Quote:
Originally Posted by Tenchu
Hmn, you're right, Ivon. I think the assumption it does not help comes from inexperience.
It makes a lot of improvements in weird ways, too. I can handle more beer being healthy. I am better at sex because of stamina and 'sustained thrust power'! I can drive a motorbike in heavy Bangkok traffic faster and more agressivly just due to reaction, constant assesment at high speed and so on, but this is dangerous. Lots of things, but mostly you will be a thousand times more confident and you can fight back, or even start a fight, when you have to. Plus, exersize makes you live longer, esp. the exersize that uses your whole body, like swimming, football games or basketball, or martial arts.
You know, Ivon, I realized something today sparring; I think you need sparring to learn to fight. Like I said, first shadow boxing, then partner drills, then sparring, then competition, then reality fighting. It is part of the production line, I think. Unfortunatly most Kung Fu does not include sparring. But there is San Da, like you said. Sparring helps you test what really works, and see your openings. Today I was getting my ass kicked and I used some Wing Cgun Kung Fu handwork to get passed the boxers gaurd. I have found half of what I learned in Kung Fu does not actually work very well! I reckon this is due to instructors being taught and raised with no sparring experience, so they never know, and the moves change after being far from reality, and become lost, and you are left with a useless style. Wing Chun gets this a lot. And there are some things that just dont work in it anymore. But some that do.
Do you ever intend on mixing styles? Like, do you ever go to the local boxing gym, or kick boxing, or karate club, just to see what a boxer can do on you or karate guy? If you are serious about Kung Fu, then you must learn boxing, karate, MMA, so on. Just a little, so you can see what your weakness is. A specific style is okay, but not when you are only practicing to fight someone of the same style, i.e. training on other mantis guys.
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personal opinion from personal experience.....martial arts gives you and edge over ANY physical activity >.>'
i study shaolin kung fu....and i'll admit...alot of the moves seem quite pointless~
buut...after a bit of training...
i've sort of realized that every move has, or can have a purpose
in the forms, most of the moves are over exaggerated or performed in their proper, and ideal postuer, or just meant for training
*it's late, so i apologize for not being exactly coherent atm....*
for example...
when we do a form, our horse stance is set to a 90 degree angle; in the knees, at the ankle, in between the legs, etc.
through the practice of this ideal posture, when its actually utilized, you have better control of your horse stance, you can hold it longer and stronger than if you were to practice it at a 135 degree angle instead....
or...
we also have this move where we stomp both feet on the ground [feet end up together, and the knee's are bent at a 135], and slap a fist over our palms
a seemingly useless move...
though if you modify it, having the fist grab a wrist; the stomping motion drawing the arm towards yourself, and the slamming fist coming over the elbow...the move now become quite effective, no?
alsoo....
for those "training" moves~
in my shaolin class, after every warm-up, we practice something we call the "traditional 18". it starts off w/ some basic forward kicks (both arms are held at a 180 degree angle; fingers make a palm, point upwards to create a 90 degree angle at the wrist; back is straight/spine aligned when kicking, and when walking; chin is tucked in; heel is planted when kicking; and never slouch when kicking), then inside and outside kicks.
obviously, when you kick someone, you aren't going to go in such a posture, but the point is that the training of such postures improves the stability of your kicks and the control over your body.
when i do a typical round house kick...i now find that i apply all the same principles that i had accustomed my body too through the traditional 18 >.>'
meaning...my body is much more stable when a leg is in the air, lolz
bleh....prolly didn't make anysense...but it's 3 am ;_;
and i'm tired...
haha ^^'