Neijia arts for combat?

[Ray Pina]

Nice foundation to start off with:

Would like to see more live play! Throw on some gloves and have the same guy really try to get you.

The present generation of upcoming MA are fueled by UFC, K-1, they want to see real stuff working against real stuff.

Also, my master does not teach form, and we're training to be beaters of men, but at the same time health is of equal, if not more, importance than fighting. These are internal systems, they go hand in hand.

You can check his website, I have it below in my sig. Also, as other's said, I'd be careful about certain claims. You have no idea what's out there and who knows what. And I'm believing at some point in time, when the next generation of students truly get their master's technique down, some sort of "There can be only one" will go down.

Best of luck to you.

[tokf]

Greetings Gary,

Nice site, I'm a cynical Brit so the marketing rhetoric amuses more than impresses, but I'm in the wrong country to be your market ;-)

I've watched vids from your old site before and never have been in doubt of your obvious skill but I am interested in your syllabus.

The school I am a student of is very combat orientated and involves Sil Lum Pai, Wing Chung and original Chen old frame, however after three years I am now just learning the Chen Form and specific applications (plus the ones I need come up with), this is standard for the syllabus although from the start apps are taught as apps not as specific styles, so a Sil Lum app can be almost the same as a Chen app, you just don't know it at the time!

Starting the form (and specific apps) after three years of fitness/syllabus requirements has given me a strong foundation and progress will be quick, along with the most enjoyable beginnings of chi flow, sinking/rooting/meditation etc. but how do your students learn that by going straight into the applications? Do you teach forms/standing post/breathing etc? If not is not what you do external expressions of internal techniques?

I do not want to cause offence (I'm not saying the above question is a bad thing) and hope I have not, I'm impressed with what I've seen (I'm just a beginner) and just simply intrigued by your methods.

Best regards
tokf

[gazza99]

:Nice site, I'm a cynical Brit so the marketing rhetoric amuses more than impresses, but I'm in the wrong country to be your market ;-) "

lol, yeah, I have since toned down the marketting lingo. I also have a new expanded demo clip, with a new less hypey voice over, there are more applications shown for anyone who wants to look.

www.flowingcombat.com


"I've watched vids from your old site before and never have been in doubt of your obvious skill but I am interested in your syllabus"

Ahh, excellent, thanks for the compliment.



"Starting the form (and specific apps) after three years of fitness/syllabus requirements has given me a strong foundation and progress will be quick, along with the most enjoyable beginnings of chi flow, sinking/rooting/meditation etc. but how do your students learn that by going straight into the applications? Do you teach forms/standing post/breathing etc? If not is not what you do external expressions of internal techniques? "

Good question, the answer is simpler than you may think, Of course standing practice is included and taught up front, any applications are done first in slow motion just like the form, the nuances of silk reeling, sinking/rooting, body connections, opening/closeing..etc. are all explored before the technique is brought to full speed or with any contact. This gives the student a more direct context to practice their internal principles and mechanics with. Then once the "form" of the application or principle is gotten down it is applied in two person drills, and increased to a reactive full speed and power level. Of course the form is also covered, but slowly, with quality over quantity. Any of my students who can do the first third of the Old Yang form correctly can also fight at full speed with basic taiji principles intact.

"I do not want to cause offence (I'm not saying the above question is a bad thing) and hope I have not, I'm impressed with what I've seen (I'm just a beginner) and just simply intrigued by your methods"

No offense taken at all, in fact its a commen question and dilema amonst instructors as to what to teach when, and why. I am just finishing up an article outlining bascially what I do and why for the new site. I will post it here shortly for you to read also.

regards,

Gary

PS: A bit ago I sent a DVD to somone in the UK? Was that you? If not, I suggest you order it, details are on the website (shipping is only $5) , it has some really good foundational stuff, and is really comprehensive with mechanics. The rest of the series is going to address the taiji powers and movements/applications that work on those principles (and some from xingyi, bagua eventually) direcly in a combative context, along with some extra goodies to make people good and dangerous!

[Ford Prefect]

You have a demo of you guys sparring?

[brassmonkey]

what's your definition of "combat"?

[tokf]

Gary

Many thanks for the reply, you've actually not only answered my question rather well but the more I progress in my syllabus I can look back and realise thee same principles are taught. Starting the form three years into training suddenly makes me clarify the apps I've been doing. I find myself saying 'aah, so that's roll back or ward off, it's the same as what we do in this app etc'. When the app is labelled as a Sil Lum Pai app or dare I say it , a wing chung move (but that's a whole different debate!)

Peace.

[tokf]

Gary

Many thanks for the reply, you've actually not only answered my question rather well but the more I progress in my syllabus I can look back and realise thee same principles are taught. Starting the form three years into training suddenly makes me clarify the apps I've been doing. I find myself saying 'aah, so that's roll back or ward off, it's the same as what we do in this app etc'. When the app is labelled as a Sil Lum Pai app or dare I say it , a wing chung move (but that's a whole different debate!)

Oh, it wasn't me that ordered the CD but I'll certainly check it out on you site.

Peace.