. I'll see if I can find any of the links to websites me and my brother found useful and post them.

I look forward to your follow up post on the subjects.

[James Y]

Great discussion, guys. Carry on.

Jim

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Give me your views on Wax on Wax Off. Hete are confusing views from online:

Yes, "Wax on, wax off" is a real martial arts training concept, building muscle memory through repetitive, mundane motions that mirror actual defensive blocks (like the Kake-Uke or circle block) to teach fundamental body mechanics and rhythm, although its effectiveness in a real fight depends heavily on the student's understanding and transition to full combat, which Mr. Miyagi mostly skipped. It's a classic example of applying karate principles to everyday tasks, teaching balance, focus, and fluid movement.
How it works in martial arts:
Muscle Memory: The repetitive motions train your muscles and body to react instinctively without conscious thought, a core concept in martial arts kata (forms).
Circular Blocks: The "wax on, wax off" motions correspond to circular blocks used to deflect strikes, allowing for follow-up grabs or strikes.
Body Awareness: It develops kinesthetic awareness, helping you understand how your body moves in space, notes Reddit user Quora.
The movie's lesson:
Miyagi's Method: Mr. Miyagi used it to teach Daniel the basic defensive patterns without Daniel realizing it, connecting daily chores to karate.
The Missing Piece: A critique is that Miyagi didn't explain the why, leaving Daniel unable to apply the moves until the reveal, highlighting that true skill requires understanding and application, not just repetition, says YouTube video.

In summary:
Yes, it's a real technique: The movements are based on real karate blocks.
Effective training tool: Excellent for building foundational muscle memory and body mechanics.
Not a complete system: It's a building block, not a substitute for sparring and understanding combat strategy, which is why it's often taught alongside other methods.

Fundamentally, the idea that an individual can translate the motions used to wax a car to self defense is implausible. However, there is a fundamental principal underlying this scene, and that is: repetition is required in order to make responses ingrained and automatic.

In his book “Outliers,” Macolm Gladwell popularized the notion that 10,000 repetitions (or hours) is required to develop expertise in any particular activity. While there is no evidence that 10,000 has any singular value as a threshold (could be too low for some things, too high for others, and must be adjusted for age and type of activity), making movements second nature is important, particularly in order to overcome the human body’s very strong flinch response.

However, there are a lot of problems with the wax on wax off exercise being practical:

It is simply a hand motion, not connected to the body movement/rotation or to relative distance and attack angles
There is no interaction with a second party
There is no contact to get a sense of how bodies interact
There is no follow up - if a person attacks and you just block, they are unlikely to go “Dang that dude/gal blocks so well, I guess I will leave them alone.”



Are you serious? This is a movie. We don’t train like that at all. The wax on wax off method does not give the required muscle memory to aid in your art. Besides the required fitness conditioning a good instructor will adopt the following program or something similar to it….

a) Kihon - Basics

b) Kata - Forms

c) Bunkai - applications

d) Impact training - e.g use of Heavy Bag, Pads, Tameshiwara, Wing Chun dummy etc

e) Body Conditioning - learning to take hits (eg using a medicine ball, kicking one another’s body etc)

f) Kumite - Sparring

Except for maybe (b) depending on the type (eg Muay Thai, Boxing, etc) most martial arts follow a similar program to the above.

Wax on Wax off does not feature in the training regime at all. Muscle memory is best gained through frequent bag work (impact training) and sparring especially for those who values the combative aspect vs the artistic (eg katas) of a martial art.

Sure, it’s teaching you to parry, which is exactly how I interpreted the scene when I first saw it in 1984 as a young black belt. “Wax on, wax off” is a parry against front kicks. “Sand the floor” is a parry against straight punches, or wide, swinging punches, etc. None of these are really blocks; they are deflection techniques.

These techniques are most effective if you’re not standing your ground, but moving in conjunction with the parry while countering to exploit the opportunity. For example, if I parry the front kick and I can also get my hand on his leg as I do I want to pull or drive my attacker off balance. You’re not going to stop a front kick within range from a skilled attacker, but you can deflect it. If he’s out of range you don’t have to block it at all.

Keep in mind, the training technique used in the movie is simply a plot device. I never learned “wax on, wax off”, even though I train to deflect strikes coming at me all the time.
Wax on, wax off” functions as effective training not because of the task (car waxing) but because of what the task develops: repetitive, varied, context-linked motor patterns; stance and weight distribution; proprioception and muscle memory; and implicit lessons in timing, blocking, and discipline. Evaluating it requires separating the superficial activity from the learning mechanisms it instills.

Why the exercise works (biomechanics & motor learning)

Repetition with purpose: High-repetition, low-intensity movements engrain neural pathways. Repeated sweeping, circular, and cross-body motions convert deliberate actions into automatic responses.
Movement specificity: The patterns used in the film—circular wrist/forearm motion, cross-body forearm blocks, alternating limbs—map well to basic parries, deflections, and strikes. Specific practice transfers best when the practiced motions share kinematic similarity with the target skill.
Posture and stance reinforcement: Sustained work while bending, shifting weight and rotating the torso fosters balance, hip engagement, and the habit of maintaining stable stances under asymmetric loading.

Kinesthetic awareness and timing: Continuous, rhythmical tasks improve timing and the feel for range and distance; paired with intermittent spontaneous application (as in partner drills) this yields usable timing cues.
Mental factors: Repetitive chores cultivate discipline, patience, and attention to detail—traits essential for consistent technical development.
Limits and caveats

Lack of progressive overload: Simple waxing lacks graded resistance, timing pressure, and realistic force application; it won’t develop power, conditioning, or resiliency to impacts on its own.
Poor contextual variability: Martial skill requires adapting to changing opponents and attacks. Static, predictable tasks under no resistance produce brittle motor patterns unless later exposed to variability.
Technique specificity matters: If the practiced motions are poorly aligned with effective defensive/offensive mechanics (e.g., inefficient elbow positioning, telegraphing), they can embed bad habits that are hard to break.


No sparring component: Without partner drills, sparring, and feedback, automaticity won’t generalize to live exchanges or unpredictable triggers.
How to convert “wax on, wax off” into a legitimately effective method

Define the target skills: Decide whether you’re training blocks, parries, wrist mobility, hip rotation, or grip strength.
Use progressive overload and variation:
- Alter tempo, range, resistance (add weight, thera-band, heavier tools).
- Vary angles, distances, and limb combinations.
Integrate feedback and correction:
- Use mirrors, coach feedback, video analysis to correct posture and joint angles.
Include reactive and application phases:
- Follow repetitive solo drills with partner drills that simulate attacks.
- Convert practiced motions into specific blocks/strikes in live drills and light sparring.
Add conditioning and force application:
- Supplement with plyometrics, heavy bag work, and strength training to build power and impact tolerance.

Preserve variability and randomness:
- Randomize sequences, combine movements in novel patterns, and practice under fatigue or distraction to encourage transfer.
Examples and historical precedents

Traditional kata and repetitive chores: Many classical systems use repetitive polishing, stance-holding, and household tasks as low-tech motor training and discipline-building—karate kata, tai chi forms, and judo uchikomi share the same principles.
Modern sports training: Elite athletes use “deliberate repetition” (e.g., shadowboxing, technical drills, ball handling) plus progressive overload and variability to produce transferable skill—same learning science applies to waxing motions if structured.
Conclusion
As a raw, unstructured ritual, “wax on, wax off” is an effective primer for motor learning, discipline, and specific movement patterns but insufficient alone for full martial proficiency. When embedded in a training progression—clear objectives, progressive resistance, corrective feedback, and realistic partner work—the underlying method becomes a legitimate and efficient way to ingrain useful blocks, timing, posture, and proprioception.

[Scandi Grind]

Here is a place that I got a lot of info from:

https://www.qigonginstitute.org/

They seem to have a pretty well balanced veiw of the art, but they do have info from all over. I can't remember what particular sources we liked so you will probably want to do a bit of perusing on this site, see what things you may like or dislike, and look more deeply at the specific topics that seem to suit you. Qigong has many flavors, and different practitioners have different focuses and theories, but it is very easy to jump around and sample different styles in my experience because they all have the same foundations. After trying a few different things me and my brother kind of developed our own mentality that mixes what we liked from all of our favorite sources. Part of the journey is developing your own system as you learn.