Is Shaolin-Do for real?

[themeecer]

I agree with the assessment of Master Mullins' skill. I would also recommend viewing of my teacher, Master Bob Green. He captures the dynamic animal fighting spirit in his forms that is missing from a lot of these demos. I strive to mimic him in my forms. One of the biggest compliments was to have someone come up after I did a form and ask me if I was Master Green's student. You can tell both of these men ate a lot of bitter.

[kwaichang]

Is the form u speak of, the high kick is near the end, the application for that is to generate proper body dynamics for a lower kick such as u have mentioned ie: pulling the head down to the kick, another example is the leg sweep, we were told to sweep as high as you can after contacting the ankle, but that is used to generate power much like big circle evolves into small circle for power in that movement that is why moves are exagerated in this form and other forms as well and other systems as well, sometimes it is used as a Clearing move as well much like a cresent kick can wrap a side or hook kick if timed properly. KC

[bodhi warrior]

I agree with the assessment of Master Mullins' skill. I would also recommend viewing of my teacher, Master Bob Green. He captures the dynamic animal fighting spirit in his forms that is missing from a lot of these demos. I strive to mimic him in my forms. One of the biggest compliments was to have someone come up after I did a form and ask me if I was Master Green's student. You can tell both of these men ate a lot of bitter.

Where can we find footage of master green. I've heard good things about him also.

[Golden Tiger]

The person in the video is Master Frank and I would argue that he is an excellent performer, martial artist, fighter and a pretty good guy. The vid you saw was at a demo and usually in demo's, the moves are more flashy, the kicks a lot higher. He has incredible flexability and was more than likely using that to perform to the crowd (which are generally the family and friends of students who could care less about applications or martial arts for that matter).

And just to CMyA, Yao Sing, I read your question and didnt think it needed an answer to the application. Even in the fake phony SD, that application is shown starting at yellow belt, the one right after white mind you. But if you want to get picky, driving the kick up through RN 24 while using an open palm to strike down through DU 20 and hope they meet somewhere in the middle would be the proper application to that move.

[Judge Pen]

was more than likely using that to perform to the crowd.

That sounded familiar. I'm not a big fan of pressure point techniques, so I did not consider that application. To me it is either pulling a body part to the hand (which the form should show that hand moving toward the leg, imo) or done to show focus or to make a nice pretty sound for demonstration purposes.

[MasterKiller]

Anyhow you aren't kicking the hand, you're kicking the face. The hand is pulling the head down into the kick. Unfortunately you rarely see anyone pulling the head down and most can't explain what they're doing when asked.

That's ridiculous. Your legs are longer than your arms, so there is no way anyone is grabbing a head and straight kicking someone in the face, not to mention it's more practical to throw knees at that distance, anyway.

[kwaichang]

Shin kick to the head instead. KC same technique.

[Drake]

Shin kick to the head instead. KC same technique.

I would have to disagree. It's either a kick or a knee. It's not the same.

[tattooedmonk]

The person in the video is Master Frank and I would argue that he is an excellent performer, martial artist, fighter and a pretty good guy. The vid you saw was at a demo and usually in demo's, the moves are more flashy, the kicks a lot higher. He has incredible flexability and was more than likely using that to perform to the crowd (which are generally the family and friends of students who could care less about applications or martial arts for that matter).

And just to CMyA, Yao Sing, I read your question and didnt think it needed an answer to the application. Even in the fake phony SD, that application is shown starting at yellow belt, the one right after white mind you. But if you want to get picky, driving the kick up through RN 24 while using an open palm to strike down through DU 20 and hope they meet somewhere in the middle would be the proper application to that move.

I dont know him personally, but I do know of SMFM's skills ...performance is performance. it is as you say.

Nice point combo, I like it.

Question, Are you doing the kick with K1 and palm strike with the hollow of the palm (P8) or more with the pisiform near H7-SI 5??

[Yao Sing]

For the record I've seen plenty of good performers that are lousy "technicians". Just putting on an impressive looking show doesn't mean youre doing the moves right, understanding the moves, or have the ability to apply the moves. It just means you're a good performer.

As for me I'm a lousy performer and there is video of me out there and I have posted links. I've also been guilty in the past of some of the things I rail against now. I've done moves incorrectly in public shows not really understanding the moves.

Here's me at an old Chinese New Year show.

And here's a school grand opening.

I do my worst when performing. Want me to pick these apart? I'm not doing so good with the "kick the hand" myself in the second clip. See the open palm at the end of the first run? That's supposed to be a Hui Yin strike. Ever seen anyone with their Hui Yin cavity that high? Am I fighting Semmy Schiltz? I see students do that wrong all the time like they're hitting some undertermined area with a knife hand. I have much better understanding than I did back then. That second clip is about when I started moving away from performance fu, partly because I stink in front of a crowd plus I'm more concerned with how it all works. Unfortunately for me Wah Lum just kept going more performance oriented. There was even a divide at the Temple between the Demo Team and the senior students where Mimi taught the demo team performance forms while we learned the traditional stuff.

I could just say it all looks fake but I'm at least trying to pin down specifics to keep some good dialog going. That hand kick is a bit of a pet peeve of mine and it's at the beginning of the tape so it caught my eye.

And Masterkiller, it is possible to hold the head and kick it simultanously. While knees might be easier it doesn't make the kick impossible. WL also does a line drill that consist of a heel kick and palm strike hitting the same distance. I've even kicked the back of my hand doing that drill so I have no problem hitting the same target with both hand and foot. I know you've gone all MMA these days and while it may not be the best choice in a fight it's still an option.

[tattooedmonk]

I would have to disagree. It's either a kick or a knee. It's not the same.

It is the same range of motion ,engaging the same muscles...a knee is a short kick.

If the person is closer or maybe at a different angle the knee might work better..it depends on your range , targets and a whole hell of a lot of other stuff.

[tattooedmonk]

That sounded familiar. I'm not a big fan of pressure point techniques, so I did not consider that application. To me it is either pulling a body part to the hand (which the form should show that hand moving toward the leg, imo) or done to show focus or to make a nice pretty sound for demonstration purposes.

those are weak areas even if you dont know the preasure points. knowing the points and their effects and the affects of striking them can be important.

[MasterKiller]

And Masterkiller, it is possible to hold the head and kick it simultanously. While knees might be easier it doesn't make the kick impossible. WL also does a line drill that consist of a heel kick and palm strike hitting the same distance. I've even kicked the back of my hand doing that drill so I have no problem hitting the same target with both hand and foot. I know you've gone all MMA these days and while it may not be the best choice in a fight it's still an option.

Show me a video of anyone doing anything remotely close to this in even a semi-live environment...

We are talking about a straight front kick, correct? While holding the head? The dude's whole body is in the way. Maybe a groin kick...but, c'mon now...

[Drake]

It is the same range of motion ,engaging the same muscles...a knee is a short kick.

If the person is closer or maybe at a different angle the knee might work better..it depends on your range , targets and a whole hell of a lot of other stuff.

If you kick the same way you knee someone, one of the two (or both) is being done incorrectly.

[shen ku]

Is master frank and good performer?... YES Is he a knowledgable and skilled in the art of fighting? even a BIGGER YES