IMA Takes Balls

[YouKnowWho]

Wouldn't it be much more useful to just focus on training one art exclusively without thinking about a theory to encompass whole styles which contain lots of variation?

You don't even need to think about any "style" when you develop certain skill. Are there any difference between Taiji foot sweep, XingYi foot sweep, or Bagua foot sweep? I don't think so. When you apply a certain move such as foot sweep, it's much more useful to focus on:

- When should you apply it?
- Which angle to cut in?
- How to use your hand moves to cover your footwork?
- How to apply your leg force?
- How to maintain balance during your move?
- How to set it up when your opponent is moving?
- ...

The day that you have mastered your "foot sweep", the day that the word "style" will no longer have any meaning to you. Does the "foot sweep" have anything to do with cotton ball, steel ball, or wire balll? I also don't think so.

[YouKnowWho]

To talk about:

- Taiji is a cotton ball,
- XingYi is a steel ball,
- Bagua is a wire ball,

is the same as to talk about

- WC is a spring,
- CLF is a swing ball,
- Hong Quan is a hammer,
- longfist is a rifle,
- Praying mantis is a machine gun,
- Baji is a grenade,
- White ape is a whip,
- ...

Besides it make you feel that you are very knowledgeable, it just won't help your combat skill in any way. TCMA should not be just a talking subject on the dinner table. It should be combat skill when facing opponent.

The 1st Zimen system principle is 殘(cruel, no mercy, ...). No matter how deep that you may understand this principle, it's still just abstract thinking which is far from real combat.

[scholar]

Great post. I can tell you understood the heart of the analogy. Never thought of these as aspects of the same style or even the same technique. Cool.

I have no experience with Wu or Sun style TJQ, did you say you practiced both?

Just Wu style, started in 1988. The teachers I studied from were so overwhelmingly competent that there was no point in and no time to try anything else. I've spent the years since studying the basics, the nuts and bolts of what they were showing as much as possible. In 2002 after my last visit to Hong Kong the family decided I should teach.

[tattooedmonk]

Yeah the principles are great as a very very very very very very basic explanation but the sprawl is a very basic takedown defense which can be explained technical terms. This part of the body does this at this time. Your principles may be great, and may help to a point, but those who train technically will always have an edge. If you're having trouble with counting a jab do you want to be told that you have to be more spherical, let the chi flow better, or step in and off line more and raise your shoulder. That is the point I'm making.

And I do Kung fu... But it's not the only are I train or have trained. You'll have to do a little better than falling back on tradition. As basic metaphors they're okay but beyond day 1 explanations to a new student these aren't great. Considering most folks here probably have martial arts experience technical explanations on power generation, redirection, counting, footwork, etc are going to be far more useful that "oooh we're like this type of ball."

no one is going to say those things at those times, unless they are relevant .

its not like you just walkaround like a retard or a fortune cookie and just ramble unrelated nonsense.

I agree with the fact that traditionalist need to get with the times and use technical terms. if thats what you are truely saying.

[SPJ]

So there is a great analogy my sifu mentioned and I've been reflecting on recently. The analogy goes like this:

Compare the internal styles to rubber balls.

Taijiquan - is like attacking a ball off-center. Attacks are deflected and the ball compresses, the ball uses some of its own force to knock the attack away.

Bagua - is like a rotating ball. Attacks are neutralized and the spinning action is simultaneously defensive and offensive.

Xingyi - is like a "thrusting" ball. It moves straight forward, and bounces the opponent directly.

Thoughts?

1 Water is a better analogy for tai chi.

2 Ba gua, your spine is like a reel or axis, your hands and legs circling around it

black dragon circling a pillar is better analogy.

3 Xing yi is spear. your hands are spears, your waist is the horse carriage, your legs are horses.

What is the hang up with balls any way.

no balls.

just water, pillar and spear.

do not see balls

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