Chi-Sao Pushing: Kick The Habit!

During chi-sao, you're training with your partner. I repeat..YOUR PARTNER..not your attacker. As such, there's tendency to be nice to the partner - how do you train a fighting art with someone as to not hit that person all the time?

In some wing chun class, the attacks are controlled and eventually turn into "slaps" which isn't good.

but the other extreme, the attacks turn into "push" so as to physically move the opponent showing them they can't continue, but the problem becomes that the wing chun person only learns to push.

And then you see this pushing translate into natural reaction..which is something we DON'T want under all circumstances.

Pushing your opponent or partnet, for that moment, may show that you "won" or resets the drill, but really it doesn't show anyone won..in fact, probably worse.

The wing chun fighter works so hard to close the distance and likes to maintain distance, so why would you want to push the person away and create more distance?

The wing chun fighter wants to remove time, opportunity and distance for the attacker to make a move, but by pushing someone away, you're giving the attacker all three factors!

WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS?

Remember, you want to hit, you want to cause trauma - pushing doesn't do this.

Until then.

Double Knockout!

One of the "problems" with MMA...

it's easy to forget how many bad MMA guys are out there when all we see is Pride and UFC..

Anyway, gotta good chuckle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm9APLkGy7M

Wing Tsun is Liberating

To apply wing tsun, you have to liberate yourself from all restrictions of the wing tsun kung fu style. If you don't, it is not real kung fu.

You have to liberate your stance, so that you are not in anyone one stance - not 100/0 or 0/100.

You have to liberate your arms so that you can hit, instead of block, struggle, grapple, stiffen up.

You have to liberate your mind so that you do not feat being hit when closing in the distance.

You have to liberate your muscles so that your limbs and core maintains a certain flexibility but is never tense.

You have to liberate your concept of what kung fu is or isn't and just fight.

You have to liberate yourself from your enemy - whether he's a MMA guy or muay thai guy or whatever doesn't matter. When this point comes, it's too late.

You have to liberate your spirit so that you'll not restrict yourself from hurting the enemy attacking you.

Until then.

Week 16: 1000 Chain Punch Challenge

HA! You've made it to week 16!!

the question is can you throw a 1000 awesome chain punches???

Time to find out now!

Your test this week, throw a 1000 chain punches full blast, full power - see how far you get without running out of gas!

until then

Weekend Wing Tsun Seminar

This past saturday, a small group of us had attended a seminar held by my Si-Fu, Ralph Haenel - the topic: The Core Concepts.

In essence, the core concepts are 10 factors that must be satisfied during training in order to make your wing chun work. Many systems understand or are exposed to say 5 of them, some get 2 of them and so on, while other martial arts see the other 8.

The stuff we practiced could be perceived as "basic" but, within the context of the core concepts, it is anything but basic. I believe that without a strong foundation and the hours of hard work of "boring" basics, you cannot really grasp the concept of the core concept in a practical concept.

On top of this, the intensity of training is very important. especially when the drills are not performed fast, or "powerful", the intensity of the training can still be very high. During the course of the seminar, there was nothing that was cardiovascular draining per se, but by the end of it, my entire body was exhausted. Only to find out that the next morning, my shoulder and back muscles and calves (who would think that calf muscles would be affected??) were so sore.

Anyway, another great seminar!

Until then.

Week 15: 1000 Chain Punch Challenge

How are your shoulders feeling? probably not that bad by now ;)

chain punch as hard as you can for 30 seconds, followed by 20 second rest. Repeat this 20 times.

Follow up with vertical fist push ups (with fist protectors or not) 4 sets of 10 reps.

Followed with forward step, alternating legs, for 10 minutes.

Good luck ;)

Sun Run 2010

So this year was my return to the Sun Run having skipped out last year. What an amazing day, the sun was shining, the people were incredibly friendly and there was a lot of energy all around. I have no idea what my time was but I managed to conquer the run without having to walk.

BUT, there was a price I had to pay. My left knee was incredibly sore by the final stretch and the only thing that kept me in it was keeping PROPER FORM. Making sure that my feet, ankle, knees, hip all lined up ensured that I was running as efficiently as possible, using as little energy as possible and minimizing stress to my knees.

It worked - i was able to finish without stopping I have to say that I would have to thank this to my wing tsun training believe it or not. There's a type of self/muscle awareness that this training brings to light and it came in handy tonight.

I know I know..perhaps you'd rather me talk about how I chain punched someone at the sun run, but the people out there were just all pretty happy to be there. Cheers all around!

Until then.

Bare Knuckle Fights!

Kyklosphaira sent me this clip of some bare knuckle brawls. OK, i'm not gonna say this technique is wrong or they don't know how to fight etc. The reality is these guys got the guts to get in there and just give it their all. Pretty crazy if you ask me.

I would like to bring you attention to two things:

1) Notice how the dynamics of fighting change when it's bare knuckle fighting. There's something inherently different by how they fight, how the fists are clenched, etc. to maximize impact but minimize damage of the hands themselves. It's ugly and it's brutal for both fighters. You seem to lose a sense of "security" created with gloves or fist protectors. The fist has to connect almost perfectly to avoid damage...and that changes the way one has to punch.

2) 1:49 into the clip, there's a wing tsun guy!! At first, i'm like ALL RIGHT!! then, you look at the background and the guys are cheering. UHM..i think this is a fake. What guys cheer like that in the background? it's not some kind of video game or B-rated movie. TOO BAD and shame on you WT.

Here's the clip

Until then.

Guns Don't Work

OK, this one i'm going to have to thank my kung fu brother, Tony for forwarding this clip to me. It really is amazing and scary at the same time.

The video clip is a cop vs. an exboxer hopped up on ANGER. A gun couldn't even stop the boxer.

If that's the case, what good is our chain punches?

Here's the clip.

Until then.

Week 14: 1000 Chain Punch Challenge

Hello everyone!

These weeks are getting harder and harder for me. After my journey to six pack abs workout and hiit training, it just gets really really difficult stamina wise and mentally as well to hammer out chain punches...

but..here goes..

1 rounds consists of:

double punches (one fist aiming at throat, one at lower abdomen), stance stationary, blast as many as you can in 30-60 second intervals, depending on your fitness level.

Then advancing step left leg, back in IRAS stance, step with right leg and repeat this for 1 minute.

repeat for a total of 10 rounds.

Have fun!