Why people don't use their kung fu? [Archive]

oogabooga

10-09-2005, 09:17 AM

Hey all,
Sorry if this topic has been brought up already, but I couldn't find any ones that satisfy my question.
I have heard that kung fu uses a different set of power and this power takes time to learn. It's not mystical power or internal strengh or anything like that, but it's just different type of power. The analogy that is given to me was that: Lets say a man is trying to lift a box and he bends over and picks it up, but by bending over he's using his back muscles and over time that strengh is limited.
So another way of doing it is bending your knees and by doing that you're using a different type of power. So the same applies in kung fu except you're using your entire body's strengh and focusing it to one point.

Anyways, what do you guys think? would this be pretty accurate?

SifuAbel

10-09-2005, 04:10 PM

Not really.

The "it takes a long time" comment is not really clear. It takes a long time to get good at the entirety of ones skill sets. BUT, it doesn't take any more time to get basic skills.

The problem with "using my kung fu" as a statement for most is that they are looking always toward the most exotic portion of their skill set.

Using a basic punch or kick is using one's kung fu. So if I didn't dispatch my opponent with a triple summersault spinning cresent upside down with a twist aerial kick, it doesn't mean I didn't use my kung fu. Just the portion that was needed.

Royal Dragon

10-09-2005, 04:50 PM

Well said!!

SimonM

10-09-2005, 04:51 PM

One of my favorite scenes in any Gong Fu movie is in black mask.

One of the villains comes running up and does this HUGE leaping kick. Jet Li calmly pulls out a bread and butter side kick and hits him in the crotch before his leg can connect sending him sprawling off to the side.

In a fight simple is good.

GunnedDownAtrocity

10-09-2005, 09:57 PM

i didnt have a chance to get very deep into sinking power (i have no idea what its actually called ... i'd sink and use explosive energy backed by a correctly aligned skeleton to hit things), but i dont think it took much longer to learn than anything else.

it's definatley not as natural as generating power with the hips, but after 2 or 3 months i was using it in sparring pretty regularly and after 4 or 5 i was having some decent sucess with it.

Willow Palm

10-10-2005, 07:58 AM

Kungfu isn't the only MA to use their entire body for a strike. There are several styles and forms within those styles that don't require such, but certain techniques do exist that require full power.

On my first class I learned a low heel kick w/punch (among others) where you sink at the waist and stomp out with your heel. If done correctly you can kick a tree or a wall as hard as you can and not fall over.

So, I suppose you start learning from day one but you've got the rest of your life to perfect it.

Warren

GeneChing

10-10-2005, 12:32 PM

The definition of kung fu use is way too narrow for most people. A lot of people limit there applications to fighting, as in being attacked by Han's army or something. There's the physical application, like lifting boxes and such, and there's a mental/philosophical application - that's harder to define.

Here at the office, at my job, I've been working on applying my triple summersault spinning cresent upside down with a twist aerial kick everytime I have to staple papers together. I can't quite get the round off clean yet, which is providing great amusement amongst my co-workers.

EarthDragon

10-10-2005, 01:07 PM

for me kungfu is a way of life...... it's not just a martial art.
So just becuse your not defending yourself does not mean your not using your kung fu.

I use kung fu when I golf, when I walk, when I hike just about everything. I was once asked how can you rock climb so easily and I said years of kung fu.
.........
open your preception and your outlook for you will see more.........

SifuAbel

10-10-2005, 01:44 PM

Here at the office, at my job, I've been working on applying my triple summersault spinning cresent upside down with a twist aerial kick everytime I have to staple papers together. I can't quite get the round off clean yet, which is providing great amusement amongst my co-workers.

Landing in a split might help. :D

GeneChing

10-10-2005, 02:16 PM

...nearly stapled my... oh nevermind. :o

SifuAbel

10-10-2005, 02:37 PM

Ouch, perhaps you should chuck the whole kick idea and use a Kwan do instead.

Becca

10-10-2005, 02:51 PM

...nearly stapled my... oh nevermind. :o
:eek: ;) :D .... OMG! I'm still chuckling...

Anywho... I use my kung fu quite a bit. Today while pulling and order, I'd forgotten to lower the order picker before stepping off it. After years of martial arts, "stepping down" 6 feet and landing correctly did not phase me at all, but the co-worker who saw me do it, freaked out that I didn't hurt myself.

And when asked if I could "beat someone up" I ask why I would need to. Did they intend to attack me? Which usually ends with them asking why I even study Kung Fu. This question I usually answer with " be cause I enjoy it."

GeneChing

10-10-2005, 04:39 PM

Whaaaaaat?!? Are you mocking my Shaolin Stapler Fu?! Everyone knows the Kwan Dao is for fixing jams in the copy machine. Like, duh... :rolleyes:

SimonM

10-10-2005, 04:43 PM

SifuAbel

10-10-2005, 05:29 PM

Whaaaaaat?!? Are you mocking my Shaolin Stapler Fu?! Everyone knows the Kwan Dao is for fixing jams in the copy machine. Like, duh... :rolleyes:

Actually a kwan do is for buttering bread or for slicing cheese. The best thing to clear paper jams is "snake creeps down". And if that doesn't work use a chain whip.

GeneChing

10-10-2005, 05:33 PM

... I thought the Butterfly knives were for buttering bread and snake creeps down was for tying my shoes. We've been using the chain whip for other things, NSFW things, so I'll just leave it at that. So glad this thread was posted - it's certainly cleared up a lot of misconceptions I've had.

SifuAbel

10-10-2005, 05:37 PM

Nooooooooooooooooo, butterfly knives are for clearing earwax on sundays.

GeneChing

10-10-2005, 05:55 PM

...wtf do I do with the rope dart?

If that's not a set up for a snappy comeback, I don't know what is...

Royal Dragon

10-10-2005, 05:58 PM

No, I have to say Butterfly Knives ARE for buttering bread. Sorry, but your Kung Fu Sucks, and will perish at the superior style presented forth by ME! :D

SifuAbel

10-10-2005, 07:23 PM

...wtf do I do with the rope dart?

Fishing :D

Slade

10-10-2005, 08:26 PM

LOL Fishing now id love to see that, *Darts a fist out of the water and pulls it up*

SimonM

10-10-2005, 09:59 PM

Fishing :D
Come on! Everyone knows you can't use a rope dart for fishing the fish will bite through the rope. You need the nine section whip for fishing. No fish is gonna bite through that... Of course we should not use Genes nine section whip. We don't want to know where it's been. :eek:

viper

10-11-2005, 12:45 AM

one of the funniest things many westerners say is can u break a board. i say dunno they look at me funny and say but u do kung fu im lik no i practise martial arts kung fu is broad word, effort translated after they get over that in there heads i say dunno bcause boards dont attack me and laugh i love it reminds me of karate kid.
We had a brand new student come in and says to my sifu can u kick down a tree and stuff sifu says no i got a really good chainsaw over there just funni the way he said it. Just rambling but just thought id share that neone got neother stories lik that pls tell.

Royal Dragon

10-11-2005, 05:08 PM

Hores stance is stupid and a waste of time. Everyone knows you would be much better off spending that time developing a Muy Tai Round kick!

* Quickly looks around nerviously, then runs off to hide.............................................: p

PangQuan

10-11-2005, 09:08 PM

OMG

not the old horse stance debate again. lets not let this thread dwindle to that...not again.

Traditionalists stay on one side of the fence and modernists stay on the other please.

For the record, I hate horse stance training, but I still do it.

As far as using my "kung fu", I used it no less than 100 times today. If not more.

I locked my door this morning while leaving for work, dropped my keys, but my kung fu reflexes caught them before they fell past my waist. And that is just the beginning of my day.

GeneChing

10-12-2005, 09:47 AM

...thankfully, it was oven dried and there were spacers, so I defeated it with ease.

please, no more discussion of my chain whip issues...:o

SifuAbel

10-12-2005, 01:04 PM

.............now about those chain whip issues................. :D

Willow Palm

10-12-2005, 01:52 PM

Now that my misconceptions have been cleared on weapons used in the office enviroment, which one do I use to get booty from the cute receptionist?

Warren

David Jamieson

10-12-2005, 05:59 PM

tell her about your pork dagger form

SimonM

10-13-2005, 12:47 AM

...thankfully, it was oven dried and there were spacers, so I defeated it with ease.

please, no more discussion of my chain whip issues...:o

Have you seen the far-side cartoon where the aliens made out of stacked bricks and boards invade earth and the Karate school knows their day has come?

GeneChing

10-13-2005, 09:52 AM

How I miss Far Side. Larson did a display out here years ago - tons of his originals were shown like fine art - it was glorious.

As for cute receptionist booty, it's all about chains, whips (http://www.martialartsmart.net/tck-cs003.html) and studs (http://www.martialartsmart.net/studleatwais.html). Trust me.