Reverting to Kung Fu

[Water Dragon]

So I had a real tough workout last night. We were working our last drill, and I was totally drained. The drill was a basic jab-cross-hook combo, but the pad holder would circle around with the pad down, and when he held it up, you had to be ready to slaughter it from wherever you are. Since this is the last drill of the night, we are expected to go all out. So I’m about a minute into the last 2 minute drill, and all of a sudden, I realize that I’m back weighting. About another 20 seconds, and I’m in a full blown San Ti using CMA mechanics. I’m throwing the jab back weighted, then shift to the front foot with a slight follow step on the cross, and back to rear foot again for a pretty standard lead hook. (crushing peanuts)

So here’s the question. If I ‘reverted to Kung Fu’ in my kickboxing class, what exactly are all those CMA people we see on video reverting to if they’ve never trained kickboxing?

[rubthebuddha]

well, kung fu is the root of every martial art in the world, even something as complex as boxing is based on the simplest CMA. so when you're tired and sloppy, the complex will fall short and only the basics can be maintained.

i thought you knew this already.

[Meat Shake]

Exactly. When you have no more energy to use, your technique will start to really show.

[Hermit]

A personal experience. I was once in CMA school where everytime we did "match training" we did kickboxing. Always wondered what the heck were those forms for... hmmm, actually, it was contemporary wushu school, so that might be it...

Anyways, my guess is bad teaching or wrong kind of teaching. Or maybe they are just doing chinese kickboxing thats CMA, right?

[fa_jing]

Sh!t, I wish I reverted to kickboxing when what I try to do is not working.....that would be nice. What I actually revert to is another story.

[Sho]

Originally posted by Water Dragon
what exactly are all those CMA people we see on video reverting to if they’ve never trained kickboxing?

I'd call it failed unintentional reacting caused by improper training that lacks repetition and comprehension of basics.

[red5angel]

I'm not sure anyone is "reverting" to kickboxing when they start to get sloppy, just that kickboxing might be the closest visually to what a fighter would do naturally.

[fa_jing]

Red5 blah blah blah, correct blah blah blah

[MasterKiller]

It's not that there is anything inherently wrong with kick-boxing. My point has always been that kicking and punching are only part of the Kung Fu equation. When you put on heavy gloves, you have automatically limited the amount of available techniques which a Kung Fu person trains to use. No Chin Na, no palms, no grabbing, no throwing, etc....

Sure, you should be able to kick and punch effectively enough to compete in a kick-boxing arena, but there is more to kung fu fighting than thowing jabs and round-house kicks.

Besides, how you gonna poke someone in the eye with boxing gloves on?

[lkfmdc]

- there is more to kung fu fighting than thowing jabs and round-house kicks.

Why of course, there are also SIDE KICKS....

and knees, and throws, and uppercuts, and head locks

[MasterKiller]

Awe, coach, you know what I mean!

Can you really headlock someone under Kick-Boxing rules?

[SifuAbel]

No, reverting to kickboxing is a rather inaccurate term that simply means that the person(s) in question become very sloppy,wasteful looking and throw all strategy to the wind and go wild.

A kickboxer can be said to have good kung fu if he remains clean , precise and accurate.

This term is misused and built upon too much in the wrong way.

The biggest things missing, if anything, in what you call kungfu/kickboxing, is the use of defense and footwork. The weapon used to strike is not important. The rules of the particular game should not effect the skill of the fighter.

WD has reached that place where he finally realized what his body has been trained to do. Apparently it was an enigma before.

[rubthebuddha]

actually, i think WD was just being somewhat of a smarmy troll -- and doing a good job of it.

besides, kung fu just means skill through hard work. if WD works hard and gets good, he has kung fu, CMA or not.

[Water Dragon]

Originally posted by SifuAbel

WD has reached that place where he finally realized what his body has been trained to do. Apparently it was an enigma before.

Not really. I've had the basic mechanics locked for about 3-4 years now. But I'm taking Boxing classes now, so I want to learn Boxing body mechanics. If I studied with you Sifu, I'd learn it the way you teach it. Otherwise, I could just hit the heavy bag.

What amused me, was that when I got tired, I abandoned the Boxing mechanics, and went back to my Tai Chi/Xing Yi/Shuai Chiao *******ization of movement.

Considering the whole "degrading to kickboxing" fetish here, I thought it was funny that I would degrade into Kung Fu.

[lkfmdc]

you can do a variety of them in San Da matches.....

Someone said you are coming to NY to challenge me? I have to start sharpening my pointy sticks again I guess?