Originally posted by PHILBERT


Next we did a kick that I've never seen before. It is similar to a cresent kick, but it only goes up to about the waste. It is designed for groin shots, but it comes somewhat at an angle. Being I've never done this kick before, I totally sucked at it. The instructor however had some power to it. He said one of his brown belts was really good with this kick. The kick would be deployed if your opponent were standing somewhat at an angle, and was not a front snap kick.
Sounds like an invert kick. I'm not a big fan, but I've seen some that can use this kick effectively to close and set up a stronger technique.

Originally posted by PHILBERT



Then he showed me some techniques, open sparring. The first consisted of a jab, but was done upside down, so the back of my fist faced the ground. I struck with the first 2 knuckles. I would then come back into a cat stance as if to retreat, throw 2 punches at the same time plus a kick. Then I would do a side kick THEN a straight kick without putting my foot down, close in with the upside down jab. Finally I did a sweeping motion to a leg, followed by a side kick. I did this for a few minutes while they did Baguazhang.
These are sparring techniques 1-4. Some of the very first techniques that are taught to an SD newbie.

Originally posted by PHILBERT


Last thing he showed me was something from a form. VERY Karate looking, but instead of block/punch, you blocked and punched at the same time. Supposedly this "blows peoples minds away" because people aren't use to doing both at the same time. Coming from a Wing Tsun background, I knew what I was doing. I started in a bow stance with my right leg out and left fist. I then brought the left fist back into an overhead block while punching with the right fist. Then I stood back into some other stance, and put my arms in front of my chest as if to block a round kick. Some more weird stuff, but I kept going forward on this. It reminded me of Karate, but I was leaning forward. He said that a Karate master originally taught he students how to block then punch at the same time, because they couldn't get both to work at once. He then died before he taught them both, and no one bothered putting it back together.

He was showing you short form number 1, but I've never heard his story explaniation before. It's a nice and fundamental concept blocking and striking at the same time and one of the overriding principles of SD, but not a "mind blowing" principle in my opinion. Just sound fundamentals.

Originally posted by PHILBERT


Now, for the Baguazhang. I watched the 3 of them do Baguazhang. The 2 brown belts looked like they were watching a home study course on Baguazhang, lacked rooting, and I don't even study Baguazhang but I could see it was poor. The instructor seemed to have a much better grasp, but even then he came off as maybe a 1-2 year student of Baguazhang would have. How much application he had was beyond me. But the movement itself was very smooth and solid, and very well rooted. I am sure a Baguazhang practioner would notice more errors in it, but being as I don't study it, I couldn't judge him very thoroughly. His students however I could see some major errors in. It honestly looked like they had just watched a Baguazhang tape, and were trying to follow the movements.
I've only known BaGua for 1 to 2 years so your observations of the instructor seemed accurate. The ones in SD that seem to really get it are the ones that have focused on it for several years. One of our highest ups focused on nothing but the basic BaGua form for a couple of years. The danger of a style with so many forms is that you don't focus enough on any single set of fundamentals or principles. You can, but most people don't.



Originally posted by PHILBERT
Over all the school was definately BETTER than I expected.

Would I join this school? Probably not. I would want an instructor who picks away at the things, instead of giving me my belt. These guys looked like they were just handed a belt each time they tested and weren't really taught that the stuff they were doing was inccorect.
This can be a problem, but its a school problem that can occur regardless of style. I don't know what school you visited, or if its a problem at this school, but it is a concern.

Originally posted by PHILBERT

I know some people here say it is Karate or Kempo, maybe it is. I don't do Karate or Kempo, but it didn't resemble any Karate I've seen. Some of it probably can work on the street, only if you have the instructor who will show you when you mess up. This guy didn't seem to be doing that.

Over all I rate the system higher than what I originally expected. I certainly can't judge the system off of one school, just like I can't judge Wing Chun off the God awful Wing Chun school I visited last year. But this school could be better if the teacher would correct his students more often.
I think this is a very fair assesment. Thanks Philbert.