Is Shaolin-Do for real?

[brucereiter]

Shaolindoiscool and tatooed monk....

simmer down guys it was a joke. I think this whole thread is retarded.

Would meet up with you on Sunday but I've already got my whole weekend mapped out.

Take care,

FP

maybe next time ... i pass through every few months ... :-)

[BlueTravesty]

The traditional broad sword/tao looks more like a katana in shape than the current bs sold today. KC

The Willow Leaf Saber (which I can only assume is what you mean by "traditional") was indeed the main saber in use throughout most of the Ming Dynasty. It featured a narrow blade that had the same superficial SHAPE as a katana (though most were a bit broader and lighter, being designed for use in one hand.)

The current archetype for Chinese Style Single-edged swords (dao/tao) is based upon an actual historical type called the Oxtail Saber (niuwei dao.) This type of saber was in vogue throughout the the later Qing dynasty. This site has a very good example of an actual Oxtail saber a little bit further down http://www.northernwu.com/Swordgrp.htm There was also an issue of Kungfu Magazine on this as well. Scott Rodell is currently the leader of the pack when it comes to research on historical Dao/Tao in English.

If by BS you mean "not suitable for combat" then yes, the great majority of Dao/Tao being sold today would be BS. But the shape of the blade is not BS at all. The main reason the Oxtail model is so popular in today's CMA schools is due to the fact that Most of the popular CMA's today were either created, or were popularized during the later Qing Dynasty. While we all like to fantasize about styles and traditions that go back 1500 years etc etc ad nauseum, Chinese Martial Arts have always adapted to trends and advancements in weapons-making. Hence why the Chinese used swords, sabers and spears instead of throwing rocks and pointy sticks. This is also why they use guns, tanks and such instead swords sabers and spears today.

[Shaolin Wookie]

I always thought the Chinese broadsword looked more like a machete than anything else.

[NJM]

I always thought the Chinese broadsword looked more like a machete than anything else.

I thought machetes were much thinner.

[Shaolin Wookie]

Depends on the kind of bush your machete-ing.

[Shaolin Wookie]

Sorry, I just always thought it sounded cool in the movies when someone refers to the jungle as "bush."

I.E.: Predator

"I've seen some badass bush in my days, but nothin' like this...."

[Shaolin Wookie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pDc7ocvdv4

Does anyone know what this Zhao Jia kung fu is? I keep seeing it referred to as Chow Gar, but I thought Chow Gar was Southern Mantis....

I recognize many likenesses between SD and this. I know I say that about a lot of things....and I think SD is kind of a multicultural mishmash of styles based on some kind of Chinese kung fu...something very much like this. The forms, in movements, manners, and tempo, remind me of this Zhao Jia.....(not so much in this clip, but in related ones I'm too lazy to link to).

Just curious. Puttin' it out there for more edumacted folks than myself on this subject.

Friggin' cool style, though.

[BentMonk]

Not bad. They get extra points for jammin' to Linkin Park while they demo.

[Shaolin Wookie]

Had I only started so young.....

[cjurakpt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pDc7ocvdv4

Does anyone know what this Zhao Jia kung fu is? I keep seeing it referred to as Chow Gar, but I thought Chow Gar was Southern Mantis....
.

it looks like Jow Ga (Chow) which is a pretty "standard" southern style, very similar to CLF, Hung Kyuhn and others - I think that there is a big school in DC or Maryland (Derric Mims?); there's a school up here in NYC I have heard of that is a bit low key, I knew some guy who had been with them for a few decades;

I think the So Mantis you are talking about is Chu Ga?

[Shaolin Wookie]

That's interesting. I have been trying to find parallels for what's studied in Shaolin-Do, based on the structure of the forms, their tempo, rhythm and technique. I've always thought CLF was a striking parallel, forms wise. Now, for striking, technique.....waaay different. Lots of winding, circular strikes. But the sheer variety of styles in the system, and such, and the way the forms move--SD has many like features.

I'm not trying to solve the Shaolin-Do riddle. Part of me thinks it's authentic, the other part thinks it's modified, or a generic mishmash. I just occasionally like to see where styles like it came from, where and when they were developed, and how they've evolved.

[Crushing Fist]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pDc7ocvdv4


I recognize many likenesses between SD and this.

The forms, in movements, manners, and tempo, remind me of this Zhao Jia.....(not so much in this clip, but in related ones I'm too lazy to link to).

In that clip, the clearest similarity to a form I've seen in SD is Tiger/Crane.

Stop being lazy, post some more links... and come to a Norcross Wednesday Brown Belt class already.

[cjurakpt]

That's interesting. I have been trying to find parallels for what's studied in Shaolin-Do, based on the structure of the forms, their tempo, rhythm and technique. I've always thought CLF was a striking parallel, forms wise. Now, for striking, technique.....waaay different. Lots of winding, circular strikes. But the sheer variety of styles in the system, and such, and the way the forms move--SD has many like features.

I'm not trying to solve the Shaolin-Do riddle. Part of me thinks it's authentic, the other part thinks it's modified, or a generic mishmash. I just occasionally like to see where styles like it came from, where and when they were developed, and how they've evolved.

CLF is a hybrid system incorporating long arm northern strikes & kicks and southern short hand stuff, so it has both linear and circular stuff; Jow Ga has probably less of the circular striking, but shares many of the same techniques, as far as I can tell; as for SD, I have no idea about it, where it came from, etc. or what it looks like so I am unable to make any comparisons

[sean_stonehart]

That's interesting. I have been trying to find parallels for what's studied in Shaolin-Do, based on the structure of the forms, their tempo, rhythm and technique. I've always thought CLF was a striking parallel, forms wise. Now, for striking, technique.....waaay different. Lots of winding, circular strikes. But the sheer variety of styles in the system, and such, and the way the forms move--SD has many like features.

I'm not trying to solve the Shaolin-Do riddle. Part of me thinks it's authentic, the other part thinks it's modified, or a generic mishmash. I just occasionally like to see where styles like it came from, where and when they were developed, and how they've evolved.

No dude... trust me.

The honest simularites shared by CLF & SD is that both use hands to hit, feet to kick. That's about as far as that dance goes.

[sunfist]

and so, to conclude the thread, the answer is no