Ziranmen
Xinyiquan
Hung Gar
Bak Mei
SPM
Trynna learn more about these styles before diving into a style. What do people think of these styles in terms of modern day street defence?
Ziranmen
Xinyiquan
Hung Gar
Bak Mei
SPM
Trynna learn more about these styles before diving into a style. What do people think of these styles in terms of modern day street defence?
If the school includes force training and combat efficiency all of them, if the training is just forms then none of them.
Find a good teacher, style doesn't matter.
"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win."
- Sun Tzu
Hi Rosa,
People's opinions will obviously vary - but I'll give you the view from one extreme. 'Styles' are nothing without being combined with an individual and their training ethic, natural ability, commitment and natural atrributes. These then need to be combined with an effective coach and training programme. Then these things combine to produce the outcome - it's not the style that is effective, it's you. However, it is almost impossible to find anyone who actually has even a reasonable level in any of those arts - but that doesn't mean that a commited student couldn't go further than a poor teacher.
As for 'the street' - this is really just a cover-all term for an infinite variety of possible self defence needs. Even if you go to a self-defence specialist, like JKD or krav maga, everything Ive just said above also applies.
All in all, volunteering to do wushu thesedays is a strange thing, in large part based on some affinity you feel with it - with its body language skills, its history etc. Getting anything practical out of it is a bonus - getting to a good level in those arts, is virtually unheard of, although, there are many bogus instructors who claim otherwise.
However, many people feel precisely the opposite. You pays your money...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnq1iKc8b1Y Miqi this guy seems pretty legit. His movements and all that seem lethal.
I would love to learn from this guy but I live in Australia (Melbourne).
Rosa,
For practical fighting I would put Southern Praying Mantis above all the rest that you listed. You should learn the most practical, common sense techniques in the shortest time in that style.
The "style doesn't matter" philosophy is BS. It is the person "blah, blah, blah" is BS. You need the right tool for the right job. A hammer will break up the dirt, but a shovel will dig a hole faster and more efficiently.
I guess style doesn't matter if you want to devote years to a style that:
1. Takes years before you will make the style natural to you and thus be able to use it effectively,
2. In the end is the wrong style for your body type.
3. Only has a small bag of tricks that only work in certain situations.
The person is more important than the style if:
1. The person is too lazy to practice. Styles are not learned by osmosis.
2. The person never overcomes the fear of getting hit. No style can give you intestinal fortitude.
3. The person is unwilling to do what it takes to subdue the attacker. Fighting is messy.
In my 45 years of training I have studied Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Filipino arts. Some were very effective, some were a waste of time for self-defense.
Last edited by mooyingmantis; 01-14-2014 at 07:06 AM.
Richard A. Tolson
https://www.patreon.com/mantismastersacademy
There are two types of Chinese martial artists. Those who can fight and those who should be teaching dance or yoga!
53 years of training, 43 years of teaching and still aiming for perfection!
Recovering Forms Junkie! Even my twelve step program has four roads!
I'd say look at the Bak Mei or SPM schools and try to find which one has the shortest amount of required forms and has a heavier emphasis on sparring and live applications and drills.
You'll get that Chinese flavor, but it'll end up being the sparring that matters the most for your "street environment".
In all honesty it doesn't matter which style you choose if the teachers are any good. Try each out if you can and see which one you like the best.
Agreed. Styles have zero effect in and of themselves. They are like oranges. there's different kinds. Some are seedless, some are small, some are big, some are red, some are more yellow etc etc. they're all oranges, pick one, eat it, enjoy the flavour.
It's the person. It has always been the person and their dedication to practice and lifting their skill.
Streetfighting is more about survival. Curb stomping is a style. Hit with a found object is a style. Who has the guts to apply. Styles don't provide guts. You either got guts or you don't. Style is irrelevant in that light.
Fighting is a dirty business. So fight dirty. < this is good street fighting advice.
Fighting is a dirty business. Don't get dirty. < This is advice for the man of peace.
Kung Fu is good for you.
Simon McNeil
___________________________________________
Be on the lookout for the Black Trillium, a post-apocalyptic wuxia novel released by Brain Lag Publishing available in all major online booksellers now.
Visit me at Simon McNeil - the Blog for thoughts on books and stuff.
None of the styles are easy to learn.
You need to drill San ti, horse stance and 7 star stance for a few hours every day for 6 months or more and then daily.
You need to condition your forearm to be strong with Hung Gar, Bak Mei and mantis. Such as walking upside down with your hands on the ground etc.
You need to condition and strengthen your grips with tiger claw and mantis claw. Grabbing flower bags or metal ball/brick and toss in the air etc
You need to condition your strong and flexible wrist with tiger claw and mantis claw. Twirl and grab against a rope or a staff 250 times or more etc
You need to condition jumping steps with mantis. With each jump, you land in different posture/step. You need to run with lead tie on your ankle etc.
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on and on.
Might as well get a pepper spray, electric high voltage shocker, whistle, etc
--
Or, you know, you could go to a reputable gym, drill, spar, and learn how to fight and it'd still take you a few years but you wouldn't need a six-hour horse stance regimen.
Simon McNeil
___________________________________________
Be on the lookout for the Black Trillium, a post-apocalyptic wuxia novel released by Brain Lag Publishing available in all major online booksellers now.
Visit me at Simon McNeil - the Blog for thoughts on books and stuff.
There's a lot of truth in this, but I think this person wants to take an authentic style. He or she is window shopping and wants an informed opinion. They don't want to end up being a paper tiger after 10yrs of diligent study, which can and does happen unfortunately too much in traditional martial arts.
As my grandfather probably would have said... Be wary of southerners with that many tats.
*just looked at some more of his stuff. He's definitely into sparring. It's a pretty hard core school. Obviously you're aware that his school isn't representative of all Bak Mei schools,
so you're going to have to go in - check it out and see if you like the school that's in your area.
Last edited by MightyB; 01-14-2014 at 09:46 AM.
I actually really want to do Bak Mei but no schools around my area unfortunately.
But on the bright side. Wing Chun looks really appealing so might give that a shot and see how it goes.