Beginner needs help

[Jables]

What is a 'Bo-Faht'?

[needlefist]

Bo = Step/footwork

Faht = Law/Method/Way

[Ego_Extrodinaire]

Jables,

Now that you have responded to my comments on UFC, I have read through your messages and you had indeed not mentioned about UFC.

Rather that taking this as an error on my part, you should address why had you not mentioned this important aspect. It is quite obvious that Hung Gar is no more superior than say Wing Chun, won't you agree?

And although we haven't seen Hung Gar in UFC, we have seen Wing Chun players gotten absolutely smashed by UFC or even western boxers.

You did mention that those other styles are merely sports combat, from you statement, it is blatenly obvious that your Hung Gar style which you so highly revere and defend is much less than the sports-combat styles you so put down.

Perhaps you are intelectually challenged to the extent that within the logic of your argument, you argue against yourself.

If you haven't noticed in your training, BJJ players don't waste time with lion dancing, whereas you do. Why don't you ask your sifu why he / she is wasting your time and money?

In any case, you asked for help and you've got the best, frank and honest feeback from the Ego Maximus Extrodinaire. So go away my little beginner and think about what I say. I do give you the benefit of the doubt that you are smart enough to understand what i'm saying. It takes awhile before beginners get conditioned into southern kung fu society, in that there may be hope for you yet.

[Helicopter]

I half-remember maxim I read (It may have been someone's sig)
Anyway to paraphrase:

" A man revelling in his ignorance, is like a monkey adourning itself with garbage."

Not 100% correct I don't doubt, but you get the point.

[tomcat]

The only art Ego has mastered is diarrhea of the mouth!!

[needlefist]

If Ego gets you posting and better still thinking before posting, then he's done a good job. You can use his points to reflect on what you do in a different light. What if he were right about some things? Would we admit it to ourselves, would we admit it here?
What then? If he is right, then we need look at ourselves, at our beliefs about things and what we practice. That takes more courage than simply dissing someone.

I've done Bak-Siu-Lum and Hung-Gar. Ego is apparently a 'Northerner' and seems to put down Southern systems. My Si-Fu taught Bak-Siu-Lum first before Hung Gar because he said BSL was easier to learn and to understand. Is that true? How should I know, I've not learned BSL from any other source. If its just what 'Si-Fu says' then of course he's right.

If what we do is any good then Ego is our friend, he'll prompt us to reflect on the value of what we do, and, maybe, share that here with others.

There are many species of Troll, some of them are actually helpful.
It all depends on how we understand them.

[HuangKaiVun]

In all honesty, I am very interested in why TKD works better than Hung Gar for Ego.

Ego has stated earlier that he is wheelchair bound. My medical training tells me that he has limited use of his legs and thus cannot even do the TKD kicks from a seated position.

On the other hand, one can do Hung Ga from a seated position. One can get pretty darn good at Hung Ga from a seated position, especially since wheelchair folks like Ego have presumably strong arms to assist themselves in locomotion.

So Ego, this is not a flame. I'm asking you why Hung Ga doesn't work for YOU and why TKD DOES.

[guohuen]

That's an exellant question. TKD is great, but Kai's logic is very sound on this.

[needlefist]

Given that he is/maybe disabled and now sadly in a wheelchair, it might be pertinent to ask him about his experience prior to his disability.

His posts have over time suggested an extensive amount of time in martial arts.

Past experience is valuable, and for those who suffer from a disability, the past is a source of life - and legitimately so.

Would you turn your back on a teacher who was disabled when you met him? And do so without regard for what he may have achieved in his years of health?

Teachers come in many forms. It may be simply rude to ignore or berrate one who is obviously a teacher and has something unusual by way of perspective to offer. With the unobvious teacher some applied intelligence is needed to understand just what the lesson is. Where that fails, then ignorrance has triumphed.

[HuangKaiVun]

I would most certainly turn my back on a teacher who consistently flames certain styles and those who practice them.

Any REAL fighter who's actually FOUGHT knows that just because a style isn't his cup of tea doesn't mean that NOBODY from that style can fight.

Ego consistently does this. He hasn't just done this on this thread. Constantly he spews about how the Southern styles are so inferior and those who practice them can't fight.

The thing is that we have several Southern stylists that post here who obviously CAN fight. Their very existence shines the light of reason on Ego's ego posts.

So EGO might have "experience", but experience in and of itself doesn't make him SMARTER.

[needlefist]

I try not to get offended by Ego, this is the internet, and 'public' forums are far less real than everyday life.

Ego isn't naming himself or his school, doesn't claim to speak for a particular Pai, so why get upset?

Given the above why not learn from Ego? What can be learned?
A lot about ourselves and our reactions.

If we are secure in what we do, he can't possibly harm us, so why be insulted?

What he's doing is drawing people out. The most productive reaction to that isn't counter-flamming, it isn't even ignorring him, its examining our feelings and reactions to what he states.
That will allow people to address just what if any substance there is to Ego's claims. It will also mean that the best arguments can then be put forward in support of southern systems, and that these points can be shared productively between Southern stylists.

Use the Ego, use him to draw out the positive and the productive.
Don't be drawn on negative emotions, it just puts the position of Southern systems into a bad and defensive reactionary light.

If we can act productively, then Ego will have done his job

[saurian]

Jable, you would probably find Bucksam Kong's book on Tiger/Crane form an excellent choice. As for Ego, I suspect his "fighting" is limited to the sporting ring, judging from his viewpoints. I grew up in Korea as a child learning TKD, and yes, the horse-stance was the 1st thing we learned. It must be mastered for its benefits to be appreciated (among them, great mobility from a low, powerful posture), and somebody forming an opinion about it without actually experiencing it in full = foolishness. Our training regimen was kinda on the brutal side compared to what most in this country would be used to, almost like traditional chinese training methods. We trained for combat, not for playfighting. I got quite good. I always kinda liked Hung Gar cuz it reminded me of a hand-oriented version of TKD (Tiger), but now I practice a style of southern mantis. In search of a real martial art, all I found were these tournament-oriented gyms with padded playfighters impressing themselves with moves that would get them killed in most country bars which, judging from his remarks, is the full extent of Ego's skills. Don't kid yourself, Jable, it isn't the art so much as it is the man or woman who practices it that makes it lethal.

[JMagnano]

Pick up a copy of Kung Fu magazine especially this past issue and you should see ads on Hung Gar. Although your far better off training with a Sifu books are good for review and picking up good info. GOOD LUCK (check the current issue of Kung Fu magazine as I recall seeing something about Hung Gar.)

[Jables]

Thanks to all! I do have a Sifu, thankfully. And he has taught me much through the short time that I have been training. I enjoy Hung Gar very much and I hope to continue for a very long time. I was looking for a few books or tapes to help me understand a few things about my style. Thanks to all for the suggestions.

[Ego_Extrodinaire]

Jables: I'm glad you're finally seeing the lighter side of things and having fun. Have a good time with your training and don't be dishartened if someone dis your style. You should be doing kf because it is something you enjoy not to gain approval from other. You have my approval.

Saurian: I have Bucksam Kong's book on tiger crane of Hung Gar. I've studied it and the applications are crap. Typical hong kong chop fooey. I don't think he actually knows how to apply the form. It is not surprising that in the introduction, his son is doing tennis instead of kung fu.