What Specialty Techniques Makes Your Style Unique?

[ginosifu]

I got this idea off another thread. SR made a statement something like "I think that the specialty techniques are what make a MA better or Unique" Sorry SR I think they closed the thread and I forgot exactly what you said but.....

Boxing emphasis is on striking methods. I am not sure if they have a "Specialty" technique? maybe Uppercut or Hook?

Olympic TKD emphasis is on Kicking methods. They do have striking methods but, again I am not sure what special move they use.

BJJ emphasis is on grappling methods. Maybe there specialty is choke outs?

Shuai Chiao emphsis is on throwing methods. If you count Black Hand as a specilty, maybe it would be SC's specialty?

So, what makes your MA system / style unique? What special move or strike makes you feel that you have an advantage over others? Please comment about your Art and what makes it unique. I will start off with Northern Shaolin (Ku Ye Cheong Lineage)

Northern Shaolin / Northern Long Fist / AKA 10 Fist style is known as a long range fighting style, however we have all facets of fighting ranges. There is a complete package of striking, kicking, Chin Na and throwing techniques. What makes it special is (This is my personal opinion... it may not be others), Iron Palm training and it's applications. Iron Palm has helped protect my hands over the years... I have had no finger injuries or had to stop training cuz of a sore wrist or hand etc. Now I have not had to slap any horses but I feel my strikes are much denser since IP training.

OK guys your turn.

ginosifu

[sanjuro_ronin]

Specialty techniques or principles or ways of expressing a MA, is what makes TCMA different than others and what MAY give a person the edge.

Now, that is NOT to say that TCMA has things that other MA don't and as an example lets look at the PE fist ( Phoenix-eye):
Some TCMA have it and some prioritize it (SPM, Pak Mei, Dragon shape boxing, etc) BUT so do many Karate systems ( Uechi-ryu, Goju, etc).
What makes a system "special" is how it is used and, at times, how it is developed.

But, to answer your question:
I don't have A style persay, other than my own
But what makes what I do unique (and to not give out the uber-deadly secrets of course):
Iron Hand and Iron Body
PE fist not only in the TCMA BUT in a western way too.
"In-your-face" kicking
"blind side" angling.
And more..

Now, that these things may also be found in other systems is quite correct and perfectly find because, well, they work.

[MightyB]

I'd say that IMO Mantis's specialty is the Tu Sau (sp?) or intercepting hand. It's what allows for easy transitions from strikes to locks to throws, inside to outside (and vice versa), and allows for easy linking of techniques.

I'd say Judo's specialty is combination throws or the using of throws to set up throws. For example - a basic combo is ouichi gari to ko uchi gari.


IMO - Boxing's specialty is the jab.

[Frost]

Now, that these things may also be found in other systems is quite correct and perfectly find because, well, they work.

I think this point is very important because if things really are unique and special to one art these days, chances are that is because said thing simply doesn’t work that well, if it did it would have been discovered/stole by other arts by now

I think there is a difference between speciality and uniqueness

Speciality to me means you excel in one field, with BJJ its ground work and most BJJ guys a special ability to work submissions off their back, but these aren’t unique to BJJ, judo has them, Sambo has them, its just BJJ works on them so much it makes them its own

Thai boxing as another example specializes in low shin kicks, plum striking and elbows and knees, but these things are not unique to that one art: Some styles of karate have the low kick, as do the hakka arts which also have the same knees, Burmese boxing has the same clinch work, tell a Greco wrestler to start hitting you and they will use the same tie ups as the thai boxers, its their speciality and they are arguably better than another other art at these things but its not unique to just Thai

Hand and body conditioning can be found in various TCMA and other styles, some might specialize in them but its not unique to them

[ginosifu]

I think this point is very important because if things really are unique and special to one art these days, chances are that is because said thing simply doesn’t work that well, if it did it would have been discovered/stole by other arts by now.

I would like to point out that some specialty techniques are hard to master. So this in itself will inhibit it's development by the masses. Lets take the Phoenix Eye Fist for example. It's shape may not be that hard to form but it take years of conditioning and target practicing / aiming practice for it to be affective. Many student chose the easy route and practice techniques that are quicker and easier to master.

ginosifu

[ShaolinDan]

Shaolin: To me the real stand-out of Shaolin is the physical conditioning. IME pushing to transcend the body's limits is a defining factor of Shaolin training.

Eagle Claw: Eagle Claw chinna of course.

[sanjuro_ronin]

I would like to point out that some specialty techniques are hard to master. So this in itself will inhibit it's development by the masses. Lets take the Phoenix Eye Fist for example. It's shape may not be that hard to form but it take years of conditioning and target practicing / aiming practice for it to be affective. Many student chose the easy route and practice techniques that are quicker and easier to master.

ginosifu

Correct and many fall back on the view that one doesn't need to forge them as long as they hit the right spots which, IMO, is quite impractical and incorrect based on the "chaos" of real combat.
The few people I have met than CAN use the PE fist in a real fight ( not co-operative drills) all have PE fists that look like ball- peen hammers !

[bawang]

the specialty technique in songshan shaolin kung fu are the brutal anus tearing techniques

fierce tiger emerges from cave

[PalmStriker]

One must protect the anus at all times. For me it is use of double palm strikes and cross-step for mobility. Agility/balance/evasion.

[mooyingmantis]

I just dealt with this topic in class the other night. I was introducing the different gung ("skills") to my students and we talked about what was important for making our style effective.

I was lucky in that the two styles I have spent my adult life trying to perfect, houquan and tanglangquan, both have speed as a specialty. Regardless of how hard you can hit or how precisely you train to hit your opponent's vulnerable areas, without speed you will have a hard time ever making contact.

[YouKnowWho]

To drag your opponent and run behind of him is a special technique in Baoding sytle of Chinese wrestling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy6j9rwcahA

[TenTigers]

One of the best things I like about Hung-Gar is that it is taught in levels, and each level stands on its own.

Level one-Gung Ji Fook Fu-large stable horse, strong bridge, crashing, smashing with element punches and ping choy, etc.
A student can learn just this and go out and fight.
Adding in the viscious claws, finger strikes, Leopard strikes,teaches the student to be able to use techniques where simple punching may not be the correct tool, and basic hand skills allows the student to develop his skillset.

Level Two Fu-Hok Seurng Ying Kuen-Opens the door to understanding how technique becomes more refined:
Short hand skills are taught, emphasis on hard and soft, crane and snake, sensitivity, specialized striking and advanced footwork. This is where you will see many similarities to Fukien short hand styles and Hakka Kuen.
Some people never get to this stage and are fine as they are.
(face it, most people never get here.)
But as I stated, The basic level stands on its own.

Ng Ying Kuen-the integration of mind, body, spirit. The animal techniques are not where you look, they are simply variations of what has already been taught.
The emotional states associated with each animal, and how they combine to develop the fighter's mindset is where the value lies.

Tiet Sien Kuen-should IMHO be taught all along..in pieces-which is exactly what WFH did. Teaches the connection of the body structure to develop the power in the short bridges.

I can go on, but it pretty much summarizes our Hung Kuen.

[David Jamieson]

I think a lot of you are leaving out the very well known flying butt pliers and stagnant chi release techniques.


I don't think anything makes us unique though except that it is us that do what we do in the fashion we do it.

It is progressive and the style is robust.
It covers all the requirements to be able to martially express yourself effectively.
It's not mma, but what it is is what it is.

[EarthDragon]

I would have to definatly say for us its the footwork. We have a superior advantage over many other styles simply due to our footowrk.
I feel many styles and systems dont put enough training or emphasis on thier feet to manuvering in and out of harms way simply by changing the stepping pattern and angles of attack, I have studeied in depth many other styles and I can say bagua and 8 step have it hands down.