Things I've learned about fighting/MA over the years

[IronFist]

In sparring, when your opponent punches at your head, you dodge your head away from his punch. You may not be able to find those "head dodging" from the solo form training.

Which begs the question, wouldn't forms be more effective then if they did include those head dodging moves?

Might as well train what you're gonna use, right?

Unless you believe the purpose for forms is:

2. self-cultivation, and
3. performance.

In which case yes, I agree with you.

[RenDaHai]

You can't find the following in forms:

- dodge,
- build leg bridge,
- use leg to block kick,
- use punch to set up throw,
- use punch to set up lock,
- ...

I have learned more than 50 forms in my life. Sometime I have hard time to find what I'll need in my forms. A simple example is "to use hook punch to set up a hip throw".

All these things appear all the time. With good ShenFa (body mechanics) you should move the head each time you make a guarding action. (Its one of the principles). SHuShen (shrink the body) is dodging and is done as a part of every move, shrink-expand-shrink-expand. Every stance where you stand on one leg is either kneeing the opponent or guarding with the leg. There are loads of leg to leg manouveres (e.g nei chan, wai chan, xiezigouwei etc.). THrows are always set up with the technique before them. In a good form, every move can be used in combination with the moves either side of it. Great form never does anything without some form of set up or distraction.

I don't know what forms you learned but if they are famous styles I am sure all those things are in them. Sometimes they are just a little hard to see.

[YouKnowWho]

Sometimes they are just a little hard to see.

You have to assume that the origin form creators had knowledge in all areas which may not be the case. "Hard to see" may be because the form creator didn't have knowledge in certain area. Let's take the Yang Taiji Peng, Lu, Ji, An as example. If you can add

- Peng with "撿(Jian) - foot picking",
- Lu with "彈(Tan) - leg spring",
- Ji with "刀(Dao) - inner sickle", and
- An with "合(He) - inner hook",

it can make those moves much more complete and combat effective. Did the Yang Taiji form creator have knowledge in those leg movements? I don't think so. What can you do if it's not there? You just have to add those in yourself. That's "evolution".

[MightyB]

dude, what for?!?

Hiding the wood.

[Kung Fu God]

Fight = struggle = not skilled enough.

[MightyB]

Fight = struggle = not skilled enough.

But dude... wtf weed you smok'n?

[Brule]

But dude... wtf weed you smok'n?

Dude, it's Ray Pina, so no need to guess.

[hskwarrior]

Dude, it's Ray Pina, so no need to guess.

it's like a tragic story........

[David Jamieson]

1) Real fighting is not cool-looking like it is in the movies. Even if you train cool-looking techniques, fighting still doesn't look like that.

2) Never underestimate size.

3) Never underestimate strength. This one and the previous one apply especially to skinny people who have only sparred with other skinny people in their class.

4) There's a good chance that you won't be able to react faster than your opponent can act. See also #5.

5) The person who starts the fight is often the person who ends the fight.

6) Fighting is scary. Your hands might shake. Your knees might shake. You have no control over this. Your fancy techniques requiring fine motor control are useless.

7) Real ninjas didn't use straight swords. Those were invented by Hollywood

1. You should watch more boxing! Very cool, very strategic and quite often just as beautiful as any movie.

2. agree. I know some little fellas that are mean as passing kidney stones.

3. agree. Wiry guys tend to make tough fighters in my experience.

4. I believe this depends on the line you're on. An evasion kills a line of attack and creates an opening that is difficult for the foiled attack user to defend.

5. agreed, that's why you get points for dominating the ring centre in mma.

6. disagree, fighting can be very matter of fact and not frightening at all. If there are multiples and weapons involved, it can get hairy for sure, but believe it or not, meditation can really really help you with that flight reaction that remains. There may very well be an adrenaline dump that is catastrophic, but again, meditation will lessen that over time. I guarantee it.

7. Real ninjas could be something as weird as a girl with syphilis passing it to an official as a form of assassination in the old days. Everybody thinks of Sho Kusugi but in reality, ninjas were the ones to hire when honour could not be maintained by the deed you plan to do. So you hire a scummy honourless villager somewhere that has skill to carry out your plot. That's the reality of ninjas that almost nobody listens to or speaks to. (sorry gene )

[White_Ape]

Real ninjas could be something as weird as a girl with syphilis passing it to an official as a form of assassination in the old days.

Syphilis Ninjas, from the STD Lineage!!!! I thought they were a myth.....

[IronFist]

7. Real ninjas could be something as weird as a girl with syphilis passing it to an official as a form of assassination in the old days. Everybody thinks of Sho Kusugi but in reality, ninjas were the ones to hire when honour could not be maintained by the deed you plan to do. So you hire a scummy honourless villager somewhere that has skill to carry out your plot. That's the reality of ninjas that almost nobody listens to or speaks to. (sorry gene )

I've heard that's a myth, too.

Then again, if someone were going to get hired to carry out some nefarious plans, a ninja would likely have the skills.

But they didn't use straight swords. I mean, what better way would there be to identify yourself as a ninja, which is probably the last thing a ninja wanted to do! Then again, ninjas were invisible so it wouldn't really matter.

Also, I don't think there are any historic straight/"ninja" swords in Japan, but there are some curved samurai swords.

[hskwarrior]

Also, I don't think there are any historic straight/"ninja" swords in Japan, but there are some curved samurai swords.

I've seen you mention this more than a few times now. forgive my question, but what's the big deal? straight sword, curved....if it did the job why would it matter? just curious bro.

Actual period ninjas used katanas and whatever else period weapons were available at the time.

[Lokhopkuen]

[jdhowland]

...But they didn't use straight swords. I mean, what better way would there be to identify yourself as a ninja, which is probably the last thing a ninja wanted to do! Then again, ninjas were invisible so it wouldn't really matter.

Also, I don't think there are any historic straight/"ninja" swords in Japan, but there are some curved samurai swords.

The Japanese had both straight and curved swords. The curved version became standard because they broke less frequently and were better suited to the preferred cutting method. Western cavalry sabres took their form for the same reason.

The 20th century "ninja to" is a reconstructionist model based on the idea that the ninja were not bushi class. They were poor low caste desperadoes who might make any handy piece of iron into a tool--though not a very good one. The ninja were not honorable and were not trustworthy. They would sell you out for more money from your enemy. This led to the development of ninjutsu espionage skills within the old school "koryu" battle schools that were run by families loyal to a particular prince or daimyo.

The best preserved ninjutsu still exists within the koryu but it is no longer practical. Modern electronics technology has made it obsolete. The last working ninja served his emperor in Mongolia in 1945. His modern counterpart would be the industrial spy.

[IronFist]

The ninja were not honorable and were not trustworthy. They would sell you out for more money from your enemy.

Link to source verifying this?

The last working ninja served his emperor in Mongolia in 1945. His modern counterpart would be the industrial spy.

Link to source verifying this?