Are you like this little dog running after his tail?

[old jong]

Are you after all answers?...How to counter this or that?...What if?...Moves vs moves?...
To have all the answers you must first have all the questions.How many life times will it take to be ready for everything?...Accumulating techniques and sparring experiences is a good thing for many and for some times but,sooner or later,someone with a lot less of that experience and technical bagage will be able to play with you as you were a beginner!...Why is that?....
Something I read many years ago: Mas Oyama,the founder of Kuokushin Karate once decided to make an experiment.He trained two of his best students in a very different way.One was feeded with all the tricks,lots of physical and resistance training,sparring and everything in that field.The other was asked to concentrate on the basics,meditation,low abdominal breathing,kata and the kinds. The results where a surprise for many when the two were asked to face eachother in a match.The first one had muscled up and was more agressive but the "thinker" ,who had lost some weight and was more frail just played with him like it was nothing. One was "ready" for everything but still he got beaten by a weaker looking and less "trained" opponent.

[yuanfen]

Was the second guy wearing pajamas?
That could have been the reason.

Let none question my lingering way
I gain like Flavius with delay.

[kj]

Good story, Old Jong. If you ever remember where that particular story came from, I would love to know it.

Regards,
- Kathy Jo

[yuanfen]

Favius- darn fingers.

Old Jong comes up with things doesnt he?

[old jong]

I got this from an old book called "Zen combat" by Jay Gluck
Ballantine books SBN 345-23778-1-125

Just thought this could relate to the eternal argument we have here. ;)

[old jong]

All of this was performed wearing pijamas!...:D ;) (Both of them so none could have the pijamas advantage) ;)

[yuanfen]

The etymological roots of pajamas are likely in India- so I better go put them on. Pa= legs. Jama= clothing.

Incidentally- boxing is a very demanding sport and one has to be in top shape. But if you look at the video- When we were Kings-
about Ali and Foreman- watch for the details...
Foreman would practically break the heavy bag in two. Ali would
tap it in comparison- greater interest in alignment. And he wasbig on shadowboxing. He was always a thinking fighter till the body broke down. So even for a cerebral fighter, the body must be able to execute. Everyone has limits. Knowing them and compensating for them are even more important in the internal end of the continuum.

[old jong]

I saw that film and I noticed the differences between the two.Brain must be backed with the delivery system to do the job.But beyond brain,there is mind/spirit whatever. ;)

[Merryprankster]

More importantly, the better fighter that day won. Good on him. Can't make a judgment like that from one fight :D

[old jong]

You're right!...Who cares about spirit these days anyway?...;)

[Merryprankster]

Hey, some people decide martial arts is a spiritual endeavor. I don't, but whatever floats your boat.

[old jong]

...oups!...I forgot we are in the " punch him in the face to open his guard" era!...Let's forget about anything spiritual before we pass for tree huggers!...;)

[kj]

Thanks for the info, Old Jong.
- kj

[old jong]

Hope you find it somewhere. It's a good read! ;)

[old jong]

Body/mind/spirit
All activities in life have these three components. We should try to find a good balance between these three to have good effectiveness in any things.
This is what I believe.Anybody is free to believe otherwise.

[Sam]

old jong,
I believe the student who trained traditionally in Kata and meditation had a full belief in his art and was centered and calm in an adverse situation. The other student was a jack of all trades and master of none. One should truly master the art that is right for them and then look to other arts to improve what they have already mastered. Notice I said improve and not replace.
I agree that mind, body, and spirit are to be mastered and intergrated as one. An opponent can defeat you with just one of these attributes. Be prepared to deal with each one individually or as one complete force.

[old jong]

I guess this means that the old "mind over matter" can work sometimes. But the proper balance of things must be there in the first place.It was in the little story I talked about.

[whippinghand1]

Originally posted by Sam
jack of all trades and master of none. The latest is "Jack of all trades. Master of Wing Chun."

[yuanfen]

WH1: True.
Some folks learna little wing chun- dont understand the core
and run off creating Rube Golberg contraptions--
having gone through exactly the opposite route--- I see implications of wing chun principles in any good martial motion...
admittedly it wasnta quickie journey.