Substance over style: decisions in a split second
Tue, Sep 11 2012 05:37
| training, form, fighting, www.amaclub.org.uk, street fight, Wing Tsun Kung fu, jackie chan, EWTO, martial arts Altrincham, siu num tao
| Permalink
Wing Tsun is a simple martial art. It’s just not very easy to do. It’s not easy to choose the easiest path for many people either. As a teacher it is a constant source contention for people I see time and again. I was just like my students once, and as someone who considers himself very much still a student, I hope that I still am. The greatest difficulty one can often have when teaching is to demonstrate the best method, using the correct concept.
This isn’t due to a lack of skill or disposition for hesitancy on my part. I know not to ask my students to do something I cannot. The greatest problem is the nature of people. We all want the newest, shiniest, smartest toy on the shelf. Our inner child and our id conspire against us as students all too often. We focus on doing the coolesttechnique when the smartest concept is a better option.
I was always a pain in the arse to train with (yes Barry I still am, I know) even from my formative years of learning Tsun. I liked smacking people in the most flourish-filled ways possible. A straight punch was “boring” pretty soon. I now see the same mentality in people I teach, at the same point I was back then.
This isn’t due to a lack of skill or disposition for hesitancy on my part. I know not to ask my students to do something I cannot. The greatest problem is the nature of people. We all want the newest, shiniest, smartest toy on the shelf. Our inner child and our id conspire against us as students all too often. We focus on doing the coolesttechnique when the smartest concept is a better option.
I was always a pain in the arse to train with (yes Barry I still am, I know) even from my formative years of learning Tsun. I liked smacking people in the most flourish-filled ways possible. A straight punch was “boring” pretty soon. I now see the same mentality in people I teach, at the same point I was back then.
However as teachers we often assume the role of parent to our students’ child. Pleading, cajoling, bribing them not do fancy right then and there. The problem being when we ourselves feel like indulging them and ourselves! ‘You can do fancy later when you’ve mastered simple’ is an idea I find myself saying and hearing from my teachers all too often. It’s not hypocrisy but like a parent I want those following me to learn from my mistakes. To fast forward past the hours of bad training I wasted my time on, and cut straight to the “good stuff”.
A good example comes from boxing. A jab, cross will make or break your fighting style and ability to grind out a win. That’s not just my opinion but one shared by plenty of people. I’ve read Andre Ward’s coach talking about it being all you need in the amateurs – the pro game being where you require more variation and options. Presumably, he tells us this because to deal with tough more experienced opponents you need more options. I can’t comment too much as someone who loves to box merely as a hobbyist.
The reason I raise this is because it speaks to me about my own views on the fundamentals in any fighting style – more crucially in any fight. You don’t win points for style in a street fight. No one is going to watch the CCTV and rate your knock out punch (maverick lawyers aside). It’s a common source of feuds within styles, arts, lineages etc. Which form, what form, why do form at all when it comes to transmitting the basics?
I’m not here to debate the merits of who has the nicest Siu Num Tao merely that you need to start somewhere and there is a reason for centuries students began here. Dogma is bad, common sense is not. The problems occur when after years of common sense we let dogma take over. This conflicts with our desire as students to “move on” – the next technique, shinier technique, the more devastating one, usually from the next (read better) form is a ghost we all chase at some time.
I’m not here to debate the merits of who has the nicest Siu Num Tao merely that you need to start somewhere and there is a reason for centuries students began here. Dogma is bad, common sense is not. The problems occur when after years of common sense we let dogma take over. This conflicts with our desire as students to “move on” – the next technique, shinier technique, the more devastating one, usually from the next (read better) form is a ghost we all chase at some time.
Ask yourself this, when you train and when you fight hard – whether it’s sparring, rolling, retzev, lat sao whatever your art and predilection may be; do you train smart? I try to, but can fall prey to ego too. If you can honestly say you take the right option every time without fail, then I take my hat off to you. It’s that skill I am talking about.
I watch a lot of people fall into “monkey kung fu” as I call it. Dicking about, with flim flam actions and trying unrealistic attacks/defences instead of training what they are asked to. I recognise it because I used to do it. Why punch a guy in the face when you can drive a spinning elbow through his neck with a little more effort and determination right?
How about safety? How about ease? How about the day you have to use it for real and then deal with his mates who might be noticing your fight unfold on a dark, wet Manchester night? It’s much better to end a fight quickly and make it look easy than bust out your Jackie Chan moves to impress the ladies nearby. Therefore I think you should take stock and ask yourself, honestly, do I train like that?
One of the reasons I love Wing Tsun so much is it’s willingness to discard the sacred cows, to hold on to what works. Only MMA has a similar ethos in my experience. Regardless, if you’re lucky enough to do an art, or have a teacher that does the same – all power to you!
Just ask yourself this, when I train do I take the simplest path to the victory or the one I like the look of more?
How about safety? How about ease? How about the day you have to use it for real and then deal with his mates who might be noticing your fight unfold on a dark, wet Manchester night? It’s much better to end a fight quickly and make it look easy than bust out your Jackie Chan moves to impress the ladies nearby. Therefore I think you should take stock and ask yourself, honestly, do I train like that?
One of the reasons I love Wing Tsun so much is it’s willingness to discard the sacred cows, to hold on to what works. Only MMA has a similar ethos in my experience. Regardless, if you’re lucky enough to do an art, or have a teacher that does the same – all power to you!
Just ask yourself this, when I train do I take the simplest path to the victory or the one I like the look of more?
Sandbags: An expert's opinion - by Josh Henkin
Tue, Jan 3 2012 11:10
| wrestling, martial arts, training, www.amaclub.org.uk, sandbag, strength, martial arts Altrincham, fitness, Josh Henkin, conditioning
| Permalink
Fads or trends? Cynics or innovators? It can definitely be difficult to distinguish at times. Especially true when you consider the constant bombardment of marketing and information that comes through the fitness and performance industry. Possibly no implement and training system has come under more debate than sandbag training.
It seems to be a polarizing discussion whether or not sandbag training is a valid form of fitness and performance. Even though sandbag training has possibly the longest history of any form of strength training (being traced back to Egyptian times), it still has a tendency to be looked up as a fad or an outdated form of training.
Trust me, just because something is old does not make it good or valid. We have to question if sandbag training does have such a long history why has it never seemed to be a staple of fitness programs over the centuries and especially now why is it necessary, especially for combative sports?
Having been a strength coach for over 15 years I constantly find myself trying to write better programs and develop better solutions for my clients. I was so intrigued by sandbag training because first and foremost it wasn’t “like something else”. Sandbag training itself is very unique from the movement of the weight itself to the drills that could be created. I was also intrigued by the possibilities of sandbag training after reading John Jesse’s landmark book, Encyclopedia of Wrestling Conditioning, where he didn’t just show your standard cleans and squats. No Mr. Jesse was far more innovative and opened my mind to the true functionality and possible benefits of sandbag training.
“The use of heavy sandbags and their large circumference forces the lifter to do his lifting with a round back instead of the traditional straight back lifting with a barbell. It is this type of lifting that truly develops a strong back. It develops the back and side muscles in movements that are identical to the lifting and pulling movements of wrestling.”
These comments didn’t make me want to jump into just doing “rounded back” lifting, but that we could make sandbag training so much more. With our homemade sandbags we could do some good things, but it wasn’t long till I started to find out why sandbag training never really caught on. Besides the obvious of being messy, homemade sandbags lacked true versatility, progression, and lacked the ability to address some key variables that are specific to sandbag training such as controlling the role of dimension. Any GOOD training implement must possess these abilities.
Once we address these issues we can then create training programs that truly address the needs of the combative athlete. For example, most coaches will perform sandbag training exercises such as cleans and shouldering for “power”. While these exercises are great for developing general qualities they lack the recognition that most combative athletes generate power from compromised stances or postures. Sandbag training allows us to transform standard weight room exercises like cleans and shouldering into more specific movements by integrating staggered stance, rotational, and combination movements that train the combative athlete in more functional positions.
Sandbag training allows us to move in new positions and postures, but also allows us to learn how to resist movement as well. In the last few years Strength Coaches have talked a great deal about the ability to resist movements in order to perform at high levels. This is due to the fact that many muscles have a dual purpose in supporting joints by resisting forces imposed by the body and/or opponent. For example the rectus abdominis is typically trained to perform trunk flexion. Yet, this muscle may more important resist trunk extension and help protect the spine.
How does sandbag training accomplish this goal? We can first manipulate holding positions of the sandbag. With most training implements, there are up to four ways to hold a weight to change the perceived weight and stability. In Ultimate Sandbag™ Training we have up to TWELVE options to change stability and perceived load by altering holding positions. If we look at squatting patterns we can use a Zercher squat (which challenges anti-flexion similar to a front plank position) or move to a Shoulder squat which far more greatly challenges the lateral stability system of the body that is crucial for dealing with the unpredictability of combative sports.
When you combine changing the holding position as well as body position you can create some very powerful drills. One of the favorite drills in our Ultimate Sandbag™ system is the Rotational Lunge. Instead of just having the lunge be a dominant Sagittal plane exercise we can create a multi-planar exercise that will address all the needs of the combative athlete from strength, stability, power, to endurance! While the athlete lunge backwards (which is a single leg pulling motion) and will rotate the sandbag from side to side during the lunging motion. So while the athlete is moving in the Sagittal plane the sandbag is moving in frontal and transverse planes.
When you start seeing a system of training with sandbags they become not an optional training tool, but a necessary training tool for great results.
Josh Henkin, CSCS is the Creator of the Ultimate Sandbag™ Training System. His Ultimate Sandbag™ System has become a highly sought after program in the realm of functional fitness by having Coach Henkin present to over ten countries and numerous US National Conferences. Coach Henkin has worked with SWAT Teams, US Army Special Forces Recruiting Battalion, Professional Athletes, and many fitness enthusiasts. Find out more at http://www.dvrtfitness.com/
It is with great pride I welcome Josh as our first expert and coach bold enough to offer us all his opinions and experience. I hope that like me you found the above article inspiring and thought provoking. If you are or know an expert in any given field related to fitness and martial arts, please feel free to share with the world your thoughts.
Again my thanks to Josh and all of you for reading this blog.
It seems to be a polarizing discussion whether or not sandbag training is a valid form of fitness and performance. Even though sandbag training has possibly the longest history of any form of strength training (being traced back to Egyptian times), it still has a tendency to be looked up as a fad or an outdated form of training.
Trust me, just because something is old does not make it good or valid. We have to question if sandbag training does have such a long history why has it never seemed to be a staple of fitness programs over the centuries and especially now why is it necessary, especially for combative sports?
Having been a strength coach for over 15 years I constantly find myself trying to write better programs and develop better solutions for my clients. I was so intrigued by sandbag training because first and foremost it wasn’t “like something else”. Sandbag training itself is very unique from the movement of the weight itself to the drills that could be created. I was also intrigued by the possibilities of sandbag training after reading John Jesse’s landmark book, Encyclopedia of Wrestling Conditioning, where he didn’t just show your standard cleans and squats. No Mr. Jesse was far more innovative and opened my mind to the true functionality and possible benefits of sandbag training.
“The use of heavy sandbags and their large circumference forces the lifter to do his lifting with a round back instead of the traditional straight back lifting with a barbell. It is this type of lifting that truly develops a strong back. It develops the back and side muscles in movements that are identical to the lifting and pulling movements of wrestling.”
These comments didn’t make me want to jump into just doing “rounded back” lifting, but that we could make sandbag training so much more. With our homemade sandbags we could do some good things, but it wasn’t long till I started to find out why sandbag training never really caught on. Besides the obvious of being messy, homemade sandbags lacked true versatility, progression, and lacked the ability to address some key variables that are specific to sandbag training such as controlling the role of dimension. Any GOOD training implement must possess these abilities.
Once we address these issues we can then create training programs that truly address the needs of the combative athlete. For example, most coaches will perform sandbag training exercises such as cleans and shouldering for “power”. While these exercises are great for developing general qualities they lack the recognition that most combative athletes generate power from compromised stances or postures. Sandbag training allows us to transform standard weight room exercises like cleans and shouldering into more specific movements by integrating staggered stance, rotational, and combination movements that train the combative athlete in more functional positions.
Sandbag training allows us to move in new positions and postures, but also allows us to learn how to resist movement as well. In the last few years Strength Coaches have talked a great deal about the ability to resist movements in order to perform at high levels. This is due to the fact that many muscles have a dual purpose in supporting joints by resisting forces imposed by the body and/or opponent. For example the rectus abdominis is typically trained to perform trunk flexion. Yet, this muscle may more important resist trunk extension and help protect the spine.
How does sandbag training accomplish this goal? We can first manipulate holding positions of the sandbag. With most training implements, there are up to four ways to hold a weight to change the perceived weight and stability. In Ultimate Sandbag™ Training we have up to TWELVE options to change stability and perceived load by altering holding positions. If we look at squatting patterns we can use a Zercher squat (which challenges anti-flexion similar to a front plank position) or move to a Shoulder squat which far more greatly challenges the lateral stability system of the body that is crucial for dealing with the unpredictability of combative sports.
When you combine changing the holding position as well as body position you can create some very powerful drills. One of the favorite drills in our Ultimate Sandbag™ system is the Rotational Lunge. Instead of just having the lunge be a dominant Sagittal plane exercise we can create a multi-planar exercise that will address all the needs of the combative athlete from strength, stability, power, to endurance! While the athlete lunge backwards (which is a single leg pulling motion) and will rotate the sandbag from side to side during the lunging motion. So while the athlete is moving in the Sagittal plane the sandbag is moving in frontal and transverse planes.
When you start seeing a system of training with sandbags they become not an optional training tool, but a necessary training tool for great results.
Josh Henkin, CSCS is the Creator of the Ultimate Sandbag™ Training System. His Ultimate Sandbag™ System has become a highly sought after program in the realm of functional fitness by having Coach Henkin present to over ten countries and numerous US National Conferences. Coach Henkin has worked with SWAT Teams, US Army Special Forces Recruiting Battalion, Professional Athletes, and many fitness enthusiasts. Find out more at http://www.dvrtfitness.com/
It is with great pride I welcome Josh as our first expert and coach bold enough to offer us all his opinions and experience. I hope that like me you found the above article inspiring and thought provoking. If you are or know an expert in any given field related to fitness and martial arts, please feel free to share with the world your thoughts.
Again my thanks to Josh and all of you for reading this blog.
The eternal question: Part III
Tue, Dec 27 2011 08:56
| krav maga, MMA, martial arts, sambo, www.amaclub.org.uk, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, Japanese martial arts, systema
| Permalink
In parts one and two of this mini-saga cum blog post I have discussed the various aspects of how valid any given martial art is to practice and pursue. Of course all arts have their wheres and what for’s when it comes to what they do, however my perspective is heavily coloured by my main art Wing Tsun.
Previously discussed have been the common anxieties over the validity of the art, the transmission of it from teacher to student and the context of the training room, street and competitive arenas in which one might use their hard won skills. Today however I want to add the third common perspective on applying your art and that’s the use of it by the military and police forces around the world.
Martial arts tend to fall into the “sport” and “practical” camps broadly speaking the taboo really being over the deadly aspects of specific techniques being the main distraction for many who forget one can die in the ring just as easily as a “practical” practitioner may or may not choose to kill someone else in a given fight.
However there is a strong following amongst martial artists on forums and beneath YouTube videos that reveal a slightly bizarre almost political bent towards a specific cluster of martial arts devised and used by various military forces. This is reflected in the marketing devices of “new” to the high street arts such as Krav Maga and to a lesser extent Systema/Sambo of Russia. Throw in recent references and uses in Hollywood blockbusters, and it’s easy to understand the explosion of these arts.
But on these forums you will see arguments about the SEALs (USA navy) vs. the Spetsnatz littered throughout relevant and often irrelevant discussions on learning and practising any given art. It usually centres upon a childish desire similar to who would win a fight – Batman or Superman? The desire to don combat pants instead of rash guards is not always an invalid one, far from it. However as you will see from the monster thread below (wading through it is not necessary) there are loaded assumptions with opting for a ‘military’ outlook on your training.
http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102789
The art you choose often defines you for other people and the sort of people attracted to an art can be subject plenty of labels and assumptions. Military arts if you like, are no different. Often some may worry about an unhealthy obsession with the constant onus on death, destruction and weaponry but to be honest these arts no different to Japanese arts with their roots in feudal society or the monastic roots of Chinese Kung Fu. It’s simply that the AK47 s the mechanised equivalent of the katana et al.
One thing WT emphasises is its creation as an art for the little person to overcome the much bigger, stronger more aggressive foe. What the military has however is a minimum requirement of physical fitness before you can join, likewise this is a point rarely mentioned or glossed over by many people. It weakens somewhat the position of “well the army use it” type of thinking.
What can be said however is that the WT masters have visited and trained many units all over the world including in Europe and India as well as across Asia. The famous Krav was largely kept to Israel thanks to its newness. Likewise the Russians have been using Sambo since its inception taken from Japanese arts on a large scale since the 1940s the real question is what these arts were used for. Only since the end of Communism and the cultural mixing with Russia has its martial arts had much western scrutiny after nearly a century in isolation.
Above is one version of Wing Tsun being framed in a military context. The problems with these kind of demonstrations are fairly self-evident as the notion of "real" runs in opposition to staging something.
The Japanese arts were very relevant to military power centuries ago whilst the Russians and Israelis had very specific needs and demands in new and different environment thanks largely to the mechanisation and use of guns which consigned the Samurai to the history books. If people bear this in mind it’s easy to see that validity is really what you make of it. Many martial arts historians are often keen to note that medieval Europe had techniques that “look a lot like Jiu Jitsu” or that the Victorians practised a version of Jitsu utilising their canes and knives etc. Does this mean Jitsu is not a Japanese invention by approximation of British fight culture? No, probably not. Does it mean that universal truth to facing an armed attacker when unarmed is quite similar? I’d say so.
The historical and cultural connotations of your art should never be ignored but they should frame it not place it in a cage. The fundamentals of disarming an attacking should be relatively universal. It is not for us to question why the Filipinos use sticks almost exclusively and as a base for all of their better known fighting arts. What we should do is consider the skills this gives the practitioner and how useful they are in everyday life. After all it is incredibly recently where society didn’t dictate the need to be armed, and the likelihood of using and facing weapons on an everyday level.
This is really what you need to consider again, it’s not what your art can do for you but what can you do with your art? What truths have been exposed as fraudulent or left to antiquity and what will always remain useful to anyone willing or needing to fight?
Research and reading help you place your questions and concerns. Training whatever and wherever it may be should answer them.
The eternal question: Part 1
The eternal question: part 2
Previously discussed have been the common anxieties over the validity of the art, the transmission of it from teacher to student and the context of the training room, street and competitive arenas in which one might use their hard won skills. Today however I want to add the third common perspective on applying your art and that’s the use of it by the military and police forces around the world.
Martial arts tend to fall into the “sport” and “practical” camps broadly speaking the taboo really being over the deadly aspects of specific techniques being the main distraction for many who forget one can die in the ring just as easily as a “practical” practitioner may or may not choose to kill someone else in a given fight.
However there is a strong following amongst martial artists on forums and beneath YouTube videos that reveal a slightly bizarre almost political bent towards a specific cluster of martial arts devised and used by various military forces. This is reflected in the marketing devices of “new” to the high street arts such as Krav Maga and to a lesser extent Systema/Sambo of Russia. Throw in recent references and uses in Hollywood blockbusters, and it’s easy to understand the explosion of these arts.
But on these forums you will see arguments about the SEALs (USA navy) vs. the Spetsnatz littered throughout relevant and often irrelevant discussions on learning and practising any given art. It usually centres upon a childish desire similar to who would win a fight – Batman or Superman? The desire to don combat pants instead of rash guards is not always an invalid one, far from it. However as you will see from the monster thread below (wading through it is not necessary) there are loaded assumptions with opting for a ‘military’ outlook on your training.
http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102789
The art you choose often defines you for other people and the sort of people attracted to an art can be subject plenty of labels and assumptions. Military arts if you like, are no different. Often some may worry about an unhealthy obsession with the constant onus on death, destruction and weaponry but to be honest these arts no different to Japanese arts with their roots in feudal society or the monastic roots of Chinese Kung Fu. It’s simply that the AK47 s the mechanised equivalent of the katana et al.
One thing WT emphasises is its creation as an art for the little person to overcome the much bigger, stronger more aggressive foe. What the military has however is a minimum requirement of physical fitness before you can join, likewise this is a point rarely mentioned or glossed over by many people. It weakens somewhat the position of “well the army use it” type of thinking.
What can be said however is that the WT masters have visited and trained many units all over the world including in Europe and India as well as across Asia. The famous Krav was largely kept to Israel thanks to its newness. Likewise the Russians have been using Sambo since its inception taken from Japanese arts on a large scale since the 1940s the real question is what these arts were used for. Only since the end of Communism and the cultural mixing with Russia has its martial arts had much western scrutiny after nearly a century in isolation.
Above is one version of Wing Tsun being framed in a military context. The problems with these kind of demonstrations are fairly self-evident as the notion of "real" runs in opposition to staging something.
The Japanese arts were very relevant to military power centuries ago whilst the Russians and Israelis had very specific needs and demands in new and different environment thanks largely to the mechanisation and use of guns which consigned the Samurai to the history books. If people bear this in mind it’s easy to see that validity is really what you make of it. Many martial arts historians are often keen to note that medieval Europe had techniques that “look a lot like Jiu Jitsu” or that the Victorians practised a version of Jitsu utilising their canes and knives etc. Does this mean Jitsu is not a Japanese invention by approximation of British fight culture? No, probably not. Does it mean that universal truth to facing an armed attacker when unarmed is quite similar? I’d say so.
The historical and cultural connotations of your art should never be ignored but they should frame it not place it in a cage. The fundamentals of disarming an attacking should be relatively universal. It is not for us to question why the Filipinos use sticks almost exclusively and as a base for all of their better known fighting arts. What we should do is consider the skills this gives the practitioner and how useful they are in everyday life. After all it is incredibly recently where society didn’t dictate the need to be armed, and the likelihood of using and facing weapons on an everyday level.
This is really what you need to consider again, it’s not what your art can do for you but what can you do with your art? What truths have been exposed as fraudulent or left to antiquity and what will always remain useful to anyone willing or needing to fight?
Research and reading help you place your questions and concerns. Training whatever and wherever it may be should answer them.
The eternal question: Part 1
The eternal question: part 2
The eternal question: Part II
Thu, Dec 22 2011 10:48
| MMA, bjj, martial arts, muay thai, www.amaclub.org.uk, EWTO, martial arts Altrincham, Bruce Lee, kickboxing, self defence
| Permalink
Yesterday I wrote about the eternal dilemma of your martial arts “working” – a topic as grand and broad as this deserves more than a simple post. Those of you who read part one will know my views on the art being only a small part of the equation. Today I want to talk about the pitfalls and the benefits of cross-training.
Cross-training doesn’t refer to the gym machine of the same name but actually training in different arts, styles and more importantly ranges. Wing Tsun’s most famous son is undoubtedly Bruce Lee. Lee was famous for many things but his most appealing influence was his approach to breaking down barriers. Cultural and stylistically he did his best to ask questions and answer them. This was an admirable and brave decision given the cultural context of studying martial arts in 1970s Hong Kong.
Martial arts are riddled with egos, paranoia and mistrust towards not just other arts but other lineages within their own art. It is a sad, but somewhat understandable frailty of human nature.
Myself, having trained with various masters in different arts I like to think I’ve never shied away from facing up to the limitations of what I know and what I can do. Lead by my interests I have always complimented my Wing Tsun base with striking arts such as Muay Thai and Kickboxing – partly due to my physique being suited to them, partly because I simply really enjoy the contrast of pad-work and exercise with the methodical approach of WT, and partly because I wanted to see what these “simpler” arts have and do not have.
The answers were always enlightening. With a ‘white belt’ mentality I always try to approach a new training environment as best I can. I recommend this approach where possible. Throw away all you “know” whilst training and reassemble the pieces later in your own time. The big fear for people is that no longer being the top dog or even someone of average proficiency in the room can destroy all confidence. Being wailed on by guys with less overall experience but many more hours in your new art is a hurdle you must jump if you want to take away more than just bruises and worry.
I am always very impressed when a new recruit joins AMAC with this attitude, especially if they stay for any length of time. Therefore I try to embody this myself. But with this in mind what can another art be of benefit does it not simply distract and detract from time put in perfecting your primary skill set?
Yes and no.
For me it’s about satisfying my own curiosity. How can I as a teacher talk about other arts having never stepped into their world? I’ve seen it done suddenly often and respect for those martial artists is hard to come by. Secondly how can I say with any confidence that WT’s way is better? By training other things it helps me think about gaps in my own knowledge, faults in my own technique and lastly developing a greater understanding of my own body and how I use it.
This is crucial to the ideas I discussed in part one. The art I have studied changes as time goes by not just in content but in difficulty level too. Sometimes it gets harder, sometimes easier, by constantly appraising how effectively I can move and can learn new techniques allows me to use this knowledge when assessing whether my tan sau is as effective as it should be – it allows me to draw on a greater depth of knowledge knowing that other arts differ or concur with our way of thinking in WT.
This is important when trying new things out. Competition in martial sport springs immediately to mind. WT is well known for not fostering a culture or interest in competing. This is obviously down to the style and concepts behind WT being about disarming and maiming an assailant running at odds with the rules and nature of a sporting bout. While the MMA revolution may have made household names of various fighters and previously “unknown arts” such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and woke martial artists up to the possibilities and the panic of the ground game.
Even when I began training WT years ago the idea of fighting on the floor was snorted at derisively more often than not. Now it’s seen as an essential element for everyone. When one thinks about self defence though, the idea of rolling on concrete in the early hours of the morning as part of a self defence scenario seems somewhat ridiculous as well as dangerous. This is the main problem which causes so much angst.
Training should always be fit for purpose, if it doesn’t work, throw it away. If your experience and expectations are one of solely self defence, being king/queen of the triangles and chokes should be fairly way down the list. If like me you just love getting sweaty and up close and personal, they can become a fun and interesting exercise in the “what if” syndrome – mortal enemy of the “I don’t need” disease mentioned in part one.
People like to train in their comfort zone and as someone who loves and feel comfortable as a “striker” kicking and punching opponents until I can swarm all over them is my MO I feel the need to confess I don’t like the floor. It’s good for standing on and handy for bouncing other people off, but being down there isn’t for someone with long skinny monkey limbs like me. That’s why when the opportunity arises I get down there as quick and for as long as I can.
I know I can punch and kick – improving those is a simple case of reps now. I know my chi sau needs work, so I roll as much as I can. I know my form is always in need of polishing so I do that in my own time. But when there is floor space and a willing partner, ground-fighting is top of my list, because it’s still a whole new world to me.
So the next part of answering the eternal question is to ask you another one: what am I scared of doing in the training room? Go ahead and answer it in 2012.
Cross-training doesn’t refer to the gym machine of the same name but actually training in different arts, styles and more importantly ranges. Wing Tsun’s most famous son is undoubtedly Bruce Lee. Lee was famous for many things but his most appealing influence was his approach to breaking down barriers. Cultural and stylistically he did his best to ask questions and answer them. This was an admirable and brave decision given the cultural context of studying martial arts in 1970s Hong Kong.
Martial arts are riddled with egos, paranoia and mistrust towards not just other arts but other lineages within their own art. It is a sad, but somewhat understandable frailty of human nature.
Myself, having trained with various masters in different arts I like to think I’ve never shied away from facing up to the limitations of what I know and what I can do. Lead by my interests I have always complimented my Wing Tsun base with striking arts such as Muay Thai and Kickboxing – partly due to my physique being suited to them, partly because I simply really enjoy the contrast of pad-work and exercise with the methodical approach of WT, and partly because I wanted to see what these “simpler” arts have and do not have.
The answers were always enlightening. With a ‘white belt’ mentality I always try to approach a new training environment as best I can. I recommend this approach where possible. Throw away all you “know” whilst training and reassemble the pieces later in your own time. The big fear for people is that no longer being the top dog or even someone of average proficiency in the room can destroy all confidence. Being wailed on by guys with less overall experience but many more hours in your new art is a hurdle you must jump if you want to take away more than just bruises and worry.
I am always very impressed when a new recruit joins AMAC with this attitude, especially if they stay for any length of time. Therefore I try to embody this myself. But with this in mind what can another art be of benefit does it not simply distract and detract from time put in perfecting your primary skill set?
Yes and no.
For me it’s about satisfying my own curiosity. How can I as a teacher talk about other arts having never stepped into their world? I’ve seen it done suddenly often and respect for those martial artists is hard to come by. Secondly how can I say with any confidence that WT’s way is better? By training other things it helps me think about gaps in my own knowledge, faults in my own technique and lastly developing a greater understanding of my own body and how I use it.
This is crucial to the ideas I discussed in part one. The art I have studied changes as time goes by not just in content but in difficulty level too. Sometimes it gets harder, sometimes easier, by constantly appraising how effectively I can move and can learn new techniques allows me to use this knowledge when assessing whether my tan sau is as effective as it should be – it allows me to draw on a greater depth of knowledge knowing that other arts differ or concur with our way of thinking in WT.
This is important when trying new things out. Competition in martial sport springs immediately to mind. WT is well known for not fostering a culture or interest in competing. This is obviously down to the style and concepts behind WT being about disarming and maiming an assailant running at odds with the rules and nature of a sporting bout. While the MMA revolution may have made household names of various fighters and previously “unknown arts” such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and woke martial artists up to the possibilities and the panic of the ground game.
Even when I began training WT years ago the idea of fighting on the floor was snorted at derisively more often than not. Now it’s seen as an essential element for everyone. When one thinks about self defence though, the idea of rolling on concrete in the early hours of the morning as part of a self defence scenario seems somewhat ridiculous as well as dangerous. This is the main problem which causes so much angst.
Training should always be fit for purpose, if it doesn’t work, throw it away. If your experience and expectations are one of solely self defence, being king/queen of the triangles and chokes should be fairly way down the list. If like me you just love getting sweaty and up close and personal, they can become a fun and interesting exercise in the “what if” syndrome – mortal enemy of the “I don’t need” disease mentioned in part one.
People like to train in their comfort zone and as someone who loves and feel comfortable as a “striker” kicking and punching opponents until I can swarm all over them is my MO I feel the need to confess I don’t like the floor. It’s good for standing on and handy for bouncing other people off, but being down there isn’t for someone with long skinny monkey limbs like me. That’s why when the opportunity arises I get down there as quick and for as long as I can.
I know I can punch and kick – improving those is a simple case of reps now. I know my chi sau needs work, so I roll as much as I can. I know my form is always in need of polishing so I do that in my own time. But when there is floor space and a willing partner, ground-fighting is top of my list, because it’s still a whole new world to me.
So the next part of answering the eternal question is to ask you another one: what am I scared of doing in the training room? Go ahead and answer it in 2012.
The eternal question in martial arts
Wed, Dec 21 2011 09:57
| martial arts, fighting, www.amaclub.org.uk, street fight, Wing Tsun Kung fu, fighters, martial arts Altrincham, self defence
| Permalink
A fellow colleague was asked by his student recently “how do I know [Wing Tsun] really works?” It’s an interesting and age old question. Many people start learning a martial art for a multitude of reasons but usually they pick Wing Tsun because they want it to “work”. That is, it must defend them as easily and effectively as possible.
This mindset while not unreasonable is fraught with huge amounts of difficulties. If WT was easy everyone would do it. If WT was all you needed everyone would be invincible. As a teacher juggling your students’ expectations with their needs and the needs of everyone else in the room is the kind of multi-tasking that takes heroic amounts of effort and focus.
Sometimes (and only sometimes) it is necessary to overwhelm a student to the point where what they do doesn’t “work”, so they can feel the limitations and see their potential to improve and build something much better. Usually a better understanding of WT and a better version of how they employ the art is the aim and end result.
It’s not something you should do often but it can be a hugely beneficial experience which pulls people out of a rut or pushes them over the next plateau into a place where they can progress. That said, for the 99% of training time how do you show a martial art is beneficial to a student?
The answer is honestly, you can’t. You can demonstrate how it works for you, for your students, for half the world but that’s of little relevance if you can’t help someone see how they can share in that experience. Often this is the subject of selling yourself, your club, and your art to someone on their first or second class – but business needs aside, your club needs fresh blood as often as possible. Convincing people of the benefits of WT is essential.
So what really is it about Wing Tsun that works? Well it’s quite simple it’s the execution of it by someone fit enough, well educated enough and committed enough to practice and perfect it’s simple, but hard won rewards.
Whatever art you choose is only a fraction of the equation. The investment must also be made of your time, your patience and your openness to really succeed. Some arts are clearly better than others, but that doesn’t mean they are more valid than others. Being able to fight is innate you have to want it and be prepared to do what the other guy won’t. That applies to techniques as well as training.
Society teaches us from a young age to resist all urges to fight, but as animals it’s in there and teasing that out as well as combining it with the right concepts of martial arts is essential and this is one of WT’s cornerstones. As arts go, WT has very sophisticated and effective ideas underpinning what it is and what it does. That’s the crux of what makes it so good.
Like any art worth its salt it allows you to be injured, weaker, slower and less athletic than an opponent and still overcome. All of those natural advantages can be overcome with the ideas and by proxy the techniques concealed in the forms and training of WT. The mistake too many make is the “I don’t need…” syndrome.
Dismissing strength, fitness, diet, looking after yourself etc in the belief that WT alone is enough is the fundamental flaw of someone just waiting to get an all expenses trip to A&E. While you don’t need to be a world class athlete to be able to defend yourself, making the effort to train your body and equip with the capacity to perform every technique to its fullest potential is something anyone looking to really understand any art has to embrace.
The pasty runt with a pot belly that hides behind chi shields and bluster is no better than the witch-doctor of old. Passing off tradition and superstition as fact is still rife in some dark corners of the martial arts universe. People are wiser and more educated now just by dipping into the media coverage, youtube videos and forums that are everywhere these days.
So how do we know our art works? Short of taking the Tyler Durden approach and provoking strangers on a regular basis we must look to our own training and ask “am I making it work?” How often does a student ignore our advice as teachers? How often as students do us teachers think we know better? Humility is the key and honesty is the open door you have to walk through to get there.
Through training you can develop your own techniques and ideas and reinforce your learning. By slowly ramping up the intensity between you and your partner you can push techniques further and see how they work, illuminating your own understanding. But until that day comes where true aggression and an attack comes you won’t know how you will fare in any given fight, you will also learn how much of your art you have understood and taken on board.
Even the world champions of old know that you can lose, no matter who you are and some days it just isn’t your day. That isn’t a reflection on the art the art is merely a set of tools. How you use them is no reflection on the toolmaker after all.
This mindset while not unreasonable is fraught with huge amounts of difficulties. If WT was easy everyone would do it. If WT was all you needed everyone would be invincible. As a teacher juggling your students’ expectations with their needs and the needs of everyone else in the room is the kind of multi-tasking that takes heroic amounts of effort and focus.
Sometimes (and only sometimes) it is necessary to overwhelm a student to the point where what they do doesn’t “work”, so they can feel the limitations and see their potential to improve and build something much better. Usually a better understanding of WT and a better version of how they employ the art is the aim and end result.
It’s not something you should do often but it can be a hugely beneficial experience which pulls people out of a rut or pushes them over the next plateau into a place where they can progress. That said, for the 99% of training time how do you show a martial art is beneficial to a student?
The answer is honestly, you can’t. You can demonstrate how it works for you, for your students, for half the world but that’s of little relevance if you can’t help someone see how they can share in that experience. Often this is the subject of selling yourself, your club, and your art to someone on their first or second class – but business needs aside, your club needs fresh blood as often as possible. Convincing people of the benefits of WT is essential.
So what really is it about Wing Tsun that works? Well it’s quite simple it’s the execution of it by someone fit enough, well educated enough and committed enough to practice and perfect it’s simple, but hard won rewards.
Whatever art you choose is only a fraction of the equation. The investment must also be made of your time, your patience and your openness to really succeed. Some arts are clearly better than others, but that doesn’t mean they are more valid than others. Being able to fight is innate you have to want it and be prepared to do what the other guy won’t. That applies to techniques as well as training.
Society teaches us from a young age to resist all urges to fight, but as animals it’s in there and teasing that out as well as combining it with the right concepts of martial arts is essential and this is one of WT’s cornerstones. As arts go, WT has very sophisticated and effective ideas underpinning what it is and what it does. That’s the crux of what makes it so good.
Like any art worth its salt it allows you to be injured, weaker, slower and less athletic than an opponent and still overcome. All of those natural advantages can be overcome with the ideas and by proxy the techniques concealed in the forms and training of WT. The mistake too many make is the “I don’t need…” syndrome.
Dismissing strength, fitness, diet, looking after yourself etc in the belief that WT alone is enough is the fundamental flaw of someone just waiting to get an all expenses trip to A&E. While you don’t need to be a world class athlete to be able to defend yourself, making the effort to train your body and equip with the capacity to perform every technique to its fullest potential is something anyone looking to really understand any art has to embrace.
The pasty runt with a pot belly that hides behind chi shields and bluster is no better than the witch-doctor of old. Passing off tradition and superstition as fact is still rife in some dark corners of the martial arts universe. People are wiser and more educated now just by dipping into the media coverage, youtube videos and forums that are everywhere these days.
So how do we know our art works? Short of taking the Tyler Durden approach and provoking strangers on a regular basis we must look to our own training and ask “am I making it work?” How often does a student ignore our advice as teachers? How often as students do us teachers think we know better? Humility is the key and honesty is the open door you have to walk through to get there.
Through training you can develop your own techniques and ideas and reinforce your learning. By slowly ramping up the intensity between you and your partner you can push techniques further and see how they work, illuminating your own understanding. But until that day comes where true aggression and an attack comes you won’t know how you will fare in any given fight, you will also learn how much of your art you have understood and taken on board.
Even the world champions of old know that you can lose, no matter who you are and some days it just isn’t your day. That isn’t a reflection on the art the art is merely a set of tools. How you use them is no reflection on the toolmaker after all.
Chum Kiu: Thrusting and Turning
Sun, Nov 27 2011 07:23
| rules, kung fu, form, technique, hitting, practice, footwork, siu num tao, chum kiu, strikes, martial arts, power, Wing Tsun Kung fu, flexibility, martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
For those of you that remember my last blog entry about the Chum Kiu you'll realise that words can rarely do justice to something as complex and fundamental as form to a martial art such as Wing Tsun. I'm doing my best to have a go though!
However it is important to recognise that the first "new" section in the form is one which equips a student with the ability to understand the defensive capabilities of the system whilst improving the relationship between moving the arms and body correctly within the IRAS.
A double jum sau allows one to sink not just the arms but the centre of gravity into the stance with the realisation that Chum Kiu operates on two lines not just one as in Siu Num Tau. Using the undualtion of the spine to lift the jum saus along with your centre of gravity parctices balance and structure, particularly when thrusting the arms out into Biu Tze saus.
The relaxtion needed not to uproot the student during Biu Tze sau promotes good balance and control. Usually thought of as an eye strike the technique offers a student solutions to drawing an attackers arms down to the centre of mass.
This is followed by a very tricky idea within Wing Tsun forms. The arms must be folded into double lan sau - elbows kept at 90 degrees in front of the solar plexus, and the full range of motion within the stance is needed to allow you to sink into a 90 degree turn. "Sitting" on the back leg places you into a very traditional Wing Tsun stance with the front leg free to step/kick as necessary. It also reminds us to draw all of your power in and down so you are not floating in a precarious position.
From an application point of view the technique offers various uses. Conceptually it teaches us to turn with power, speed and balance. When grappling this can be useful to shake off attackers looking to grapple the upper body or pin the arms. It also teaches us to move around a solid object or force without pushing against it or into it - this allows the Wing Tsun exponent to be soft and difficult to track by an attacker. It also implies that from the Biu Tze saus you can pull an opponent's head sharply down and to the side destroying their stance and leaving them incredibly vulnerable to counters.
By building up a solid base which can move, the Chum Kiu emphasises the need for balance and keeping the arms moving in proportion to the body. If one moves without the other your power and structure is broken. This leaves you weak and twisted in structure. While this may be less of a problem in more advanced systems and emergency techniques it is important to establish good practice amongst beginners.
From here the opening of the arms with double fook saus invites us to expand the chest and lever apart both our arms and those of our attackers. The three pak saus with tok saus have simple applications to break the balance of an attacker using the disruption of their joints. Followed by three palm strikes the student is given a clear message to attack back in using quick and powerful strikes whilst an assailant is off balance.
Drawing the arm back across the body it is important that as the student splits the arms into a lan sau and sau chong that they return to neutral stance. Skipping this point encoruages bad habits and poor structure. Pausing albeit briefly demonstrates great control. It also reminds the student to focus on holding the lan sau at chest height and not towards the throat or even chin as some people will commonly do.
Moving all the way over to the other 90 degree turn with a lan sau teaches the student the depth of IRAS and our ability to move. The split amongst the lan sau and sau chong as well as the sink into the stance is crucial in teaching the student how to keep out an opponents force. Turning the forearm upwards slightly allows the lan sau to become stronger and more resillient.
Forming a double tan sau reminds the student that Chum Kiu also uses one line and nods towards the lessons of the previous Siu Num Tau. Compression of the double tan into the hip allows the student to push themselves around the own centre and make a bong sau wu sau at a 45 degree angle. It is crucial the student understands to face "forwards" looking over the bong sau and in line with their wu.
These steps are teaching us how to move around a changing attacker not multiple attackers or one which can teleport! Constant referral to the direction of an attack is necessary in all aspects of Wing Tsun. Moving between the double tan and bong sau wu sau three times emphasises the use of three repetitions throught the Wing Tsun forms to teach an important idea. It also shows how we can change easily between very defensive and deep 90 degree turns and more attacking 45 turns which help us slip and evade attacks rather than contain them like the former.
The punch over the top of the final lan sau reminds us to keep our arms over the lan sau to avoid them being trapped by being pulled down and develops power and range whilst in the 90 degree stance. Likewise when drawing the arm across into the fak sau it is important the legs are pulled back into neutral stance and the "whip" of the fak sau is then achieved using the softeness in the shoulder joint to make the technique powerful.
The arm is withdrawn and sunken back into the hip. This ensures the following strike is at eye height but launched from a solid and stable base. Be careful that the hand finishes on the centre line as crossing it will pull the shoulders apart and destroy your structure. The heun sau and return to sau chong signifies the end of the section as inkeeping with the Siu Num Tau.
The fact this is repeated on the other side shows how important the lessons contained within these movements are. Likewise it teaches us to train both sides with the mechanics and spatial awareness handed down by the section. Overall it is an important preparation not just for learning to defend and move coherently but for assigning the weight and balance onto one leg allowing us the ability to kick and step in the subsequent sections. That however is another long and complex blog post for another time!
Happy training!
However it is important to recognise that the first "new" section in the form is one which equips a student with the ability to understand the defensive capabilities of the system whilst improving the relationship between moving the arms and body correctly within the IRAS.
A double jum sau allows one to sink not just the arms but the centre of gravity into the stance with the realisation that Chum Kiu operates on two lines not just one as in Siu Num Tau. Using the undualtion of the spine to lift the jum saus along with your centre of gravity parctices balance and structure, particularly when thrusting the arms out into Biu Tze saus.
The relaxtion needed not to uproot the student during Biu Tze sau promotes good balance and control. Usually thought of as an eye strike the technique offers a student solutions to drawing an attackers arms down to the centre of mass.
This is followed by a very tricky idea within Wing Tsun forms. The arms must be folded into double lan sau - elbows kept at 90 degrees in front of the solar plexus, and the full range of motion within the stance is needed to allow you to sink into a 90 degree turn. "Sitting" on the back leg places you into a very traditional Wing Tsun stance with the front leg free to step/kick as necessary. It also reminds us to draw all of your power in and down so you are not floating in a precarious position.
From an application point of view the technique offers various uses. Conceptually it teaches us to turn with power, speed and balance. When grappling this can be useful to shake off attackers looking to grapple the upper body or pin the arms. It also teaches us to move around a solid object or force without pushing against it or into it - this allows the Wing Tsun exponent to be soft and difficult to track by an attacker. It also implies that from the Biu Tze saus you can pull an opponent's head sharply down and to the side destroying their stance and leaving them incredibly vulnerable to counters.
By building up a solid base which can move, the Chum Kiu emphasises the need for balance and keeping the arms moving in proportion to the body. If one moves without the other your power and structure is broken. This leaves you weak and twisted in structure. While this may be less of a problem in more advanced systems and emergency techniques it is important to establish good practice amongst beginners.
From here the opening of the arms with double fook saus invites us to expand the chest and lever apart both our arms and those of our attackers. The three pak saus with tok saus have simple applications to break the balance of an attacker using the disruption of their joints. Followed by three palm strikes the student is given a clear message to attack back in using quick and powerful strikes whilst an assailant is off balance.
Drawing the arm back across the body it is important that as the student splits the arms into a lan sau and sau chong that they return to neutral stance. Skipping this point encoruages bad habits and poor structure. Pausing albeit briefly demonstrates great control. It also reminds the student to focus on holding the lan sau at chest height and not towards the throat or even chin as some people will commonly do.
Moving all the way over to the other 90 degree turn with a lan sau teaches the student the depth of IRAS and our ability to move. The split amongst the lan sau and sau chong as well as the sink into the stance is crucial in teaching the student how to keep out an opponents force. Turning the forearm upwards slightly allows the lan sau to become stronger and more resillient.
Forming a double tan sau reminds the student that Chum Kiu also uses one line and nods towards the lessons of the previous Siu Num Tau. Compression of the double tan into the hip allows the student to push themselves around the own centre and make a bong sau wu sau at a 45 degree angle. It is crucial the student understands to face "forwards" looking over the bong sau and in line with their wu.
These steps are teaching us how to move around a changing attacker not multiple attackers or one which can teleport! Constant referral to the direction of an attack is necessary in all aspects of Wing Tsun. Moving between the double tan and bong sau wu sau three times emphasises the use of three repetitions throught the Wing Tsun forms to teach an important idea. It also shows how we can change easily between very defensive and deep 90 degree turns and more attacking 45 turns which help us slip and evade attacks rather than contain them like the former.
The punch over the top of the final lan sau reminds us to keep our arms over the lan sau to avoid them being trapped by being pulled down and develops power and range whilst in the 90 degree stance. Likewise when drawing the arm across into the fak sau it is important the legs are pulled back into neutral stance and the "whip" of the fak sau is then achieved using the softeness in the shoulder joint to make the technique powerful.
The arm is withdrawn and sunken back into the hip. This ensures the following strike is at eye height but launched from a solid and stable base. Be careful that the hand finishes on the centre line as crossing it will pull the shoulders apart and destroy your structure. The heun sau and return to sau chong signifies the end of the section as inkeeping with the Siu Num Tau.
The fact this is repeated on the other side shows how important the lessons contained within these movements are. Likewise it teaches us to train both sides with the mechanics and spatial awareness handed down by the section. Overall it is an important preparation not just for learning to defend and move coherently but for assigning the weight and balance onto one leg allowing us the ability to kick and step in the subsequent sections. That however is another long and complex blog post for another time!
Happy training!
A simple workout
Sat, Nov 26 2011 02:42
| stamina, sport, health, fighters, strength, stretching, MMA, martial arts, power, cardio, weightlifting, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, fitness, flexibility, martial arts Altrincham, sparring, conditioning
| Permalink
I've been already toying with my January ritual of getting back into shape and healthy. It seems another year older, another year wiser, another year of good intentions.
I'm the first to admit my willpower and discipline when it comes to diet, exercise and tipping myself that extra 5% or so into being more athletic. The demands of martial arts are sometimes a heavy burden - especially if you let them be. However as a teacher, as somone who practices more than just casually it is perhaps reaosnable that I should set by example.
With this in mind I've been reinventing the wheel so to speak. None of these exercises are particularly complicated, fancy or specific. They are however demanding, effective and designed to promote muscle growth, fat loss and improved performance.
The first concept relates to what. What should I work? The answer as always is as much as possible. Big muscles groups utilising as many joints as possible.
By dividing the body in half to upper and lower, and then in half again to front and back I am able to isolate large muscle groups to focus on each set and rotate them to avoid muscle fatigue and lactic acid build up.
The principle of alternating the upper body one set with the lower body the next, combined with alternating front of body exercies with the back of body exercises means you only have to choose four exercises and the order is dictated by the first one you choose.
The next answer is how much? My response depends on your own aims and preference on volume. For me the German system of 10x10 sets x reps and my preference of using light/body weight is ideal. This can be played with though if you want to bulk up; drop the numbers and increase the weight. If you want to up endurance and leaness up the numbers and drop the weight (ideally bodyweight only).
Here's a guidline to one 8 week rotation: I use a 12kg Kettlebell, a 40lb resistance cable and my own bodyweight.
Day 1:
Lower back: Clean and Press with KB swing (5 Left and 5 Right)
Upper Front: Press Ups
Lower Front: Sumo Squats (KB in upturned grip)
Upper Back: Lat Pull Downs
Day 2:
5 x 2min rounds of shadowboxing
30 seconds rest
Day 3:
Lower Back: Sprawl and tuck jump
Upper Front: Press Ups
Lower Front: Kettlebell Lunges (5 Left 5 Right)
Upper Back: Bent Over Rows
Day 4: Rest
Day 5:
Lower Back: One Arm Deadlift (5 Left 5 Right)
Upper Front: Crusher Bicep Curls (press the palms into the bell of the KB and curl)
Lower Front: Hindu Squats
Upper Back: Tricep Pull Downs
Day 6 & 7: Rest
Start each workout with a light cardio set to raise the pulse - finish with an all over set of stretching.
If an exercise is too difficult, painful STOP! If you can't finish your sets without puking/wanting to puke/decent form STOP! Don't do long term harm learn what your body can do and respond to it.
Let me know what you think. Where improvements can be made. What you'd change.
Happy training!
I'm the first to admit my willpower and discipline when it comes to diet, exercise and tipping myself that extra 5% or so into being more athletic. The demands of martial arts are sometimes a heavy burden - especially if you let them be. However as a teacher, as somone who practices more than just casually it is perhaps reaosnable that I should set by example.
With this in mind I've been reinventing the wheel so to speak. None of these exercises are particularly complicated, fancy or specific. They are however demanding, effective and designed to promote muscle growth, fat loss and improved performance.
The first concept relates to what. What should I work? The answer as always is as much as possible. Big muscles groups utilising as many joints as possible.
By dividing the body in half to upper and lower, and then in half again to front and back I am able to isolate large muscle groups to focus on each set and rotate them to avoid muscle fatigue and lactic acid build up.
The principle of alternating the upper body one set with the lower body the next, combined with alternating front of body exercies with the back of body exercises means you only have to choose four exercises and the order is dictated by the first one you choose.
The next answer is how much? My response depends on your own aims and preference on volume. For me the German system of 10x10 sets x reps and my preference of using light/body weight is ideal. This can be played with though if you want to bulk up; drop the numbers and increase the weight. If you want to up endurance and leaness up the numbers and drop the weight (ideally bodyweight only).
Here's a guidline to one 8 week rotation: I use a 12kg Kettlebell, a 40lb resistance cable and my own bodyweight.
Day 1:
Lower back: Clean and Press with KB swing (5 Left and 5 Right)
Upper Front: Press Ups
Lower Front: Sumo Squats (KB in upturned grip)
Upper Back: Lat Pull Downs
Day 2:
5 x 2min rounds of shadowboxing
30 seconds rest
Day 3:
Lower Back: Sprawl and tuck jump
Upper Front: Press Ups
Lower Front: Kettlebell Lunges (5 Left 5 Right)
Upper Back: Bent Over Rows
Day 4: Rest
Day 5:
Lower Back: One Arm Deadlift (5 Left 5 Right)
Upper Front: Crusher Bicep Curls (press the palms into the bell of the KB and curl)
Lower Front: Hindu Squats
Upper Back: Tricep Pull Downs
Day 6 & 7: Rest
Start each workout with a light cardio set to raise the pulse - finish with an all over set of stretching.
If an exercise is too difficult, painful STOP! If you can't finish your sets without puking/wanting to puke/decent form STOP! Don't do long term harm learn what your body can do and respond to it.
Let me know what you think. Where improvements can be made. What you'd change.
Happy training!
Altrincham Martial Arts Club Grading week
Sat, Oct 22 2011 09:08
| kung fu, kids, martial arts, gradings, black belt, Wing Tsun Kung fu, EWTO, martial arts Altrincham, kids martial arts, sash
| Permalink
This week marks an important milestone in the history of martial arts in Altrincham and Greater Manchester. From Thursday 27th October through to Monday 31st we will be grading our first intake of kids classes as well as our adult students.
While all our students have been working hard for weeks it is especially exciting to announce that while we test these grades we will be joined by SiHing Barry Wells of Leeds our regional instructor for Wing Tsun Kung fu here in the North of England.
The EWTO have been absent from the North West for too long now but thanks to our hard work, passion for Wing Tsun and determination to quality I am pleased to bring back the martial art to the North West in an official capacity.
While others may use the name illegally, claim murky lineages and pass off poor imitations of our art it is pleasing to know not only do we deliver the 'real deal' but we do it with no cheap tricks, no hidden costs and no sleight of hand.
The proof is in the pudding and when we see the joy and reward of kids from the age of 5 to people with many years on me claiming the next bench mark in their training it is great to know that earned it. From Hong Kong to Altrincham the art of Wing Tsun is seemingly little known outside of martial arts circles - but that is because while others might be more recognisable Wing Tsun works!
Effective for self defence, mentally challenging and difficult to perfect it's a long road many are not willing to take, although everyone is able to. With the mental toughness, physical endurance and dedication anyone can benefit from Wing Tsun. While other arts may be easier, more accessible or just popular there is a sense of achievement that comes with every certificate earned in Wing Tsun.
This week we'll be sharing that feeling of pride with dozens of people and that makes me not only very proud but excited and determined to go even further next time too!
Grades for kids always see them rewarded with coloured sashes
The IWTA logo
GM Kernspecht working his magic at a seminar, typical of the adaptability of Wing Tsun
While all our students have been working hard for weeks it is especially exciting to announce that while we test these grades we will be joined by SiHing Barry Wells of Leeds our regional instructor for Wing Tsun Kung fu here in the North of England.
The EWTO have been absent from the North West for too long now but thanks to our hard work, passion for Wing Tsun and determination to quality I am pleased to bring back the martial art to the North West in an official capacity.
While others may use the name illegally, claim murky lineages and pass off poor imitations of our art it is pleasing to know not only do we deliver the 'real deal' but we do it with no cheap tricks, no hidden costs and no sleight of hand.
The proof is in the pudding and when we see the joy and reward of kids from the age of 5 to people with many years on me claiming the next bench mark in their training it is great to know that earned it. From Hong Kong to Altrincham the art of Wing Tsun is seemingly little known outside of martial arts circles - but that is because while others might be more recognisable Wing Tsun works!
Effective for self defence, mentally challenging and difficult to perfect it's a long road many are not willing to take, although everyone is able to. With the mental toughness, physical endurance and dedication anyone can benefit from Wing Tsun. While other arts may be easier, more accessible or just popular there is a sense of achievement that comes with every certificate earned in Wing Tsun.
This week we'll be sharing that feeling of pride with dozens of people and that makes me not only very proud but excited and determined to go even further next time too!
Grades for kids always see them rewarded with coloured sashesThe IWTA logoGM Kernspecht working his magic at a seminar, typical of the adaptability of Wing Tsun Chum Kiu: The same but different
Sat, Oct 1 2011 12:21
| chum kiu, leung ting, form, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, siu num tao, keith kernspecht, footwork
| Permalink
The second form of Wing Tsun is intriguing. It marks the progression of student from learning the basics to opening up a whole world of skills they probably never really new existed!
Once the movements and ideas of the Siu Num Tao (SNT) have been learned and absorbed the student is ready to use that hard work and apply it with movement. Footwork and balance comes into play in the Chum Kiu (CK) for the first time and that's really where the fun begins!
Over the coming weeks I will be glad to update you, answer questions and explore what makes the CK form so special and different. However let's start with the most puzzling aspect that occurs to most people after their first lesson on CK; "why does it start the same but feel funny?"
Well the SNT, CK and Biu Tze (BT) form all start the "same" but the mechanics behind the moves are different. Tailored specifically to the demands and concepts of each form/system, as a discrete unit of knowledge the opening of each form reminds us not just of the continuity in WT but the adaptability and depth to the art.
In CK the first two sections follow exactly the same sequence of movements. The double Tan, double gan, rebuild that opens the form has one significant change to it's SNT counterpart: timing. When building the bridge of double tan the CK version immediately drops into double gan on contact. There is no rest between each move instead the timing change means the centre of gravity is lifted and then dropped sharply, generating a much bigger force through the forearms.
The implication of this means that CK emphasises a proactive approach to an attacking energy. While SNT teaches a student to react and move calmly that is then built upon in CK with a quicker change redirecting an opponent's force and taking their balance in application. This is one of the crucial differences between the foundations SNT lays and the strategic insight CK affords the student.
This is made clearer in the second section where the punches of SNT are delivered in a "single shot pistol" manner to quote GGM Leung Ting, in CK the second heun sau is replaced by the second punch as the arm is drawn back. Crucially the difference in timing gives a counterbalance effect upon the body mechanics of the section. While the challenge of not being pulled out of the stance and keeping the shoulders square to deliver a maximum amount of force, the section once mastered will gift the student with a devastating chain punch over time.
Making the punches profoundly more powerful it also embodies the Wing Tsun motto of "when the way is clear go forward" - by replacing the fist of the first punch almost immediately with the fist of the second punch the student learns to hit harder and faster, as well as harnessing the 'reborn force' GM Kernspecht is such an expert in delivering. Essential for fast and effective chain punches, a student should again become aware of the profound differences the CK makes to their Wing Tsun's effectiveness.
Arguably the CK is the form where a student learns to apply the knowledge they are learning. This means that students must start to look for links between movements, concepts and techniques to master the form and develop their proficiency in WT. To do this hard work and acknowledging the fundamental principles of the art are necessary alongside the differences between the form the student knows so well and the one they are learning.
Separating their thoughts and understanding between SNT and CK during practice is an essential skill the student must learn now if they hope to progress. Evaluating and comparing them afterwards is the mark of someone with a real passion and talent for their art. Being able to distinguish between different systems with WT is essential not just to compartmentalise practice but fully understand and apply what you've learnt.
Happy training!
Once the movements and ideas of the Siu Num Tao (SNT) have been learned and absorbed the student is ready to use that hard work and apply it with movement. Footwork and balance comes into play in the Chum Kiu (CK) for the first time and that's really where the fun begins!
Over the coming weeks I will be glad to update you, answer questions and explore what makes the CK form so special and different. However let's start with the most puzzling aspect that occurs to most people after their first lesson on CK; "why does it start the same but feel funny?"
Well the SNT, CK and Biu Tze (BT) form all start the "same" but the mechanics behind the moves are different. Tailored specifically to the demands and concepts of each form/system, as a discrete unit of knowledge the opening of each form reminds us not just of the continuity in WT but the adaptability and depth to the art.
In CK the first two sections follow exactly the same sequence of movements. The double Tan, double gan, rebuild that opens the form has one significant change to it's SNT counterpart: timing. When building the bridge of double tan the CK version immediately drops into double gan on contact. There is no rest between each move instead the timing change means the centre of gravity is lifted and then dropped sharply, generating a much bigger force through the forearms.
The implication of this means that CK emphasises a proactive approach to an attacking energy. While SNT teaches a student to react and move calmly that is then built upon in CK with a quicker change redirecting an opponent's force and taking their balance in application. This is one of the crucial differences between the foundations SNT lays and the strategic insight CK affords the student.
This is made clearer in the second section where the punches of SNT are delivered in a "single shot pistol" manner to quote GGM Leung Ting, in CK the second heun sau is replaced by the second punch as the arm is drawn back. Crucially the difference in timing gives a counterbalance effect upon the body mechanics of the section. While the challenge of not being pulled out of the stance and keeping the shoulders square to deliver a maximum amount of force, the section once mastered will gift the student with a devastating chain punch over time.
Making the punches profoundly more powerful it also embodies the Wing Tsun motto of "when the way is clear go forward" - by replacing the fist of the first punch almost immediately with the fist of the second punch the student learns to hit harder and faster, as well as harnessing the 'reborn force' GM Kernspecht is such an expert in delivering. Essential for fast and effective chain punches, a student should again become aware of the profound differences the CK makes to their Wing Tsun's effectiveness.
Arguably the CK is the form where a student learns to apply the knowledge they are learning. This means that students must start to look for links between movements, concepts and techniques to master the form and develop their proficiency in WT. To do this hard work and acknowledging the fundamental principles of the art are necessary alongside the differences between the form the student knows so well and the one they are learning.
Separating their thoughts and understanding between SNT and CK during practice is an essential skill the student must learn now if they hope to progress. Evaluating and comparing them afterwards is the mark of someone with a real passion and talent for their art. Being able to distinguish between different systems with WT is essential not just to compartmentalise practice but fully understand and apply what you've learnt.
Happy training!
Education: the key to your child's success
Wed, Sep 21 2011 11:02
| rules, kung fu, kids, karate, lessons, martial arts Altrincham, kids martial arts
| Permalink
Here at Altrincham Martial Arts Club we believe that every child is special. Honestly we do. More to the point we believe that every child can benefit from what we do – we know because we’ve seen it.
The aim of our kids’ classes is to do more than show techniques and ask children to repeat them back to us. We use a range of ideas and approaches to offer our students more than that.
As I’ve just started on my PGCE course (trainee teacher) I’ve been reappraising how to educate people. Looking at how learning styles, needs and objectives all have a massive impact on students from infants to the elderly – we all have basic characteristics which as a teacher I need to accept and cater for.
My experience working with SEN (special educational needs) children has convinced me of the fact that every child can benefit from our classes. The reality being that as a teacher, a student (and as a parent in this case) we must have realistic aims and goals. To provide a safe and enjoyable environment and framework is essential to letting everyone succeed.
While it’s not possible for every child in a school to receive the highest grade, it is possible for them to fulfil their potential. That’s why at AMAC we focus on where a student is at when they walk through the door for the first time, and what they can do when they walk back through it. After an hour; a month, a year or longer it matters not to me. What I want to do is ensure that when they leave us they are better than when they started.
At AMAC you won’t see our kids lined up in silence – they move, they shout, they interact! But there is discipline and respect for themselves, for us, for their parents. We instil that through rules, rewards and positive correction.
The latest theories and established practices in education, psychology and the martial arts themselves are at the heart of what we do. I believe this makes us very much unique in delivering effective teaching and getting more from and for our students.
If you’d like more information on what we do, how we do it or you want to see it in action for yourself then get in touch!
The aim of our kids’ classes is to do more than show techniques and ask children to repeat them back to us. We use a range of ideas and approaches to offer our students more than that.
As I’ve just started on my PGCE course (trainee teacher) I’ve been reappraising how to educate people. Looking at how learning styles, needs and objectives all have a massive impact on students from infants to the elderly – we all have basic characteristics which as a teacher I need to accept and cater for.
My experience working with SEN (special educational needs) children has convinced me of the fact that every child can benefit from our classes. The reality being that as a teacher, a student (and as a parent in this case) we must have realistic aims and goals. To provide a safe and enjoyable environment and framework is essential to letting everyone succeed.
While it’s not possible for every child in a school to receive the highest grade, it is possible for them to fulfil their potential. That’s why at AMAC we focus on where a student is at when they walk through the door for the first time, and what they can do when they walk back through it. After an hour; a month, a year or longer it matters not to me. What I want to do is ensure that when they leave us they are better than when they started.
At AMAC you won’t see our kids lined up in silence – they move, they shout, they interact! But there is discipline and respect for themselves, for us, for their parents. We instil that through rules, rewards and positive correction.
The latest theories and established practices in education, psychology and the martial arts themselves are at the heart of what we do. I believe this makes us very much unique in delivering effective teaching and getting more from and for our students.
If you’d like more information on what we do, how we do it or you want to see it in action for yourself then get in touch!
Celebrating Wing Tsun
Sat, Sep 17 2011 11:27
| cameron diaz, film review, sport, sammo hung, fighting, violence, fighters, celebrity, chike okeafor, ip man, strikes, donnie yen, jake gyllenhaal, martial arts, black belt, Wing Tsun Kung fu, jackie chan, martial arts Altrincham, Bruce Lee, robert downey jr
| Permalink
One of the many things that help spread a martial art is a celebrity endorsement. How many of these famous faces do you recognise? More to the point, how many of them did you know studied the martial art we all know and love?
Robert Downey Jr has been studying since 2003 (about as long as me!) and clearly loves it too. Check out Sherlock Holmes for sneaky bits and pieces chucked into the fight scenes.
The beautiful Cameron Diaz had to undertake an intense crash course for her part in Charlie's Angels. I'd happily roll with her if she's reading.
Apparently Mr Gyllenhaal undertook Wing Chun alongside other martial arts and training for his tranformation into the "Prince of Persia" for the Disney movie. I cannot guarentee that chain punches do this for your physique but it can't be a bad idea to give it a bash!
This is Chike Okeafor (no, me either) but he's a big name in the NFL which means loads of people who like that sort of thing will know who he is. Apparently his study of kung fu has helped him improve his techniques and physical skills for his job in the NFL. I'm not going to doubt it, all power to him in fact! Well done Sir.
If you don't know who this is kindly never come back here again........only kidding. Bruce Lee, the epitome of Wing Chun celebrity. A lot of schools good and bad use him to sell themselves and who can blame them? The guy was a pint-sized phenom of kick-ass shrieking wickedness. In fact I insist all of my students watch Enter the Dragon before they get to black tee-shirt or they fail their grading immediately. (This may not be true but it's not a bad policy, I'll consider it for the next grading).
This is Donnie Yen, playing Ip Man (a very famous late great Wing Chun deity) so yes he knows his onions. Whether he's as serious as this all the time, I wouldn't like to comment. Either way any kung fu geek worth his salt will be able to bore you silly about how good Mr Yen is. Check him out.
This is Jackie Chan - probably more famous than Jesus and more likely to sock you in the face. He's awesome, I love him. It's a massive shame that to be successful in the Western world he's been patronised into being a comedy version of himself because back in the day he was untouchable in the chop-sockey game. For the closest thing to "real" martial arts choreographed for the camera this man's where's it. All Hail Jackie!
This is Sammo Hung, a blue-blooded pedigree of kung fu film. If you don't know who he is look him up. Watching him do kung fu is like seeing an elephant do a handstand. It makes no sense but it looks very cool!
Apparently Mr Gyllenhaal undertook Wing Chun alongside other martial arts and training for his tranformation into the "Prince of Persia" for the Disney movie. I cannot guarentee that chain punches do this for your physique but it can't be a bad idea to give it a bash!
This is Donnie Yen, playing Ip Man (a very famous late great Wing Chun deity) so yes he knows his onions. Whether he's as serious as this all the time, I wouldn't like to comment. Either way any kung fu geek worth his salt will be able to bore you silly about how good Mr Yen is. Check him out.
This is Jackie Chan - probably more famous than Jesus and more likely to sock you in the face. He's awesome, I love him. It's a massive shame that to be successful in the Western world he's been patronised into being a comedy version of himself because back in the day he was untouchable in the chop-sockey game. For the closest thing to "real" martial arts choreographed for the camera this man's where's it. All Hail Jackie!
This is Sammo Hung, a blue-blooded pedigree of kung fu film. If you don't know who he is look him up. Watching him do kung fu is like seeing an elephant do a handstand. It makes no sense but it looks very cool!
AMAC Needs You!
Sun, Sep 11 2011 03:05
| martial arts, free, training, martial arts Altrincham, kids martial arts
| Permalink
AMAC is constantly growing. Reaching new students of all ages with fun, effective and enjoyable martial arts classes is the reason we run the school.
With this in mind we're offering you all the chance to get as many free lessons as you can get your hands on! That's right unlimited FREE lessons! What's the catch?
For the club to grow we need more members filling each class. Particularly the beginner's and kids classes. To do this we need everybody pulling together and spreading the word.
To claim your free lesson all you need to do is recommend five people to the club. When they turn up for a complimentary taster class, you get your next one us. If they join there and then you get one whole month of training FREE!
That's right, not only do they pay nothing - but you won't either! So get your friends, family, neighbours, colleagues and class mates down to AMAC and everyone benefits.
With this in mind we're offering you all the chance to get as many free lessons as you can get your hands on! That's right unlimited FREE lessons! What's the catch?
For the club to grow we need more members filling each class. Particularly the beginner's and kids classes. To do this we need everybody pulling together and spreading the word.
To claim your free lesson all you need to do is recommend five people to the club. When they turn up for a complimentary taster class, you get your next one us. If they join there and then you get one whole month of training FREE!
That's right, not only do they pay nothing - but you won't either! So get your friends, family, neighbours, colleagues and class mates down to AMAC and everyone benefits.
The Holy Trinity
Tue, Aug 30 2011 10:30
| stamina, training, exercise, strength, martial arts Altrincham, flexibility, fitness, stretching, conditioning
| Permalink
There are three main exercises I highly recommend anyone who does martial arts to explore. The first one is the Hindu press up. As the name suggests it's of Indian origin and used by wrestlers for centuries to build upper body strength, co-ordination and flexibility.
Done correctly these press-ups help develop and condition the upper body with stunning effectiveness. By helping the joints and muscles stretch gradually you can develop greater mobility in the shoulders which is ideal for Wing Tsun and other arts. Similarly the use of the core and lower back throughout the movement builds core strength as well as stamina.
Here's a great example of Steve Maxwell performing Hindu press-ups expertly. As you can see the movements employ a large range of motion and all of the major muscle groups making it holistic as well as functional.
The next movement I want to talk about is the Hindu squat. From the same roots as the press up these squats are designed to must the same but for the lower body. A deep movement that employs the quads and recruits the knee and ankle joints it offers you a way develop your muscles and learn how to balance effectively.
As you can see from another example by Steve Maxwell this movement requires some practise. Unlike the press-up you are balancing on two points instead of four and to add to the challenge you are raising your heels at the bottom of the movement!
I would advise caution when first trying to learn this movement. Too much too soon can place unwanted strain on your joints and lead to injury. Go slowly and build up the reps as you feel comfortable - there's no rush.
The last movement I'd like to look at is the Cross Arm sit up. By folding your arms across your chest you add weight and resistance to the movement and by holding onto the shoulders you can cheat with momentum like many fancy core exercises you may come across. This means your muscles do all the work and you build up general and impressive abdominal strength.
What I like about this version is it's simplicity. Also if at first you find it difficult you can make it easier by holding the arms straight out in front of you. If that become too difficult you can place them on your thighs and slide them up and down. Eventually when you build up the strength you can go back to holding your arms on your chest.
You'll notice these three exercises cover all the main areas of the body. They are also compound movements (well the press-ups and squats are) which recruit all the major muscle groups and supporting muscles at once. This means you can exercises efficiently and effectively. Combining all three in a work out is an excellent way to get into shape!
There are all kinds of combinations you can use 3 sets of 25 reps of each exercises is a fantastic workout to get started with. If that proves too much lower the reps to 10 or 15.
Likewise if you want to build up muscle mass and stamina a 10 x 10 workout is a killer! Try it some time and see what you think. However I would caution you to make sure you learn the movements first. Ensure you are strong enough to perform each movement with perfect form and avoid injury.
The best thing about these exercises is that they can be done anywhere with space at any time and as much or as little as you see fit. There are tales of athletes performing rep after rep for hours on end. I dropped in 100 squats to my workout yesterday with relative ease and it felt great! So give them a go, see what you think and let me know how you get on!
Happy training!
Looking forward to going back to school?
Mon, Aug 29 2011 03:24
| kids, martial arts, gradings, black belt, martial arts Altrincham, kids martial arts
| Permalink
With a long summer holiday winding down I'm sure your kids have had some great fun and been up to all sorts. With school starting back soon and the need to get back to the routine of the classroom it is important for children to have structure and discipline. Our martial arts programs have been taking off to great success this summer and there is plenty of space and scope for more kids, more classes and more learning!
Here at AMAC we look to welcome kids and give them a gift of more than just 45 minutes of fun each night. Our classes build upon each other and teach kids more than just kicks, punches and simple techniques to improve their knowledge, confidence and ability. Using positive correction, 'word of the week' and a range of tools we teach kids to develop their personality, behaviour and their physical skills all at once.
For children it is important to feel safe, confident and happy in anything they do and our classes are taught with that in mind. We do not emphasise competitiveness but self improvement. There is no grading hierarchy but a chance to have your individual achievement recognised and respected as each belt and award is earned. Our classes look to the long term and all round development of each child and to offer them as much opportunity as possible.
If you'd like to learn more about what we do at AMAC or come and try a FREE class then feel free to contact us today.
News Flash
Fri, Aug 26 2011 12:41
| seminar, kung fu, martial arts, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, Bruce Lee, kids martial arts, self defence
| Permalink
We've been a bit quiet on the blogging front but no news is good news as they say, and there's a lot to be going on with here at AMAC!
A Young Bruce Lee training with the late Great Grandmaster Yip Man in poon sau.
Firstly our kids classes have taken off to great success. To get your child enrolled before places fill up simply turn up for a FREE class of your choice. Try it with no obligation to see what parents and kids alike have been talking about.
Tomorrow morning we have a fantastic Bank Holiday Kung Fu seminar - two days of expert tuition and a chance to up your skills, knowledge and understanding in a fun and intensive setting. To take part simply come along! Even if you've never tried martial arts before - it's no problem.
Lastly Altrincham Martial Arts Club is delighted to announce it's return to the EWTO. Headed by the inspirational Grandmaster Keith Kernspecht we are the only club in the North West teaching authentic and genuine Wing Tsun Kung Fu. Accept no imitations. If you want to learn from the same lineage as Bruce Lee we're the club with the real deal kung fu.
So what are you waiting for? We've been busy, time for you to get busy too!
Kit List
Sat, Jul 16 2011 02:34
| kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, kit
| Permalink
We're putting together another order of fantastic kit and equipment for you all so take a look at what's on offer and email your selections to info@amaclub.org.uk or see me in class.
*AMAC Heavyweight Cotton Tee OR "Sports Performance" Tee (White/Grey/Black) £12
Trousers (Black/White) £15
*AMAC Hoods (Black/Red) £25
Cotton Sole Kung Fu Slippers £7
Full Bundle includes 1x all of the above £50 (save £9)
XL Bundle add extra Tee and Trousers £75 (save £11)
Kids Kung Fu Suit £20
Kids Kung Fu Slippers £7
MMA Mitts Black/Red/Yellow £20
Escrima Stick £8
A much larger list of equipment, accessories and products is available upon request. For guidance and advice please see Matt or any senior students in class or email us info@amaclub.org.uk
* Denotes kit custom made and must be paid for in in full and in advance
AMAC Tee and Trousers or Kung Fu suit for kids are considered compulsory uniform for all members of AMAC.
*AMAC Heavyweight Cotton Tee OR "Sports Performance" Tee (White/Grey/Black) £12
Trousers (Black/White) £15
*AMAC Hoods (Black/Red) £25
Cotton Sole Kung Fu Slippers £7
Full Bundle includes 1x all of the above £50 (save £9)
XL Bundle add extra Tee and Trousers £75 (save £11)
Kids Kung Fu Suit £20
Kids Kung Fu Slippers £7
MMA Mitts Black/Red/Yellow £20
Escrima Stick £8
A much larger list of equipment, accessories and products is available upon request. For guidance and advice please see Matt or any senior students in class or email us info@amaclub.org.uk
* Denotes kit custom made and must be paid for in in full and in advance
AMAC Tee and Trousers or Kung Fu suit for kids are considered compulsory uniform for all members of AMAC.
Summer Fun at AMAC
Sun, Jul 10 2011 03:39
| martial arts, offers, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, kids martial arts, conditioning
| Permalink
This summer promises to be one of our best ever. We've just launched our kid's classes to great success. With almost daily interest and a real buzz around the community we are pleased and proud to offer Altrincham something enjoyable, safe and healthy.
If you'd like to enrol your child(ren) in a class that challenges them and helps them develop physically, mentally and socially then simply pop down for a free session! Right now if your child decides to join AMAC you can get the membership package for half price before September 1st. Including 1 year's membership, access to gradings and a full uniform worth £20! All of this for just £15 instead of £30.
For the grown ups however we have some fantastic things happening at the club. With regular classes on a Monday and Thursday night there's something for everyone. Whether you want to immerse yourself in 2 hours of training per night or just pick up a few self defence tips come down and try something different.
Wing Tsun Kung Fu is an excellent martial art for anyone interested in protecting themselves as that is exactly what it's designed for! But it's also a great way to keep fit, learn new skills and try new things. We are offering FREE trial lessons as well as FREE membership before September 1st saving you £49!
Also on Wednesday nights we're hitting the lovely surrounds of John Leigh Park in Altrincham to get people "fighting fit" with brand new conditioning classes. Using a mixture of martial arts techniques, exercise and joint conditioning we aim to get everybody feeling better, looking better and learning how to train for everything they need to excel in martial arts.
As if that's not enough we'll be spending the bank holiday weekend back in the park for an outdoor seminar covering anything and everything you could possibly need. With an intensive look at all the elements of Wing Tsun, martial arts and self defence we're giving the chance to upgrade your skills in one big chunk! Check out our event on Facebook for more information.
For more information contact AMAC or join our mailing list here
If you'd like to enrol your child(ren) in a class that challenges them and helps them develop physically, mentally and socially then simply pop down for a free session! Right now if your child decides to join AMAC you can get the membership package for half price before September 1st. Including 1 year's membership, access to gradings and a full uniform worth £20! All of this for just £15 instead of £30.
For the grown ups however we have some fantastic things happening at the club. With regular classes on a Monday and Thursday night there's something for everyone. Whether you want to immerse yourself in 2 hours of training per night or just pick up a few self defence tips come down and try something different.
Wing Tsun Kung Fu is an excellent martial art for anyone interested in protecting themselves as that is exactly what it's designed for! But it's also a great way to keep fit, learn new skills and try new things. We are offering FREE trial lessons as well as FREE membership before September 1st saving you £49!
Also on Wednesday nights we're hitting the lovely surrounds of John Leigh Park in Altrincham to get people "fighting fit" with brand new conditioning classes. Using a mixture of martial arts techniques, exercise and joint conditioning we aim to get everybody feeling better, looking better and learning how to train for everything they need to excel in martial arts.
As if that's not enough we'll be spending the bank holiday weekend back in the park for an outdoor seminar covering anything and everything you could possibly need. With an intensive look at all the elements of Wing Tsun, martial arts and self defence we're giving the chance to upgrade your skills in one big chunk! Check out our event on Facebook for more information.
For more information contact AMAC or join our mailing list here
Rooney's Rules
Sun, Jun 19 2011 02:29
| rules, martial arts, philosophy, martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
Martin Rooney founder of Training For Warriors and expert in conditioning for martial arts has just published his rules. As a philosophical outlook it's great to see what Wing Tsun can compare and contrast with others. I've copied them out down below however please visit his website here: TFW
Rooney’s Rules:
1. The Road to Success does not intersect with the Path of Least Resistance.
2. To be successful in life, you must commit. If you freeze, you lose. There should be no halfway in anything you do.
3. When you take consistent action toward any endeavor over time, small gains will eventually equal large ones.
4. What is easy to do is also easy not to do. Your personal definition of “easy” will determine the height you reach in life.
5. In order to reach greatness, it will not be because of an absence of obstacles, but in spite of them. The Obstacle is the Path!
6. The greatest mistake is to keep making the same mistake over and over again without ever learning from it.
7. You can never gain Momentum if you never get moving. If anything is going to stop you, don’t let it be the start.
8. The success is much less commonly the man with the most natural talent as he is the man that continued to train while everyone else gave up from some self-created excuse.
9. You must first accept responsibility that you are the only one in control of your destiny. Where you are in life is exactly where you are supposed to be as a result of either the things you have or have not done, thought, said, or attempted.
10. If you want what other people don’t have, you must be willing to do what other people won’t do. Find out what stops everyone else and do it!
Rooney’s Rules:
1. The Road to Success does not intersect with the Path of Least Resistance.
2. To be successful in life, you must commit. If you freeze, you lose. There should be no halfway in anything you do.
3. When you take consistent action toward any endeavor over time, small gains will eventually equal large ones.
4. What is easy to do is also easy not to do. Your personal definition of “easy” will determine the height you reach in life.
5. In order to reach greatness, it will not be because of an absence of obstacles, but in spite of them. The Obstacle is the Path!
6. The greatest mistake is to keep making the same mistake over and over again without ever learning from it.
7. You can never gain Momentum if you never get moving. If anything is going to stop you, don’t let it be the start.
8. The success is much less commonly the man with the most natural talent as he is the man that continued to train while everyone else gave up from some self-created excuse.
9. You must first accept responsibility that you are the only one in control of your destiny. Where you are in life is exactly where you are supposed to be as a result of either the things you have or have not done, thought, said, or attempted.
10. If you want what other people don’t have, you must be willing to do what other people won’t do. Find out what stops everyone else and do it!
Losing face means nothing
Wed, Jun 15 2011 01:24
| martial arts, conflict resolution, psychology, fighting, street fight, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, self defence
| Permalink
Last night as I was pulling into my home I was abused and threatened. As I was turning into the gate that leads to my car parking space a shout and crash met me just next to my driver's window. I looked down to see a middle aged man picking himself and his bike off the road.
He'd bolted up from behind me on the wrong side of the road, despite me being stationary and indicating to turn right he was incredulous as to how I'd dare to nearly knock him off a bike he was riding too fast, without a helmet and weaving around me, on my driver's side.
I wound down my window and immediately any concern I felt was met with aggression. Insults were traded and the posturing of "get out the car I want a word with you" soon followed. After pointing out the man was on the wrong side of the road sneaking up on my blindside he then decided he actually "wanted a word" with me because I had apparnetly "nearly put [him] in the kerb" somewhere vaguely down the road because I was "a fucking stupid clown". The incident leading to him falling off his bike was forgotten about once his culpability had been established.
I couldn't control myself any longer. As suddenly as the fool appeared on the floor beside me an urge swelled up inside me and I suddenly started laughing at him. Right in his contorted snarling face. It was clear he was losing the initiative. His undirected aggression was giving way to his embarrassment.
Lying would be unfair. I can't deny as I wound down the window I studied his body language, his lack of balance as he leaned all over my door. I Listened to him but didn't really process the words. I was already sizing up if and when and how I'd hit him first. Not out of spite but necessity if this man chose to keep escalating the situation. Interestingly as I spoke with him and tried to reason with him, pointing out the fact he was at fault for what was a small and inconsequential 'nearly-accident' he backed off. Choosing to insult me from further away instead.
To some of you I may sound worse than him, talking of striking first and hard if necessary. However the training and outlook I've been given is to make a preemptive strike if necessary. To do the right amount of damage to someone to protect yourself.
After the adrenaline, confusion and ludircrous nature of the incident had played out in my head back on my sofa, I began to smile. I realised my training had come into play and I had 'won' by "fighting without fighting" as the kung fu movies might say. I put my point across, clearly and defiantly. I was not intimidated and I was under control of my emotions at least outwardly throughout the confrontation. But even better than that I risked neither my health, the man's health nor my liberty by starting a fight or assaulting him. Nor did I give him the opportunity to do the same.
After realising I had been given no incentive "to step outside" in a classic duel way and that I was quite happy to get on with my life the man soon rode away, angry and upset. But instead of being baited by childish aggression and name calling I chose to let the man vent a little, come to terms with his mistakes and gave him the opportunity to move on.
Had I verbally or physically taken away his dignity, given him nothing else to lose then quickly I would have found myself fighting him and perhaps injuring one if not both of us. It was a very real and very out of the blue test of all I'd learned without throwing a single punch.
The real key as found in many philosophies is that it is possible to pick your battles and still win without going to war. That's what my training and pursuit of martial arts is all about. Being so good at reading and controlling a situation I should rarely need to use force.
He'd bolted up from behind me on the wrong side of the road, despite me being stationary and indicating to turn right he was incredulous as to how I'd dare to nearly knock him off a bike he was riding too fast, without a helmet and weaving around me, on my driver's side.
I wound down my window and immediately any concern I felt was met with aggression. Insults were traded and the posturing of "get out the car I want a word with you" soon followed. After pointing out the man was on the wrong side of the road sneaking up on my blindside he then decided he actually "wanted a word" with me because I had apparnetly "nearly put [him] in the kerb" somewhere vaguely down the road because I was "a fucking stupid clown". The incident leading to him falling off his bike was forgotten about once his culpability had been established.
I couldn't control myself any longer. As suddenly as the fool appeared on the floor beside me an urge swelled up inside me and I suddenly started laughing at him. Right in his contorted snarling face. It was clear he was losing the initiative. His undirected aggression was giving way to his embarrassment.
Lying would be unfair. I can't deny as I wound down the window I studied his body language, his lack of balance as he leaned all over my door. I Listened to him but didn't really process the words. I was already sizing up if and when and how I'd hit him first. Not out of spite but necessity if this man chose to keep escalating the situation. Interestingly as I spoke with him and tried to reason with him, pointing out the fact he was at fault for what was a small and inconsequential 'nearly-accident' he backed off. Choosing to insult me from further away instead.
To some of you I may sound worse than him, talking of striking first and hard if necessary. However the training and outlook I've been given is to make a preemptive strike if necessary. To do the right amount of damage to someone to protect yourself.
After the adrenaline, confusion and ludircrous nature of the incident had played out in my head back on my sofa, I began to smile. I realised my training had come into play and I had 'won' by "fighting without fighting" as the kung fu movies might say. I put my point across, clearly and defiantly. I was not intimidated and I was under control of my emotions at least outwardly throughout the confrontation. But even better than that I risked neither my health, the man's health nor my liberty by starting a fight or assaulting him. Nor did I give him the opportunity to do the same.
After realising I had been given no incentive "to step outside" in a classic duel way and that I was quite happy to get on with my life the man soon rode away, angry and upset. But instead of being baited by childish aggression and name calling I chose to let the man vent a little, come to terms with his mistakes and gave him the opportunity to move on.
Had I verbally or physically taken away his dignity, given him nothing else to lose then quickly I would have found myself fighting him and perhaps injuring one if not both of us. It was a very real and very out of the blue test of all I'd learned without throwing a single punch.
The real key as found in many philosophies is that it is possible to pick your battles and still win without going to war. That's what my training and pursuit of martial arts is all about. Being so good at reading and controlling a situation I should rarely need to use force.
Swords and shouts
Fri, Jun 3 2011 02:40
| seminar, martial arts, swords, martial arts Altrincham, Japanese martial arts, iai
| Permalink
Last night Altrincham Martial Arts Club were privileged to say goodbye to one of the family with an excellent night exploring the majesty and skill of Japanese swordsmanship. Martin Farncombe has been a regular at the club for some time, as well as being a fantastic student he is also a high ranking martial artists in many disciplines of Japanese weaponry.
Martin went from student to Sensei as he took us through the types of weapons associated with various arts and how they are used. Showing an ornate 16th century blade and a very fine example from the 1970s, we were lucky enough to get a feel of the power of a live blade. However to make sure everyone survived the night we were soon on to bokken (a wooden version of swords used for practice).
First we went through the skills of Iai. An art designed to recreate 'social' uses of swords in traditional Japan. Practising 'assassination techniques' we learned how although Japanese swords arts appear alien at first there is much similarity to be found to in terms of tactics and ideas for despatching an opponent.
While we may have lacked the grace and power of a Sensei for the night. It was impressive and heartening to see everyone enjoying something so new and different. Moving from combining footwork and single strikes we developed a repertoire of sword strikes and blade cleaning techniques that included taking down guards on the way to hitting your target. All imaginary of course! Sensei Farncombe did not have us taking turns to be on the receiving end of a woody death!
That is to say until we took to Japanese battle field fencing. Taking in mind the art of Kendo where the sword is already drawn to practice what you might call two person forms. One attacks, the other yields or deflects and counters. Here the similarity between swordsmanship and the empty handed elements of Wing Tsun combined. Little light bulbs were going off everywhere as we discovered “Chi Sau with blades” as one person put it.
With great enthusiasm and plenty of loud shouts we clashed bokken on bokken (or heads in my case) and combined intricate steps and strikes to great effect. The skill needed to judge range, power and accuracy showed us all just how these swords spurred Japan on to becoming a major military power in Asia. The night was spent with much focus from us all and the expert guidance from Martin meant we accomplished much in only two hours.
It's with much gratitude we say a temporary goodbye to Martin both for a great night of something new and different, but also for his great approach to training, his enthusiasm and humility. All of us at AMAC wish him well and hope he'll back with us again some time soon.
If you would like to attend one of AMAC's special guest seminars, learn authentic martial arts or learn more about what we do please sign up here to receive our internal newsletters and notices.
Martin went from student to Sensei as he took us through the types of weapons associated with various arts and how they are used. Showing an ornate 16th century blade and a very fine example from the 1970s, we were lucky enough to get a feel of the power of a live blade. However to make sure everyone survived the night we were soon on to bokken (a wooden version of swords used for practice).
First we went through the skills of Iai. An art designed to recreate 'social' uses of swords in traditional Japan. Practising 'assassination techniques' we learned how although Japanese swords arts appear alien at first there is much similarity to be found to in terms of tactics and ideas for despatching an opponent.
While we may have lacked the grace and power of a Sensei for the night. It was impressive and heartening to see everyone enjoying something so new and different. Moving from combining footwork and single strikes we developed a repertoire of sword strikes and blade cleaning techniques that included taking down guards on the way to hitting your target. All imaginary of course! Sensei Farncombe did not have us taking turns to be on the receiving end of a woody death!
That is to say until we took to Japanese battle field fencing. Taking in mind the art of Kendo where the sword is already drawn to practice what you might call two person forms. One attacks, the other yields or deflects and counters. Here the similarity between swordsmanship and the empty handed elements of Wing Tsun combined. Little light bulbs were going off everywhere as we discovered “Chi Sau with blades” as one person put it.
With great enthusiasm and plenty of loud shouts we clashed bokken on bokken (or heads in my case) and combined intricate steps and strikes to great effect. The skill needed to judge range, power and accuracy showed us all just how these swords spurred Japan on to becoming a major military power in Asia. The night was spent with much focus from us all and the expert guidance from Martin meant we accomplished much in only two hours.
It's with much gratitude we say a temporary goodbye to Martin both for a great night of something new and different, but also for his great approach to training, his enthusiasm and humility. All of us at AMAC wish him well and hope he'll back with us again some time soon.
If you would like to attend one of AMAC's special guest seminars, learn authentic martial arts or learn more about what we do please sign up here to receive our internal newsletters and notices.
Bring out the best in your kids!
Sun, May 29 2011 05:40
| kung fu, kids, exercise, martial arts Altrincham, kids martial arts
| Permalink
Altrincham Martial Arts Club is proud and excited to announce the return of our fantastic and exciting Kid's Kung fu classes. Popular and well attended our classes are suitable for children of school age and beyond. Offering a challenging environment to let your child express themselves, develop physical, social and educational skills transferable to all parts of their life.
AMAC has a proud tradition of using the martial arts as a tool to educate people not just in the art of Kung Fu but to help them learn to achieve more. To test and challenge themselves and find a way to succeed in ways they never thought possible. This philosophy is again at the heart of Kid's Kung Fu classes.
These classes will teach your child not only simple and effective martial arts technique but discipline and control; over their own bodies and their well being. Learning to focus energy and aggression in specific ways they will learn the appropriate use of Kung Fu, the benefits of physical exercise and the happiness these bring when learning with classmates and friends.
Classes begin this June every Monday night in Timperley and cost just £3 each. For more information see http://www.amaclub.org.uk/
Alternatively look out for vouchers and offers in the press or at various events around Altrincham this summer and save even more money!
AMAC has a proud tradition of using the martial arts as a tool to educate people not just in the art of Kung Fu but to help them learn to achieve more. To test and challenge themselves and find a way to succeed in ways they never thought possible. This philosophy is again at the heart of Kid's Kung Fu classes.
These classes will teach your child not only simple and effective martial arts technique but discipline and control; over their own bodies and their well being. Learning to focus energy and aggression in specific ways they will learn the appropriate use of Kung Fu, the benefits of physical exercise and the happiness these bring when learning with classmates and friends.
Classes begin this June every Monday night in Timperley and cost just £3 each. For more information see http://www.amaclub.org.uk/
Alternatively look out for vouchers and offers in the press or at various events around Altrincham this summer and save even more money!
New Era at AMAC
Wed, May 4 2011 01:08
| martial arts, training, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, kids martial arts
| Permalink
I'd like to take this opportunity to show you our new and improved website at http://www.amaclub.org.uk/, thanks to the hard work of Pete and Martin; we now have this fantastic new opportunity to reach the community.
If you are interested in Wing Tsun Kung Fu either as a traditional martial arts pursuit, or to intergrate it into our Self Defence Programs for you, your family or place of work then this is the way to get in touch with us at Altrincham Martial Arts Club.
Also we have just unveiled our plans for our brand new Kid's Club. A chance to introduce your child to exciting, innovative and fun ways to inspire them through a mix of martial arts, exercise and gameplay. Starting in June, the classes will take place every Monday night at the Broomwood Centre, Mainwood Rd, Timperley - training schedule.
Whether you've always fancied trying a martial art and never gotten around to it or you're an experienced black belt looking for something new and effective; your first class is always free and membership is simple and affordable for all.
For more information or to sign up to our upcoming newsletters to keep up to date with events, seminars and special offers Sign up here and see what you're missing out on here at AMAC.
If you are interested in Wing Tsun Kung Fu either as a traditional martial arts pursuit, or to intergrate it into our Self Defence Programs for you, your family or place of work then this is the way to get in touch with us at Altrincham Martial Arts Club.
Also we have just unveiled our plans for our brand new Kid's Club. A chance to introduce your child to exciting, innovative and fun ways to inspire them through a mix of martial arts, exercise and gameplay. Starting in June, the classes will take place every Monday night at the Broomwood Centre, Mainwood Rd, Timperley - training schedule.
Whether you've always fancied trying a martial art and never gotten around to it or you're an experienced black belt looking for something new and effective; your first class is always free and membership is simple and affordable for all.
For more information or to sign up to our upcoming newsletters to keep up to date with events, seminars and special offers Sign up here and see what you're missing out on here at AMAC.
Panda'ing to the classes
Sun, May 1 2011 12:32
| kung fu, kids, martial arts, kung fu panda, martial arts Altrincham, kids martial arts
| Permalink
With sessions starting in the first week of June every Monday from 6-7pm at the Broomwood Centre and Kung Fu Panda 2 being released on June 10th; we're expecting the kids of Altrincham to go crazy once again for Po and his friends.
For more information on how to enroll your child into our excellent and exciting classes please contact us at info@amaclub.org.uk or look out for us around Altrincham celebrating the launch of our classes and the launch of the latest film - promoting martial arts for kids in a positive manner.
With sessions costing just £3 and great start up deals and discounts on membership and uniforms there really is no excuse not to give our classes a shot. See the health and happiness benefits that regular fun and challenging training can provide your kids with.
Altrincham Martial Arts Club: Dogma is your enemy
Wed, Apr 20 2011 08:29
| martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
Dogma is your enemy
Wed, Apr 20 2011 08:15
| MMA, bjj, martial arts, boxing, tkd, training, practice, martial arts Altrincham, escrima
| Permalink
When I was fairly 'young' in terms of my Wing Tsun learning I acquired and read GM Kernspchet's amazing book – On Single Combat. Written as a thesis that was turned into a book it is a work I've yet to see bettered (please let me know if you can think of any works that do!). Moreover some of the philosophy and approaches the book proposed really made up my mind to dedicate myself to WT.
The book talked of WT not being scared to “slay sacred cows” in order to produce better results. To train what works not what worked for someone else, somewhere else in another time just “because”. GM Kernspecht has clearly adhered to this all of his life and is continuing to do so. However the same can not be said for those of us lower down the chain.
A mix of fear and arrogance meant that often I encountered those unwilling to take risks, to try something else or accept that Wing Tsun is merely one “path up the mountain” and not the be all and all of everything martial arts related. It is in fact a well rounded system but other more exclusive arts specialise and therefore can surpass WT in it's given field.
While TKD might well be considered useless beyond kicking it is a kicking art and thus far it's worth noting this when trying to learn to deal with, or even use kicks of all shapes and sizes. Likewise with BJJ on the floor, or Escrima when it comes to facing an armed attacker. What does this all mean?
Really it means that while we can't and shouldn't train every art intensely and exclusively to avoid missing some secret or hidden gem. It is important to understand that all arts have survived for one reason or another and presumably it is because for certain people they have worked – at least in a sense to make it worth saving.
Often I hear very average students and fighters dismiss out of ignorance or fear one art or another, I've done it myself enough. However until you've taken the time and courtesy to train it then you really have no right or business denigrating the efforts and beliefs or others. Your teacher should not need you getting offended on his behalf at the arts and endeavours of others. No matter what you may think or understand of them. Nor should you need to comfort yourself and your choices with such sentiments.
When a student comes from another art or even another Wing Chun lineage I never try to compete with their art or their old teacher. It's not necessary. I am happy to answer their questions, give my own thoughts on technique XYZ or explain our approach at Altrincham. I shouldn't need to trick or confuse the student with making negative and unflattering comparisons between myself and where they've been before.
Likewise I like to train other arts and rarely do I try to tell people already there that I've done other arts and training. It's nice when after a session or two they acknowledge I have some idea/training but often it leads to them wanting to hurt me (albeit good naturedly) with overenthusiastic demonstrations and conversations on why I've finally “found the right place” etc. It is polite but more importantly better for you to “empty your cup” as the Chinese say or adopt a white belt mentality. You're in their class, their world with their rules and etiquette. I find you learn and earn more respect with ease if you do as your told.
What this really brings me back around to is the underlying fear amongst WT practitioners who never get to test themselves in competition and develop all sorts of angst about it. Simply put they can often disappear into hiding themselves in increasingly narrow minded ways of thinking and practising - often searching for how the old masters did things. Ironically Kernspecht presents many theories and evidence that WT has and was always a mixture of other arts and styles that stretch back centuries and possibly millennia!
Likewise there is an eagerness to poo-poo the methods and techniques of other arts or try to add disclaimers and caveats such as “well I'd never let them get that in, in the first place” etc. Simply put this type of thing no longer interests me. I look forward to meeting people who are keen and eager to learn and practise martial arts no matter what it is. I like to share ideas and experiences and I want to unpick their know-how to use it for myself.
Going forward I intend to try and pick and choose as many arts and training methods as I can. No matter where it comes from. It's only by doing we can learn. A thousand books on martial arts aren't worth a thousand seconds of training. It's about time we all tried to embrace this.
If you teach or train in other martial arts and would like to come down to AMAC feel free! We'd love to have you, whether it's to share knowledge, try something new or introduce us to what you do. Please let us know!
The book talked of WT not being scared to “slay sacred cows” in order to produce better results. To train what works not what worked for someone else, somewhere else in another time just “because”. GM Kernspecht has clearly adhered to this all of his life and is continuing to do so. However the same can not be said for those of us lower down the chain.
A mix of fear and arrogance meant that often I encountered those unwilling to take risks, to try something else or accept that Wing Tsun is merely one “path up the mountain” and not the be all and all of everything martial arts related. It is in fact a well rounded system but other more exclusive arts specialise and therefore can surpass WT in it's given field.
While TKD might well be considered useless beyond kicking it is a kicking art and thus far it's worth noting this when trying to learn to deal with, or even use kicks of all shapes and sizes. Likewise with BJJ on the floor, or Escrima when it comes to facing an armed attacker. What does this all mean?
Really it means that while we can't and shouldn't train every art intensely and exclusively to avoid missing some secret or hidden gem. It is important to understand that all arts have survived for one reason or another and presumably it is because for certain people they have worked – at least in a sense to make it worth saving.
Often I hear very average students and fighters dismiss out of ignorance or fear one art or another, I've done it myself enough. However until you've taken the time and courtesy to train it then you really have no right or business denigrating the efforts and beliefs or others. Your teacher should not need you getting offended on his behalf at the arts and endeavours of others. No matter what you may think or understand of them. Nor should you need to comfort yourself and your choices with such sentiments.
When a student comes from another art or even another Wing Chun lineage I never try to compete with their art or their old teacher. It's not necessary. I am happy to answer their questions, give my own thoughts on technique XYZ or explain our approach at Altrincham. I shouldn't need to trick or confuse the student with making negative and unflattering comparisons between myself and where they've been before.
Likewise I like to train other arts and rarely do I try to tell people already there that I've done other arts and training. It's nice when after a session or two they acknowledge I have some idea/training but often it leads to them wanting to hurt me (albeit good naturedly) with overenthusiastic demonstrations and conversations on why I've finally “found the right place” etc. It is polite but more importantly better for you to “empty your cup” as the Chinese say or adopt a white belt mentality. You're in their class, their world with their rules and etiquette. I find you learn and earn more respect with ease if you do as your told.
What this really brings me back around to is the underlying fear amongst WT practitioners who never get to test themselves in competition and develop all sorts of angst about it. Simply put they can often disappear into hiding themselves in increasingly narrow minded ways of thinking and practising - often searching for how the old masters did things. Ironically Kernspecht presents many theories and evidence that WT has and was always a mixture of other arts and styles that stretch back centuries and possibly millennia!
Likewise there is an eagerness to poo-poo the methods and techniques of other arts or try to add disclaimers and caveats such as “well I'd never let them get that in, in the first place” etc. Simply put this type of thing no longer interests me. I look forward to meeting people who are keen and eager to learn and practise martial arts no matter what it is. I like to share ideas and experiences and I want to unpick their know-how to use it for myself.
Going forward I intend to try and pick and choose as many arts and training methods as I can. No matter where it comes from. It's only by doing we can learn. A thousand books on martial arts aren't worth a thousand seconds of training. It's about time we all tried to embrace this.
If you teach or train in other martial arts and would like to come down to AMAC feel free! We'd love to have you, whether it's to share knowledge, try something new or introduce us to what you do. Please let us know!
While I've been away
Sun, Mar 27 2011 12:31
| free, offers, training, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, self defence
| Permalink
Some of you may have noticed we've been rather quiet of late. Well it's because we've been launching a whole new club for the benefit of the Altrincham community.
The press release below will tell you all you need to know.
Altrincham Martial Arts Club (AMAC) Announces Free Open Sessions for Local Residents
27th March 2011 – A New Martial Arts Club has launched in Altrincham and is offering a free open session for local people wishing to try out this exciting form of martial arts. Practised by many celebrities over the years including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Cameron Diaz, Robert Downey jr and even Peter Andre have all studied the art to varying levels.
The open session will be held on Monday 4th April at the Broomwood Centre in Timperley, 6.30-8.30pm. The club is open to all ages and whether it's traditional martial arts know-how, basic self defence or getting fitter alongside dedicated and like-minded people, AMAC has something to offer everyone. Even better than that, for the whole of April and May you can get one week of free training. You can also claim 10 lessons for the price of 7 - saving you £30.
Altricham Martial Arts Club (AMAC) uses a form of martial arts called Wing Tsun Kung Fu, an extremely effective and sophisticated art from China. Wing Tsun's specialty is in close contact combat, it doesn’t involve throws, breakfalls, high kicks or hard contact punches and yet remains a practical and highly effective fighting style.
Head instructor Matt Townsend says “One of the great things about Wing Tsun is its accessibility: it’s suitable for men, women, young and old. We’re really keen to encourage people from the local community to come down and try out this exciting form of martial arts and that’s why we’re offering this free session”
He goes onto say “We’re also keen to work with local community groups in the area, previously we’ve run a self-defence course for a girls school in Withington, a women’s refuge in Chorlton and a youth scheme in Collyhurst. We would love to build up relationships in the Altrincham area and ask for any interested parties to get in touch.”
AMAC was established in 2008 and has gone from strength to strength, becoming a permanent fixture in Altrincham. Lead Instructor Matthew has studied Wing Tsun Kung Fu and other styles all over the world, including New Zealand and the USA, bringing years of experience and dedication to hundreds of people in Altrincham.
AMAC training sessions take place on Monday nights 18:30 – 20:30 at the Broomwood Centre,
Mainwood Road, Timperley, WA15 7JU and on Thursday nights 18:30 – 20:30 at the Town Hall, Market Street, Altrincham, WA14 1PG.
For more information on Altrincham Martial Arts Club (AMAC), training sessions and community work contact Matthew Townsend on 07853 530886 or email matttownsend85@hotmail.com or visit www.amaclub.org.uk
Established in 2008 by Head Instructor Matt Townsend (1TG). Altrincham Martial Arts Club (AMAC) has been a permanent fixture ever since.
AMAC teaches Wing Tsun Kung Fu, an extremely effective and sophisticated art from China. Wing Tsun's specialty is in close contact combat: it doesn’t involve throws, breakfalls, high kicks or hard contact punches and yet remains a practical and highly effective fighting style. Wing Tsun is suitable for men and women, young and old.
Legend talks of two women who learned and systemised “Wing Chun” as a way for one of them to defeat a local bully. The focus has therefore always been on using an opponent’s strength and aggression against them, no matter how much bigger or stronger they are than you.
www.amaclub.org.uk
For More Information please contact –
Matthew Townsend
Head Instructor
http://www.amaclub.org.uk/
info@amaclub.org.uk
T: 07853 530886
The press release below will tell you all you need to know.
Altrincham Martial Arts Club Kick Starts into Action!
Altrincham Martial Arts Club (AMAC) Announces Free Open Sessions for Local Residents
27th March 2011 – A New Martial Arts Club has launched in Altrincham and is offering a free open session for local people wishing to try out this exciting form of martial arts. Practised by many celebrities over the years including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Cameron Diaz, Robert Downey jr and even Peter Andre have all studied the art to varying levels.
The open session will be held on Monday 4th April at the Broomwood Centre in Timperley, 6.30-8.30pm. The club is open to all ages and whether it's traditional martial arts know-how, basic self defence or getting fitter alongside dedicated and like-minded people, AMAC has something to offer everyone. Even better than that, for the whole of April and May you can get one week of free training. You can also claim 10 lessons for the price of 7 - saving you £30.
Altricham Martial Arts Club (AMAC) uses a form of martial arts called Wing Tsun Kung Fu, an extremely effective and sophisticated art from China. Wing Tsun's specialty is in close contact combat, it doesn’t involve throws, breakfalls, high kicks or hard contact punches and yet remains a practical and highly effective fighting style.
Head instructor Matt Townsend says “One of the great things about Wing Tsun is its accessibility: it’s suitable for men, women, young and old. We’re really keen to encourage people from the local community to come down and try out this exciting form of martial arts and that’s why we’re offering this free session”
He goes onto say “We’re also keen to work with local community groups in the area, previously we’ve run a self-defence course for a girls school in Withington, a women’s refuge in Chorlton and a youth scheme in Collyhurst. We would love to build up relationships in the Altrincham area and ask for any interested parties to get in touch.”
AMAC was established in 2008 and has gone from strength to strength, becoming a permanent fixture in Altrincham. Lead Instructor Matthew has studied Wing Tsun Kung Fu and other styles all over the world, including New Zealand and the USA, bringing years of experience and dedication to hundreds of people in Altrincham.
AMAC training sessions take place on Monday nights 18:30 – 20:30 at the Broomwood Centre,
Mainwood Road, Timperley, WA15 7JU and on Thursday nights 18:30 – 20:30 at the Town Hall, Market Street, Altrincham, WA14 1PG.
For more information on Altrincham Martial Arts Club (AMAC), training sessions and community work contact Matthew Townsend on 07853 530886 or email matttownsend85@hotmail.com or visit www.amaclub.org.uk
About Altrincham Martial Arts Club (AMAC)
Established in 2008 by Head Instructor Matt Townsend (1TG). Altrincham Martial Arts Club (AMAC) has been a permanent fixture ever since.
AMAC teaches Wing Tsun Kung Fu, an extremely effective and sophisticated art from China. Wing Tsun's specialty is in close contact combat: it doesn’t involve throws, breakfalls, high kicks or hard contact punches and yet remains a practical and highly effective fighting style. Wing Tsun is suitable for men and women, young and old.
Legend talks of two women who learned and systemised “Wing Chun” as a way for one of them to defeat a local bully. The focus has therefore always been on using an opponent’s strength and aggression against them, no matter how much bigger or stronger they are than you.
www.amaclub.org.uk
For More Information please contact –
Matthew Townsend
Head Instructor
http://www.amaclub.org.uk/
info@amaclub.org.uk
T: 07853 530886
What do you expect from your club?
Sun, Feb 13 2011 01:23
| training, martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
This one is all in the title really. We need your ideas, your feedback, your questions and queries in the comments section below.
Whether you're a veteran with belt upon belt or someone who has never set foot inside a martial arts club - what are your expectations? What would you like to see, to do, to achieve? Please let us know in simple terms or long rambling essay form below. We're looking to see how we can be of service to you all.
Thanks in advance
Matt
Whether you're a veteran with belt upon belt or someone who has never set foot inside a martial arts club - what are your expectations? What would you like to see, to do, to achieve? Please let us know in simple terms or long rambling essay form below. We're looking to see how we can be of service to you all.
Thanks in advance
Matt
The Fighter - Film Review
Tue, Feb 8 2011 10:50
| film review, boxing, martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
This film has it's work cut out. Much hyped in a much trodden path of underdog struggling on his way to stardom and once again placed in the four corners of the boxing ring – or so it seems. Hollywood has gotten smarter than trotting out a film that simplistic and here we see not just a rise to fame and glory but a story too.
Based on the Life of “Irish” Mickey Ward (the harshly maligned yet excellent Wahlberg) a welterweight from the run down old Industrial town of Lowell, his story is not that unknown in boxing circles but up until now he's probably remained off the radar of the man in the street. A more traditional brawler and half brother of Dicky Eklund (Bale), Ward had grown up in awe and in the shadow of Dicky a fighter who once went toe to toe with Sugar Ray and knocked him down. The feat overshadowed the whole town and the lives of the Eklund/Ward clan. A veritable gallery of white trash sisters portrayed in the film as a mix of My Name is Earl extras and the cast of MacBeth make up the other seven siblings that Dicky and Mickey share are all controlled and dominated by the lean chain smoking matriarch of Alice Ward (Leo) who is a manager to the boys. She orchestrates the fights where Mickey looks to get established and runs the household whilst Dickey looks to “come back” despite constant run ins with the law and a crack addiction being captured by a cold and mocking documentary crew. Mickey bears his brothers sins and shortcomings and the rest ignore it where they can.
Interestingly Ward's trainer Mickey O'Keefe plays himself in the film adding to the sense of authenticity and honesty that a Hollywood biopic will often strive for and rarely deliver on. If we look for clichés they can be found in abundance – self-doubt, familial feuds and reconciliation, training montages, brutal fight reconstructions, a mix of archive and diegetic footage, brushes with the law etc. These things can all be found in varying from Rocky's syndicated story, to the excellent Ali to the less renowned The Hurricane, or any other boxing flick you care to mention and perhaps here we see the real tightrope the film walks.
Everyone who goes to see it will do so for various reasons and it's likely they'll see what attracted them to the film subsumed into a much greater product. There's a boxing movie within a very real and raw human drama. A story of hope, of wrongs being righted, forgiveness and the glory of persistance and belief. The culmination of Mickey's career is bookended nicely with footage of both Wahlberg and Bale in character talking about the fraternal relationship now healed, followed by the real brothers laughing and joking. The reality dawns on you there as to how well they've been portrayed and how all of us can find inspiration in the labours of men who never gave up on each other or themselves no matter how damned and desperate they seemed to be.
The actual boxing scenes, which are really what of interest to martial artists looking to see America's favourite martial spectacle for decades are excellent, professionally handled and brutal at times. The spatter of blood and Ward's chances fly across the canvas and the screen with such unflinching realism that it is easy to feel like you're in there with Ward, dodging every punch you can. Much like Mann's excellent Ali and the seminal Raging Bull the fight scenes leave their mark on the audience and there is feeling such are the leads' dedication they probably insisted on being hit properly and you see and feel every dig with them.
Based on the Life of “Irish” Mickey Ward (the harshly maligned yet excellent Wahlberg) a welterweight from the run down old Industrial town of Lowell, his story is not that unknown in boxing circles but up until now he's probably remained off the radar of the man in the street. A more traditional brawler and half brother of Dicky Eklund (Bale), Ward had grown up in awe and in the shadow of Dicky a fighter who once went toe to toe with Sugar Ray and knocked him down. The feat overshadowed the whole town and the lives of the Eklund/Ward clan. A veritable gallery of white trash sisters portrayed in the film as a mix of My Name is Earl extras and the cast of MacBeth make up the other seven siblings that Dicky and Mickey share are all controlled and dominated by the lean chain smoking matriarch of Alice Ward (Leo) who is a manager to the boys. She orchestrates the fights where Mickey looks to get established and runs the household whilst Dickey looks to “come back” despite constant run ins with the law and a crack addiction being captured by a cold and mocking documentary crew. Mickey bears his brothers sins and shortcomings and the rest ignore it where they can.
Interestingly Ward's trainer Mickey O'Keefe plays himself in the film adding to the sense of authenticity and honesty that a Hollywood biopic will often strive for and rarely deliver on. If we look for clichés they can be found in abundance – self-doubt, familial feuds and reconciliation, training montages, brutal fight reconstructions, a mix of archive and diegetic footage, brushes with the law etc. These things can all be found in varying from Rocky's syndicated story, to the excellent Ali to the less renowned The Hurricane, or any other boxing flick you care to mention and perhaps here we see the real tightrope the film walks.
Everyone who goes to see it will do so for various reasons and it's likely they'll see what attracted them to the film subsumed into a much greater product. There's a boxing movie within a very real and raw human drama. A story of hope, of wrongs being righted, forgiveness and the glory of persistance and belief. The culmination of Mickey's career is bookended nicely with footage of both Wahlberg and Bale in character talking about the fraternal relationship now healed, followed by the real brothers laughing and joking. The reality dawns on you there as to how well they've been portrayed and how all of us can find inspiration in the labours of men who never gave up on each other or themselves no matter how damned and desperate they seemed to be.
The actual boxing scenes, which are really what of interest to martial artists looking to see America's favourite martial spectacle for decades are excellent, professionally handled and brutal at times. The spatter of blood and Ward's chances fly across the canvas and the screen with such unflinching realism that it is easy to feel like you're in there with Ward, dodging every punch you can. Much like Mann's excellent Ali and the seminal Raging Bull the fight scenes leave their mark on the audience and there is feeling such are the leads' dedication they probably insisted on being hit properly and you see and feel every dig with them.
The last word should go to Leo and Adams who as the main female leads keep pace and probably outshine the efforts of Bale in his broken and skittish portrayal of Eklund ravaged by crack and his own myth. Their roles are such that the film really hangs on them and they carry out their duties flawlessly bringing a dimension to a film and wider genre dominated by testosterone and masculinity. In fact not since Mann's Public Enemies have I seen this good at the cinema, such is the quality of execution and entertainment the stellar cast and crew bring to the Fighter.
I do like Mondays
Sat, Feb 5 2011 08:37
| martial arts, training, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, self defence
| Permalink
In fact I like them a so much that we're opening up another whole night of training for the people of Altrincham and surrounding areas. Based at the magnificent facilities in the Broomwood Centre, Timperley (Broomwood Centre Map) we'll be running 2 hours of martial arts suitable for anyone and everyone.
For those who haven't popped down to see us yet there's no time like the present and no excuse! Whether it's one hour or four per week, every bit of training helps! For those who know us well then you can expect more of the same excellent Wing Tsun and self defence as well as the chance for more detail, better conditioning and a flexibility to your training schedule we've not had since the end of last year!
If you'd like more information please drop me or line or simply turn up on the night. Remember we still train every Thursday as always at the Town Hall on Market St. in Altrincham. Training is once again 6:30 - 8:30pm. We've also made training even cheaper allowing people to train from £2.80 per hour*!
Training costs (concessions in brackets):
2hrs per week - (£30) £40
4hrs per week - (£45) £55
PAYG - £5 per hour
There really is no excuse and no time like the present - spread the word!
For those who haven't popped down to see us yet there's no time like the present and no excuse! Whether it's one hour or four per week, every bit of training helps! For those who know us well then you can expect more of the same excellent Wing Tsun and self defence as well as the chance for more detail, better conditioning and a flexibility to your training schedule we've not had since the end of last year!
If you'd like more information please drop me or line or simply turn up on the night. Remember we still train every Thursday as always at the Town Hall on Market St. in Altrincham. Training is once again 6:30 - 8:30pm. We've also made training even cheaper allowing people to train from £2.80 per hour*!
Training costs (concessions in brackets):
2hrs per week - (£30) £40
4hrs per week - (£45) £55
PAYG - £5 per hour
There really is no excuse and no time like the present - spread the word!
*cost relates to a concessionary rate at 4hrs per week for four weeks in one calendar month (e.g. February)
The 3 planes of movement
Fri, Jan 28 2011 01:01
| kettlebells, calisthenics, martial arts, weightlifting, exercise, practice, martial arts Altrincham, fitness
| Permalink
As far as I'm concerned there are (shock horror) 3 types of movement that are relevant to exercise for everyone but especially martial artists. They are as follows: pushing, pulling and rotation. The first two are perhaps the most obvious and well known in terms of lifting weights whilst the third - rotation might seem more applicable to things like stretching. However when training for martial arts it's important to recognise that we don't move in short static ranges of motion.
The true benefit of the bench press or deadlift for example, are in the bulk they add to our muscles and strain they place on our endocrine skeleton. The fact they tax more than one set of joints and release hormones into our bloodstream aiding growth and development is important, but they are not the only tools we need to add to our regimens to really succeed.
To truly test our bodies and apply more realistic challenges to our muscles it is important that every time we exercise, either in training, or the gym, we appreciate these fundamental types of movement. When we assume IRAS we 'pull' on our quadriceps and lengthen our spine, similarly we 'pull' on our lats and rotate our forearms when using tan sau. Without one the effect is lost and the structure of our shapes and movements fail.
The same concepts must be recognised when lifting weights. To truly recruit as many muscle fibres as possible and in a useful way it is important to use "multi-plane" movements. What that means in layman's terms is that we musn't just pull a dumbbell up and down, contracting our biceps to feel good and build trophy muscles.
Every week at least you should be looking to perform functional lifts. To lift a weighty object of some sort from the floor to our chest or even above our head for example. The concept of clean and press is massively taxing but works muscles and joints from toe to top whether it's a barbell, two dumbbells or something more exotic like a sandbag it matters not. As long as the lift is practised safely it will tax your body and build truly useful strength and balance over time. This is crucial for fighting - whether it's dealing with the deadweight of an adversary, or adjusting your own position under pressure and tension during conflict the benefits are obvious if you give this kind of work a chance, once a week, for a few weeks.
Similarly taking something like the humble sit up you can up the difficulty and benefits by adding a "twist". You'll probably have seen people sitting up and twisting towards one knee or using a swiss ball to challenge their core stability and wondering why. The simple answer is - it's harder! It tests your resourcefulness, strength and stability and will up your output and fitness quickly and powerfully. I like to perform a jab cross combo at the top of a sit up. With your lower body anchored it places extra stretches to the arms and upper body, increases the exercise with a slight cardio element and keeps you focussed and occupied during an endless set of ab work.
For those who are really looking for something difficult the kettlebell is a of course great place to look. It's off centre balance and abilty to be swung, pushed, pulled and flipped in a multitude of ways incorporates everything I've been talking about. However think about performing lifts with a weight in each hand. It allows the flexibilty to add rotations to a lift eg twist to one side as you perform a shoulder press and do the same on the other side. It also allows you to link lifts together eg bicep curl to shoulder press to squat. Imagine the concept of varients of a burpee with weights and you'll get the right idea.
Look to change direction, change the type of motion and finally change the muscle group or body part under tension with each link of the chain as it were. Do some research, experiment without wieghts or at least tiny wieghts at first and see how creative you can be.
If you like some ideas feel free to let me know but here's a few "chains" if you will, I really like.
Clean and press: Deadlift, clean the barbell to shoulders, pause, press above the head. Very difficult and gets the sweat pouring!
Abs-1-2: As you sit up throw a strong jab over the right knee followed swiftly by a cross over the left. Be sure to breathe out (I snort "1-2!" as I do it) and get a full twist of the torso into this one. It works the obliques which run under the ribs beside what most people think of as your abs and are criminally under worked by most.
Manmaker to press: Hold yourself in press up position. Pull the dumbell upwards in one hand as if performing a one armed row. Brace yourself on the planted arm and twist the torso 90 degrees with the rowed weight on top. Press out and directly upwards with your shoulder under the dumbell supporting it. The body should be in one straight diagonal line from the toes to the head with the weight raised directly upwards. Return the weight to the body, rotate backwards and return to the original press up position. Repeat on the other side.
The true benefit of the bench press or deadlift for example, are in the bulk they add to our muscles and strain they place on our endocrine skeleton. The fact they tax more than one set of joints and release hormones into our bloodstream aiding growth and development is important, but they are not the only tools we need to add to our regimens to really succeed.
To truly test our bodies and apply more realistic challenges to our muscles it is important that every time we exercise, either in training, or the gym, we appreciate these fundamental types of movement. When we assume IRAS we 'pull' on our quadriceps and lengthen our spine, similarly we 'pull' on our lats and rotate our forearms when using tan sau. Without one the effect is lost and the structure of our shapes and movements fail.
The same concepts must be recognised when lifting weights. To truly recruit as many muscle fibres as possible and in a useful way it is important to use "multi-plane" movements. What that means in layman's terms is that we musn't just pull a dumbbell up and down, contracting our biceps to feel good and build trophy muscles.
Every week at least you should be looking to perform functional lifts. To lift a weighty object of some sort from the floor to our chest or even above our head for example. The concept of clean and press is massively taxing but works muscles and joints from toe to top whether it's a barbell, two dumbbells or something more exotic like a sandbag it matters not. As long as the lift is practised safely it will tax your body and build truly useful strength and balance over time. This is crucial for fighting - whether it's dealing with the deadweight of an adversary, or adjusting your own position under pressure and tension during conflict the benefits are obvious if you give this kind of work a chance, once a week, for a few weeks.
Similarly taking something like the humble sit up you can up the difficulty and benefits by adding a "twist". You'll probably have seen people sitting up and twisting towards one knee or using a swiss ball to challenge their core stability and wondering why. The simple answer is - it's harder! It tests your resourcefulness, strength and stability and will up your output and fitness quickly and powerfully. I like to perform a jab cross combo at the top of a sit up. With your lower body anchored it places extra stretches to the arms and upper body, increases the exercise with a slight cardio element and keeps you focussed and occupied during an endless set of ab work.
For those who are really looking for something difficult the kettlebell is a of course great place to look. It's off centre balance and abilty to be swung, pushed, pulled and flipped in a multitude of ways incorporates everything I've been talking about. However think about performing lifts with a weight in each hand. It allows the flexibilty to add rotations to a lift eg twist to one side as you perform a shoulder press and do the same on the other side. It also allows you to link lifts together eg bicep curl to shoulder press to squat. Imagine the concept of varients of a burpee with weights and you'll get the right idea.
Look to change direction, change the type of motion and finally change the muscle group or body part under tension with each link of the chain as it were. Do some research, experiment without wieghts or at least tiny wieghts at first and see how creative you can be.
If you like some ideas feel free to let me know but here's a few "chains" if you will, I really like.
Clean and press: Deadlift, clean the barbell to shoulders, pause, press above the head. Very difficult and gets the sweat pouring!
Abs-1-2: As you sit up throw a strong jab over the right knee followed swiftly by a cross over the left. Be sure to breathe out (I snort "1-2!" as I do it) and get a full twist of the torso into this one. It works the obliques which run under the ribs beside what most people think of as your abs and are criminally under worked by most.
Manmaker to press: Hold yourself in press up position. Pull the dumbell upwards in one hand as if performing a one armed row. Brace yourself on the planted arm and twist the torso 90 degrees with the rowed weight on top. Press out and directly upwards with your shoulder under the dumbell supporting it. The body should be in one straight diagonal line from the toes to the head with the weight raised directly upwards. Return the weight to the body, rotate backwards and return to the original press up position. Repeat on the other side.
2011 - What do you want to do?
Tue, Jan 18 2011 11:20
| calisthenics, rowing, martial arts, cardio, training, keep fit, exercise, martial arts Altrincham, fitness, running, conditioning
| Permalink
The new year is here and as always the gym is full of people with good intentions and the ability to take up space. It must mean that the new year's resolutions are fully in swing and as such it got me thinking about what mine could, or at least should be. I've never made one, not least one that lasted five minutes.
This year however I've decided to make a very simple one "practice what I preach". I'm going to get fitter, not skip exercise, rest when I need to, eat better and all the other things you'll find on this blog, in my classes etc. Throughout the year I'll be measuring my "fitness" in an all round (and slightly vain) way by recording some simple data.
First off body measurements to see how my physique changes thorughout the year. Secondly a record of cardiovascular fitness - this will be done by comparing times and distances for running, rowing, swimming etc. Lastly I will record increases in strength and output - weights lifted and volume of sets and reps.
Part of the plan will be following Martin Rooney's Ultimate Warrior Workouts (reviewed here http://martialstatus.blogspot.com/2010/09/review-ultimate-warrior-workouts-by.html) for the resistance and conditioning aspects of my regimen. CV fitness will be increased by incorporating military guidance on fitness such as taking their PT tests and varying my workouts with rowing, swimming, cross-training and other such activites.
This is really a complicated way of saying I'm going to take a dedicated approach to being fitter, leaner, meaner and better!
So the question is now what do you want to achieve this year? I'd love it if you'd share your aims for 2011 in the comments section below. Happy 2011!
This year however I've decided to make a very simple one "practice what I preach". I'm going to get fitter, not skip exercise, rest when I need to, eat better and all the other things you'll find on this blog, in my classes etc. Throughout the year I'll be measuring my "fitness" in an all round (and slightly vain) way by recording some simple data.
First off body measurements to see how my physique changes thorughout the year. Secondly a record of cardiovascular fitness - this will be done by comparing times and distances for running, rowing, swimming etc. Lastly I will record increases in strength and output - weights lifted and volume of sets and reps.
Part of the plan will be following Martin Rooney's Ultimate Warrior Workouts (reviewed here http://martialstatus.blogspot.com/2010/09/review-ultimate-warrior-workouts-by.html) for the resistance and conditioning aspects of my regimen. CV fitness will be increased by incorporating military guidance on fitness such as taking their PT tests and varying my workouts with rowing, swimming, cross-training and other such activites.
This is really a complicated way of saying I'm going to take a dedicated approach to being fitter, leaner, meaner and better!
So the question is now what do you want to achieve this year? I'd love it if you'd share your aims for 2011 in the comments section below. Happy 2011!
Review: Dynamic Stretching – Mark Kovacs
Sat, Jan 15 2011 11:11
| martial arts, training, exercise, martial arts Altrincham, fitness, stretching
| Permalink
I'm not going to lie I HATE stretching, passionately. It always feels like a preamble designed to kill time and give instructors time to think up what they are actually going to do in a session. This misthinking has haunted me for years and the injuries and plasticine muscles I've accrued are testament to how much we all could do with a good stretch.
I've never liked static stretches (stop and hold for 30 seconds) they're boring and seem to do little. This book agrees with me in a far more informed and scientific way – they have their place but they neither prevent or more pertinently cause injury in most cases. A better way of moving is needed and this book aims to offer it. A large array of exercises in varying degrees of 'odd' fill this book, before being combined into many (overlapping) sports specific routines that can be built up into whole training sessions. There are probably 3 or 4 routines completely relevant to the martial artist the wrestling and gymnastics ones being the essential two in my opinion.
One criticism some people level at this book is the focus on the bottom half of the body. This makes little sense to me as the knees and ankles are the most injured joints I come across in people and the hips as well makes up the holy trinity of load bearing joints in the body. It seems reasonable they need the most protection as they take the most punishment and stress in sport, especially martial arts.
In all honesty you might feel a bit silly at first when you try some of these out, particularly in the gym but I say – don't worry. After one week of using the ideas and programs in this book I felt almost instant improvements to my flexibility and more importantly recovery times. I was actually training harder and easier than before. No bull, no buy in, I have no idea who Mark Kovacs is but he's assembled a nice little arsenal here for anyone to benefit from.
The archaic and unhelpful version of stretching most of us have acquired or adapted simply doesn't cut it and here I think I've found one of the few books to blow it out of the water. The science here isn't baffling nor is it a completely different way of doing things. For anyone who's done yoga many of these movements will feel familiar and for those willing to give them a shot the rewards are great.
So what is dynamic stretching? For me the critical difference is moving in a clearly defined way that recruits specific muscles and joints in a gentle and incremental stretch. Moving as you do each stretch rather than holding or forcing your body into positions it supports the natural range of each muscle and helps you push it on further at your own pace and need. Some of it might seem like it's taken from the Ministry of Silly Walks but in all honesty – do you really care if it works? I certainly don't and am convinced it does!
I've never liked static stretches (stop and hold for 30 seconds) they're boring and seem to do little. This book agrees with me in a far more informed and scientific way – they have their place but they neither prevent or more pertinently cause injury in most cases. A better way of moving is needed and this book aims to offer it. A large array of exercises in varying degrees of 'odd' fill this book, before being combined into many (overlapping) sports specific routines that can be built up into whole training sessions. There are probably 3 or 4 routines completely relevant to the martial artist the wrestling and gymnastics ones being the essential two in my opinion.
One criticism some people level at this book is the focus on the bottom half of the body. This makes little sense to me as the knees and ankles are the most injured joints I come across in people and the hips as well makes up the holy trinity of load bearing joints in the body. It seems reasonable they need the most protection as they take the most punishment and stress in sport, especially martial arts.
In all honesty you might feel a bit silly at first when you try some of these out, particularly in the gym but I say – don't worry. After one week of using the ideas and programs in this book I felt almost instant improvements to my flexibility and more importantly recovery times. I was actually training harder and easier than before. No bull, no buy in, I have no idea who Mark Kovacs is but he's assembled a nice little arsenal here for anyone to benefit from.
The archaic and unhelpful version of stretching most of us have acquired or adapted simply doesn't cut it and here I think I've found one of the few books to blow it out of the water. The science here isn't baffling nor is it a completely different way of doing things. For anyone who's done yoga many of these movements will feel familiar and for those willing to give them a shot the rewards are great.
So what is dynamic stretching? For me the critical difference is moving in a clearly defined way that recruits specific muscles and joints in a gentle and incremental stretch. Moving as you do each stretch rather than holding or forcing your body into positions it supports the natural range of each muscle and helps you push it on further at your own pace and need. Some of it might seem like it's taken from the Ministry of Silly Walks but in all honesty – do you really care if it works? I certainly don't and am convinced it does!
Happy stretching!
Review: The Spartan Warrior Workout – Dave Randolph
Sat, Jan 15 2011 09:31
| kettlebells, martial arts, training, keep fit, exercise, martial arts Altrincham, fitness, conditioning
| Permalink
Some people will automatically write this book off. The front cover features a menacingly ripped topless bloke with a blank expression and two racked kettlebells lit and lettered very much in the style of the film it's inspired by. We all know about 300 and the controversy of the “real” and CGI physiques displayed so vividly and how they whipped up a frenzy amongst the fitness and fight industries alike. Secondly the title hints and the inner sleeve confirms that Dave Randolph didn't work on the film at all – he is in fact a disciple of the Russian guru and PR maverick Pavel Tsatsouline. A hard as nails Russian expert who brought the old and secret training of strength, conditioning and martial prowess out from under the iron curtain and made a mint in the process.
Gymrats may have toyed with kettlebells as a fad in the last five years or so. But typically being difficult and low-tech they have been forgotten about. While they may be slightly marginalised by this book the influence of Randolph's mentor is there to see for those who have read the brilliant yet expensive books Pavel offers the world. Simple exercises, challenging and nigh on gutwrenching variations and a basic no bullshit approach is the foundation of this book. The simple fact is that those with pretensions of a “superhero” physique and the attributes to use it will cost a super amount of work and discipline. Adherence to dietary abstinence and precise form in the gym are a must here.
The real shame about this book is the way in which the simplicity of the prose and the plan are muddied by complex charts and annotations. I fear this will put off many and dishearten some. The advice and philosophy on hand are excellent especially about the mental challenge of the workouts and how to meet and overcome obstacles. The section General Physical Preparedness (GPP to those in the know) is excellent as far as introductions to the concept go. Although the book loses itself here in its eagerness for a USP (I know, I know) to introduce the casual reader to sledgehammers and tyre flips taking itself squarely out of the realms of most exercise enthusiasts and perhaps the realms of practicality too.
The mix of compound movements, explosive movements and endocrine torturing intensity is brilliant as it is cautionary. The lack of rest periods recommended or indeed encouraged worries me slightly. In terms of inspiration the book is excellent and informative. However I fear it is a set of routines for icing your cake as it were.
Once a strong and solid foundation of fitness is well in place this has the potential to turn people onto that next edge we all crave. For those slovenly spare-tyre carriers like me it is perhaps dangerous to promote this as a starting point. The risk of injury, over-training and damage is potentially much higher if this book is taken at face value. The offer of preparation and pre-hab is good but feels like an afterthought at the back of the book. Logically it should precede the guts of the workout.
Gymrats may have toyed with kettlebells as a fad in the last five years or so. But typically being difficult and low-tech they have been forgotten about. While they may be slightly marginalised by this book the influence of Randolph's mentor is there to see for those who have read the brilliant yet expensive books Pavel offers the world. Simple exercises, challenging and nigh on gutwrenching variations and a basic no bullshit approach is the foundation of this book. The simple fact is that those with pretensions of a “superhero” physique and the attributes to use it will cost a super amount of work and discipline. Adherence to dietary abstinence and precise form in the gym are a must here.
The real shame about this book is the way in which the simplicity of the prose and the plan are muddied by complex charts and annotations. I fear this will put off many and dishearten some. The advice and philosophy on hand are excellent especially about the mental challenge of the workouts and how to meet and overcome obstacles. The section General Physical Preparedness (GPP to those in the know) is excellent as far as introductions to the concept go. Although the book loses itself here in its eagerness for a USP (I know, I know) to introduce the casual reader to sledgehammers and tyre flips taking itself squarely out of the realms of most exercise enthusiasts and perhaps the realms of practicality too.
The mix of compound movements, explosive movements and endocrine torturing intensity is brilliant as it is cautionary. The lack of rest periods recommended or indeed encouraged worries me slightly. In terms of inspiration the book is excellent and informative. However I fear it is a set of routines for icing your cake as it were.
Once a strong and solid foundation of fitness is well in place this has the potential to turn people onto that next edge we all crave. For those slovenly spare-tyre carriers like me it is perhaps dangerous to promote this as a starting point. The risk of injury, over-training and damage is potentially much higher if this book is taken at face value. The offer of preparation and pre-hab is good but feels like an afterthought at the back of the book. Logically it should precede the guts of the workout.
As a source of inspiration and even exercise fetishism this book is fantastic and can teach us all plenty however it's ordering is haphazard. I recommend it for anyone with an open mind and determination of steel, to try, try and try again until they get where they want to be.
Congratulations
Thu, Dec 16 2010 03:20
| seminar, martial arts, gradings, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
Congratulations to everyone who came along to our end of year grading tonight. A tough and challenging session was laid on by Si-Hing Ste (2TG) and with some great effort everyone passed their respective grades.
Picking up grade 1 was Mike Conroy, grade 2 Tiffany Dodd and Martin Farncombe, getting grade 4 was Pete Bartley and Chris Loveman whilst taking home grade 7 was Andy Neal. Also it was with great pleasure I announced that Andy has officially earned the right to be known as Altrincham's first ever teaching assistant. With great hard work and dedication Andy has shown just what can be achieved within the club. I know you'll all wish him great success and support him and the rest of us in 2011.
For all of you who couldn't make it but are returning in the new year I hope you have a great holiday and see you soon. For all of you who made it even if you didn't grade today thanks for a great event and I wish you the same over the holidays.
Thanks very much and see you in 2011
Picking up grade 1 was Mike Conroy, grade 2 Tiffany Dodd and Martin Farncombe, getting grade 4 was Pete Bartley and Chris Loveman whilst taking home grade 7 was Andy Neal. Also it was with great pleasure I announced that Andy has officially earned the right to be known as Altrincham's first ever teaching assistant. With great hard work and dedication Andy has shown just what can be achieved within the club. I know you'll all wish him great success and support him and the rest of us in 2011.
For all of you who couldn't make it but are returning in the new year I hope you have a great holiday and see you soon. For all of you who made it even if you didn't grade today thanks for a great event and I wish you the same over the holidays.
Thanks very much and see you in 2011
Festive Training
Sun, Dec 12 2010 09:54
| martial arts, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
This week sees the last training session of 2010 and we will end with a grading followed by a celebratory curry afterwards. We will commence training again in 2011 on Thursday January 6th. This year has been fantastic and I would like to thank you all for such a great contribution to the club. We're planning big things for 2011 and I can't wait for you all to get involved.
While you're away on Christmas duty I advise you all to go easy on the training. I know you won't hear that from me often but it's good to wind down now and again. Eat plenty of food, get plenty of rest and come back refreshed and ready for some hardcore Wing Tsun. If you get the chance do the basics but leave yourself a few days of just doing nothing - sometimes we all just need that respite.
Happy Holidays and if I don't see you on Thursday then let it be in January next year!
While you're away on Christmas duty I advise you all to go easy on the training. I know you won't hear that from me often but it's good to wind down now and again. Eat plenty of food, get plenty of rest and come back refreshed and ready for some hardcore Wing Tsun. If you get the chance do the basics but leave yourself a few days of just doing nothing - sometimes we all just need that respite.
Happy Holidays and if I don't see you on Thursday then let it be in January next year!
IRAS
Tue, Dec 7 2010 12:09
| martial arts, 8 basic steps, Wing Tsun Kung fu, IRAS, martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
One of the biggest causes for concern and confusion amongst students is the IRAS stance. Unique to Wing Tsun this stance is something that causes everyone at least a little trouble. It's awkward to perform, makes you feel immobile, can put stress on the joints if done badly and makes you look like you've pooed yourself a bit.
So what exactly is it? IRAS stands for Internally Rotated Adduction Stance. "Adduction" relates to the adductor muscles on the inside of the thighs. The stance tightens and strengthens these muscles and creates a tension between the legs. The stored energy from the stance helps give WT it's explosiveness helping us evade or attack and assailant as is necessary.
By angling the feet in the stance towards the inside it helps protect the groin and maintain equal distance and weighting between the legs. This avoids people over committing their balance or misplacing a step.
You may have noticed that most of this relates to standing and moving correctly. This is the crux of the IRAS stance. It conditions the body not only through correct posture and alignment but also teaches us how to move and use the full potential of each specific step; whether in terms of power or strategy. It also teaches how to carry our weight and manage our centre of gravity whilst also being able to move quickly. This is massively advantageous in a fight.
When practising IRAS - don't look down! Moving your head over your centre of gravity pulls your whole body out of alignment. Try and feel with your feet how your stance and steps are working. Whilst much harder, this process will yield much greater results. It is also crucial to be patient. Learn to relax into the stance. Often forcing your muscles into any position will cause injury, discomfort and inhibit the effectiveness of what you are trying to achieve. Be careful not to do more harm than good when first learning IRAS. Be prepared to get the stance wrong and allow it to take time before the stance "settles" into being comfortable.
Always remember that IRAS is for training purposes only. It's not a natural fighting stance of any kind. It's purely for training and conditioning purposes only.
If you have any questions about IRAS or anything WT related please feel free to comment or send me an email.
So what exactly is it? IRAS stands for Internally Rotated Adduction Stance. "Adduction" relates to the adductor muscles on the inside of the thighs. The stance tightens and strengthens these muscles and creates a tension between the legs. The stored energy from the stance helps give WT it's explosiveness helping us evade or attack and assailant as is necessary.
By angling the feet in the stance towards the inside it helps protect the groin and maintain equal distance and weighting between the legs. This avoids people over committing their balance or misplacing a step.
You may have noticed that most of this relates to standing and moving correctly. This is the crux of the IRAS stance. It conditions the body not only through correct posture and alignment but also teaches us how to move and use the full potential of each specific step; whether in terms of power or strategy. It also teaches how to carry our weight and manage our centre of gravity whilst also being able to move quickly. This is massively advantageous in a fight.
When practising IRAS - don't look down! Moving your head over your centre of gravity pulls your whole body out of alignment. Try and feel with your feet how your stance and steps are working. Whilst much harder, this process will yield much greater results. It is also crucial to be patient. Learn to relax into the stance. Often forcing your muscles into any position will cause injury, discomfort and inhibit the effectiveness of what you are trying to achieve. Be careful not to do more harm than good when first learning IRAS. Be prepared to get the stance wrong and allow it to take time before the stance "settles" into being comfortable.
Always remember that IRAS is for training purposes only. It's not a natural fighting stance of any kind. It's purely for training and conditioning purposes only.
If you have any questions about IRAS or anything WT related please feel free to comment or send me an email.
Grade 2 and beyond
Sun, Nov 28 2010 02:20
| kung fu, martial arts, training, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
Here is a brief overview of what I expect you to be able to do, in order to achieve grade 2. This is not an official syllabus per se but a few scenarios anyone should be able to deal with fairly comfortably.
Straight punch palm side -> Pak punch (chain punch)
Straight punch knuckle side - > Tan punch (Pak and chain punch)
Jab cross palm side then knuckle side -> Pak to Tan punch
Jab cross knuckle then palm side -> Tan to pak punch
Guard Lifted and punch underneath - > Gan sau, Gum sau and chain punch
Guard lifted and pushed back to punch underneath -> Step one foot backwards, Gan sau, gum sau and chain punch
Straight punch palm side -> Pak punch (chain punch)
Straight punch knuckle side - > Tan punch (Pak and chain punch)
Jab cross palm side then knuckle side -> Pak to Tan punch
Jab cross knuckle then palm side -> Tan to pak punch
Guard Lifted and punch underneath - > Gan sau, Gum sau and chain punch
Guard lifted and pushed back to punch underneath -> Step one foot backwards, Gan sau, gum sau and chain punch
National Seminar announcement
Thu, Nov 11 2010 09:25
| martial arts, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, self defence
| Permalink
It is my great pleasure to welcome back Dai-Sifu Richard Summers back to the north west, where he will deliver another fantastic seminar on Sunday 5th December in Manchester. Sifu Richard has been training in martial arts for over 30 years. As a private student of Grandmaster Keith Kernspecht, he has an amazing ability to take apart anybody who is put in front of him, and do it in a efficient, effective and powerful way, something I feel in every single lesson I have with him. We are fortunate enough to have two seminars a year with Sifu, and they are events which should not be missed.
Seminar Details:
Time: 11am - 5:30pm (1hr lunch)
Location:
Temple Gym
Trinity Sports Centre,
Cambridge Street,
Hulme ,
Manchester,
M15 6HP.
Content
The morning session will be on 'Ground Fighting' - this usually is a lot of fun!
We will break for lunch at 1pm - please bring a packed lunch as we have lunch time entertainment!
In the afternoon we will be covering 'Weapons' as well as preparing for an assessment which Sifu and I have organised. All students will do this assessment, and will receive their Student Grade 1 on passing this test if they have not received it previously. If you have already received your Student Grade 1 certificate, consider this a refresher!
To finish off the day, we will have a short presentation and a small Q&A session.
Finally, we are looking to book a buffet in Manchester city centre, please speak to your Instructor about more information on this one as we would like to take deposits for it.
Pricing
£30 for students
£35 for adults
If you have any other questions please speak to your instructor.
Hope to see you all there!
Ste Legassick
Northwest Regional Instructor
Seminar Details:
Time: 11am - 5:30pm (1hr lunch)
Location:
Temple Gym
Trinity Sports Centre,
Cambridge Street,
Hulme ,
Manchester,
M15 6HP.
Content
The morning session will be on 'Ground Fighting' - this usually is a lot of fun!
We will break for lunch at 1pm - please bring a packed lunch as we have lunch time entertainment!
In the afternoon we will be covering 'Weapons' as well as preparing for an assessment which Sifu and I have organised. All students will do this assessment, and will receive their Student Grade 1 on passing this test if they have not received it previously. If you have already received your Student Grade 1 certificate, consider this a refresher!
To finish off the day, we will have a short presentation and a small Q&A session.
Finally, we are looking to book a buffet in Manchester city centre, please speak to your Instructor about more information on this one as we would like to take deposits for it.
Pricing
£30 for students
£35 for adults
If you have any other questions please speak to your instructor.
Hope to see you all there!
Ste Legassick
Northwest Regional Instructor
8 Basic Steps
Sun, Nov 7 2010 11:50
| martial arts, form, technique, 8 basic steps, Wing Tsun Kung fu, practice, martial arts Altrincham, footwork
| Permalink
Points to Remember
Always start in IRAS. Assume the stance slowly and carefully. Ensure you are relaxed and able to move. Tightening the stance to try and be correct does more harm than good. The whole point of footwork is to teach yourself to move. Don't inhibit that before you've even gotten going! See my blog “Should it hurt like that” for a greater explanation. (http://martialstatus.blogspot.com/2010/10/should-it-hurt-like-that.html)
Never bring your feet together. You should always finish with your feet at hip width apart to allow you to be stable, balanced and have freedom to move within your stance.
Circling Step
Move your weight onto your standing leg. Keep your torso facing forwards. Bring your free foot together with the standing foot. Push the foot forwards and away from the standing leg. As it begins to circle ensure a smooth path along the floor. Keep your body sunk and head up – look forward.
For more advanced students the balance should shift from the heel going forward to the toes as it returns.
The outside of the circle should use the outside of the foot and vice versa.
45 Degree Shift
Shift your weight completely onto the standing leg. Remaining forward and square on at first. Turn your free foot slowly using the middle of the foot. Turning the body and centre line to a 45 degree angle.
Be strict not to over turn your body. Also do not allow your heel to push forward and break the line of the leg in relation to the body.
90 Degree Turn
Repeat the 45 degree shift. To continue to 90 degrees push your turning hip backwards and the standing hip forwards. This stretches the muscles creating tension and also squares the torso. Remember all of these steps are looking at the most extreme range of motion.
Advancing Step
From IRAS move the front leg onto the centreline in front of you. As you transfer the weight forward slide the back leg in behind the front foot. Sink the weight back down onto the back leg. This process will use adduction to power the step. Use the floor to transfer your centre of gravity throughout the step.
Remember to “twist” the hips back to the front in the same manner as the 90 degree turn. This stops your body pointing in a different direction to the one you're facing. Slide the front back along the diagonal followed by the standing foot to return to IRAS.
Side Step
Slide one foot laterally about six inches away from your stance. You should feel your stance stretch and your head sink. Transfer your weight onto the stepping foot. Allow the free leg to slide across using the tension created by the initial step.
DO NOT bring your feet together. Maintain the same distance as before still in IRAS.
Arrow Walk
Assume frontal stance as found in advancing step. Lift the front foot and place it in front of you. Imagine digging the toe into the ground and dragging yourself forward. Keep the back foot on the floor and do not push off the back foot and over the front one.
Maintain frontal stance and keep the hips and shoulders forward. Try not to lurch from front to back keep your head back and bum down as you step up and down the room.
Drop StepPlace one foot in front of you on the centre line. Move your weight forward onto the stepping foot. Pivot on the stepping foot and sink your weight backwards over the leg. As you sink turn the free foot to face on the angle. You should now be facing “behind” from where you started but off on a 45 degree angle.
This is a very difficult step to master so take your time and try not to be frustrated. Remember it is designed to move you away from an attacker and use the power of a sinking turn to your advantage.
Parallel Advance
The alternative name for the parallel advance is the flanking step and the clue is in the name (both of the them). Move your foot in front of you on the shoulder line – not into the centreline. As you land the other foot ensure you turn onto the 45 degree angle to complete the step.
Ensure that both feet finish parallel to each other with the toes and heels in line, and both turned to 45 degrees. Your weight should be over to one side the free foot should slide into the centreline of an opponent. This disrupts their balance and more importantly allows you to attack them on an angle by flanking up their outside.
Feel free to leave any questions or comments and ask for any clarification needed.
Always start in IRAS. Assume the stance slowly and carefully. Ensure you are relaxed and able to move. Tightening the stance to try and be correct does more harm than good. The whole point of footwork is to teach yourself to move. Don't inhibit that before you've even gotten going! See my blog “Should it hurt like that” for a greater explanation. (http://martialstatus.blogspot.com/2010/10/should-it-hurt-like-that.html)
Never bring your feet together. You should always finish with your feet at hip width apart to allow you to be stable, balanced and have freedom to move within your stance.
Circling Step
Move your weight onto your standing leg. Keep your torso facing forwards. Bring your free foot together with the standing foot. Push the foot forwards and away from the standing leg. As it begins to circle ensure a smooth path along the floor. Keep your body sunk and head up – look forward.
For more advanced students the balance should shift from the heel going forward to the toes as it returns.
The outside of the circle should use the outside of the foot and vice versa.
45 Degree Shift
Shift your weight completely onto the standing leg. Remaining forward and square on at first. Turn your free foot slowly using the middle of the foot. Turning the body and centre line to a 45 degree angle.
Be strict not to over turn your body. Also do not allow your heel to push forward and break the line of the leg in relation to the body.
90 Degree Turn
Repeat the 45 degree shift. To continue to 90 degrees push your turning hip backwards and the standing hip forwards. This stretches the muscles creating tension and also squares the torso. Remember all of these steps are looking at the most extreme range of motion.
Advancing Step
From IRAS move the front leg onto the centreline in front of you. As you transfer the weight forward slide the back leg in behind the front foot. Sink the weight back down onto the back leg. This process will use adduction to power the step. Use the floor to transfer your centre of gravity throughout the step.
Remember to “twist” the hips back to the front in the same manner as the 90 degree turn. This stops your body pointing in a different direction to the one you're facing. Slide the front back along the diagonal followed by the standing foot to return to IRAS.
Side Step
Slide one foot laterally about six inches away from your stance. You should feel your stance stretch and your head sink. Transfer your weight onto the stepping foot. Allow the free leg to slide across using the tension created by the initial step.
DO NOT bring your feet together. Maintain the same distance as before still in IRAS.
Arrow Walk
Assume frontal stance as found in advancing step. Lift the front foot and place it in front of you. Imagine digging the toe into the ground and dragging yourself forward. Keep the back foot on the floor and do not push off the back foot and over the front one.
Maintain frontal stance and keep the hips and shoulders forward. Try not to lurch from front to back keep your head back and bum down as you step up and down the room.
Drop StepPlace one foot in front of you on the centre line. Move your weight forward onto the stepping foot. Pivot on the stepping foot and sink your weight backwards over the leg. As you sink turn the free foot to face on the angle. You should now be facing “behind” from where you started but off on a 45 degree angle.
This is a very difficult step to master so take your time and try not to be frustrated. Remember it is designed to move you away from an attacker and use the power of a sinking turn to your advantage.
Parallel Advance
The alternative name for the parallel advance is the flanking step and the clue is in the name (both of the them). Move your foot in front of you on the shoulder line – not into the centreline. As you land the other foot ensure you turn onto the 45 degree angle to complete the step.
Ensure that both feet finish parallel to each other with the toes and heels in line, and both turned to 45 degrees. Your weight should be over to one side the free foot should slide into the centreline of an opponent. This disrupts their balance and more importantly allows you to attack them on an angle by flanking up their outside.
Feel free to leave any questions or comments and ask for any clarification needed.
Complete Siu Num Tao Form
Tue, Nov 2 2010 11:32
| martial arts, form, Wing Tsun Kung fu, practice, martial arts Altrincham, siu num tao
| Permalink
Section 0: The Opening
Section 1
Section 2
Section3: Three Prayers to Buddha
The 3rd section of SNT is often cited by GM Kernspecht as the most important and therefore it is seen as the most complicated and profound by many students. However here's an easy check-list to help walk you through this section.
Section 6
Section 7
Like much of Wing Tsun this section maybe incredibly short but the subtle level of detail is amazing and incredibly effective.
Section 8
There it is, the complete synopsis of the form. Please take your time to read it carefully. If you have questions, suggestions or any of it is unclear – do not hesitate to ask. Happy training!
- Stand up tall with the feet together and pointing forwards. Inhale deeply through the nose and exhale through the mouth at least three times. This is to help focus and relax you
- Pull your fists up under your armpits making double sau chong – You should make two “wings” and feel a stretch across your chest however be relaxed it should not be that tight. Bend your knees keeping the head up and facing forwards.
- Slide feet outwards opening from the heels making a V-shaped stance. Keeping the feet on the floor slide them apart on the toes making making the feet slope inwards. Do not “bounce” in the stance. Lifting the feet off the floor also ruins the alignment and accuracy of the stance.
Section 1
- From IRAS make a double tan sau (upward facing palm) meeting at the wrists on the centreline in front of you. Ensure arms a straight and hands aligned with the forearms. Leave a small gap between the hands so that they are not elongating the shape. The left arm must ALWAYS be on top of the right arm.
- Drop the arms straight down into a double gan sau (splitting hand) directly beneath the previous position. Wrists should meet on the centre line and the arms should cover the lower portion of the body. Again left over right in terms of the arms and keep them away from the body.
- Rotate the arms inwards slightly and draw both arms back up into the initial double tan sau (upwards facing palm) position. Check it is of the same standard as before. Withdraw the arms to double sau chong to complete the section.
Section 2
- Take the left arm and move the fist down over the solar plexus. Keep the fist vertical and the knuckles facing towards their intended target (outwards and slightly upwards). Try to feel a stretch across the shoulder blade and the muscles storing energy for the punch
- Release the fist outwards and upwards. Keep the arm relaxed and focus on using the tricep to power the punch. Advanced exponents will feel a sinking backwards to counter balance the force forwards from the punch
- Repeat on the other side to complete the section
Section3: Three Prayers to Buddha
The 3rd section of SNT is often cited by GM Kernspecht as the most important and therefore it is seen as the most complicated and profound by many students. However here's an easy check-list to help walk you through this section.
- First of all make a tan sau straight and direct out in front of you, check the wrist is in line with your centre and the elbow is about a fist's distance from the ribs.
- Drop your fingers down and pull them up and round into a wu sau. Let this wu sau sink down and back towards the solar plexus. DO NOT bend the elbow but try to pull your shoulder blade down and back and keep the fingers vertical.
- Relax your hand and push forward with a fook sau. Using the wrist as a guide and the elbow following in tight to the body – use the same line as the punch in section two.
- Drop the fingers again to make a wu sau pushing the forearm out and up to command the space on the centre line. Draw the arm back towards the solar plexus. Repeat the fook sau process until you have made 3 fook saus in total (hence the name of the section).
- On the last (and fourth) wu sau returning to the solar plexus, pak sau across and bring the hand back to the wu sau position. Palm straight down the centre line fingers pointing upwards. Drop the hand so it lays flat and huen sau (rotate the wrist right round as in section 2) bringing the arm back to sau chong.
- Repeat this process on the right arm too to complete the section.
- Push a gum sau straight down your left hand side parallel to the thigh and then do the same with your right hand gum sau. Push directly down from sau chong do not raise the hands up or aim away from the body.
- Draw the back of the hands up until the rest in the small of your back – strike directly away from your body with double long bridge gum saus. Do not push “out” and cause the arms to become disconnected from the body remain in a straight line. Draw the arms back and around to the front striking with double long bridge gum saus in front of you this time.
- The arms then form a double lan sau with the left hand on top. Ensure that there is a small gap between the forearms to maintain tension and allow you to move them. Your fingers should line up with your elbows. Strike outwards with a double fak sau. DO NOT push your shoulders forwards by squeezing them together or try to reach behind you. The arms are fully extended but remain IN FRONT of the chest not in line with it. You should be able to press your back against a wall and do this move and not hit the wall.
- The arms return to double lan sau this time with the right arm on top. Always ensure you keep the elbows and shoulders at 90 degrees to maintain strength and structure.
- Rotate the arms into a double jum sau – remember to keep them at half widths on the nipple line NOT the shoulder line. Rotate the palms upwards and raise the arms to shoulder height with double tok sau. Rotate the palms downwards and push down with a double jut sau. Notice that the hands stay close together and the arms are never extended but kept close to the body.
- Thrust the arms forward with a double biu tze sau to the height of your shoulders – arms should be fully extended. Push them downwards to the hips with a double long bridge gum sau – The hands should be in line with the hips now. Draw the arms up with a double ti sau to shoulder height – imagine the wrists are being pulled upwards as if on strings the hand are cocked to allow you to strike with the large surface area of the wrist.
- Return the arms to double sau chong to complete the section
This section of the form is often people's favourite as it so clearly accessible. It has the most dynamic movements and clear applications in it. The real lesson of the form is that you can strike in any direction behind you, in front of you, to the side, upwards or downwards. As you rep it think about the practicalities of each move and what it is telling you.
The first half of the form is very dynamic and moves in many directions striking imaginary opponents from all angles. But the second half (from double jum sau onwards) keeps both hands moving in parallel in front of the body. Alternating between the shoulder height and hip height with movements that control an opponent before striking them. Consider the pattern of double tok (lift their arms) double jut (pull their arms down) double biu (strike their head) double gum (control their arms) double ti (strike their head) finish.
It is clear this section has a strong martial bent isn't so esoteric but there is much depth and layers to it. From evading opponents to disarming them it also teaches the strong angles and lines we need to use to be successful and the discipline required to keep our arms in certain places to make the movements work.
Section 5
- Left Pak Sau (slapping hand) across to the shoulder line. This is the same as the Pak Sau in Section 3 and throughout Wing Tsun
- Drop the hand back onto the centre line, rotate the thumb back and down maintaining an angle. The hand should be 'bent backwards' to form a triangle with the wrist. This stretch across the fingers and wrist helps power the strike
- Strike down the centre line using the blade of the little finger keeping the hand in the same position. This is called Chen Sau (spade palm) This strike is particularly effective to the throat or eye socket and can also be used lower down into the floating ribs.
- Huen Sau back into Sau Chong
- Repeat for both sides
This concludes section 5. A very short section it teaches us a new strike in chen sau and highlights the importance of keeping within the shoulder line and attacking on the diagonals. Chen Sau is always applied with a shift to deliver maximum effectiveness.
Section 6
- Tan Sau (upward facing palm) then Jum Sau (sinking arm) onto the centre line. Drop the arm down and Gwat Sau (sweeping arm) out and down to the outside edge of the thigh.
- Rotate the hand so it faces upwards and the thumb points outwards. Lift the hand up using Tok Sau (lifting hand) to the height of the shoulder line. The elbow should be bent and the hand pointing out diagonally from the body.
- Perform a “half” Huen Sau so that the tips of the fingers are pointing away and the heel of the hand is in line with your shoulder. Palm strike down and across to the opposite hip. The heel of the hand now in line with your hip NOT your centre line.
- A complete Huen Sau here and return the arm to Sau Chong
- Repeat for the other arm to complete the section.
This section is always considered rather “fiddly” by beginners and it can be quite confusing. The arm jumps around from side to side and changes in height and relation to the body. The centre line is no longer the marker for all the moves as Section 6 uses the outside edge of the body and varying heights too.
It is therefore important to be aware of your whole body – not to let the shoulders come forward or backwards and not to let the arm drift away from the body. The most obvious application is using the tok sau onwards to deal with a high kick to the body or head. Scooping the kicker's leg up and slamming them down on the floor.
Section 7
- Left bon sau (wing arm) in front of the body. Ensure the middle of your forearm aligns with the centre-line.
- Drop the elbow and tan sau (upward facing palm). Keep the arm from straying away from the centre line.
- Drop the fingers and strike upwards along the centre-line towards the chin. Often the arm can stray down the shoulder line instead of on target. Heun Sau to finish.
- Repeat on the other side.
Like much of Wing Tsun this section maybe incredibly short but the subtle level of detail is amazing and incredibly effective.
Section 8
- Put the left arm out like a gan sau (splitting arm) BUT with the right hand laying palm side up at the elbow. The thumb of the right hand should be facing down towards your hand.
- Rotate the right hand and 'scrape' the little finger edge down the forearm. As it hits your wrist bone rotate and draw back the left arm. Swap the positions over so that the left hand is now lying flat on the elbow of an outstretched right arm. This is called tut sau (freeing arm)
- Perform tut sau (freeing arm) a total of three time. Left – right – left. When swapping sides make sure the wrist of the bottom arm is on the centre line.One the final repetition the hand must return to the centre line as a wu sau (protective hand) and not across the body to the elbow.
- Flow in to three punches down the centre line. Left – right - left. On the last punch return the right arm back to sau chong after a huen sau.
- Push both hands down your sides with gum saus (pinning hands) and bring the feet together so that you are standing upright. You have now completed the form.
There it is, the complete synopsis of the form. Please take your time to read it carefully. If you have questions, suggestions or any of it is unclear – do not hesitate to ask. Happy training!
Sections 5 and 6 SNT
Sat, Oct 16 2010 03:13
| martial arts, training, form, Wing Tsun Kung fu, practice, martial arts Altrincham, siu num tao
| Permalink
Section 5
This concludes section 5. A very short section it teaches us a new strike in chen sau and highlights the importance of keeping within the shoulder line and attacking on the diagonals. Chen Sau is always applied with a shift to deliver maximum effectiveness.
Section 6
This section is always considered rather “fiddly” by beginners and it can be quite confusing. The arm jumps around from side to side and changes in height and relation to the body. The centre line is no longer the marker for all the moves as Section 6 uses the outside edge of the body and varying heights too.
It is therefore important to be aware of your whole body – not to let the shoulders come forward or backwards and not to let the arm drift away from the body. The most obvious application is using the tok sau onwards to deal with a high kick to the body or head. Scooping the kicker's leg up and slamming them down on the floor.
- Left Pak Sau (slapping hand) across to the shoulder line. This is the same as the Pak Sau in Section 3 and throughout Wing Tsun
- Drop the hand back onto the centre line, rotate the thumb back and down maintaining an angle. The hand should be 'bent backwards' to form a triangle with the wrist. This stretch across the fingers and wrist helps power the strike
- Strike down the centre line using the blade of the little finger keeping the hand in the same position. This is called Chen Sau (spade palm) This strike is particularly effective to the throat or eye socket and can also be used lower down into the floating ribs.
- Huen Sau back into Sau Chong
- Repeat for both sides
This concludes section 5. A very short section it teaches us a new strike in chen sau and highlights the importance of keeping within the shoulder line and attacking on the diagonals. Chen Sau is always applied with a shift to deliver maximum effectiveness.
Section 6
- Tan Sau (upward facing palm) then Jum Sau (sinking arm) onto the centre line. Drop the arm down and Gwat Sau (sweeping arm) out and down to the outside edge of the thigh.
- Rotate the hand so it faces upwards and the thumb points outwards. Lift the hand up using Tok Sau (lifting hand) to the height of the shoulder line. The elbow should be bent and the hand pointing out diagonally from the body.
- Perform a “half” Huen Sau so that the tips of the fingers are pointing away and the heel of the hand is in line with your shoulder. Palm strike down and across to the opposite hip. The heel of the hand now in line with your hip NOT your centre line.
- A complete Huen Sau here and return the arm to Sau Chong
- Repeat for the other arm to complete the section.
This section is always considered rather “fiddly” by beginners and it can be quite confusing. The arm jumps around from side to side and changes in height and relation to the body. The centre line is no longer the marker for all the moves as Section 6 uses the outside edge of the body and varying heights too.
It is therefore important to be aware of your whole body – not to let the shoulders come forward or backwards and not to let the arm drift away from the body. The most obvious application is using the tok sau onwards to deal with a high kick to the body or head. Scooping the kicker's leg up and slamming them down on the floor.
Should it hurt like that?
Sun, Oct 10 2010 12:46
| injuries, martial arts, cardio, boxing, form, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, stretching, kickboxing
| Permalink
I was going to start this blog by saying that nothing you do in martial arts should hurt -but that's patently rubbish. It's not even true to say that nothing you do in martial arts should hurt you. Stretching being a pertinent case in point personally speaking. Hard clay-like muscles and tendons aside I was not graced with qualities such as stopping because something hurts a bit. I've finished sessions covered in blood, sweat and snot and usually most of it isn't someone else's.
When I first started to train really hard I went through a phase of presuming if it didn't leave me broken in some way I was wussing out or doing it wrong. Perhaps not the sensible or smart way to approach things. I'll happily admit that deep down as much as I relish getting hit I don't relish getting hit directly in the face when I could have prevented it. There's a fuzzy distinction to be drawn. Similarly I don't mind the aches and the pains of training; DOMS from hitting weights, or stiff burnt out calves from cardio, the scabs from split lips or busted knuckles are all things I can live with. Where it starts to become a problem is when you pull (or even worse) tear that muscle you didn't need to. Injuries are something I've made quite a habit of and to be honest I wish I'd taken other people's advice more. There's nothing worse than missing training because you've been an idiot. It does you no good and to be honest no one gives a crap that you're bandaged up because you did something preventable.
Stretching is commonplace for most kicking arts and boxers, wrestlers any athlete really but in Wing Tsun it seems deemed as contemptible and “unnecessary” by many practitioners. I generalise of course but out of all the teachers I've come into contact few pay more than lip service to it. I understand their position. We place very little impact and strain on our joints compared to most arts. The problem is that the stress is rather more gradual and often it is forgotten by us teaching.
When our students first learn IRAS stance and practice form, hand-shapes and even stepping we often seem to be confused if not dismissive of their “should my knees hurt?” type questions. I'd say at least 75% ask and the other 25% suffer in silence out of embarrassment or the misplaced assumptions I had early on. Often when we see things for the first time we put our all into them. This often means we exert extra and unnecessary muscular force into things like punching and our stance. This muscular tension can be rather dangerous particularly when one is still trying to learn correct technique. Forcing your muscles into any position is going to be a wing and prayer type scenario if you are stubborn enough to forgo comfort in search of excellence.
IRAS is particularly dangerous the odd and new angles asked our knees and ankles can often lead to people “limboing” as they push their knees down and forward over their toes into an uncomfortable and dangerous position. The basic rule if there is pain whether immediate or accrued over time is to stop and say “what's going on?”. Perform the move as you normally would and look in the mirror see if there are any obvious defects with your alignment. Ask yourself how “tight” do the muscles and joints feel. People forget or do not know just how “soft” WT is and therefore exertion is not always needed. When learning especially good technique done “softly” is often much better. It is easy to build up power or speed in your movements. It is hard to undo them to replace technique afterwards I find.
Most importantly of all -ask. Pull your teacher to one side or find a senior student and get them to check out anything that is causing particular concern or discomfort. The answer is usually quite simple and the smallest tweak or adjustment can work wonders. I've had people email me and calling it a day saying that WT is wrecking their bodies. A fair comment if you add in the caveat that their interpretation of WT is wrecking their body at the moment. We can't blame the art it's intangible – we can look at ourselves in that mirror literally and figuratively before pointing fingers. Preferably non arthritic fingers at that.
When I first started to train really hard I went through a phase of presuming if it didn't leave me broken in some way I was wussing out or doing it wrong. Perhaps not the sensible or smart way to approach things. I'll happily admit that deep down as much as I relish getting hit I don't relish getting hit directly in the face when I could have prevented it. There's a fuzzy distinction to be drawn. Similarly I don't mind the aches and the pains of training; DOMS from hitting weights, or stiff burnt out calves from cardio, the scabs from split lips or busted knuckles are all things I can live with. Where it starts to become a problem is when you pull (or even worse) tear that muscle you didn't need to. Injuries are something I've made quite a habit of and to be honest I wish I'd taken other people's advice more. There's nothing worse than missing training because you've been an idiot. It does you no good and to be honest no one gives a crap that you're bandaged up because you did something preventable.
Stretching is commonplace for most kicking arts and boxers, wrestlers any athlete really but in Wing Tsun it seems deemed as contemptible and “unnecessary” by many practitioners. I generalise of course but out of all the teachers I've come into contact few pay more than lip service to it. I understand their position. We place very little impact and strain on our joints compared to most arts. The problem is that the stress is rather more gradual and often it is forgotten by us teaching.
When our students first learn IRAS stance and practice form, hand-shapes and even stepping we often seem to be confused if not dismissive of their “should my knees hurt?” type questions. I'd say at least 75% ask and the other 25% suffer in silence out of embarrassment or the misplaced assumptions I had early on. Often when we see things for the first time we put our all into them. This often means we exert extra and unnecessary muscular force into things like punching and our stance. This muscular tension can be rather dangerous particularly when one is still trying to learn correct technique. Forcing your muscles into any position is going to be a wing and prayer type scenario if you are stubborn enough to forgo comfort in search of excellence.
IRAS is particularly dangerous the odd and new angles asked our knees and ankles can often lead to people “limboing” as they push their knees down and forward over their toes into an uncomfortable and dangerous position. The basic rule if there is pain whether immediate or accrued over time is to stop and say “what's going on?”. Perform the move as you normally would and look in the mirror see if there are any obvious defects with your alignment. Ask yourself how “tight” do the muscles and joints feel. People forget or do not know just how “soft” WT is and therefore exertion is not always needed. When learning especially good technique done “softly” is often much better. It is easy to build up power or speed in your movements. It is hard to undo them to replace technique afterwards I find.
Most importantly of all -ask. Pull your teacher to one side or find a senior student and get them to check out anything that is causing particular concern or discomfort. The answer is usually quite simple and the smallest tweak or adjustment can work wonders. I've had people email me and calling it a day saying that WT is wrecking their bodies. A fair comment if you add in the caveat that their interpretation of WT is wrecking their body at the moment. We can't blame the art it's intangible – we can look at ourselves in that mirror literally and figuratively before pointing fingers. Preferably non arthritic fingers at that.
4th Section SNT
Sat, Oct 9 2010 02:48
| martial arts, form, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, siu num tao
| Permalink
- Push a gum sau straight down your left hand side parallel to the thigh and then do the same with your right hand gum sau. Push directly down from sau chong do not raise the hands up or aim away from the body.
- Draw the back of the hands up until the rest in the small of your back – strike directly away from your body with double long bridge gum saus. Do not push “out” and cause the arms to become disconnected from the body remain in a straight line. Draw the arms back and around to the front striking with double long bridge gum saus in front of you this time.
- The arms then form a double lan sau with the left hand on top. Ensure that there is a small gap between the forearms to maintain tension and allow you to move them. Your fingers should line up with your elbows. Strike outwards with a double fak sau. DO NOT push your shoulders forwards by squeezing the shoulderblades together or try to reach behind you. The arms are fully extended but remain IN FRONT of the chest not in line with it. You should be able to press your back against a wall and do this move and not hit the wall.
- The arms return to double lan sau this time with the right arm on top. Always ensure you keep the elbows and shoulders at 90 degrees to maintain strength and structure.
- Rotate the arms into a double jum sau – remember to keep them at half widths on the nipple line NOT the shoulder line. Rotate the palms upwards and raise the arms to shoulder height with double tok sau. Rotate the palms downwards and push down with a double jut sau. Notice that the hands stay close together and the arms are never extended but kept close to the body.
- Thrust the arms forward with a double biu tze sau to the height of your shoulders – arms should be fully extended. Push them downwards to the hips with a double long bridge gum sau – The hands should be in line with the hips now. Draw the arms up with a double ti sau to shoulder height – imagine the wrists are being pulled upwards as if on strings the hand are cocked to allow you to strike with the large surface area of the wrist.
- Return the arms to double sau chong to complete the section
This section of the form is often people's favourite as it so clearly accessible. It has the most dynamic movements and clear applications in it. The real lesson of the form is that you can strike in any direction behind you, in front of you, to the side, upwards or downwards. As you rep it think about the practicalities of each move and what it is telling you.
The first half of the form is very dynamic and moves in many directions striking imaginary opponents from all angles. But the second half (from double jum sau onwards) keeps both hands moving in parallel in front of the body. Alternating between the shoulder height and hip height with movements that control an opponent before striking them. Consider the pattern of double tok (lift their arms) double jut (pull their arms down) double biu (strike their head) double gum (control their arms) double ti (strike their head) finish.
It is clear this section has a strong martial bent isn't so esoteric but there is much depth and layers to it. From
evading opponents to disarming them it also teaches the strong angles and lines we need to use to be successful and the discipline required to keep our arms in certain places to make the movements work.
3rd Section of SNT
Sat, Oct 2 2010 04:09
| martial arts, form, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, siu num tao
| Permalink
3 Prayers to Buddha
The 3rd section of SNT is often cited by GM Kernspecht as the most important and therefore it is seen as the most complicated and profound by many students. However here's an easy check-list to help walk you through this section.
Any questions fire them my way. This is a work in progress and at some point I will probably write one for each section of SNT as students come up with problems or questions for them. I hope to one day make a video of the form to demonstrate it correctly for people so keep your eyes peeled for one!
The 3rd section of SNT is often cited by GM Kernspecht as the most important and therefore it is seen as the most complicated and profound by many students. However here's an easy check-list to help walk you through this section.
- First of all make a tan sau straight and direct out in front of you, check the wrist is in line with your centre and the elbow is about a fist's distance from the ribs.
- Drop your fingers down and pull them up and round into a wu sau. Let this wu sau sink down and back towards the solar plexus. DO NOT bend the elbow but try to pull your shoulder blade down and back and keep the fingers vertical.
- Relax your hand and push forward with a fook sau. Using the wrist as a guide and the elbow following in tight to the body – use the same line as the punch in section two.
- Drop the fingers again to make a wu sau pushing the forearm out and up to command the space on the centre line. Draw the arm back towards the solar plexus. Repeat the fook sau process until you have made 3 fook saus in total (hence the name of the section).
- On the last (and fourth) wu sau returning to the solar plexus, pak sau across and bring the hand back to the wu sau position. Palm straight down the centre line fingers pointing upwards. Drop the hand so it lays flat and huen sau (rotate the wrist right round as in section 2) bringing the arm back to sau chong.
- Repeat this process on the right arm too to complete the section.
Any questions fire them my way. This is a work in progress and at some point I will probably write one for each section of SNT as students come up with problems or questions for them. I hope to one day make a video of the form to demonstrate it correctly for people so keep your eyes peeled for one!
The Daily Grind
Wed, Sep 8 2010 12:01
| martial arts, training, fighting, Wing Tsun Kung fu, practice, martial arts Altrincham, fitness
| Permalink
Food, Water, Air – what have they all got in common? Without a good dose of each everyday you'd be in trouble and in once case dead! As martial artists or even anyone who is vaguely athletic there is one more thing you should add to the list – practice! Too often I hear students complain they don't pick up things in training and when I ask how often they practice they usually go all shy.
It's tough finding the time and even I have days off – I get ill, and sometimes go on holiday. Life can get in the way. But what often happens is an excuse becomes a reason which becomes a habit and then a person finds themselves justifying not practising at all between sessions. But really it comes down to expectations. Yours and mine. I have come across people who presume that all of their training and learning must come in the window that is a training session.
At two hours long our sessions are as long as I can make them to accommodate as much training as possible. To incorporate the physical elements of Wing Tsun training isn't always easy just as learning it is a challenge so is ensuring people are nourished with all the elements of Chi Sau, Lat Sau and Form as well as the basics can be confusing for some people. So what can they do to answer any questions they have?
Well the first thing is ensure they can't answer it themselves first. Often after demoing something, there will be someone who doubts a specific idea or piece of information I've just given the class. But without trying it a few times first how do they know if I'm wrong or not? They don't obviously.
The same applies at the end of a session. If you are brimming with questions ensure the most important one isn't displaced by lots of lesser ones.
Often just 15 minutes per day of practising foot steps or hand-shapes as well as form can solve many problems or give you an informed idea of things you are unsure about. This is especially important if you only train once a week. The time between two sessions is vast and you can easily forget the problem you were trying to solve in the first place! A little bit of practice everyday can keep ideas fresh in your head as well as improve your knowledge, fine motor skills and understanding of your own body and its capabilities.
Of course if you're really dedicated you can stretch it to half an hour or even a full hour as often as possible! The choice is yours.
It's tough finding the time and even I have days off – I get ill, and sometimes go on holiday. Life can get in the way. But what often happens is an excuse becomes a reason which becomes a habit and then a person finds themselves justifying not practising at all between sessions. But really it comes down to expectations. Yours and mine. I have come across people who presume that all of their training and learning must come in the window that is a training session.
At two hours long our sessions are as long as I can make them to accommodate as much training as possible. To incorporate the physical elements of Wing Tsun training isn't always easy just as learning it is a challenge so is ensuring people are nourished with all the elements of Chi Sau, Lat Sau and Form as well as the basics can be confusing for some people. So what can they do to answer any questions they have?
Well the first thing is ensure they can't answer it themselves first. Often after demoing something, there will be someone who doubts a specific idea or piece of information I've just given the class. But without trying it a few times first how do they know if I'm wrong or not? They don't obviously.
The same applies at the end of a session. If you are brimming with questions ensure the most important one isn't displaced by lots of lesser ones.
Often just 15 minutes per day of practising foot steps or hand-shapes as well as form can solve many problems or give you an informed idea of things you are unsure about. This is especially important if you only train once a week. The time between two sessions is vast and you can easily forget the problem you were trying to solve in the first place! A little bit of practice everyday can keep ideas fresh in your head as well as improve your knowledge, fine motor skills and understanding of your own body and its capabilities.
Of course if you're really dedicated you can stretch it to half an hour or even a full hour as often as possible! The choice is yours.
Review: Ultimate Warrior Workouts by Martin Rooney
Sun, Sep 5 2010 10:05
| MMA, karate, kettlebells, martial arts, sambo, boxing, muay thai, keep fit, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, kickboxing, judo
| Permalink
The concept of mixed martial arts (MMA) as a sport and spectacle often rankles with the purists amongst the kung fu and wider martial arts communities in my experience. There is perhaps a distrust and even jealousy in some cases of the guys involved. Dismissed as “meatheads” or barbarians who are destroying the sanctity of arts with their cherry-picking and cross training ways. Ironically most of these guys, particularly in the Wing Tsun community will express a deep love of Bruce Lee – the movie star who built his house on breaking the mould in the field of martial arts training.
The pedigree of Rooney as a trainer of champions is impressive and in this book he relays some great philosophy and musings on the lot of the martial artist. I was worried when I invested in this tome on a whim I might have wasted my money on yet another book that promises a lot and fails to deliver. Luckily those fears were dismissed in the opening few pages.
Rooney wanted to write this book by training with the best in certain fields he identified as crucial to success for the MMA fighter in the octagon today. He identified the arts/styles and relevant instructors and went and trained with them on location. From Brazil for BJJ to Russia for Sambo or Thailand for Muay Thai to Japan for Karate and Judo to locations in USA for Wrestling etc. Offering a small apology to anyone offended by the omission of their style Rooney might be covering himself needlessly. As a WT exponent for years I'd be amazed and amused as to how he can reconcile it with what is clearly a sporting pursuit. While some WT guys bristle at the chiding challenges as to why no one from the art has stepped into the ring with the new boys on the block, it's not really necessary. When they let us go in un-gloved and able to gouge, pull, snap and break you might see WT in full fury and glory – you might also see the collapse of society back into a Roman state of bloodsport and grisly macabre.
I am not a purist. I've enjoyed sparring with other styles and am fully aware I do not represent WT, it represents me. Anything I do wrong or badly is not the fault of the art but my understanding of it. So with that in mind what does this book offer?
Well the answer is a lot of exercises that relate to specific arts and therefore the all round fitness of the MMA exponent or enthusiast. Personally I was bit concerned as each chapter seemed filled with hundreds of press up variations on first skim. This perhaps vindicates me in my notion that weightlifting is only a small part of the martial artist's needs.
Glossy and clearly written there is little here in terms of long essays but some honest and practical advice from a man who is clearly a fan-boy and student of martial arts as opposed to a self-aggrandising master or guru. Rooney comes across as quite likeable in the course of the book, from art to art and country to country. What you build up is a clear picture of the dedication all races and arts bring to the table and how there is more to martial arts than Oriental chaps in pyjamas smashing each other about. All countries have great fighters and ergo great martial arts if you scratch the surface a little.
There is a heavy flavour of 'sports science' pervading the book. A meal planner and massive six month (yes I know, SIX of 'em) workout schedule. Whilst that may seem unwieldy the excellent photography and detail within this book make it more manageable. In fact I am still tempted as I type to embark on the mammoth quest of six months with religious vigour and see how I progress. Added into that there are specific “warrior challenges” to test yourself and a level system in place there is reason to think this book and Rooney's work provides many years of mileage for the hobbyist and pro alike.
Overall I really like it as a book and concept, its weaknesses are the same as any other book trying to relay the split seconds of physical exertion that is combat in still and academic media such as a textbook. It is perhaps biased towards the more well known arts it covers but for Rooney there is little market share for a book on obscure and esoteric fighting arts that while deadly have no place in rules and sport of MMA. For example it would be impossible and fruitless to try and capture the mechanics of Poon Sau that develops soft and reflexive responses to unprovoked attacks. In the scope of MMA you should know and expect an onslaught from the opening bell as it were.
The real strength of this book is the sport and athletic elements that are relevant to everyone. The attitude that technique prevails so common in many non-sporting arts is something that cuts little ice with me. Those that believe simply training ideas without any physical exertion are kidding themselves I'm afraid. While the ravages of time might be compensated for with technique when you are younger and more inexperienced the ability to be resilient and fit in order to fight is crucial as you don't have decades of practice to refine your skills behind you, unless of course, you hope not to use them until you are old. This book will no doubt inspire and guide you to become a “warrior” should you choose to accept the long and arduous path ahead. A great and easy to use manual that will help you up your game.
The pedigree of Rooney as a trainer of champions is impressive and in this book he relays some great philosophy and musings on the lot of the martial artist. I was worried when I invested in this tome on a whim I might have wasted my money on yet another book that promises a lot and fails to deliver. Luckily those fears were dismissed in the opening few pages.
Rooney wanted to write this book by training with the best in certain fields he identified as crucial to success for the MMA fighter in the octagon today. He identified the arts/styles and relevant instructors and went and trained with them on location. From Brazil for BJJ to Russia for Sambo or Thailand for Muay Thai to Japan for Karate and Judo to locations in USA for Wrestling etc. Offering a small apology to anyone offended by the omission of their style Rooney might be covering himself needlessly. As a WT exponent for years I'd be amazed and amused as to how he can reconcile it with what is clearly a sporting pursuit. While some WT guys bristle at the chiding challenges as to why no one from the art has stepped into the ring with the new boys on the block, it's not really necessary. When they let us go in un-gloved and able to gouge, pull, snap and break you might see WT in full fury and glory – you might also see the collapse of society back into a Roman state of bloodsport and grisly macabre.
I am not a purist. I've enjoyed sparring with other styles and am fully aware I do not represent WT, it represents me. Anything I do wrong or badly is not the fault of the art but my understanding of it. So with that in mind what does this book offer?
Well the answer is a lot of exercises that relate to specific arts and therefore the all round fitness of the MMA exponent or enthusiast. Personally I was bit concerned as each chapter seemed filled with hundreds of press up variations on first skim. This perhaps vindicates me in my notion that weightlifting is only a small part of the martial artist's needs.
Glossy and clearly written there is little here in terms of long essays but some honest and practical advice from a man who is clearly a fan-boy and student of martial arts as opposed to a self-aggrandising master or guru. Rooney comes across as quite likeable in the course of the book, from art to art and country to country. What you build up is a clear picture of the dedication all races and arts bring to the table and how there is more to martial arts than Oriental chaps in pyjamas smashing each other about. All countries have great fighters and ergo great martial arts if you scratch the surface a little.
There is a heavy flavour of 'sports science' pervading the book. A meal planner and massive six month (yes I know, SIX of 'em) workout schedule. Whilst that may seem unwieldy the excellent photography and detail within this book make it more manageable. In fact I am still tempted as I type to embark on the mammoth quest of six months with religious vigour and see how I progress. Added into that there are specific “warrior challenges” to test yourself and a level system in place there is reason to think this book and Rooney's work provides many years of mileage for the hobbyist and pro alike.
Overall I really like it as a book and concept, its weaknesses are the same as any other book trying to relay the split seconds of physical exertion that is combat in still and academic media such as a textbook. It is perhaps biased towards the more well known arts it covers but for Rooney there is little market share for a book on obscure and esoteric fighting arts that while deadly have no place in rules and sport of MMA. For example it would be impossible and fruitless to try and capture the mechanics of Poon Sau that develops soft and reflexive responses to unprovoked attacks. In the scope of MMA you should know and expect an onslaught from the opening bell as it were.
The real strength of this book is the sport and athletic elements that are relevant to everyone. The attitude that technique prevails so common in many non-sporting arts is something that cuts little ice with me. Those that believe simply training ideas without any physical exertion are kidding themselves I'm afraid. While the ravages of time might be compensated for with technique when you are younger and more inexperienced the ability to be resilient and fit in order to fight is crucial as you don't have decades of practice to refine your skills behind you, unless of course, you hope not to use them until you are old. This book will no doubt inspire and guide you to become a “warrior” should you choose to accept the long and arduous path ahead. A great and easy to use manual that will help you up your game.
A Little Bit More
Sat, Sep 4 2010 01:53
| martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
As of this weekend Wing Tsun in Altrincham is getting bigger and better as we expand with a new session across town at Kersal Rugby Club. From Monday 6th September there will be another two hours of class time each week.
Not only will this allow more people more opportunities to learn Wing Tsun in the community but there is now more scope to allow people from all over the area to join us. By using venues at both ends of Altrincham I hope that we offer the community more choice and flexibility in their training options.
For those with busy schedules it means there is even less chance of missing out and more opportunity to keep pace on your training. For those serious about improving you can now learn at a much faster rate by doubling your weekly hours allowing greater depth, detail and understanding to your learning. It also means you can grade much faster if you put in the time and effort.
To find us on Monday nights come and see us here: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
For anyone new to us remember your first session is always free and we welcome those new to the club at any time.
Not only will this allow more people more opportunities to learn Wing Tsun in the community but there is now more scope to allow people from all over the area to join us. By using venues at both ends of Altrincham I hope that we offer the community more choice and flexibility in their training options.
For those with busy schedules it means there is even less chance of missing out and more opportunity to keep pace on your training. For those serious about improving you can now learn at a much faster rate by doubling your weekly hours allowing greater depth, detail and understanding to your learning. It also means you can grade much faster if you put in the time and effort.
To find us on Monday nights come and see us here: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
For anyone new to us remember your first session is always free and we welcome those new to the club at any time.
One to One Action
Wed, Sep 1 2010 03:34
| private lessons, martial arts, pricing, training, Wing Tsun Kung fu, practice, martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
Whenever I've joined or worked with a martial arts class be it my own, another WT group or even other arts and styles you see the same thing every time amongst the students. You see the guy who is always late or skipping sessions with flimsy excuses, the guy who never listens and always practices his interpretation of the exercise set. There's also the fella who questions every detail or idea before trying it first alongside the guy who seems to pick everything up after one demonstration.
You might recognise yourself or more likely a buddy in amongst those caricatures with a laugh or wry smile. I can tell you that at one point or another I've felt like every single one of those guys and more. But it's the last fella I want to talk about here. The guy who always seems to know what's going on in class, what each exercise is roughly about and where it fits in to the rest of his training. Some dismiss it as natural talent - “he's just got the knack and doesn't need to work at it” but I would honestly say it's one in a thousand who naturally pick everything up with little reference or coaching and that's being generous.
Look at what this guy does in training – I bet you any money he turns up early every session. I bet you he phones his instructor when he's too sick and gives a week's notice when he's going away etc. so he never misses a thing and reminds his instructor when he's missed a lesson or exercise. When the teacher calls you round to demonstrate does this guy get picked out to demonstrate on or is he almost pushing forward to get as close to the demo as possible? Of course he is.
To really excel it takes it hard work, dedication and patience. You have to accept that some days aren't your days, that plateaus will come and go and these are not points at which to give up. I don't mind admitting I've contemplated packing up WT and martial arts altogether now and again. I've heard some rather pathetic excuses from quitters in passing “I didn't have the time” can be complimented by “I didn't understand it” or the ludicrous such as “I didn't like X in the club”. You'll notice that these people always look to others and external factors as being responsible for their failures. That there is no talk of what they did to fix these problems first.
The guy who walks away from my class because he “didn't understand” was also the guy that never once asked a question, or accepted help. He never acknowledged emails or asked about what he could do at home. These aren't cardinal sins but look at them as choices. How does he expect to understand something he doesn't engage in? Turning up for an hour or two a week is a great start but to achieve more you have to do more. What does our friend from earlier do when he finds himself no longer understanding?
Usually he'll pull me aside during practice time or at the end of the lesson and run his questions or thoughts by me. In some cases we might not have the time or scope to fix it there and then. Often we then look at scheduling some extra time in the form of a private lesson. “Privates” as we call them at my club are usually an hour long lesson booked at the students convenience and basically they get the use of myself to work on ideas, topics and material they feel they are lacking in or I feel will steer them in the right direction. The time spent one to one is usually like a month's worth of classes in one shot for a lot less money and time.
Before gradings I get lots of requests for my time but students requiring extra time and attention can call on me at any time. These types of lessons were a resource I used successfully with my teachers. Even when I was a student and struggling for cash I always found a way. A private once a month, a seminar, a week long course were all paid for because my training was priority number one. That's not the case for everyone. You need to to sit down and think about how much it's worth to you before embarking on private lessons.
In privates all your mistakes are analysed they can be spotted and usually fixed there and then. Or alternative ways of training can be laid out. You can get a chance to feel how every impulse and exercise is intended to be as your instructor is the person feeding you everything you need as many times as you need it. Many students arrive for a private lesson and then have no idea what they want or need to cover in the hour. Trust me, your teacher will know what you need.
The benefit of privates are numerous. You can get a feel for gaps in your knowledge, you can also get a much deeper understanding of a topic so when it pops up in class you're one step ahead. You also find it promotes a respect and trust between you and your teacher. If you spend more time and money seeking out your teacher this is not only a compliment to them but it shows a desire to learn and achieve. Something highly valued in students by instructors.
Some people will book sessions in an ad hoc fashion, some will have one session and not feel the need to have another for months some students book one every week almost always in the same time slot. It's a personal choice. In my club I offer discounts for regular bookings. The money is less important than encouraging students to train more and seek more input into their WT. A one off session costs £23 and a regular booking or a block of ten are priced at £20 per hour respectively. Compared to music lessons, or personal trainers we tend to be cheaper not because WT is worth less but because very often students are already spending money on regular class sessions and I like to focus on getting more sweat, dedication and questions out of my students than their pin numbers.
Now ask yourself, whereabouts the guy at the front of the class always watching, always asking questions in his own time fits in? How many private lessons does he take to get ahead? It doesn't really matter does it? The question is what are you doing and prepared to do to learn more? How much effort are you happy with to feel like you are progressing?
The answers across a class will vary wildly and so they should. Not everyone can excel and not everyone will. But what everyone can do is fulfil their potential. To do that they must be prepared to push on a little bit – to go to that extra session, to accept the opportunities presented to them when they can. Otherwise you're wasting my time and even worse you're wasting your own.
You might recognise yourself or more likely a buddy in amongst those caricatures with a laugh or wry smile. I can tell you that at one point or another I've felt like every single one of those guys and more. But it's the last fella I want to talk about here. The guy who always seems to know what's going on in class, what each exercise is roughly about and where it fits in to the rest of his training. Some dismiss it as natural talent - “he's just got the knack and doesn't need to work at it” but I would honestly say it's one in a thousand who naturally pick everything up with little reference or coaching and that's being generous.
Look at what this guy does in training – I bet you any money he turns up early every session. I bet you he phones his instructor when he's too sick and gives a week's notice when he's going away etc. so he never misses a thing and reminds his instructor when he's missed a lesson or exercise. When the teacher calls you round to demonstrate does this guy get picked out to demonstrate on or is he almost pushing forward to get as close to the demo as possible? Of course he is.
To really excel it takes it hard work, dedication and patience. You have to accept that some days aren't your days, that plateaus will come and go and these are not points at which to give up. I don't mind admitting I've contemplated packing up WT and martial arts altogether now and again. I've heard some rather pathetic excuses from quitters in passing “I didn't have the time” can be complimented by “I didn't understand it” or the ludicrous such as “I didn't like X in the club”. You'll notice that these people always look to others and external factors as being responsible for their failures. That there is no talk of what they did to fix these problems first.
The guy who walks away from my class because he “didn't understand” was also the guy that never once asked a question, or accepted help. He never acknowledged emails or asked about what he could do at home. These aren't cardinal sins but look at them as choices. How does he expect to understand something he doesn't engage in? Turning up for an hour or two a week is a great start but to achieve more you have to do more. What does our friend from earlier do when he finds himself no longer understanding?
Usually he'll pull me aside during practice time or at the end of the lesson and run his questions or thoughts by me. In some cases we might not have the time or scope to fix it there and then. Often we then look at scheduling some extra time in the form of a private lesson. “Privates” as we call them at my club are usually an hour long lesson booked at the students convenience and basically they get the use of myself to work on ideas, topics and material they feel they are lacking in or I feel will steer them in the right direction. The time spent one to one is usually like a month's worth of classes in one shot for a lot less money and time.
Before gradings I get lots of requests for my time but students requiring extra time and attention can call on me at any time. These types of lessons were a resource I used successfully with my teachers. Even when I was a student and struggling for cash I always found a way. A private once a month, a seminar, a week long course were all paid for because my training was priority number one. That's not the case for everyone. You need to to sit down and think about how much it's worth to you before embarking on private lessons.
In privates all your mistakes are analysed they can be spotted and usually fixed there and then. Or alternative ways of training can be laid out. You can get a chance to feel how every impulse and exercise is intended to be as your instructor is the person feeding you everything you need as many times as you need it. Many students arrive for a private lesson and then have no idea what they want or need to cover in the hour. Trust me, your teacher will know what you need.
The benefit of privates are numerous. You can get a feel for gaps in your knowledge, you can also get a much deeper understanding of a topic so when it pops up in class you're one step ahead. You also find it promotes a respect and trust between you and your teacher. If you spend more time and money seeking out your teacher this is not only a compliment to them but it shows a desire to learn and achieve. Something highly valued in students by instructors.
Some people will book sessions in an ad hoc fashion, some will have one session and not feel the need to have another for months some students book one every week almost always in the same time slot. It's a personal choice. In my club I offer discounts for regular bookings. The money is less important than encouraging students to train more and seek more input into their WT. A one off session costs £23 and a regular booking or a block of ten are priced at £20 per hour respectively. Compared to music lessons, or personal trainers we tend to be cheaper not because WT is worth less but because very often students are already spending money on regular class sessions and I like to focus on getting more sweat, dedication and questions out of my students than their pin numbers.
Now ask yourself, whereabouts the guy at the front of the class always watching, always asking questions in his own time fits in? How many private lessons does he take to get ahead? It doesn't really matter does it? The question is what are you doing and prepared to do to learn more? How much effort are you happy with to feel like you are progressing?
The answers across a class will vary wildly and so they should. Not everyone can excel and not everyone will. But what everyone can do is fulfil their potential. To do that they must be prepared to push on a little bit – to go to that extra session, to accept the opportunities presented to them when they can. Otherwise you're wasting my time and even worse you're wasting your own.
KickStart Altrincham Price Restructure
Mon, Aug 23 2010 04:19
| martial arts, pricing, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, self defence
| Permalink
From September 2010 KickStart Altrincham will be expanding and getting even bigger and better. We will now be training on Mondays and Thursdays in two venues covering more of the area and reaching more people.
Monday nights training will be held at Kersal Rugby Club Timperley – 6:30 -8:30pm.
Thursday nights training will continue at Altrincham Town Hall, Market St. - 6:30-8:30pm
Some of you will know KS is no longer a commercial enterprise and is now dedicated to supplying top class self defence and Wing Tsun Kung Fu to Altrincham and beyond. With limited class sizes and a dedicated student body we aim to provide intensive tuition and progress to our members. By doubling class times we can offer even greater attention and progress to people and have flexible prices to reflect their needs.
For one session per week (2hrs) members pay only £40 pcm
For two sessions per week (4hrs) members pay only £65 pcm
Those with hectic schedules can choose the 'pay as you go' option of simply £5 per hour. Please note we also offer concessionary rates to the following people: Students, Emergency Services, Armed Forces and NHS workers all qualify.
For one session per week (2hrs) members pay only £30 pcm
For two sessions per week (4hrs) members pay only £50 pcm
KickStart are dedicated to inclusiveness, fair prices and preserving tradition martial arts alongside modern self defence concepts. We do not offer contracts or obligate anyone to terms and conditions of payment. Please ask for details. First sessions are ALWAYS absolutely FREE and you are under no obligation to join KickStart Martial Arts.
For all information and enquiries:
Kickstartaltrincham@googlemail.com
P: 07853 530886
Monday nights training will be held at Kersal Rugby Club Timperley – 6:30 -8:30pm.
Thursday nights training will continue at Altrincham Town Hall, Market St. - 6:30-8:30pm
Some of you will know KS is no longer a commercial enterprise and is now dedicated to supplying top class self defence and Wing Tsun Kung Fu to Altrincham and beyond. With limited class sizes and a dedicated student body we aim to provide intensive tuition and progress to our members. By doubling class times we can offer even greater attention and progress to people and have flexible prices to reflect their needs.
For one session per week (2hrs) members pay only £40 pcm
For two sessions per week (4hrs) members pay only £65 pcm
Those with hectic schedules can choose the 'pay as you go' option of simply £5 per hour. Please note we also offer concessionary rates to the following people: Students, Emergency Services, Armed Forces and NHS workers all qualify.
For one session per week (2hrs) members pay only £30 pcm
For two sessions per week (4hrs) members pay only £50 pcm
KickStart are dedicated to inclusiveness, fair prices and preserving tradition martial arts alongside modern self defence concepts. We do not offer contracts or obligate anyone to terms and conditions of payment. Please ask for details. First sessions are ALWAYS absolutely FREE and you are under no obligation to join KickStart Martial Arts.
For all information and enquiries:
Kickstartaltrincham@googlemail.com
P: 07853 530886
The Expendables: Movie Review
Sat, Aug 21 2010 03:40
| action, martial arts, movie review, expendables, violence, martial arts Altrincham, weapons
| Permalink
When I saw the promo poster for this in the foyer of my local cinema months ago it brought a wry smile to my face. An ensemble cast like this one has to be one of note for anyone vaguely into martial arts, action movies or a good old silver screen dust up. From the demi-god that is Jet Li to the MMA exploits of Randy Couture the “serious” martial arts snob is catered for, as well as those who grew up with the Hollywood exploits of Stallone, his heir apparent Statham, the forgotten man of Dolph Lundgren or the WWE's former poster boy Steve Austin all brought together with cameos from Arnie and Willis to top it off. There is some serious money and pedigree on offer here when it comes to action movies and it really shows.
This film knows it isn't a serious piece of art and treating it as such is a waste of time. With Stallone leading, writing, producing and directing it to various degrees it really is his project and the fact that friends from all over his career pop up such as Rourke and Lundgren gives it a nice feel. The simplistic and rather nonsensical story is precluded by a lovely set piece involving Somali pirates, laser sights and questions about the moral fibre of both mercenaries and pirates alike. It links together a typically American sense of moral crusading and political patronising of the generic foreign stereotype. This roots the Expendables very firmly in the action flick's 80's heyday. The ghosts of Rocky and Rambo stalk this film and the spectrum of weapons from Statham's impressive knife-work to the sublimely ridiculous explosive rounds sending viscera and enemies flying across our screens are as enjoyable as they are cartoonish in their use.
What's really on offer here is a chance to see top class choreography, a blend of styles and approaches and a nod to all the clichés going. Biased as I may be the fight scene between Li and Lundgren is truly a nasty little gem of a sequence. From Li's fast paced “happy feet” style sending kicks, punches and acrobatics at the giant Lundgren is pretty cool and quite enough to make anyone envious and for his part Dolph sends in the sort of punches and vicious attacks that make it all the more exciting.
Since that 'golden' era of the 80's, films like the Bourne and Batman series' have raised the bar in close-quarter fight sequences and technically speaking the Expendables does its bit. Lots of stomps to the knees, summary executions (axe kick to the chin from Statham anyone?) and flowing mixes of hand to hand and gun play in the later set pieces give this film something different. The more surprising parts are perhaps the way in which for all their limited acting the “wrestlers” that are Couture and Austin take star turns when their time comes.
As silly as the endless spinning and body-slams are in reality; on screen they make compelling viewing and the stunt team must take a bow. While there perhaps isn't much here in to compare to “proper fighting” or ideas to bring to training you and a few mates will probably end up trying one of the moves some point soon. Compared to Statham's slightly odd John Wayne-like retribution against a domestic abuser who steals and beats his girlfriend the wrestlers are unfortunately shown up a bit. The nasty and fast paced brutality depicted on the basketball court is as superb as it is gratuitous. For those of you with some time to kill I recommend reading any interviews with Statham – his outlook, philosophy and training advice make him someone I've grown to respect hugely.
There are questions over the need for this film released in the wake of the Losers and A-Team respectively but this one swaggers in late and arrogantly and perhaps has much more to grab your attention. The cast is bigger (in every sense, some of those t-shirts were screaming trying to contain all that testosterone) the action more graphic, the storyline more redundant and the technical aspects excellent. While it may have a rickety old plane; a massive slice of Southern Rock in the soundtrack and lots of dodgy dialogue; machismo, and some cod naval gazing encasing the violence; boisterous energy and casual sexism, for those of you who want to see things blow up and people get messed up – you won't go far wrong here.
This film knows it isn't a serious piece of art and treating it as such is a waste of time. With Stallone leading, writing, producing and directing it to various degrees it really is his project and the fact that friends from all over his career pop up such as Rourke and Lundgren gives it a nice feel. The simplistic and rather nonsensical story is precluded by a lovely set piece involving Somali pirates, laser sights and questions about the moral fibre of both mercenaries and pirates alike. It links together a typically American sense of moral crusading and political patronising of the generic foreign stereotype. This roots the Expendables very firmly in the action flick's 80's heyday. The ghosts of Rocky and Rambo stalk this film and the spectrum of weapons from Statham's impressive knife-work to the sublimely ridiculous explosive rounds sending viscera and enemies flying across our screens are as enjoyable as they are cartoonish in their use.
What's really on offer here is a chance to see top class choreography, a blend of styles and approaches and a nod to all the clichés going. Biased as I may be the fight scene between Li and Lundgren is truly a nasty little gem of a sequence. From Li's fast paced “happy feet” style sending kicks, punches and acrobatics at the giant Lundgren is pretty cool and quite enough to make anyone envious and for his part Dolph sends in the sort of punches and vicious attacks that make it all the more exciting.
Since that 'golden' era of the 80's, films like the Bourne and Batman series' have raised the bar in close-quarter fight sequences and technically speaking the Expendables does its bit. Lots of stomps to the knees, summary executions (axe kick to the chin from Statham anyone?) and flowing mixes of hand to hand and gun play in the later set pieces give this film something different. The more surprising parts are perhaps the way in which for all their limited acting the “wrestlers” that are Couture and Austin take star turns when their time comes.
As silly as the endless spinning and body-slams are in reality; on screen they make compelling viewing and the stunt team must take a bow. While there perhaps isn't much here in to compare to “proper fighting” or ideas to bring to training you and a few mates will probably end up trying one of the moves some point soon. Compared to Statham's slightly odd John Wayne-like retribution against a domestic abuser who steals and beats his girlfriend the wrestlers are unfortunately shown up a bit. The nasty and fast paced brutality depicted on the basketball court is as superb as it is gratuitous. For those of you with some time to kill I recommend reading any interviews with Statham – his outlook, philosophy and training advice make him someone I've grown to respect hugely.
There are questions over the need for this film released in the wake of the Losers and A-Team respectively but this one swaggers in late and arrogantly and perhaps has much more to grab your attention. The cast is bigger (in every sense, some of those t-shirts were screaming trying to contain all that testosterone) the action more graphic, the storyline more redundant and the technical aspects excellent. While it may have a rickety old plane; a massive slice of Southern Rock in the soundtrack and lots of dodgy dialogue; machismo, and some cod naval gazing encasing the violence; boisterous energy and casual sexism, for those of you who want to see things blow up and people get messed up – you won't go far wrong here.
Going it alone
Sun, Aug 15 2010 11:44
| gym, martial arts, weightlifting, training, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, basic, martial arts Altrincham, fitness
| Permalink
Quite often students are faced with a real quandary – what can I do at home and away from training to improve? Some people become confused, anxious and demotivated by the prospect of training by themselves or away from class without my best shouting voice and direction to guide them. In all seriousness, it can be a make or break area for some people. So how can you solve it?
Basics, basics, basics! Spend a few spare minutes practising the following:
1.Stance: Open and close IRAS stance a few times and get used to standing in it. Don't look at your feet, keep your head up and look to be relaxed and smooth in your movements
2.Footwork: Run through all 8 basic steps in turn. Once happy you can execute all of them look to link them together in sequences of your choosing. Then see if you can switch between all of them without hesitating or stopping to think.
3.Hand-shapes: See how many of the 8 basics hand-shapes you can remember (without looking at the list further down the page!). Drill them front on without turns. Once satisfied run through them with turns. Always check your weight is on the right foot, your shapes are correct and in line with your centre, make sure punches are pointed towards your imaginary attacker!
4.Form: This is the thing that most people get worried about. 'What if I training things wrong? What if I'm developing bad habits?” is the most common form of protest. I always advise students that if they are turning up to training regularly it is my job as their teacher to pick up on 'mistakes' in anything they do. I'd much rather correct students who have worked hard on their form than those or shy away from practice – just in case!
Remember no one is ever going to chastise you for practising and going the extra mile. If anything it's dedication like this I admire and earns students respect from teachers and peers alike as it really shows when someone is hard at it, paying their dues.
A few things that can help training at home include, using a mirror now and again to check your work. This comes with a note of caution though. Don't rely on your glassy friend, the mirror can sometimes distort and mislead your movements at high speed so using it sparingly rather than as a crutch.
When you're waiting for the kettle to boil or the dinner to be ready then instead of standing idle practice any of the above. Please be aware if it's your turn to make the tea at work chucking out your Siu Num Tau in the canteen can get mixed reactions so be prepared for all comers and their reactions!
If you're not sure about going it alone – don't! Talk to your buddies at class and arrange to get together somewhere and practice together. Work on your weaknesses and go over what you did in class that week. See if your partner can offer you insights and advice and vice versa. Sometimes word gets around you can be finding a whole group of you are in the park doing your homework from class regularly! I've known it to happen.
Get fitter, get leaner and get meaner! I love to exercise, not many people do but anything that gets me sweaty, red and panting (diseases aside) are fine by me. Work on your all round fitness when you get the chance. Try to find functional exercises that will improve your WT. I've given you ideas elsewhere in the blog but take some time to consider these questions:
What are my aims? What am I good at? What do I need to work on?
If you're strong as an ox is it useful to bench press day in day out? Why not see how far you can run, how fast, how often? Interval runs are the best for fighters of any background. Jog for 3 minutes and then sprint for 30 seconds. Do this for 10-15 minutes and that's a kick-ass cardio workout right there. Increase the speeds and resistance on the treadmill or find a hill in your local park if it's too easy.
Calisthenics are your friend! Squat, push up and sit up your way to a stronger smarter body! Find out why the warriors of old put so much stock in these take anywhere essentials. I doubt the Spartans worried about how they looked in a vest or what swiss ball matched their sandals!
Try some iron! See what you can do with a few free weights or machines. Pick up some exercises that relate to your movements in WT. Beef up jut saus with your lat pull down bar. Grab a bench and a dumbell and pull up a few kgs with bent over rows as if freeing your arms from a ground-fight! The choices are endless and limitless really. Pick things that are areas of particular concern and weakness and try and even them out. If you're not sure ask the staff at your gym, ask you teacher, even google it!
Either way the main thing is to be excited and interested in what you do. If you're not feeling it don't train it. If you're getting lost ask teacher! I'm not sure about over schools but I'm not on a meter and always happy to answer questions and discuss the art I love. Hopefully you've got a teacher you can approach when you need it – I would say though always make sure you've tried something before seeking help. If you've not given it a go there's little anyone can do to improve it for you. All in all just do it as the people of Nike like to say. What have you got to lose after all?
Basics, basics, basics! Spend a few spare minutes practising the following:
1.Stance: Open and close IRAS stance a few times and get used to standing in it. Don't look at your feet, keep your head up and look to be relaxed and smooth in your movements
2.Footwork: Run through all 8 basic steps in turn. Once happy you can execute all of them look to link them together in sequences of your choosing. Then see if you can switch between all of them without hesitating or stopping to think.
3.Hand-shapes: See how many of the 8 basics hand-shapes you can remember (without looking at the list further down the page!). Drill them front on without turns. Once satisfied run through them with turns. Always check your weight is on the right foot, your shapes are correct and in line with your centre, make sure punches are pointed towards your imaginary attacker!
4.Form: This is the thing that most people get worried about. 'What if I training things wrong? What if I'm developing bad habits?” is the most common form of protest. I always advise students that if they are turning up to training regularly it is my job as their teacher to pick up on 'mistakes' in anything they do. I'd much rather correct students who have worked hard on their form than those or shy away from practice – just in case!
Remember no one is ever going to chastise you for practising and going the extra mile. If anything it's dedication like this I admire and earns students respect from teachers and peers alike as it really shows when someone is hard at it, paying their dues.
A few things that can help training at home include, using a mirror now and again to check your work. This comes with a note of caution though. Don't rely on your glassy friend, the mirror can sometimes distort and mislead your movements at high speed so using it sparingly rather than as a crutch.
When you're waiting for the kettle to boil or the dinner to be ready then instead of standing idle practice any of the above. Please be aware if it's your turn to make the tea at work chucking out your Siu Num Tau in the canteen can get mixed reactions so be prepared for all comers and their reactions!
If you're not sure about going it alone – don't! Talk to your buddies at class and arrange to get together somewhere and practice together. Work on your weaknesses and go over what you did in class that week. See if your partner can offer you insights and advice and vice versa. Sometimes word gets around you can be finding a whole group of you are in the park doing your homework from class regularly! I've known it to happen.
Get fitter, get leaner and get meaner! I love to exercise, not many people do but anything that gets me sweaty, red and panting (diseases aside) are fine by me. Work on your all round fitness when you get the chance. Try to find functional exercises that will improve your WT. I've given you ideas elsewhere in the blog but take some time to consider these questions:
What are my aims? What am I good at? What do I need to work on?
If you're strong as an ox is it useful to bench press day in day out? Why not see how far you can run, how fast, how often? Interval runs are the best for fighters of any background. Jog for 3 minutes and then sprint for 30 seconds. Do this for 10-15 minutes and that's a kick-ass cardio workout right there. Increase the speeds and resistance on the treadmill or find a hill in your local park if it's too easy.
Calisthenics are your friend! Squat, push up and sit up your way to a stronger smarter body! Find out why the warriors of old put so much stock in these take anywhere essentials. I doubt the Spartans worried about how they looked in a vest or what swiss ball matched their sandals!
Try some iron! See what you can do with a few free weights or machines. Pick up some exercises that relate to your movements in WT. Beef up jut saus with your lat pull down bar. Grab a bench and a dumbell and pull up a few kgs with bent over rows as if freeing your arms from a ground-fight! The choices are endless and limitless really. Pick things that are areas of particular concern and weakness and try and even them out. If you're not sure ask the staff at your gym, ask you teacher, even google it!
Either way the main thing is to be excited and interested in what you do. If you're not feeling it don't train it. If you're getting lost ask teacher! I'm not sure about over schools but I'm not on a meter and always happy to answer questions and discuss the art I love. Hopefully you've got a teacher you can approach when you need it – I would say though always make sure you've tried something before seeking help. If you've not given it a go there's little anyone can do to improve it for you. All in all just do it as the people of Nike like to say. What have you got to lose after all?
Here's the Kicker
Sat, Aug 7 2010 04:25
| MMA, martial arts, training, muay thai, fighting, technique, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, kickboxing, self defence
| Permalink
Ask anyone what they associate with martial arts and it won't take long for them to say, describe or even act out a roundhouse kick to the head! It is the iconic and most loved image from any chop sockey movie for most people. It's also the one attack students seem to fear or at least be the most wary of and for good reason. Anyone who can lift, aim and put power into a kick over 5ft off the floor has some skills. The main problem with it, is that anyone who knows what they are doing will probably never use it outside of competition.
It is something I can almost guarantee you won't be likely to face in a confrontation outside of training. The reason being is as a manoeuvre it is very risky, requires a lot of room and perfect timing to pull off well. As an opening gambit your opponent would have to be pretty brave, reckless or phenomenally good to try this one on you. In terms of shock and awe it can be a brilliant tactic and if it connects you're going to knock down and probably knock out your victim with it. The main disadvantage of it is that it relies on momentum and your assailant to barely move in the time it take to lift your foot off the floor and turn it in arc whilst raising it to the desired height. While this may be a matter of a second or two, ask yourself what you can do in a second or two to the opponent with his weight on one leg, his groin exposed and head often turned away from you – you'd be surprised.
This is often the main problem I face as a teacher. The lack of faith and belief in the art and their own skills often makes students reluctant to even try and stand up to a decent kick(er). My main principle in teaching kick defence is to demonstrate the need for range awareness. Kicks are long range attacks, the foot is the striking part of the attack and is pushed out to an extreme range of motion. The first port of call for a defender is to close the distance and to do that they must go forward – as the motto dictates 'when the way is clear, go forward!'.
This makes sense on two counts. Firstly the kicker is generating power in a circular motion this is a longer path than the straight line taken by the Wing Tsun exponent who moves towards the his attacker and tries to dominate the space yielded by the 'opening up' of the kicker. Secondly the force generated by the kicker whilst considerable is concentrated in the foot and lower limb. The closer the attacker moves to the source of the power (the kickers torso and standing leg) the easier they can dissipate the force which is simultaneously being sent 'past' them towards the kicker's foot. This is exactly the same as swing defence when you think about it.
The arrow step forward also ensures the WT student moves quickly, powerfully and with a low centre of gravity. Tipping and extenuating the spin of the kicking action dumping the kicker on his head on the floor. I always encourage students to master stepping in, dominating the kicker's balance and doing nothing more refined than using their hands to barge and push the kicker over. This allows the student to focus on using good tactics and concepts to beat the kicker and not fixate on specific techniques or the kicking leg which is rendered useless if the remaining 3/4s of the kicker's body is attacked well.
Once someone is confident with ploughing forward in the face of such an attack it is then we can introduce variations and techniques. Generally speaking if the kick is delivered above the waist (high kicks) then you should use your hands to deal with the kicking leg if necessary. If it is below the waist (low kicks) then legs should be used.
A high kick can be beaten taking a movement from section six of SNT. Sweeping the leg aside with a gwat sau, lifting it with a tok sau and stepping in and under the opponent, flips them onto their head and drives them into the floor. As an aside Muay Thai uses an almost identical move to slam the back of a boxers head onto the ropes to try and knock them out. Obviously with no ropes the impact of concrete from a much greater fall is one you might like to consider when dishing this technique out on your kicking assailant.
A low kick should be dealt with using your legs. As the motto says 'every step is a kick and every kick is a step'. Therefore the front foot stepping into the opponent can be used to attack not just their stance but their legs too with a kick. A stop kick to the standing leg will see the attacker crumple and buckle as all of their weight is taken from under them. Alternatively the thigh of the kicking leg can be stamped on using the stop kick. Both options require aggression, timing and accurate footwork to work but with a little practice they can be achievable. They are also highly effective due to the short and impacting way in which they attack a kicker. From here a falling attacker can easily be picked apart with follow ups either using strikes or kicks and stamps as the situation dictates.
Kicks are fairly high up in the syllabus because they require decent impulses from confident training partners. The students must also have a decent understanding and ability in WT to successfully pull off the defences and avoid injury for themselves and their partner. They are also not a pressing concern for those who are looking to learn self defence due to their rarity in street fights – for that reason I believe it is also a topic pushed higher up more for technical interest than necessity.
It is something I can almost guarantee you won't be likely to face in a confrontation outside of training. The reason being is as a manoeuvre it is very risky, requires a lot of room and perfect timing to pull off well. As an opening gambit your opponent would have to be pretty brave, reckless or phenomenally good to try this one on you. In terms of shock and awe it can be a brilliant tactic and if it connects you're going to knock down and probably knock out your victim with it. The main disadvantage of it is that it relies on momentum and your assailant to barely move in the time it take to lift your foot off the floor and turn it in arc whilst raising it to the desired height. While this may be a matter of a second or two, ask yourself what you can do in a second or two to the opponent with his weight on one leg, his groin exposed and head often turned away from you – you'd be surprised.
This is often the main problem I face as a teacher. The lack of faith and belief in the art and their own skills often makes students reluctant to even try and stand up to a decent kick(er). My main principle in teaching kick defence is to demonstrate the need for range awareness. Kicks are long range attacks, the foot is the striking part of the attack and is pushed out to an extreme range of motion. The first port of call for a defender is to close the distance and to do that they must go forward – as the motto dictates 'when the way is clear, go forward!'.
This makes sense on two counts. Firstly the kicker is generating power in a circular motion this is a longer path than the straight line taken by the Wing Tsun exponent who moves towards the his attacker and tries to dominate the space yielded by the 'opening up' of the kicker. Secondly the force generated by the kicker whilst considerable is concentrated in the foot and lower limb. The closer the attacker moves to the source of the power (the kickers torso and standing leg) the easier they can dissipate the force which is simultaneously being sent 'past' them towards the kicker's foot. This is exactly the same as swing defence when you think about it.
The arrow step forward also ensures the WT student moves quickly, powerfully and with a low centre of gravity. Tipping and extenuating the spin of the kicking action dumping the kicker on his head on the floor. I always encourage students to master stepping in, dominating the kicker's balance and doing nothing more refined than using their hands to barge and push the kicker over. This allows the student to focus on using good tactics and concepts to beat the kicker and not fixate on specific techniques or the kicking leg which is rendered useless if the remaining 3/4s of the kicker's body is attacked well.
Once someone is confident with ploughing forward in the face of such an attack it is then we can introduce variations and techniques. Generally speaking if the kick is delivered above the waist (high kicks) then you should use your hands to deal with the kicking leg if necessary. If it is below the waist (low kicks) then legs should be used.
A high kick can be beaten taking a movement from section six of SNT. Sweeping the leg aside with a gwat sau, lifting it with a tok sau and stepping in and under the opponent, flips them onto their head and drives them into the floor. As an aside Muay Thai uses an almost identical move to slam the back of a boxers head onto the ropes to try and knock them out. Obviously with no ropes the impact of concrete from a much greater fall is one you might like to consider when dishing this technique out on your kicking assailant.
A low kick should be dealt with using your legs. As the motto says 'every step is a kick and every kick is a step'. Therefore the front foot stepping into the opponent can be used to attack not just their stance but their legs too with a kick. A stop kick to the standing leg will see the attacker crumple and buckle as all of their weight is taken from under them. Alternatively the thigh of the kicking leg can be stamped on using the stop kick. Both options require aggression, timing and accurate footwork to work but with a little practice they can be achievable. They are also highly effective due to the short and impacting way in which they attack a kicker. From here a falling attacker can easily be picked apart with follow ups either using strikes or kicks and stamps as the situation dictates.
Kicks are fairly high up in the syllabus because they require decent impulses from confident training partners. The students must also have a decent understanding and ability in WT to successfully pull off the defences and avoid injury for themselves and their partner. They are also not a pressing concern for those who are looking to learn self defence due to their rarity in street fights – for that reason I believe it is also a topic pushed higher up more for technical interest than necessity.
Running Into Trouble
Sun, Jul 25 2010 10:46
| jogging, martial arts, knife crime, keep fit, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, self defence, running
| Permalink
Jogging is perhaps the quintessential fitness activity. From young to old and across the sexes and spectrum of athletes the ability and need to be able to run is fundamental. As a survival need for primitive man to a social phenomena that became common place over a generation ago, the history of running is interesting.
Whether pounding the technological wonder of the treadmills in your local gym or doing what boxers call “road work” in the fresh air, the popularity of jogging as a weight loss activity, hobby and chance to meet other like-minded fitness fanatics the popularity of jogging seems to be as popular as ever.
However one of the biggest problems people face is the fact that sometimes the only places we can go for a run can be dangerous and problematic. If you are lucky enough to have a lovely big park near you and enjoy running you'll know how fantastic it can be as a way to escape the city for a bit. The danger only really comes when like all other everyday activities the daily run lets us slip into a comfort zone and drop into auto-pilot.
I've seen joggers swerve surprised and furious drivers like dazzled deer as they were high-stepping across a road or junction ipod blaring, head held high and adrenalin pumping. I've even found myself doing the headlight mambo on one or two occasions and given my allergy to cardio work, it shows how easy it is to forget your surroundings.
The other main danger to runners unfortunately is a small proportion of the general public. Being attacked is a serious danger to runners. As the activity often decrees a need for wide open spaces away from highly populated areas it can make running alone far riskier than it should be. Coupled with the fact that the focus needed to go anther mile, keep up the pace and use of music to drown out the outside world often runners can find themselves at the mercy of unscrupulous muggers and attackers.
Wearing expensive trainers, carrying sought after mp3 players and often carrying mobile phones or wallets runners can present themselves as a lycra-clad payday for the petty assailant and when there are trees and bushes to conceal them it can be very hazardous for the humble runner.
So what can you do to avoid this sort of unfortunate eventuality?
1. Don't run alone – a training partner not only makes you harder to get to but makes training fun
2. Only carry what you need – I only take my house key in a zipped or buttoned pocket
3. Ditch the ipod – White headphones especially scream “mug me” and you will be amazed how much more aware you are using your hearing
4. Try to run in sufficient light – if you can't reflective clothing and portable lights are a must
5. Know your route/area – don't go off exploring by yourself, know where you can get help, leave a park or attract attention and be clear where exactly you are going and if it is likely to be unsafe at all.
6. Take some classes – biased I may be but every runner could do with some idea of how to protect themselves. Countless police officers have told me how mugged runners report attackers “coming out of nowhere” when the reality is they weren't paying enough attention
It is sad indeed that people can't pursue their hobbies without any sort of fear and while the focus of this article, I would like to reassure people that the risks are small but not insignificant. It always good practice to inform people when and where you are going out and when you expect to be back. It also makes sense to invest in a decent and reputable self defence course now and again to keep your skills sharp.
Knowing how to recognise danger and at the very least break free from assailants can save a lot more than cancelling your cards or claiming for a new mobile, aside from the mental and emotional trauma of being a victim of crime.
Whether pounding the technological wonder of the treadmills in your local gym or doing what boxers call “road work” in the fresh air, the popularity of jogging as a weight loss activity, hobby and chance to meet other like-minded fitness fanatics the popularity of jogging seems to be as popular as ever.
However one of the biggest problems people face is the fact that sometimes the only places we can go for a run can be dangerous and problematic. If you are lucky enough to have a lovely big park near you and enjoy running you'll know how fantastic it can be as a way to escape the city for a bit. The danger only really comes when like all other everyday activities the daily run lets us slip into a comfort zone and drop into auto-pilot.
I've seen joggers swerve surprised and furious drivers like dazzled deer as they were high-stepping across a road or junction ipod blaring, head held high and adrenalin pumping. I've even found myself doing the headlight mambo on one or two occasions and given my allergy to cardio work, it shows how easy it is to forget your surroundings.
The other main danger to runners unfortunately is a small proportion of the general public. Being attacked is a serious danger to runners. As the activity often decrees a need for wide open spaces away from highly populated areas it can make running alone far riskier than it should be. Coupled with the fact that the focus needed to go anther mile, keep up the pace and use of music to drown out the outside world often runners can find themselves at the mercy of unscrupulous muggers and attackers.
Wearing expensive trainers, carrying sought after mp3 players and often carrying mobile phones or wallets runners can present themselves as a lycra-clad payday for the petty assailant and when there are trees and bushes to conceal them it can be very hazardous for the humble runner.
So what can you do to avoid this sort of unfortunate eventuality?
1. Don't run alone – a training partner not only makes you harder to get to but makes training fun
2. Only carry what you need – I only take my house key in a zipped or buttoned pocket
3. Ditch the ipod – White headphones especially scream “mug me” and you will be amazed how much more aware you are using your hearing
4. Try to run in sufficient light – if you can't reflective clothing and portable lights are a must
5. Know your route/area – don't go off exploring by yourself, know where you can get help, leave a park or attract attention and be clear where exactly you are going and if it is likely to be unsafe at all.
6. Take some classes – biased I may be but every runner could do with some idea of how to protect themselves. Countless police officers have told me how mugged runners report attackers “coming out of nowhere” when the reality is they weren't paying enough attention
It is sad indeed that people can't pursue their hobbies without any sort of fear and while the focus of this article, I would like to reassure people that the risks are small but not insignificant. It always good practice to inform people when and where you are going out and when you expect to be back. It also makes sense to invest in a decent and reputable self defence course now and again to keep your skills sharp.
Knowing how to recognise danger and at the very least break free from assailants can save a lot more than cancelling your cards or claiming for a new mobile, aside from the mental and emotional trauma of being a victim of crime.
Bats and Blades
Thu, Apr 29 2010 02:25
| kung fu, martial arts, knife crime, violence, martial arts Altrincham, weapons, self defence
| Permalink
Since man first stood upright you can bet one of the first tools he fashioned was not designed to gather mastery over mother nature but instead over fellow man. Weapons of all shapes, sizes, materials go back as far humans do pretty much. Life and society has been violent long before our species could express many other feelings or ideas.
As with the man's innate violence, our desire to survive and flourish have combined and combusted at regular intervals throughout our lives and the lives of our forebears. The knowledge and fear of weapons is as instinctive as it real for all of us.
For many the fear of a stranger taking a knife, bottle, bat, stick, hammer etc. or worse a firearm and using it against is widely acknowledged and sometimes discussed publicly. However our home is full of far worse weapons that are more likely to be used against us – unfortunately. Domestic violence and resultant deaths from kitchen knives, blunt objects even dumb bells in a current case in the news have wreaked serious harm and death on people in every day scenarios from people they know well.
One only has to look at the amount of gun related deaths in the USA to see that not all of them are the results of criminal activity or intent but often passionate and tragic accidents that wreck lives and families alike.
Most people spend months and years just learning to overcome simple punches to safely evade the deadly aspect of a knife or blunt instrument at the end of a person's arm takes much much longer. In all honesty such a holy grail as effective and risk free defence rarely exists. Even in more martial societies of feudal warriors and professional soldiers in days gone by; taking on an armed assailant without a weapon was an extreme scenario and rare event I'd wager.
I've had a knife produced on two occasions and both times I didn't fight back, in one case losing an insured phone and £10 was worth the embarrassment and probing questions of “but you're a kung fu teacher?” It helped me become more informed about myself and what I can and should do.
I always say to my students “fingers and internal organs are hard to replace” and that is my advice in general on this topic. Unless there is a real chance or instant where your life might lost then simply don't fight back. Why encourage or invite the loss of life or serious injury for the sake of material goods? The most frightening encounter was being cornered by two men when drunk who wanted to mug me. The knife wasn't produced until I floored one with a single punch. It was clear I escalated the situation in their minds and the deterrent of a knife was necessary for them.
Unless you are a soldier in a battle field you have no practical need to invite or deal with someone trying to stab you. So the majority of your training and anxiety should not be consumed by this scenario. It is rather fun messing about with plastic knives in training and seeing just what is possible and in your reach. I would say however the drunken brawler is by and large the most common and most dangerous predator for most of us.
Some students even ask about the practicalities of carrying a weapon of some sort themselves. I reject this out of hand. Apart from a rape alarm for women you should not need to live your life with such an accessory in my book. It also brings to mind the adage of “bringing a knife to a gun fight” think of the escalation I mentioned earlier and what that would do to petty thieves if they knew we were all concealing knives as well. Gun crime would become epidemic overnight or worse.
If push comes to shove and someone does produce a weapon my basic advice is this.
As with the man's innate violence, our desire to survive and flourish have combined and combusted at regular intervals throughout our lives and the lives of our forebears. The knowledge and fear of weapons is as instinctive as it real for all of us.
For many the fear of a stranger taking a knife, bottle, bat, stick, hammer etc. or worse a firearm and using it against is widely acknowledged and sometimes discussed publicly. However our home is full of far worse weapons that are more likely to be used against us – unfortunately. Domestic violence and resultant deaths from kitchen knives, blunt objects even dumb bells in a current case in the news have wreaked serious harm and death on people in every day scenarios from people they know well.
One only has to look at the amount of gun related deaths in the USA to see that not all of them are the results of criminal activity or intent but often passionate and tragic accidents that wreck lives and families alike.
However whenever I ask students particularly newer ones, to offer forward a self defence scenario they'd like to learn a solution for. 90% of the time the response is “how do I deal with a knife?”. Knife crime has been falling nationally, and sadly rising within inner city London this year. But people are genuinely (and rightly) scared of being stabbed by a stranger in the street for the sake of money/possessions.
It's a fear and notion easily preyed on by some less scrupulous “martial arts” experts who charge people decent sums of money for a weekend of “knife defence” and other such guff. Quite frankly they give us all a bad name.
Most people spend months and years just learning to overcome simple punches to safely evade the deadly aspect of a knife or blunt instrument at the end of a person's arm takes much much longer. In all honesty such a holy grail as effective and risk free defence rarely exists. Even in more martial societies of feudal warriors and professional soldiers in days gone by; taking on an armed assailant without a weapon was an extreme scenario and rare event I'd wager.
I've had a knife produced on two occasions and both times I didn't fight back, in one case losing an insured phone and £10 was worth the embarrassment and probing questions of “but you're a kung fu teacher?” It helped me become more informed about myself and what I can and should do.
I always say to my students “fingers and internal organs are hard to replace” and that is my advice in general on this topic. Unless there is a real chance or instant where your life might lost then simply don't fight back. Why encourage or invite the loss of life or serious injury for the sake of material goods? The most frightening encounter was being cornered by two men when drunk who wanted to mug me. The knife wasn't produced until I floored one with a single punch. It was clear I escalated the situation in their minds and the deterrent of a knife was necessary for them.
This is the reality more often than not. People using weapons often don't really know how and when to use them and therefore are unpredictable. In panic or uncertainty they can stab and slash wildly which means attempting a defence is nigh on impossible and very risky.
Some of you may be disappointed or upset by this view. However I ask you to consider how often you have or will face such a scenario? Really, think about it. When that time comes god forbid, it is much better to lose money than honour or much worse.Unless you are a soldier in a battle field you have no practical need to invite or deal with someone trying to stab you. So the majority of your training and anxiety should not be consumed by this scenario. It is rather fun messing about with plastic knives in training and seeing just what is possible and in your reach. I would say however the drunken brawler is by and large the most common and most dangerous predator for most of us.
Some students even ask about the practicalities of carrying a weapon of some sort themselves. I reject this out of hand. Apart from a rape alarm for women you should not need to live your life with such an accessory in my book. It also brings to mind the adage of “bringing a knife to a gun fight” think of the escalation I mentioned earlier and what that would do to petty thieves if they knew we were all concealing knives as well. Gun crime would become epidemic overnight or worse.
If push comes to shove and someone does produce a weapon my basic advice is this.
- Maintain space, use your environment to make a barrier between you and the weapon – a coat, a bar stool, fire extinguishers all have their uses.
- Make yourself SEEN and HEARD. Attract as much attention as possible so everyone is looking not at you but the idiot brandishing a broken bottle or blade towards you. These cowards will most likely flee if they feel easily identified and vulnerable.
- NEVER try to grab the weapon or put your hands near it. Pin the arm at the elbow if you absolutely have to and try to disable the attacker immediately by striking their face/groin or knees etc.
- Always throw the weapon away from you and the attacker. If you didn't bring it you're probably not ready to use it and it will hamper or distract you. Our hands do far more damage than we give them credit for.
- GET OUT and GET CLEAR as soon as possible. Quite simply run! If you're not there you can't get hurt.
Making it Work
Thu, Apr 1 2010 04:18
| kung fu, martial arts, muay thai, fighting, technique, Wing Tsun Kung fu, basic, martial arts Altrincham, sparring, kickboxing, self defence
| Permalink
It's been a while since I've posted due to technical problems, busy schedules and a few things to ponder of late. Recently at Altrincham we had the first session of our “fight club” intensive lesson as we call it. The point was not to be a vicious test of masculinity but to see where our skills fitted with more “combat” based contexts and to offer new ideas to students alongside some conditioning work.
I began by introducing the famous “jab cross” combination from boxing and it soon became clear that even badly executed versions at high speed were underestimated or taken for granted by people at first. However, it is the one attack even the most untrained of assailants tends to throw our way in degenerated forms of varying degrees, time after time.
The challenge of reading the opponent's body to ascertain timing, range and power is one that is challenging to even experienced students with sound technical knowledge and application of techniques and hand-shapes. What became apparent to all was a lesson I'd learned the hard way – having the knowledge, putting in the time and getting pak sau punch (a fundamental technique) to work wasn't as straight forward affair.
But with time and patience progress was clear. I found that often students who had a good knowledge and had repeated their basic footwork and hand-shapes coped much better. This was hardly a revelation to me – a lot of people I've studied have talked about the “elite” amongst them always had their basics nailed down.
The irony is that as students we often want to progress thinking that each new technique is better and more advanced than the last. However I would suggest that these new techniques are simply more specialised. They are designed for rarer and rarer scenarios.
What you will notice as you progress through the grades is that the first thing you are taught is to deal with 90% of attacks. The following years of training merely refine this idea and fills in the other 10% of knowledge.
This was demonstrated when I dedicated the last 45 minutes of the session to a baptism of fire for everyone present. Donning a body shield, helmet with mask, 14oz boxing loves, shin and groin guards I asked each man present to spar with me for 3 minutes. The others meanwhile were given the choice of calisthenics to fill their time and test their constitutions.
While the point wasn't to bully or cajole my students into accepting defeat, my aim was to pick up on their weaknesses or shortcomings and encourage them to face them. Whether that was backing off, standing still, covering up, resorting to grappling/boxing etc my aim was to get them to use their WT.
It was apparent when people succeeded they were confidently applying techniques and adaptations of them using theory we'd covered. With a range of experience and abilities it was impressive to note how much people could do after mere weeks of classes. I really do believe with focus and effort learning to “fight” and being proficient is possible after mere months. Beyond that point in your development it is the refining process of making techniques; sharper, harder, faster etc.
The way to do this is to rep the basics over and over and over until they become instinctive answers to the questions raised from assailants. The smoother and more effective these techniques become the better the results and the only way to acheive that is to condition your muscular and endocrine skeletons to perform these responses through constant practice of the most basic movements and ideas.
I began by introducing the famous “jab cross” combination from boxing and it soon became clear that even badly executed versions at high speed were underestimated or taken for granted by people at first. However, it is the one attack even the most untrained of assailants tends to throw our way in degenerated forms of varying degrees, time after time.
The challenge of reading the opponent's body to ascertain timing, range and power is one that is challenging to even experienced students with sound technical knowledge and application of techniques and hand-shapes. What became apparent to all was a lesson I'd learned the hard way – having the knowledge, putting in the time and getting pak sau punch (a fundamental technique) to work wasn't as straight forward affair.
But with time and patience progress was clear. I found that often students who had a good knowledge and had repeated their basic footwork and hand-shapes coped much better. This was hardly a revelation to me – a lot of people I've studied have talked about the “elite” amongst them always had their basics nailed down.
The irony is that as students we often want to progress thinking that each new technique is better and more advanced than the last. However I would suggest that these new techniques are simply more specialised. They are designed for rarer and rarer scenarios.
What you will notice as you progress through the grades is that the first thing you are taught is to deal with 90% of attacks. The following years of training merely refine this idea and fills in the other 10% of knowledge.
This was demonstrated when I dedicated the last 45 minutes of the session to a baptism of fire for everyone present. Donning a body shield, helmet with mask, 14oz boxing loves, shin and groin guards I asked each man present to spar with me for 3 minutes. The others meanwhile were given the choice of calisthenics to fill their time and test their constitutions.
While the point wasn't to bully or cajole my students into accepting defeat, my aim was to pick up on their weaknesses or shortcomings and encourage them to face them. Whether that was backing off, standing still, covering up, resorting to grappling/boxing etc my aim was to get them to use their WT.
It was apparent when people succeeded they were confidently applying techniques and adaptations of them using theory we'd covered. With a range of experience and abilities it was impressive to note how much people could do after mere weeks of classes. I really do believe with focus and effort learning to “fight” and being proficient is possible after mere months. Beyond that point in your development it is the refining process of making techniques; sharper, harder, faster etc.
The way to do this is to rep the basics over and over and over until they become instinctive answers to the questions raised from assailants. The smoother and more effective these techniques become the better the results and the only way to acheive that is to condition your muscular and endocrine skeletons to perform these responses through constant practice of the most basic movements and ideas.
Chris' Wing Tsun chart
Sat, Feb 13 2010 01:58
| martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
The other day after training I had an email from one of my loyal students Chris, who has been working hard at my club for many months now sent me something I wasn't expecting; a humble chart. Following on from my last entry regarding the 8 basics of WT he wanted to get clear in his mind the relationship between the handshapes and footwork in WT.
When repping and applying handshapes I always emphasise the feet and the balance of the body, hands and hips to make each repetition succesful. It is a riddle people always struggle with and wrestle in their minds. He sent me a chart partially completed and asked for my input to complete it. You can see the chart below with my words in italics added on to Chris'
Study it and make of it what you will but I feel it has spontaneously thrown up a training aid that everyone can benefit from.
Name - English Translation - Footwork - Defends against
Tan Sau - Palm up Hand - Shift weight to punching side - Blows crossing the knuckle side of the hand
Gan Sau - Splitting Hand - Apply at 45weight on punch side - Blows against the abdomen
Pak Sau - Slapping hand - Shift weight to pak sau side - Blows crossing the palm side of the hand
Gum Sau - Pinning Hand - Apply at 45 weight on gum side - Pin arm into foe’s body
High Pak - High Slapping Hand - Lean only to slapping side - Hooks to head
Bon Sau - Wing Arm - Shift weight to bon sau side - Straight punches/backfists
Kao Sau - Detaining Hand - Shift weight to punching side - Wrestle attacks, wide punches, elbow attacks
Fook Sau - Bridging Hand - Shift weight to punching side - Hooks; Swing, grabs to head
Man sau - Inquisitive Hand - N/A - Sticks/High Elbows, drops guard
Wu sau - Protective hand - N/A - Last line of defence
While the list is not exhaustive it shows just how useful it is to appreciate the detail and design of each technique rather than simply throwing our hands about. Keeping the integrity of each shape whilst using the feet and body to move yourself out of the way of an attack is crucial.
Notice how each shape is conceptual and the names do not have fixed meanings only implications. Also notice how each shape is designed for purpose, if not there would only be one shape to defeat all attacks. The changes between placing ones weight on the pucnhing hand and deforming hand is crucial here. Take your time and rep them over and over again.
Thank you to Chris and if any of you ever want to spark debate, offer your own ideas then feel free to! I'd love to hear more from you and discuss your questions and queries.
When repping and applying handshapes I always emphasise the feet and the balance of the body, hands and hips to make each repetition succesful. It is a riddle people always struggle with and wrestle in their minds. He sent me a chart partially completed and asked for my input to complete it. You can see the chart below with my words in italics added on to Chris'
Study it and make of it what you will but I feel it has spontaneously thrown up a training aid that everyone can benefit from.
Name - English Translation - Footwork - Defends against
Tan Sau - Palm up Hand - Shift weight to punching side - Blows crossing the knuckle side of the hand
Gan Sau - Splitting Hand - Apply at 45weight on punch side - Blows against the abdomen
Pak Sau - Slapping hand - Shift weight to pak sau side - Blows crossing the palm side of the hand
Gum Sau - Pinning Hand - Apply at 45 weight on gum side - Pin arm into foe’s body
High Pak - High Slapping Hand - Lean only to slapping side - Hooks to head
Bon Sau - Wing Arm - Shift weight to bon sau side - Straight punches/backfists
Kao Sau - Detaining Hand - Shift weight to punching side - Wrestle attacks, wide punches, elbow attacks
Fook Sau - Bridging Hand - Shift weight to punching side - Hooks; Swing, grabs to head
Man sau - Inquisitive Hand - N/A - Sticks/High Elbows, drops guard
Wu sau - Protective hand - N/A - Last line of defence
While the list is not exhaustive it shows just how useful it is to appreciate the detail and design of each technique rather than simply throwing our hands about. Keeping the integrity of each shape whilst using the feet and body to move yourself out of the way of an attack is crucial.
Notice how each shape is conceptual and the names do not have fixed meanings only implications. Also notice how each shape is designed for purpose, if not there would only be one shape to defeat all attacks. The changes between placing ones weight on the pucnhing hand and deforming hand is crucial here. Take your time and rep them over and over again.
Thank you to Chris and if any of you ever want to spark debate, offer your own ideas then feel free to! I'd love to hear more from you and discuss your questions and queries.
The 8 basics of Wing Tsun
Tue, Feb 9 2010 10:13
| martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
Wing Tsun is Chinese in essence although arguably our version is as much German/English as anything else. Irrelevant of semantics of the number 8 has huge significance in Chinese culture and crops up in many other martial arts too. Whether by design or coincidence the number 8 makes up the number of basic hand-shapes, basic steps and sections of the Siu Num Tau.
Hand-shapes:
1. Tan Sau – Upward facing palm
2. Gan Sau – Splitting Hand
3. Pak Sau – Slapping Hand
4. Gum Sau – Pinning Hand
5. High Pak Sau – High Slapping hand
6. Bon Sau – Wing Arm
7. Kao Sau – Deflecting Hand
8. Fook Sau – Bridging Arm
See how many of these shapes you recognise and can perform from memory. Notice how the English translations are very much conceptual and not directional or specific. This is a very important distinction to me as it belies the fluid and unfixed nature of Wing Tsun hand-shapes.
Footwork
1. Circle Step
2. 45 shift
3. Advancing step
4. 90 shift
5. Side step
6. Arrow Walk
7. Drop Step
8. Parallel Advance
Remember to start and return from IRAS position. Always move one foot at a time and work slowly. Make sure your hips and shoulders move as one unit and your head remains upright looking out in front of you not down at your hands/feet.
Hand-shapes:
1. Tan Sau – Upward facing palm
2. Gan Sau – Splitting Hand
3. Pak Sau – Slapping Hand
4. Gum Sau – Pinning Hand
5. High Pak Sau – High Slapping hand
6. Bon Sau – Wing Arm
7. Kao Sau – Deflecting Hand
8. Fook Sau – Bridging Arm
See how many of these shapes you recognise and can perform from memory. Notice how the English translations are very much conceptual and not directional or specific. This is a very important distinction to me as it belies the fluid and unfixed nature of Wing Tsun hand-shapes.
Footwork
1. Circle Step
2. 45 shift
3. Advancing step
4. 90 shift
5. Side step
6. Arrow Walk
7. Drop Step
8. Parallel Advance
Remember to start and return from IRAS position. Always move one foot at a time and work slowly. Make sure your hips and shoulders move as one unit and your head remains upright looking out in front of you not down at your hands/feet.
Pulling the Trigger
Tue, Jan 19 2010 01:37
| strikes, martial arts, punching, boxing, hitting, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, self defence
| Permalink
A little test I like to perform when a new student walks through the door is something very simple – a short question is all it takes “if you were going to hit me as hard as you can.....how would you do it?” Understandably this is sometimes followed with awkward shuffling and wringing of hands. It’s not an idea or a concept people are comfortable with, but if you turn up to a martial arts class it is very relevant I’d say.
Talk to any of the poor people that have to suffer my lessons and they’ll tell you many things, especially how I seem to say the same things again and again. One of my fundamental principles is to put someone out of action in as fewer hits as possible – preferably one.
A common myth or misconception is that to defeat someone you must hit them all over using as many different attacks and body parts as possible. I blame the movies for compounding this notion that a roundhouse kick to the face is as practical as it is cool. In truth what people really need is “point theory”.
I explain this theory with a simple rather sexist analogy. If I kick you in the balls (sorry ladies please use your empathy here) where is the last place in the world, you want me to strike you again? Yep. Square in the knackers is the right answer.
If I break your ribs with my first punch, why wouldn’t I keep hitting them and push the shards through your internal organs? It won’t take much, it’ll put you out of action, and I’ll get to walk away. If you cover the first wounded area then this will of course leave your head or another “hotspot” exposed.
It may seem obvious to you now, if you hadn’t considered it. But often this comes as a revelation to many. Perhaps they simply haven’t had the scenario or impulse to consider something so socially reprehensible, but as a martial artist it is essential to be honest and truthful about things no matter how stark or uncomfortable they may be.
One other thing of note from the question posed to new students about their “hardest punch” is the fact that 99% of people perform some form of boxing style straight. Often they pick their front hand, not the much more powerful cross with the support of the hips and added distance off of the back hand just to insult the question I asked a little more.
Usually this is because of a lack of confidence or fear of “doing it wrong” and is perfectly normal. However it also seems that people know boxers hit hard (bloody hard, as my head will attest to) and thus this must be the most powerful way a person can hit. Not entirely unreasonable but there is one major flaw with this truism.
Boxing is not natural, it is not innate it is a very powerful art and to punch correctly is a skill learned and practiced. You need the right co-ordination, timing and muscular input to make these punches work. Furthermore these strikes are not easily compatible with the stance, theories and practice of Wing Tsun. Teaching someone to box before they can even learn WT is no good. Although a person might find it handy it is not useful in their pursuit of kung fu or self defence.
What I give students is lovingly referred to as the “hammer blow”. Using the natural alignment of the body, gravity and momentum it is a devastating strike, easy to perform and completely intuitive. It is also high applicable as even a newbie can secure their opponent by grabbing them with their weak hand and pummelling them with this devastating move!
Take your strong hand and raise it above your head, fist clenched, make sure your feet are evenly spread and your weight distributed. Throw the arm down and forward allowing the arm to “whip” your fist into your target as if throwing a ball. At the same time drop your centre of gravity through the legs. Make contact through the base of your hand in line with the wrist and ulna in your forearm as if you were performing a chop with your fingers clenched.
Practice on a pad and you’ll soon feel the natural swing of the movement and the raw power behind it. Remember to drop through the legs or you waste so much potential force it is untrue. Once comfortable this can be practiced in the air and on pads to build strength and coordination. If you feel confident loop the hit back across the body as if performing a back-fist in a figure of eight motion. This increases the damage done and teaches great hand-eye coordination and offers very good exercise if performed vigorously for a few minutes.
The hammer blow and subsequent back fist offer two very deadly strikes that do not require raw power or muscle just some simple balance and willingness. Take five minutes of your time everyday and try them out on both hands, you’ll soon reap the martial and fitness rewards!
Talk to any of the poor people that have to suffer my lessons and they’ll tell you many things, especially how I seem to say the same things again and again. One of my fundamental principles is to put someone out of action in as fewer hits as possible – preferably one.
A common myth or misconception is that to defeat someone you must hit them all over using as many different attacks and body parts as possible. I blame the movies for compounding this notion that a roundhouse kick to the face is as practical as it is cool. In truth what people really need is “point theory”.
I explain this theory with a simple rather sexist analogy. If I kick you in the balls (sorry ladies please use your empathy here) where is the last place in the world, you want me to strike you again? Yep. Square in the knackers is the right answer.
If I break your ribs with my first punch, why wouldn’t I keep hitting them and push the shards through your internal organs? It won’t take much, it’ll put you out of action, and I’ll get to walk away. If you cover the first wounded area then this will of course leave your head or another “hotspot” exposed.
It may seem obvious to you now, if you hadn’t considered it. But often this comes as a revelation to many. Perhaps they simply haven’t had the scenario or impulse to consider something so socially reprehensible, but as a martial artist it is essential to be honest and truthful about things no matter how stark or uncomfortable they may be.
One other thing of note from the question posed to new students about their “hardest punch” is the fact that 99% of people perform some form of boxing style straight. Often they pick their front hand, not the much more powerful cross with the support of the hips and added distance off of the back hand just to insult the question I asked a little more.
Usually this is because of a lack of confidence or fear of “doing it wrong” and is perfectly normal. However it also seems that people know boxers hit hard (bloody hard, as my head will attest to) and thus this must be the most powerful way a person can hit. Not entirely unreasonable but there is one major flaw with this truism.
Boxing is not natural, it is not innate it is a very powerful art and to punch correctly is a skill learned and practiced. You need the right co-ordination, timing and muscular input to make these punches work. Furthermore these strikes are not easily compatible with the stance, theories and practice of Wing Tsun. Teaching someone to box before they can even learn WT is no good. Although a person might find it handy it is not useful in their pursuit of kung fu or self defence.
What I give students is lovingly referred to as the “hammer blow”. Using the natural alignment of the body, gravity and momentum it is a devastating strike, easy to perform and completely intuitive. It is also high applicable as even a newbie can secure their opponent by grabbing them with their weak hand and pummelling them with this devastating move!
Take your strong hand and raise it above your head, fist clenched, make sure your feet are evenly spread and your weight distributed. Throw the arm down and forward allowing the arm to “whip” your fist into your target as if throwing a ball. At the same time drop your centre of gravity through the legs. Make contact through the base of your hand in line with the wrist and ulna in your forearm as if you were performing a chop with your fingers clenched.
Practice on a pad and you’ll soon feel the natural swing of the movement and the raw power behind it. Remember to drop through the legs or you waste so much potential force it is untrue. Once comfortable this can be practiced in the air and on pads to build strength and coordination. If you feel confident loop the hit back across the body as if performing a back-fist in a figure of eight motion. This increases the damage done and teaches great hand-eye coordination and offers very good exercise if performed vigorously for a few minutes.
The hammer blow and subsequent back fist offer two very deadly strikes that do not require raw power or muscle just some simple balance and willingness. Take five minutes of your time everyday and try them out on both hands, you’ll soon reap the martial and fitness rewards!
The Building Blocks
Sun, Jan 10 2010 01:51
| kettlebells, calisthenics, martial arts, cardio, weightlifting, health, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, martial arts Altrincham, fitness
| Permalink
In my last entry I talked about the relevance of fitness and exercise to martial artists and tried to illustrate my belief in its necessity. I spent many years training badly, training infrequently and training the wrong stuff with good intentions.
I’m glad to say I can pass on a little bit of what I learnt through my own endeavour to you and illustrate my logic and thoughts as to why you need to know this stuff.
In this blog exercise falls into two large categories that can be dissected further: cardio vascular and resistance. The first deals with exercise designed to burn fat, increase all round endurance and improve traditional ideas of fitness. Examples include running, cycling, rowing, alongside many sports. Resistance work includes weightlifting, calisthenics (bodyweight exercises) and weapon training.
Each type of exercise has its own benefits and place in the routines of martial artists and neither must be neglected. I spent years ignoring my CV work to my determent focussing on weights and routines designed for body sculpting not performance. It hindered my martial arts training and didn’t give me the results I wanted.
I knew that increased muscle mass burns more calories and therefore fat per hour. However I didn’t realise that cardio not only strips off fat much faster but it adds to muscle mass and definition too!
In short I broke the golden rule of ignoring my weaknesses and stayed secure working on what I was good at/enjoyed.
So what exactly should you be doing? Of course this is an individual answer and depends on what your needs are. If like me you try to train/teach martial arts 5 or 6 sometimes even 7 days a week fitting in other training can be tough and dangerously taxing.
I believe in doing a lot in short bursts, it gets faster results and is mimics the stresses of fighting with short bursts of intense activity. How many people claim to take up “jogging” and then bitch about a lack of success in losing weight?
If you amble around at a medium intensity like a Lycra clad bovine it is unlikely you’ll achieve much. If you hit the gym hard and with focus for 20-30mins and are breathing sweat out of your ears you’ll soon see results! On top of that it speeds up your metabolism and digestive system in processing food avoiding calories becoming fat and stops you over-working muscles so that they become catabolic (break down), injured and testosterone levels get used up rather than used to build muscle.
I tend to cross train and mix up routines. So typically I warm up with cardio, running and jumping on the spot before shadow boxing in 3 minute “rounds” pausing long enough to get my breath and sip some water.
I then mix sets of specific weight exercises, calisthenics and more cardio before finishing on a chin up bar with some pulls-ups, leg raises and then a “hang” to stretch my muscles and bones back out!
Here is a typical list of exercises that you should work on perfecting:
Whole Body (I include all cardio in this section)
• Clean and Press
• Kettlebell Swing
• Dead lift
• Hindu press ups
• Hindu Squats
Upper Body
• Pull-up
• Press up
• Bench Press
• Bent-over Row
• Military Press
Lower Body
• Squat
• Lunges
• Tuck Jumps
Core/Abs
• Janda sit-ups
• Leg raises
• Medicine Ball Twists
If you do not know what any or all of these exercises are then do a little bit of research. You will notice that by and large they are what are known as ‘compound’ exercises which work more than one joint at a time and very large muscle groups.
This adds bulk, tests the muscles you will use fighting not just sculpting trophy muscles and release much larger quantities of testosterone and other hormones into the body to promote better results. It also means that you target quicker long lasting gains rather than trying to perfect tricky and irrelevant exercises.
I would recommend 3 sessions a week as a rough guide and add more depending on results, tiredness and dedication. Anymore than that and you must be careful not to over-train and undo all of your hard work.
If you are a slight and want to gain lots of muscles I recommend the following work out with heavy weights – be warned it’s a killer and requires about 2 days rest afterwards!
Bulk up routine
After ten minutes of light cardio and stretching to get the blood flowing and body loose perform 5 sets of 5 repetitions of the following exercises. Be sure to keep pausing for 2 or 3 minutes between sets to allow the body time to cope with the demands.
• Clean and Press
• Bench Press
• Dead lift
• Bent-over Row
When learning these or any exercise run through them for a set or two with an empty bar to ensure your hand-eye coordination is correct and if the weight is too heavy STOP! Take a plate off and carry on. Do not exhaust yourself or hurt yourself so you can’t train for weeks!
I recommend using this particular routine once a week at most. Generally for martial artist I find that performing 3 sets of 15 reps per exercise the best way to go. It builds lean mass and tests muscles by enduring weight and motion much like fighting does.
If you are already “too bulky” go for lighter weight at 25 reps a set and if you really do need to pack on the beef up the weight and aim for sets of 5-8 reps. Similarly when performing calisthenics start “light”. For example, if you can’t do a press up start on your knees, then after a few routines lift your feet off the floor, a few routines later see if you are strong enough to use your full body.
Do NOT neglect your lower body! It might be our pectorals, abs and arms; that we seek to boost in order to attract attention, but having matchsticks legs helps no one. Your legs are what you stand on and having a strong powerful set of legs is very useful for martial artists. It also adds valuable muscle bulk keeping down your body fat and stops you looking weird when you do decide to hit the beach in summer.
Happy training!
I’m glad to say I can pass on a little bit of what I learnt through my own endeavour to you and illustrate my logic and thoughts as to why you need to know this stuff.
In this blog exercise falls into two large categories that can be dissected further: cardio vascular and resistance. The first deals with exercise designed to burn fat, increase all round endurance and improve traditional ideas of fitness. Examples include running, cycling, rowing, alongside many sports. Resistance work includes weightlifting, calisthenics (bodyweight exercises) and weapon training.
Each type of exercise has its own benefits and place in the routines of martial artists and neither must be neglected. I spent years ignoring my CV work to my determent focussing on weights and routines designed for body sculpting not performance. It hindered my martial arts training and didn’t give me the results I wanted.
I knew that increased muscle mass burns more calories and therefore fat per hour. However I didn’t realise that cardio not only strips off fat much faster but it adds to muscle mass and definition too!
In short I broke the golden rule of ignoring my weaknesses and stayed secure working on what I was good at/enjoyed.
So what exactly should you be doing? Of course this is an individual answer and depends on what your needs are. If like me you try to train/teach martial arts 5 or 6 sometimes even 7 days a week fitting in other training can be tough and dangerously taxing.
I believe in doing a lot in short bursts, it gets faster results and is mimics the stresses of fighting with short bursts of intense activity. How many people claim to take up “jogging” and then bitch about a lack of success in losing weight?
If you amble around at a medium intensity like a Lycra clad bovine it is unlikely you’ll achieve much. If you hit the gym hard and with focus for 20-30mins and are breathing sweat out of your ears you’ll soon see results! On top of that it speeds up your metabolism and digestive system in processing food avoiding calories becoming fat and stops you over-working muscles so that they become catabolic (break down), injured and testosterone levels get used up rather than used to build muscle.
I tend to cross train and mix up routines. So typically I warm up with cardio, running and jumping on the spot before shadow boxing in 3 minute “rounds” pausing long enough to get my breath and sip some water.
I then mix sets of specific weight exercises, calisthenics and more cardio before finishing on a chin up bar with some pulls-ups, leg raises and then a “hang” to stretch my muscles and bones back out!
Here is a typical list of exercises that you should work on perfecting:
Whole Body (I include all cardio in this section)
• Clean and Press
• Kettlebell Swing
• Dead lift
• Hindu press ups
• Hindu Squats
Upper Body
• Pull-up
• Press up
• Bench Press
• Bent-over Row
• Military Press
Lower Body
• Squat
• Lunges
• Tuck Jumps
Core/Abs
• Janda sit-ups
• Leg raises
• Medicine Ball Twists
If you do not know what any or all of these exercises are then do a little bit of research. You will notice that by and large they are what are known as ‘compound’ exercises which work more than one joint at a time and very large muscle groups.
This adds bulk, tests the muscles you will use fighting not just sculpting trophy muscles and release much larger quantities of testosterone and other hormones into the body to promote better results. It also means that you target quicker long lasting gains rather than trying to perfect tricky and irrelevant exercises.
I would recommend 3 sessions a week as a rough guide and add more depending on results, tiredness and dedication. Anymore than that and you must be careful not to over-train and undo all of your hard work.
If you are a slight and want to gain lots of muscles I recommend the following work out with heavy weights – be warned it’s a killer and requires about 2 days rest afterwards!
Bulk up routine
After ten minutes of light cardio and stretching to get the blood flowing and body loose perform 5 sets of 5 repetitions of the following exercises. Be sure to keep pausing for 2 or 3 minutes between sets to allow the body time to cope with the demands.
• Clean and Press
• Bench Press
• Dead lift
• Bent-over Row
When learning these or any exercise run through them for a set or two with an empty bar to ensure your hand-eye coordination is correct and if the weight is too heavy STOP! Take a plate off and carry on. Do not exhaust yourself or hurt yourself so you can’t train for weeks!
I recommend using this particular routine once a week at most. Generally for martial artist I find that performing 3 sets of 15 reps per exercise the best way to go. It builds lean mass and tests muscles by enduring weight and motion much like fighting does.
If you are already “too bulky” go for lighter weight at 25 reps a set and if you really do need to pack on the beef up the weight and aim for sets of 5-8 reps. Similarly when performing calisthenics start “light”. For example, if you can’t do a press up start on your knees, then after a few routines lift your feet off the floor, a few routines later see if you are strong enough to use your full body.
Do NOT neglect your lower body! It might be our pectorals, abs and arms; that we seek to boost in order to attract attention, but having matchsticks legs helps no one. Your legs are what you stand on and having a strong powerful set of legs is very useful for martial artists. It also adds valuable muscle bulk keeping down your body fat and stops you looking weird when you do decide to hit the beach in summer.
Happy training!
Fighting Fit (and other ideals)
Sat, Jan 9 2010 10:05
| speed, stamina, sport, health, strength, wrestling, martial arts, power, boxing, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, fitness, martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
Fitness, exercise and performance are all issues that cause much debate in the martial arts and the wider world. The fact it is a billion dollar industry across the globe tells us all we need to know about the incessant hunt for new ideas, products gadgets and to some extent fetishist tendencies of those involved.
How many gyms does your local area have? Even twenty years ago the idea of attending a gym was a rather quirky and niche one. The modern phenomena of the high street “mall” style gym is interesting in itself however what role do they play for the martial artist?
Shouldn’t training alone give you the body you desire? Well that depends if what you desire is a body you can use or one you can flaunt. Professional boxers and wrestlers all have enviable physiques and this come from the training they do and the physical needs they have.
However we can learn a lot from these disciplines in terms of performance and fitness. Imagine having the strength, speed and endurance of a boxer with the subtlety and skill Wing Tsun offers, it is something Grandmaster Kernspecht seems to know a great deal about.
It is no coincidence in my opinion that at the beginning of his WT career GM Kernspecht was a beast of a man, a professional wrestler and martial artist of some repute. These days he places great emphasis on the most basic and challenging of exercises – the pull up. Despite some bizarre preconceptions I have come across, it is very obvious the ancient Chinese have used various calisthenics (bodyweight exercises), fitness tools (ropes, weapons, large iron locks) and challenges to keep a person fitter and more alert. Yoga and tai chi may look like gentle pursuits but they are tougher than some sparring session if you ask me!
Combine the pull up with the Spartan favourite – press ups, and Russian staple – squats the GM’s exercise makes up part of a holy trinity for me in terms of martial fitness.
There is an odd belief or denial amongst some Kung Fu practitioners that their skill and dedication is far more important than having a useful and well maintained body. I am dubious of this. If you don’t take of yourself and maintain your strength, suppleness and ability to push your body how can you survive in a fight?
If you are barely fit enough to break into a jog, lasting punch for punch with any foe (however unsophisticated they may be) is going to go horribly wrong. So what’s the answer then? For me it is keeping a healthy level of fitness and performance as a bare minimum, this is a key to life in general not just martial arts.
If you can spare half an hour a day you can achieve a lot, combine that with your regular training and you’ll be doing ok. These things are all relative, the more you want to achieve the more you must do but it can be fun and rewarding.
Where to start? The answer is in the mirror not the scales. If you look healthy you will feel healthy, a sense of confidence and belief are powerful tools to be used. Talk of BMI’s, ideal weights and body fat are somewhat misleading and not that useful.
Next time you get the chance take a look at yourself in the mirror in your underwear and just notice where your body fat sits, what muscle definition and mass you have and use that as a starting point. The ratio of fat and muscle will dictate the ratio of cardiovascular exercise (CV) and resistance work you will need to focus on. It can be a horrible thing to do but it is necessary if you are serious about your fitness being improved and manageable.
One thing you must always focus on is your goals. If you are martial artist then you need to exercise like one. I spent years trying to use bodybuilding knowledge and ideas to become fitter and leaner and I achieved very little, wasting time, money and effort. “Be what you want to be” as one instructor told me.
If you are a martial artist that means handling your own body first and then being able to handle other people. This means:
• Hitting things (pads, bags, consenting training partners),
• Improving endurance with CV work,
• Testing your “useful muscles” to their limit with weights metal, rubber or bodyweight,
• Maintaining joint mobility and flexibility with form practice, stretches and relaxation.
In my next entry I will be looking various routines and exercises I like and find useful and my plans for getting fitter, leaner and meaner this year and beyond.
How many gyms does your local area have? Even twenty years ago the idea of attending a gym was a rather quirky and niche one. The modern phenomena of the high street “mall” style gym is interesting in itself however what role do they play for the martial artist?
Shouldn’t training alone give you the body you desire? Well that depends if what you desire is a body you can use or one you can flaunt. Professional boxers and wrestlers all have enviable physiques and this come from the training they do and the physical needs they have.
However we can learn a lot from these disciplines in terms of performance and fitness. Imagine having the strength, speed and endurance of a boxer with the subtlety and skill Wing Tsun offers, it is something Grandmaster Kernspecht seems to know a great deal about.
It is no coincidence in my opinion that at the beginning of his WT career GM Kernspecht was a beast of a man, a professional wrestler and martial artist of some repute. These days he places great emphasis on the most basic and challenging of exercises – the pull up. Despite some bizarre preconceptions I have come across, it is very obvious the ancient Chinese have used various calisthenics (bodyweight exercises), fitness tools (ropes, weapons, large iron locks) and challenges to keep a person fitter and more alert. Yoga and tai chi may look like gentle pursuits but they are tougher than some sparring session if you ask me!
Combine the pull up with the Spartan favourite – press ups, and Russian staple – squats the GM’s exercise makes up part of a holy trinity for me in terms of martial fitness.
There is an odd belief or denial amongst some Kung Fu practitioners that their skill and dedication is far more important than having a useful and well maintained body. I am dubious of this. If you don’t take of yourself and maintain your strength, suppleness and ability to push your body how can you survive in a fight?
If you are barely fit enough to break into a jog, lasting punch for punch with any foe (however unsophisticated they may be) is going to go horribly wrong. So what’s the answer then? For me it is keeping a healthy level of fitness and performance as a bare minimum, this is a key to life in general not just martial arts.
If you can spare half an hour a day you can achieve a lot, combine that with your regular training and you’ll be doing ok. These things are all relative, the more you want to achieve the more you must do but it can be fun and rewarding.
Where to start? The answer is in the mirror not the scales. If you look healthy you will feel healthy, a sense of confidence and belief are powerful tools to be used. Talk of BMI’s, ideal weights and body fat are somewhat misleading and not that useful.
Next time you get the chance take a look at yourself in the mirror in your underwear and just notice where your body fat sits, what muscle definition and mass you have and use that as a starting point. The ratio of fat and muscle will dictate the ratio of cardiovascular exercise (CV) and resistance work you will need to focus on. It can be a horrible thing to do but it is necessary if you are serious about your fitness being improved and manageable.
One thing you must always focus on is your goals. If you are martial artist then you need to exercise like one. I spent years trying to use bodybuilding knowledge and ideas to become fitter and leaner and I achieved very little, wasting time, money and effort. “Be what you want to be” as one instructor told me.
If you are a martial artist that means handling your own body first and then being able to handle other people. This means:
• Hitting things (pads, bags, consenting training partners),
• Improving endurance with CV work,
• Testing your “useful muscles” to their limit with weights metal, rubber or bodyweight,
• Maintaining joint mobility and flexibility with form practice, stretches and relaxation.
In my next entry I will be looking various routines and exercises I like and find useful and my plans for getting fitter, leaner and meaner this year and beyond.
A Sporting Chance
Wed, Dec 30 2009 02:22
| kung fu, martial arts, boxing, training, street fight, martial arts Altrincham, kickboxing, self defence
| Permalink
If you ask our old friend Joe Public to name a martial art you tend to receive a narrow set of answers. Karate, Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu (a coverall for hundreds if not thousands of styles), perhaps even boxing or wrestling or global brands such as UFC might all get the nod.
So what? You might ask. The common thread is that by and large all of those are sports. They have rules, referees, specific types of strikes/ranges and weight classes etc they are not practiced, designed for or implemented on the most important arena of all – the street.
However if you talk to our friend Joe Public they will not see the difference and nor should we expect them to. What is even more worrying is when students or even worse instructors of these styles cannot differentiate the gulf between these two contexts.
I do not seek to defame any one of these pursuits or criticise them as styles of combat. However it does bother me that from a cultural point of view there is a complicit willingness to mislead or simply avoid the gap between the mat and the pavement.
It is not to say that the skills and techniques from any of these sports cannot be used for self defence but in my humble experience it is often a case that a certain amount of adaptation and understanding is needed to make this work.
How often do you hear stories of martial arts enthusiasts suffering horrific injuries and humiliation at the hands of thugs and criminals? What can possibly cause this? How does the highly trained exponent of a fighting style fall foul of the untrained?
The answer can be complex but generally speaking there is a combination of the following factors often enough:
· An overinflated confidence of the individuals own strength and skills
· A lack of exposure to self defence/street fights
· A fundamental flaw in understanding their styles strengths and weaknesses
· A basic lack of conditioning to physical, psychological and verbal assaults from unprovoked opponents
· An assumption that an attacker may fight fair or within a consensual set of rules/code
Violent and criminal acts are often borne out of base desires or instincts the perpetrators often utilise the deepest and most animalistic of methods and traits. Regularly these acts are malicious, opportunistic, instinctive and cruel in nature. In essence they go against every cornerstone of the sporting world and culture no matter how violent or barbaric a sport may seem to outside world (see much of the moral debate over boxing and increasingly MMA bouts).
It is this dichotomy that in my opinion often leads to confusion amongst the martial arts community as to the validity and more importantly relevance of various styles to practical street defence. In martial sports their design and motivation is to achieve as much parity between contestants as possible. Fighters are seeded, compete in weight classes and receive medical care and attention as well as the grace and attention of referees to protect their health as much as possible.
On the street there is no code, no starting bell, no one to separate pugilists and there is no reason for an attacker to stop maliciously beating a stricken foe and inflicting severe damage and even death using any strike, weapon or method they choose.
At this point you may be thinking I am seeking to dismiss and undermine martial sports as a glorified side show and spectacle. Far from it! I love to box and kick-box and would hate to trade blows with any well trained exponent of Muay Thai, MMA, wrestling etc
My participation in those pursuits however, isn’t designed to improve my effectiveness but to improve my basic martial skills. The test of stamina, fitness, muscle, coordination and balance I gain from kick-boxing all provide ample reason enough to train it. Most importantly though I simply enjoy it!
My underlining point is that often instructors fail their students by not differentiating between the dojo and the alley way. I have seen instructors of various martial sports claim an in depth knowledge of self defence and for it to be an area they teach extensively in their class without a hint of embarrassment of self-denial.
Often this is simply a marketing ploy as the instructor knows full well a novice will not be able to discern the difference or the fact and fiction of what they are told until many hours of training have been undertaken. The martial arts which are well renowned amongst experts and enthusiasts for a high level of usability are also linked to various military and police bodies. These arts include Wing Tsun, Krav Maga, Systema, Sambo and Eskrima amongst others.
This is no coincidence. The military and police deal with dangerous and deadly encounters as a matter of course. They need and rely on techniques not only to do their job but to stay alive as they have no margin for error.
My question to you is does your training cater for what you need over what you want? It is easy to dismiss one art or one teacher over another. However it is fundamental that you not only find a teacher you enjoy training with, but you find a teacher who can deliver what you require.
So what? You might ask. The common thread is that by and large all of those are sports. They have rules, referees, specific types of strikes/ranges and weight classes etc they are not practiced, designed for or implemented on the most important arena of all – the street.
However if you talk to our friend Joe Public they will not see the difference and nor should we expect them to. What is even more worrying is when students or even worse instructors of these styles cannot differentiate the gulf between these two contexts.
I do not seek to defame any one of these pursuits or criticise them as styles of combat. However it does bother me that from a cultural point of view there is a complicit willingness to mislead or simply avoid the gap between the mat and the pavement.
It is not to say that the skills and techniques from any of these sports cannot be used for self defence but in my humble experience it is often a case that a certain amount of adaptation and understanding is needed to make this work.
How often do you hear stories of martial arts enthusiasts suffering horrific injuries and humiliation at the hands of thugs and criminals? What can possibly cause this? How does the highly trained exponent of a fighting style fall foul of the untrained?
The answer can be complex but generally speaking there is a combination of the following factors often enough:
· An overinflated confidence of the individuals own strength and skills
· A lack of exposure to self defence/street fights
· A fundamental flaw in understanding their styles strengths and weaknesses
· A basic lack of conditioning to physical, psychological and verbal assaults from unprovoked opponents
· An assumption that an attacker may fight fair or within a consensual set of rules/code
Violent and criminal acts are often borne out of base desires or instincts the perpetrators often utilise the deepest and most animalistic of methods and traits. Regularly these acts are malicious, opportunistic, instinctive and cruel in nature. In essence they go against every cornerstone of the sporting world and culture no matter how violent or barbaric a sport may seem to outside world (see much of the moral debate over boxing and increasingly MMA bouts).
It is this dichotomy that in my opinion often leads to confusion amongst the martial arts community as to the validity and more importantly relevance of various styles to practical street defence. In martial sports their design and motivation is to achieve as much parity between contestants as possible. Fighters are seeded, compete in weight classes and receive medical care and attention as well as the grace and attention of referees to protect their health as much as possible.
On the street there is no code, no starting bell, no one to separate pugilists and there is no reason for an attacker to stop maliciously beating a stricken foe and inflicting severe damage and even death using any strike, weapon or method they choose.
At this point you may be thinking I am seeking to dismiss and undermine martial sports as a glorified side show and spectacle. Far from it! I love to box and kick-box and would hate to trade blows with any well trained exponent of Muay Thai, MMA, wrestling etc
My participation in those pursuits however, isn’t designed to improve my effectiveness but to improve my basic martial skills. The test of stamina, fitness, muscle, coordination and balance I gain from kick-boxing all provide ample reason enough to train it. Most importantly though I simply enjoy it!
My underlining point is that often instructors fail their students by not differentiating between the dojo and the alley way. I have seen instructors of various martial sports claim an in depth knowledge of self defence and for it to be an area they teach extensively in their class without a hint of embarrassment of self-denial.
Often this is simply a marketing ploy as the instructor knows full well a novice will not be able to discern the difference or the fact and fiction of what they are told until many hours of training have been undertaken. The martial arts which are well renowned amongst experts and enthusiasts for a high level of usability are also linked to various military and police bodies. These arts include Wing Tsun, Krav Maga, Systema, Sambo and Eskrima amongst others.
This is no coincidence. The military and police deal with dangerous and deadly encounters as a matter of course. They need and rely on techniques not only to do their job but to stay alive as they have no margin for error.
My question to you is does your training cater for what you need over what you want? It is easy to dismiss one art or one teacher over another. However it is fundamental that you not only find a teacher you enjoy training with, but you find a teacher who can deliver what you require.
Why do we train?
Sat, Dec 19 2009 04:30
| 2010, training, exercise, Wing Tsun Kung fu, change, martial arts Altrincham
| Permalink
I've started all of this blogging stuff at the tail end of 2009 and as an end of year, reflective kinda mood takes hold it all seems more than appropriate.
The last 12 months have been turbulent in all areas of my life for a million reasons. But I still turned up for training day in day out. I still went down in the dungeon and flung a kettlebell about, picked up a bar or got down on my knees for all sorts of calisthenics.
One of the reasons is my belief in the "Use it or lose it!" principle. A belief that if you stop doing what you do for just a fraction too long it'll be a long road getting it back. Another is the habit. Exercise, training and the stresses and strains of it relase different chemicals and hormones in the body, in short: it makes me happy.
The other reason to keep going is necessity. As someone entrusted to teach and help others it is my duty to maintain my trianing at all times, how can I expect my students to practice if I don't?!?!
Please be aware the reasons I train now are in some ways a million miles away from why I started. The journey we all go on in martial arts is (hopefully) a long one, but if years later you are still trying to perfect the simplest and humblest of goals that you started with; I would suggest something has gone wrong.
The ability to change and adapt isn't something that applys just to the classroom it should be something you have when approaching all aspects of training. Evolving your mindset and needs to meet ever increasing challenges is the key to success.
Appraising myself, my abilities and my outlook has been painful this year but necessary. In 2010 be prepared to do something new and different everyday, that's my advice for what it's worth. If you can't even consider changing your approach you'll never be able to do it and it's the area I'll be working on most......even more than giving up the sugar and getting that six pack!
So, why do you train? Whether it's exercise, martial arts, a hobby or a skill, why do you do what you do?
The last 12 months have been turbulent in all areas of my life for a million reasons. But I still turned up for training day in day out. I still went down in the dungeon and flung a kettlebell about, picked up a bar or got down on my knees for all sorts of calisthenics.
One of the reasons is my belief in the "Use it or lose it!" principle. A belief that if you stop doing what you do for just a fraction too long it'll be a long road getting it back. Another is the habit. Exercise, training and the stresses and strains of it relase different chemicals and hormones in the body, in short: it makes me happy.
The other reason to keep going is necessity. As someone entrusted to teach and help others it is my duty to maintain my trianing at all times, how can I expect my students to practice if I don't?!?!
Please be aware the reasons I train now are in some ways a million miles away from why I started. The journey we all go on in martial arts is (hopefully) a long one, but if years later you are still trying to perfect the simplest and humblest of goals that you started with; I would suggest something has gone wrong.
The ability to change and adapt isn't something that applys just to the classroom it should be something you have when approaching all aspects of training. Evolving your mindset and needs to meet ever increasing challenges is the key to success.
Appraising myself, my abilities and my outlook has been painful this year but necessary. In 2010 be prepared to do something new and different everyday, that's my advice for what it's worth. If you can't even consider changing your approach you'll never be able to do it and it's the area I'll be working on most......even more than giving up the sugar and getting that six pack!
So, why do you train? Whether it's exercise, martial arts, a hobby or a skill, why do you do what you do?
Welcome
Sat, Dec 19 2009 04:18
| MMA, kung fu, martial arts, boxing, fighters, martial arts Altrincham, fitness, kickboxing
| Permalink
This is my blog, welcome. I have found the idea of doing this odd as it seems incredibly indulgent.
However I do have good intentions. I hope this blog will be a chance to help me and you learn more about smarter training, to be better equipped for achieving goals, to make greater strides at being fitter, faster, leaner, stronger and better.
Please feel free to add comments, links, ideas and counter opinions as you see fit.
Matt
However I do have good intentions. I hope this blog will be a chance to help me and you learn more about smarter training, to be better equipped for achieving goals, to make greater strides at being fitter, faster, leaner, stronger and better.
Please feel free to add comments, links, ideas and counter opinions as you see fit.
Matt