Fighting in a circle

[Shadow Skill]

I was talking to my Sifu about my next test. He was telling me for part of my test I have to stand in a circle and use only defensive techniques while I get attacked be different MAist from different styles. If I step out out the circle I fail that part. after that section I'm allowed to use offensive moves aginst my attackers. anyone have any experience w this type of test? Don't know when It's gonna happen, I hope he lets me record it.

[TenTigers]

I learned a drill similar to this, but it was countering, from my old Kenpo days, and later again, with Alan Lee's Wing Chun. Do a search on it on youtube, I believe there is a vid of them doing it. It's fun and gives you that adrenal response.

[lkfmdc]

when you pass, do you get to burn a tiger and a dragon into your forearms? :rolleyes:

[TenTigers]

You get to lift the electric rice cooker and bring it to the sink to wash it. You will have the Panasonic logo burned into your forearms as a sign to all of your commitment and dedication to Kung Food

[sanjuro_ronin]

You get to lift the electric rice cooker and bring it to the sink to wash it. You will have the Panasonic logo burned into your forearms as a sign to all of your commitment and dedication to Kung Food

:D
Rice cooker for the win !

[lkfmdc]

where is Gene to promote the "Official Shaolin Temple Rice Cooker"

[monji112000]

I was talking to my Sifu about my next test. He was telling me for part of my test I have to stand in a circle and use only defensive techniques while I get attacked be different MAist from different styles. If I step out out the circle I fail that part. after that section I'm allowed to use offensive moves against my attackers. anyone have any experience w this type of test? Don't know when It's gonna happen, I hope he lets me record it.

it really depends on how you go about training a fighting circle. Its a fun drill, and it can if done correctly really work on your first initial reactions in a fight. It doesn't train all the aspects of a fight and you must also do allot of sparring and drills.
I wouldn't use it as test. Here is how we do it...
person stands in middle, when he faces a person that person attacks in a realistic manner ( faster strong ect.. are increased as needed). You have to attack a realistic distance and don't wait for the person to get ready. He continues to turn after each attack and he continues till he can't defend himself anymore.

its called a reaction training drill its not fighting. you don't need a circle you can do it with three people even. one person is the defender the other two take turns attacking as soon as the person deals with the other person.

its fun!

[southernkf]

I was talking to my Sifu about my next test. He was telling me for part of my test I have to stand in a circle and use only defensive techniques while I get attacked be different MAist from different styles. If I step out out the circle I fail that part. after that section I'm allowed to use offensive moves aginst my attackers. anyone have any experience w this type of test? Don't know when It's gonna happen, I hope he lets me record it.

Hi,

This sort of thing never made sense to me, depending on how you look at it. If you look at if from the perspective of ritual or rite of passage, then maybe. I think the only real benefit is it gives you the experience of being under tremendous pressure and see how you will react. But most people I talked to that have been part of something similar seem to suggest that they can fight a bunch of black belts simultaneously. The problem with this, I always thought, is if these guys are good and went through this same treatment, shouldn't they be able to kick your butt, especially in a group? So the test is somehow ratcheted down if your expected to successfully defend yourself, or you seriously get your butt kicked if they are allowed to go full steam. I have heard of both approaches.

In either case, I am not much of a fan of this sort of test. Though I don't think there is anything wrong with the concept of putting yourself in the situation. I think that can be an eye opener. I would prefer a good test where one GOOD person tests the skills of the other person.

[TenTigers]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YziUvBqX-zI&NR=1

(I still say he looked like Tom Hanks)

[Shadow Skill]

lucky for me they all don't attack @ the same time. one at a time. and when I pass I'll get a big full body brand it's a dragopanager:D

[David Jamieson]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YziUvBqX-zI&NR=1

(I still say he looked like Tom Hanks)


I think I am the only one who commented on the fact that he is a good foot taller and at least 50 lbs heavier than any of those guys in his randori.

as well, many of his attackers were going into an aerial roll before segal touched them.

so, he gets 4 stars for movie fu and zero for realism. :p

[southernkf]

LOL, that is my point. I am assumming all those people were in that Randori prior to Segal. I would also bet they looked as good in theirs. So if they all were so good that they could toss people around, why couldn't these guys toss Segal around just as effortlessly? Perhaps Segal is making his way to the badness that Chuck Norris is See this page (http://4q.cc/index.php?pid=top100&person=chuck). In that case, nobody would then move on if Segal was part of their randori. LOL.

[GeneChing]

I'm disappointed that wasn't a hyperlink above to some more of your fine photoshoppin'
:D

[lkfmdc]

I'm disappointed that wasn't a hyperlink above to some more of your fine photoshoppin'
:D

I hate to disappoint Gene, so here you go ;)

[jet64]

it really depends on how you go about training a fighting circle. Its a fun drill, and it can if done correctly really work on your first initial reactions in a fight. It doesn't train all the aspects of a fight and you must also do allot of sparring and drills.
I wouldn't use it as test. Here is how we do it...
person stands in middle, when he faces a person that person attacks in a realistic manner ( faster strong ect.. are increased as needed). You have to attack a realistic distance and don't wait for the person to get ready. He continues to turn after each attack and he continues till he can't defend himself anymore.

its called a reaction training drill its not fighting. you don't need a circle you can do it with three people even. one person is the defender the other two take turns attacking as soon as the person deals with the other person.

its fun!

Actually the idea of that is for a fighter learn to use a small availble space when fighting. in that drill there is limited space so you cannot retreat in straight lines but the use of circular technique and its a drill to develop ones skills in stances, agility.

[LoneTiger108]

I was talking to my Sifu about my next test. He was telling me for part of my test I have to stand in a circle and use only defensive techniques while I get attacked be different MAist from different styles. If I step out out the circle I fail that part. after that section I'm allowed to use offensive moves aginst my attackers. anyone have any experience w this type of test? Don't know when It's gonna happen, I hope he lets me record it.

Yep! Experienced this I have *no Yoda voice intended!*

I can see how we all might be wary of this sort of training, but you have to read into what Shadow Skills teacher has said, ie use only defensive techniques. This type of training should be within a national standard for all Martial Arts, IMO, as it has some unique attributes.

I've watched the clips of Aikido 'group sets', which I personally find no more challenging than choreographing a decent demo or Youtube Fight Scene. VERY good to experiment and refine technique and train stamina, especially if you can actually remember how to use a hundred techniques one after the next! But mostly this type of training is used to 'pressure test' a single technique. Also, if the defender has to 'look' at someone to invite them in, this is an early stage of training.

In my day (coz I'm that old!) we used a minimum of 3-8 people and referred to the training as Baat Gwa 'level'. At a higher standard a General is placed within the group to signal students into attack, starting by calling them in then just with a silent gesture. The idea behind this is to literally fight the defender until he has no strength left. Generally used in the Military to defeat Generals with Footsoldiers as no one can survive indefinately! There is some major endurance stuff happening here, and thats not just for the defender. The circle can move in both directions and at an advanced level is very fast and changeable, causing the defender to lose all his directional mind. Its a heavily disciplined team building exercise, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to 'test' a technique.

A very good tactic for assessing a students competence...

[Shadow Skill]

From the responses I'm getting I don't think I explained this well enough, Sifu draws, tapes whatever a circle on the floor. If I step out I fail. anyone done this?

[doug maverick]

I was talking to my Sifu about my next test. He was telling me for part of my test I have to stand in a circle and use only defensive techniques while I get attacked be different MAist from different styles. If I step out out the circle I fail that part. after that section I'm allowed to use offensive moves aginst my attackers. anyone have any experience w this type of test? Don't know when It's gonna happen, I hope he lets me record it.
i di something similar with my sifu in xing yi chuan but i wasn't a circle and it was just him or one of my class mates who did defferent style. and it wasn't it was just to get me use to doing mtations in xing yi to allow it to flow more like boxing. there are other ways of doing it but this way you know what woks for you and what doesn't like me i can use the first four fist and the tiger step of xing yi very well but i'm not good with the last fist and some of the other animals. which don; translate well to me.(need more practice:D)

[hskwarrior]

i will take an honest crack at this although i know everyone here is messing around.

the circle idea isn't a new one, and i think its a good idea. in fact, i make my guys spar 3 on one all the time.

if you think about the purpose of a circle it can represent a small confined area. and knowing where the lines are so you don't step out during the melee of the situation is great because it forces you to do what you know in such a confined area.

imagine being in a packed club, and don't have the room to do swing or move better. if you got into a fight in the midst of them its like the same concept of the circle.

if you cross you fail......its a little harsh, but if they set the bar that high for you, then they want more out of you then you currently give them.

i've also known circles to be of people, and with one in the middle. out of nowhere people will charge you and you defend attack or what ever.

so go with it.

[monji112000]

Actually the idea of that is for a fighter learn to use a small availble space when fighting. in that drill there is limited space so you cannot retreat in straight lines but the use of circular technique and its a drill to develop ones skills in stances, agility.
:rolleyes:

if you want you can do the drill like a Kung fu movie.. but then its a waste of time. Just stick to sparring and two person drills. The ones were you take turns throwing combinations and countering.

here are some clips of the drill done by different skill levels.
http://wingchunkungfu.cn/Mastermpg/112699h.mpg
http://wingchunkungfu.cn/Mastermpg/121099f.mpg
http://wingchunkungfu.cn/Mastermpg/102599q.mpg
http://wingchunkungfu.cn/Mastermpg/102799q.mpg
http://wingchunkungfu.cn/Mastermpg/102799u.mpg

Sifu Allen Lee has some clips on Youtube of his students doing the same drill but slower.