Comparing Martial Arts

I'm blessed with visitors and calls who wants to learn and know more about wing chun. There are those who just want to watch. And there are also those who come to compare what they've learned to wing chun. I value all three groups of visitors and/or callers. I believe in a small way, this helps create more awareness to wing chun and to what we're doing. I also hope that small time spent calling or visiting benefits them in some way.

However, all these calls and visits have taught me a big lesson. One that I think is and will be useful to my martial travels and will help me understand others and other arts more. Hope this lesson will also help you when you visit other schools.

1. What number of classes is that class/group at?
We can also ask what level they are at (at that moment) but martial arts curriculums are so vastly different, what they focus at are different depending on their own objectives at the different levels.

I recently have a student of a different martial arts come join my class (trial). I was happy because he had a lot of questions but most of the questions was comparing that very first lesson to the 100th lesson of the art he's learning. My question is, is it fair? In my humble opinion, it is not even fair to compare even the first lesson of two different martial arts because their focus is different. However, if you still want to make a comparison, compare the very first class of your own art to their first, your second class to their second and so on.

However, the first few lessons will show the core of the whole art. Those are the ones I want to see. And lessons taught at the fourth year are usually the most advanced level for the basics of the art.

2. Get YOUR ego out of the equation
If you are visiting, this is the utmost importance. If you cannot do this, don't visit other schools. The ego of yours is better, simpler, faster, stronger, older and all the other "...er"s will block any good information that you can get. Or worse, you'll get into a fight.

Sometimes, the person might have great ego and might offend you and/or your art. First thing is, take a deep breath and relax. Remember, you are there to learn. So, focus on learning. If you can't stand you can always come again another time. Right?

However, if you are open, usually the other party will also be open and share. At least, that's my experience.

3. Ask for opinion
Politely ask for their opinion for certain techniques that you are learning or have learned compared to what they are doing. Key word "POLITELY". Remember, ALL martial arts works. ALL martial arts are great. If not they won't exist in the first place! They might not as effective depending on:
1. the teachers knowledge and/or experience

2. the original reason/principals of its creation has been changed or is not taught
(example: an art created for big battlefield has been changed to sports or vice versa. They might not work because the objectives are different and therefore certain principals needed change, thus effecting the techniques).

3. different conditions
(example: an art created to fight on horses might have a hard time fighting on mud. An art requiring a large area might be a little hard to apply in closed spaces)

Understand your own art's requirements by asking for their opinions and analyzing their answers. Understand the above 3 conditions (the teacher's knowledge and experience, the original reason the art was created, and the conditions that makes it work). Keep your opinions to yourself unless asked.

Lastly, always focus on making friends when you visit. By making friends, we would be able to share more and have a deeper look into the art without actually learning it. But be sincere about it.

Going out your comfort zone!

On Saturday 11 April 2009 I have the privelage of joining a Tai Chi push hand session in Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras. It was both a revelation and a humbling experience! But, it reminded me of my brief tai chi experience 18 years ago, where I was thrown 30 feet back by an old man on top of a rooftop.

That skill is alive and well. It is my wish that it will be kept alive for the next generation to enjoy.

The group is made up of a few "old looking young men". I say that because at the end of very short push hand session with each one of them, I was panting and weezing while they walk around with happy faces and strong vigour! Man, I have a lot to learn still!

However, unlike my previous experience being thrown off EVERY time, I'm now able to respond and sometimes stop their attacks. Keyword is "SOMETIMES"! And I'm no longer thrown off far. They felt very heavy but was manageable. Maybe I have done something right the past 18 years. Or maybe they were giving face. Most probably it was the latter.

I guess what I'm trying to say here are:

Go out of your comfort zone
I found out that I'm not rooted enough! In my own class no one could move me except sifu. I was told by members of the taichi push hands group that if I could root my self more, I would be able to use more body weight and project more power. Hey! I thought I was already doing that! This however, proves that I definitely have not done enough. I need more training!

Go out of your comfort zone and try to experience other arts and see where you can improve yourself! I would never know that there are many more steps forward! I mean, I know there's a LOT MORE but couldn't see what it was. Now Ican see.

But, be respectful and practice giving face. We're there to share and maybe learn. Not fight! Not to show we or the martial arts we practice is better. Remember in the end it is not about the martial arts. its about you! So focus on yourself and improve yourself!

P/S: Thank you all the members of the Bandar Tun Razak push hands training group, Mr. Lai, Philip, David and others for allowing me to join in. Hope to have many more good times ahead.

And thank you for your invitation to train me as a taichi push hands competitor and your comments on my performance. Please allow me to learn more after this!

I could use it when I'm 90!

There are many reasons why I'm learning martial arts but there are only a few reasons why I choose Chinese martial arts. One of them is, I know I could use it when I'm 90. Here's why I say so,

My first experience in Chinese Martial Arts is with a Sifu who teaches at the Chee Fee Tai Chi Choy Li Fut association. The sifu looked preety old (maybe about 70 or 80). This is already 18 years ago so I can no longer remember his name. But the experience is etched in my memory and hopefully it will never be removed.

I was learning Choy Li Fut while the master teaches Tai Chi at the side. I asked 1 stupid question which was, "How can you use that in a fight?". The master suggested an exchange which totally changed me. Having both Tae Kwon Do (green belt) and a little bit of Choy Li Fut (I started about a month before that) training and my youth to back me up I was cocky and over confident at the very least!. However, I was stopped and thrown before I could finish and BOY was he FAST! I still remember floating backwards with my soles about 1 feet above ground and landing about 3 or 4 metres away from him! I was beaten by a very old man!

That was not the first time I was so called bullied by and old man. I can no longer remember how many times I've been thrown up side down by my sifu. I've sparred and fought many people of many different martial arts, but none, no matter how big, strong and well conditioned they are, who has thrown me up side down. And my sifu is 66 years old this year with a limp on his leg due to an accident.

I have seen Grandmaster Yip Man's son Yip Chun do Chi Sau with people twice his size and half his age. Relaxed and in control. I have seen my Sibak (sifu's elder kungfu brother) who is 81 this year, pick up the 6 and a half point pole and bully my sihengtai (kungfu brothers) with it.

I can use this when I'm 90. My dream is to have many other 90 year olds practicing with me and continue to improve. Care to join me?

Forms? Or collection of techniques

My sifu made an interesting comment which got us thinking, and changed our whole view on traditional Chinese martial arts forms. My Sifu said, "This look like a collection of techniques rather than a form?". We asked him, "What's a form and what's the difference?". He said, "A form is a form and a collection of techniques is a training method you use to internalize the form". Ha? I'm confused...

But after a deeper look we can see something.

On the whole, I used to practice at least 1 hour a day and usually for about 3 hours every day. Many years ago I used to do about 2,000 to 5,000 punches a day or forms' breakdown (i.e. I take a form, break it down into single techniques and do lots of repetitions with it. I changed that routine to doing more forms and breakdown repetitions now due to the following reasons:

1. Experience
I have many kungfu brothers who come to me when they feel disillusioned by their training. My Sifu only teaches the forms and never conduct sparring sessions so the students do not get to feel or try what they've learned. I was the same but my my experience in the UK has taught me otherwise. Practicing just forms CAN make you a good fighter.

So, what I did was put attackers in a line and each of them has to fight the defender for 2 minutes, no breaks between attackers. The defender had to fight 4 guys in continuous 2 minute rounds! And we have a Karate and San Shou instructors in the group!!! The other guy is 6 feet tall with size 14 shoes and many years experience in many martial arts! You can see the fear in his eyes but he could handle the attackers well. He has only practiced forms but the result was just amazing!

2. Reaction Time
I always conduct training with other Wing Chun styles in Kuala Lumpur and in these sessions I do the most common thing all Wing Chun styles have which is Chi Sao. And from these sessions I get feedback on my kungfu. I always find that I react better on weeks where I focus on forms and the feedbacks I get from my friends confirms it.

Recently I managed to get one of the practitioners to come to my class for a small session of Chi Sao and I was pleased because he was saying good things about my chi sao, even though I've not done chi sao or sparring for almost 2 years. Only forms.

I also find that I could easily catch falling objects which slipped from my hand or react to fast moving items better when I do a lot more forms' training.

3. Health
I have many instances where my students' blood pressure normalized after training the small flower form (saifakuen) and the Qigong. I've seen it so many times in fact, now I will offer to teach the Small Flower Form and Qigong everytime I meet somebody suffers a stroke or has high blood pressure. And it hasn't failed me so far.

Everybody who is in love with martial arts knows that Taiji is a martial arts form that many people have adopted for health purposes.

4. Technique
Of course by training the form we are also training the techniques behind them. I find it easier to apply techniques and only needing minimal amounts of energy to execute them whenever I practice a lot of them. Also, because we are focusing on the form, we are also focusing on the detailed aspects of the form, which would lead to good structure, strong foundation and a sharper mind and body.

I can't tell anybody what the difference between Forms and Clooection of Techniques yet. But I know, FORMS WORKS! Even though we don't understand them!

The first wall!

People all over the world has always been attracted to the beautiful movements, speed and power of the martial arts. Taiji and Silat with their graceful flowing movements, Taekwondo's fantastic kicks, Karate's and Boxing's punches, Wing Chun's speed and short range techniques and many many others.

With those ideals in mind they join a martial arts class so they can do the same things. Here many encounters their first wall, "stance training". Imagine walking into a class, expecting to do the wonderful stuff others do and then we're asked to STAND and HOLD the position until the instructor says otherwise! I have seen many come and go soon after the first lesson, and I'd like to start my blog with this lesson.

After doing this for 17 years, I will say that this is the single most important training any master can teach you! Stance training will benefit you several ways:

1. When we are standing, running, walking or sitting down our body subconsciously collects information from the surrounding (foot pressure, distance with other objects, touch, feeling, sway and anything else). By standing still in a position, our brain screams for information which causes it to heighten all our senses. The longer we do so, the more natural this heightened sense will become to us.

I can only use my limited English and martial experience to explain this. Surf the net and you'll be able to find articles that better explain stances and structure.

2. Body Structure is the most important thing in life. It helps in stability, improves blood circulation, increases focus and a whole lot of other things. The proper stance practice will give you a better body structure that will give rise to many other good things in life.

3. Power comes from the correct body structure. I believe, the power in martial arts (by that I mean Wing Chun because I've only done those), comes when you are able to "throw" your body weight forward. There are two components to this. First is acceleration and the second is weight. When you can connect your body weight to your fist and accelerate to top speed in the least amount of time, you have attained full power.

4. Proper structure will also help us defuse any strikes and/or energy applied on us.

I didn't like my first three months of Wing Chun classes either because we only stood in one position at every class! But now, I wish I had done longer...

Now practice that stance!