Is Shaolin-Do for real?

[Old Noob]

In a nutshell....According to our lineage, our forms came from one resident of the Fujian temple that learned several systems and became the martial head of the temple. ("Su Kong Tai Djian) These forms don't seem to be the standard forms traditionally taught at the songshan temple now. But (and reading this thread would find some answers and many more questions) that lineage is not verified by any other outside source so take it for whatever you want.

What is "verified" is that two Chinese men from Indonesia learned a system of martial arts and taught it to some Americans in Lexington Kentucky. At some point that system was called shaolin do. According to those gentlemen their teacher (Ie Chang Ming) learned from Su Kong. There were also other "colleagues" that specialized in other systems (such as the 8 drunken immortals and the Tai Pang systems). They learned from Ie and these other teachers. There have been some individuals outside of SD that reference Ie Chang Ming and some of the colleagues, but nothing very solid.

In total, it is a patchwork type system that teaches forms from multiple styles. Some of the students are very good and some are not (like many styles). The material has depth and applicability, but that is not always emphasized (again depending on the teacher).

If you want more detail, read this thread. I was just trying to "hit the high points" in this post. For all I know, you just want to stir up the debate again, but I'm a bit bored this afternoon, so I'll bite.

You've been quiet for a bit. Good to see you back dispensing the moderation.

r,
ON

[Judge Pen]

You've been quiet for a bit. Good to see you back dispensing the moderation.

r,
ON

I've been busy. I'm probably going to try more jury trials this year then I have in 8 prior years of practice. But I gotta find time to keep up with this thread!

[Old Noob]

Yeah, you can't quit now. You have to support this thing that's been around for five years now.

Gotta love the jury trials; tons of work to have them get hooked on the most random, seemingly inconsequential issue and decide the whole thing based on that. I miss it so.

[Judge Pen]

Yeah, you can't quit now. You have to support this thing that's been around for five years now.

Gotta love the jury trials; tons of work to have them get hooked on the most random, seemingly inconsequential issue and decide the whole thing based on that. I miss it so.

Yeah, I tell clients if I knew what the jury would do, then I'd quit practicing law and go to vegas and make some real money. But they're fun because you get to stand up and act like Denny Crane for a day.

[kwaichang]

Hey guys I found out all lawyers have MAD COW disease next thing you know they will all get caught with their pants down. And they cant keep a secret right JUDGE KC

[Shaolin Wookie]

Yeah, thats the article I was referring to withoutout mentioning other m.a. magazines......lol. I wonder why leopard style is so rare to find? There are so many different target areas that one could use the leopard paw strike to.....you would think that leopard style would be more common than it is. If you think about it, it has charactoristics (sp?) of several different animal styles in my opinion........power of the tiger, speed of the snake, and agile like the crane. Its an interesting animal for sure, just wish there was more info on it.

As far as I know, the leopard "style" has almost always been part and parcel of the 5 animals form of traditional CMA, but is almost entirely extinct outside of that context except from "fringe" styles. CLF uses the leopard paw a lot, if I'm not mistaken. And, I think they have leopard forms. I bet Sean Stoneheart would be the guy to ask about that.

SD's leopard is unique. I've never seen anything quite as "boring" that was so useful....LOL..... They are rather cut and dry forms that require a lot of stability on one leg, and very repititious and difficult combinations that basically have a 1:1 correlation between forms and sparring, in a way. If GM Sin is credited with making them up, he's a pretty smart guy, and it boasts of his MA knowledge, I think. And, if they're real, they're really intelligent. But don't expect an exciting demo, at least from the 2 forms I've seen.

I'm really not very great at the second one. But the first one has some very natural rhythms to it, and the motions are the motions of good, natural stand-up and put-down. I think that's why it's so useful.

[sean_stonehart]

Thank Wook, but I'm just "a CLF guy". There are several more folks on the board that I'd defer to when it comes to CLF in a quick heartbeat.

I know somethings, have been exposed to others, but there's at least 1 guy I can think of that posts here that's been practicing CLF at least as long if not longer than I've been around.

I'll answer what I can & take corrections on what I misstate & listen to what I don't know when it comes to CLF.

[mkriii]

First thing to do is what your Doctor says....let it heel.....if your interested get in touch.....I work a lot with people who have medical problems......I teach accordingly.....I have (had) a very bad back also.....Tai Chi & Ba qua has heeled me......come by sometime and check out the class on Sat. 10am to 12 am...you might be surprised....I'm more interested in making you healther than making someone a bad a$$.
BQ

As ironic as it may seem I may come by when my back is a little bit better to check it out and see what you can do to help my back.

[Shaolin Wookie]

Tai Chi and I CHin CHing have really helped my back. I started practicing the Yang form on my hour lunch breaks at work by driving to a nearby park. All the tension in my back seems to seep right back out.

I think I have a pinched nerve or something that acts up after really heavy exercise. It's in my lower left back. When it's really bad (1 or 2 times a year), I can't straighten up. I walk at an angle and then eventually collapse from the strain.

Edit: does anyone else feel back pain if they perform a butterfly stretch for a minute or so? Is that normal? It's funny. I can jump, roll, flop around no problem. But then, if I sit on the floor for a minute or so during a work meeting when the meeting room's seats are filled, my back will get stiff as all hell. What's up with that?

[BM2]

I suppose we could take bets on your back. I am going with muscle spasm.
When it's a nerve, it's bad.
Now don't mis-understand what I typed. There is an underlying problem that would cause the spasms but unless the ruptured disc is putting pressure on the nerve, or some of the fluid from the disc has inflammed the nerve, a rupture in itself doesn't cause pain and something like one in five people are walking around with a damaged disc and may not even know it.

[BM2]

FWIW, I tore L4-L5 and L5-S1 and am repeating the information I received.

[Shaolin Wookie]

That's what I've been thinking. It's a rare thing, so it doesn't seem like it would be a pinched nerve, which is what everyone's been telling me.

[kwaichang]

One or two questions how far down does yur pain travel in your leg and
B. Where is the pain exactly in your low back KC

[Shaolin Wookie]

One or two questions how far down does yur pain travel in your leg and
B. Where is the pain exactly in your low back KC

Nothing in the leg. Never in the leg. BUt it's always the same spot. Right at the belt line, or just above it. About an inch and a half to the left of the spine, or right on it...but definately on the left side. It seems like the pain spreads over a 3inch by 3 inch area or so.


It's hard to tell exactly where it comes from. It's kept me bedded for two or three days twice in the past 2 years. I'll see a doctor as soon as my med insurance starts with my new job.

[kwaichang]

What movement makes it worse or better rotation of the spine flexion or extension??? KC