Speed 2

[blaktiger]

Here is a thought on developing speed.

A master from China back in the 60's mentioned that he used a dollar bill (or other paper currency) to develop quick reaction time. I couldn't find the actual technique he used, but I decided to experiment with it for myself.

I took a brand new dollar bill and held it by an edge from shoulder height. I then tried to catch it with the same hand that I used to drop it. I then varied it up by trying to catch the bill with either hand. It's actually very hard to do. Try it sometime. ;)

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"I'll be too busy lookin' good!"

[Mr. Nemo]

I read somewhere that some old spanish and italian fencing masters were tinkerers as well, and they developed some pretty clever devices to help their reactions. Kinda like miniature catapults designed to go off at a varying times, and so on.

The thing about reactions is that they have to be both fast, and appropriate. A big part of good reactions, in my experience, is having the right mindset - your brain's gotta be relaxed along with the rest of the body.

[Ford Prefect]

It was nowhere near as good at Speed 1. The original Speed wasn't that good to begin with either. A cruise ship? I mean really!

[Wongsifu]

are you sure he didnt roll up that dollar bill and snort something with it ???
that improves reaction time

I wongsifu shall strike fear into the hearts of trolls and mma guys who **** me off on these forums oh and in real life.

[HuangKaiVun]

I think it depends on what style you train in, African Tiger.

In my style, I wouldn't do this type of drill because the extending motion of trying to catch a dollar bill would ruin my rooted kung fu structure.

But if I were doing something like eagle claw that relies on fast tearing leaping motions, I most definitely do this type of drill.


The movie "Rocky I" (or was it II?) features Rocky Balboa being ordered to catch a loose chicken by his sifu.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

"In my style, I wouldn't do this type of drill because the extending motion of trying to catch a dollar bill would ruin my rooted kung fu structure."

i don't get it.

where's my beer?

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

was that a joke?

where's my beer?

[HuangKaiVun]

not a joke - I have no sense of humor whatsoever ;).

The leaping extended motion one needs to catch a dollar bill is more suited for a style like tongbeimen, which is a lot like Muhammad Ali's "fly like a mosquito, sting like a bee" one-hit jab-knockout punch.

My style doesn't have that type of punch because we generate power from the widening of our knees and the turning of our hips. We do not "leap" into our opponents.