Martial Arts Experiences Discussion Thread

[James Y]

AI Highlighted This Fatal Flaw in How People Handle Conflict



Jim

[James Y]

Myths Around the Hammerfist Strike



Jim

[James Y]

Maiming



Jim

[James Y]

The Definition of Shadowboxing



What he says about shadowboxing can apply to "shadow" work in almost any method of stand-up fighting.

Jim

[James Y]

"Why I Practice the Western Piper Method"



Unfortunately, what he says critics say about his teacher are the same kinds of criticisms that virtually anybody receives whenever they post videos of themselves demonstrating anything martial arts-related online. With social media, anybody can pretend to be an expert, while criticizing others anonymously from behind a keyboard.

The Piper Method sounds like a very good system.

Jim

[James Y]

"The Mental Battle After My Back Injuries (What Nobody Talks About)"



I also posted this in the "Striving for a Healthy Long Life" thread.

I think this is important, because although this isn't MA-related, what former professional wrestler Stevie Richards is talking about can also relate to martial arts, or any type of athletic or physical activity. As the body changes, whether through normal wear and tear, injuries, and simply getting older, we have to make adjustments in what we can do, and how we do them.

There are some things I can no longer do, because of certain long-term injuries, wear and tear, etc. But there are still plenty of things I CAN do, and those are what I concentrate on. You learn to focus on what you CAN do, instead of fretting about what you used to do and no longer can.

There are some aspects that I've actually gotten better at over the years.

Jim

[James Y]

Gamestop Employee Stabs Guest

I'm only posting this as an example of how suddenly and unexpectedly a knife attack can happen. And the woman / girl doing the screaming has zero survival instinct whatsoever. If that employee she was standing there screaming at had been indiscriminately attacking people, she would have been EASY pickings, and would've been taken out in about half a second.



Jim

[James Y]

MACV-SOG Operator Eliminated 4 NVA with a Knife

Not really MA- related, but I thought it could be. WARNING: This video contains graphic descriptions of hand-to-hand combat. I am not posting this to glorify violence; but I feel it is important for educational purposes, especially if someone ever has to use deadly force with a weapon (especially a bladed weapon) for self-preservation.



Jim

[James Y]

Millwall Brick & Company



Jim

[James Y]

Karate Masters Don't Want You to Know This - The Importance of Cross Training



IMO, doing what this teacher is doing is essential. Exposure to, or training in other arts teaches you about your own art. You learn to examine things you may be doing but never understood the meaning of in a different light.

When I got into Kenpo Karate at age 13 after Judo, EVERYTHING was cross training. My Kenpo teacher had always cross trained, long before cross training became popular, and incorporated boxing, kickboxing, some wrestling, Aiki-Jujutsu, some Filipino and some Chinese principles, along with plain old dirty fighting. And most importantly, his methods were effective. They blended together seamlessly in sparring.

I also trained in Shito-ryu Karate, for the purpose of experiencing hard-style Japanese Karate. I always respected every art I studied in every school I trained at, and always adjusted to their methods while at the dojo. But under pressure in sparring, I sometimes instinctively slipped and reverted to some principle from my other training, which often threw upper belts off their game.

It was the same as I continued training in different arts, like various Kung Fu systems ( Lung Ying, Tanglang Quan, Choy Lee Fut, etc.). Your own personal way of doing things evolves over time; and you realize that while you can adapt to the shape and training methods of each different art you take up, during actual free-sparring, you'll never be 100% "pure" in any one art. You simply keep evolving.

In my experience and observations, in general, the most effective Kung Fu people tended to be those who already had a good amount of previous training in other types of non-Chinese martial arts, like Judo, Karate, kickboxing, wrestling, etc., before studying Kung Fu. Not in all cases, but in most that I've seen and trained with.

At the age I'm at now, I've simplified some specially selected principles and skills, and modified them to be functional and natural to apply under pressure. I'm not concerned with style purity, nor with accumulating any more styles, skills, or techniques. IMO, principles are far more important than technical purity, or having to conform exactly to any specific art. The more complex your personal method is, the more hesitation and confusion there will be under pressure, and the accompanying stress.

This doesn't only apply to Karate; NO MARTIAL ART OR FIGHTING METHOD IS COMPLETE IN ITSELF.

Jim

[James Y]

Should You Carry a Knife for Self-Defense?



Jim

[Naperville]

Should You Carry a Knife for Self-Defense?



Jim

These points become self evident within a week or two of edged weapons training. Cross-training is the most important thing that you can do. It really is that easy for most people to present a solid defense or offense with an edged weapon. Edged weapon training will reteach or change everything you thought that you knew about empty hand combat.

The video was very short and did not touch on a lot of points. It made clear just one or two key facts for altercations with a knife. If you have any doubts, watch the video every 30 days while you obtain some knife training. Be a sponge, watch thousands of video streams and hundreds of DVDs on knife training then practice.

Get your training from the best as not all training is equivalent.

Respect the blade.

[Naperville]

Some Fun. Do I believe it all? NO, but it's fun!

2025 MASTERS Magazine LEGACY featuring JEFF SPEAKMAN
amazon.com/dp/B0FKZ5FRDV?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

[James Y]

Were Medieval Knights Jacked?



The answer is obvious, even if you don't watch the video. This whole "jacked-looking" obsession is a Hollywood concept. The knights were training very hard for combat function-specific development, not spending hours bodybuilding in a gym, and taking protein supplements and steroids (which didn't even exist back then), like modern-day Hollywood action movie actors, pro wrestlers, or bodybuilders.

Jim

[James Y]

The Slap that Ends Fights (Better than a Punch?)



For myself, using that particular combination, I'd prefer to use a slightly downward edge of hand strike to the side of the neck, from the same angle as his back of hand slap, following the spear elbow. Simply because not everybody will be affected by pain, or the shock of being struck like that, especially if they are highly adrenalized, under the influence of certain drugs, or insane. A strike to the neck doesn't rely on a pain or a shock response to potentially shut down an attacker, or at least set them up for a follow-up strike(s).

This is not a criticism, but is simply my own preference. Oftentimes, techniques that can be quite painful in a training situation may not have the same effect on certain individuals, as mentioned above, in a real situation. I understand that a big reason he's doing the slap is due to possible witnesses and legal reasons. For myself, and at my age, if I'm in a situation where I'm at the point of being physically attacked, or where I'm being forced to take pre-emptive action to protect myself, I'd rather opt for something that is just as "sneaky," but is more likely to have a greater effect.

Jim

[James Y]

"No One is Coming to Save You"



Jim

[James Y]

A Conversation with White Crane Kung Fu Master Lorne Bernard



IMO, Fujian-style Bai He Quan (White Crane) master Lorne Bernard is one of the best and most knowledgeable Kung Fu men in the world today. In the past, I've posted a couple videos of him demonstrating applications from his system. He also knows a bit about Choy Lee Fut style as well. He's the type of person that is the epitome of what a master of his system should be; he is the old-school type of Kung Fu person who really knows how to use his skills in real fighting, not just forms demonstrations. He also has a strong base in ethical behavior. Men like him are very rare, not only in Kung Fu, but in the martial arts world, period.

Jim

[James Y]

"The Truth About Knife Fights Nobody Tells You"



What he says is true, and this concept doesn't apply only to knives; it can also be applied to any kind of fighting, or hand-to-hand combat in general.

Jim

[James Y]

The Truth About the Fairbairn System of Combat: "The Mind is the Final Weapon" Reviewed



He brings up the classical, traditional Kung Fu saying about the important attributes needed to be effective, and their order of importance:

*Yi: Dan (Number one: Guts and attitude).

*Er: Li (Number two: Strength/power).

*San: Gongfu (Number three: Skill).

Which is 100% a universal truth when it comes down to real life-and-death, hand-to-hand combat/self-defense.

Jim

[James Y]

9 Surprising EDC Tools That Work in a Fight

I could be wrong, but it seems to me this is aimed primarily at LEOs than towards regular civilians.



Jim