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View Full Version : Do your non-MA friends severely overestimate your fighting ability?



Mr. Nemo
10-07-2001, 01:12 AM
Most of my friends don't do martial arts, and they know I do and am serious about them. They know I watch mixed martial arts, and I've tried to get them interested in it too, but they haven't shown too much excitement about it. One guy said "this is even more boring than boxing." Ugh.

However, they know I do martial arts, and as a result, they seem to have this idealized, incincible shaolin master ninja killer image of me. I offer to show them a few moves, and they're all afraid I'm going rip their kidneys out and sell'em in south america. I try to explain to them that I've only been doing martial arts for around a year and a half, and that I don't actually have that much live sparring experience, but they don't understand these things.

Does this happen to anyone else? I guess it's vaguely flattering, but it's just strange, to me.

SifuAbel
10-07-2001, 01:16 AM
Blame the movies.

Are you immortal?
sifuabel@yahoo.com

Scarletmantis
10-07-2001, 01:52 AM
More frustrating are the ones who think BJJ is the end all be all. I blame NHB for that (most of my friends are avid fans). When I point out the amatuer competitions of been in, they all say it's a fluke. :eek:

On the other hand, none of 'em will spar with me, 'cause they're afraid I'll rip out thier kidneys! :D

I guess it all balances out. Who trains for other's recognition anyway? I do it 'cause I'm a FIGHTER. My work and leisure persuits are all geared toward resolving physical conflicts. It actually might work to my advantage if some moron thought "that Kung Fu guy can't hurt me". :D Oh, I'd have soooo much fun with that guy!

"Master, here is a stick. Please beat me for my insolence." - KC Elbows

Godzilla
10-07-2001, 02:17 AM
Years ago when friends asked me to show them something, I would show them how I would block their punch and counter. They say, “cool” but “what if I do this, or that, etc…”

Now I just ask them to grab my arm and do a Chin Na on them. Once is enough. Then they think I am some Martial Arts expert and worry when I come within striking range.

What’s unfortunate is I love doing Chin Na and it’s hard to find people to practice with.

Godzilla

PS. Last night went out with wifey’s friends for dinner. This guy asked me to escape from a rear bear hug. I willingly turned my back and lifted my arms. He tightly wrapped his arms around my midsection and lifted me a bit. I gingerly located the pressure point between his thumb and forefinger (not in the center of webbing, but in the webbing ON TOP of the forefinger bone). He quickly let go of course. His hand still tingling as he shook it out, he said but what about a headlock? I graciously bent as he locked my head. I lovingly reached between his legs from behind and pinched the flab of his inner thigh about an inch below his balls. Ha, ha!

JasBourne
10-07-2001, 02:34 AM
"I lovingly reached between his legs from behind and pinched the flab of his inner thigh about an inch below his balls."

Heeheehee! Godzilla, that sounds like San Soo dirty fighting trix. Well done!

:D

Mr. Nemo
10-07-2001, 02:38 AM
"I lovingly reached between his legs from behind and pinched the flab of his inner thigh about an inch below his balls. Ha, ha!"

Your use of the word "lovingly" in this sentence makes me very uncomfortable.

Scarletmantis: at least your friends are able to distinguish one sytle from another. I get questions like "does this guy do capoeira kung fu?"

Silumkid
10-07-2001, 02:50 AM
Yes, I have friends who do this...one of them refers to me a a "superhero". :rolleyes:

I also know people who, upon learning I do kungfu, ask the seemingly inevitable questions:
1) "Oh you mean like what Bruce Lee did?"
2) "Oh like what Keanu Reeves did in the Matrix?"
3) "So can you jump up onto the roof from here?"
4) "So you can pull out people's hearts and show it to me?"

All of these were asked seriously. It's gets easier to this :mad: than to educate them, because sometimes they still don't get it.

We are trained in wushu; we must protect the Temple!

Nutt'nhunny
10-07-2001, 02:57 AM
Like gary's students that think he can do tai chi even though he disregards rooting, a strong base, a powerfull waist and the seven stars. Look at your pics Gary, does it really look like your suspended from above by a thread? Do you really think that tai chi applications are based on where the hands are in the "kata".

Who is that body building guy on your site? Was that you? Did you do steroids? Whats up?

I'm down with the pressure pionts, the chin na and the effectiveness of tai chi, but not without a good base and the seven stars, not even to mention the six harmonies and don't get me started on yin and yang.

Your very good for what you were dealt. More of Erles creative interpretation of Tai Chi Chuan.

qeySuS
10-07-2001, 02:58 AM
bah happens to me all the time. And i always tell them "guys i suck, i just like it, i have fun so it's just like any other sport". Now it's gotten even worse because 3 of my friends decided starting going to JJJ class and now they think i know everything, last night f.x. there was a party, they were drinking i wasnt and they talked to me all night about how i would handle some situation and what i could and could not do.

baaaaaaaaah.

Free thinkers are dangerous!

Nutt'nhunny
10-07-2001, 03:35 AM
gary, I hope those are very public applications. You have quick hands, but not fast and use the flurry to assess where the oppennet is. WHere exactly is the yielding? Well I sure as hell won't take classes from you. You at least move as a single unit, your partners don't move their hips though. Strange. I did learn something about showmanship though. Suppose your oppenents didn't give up after being bumbed out of trajectory. Then what? A fast flury and a bump makes an expert. Note to self. Lose weight and go full speed on students, they will think I'm good.

Daniel Madar
10-07-2001, 03:43 AM
Nobody believes I can fight, because I'm too much of a nice guy. I'm not inclined to stomp someone to prove the point. The only person who thinks I can fight is my friend who intro'd me to internal arts, and my wife, because they are the few people who know me well enough to realize what lies beneath...

What's up with all the one sided posts against gary? Not to defend, I just don't see his posts.

Merciless is Mercy.

fiercest tiger
10-07-2001, 04:31 AM
i take it you dont agree with erle's taiji methods?

I know that erle didnt learn most of the stuff he said he was taught!!

but he is making a killing from his dim mak theories...sigh...

come & visit us!
http://home.iprimus.com.au/ykm
yaukungmun@hotmail.com

PHILBERT
10-07-2001, 04:39 AM
I had a guy that I use to work with (he quit) return one day and hit me. He was just joking around and all and punched me in the shoulder. I simply turned around and raised my hand and he just turn and ran off. Pretty funny because he thought I was going to do some flying spinning kick or some other Jet Li/Matrix stuff on him (all I was gonna do was act like I was going to hit him.) One of the guys watching started laughing.

I also showed this lady the other night (I am a cashier, but I was taking her order to her car) a move to break a persons arm. She gave me a cash tip too. Hehe.

As we were walking out the store she said "Don't worry. If someone tries to attack you, I got pepper spray." My store is in a very rich neighborhood and I walk outside all the time in the dark (sometimes around midnight). A very well lit parking lot, and I don't fear being attacked. And I said "thats ok. I know Kung Fu." and she said "Really?" and I said "no. I actually know Tae Kwon Do and some JuJutsu." and she said "oh, I don't know the difference." Then we went into the parking lot and I showed her the move, then she gave me a tip. Rather funny too, all the cashiers were laughing.

PHILBERT

Jeff Liboiron
10-07-2001, 04:51 AM
When i'm with my friends they tell everybody i do kung fu, and say that i could take on 10 guys at the same time without being touched, i try to explain that nobody could take on 10 guys, and i would get my ass kicked, but they just don't get it. I guess i never should of showed them some moves. Perhaps they would never have thought this way. :(

Now they expect me to help them if someone is picking on them, naturally i would if they never did anything to start it, but i told them if they start it, they finish it :)

Xebsball
10-07-2001, 05:02 AM
The first time i told i fried i was going to kung fu class he asked me if i walked on walls (like in the Matrix).

-------------------------
"You will never need to feel weak, helpless, indecisive, not fascinating or ashamed of your genital dimensions. GOOD-BYE Humiliation. Bullies, Karate Experts, Boxing Champions, traffic wardens will melt to pulp as you master every situation."
Master Deltoo
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Stadium/2477/

DrunkenMonkey
10-07-2001, 06:04 AM
Here's the usual process of events when I tell some bad-ass punk about my MAs.

1. "I could kick your ass."

2. Bad-ass tries a move on me.

4. Bad-ass doesn't bother me anymore.

:)

"****ed be the day that befalls us in a most hostile manner that shall compromise our Country, and ****ed be the great lengths at which are required of to stir our Patriotism." - Anonymous

GreyFox81
10-07-2001, 06:42 AM
I usually don't tell anyone who i haven't known for a long time that i study kung fu cuz with the
fools around my knew they would try to test me
by fighting me. and I'm still a beginer but i am a
good fighter so i wouldn't be going be using kung
fu just my good old street fighting abilities that i have from years of fighting

death doesn't end life i do

Ryu
10-07-2001, 08:15 AM
Yes.

And it's annoying sometimes.
My closest female friends though do not think this, and are more worried if I get hurt than if I'm "superman" :)

Now that is someone who cares for ya!

Ryu

http://www.jkdu.co.za/pics/logos/jkduhpma1.gif


"One who takes pride in shallow knowledge or understanding is like a monkey who delights in adorning itself with garbage."

shaolinboxer
10-07-2001, 06:42 PM
I find that the best way for me to smooth out that kind of attention is to make jokes about martial arts and chat about it as if it were completely mundane..just something that's fun to do.

But I don't avoid the subject because, hey, I love to talk about martial arts! ;)

"She ain't got no muscles in her teeth."
- Cat

Shaolin36
10-07-2001, 07:04 PM
I have both sides of it. All of my friends are fighters, so some of them think I cant do anything to them, and some think I could mess them up no matter what. That is of course until we go out and get in a huge fight in the city, then they understand the protocal of Kung Fu.
People just dont understand that th outcome to a fight is determined in a split second, even if your well trained, you have good days and bad days.You just hope that you have more good than bad:P

Shaolin

MonkeySlap Too
10-07-2001, 07:37 PM
Nah, my friends are used to it by now. Some of the non-practitioners even take part in stuff occasionally, treating it like any other sporting thing.

What they over estimate is my ability to transfer my athleticism in martial arts to other activities. Outside of the MA thing, my freinds get a lot of ribbing in...

I am a big beleiver in luck. The more I work, the more luck I have.

GunnedDownAtrocity
10-07-2001, 10:24 PM
maestroable "blame the movies"

you just quoted my sifu man.

where's my beer?

Waidan
10-07-2001, 11:05 PM
I haven't gotten to box around with any of my non-MA friends in years due to this attitude. The annoying thing is they'll readily fight each other, but if I get involved everyone backs off and calls it quits. I even tell 'em "I'll only fight as fast/hard as you do" and they still skip out.

Flattering? I suppose, but I'd rather have the practice (and a few friends I could count on in a fight).

btw, I'm pretty sure Mr. Nemo is an invincible shaolin master ninja killer.

DragonzRage
10-07-2001, 11:44 PM
"People just dont understand that th outcome to a fight is determined in a split second, even if your well trained, you have good days and bad days.You just hope that you have more good than bad"

This is very true, Shaolin.

I don't think anyone who really knows me sees me as invincible, but I do get the dgree of respect that I rightfully deserve. Most of my friends have seen me fight, or at least know that I am a competitor and so they know what I am capable of (and what my limitations are). At the same time, I have a very forthfight attitude towards BS and if any of my friends have delusional and misinformed expectations of what martial arts training can make you capable of, I am the first one to clear it up for them.

But contrary to many other people's experiences here, I have actually seen that a lot of people DO NOT respect martial arts all that much. I hear a lot of "That ninja crap is a joke", "Yeah those Jet Li, Jackie Chan movies are cool but none of that stuff is real" and "I took karate/TKD/kung fu for a couple months when I was a kid...it was fun but I wouldn't use any of that crap on the street."

I have an old friend who is a long time and serious practitioner of Shotokan Karate and if anything, the other guys simply give him a lot of for it. No one ever accused him of being a bada$$. One time he was explaining to us how a very skilled karate man may be able to kill someone using his spearhand strike or something like that (which I don't think is ENTIRELY impossible) but everyone else just laughed and rolled their eyes at him about it while he stood up in indignation exclaiming, "No guys, I'm serious!!"

gazza99
10-08-2001, 02:21 AM
RE:Honeysmacks

First of all despite what you have gathered from some basic pics/clips I assure you I am well versed in using my waist, root, etc...Of course the apps arent just where your hands are in the kata.
You should be able to hover your mouse over the pics and get a description of the picture. But in case your having trouble, that pic is of Ed-he is one of my students, and I am helping him promote his personal training buisiness, there is a link to his website as well. Also one of the testimonials is by him.
"More of Erles creative interpretation of Tai Chi Chuan. "
Your 4 years of training must give you a strong base to critisize Erle.

"Suppose your oppenents didn't give up after being bumbed out of trajectory. Then what? "

Well realisicly I would not have stopped with the bump, as a matter of fact within the same second he would have been struck, and then reapeated strikes would follow.

"A fast flury and a bump makes an expert. Note to self. Lose weight and go full speed on students, they will think I'm good. "

Im glad you would never want to join my class, a person with your stupidity and lack of respect has no buisiness learning the internal arts. Who is your teacher? Where do you train?

If your ever in OK. City Id love to show you what a "flury and a bump" can do!! But until you accually meet and train with me in person just shut your ignorant Fu(king mouth.
Gary

"Of course thats just my opinion, I could be wrong"-Dennis Miller
www.pressurepointfighting.com (http://www.pressurepointfighting.com)

gazza99
10-08-2001, 02:35 AM
Appologies to all (but honeysmacks) for the above Off-topic rant.
Anyhow, many people both overestimate and underestimate me becuase of my MA. It just depends on the individual. But mostly i get people who want me to show them something, so if I know them I just have them throw a punch at me and I block it and tie them up in a lock or something, after that they overestimate me, and if they are not interested in MA, they fear me.
Those that underestimate me I just humor them a bit, its understandable the way the movies have portrayed the MA, not to mention the reputation of Taijiquan as a health dance.
Gary

"Of course thats just my opinion, I could be wrong"-Dennis Miller
www.pressurepointfighting.com (http://www.pressurepointfighting.com)

qeySuS
10-08-2001, 03:12 AM
No offense gary but sometimes you dont sound like an overly respective guy :)

Then again telling people to **** off is often the only way to get a message across

aaaand i just read 200 pages of a boring book in a matter of hours, it's 1 AM and i still hvae 250 pages to go, so i might just be CRAAZY!


AHhAHAHhAhA CRAZY maUAHhahahhA

sigh i need more coke.

Free thinkers are dangerous!

gazza99
10-08-2001, 03:21 AM
very true, its seems perhaps vulgarities could only help emphasize my point to idiots like honeysmacks... :rolleyes:
Gary

"Of course thats just my opinion, I could be wrong"-Dennis Miller
www.pressurepointfighting.com (http://www.pressurepointfighting.com)

Nutt'nhunny
10-08-2001, 04:04 AM
idiot?

I'm not the one damaging tai chi's name, you are. You did move as a single unit, congratulations, your a begginer. Your posture still sucks. You were quick, but can your quick little flurries go for a long period of time with actual power? I think not, your waist wasn't moving. If they did hit, you don't have the conditionin of a martial artist, not to mention a fighter. If you somehow did muster up enough fa jing(which was absent in all applications) you would hurt your hand. If that WAS fa jing, then I wasn't aware that fa jing was developed by leaning. The classics say otherwise, but who are they to contradict Erle. Secondly, what you did was a ok for an external art, I'm all for buping myself, but it had nothing to do with tai chi. Call your art chinese self defense, but please stop calling it tai chi. Thats not what tai chi is. Your step through takedown was an embarassement to shuai chiao, even basic shuai chiao, not even to mention tai chi. Stepping behind gives you and your opponent equal advantage. A big no no. Certainly no tai chi involved. I think you will find yourself flying all over the place if you ever fight someone who has done some stance work.

call me whatever you like, but your roots run shallow. Heres a hint, drop your breathing and sink your kwa, earn some posture and consult the tai chi classic more often than your erle.

Talk with all the machismo you want. I'm not going to Oklahoma, but if your ever in town I'll spar with you. I'm far more yin than you and far more yang. You wouldn't hurt me, and I'll only fight at your level, so it will be like a fast pushing hands competition. You know pushing hands right? You know the drill that teaches you the fighting princibles that you flat out ignore in application? ring a bell?

Who is that body builder anyways?

prana
10-08-2001, 04:14 AM
back in high school, when I first moved here and I first saw white people, racism was a fairly intense experience.

Then one day, we were playing soccer, instead of kicking the ball, I accidentally swung my leg into one of those "footballer" guys's legs and displaced his kneecaps. Prior to that, my lack of soccer skills was flying kick the ball.

I never would tell anyone I did martial arts.
Perhaps I was just too unsociable and too quiet.

http://dharmatours.com/hbmc/Prwhbl1.gif

[This message was edited by prana on 10-08-01 at 07:28 PM.]

Nutt'nhunny
10-08-2001, 04:20 AM
prana = Loser/victim

I hearby give Prana a cyberwedgie, thus counting coup on my weaker victim.

gazza99
10-08-2001, 04:42 AM
"but can your quick little flurries go for a long period of time with actual power? "
YES accually they can!!!!

"Your step through takedown was an embarassement to shuai chiao, even basic shuai chiao, not even to mention tai chi. Stepping behind gives you and your opponent equal advantage. A big no no. Certainly no tai chi involved. "
No Sh##!!!! (he stepped behind me, I only moved first, these clips were not choreographed, he just tried various attacks, and I tried to respond only in the most basic manner.

"but your roots run shallow. Heres a hint, drop your breathing and sink your kwa, earn some posture and consult the tai chi classic more often than your erle"

Thanks for the advice, I regret to tell you but its wasted here, I am totally aware of these things, and do practice them, though they may not be depicted on the clips I do have a good root, and am very well versed in the use of fa-jing.

"I'm far more yin than you and far more yang. You wouldn't hurt me, "

I wouldnt bet on that if I were you, even Chris B. (karate instuctor) that was in the clips said I only showed "(1/1000th)" of my ability. Your assumptions could prove dangerous, although your next statements seem friendly enough, and perhaps one day we can have a good triaining session. I have a friend in the Air Force out in CO , Although he is CO springs, I might take a skiing trip out their this winter or next, but perhaps we could meet then? (On only a friendly basis of course)

"and I'll only fight at your level,"

This is ASSuming you are at my level ! But since you seem to have 1/2 half the exp. and think you are much better, I appreciate your willingness to take a break from your ego and not hurt me should the opportunity present itself to you!
" so it will be like a fast pushing hands competition. You know pushing hands right?"

Yes I know pushing hands, I practice it almost every day!!!!!!!

"You know the drill that teaches you the fighting princibles that you flat out ignore in application? ring a bell?"
Yes it teaches many things, none of which I ignore, your tune will change towards me once me meet, until then........
Gary

"Of course thats just my opinion, I could be wrong"-Dennis Miller
www.pressurepointfighting.com (http://www.pressurepointfighting.com)

prana
10-08-2001, 07:49 AM
ahh I wasnt picking on him. He was a huge fellow ! Anyways, it was purely accidental, but just funny, that from then on, no one picked on me.

Little did they know, I cannot fight :P I am one of the worst fighters I know.

ged
10-08-2001, 01:54 PM
im a crap fighter. so sometimes i bash up my 12 year old brother. makes me feel like a man.

JWTAYLOR
10-08-2001, 04:42 PM
Good for you, Ged, that's what they're for.

And most of my friends and long time coworkers have either sparred me, or watched me at one of our school's old full contact Friday night fights. Plus, I work with a couple of the members of the Governor's protective detail and they've seen what I can do, and what I cant' do. They all seem to have a pretty realistic sense of my abilities, for good or for bad.

JWT

If you pr!ck us, do we not bleed? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that the villany you teach me, I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction. MOV

Snake
10-08-2001, 04:58 PM
My friends seem to fall into two categories when it comes to me doing kung fu. First, I have the group that think I can kick anyones ass and tell me they want me on their side if we go into a fight. The other reaction is sort of a "kung fu huh? How nice for you." These people don't take my training seriously and relate it to the worst of the "chop socky" kung fu films.

It should be noted that both of these attitudes bother me. I'd just like my friends to take my dedication to martial arts seriously and respect my training the same way I do any of their interests.

Snake
"The Tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time by the blood of patriots and tyrants." -Thomas Jefferson

qeySuS
10-08-2001, 05:07 PM
I have no little brother, however my big sisters sometimes beat me up, makes me feel special.

Free thinkers are dangerous!