Category: FIST LOGIC

A General Theory of Fighting Arts becomes grounded in Human Movement and not, as it so often is, ‘Esoteric Ideology’.

 The General Theory of Fighting Arts is a term widely used to try to get students to identify the mutual movements of all martial styles, and the alignment with most dynamic sports.

One thing we have all been told, and if we are talking to beginners or non Wing Chun people often repeat is that ‘Wing Chun movement is based on normal human body movement’.

I do not think that students give enough credence to this statement, that ‘Wing Chun movement is based on normal human body movement’.

It gets treated as if it is just some sort of cagey advertising spin just as many Instructors still claim that Wing Chun was invented by a woman, a device to encourage smaller, less athletic men to take up Wing Chun instead of a rival code.

But Wing Chun IS based on normal human body movements.

If we approach the work from this perspective and look at what is presented and how it is presented, we see a pattern emerge, that in the progression of the FORMS, as we move from the first Form to Chum Kiu and then Biu Gee, this progression is nothing more than the introduction of more complex movement for people not familiar with this way of moving.

This approach more than likely had merit back in 1860s Foshan but today, due to the average sporting curriculum of most western schools every 12-year-old child is familiar with these moves.

A very large proportion of what is introduced through the Forms is simply unnecessary, at least from the point of view of controlling our body.

Do not get me wrong, the FORMS are needed for other reasons so I am not suggesting abandonment.

But we can easily be moving at a level that is needed for any aspect of the work be it the Dummy, the Pole or the Knives if we put more practice and focus into moving better as a Human.

Take any movement or action from any sport, especially a throwing or bat and ball sport, and you will find the moves somewhere in the Form.

 A General Theory of Fighting Arts becomes grounded in Human Movement and not, as it so often is, ‘Esoteric Ideology’.

This week spend some quality time exploring the similarities between Martial Movement, Sports and Dancing, once you see how they amalgamate, consolidate and integrate FORMS become a secondary consideration. 

IMAGINE, MANIFEST AND WORK ON THE IDEA OF THE FRAME.

And while you a re at it put some minutes into the MAGNIFICENT SEVEN.

Here they are, and here is a recap.

WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND, THINGS ARE JUST THE WAY THEY ARE.

WHEN YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND, THINGS ARE JUST THE WAY THEY ARE.

PIC

The amount of power needed to abruptly push someone off of their feet is commensurate with the amount of power needed to break things.

Richard asked the following question on our whatsapp Group page…

“Hi Derek, question for the week. The 1 inch punch. I have seen vids of Bruce Lee do it with a lot of torsion, and Sigung Fung doing it square on. Is there any practical use? Was Sigung Fung that powerful?”

It is important to understand the nature of any demonstration is basically ‘Infotainment’.

The amount of power needed to abruptly push someone off of their feet is commensurate with the amount of power needed to break things.

Like ribs and eye sockets, good luck finding a volunteer for that trick.

There are many internet trolls that watch a video of my Sifu and scream “Fake”,.

From a video.

How smart are they.

One of the reasons Wing Chun does not have sparring is because the average Wing Chun player wishes to avoid getting hurt and not engage in it, it is the same with any demo.

I have seen my Sifu perform this on many occasions, the body movement is minimal, the focus sublime, it is as real as a car crash.

But it is also a gimmick, or at the least a training exercise.

As I recount in the video my Sifu once gave me a serious tap, not really a punch, but it was as hard as anything I have experienced.

And I used to box.

EVERYONE. HAS A PLAN, UNTIL YOU PUNCH THEM IN THE FACE.

Or of course there is always someone that asks ‘Will this work in the street’?

This is just a bit extra to keep our heads somewhere near what our training was.

It is meant to be light hearted and off beat but it may just come over a tad confused and delusional.

CABIN FEVER.

Over the years I have been teaching there have been many students that when shown something a little bit outside the box say ‘Can we do that in Wing Chun’?

Or of course there is always someone that asks ‘Will this work in the street’?

I get it, we understand that there is a bunch of ‘shitheads out there and we may just bump into them so we best be ready’.

But we do not know who they are so we do not know if what we are doing is enough.

IT IS.

It always was.

It always will be.

I also do a belated look at the Rubber Mallets.

STAY HEALTHY.

It is your journey and your choice.

Richard asked if I could put a post up to cover as much of Chum Kiu as I could, I am pretty sure it will be of use to a few of you.

First off, when listening to anyone about any Form from any style stay aware of the fact that a Form is nothing more than a structural framework that allows the concepts to be laid out in a way that makes sense to the right person at the right time.

In due course we will all interpret the information [any Form] in a way that fits the way we think and compliments the way we move.

Remain mentally flexible.

Let’s get to it.

What is the best way to approach Chum Kiu?

We can approach Chum Kiu in as many ways as we can think up, it can be super simple such as “How many new moves are the in Chum Kiu that I need to understand”?

The answer to this is just 2?!

Pivoting and Shifting.

Or we can dig deep into every nuanced interpretation and now there are millions of ways.

The best is, as with everything, start small and grow, from the super simple to the insanely complex.

It is your journey and your choice.

There are some personal picks from the archive below that will help your journey and save you making a detour into the past posts department.

FROM THE ARCHIVE.

Here are some earlier posts that will help with the work and the training of the aspects we explore with Chum Kiu.

I recommend reading the text to the posts as it sometimes adds clarity to the context of the video, but if you are stuck for time, as we all are, just watch the vids.

This is a pretty complete overview of the Chum Kiu application from the perspective of vectors, but it is quite long, Video duration 18 minutes. https://wordpress.com/post/wingchunsydney.com/1456

This is a medium length video that helps understand the transition from Crazy horse to Chum kiu. Video duration 09 minutes. https://wordpress.com/post/wingchunsydney.com/2064

This pivoting primer that is one of the best videos I have done for information transmission that can be easily used. Video duration 11 minutes. https://wordpress.com/post/wingchunsydney.com/1482

This post will also aid with pivoting. Video duration 07 minutes. https://wingchunsydney.com/2020/01/18/tension-and-torsion/

This post is mostly about punching but it has good instruction on Core Winding. Video duration 05 minutes.https://wordpress.com/post/wingchunsydney.com/509

This post is about the often overlooked aspect of sinking and Rising. An inherent part of all movement. Video duration 07 minutes. https://wordpress.com/post/wingchunsydney.com/2331

This post covers the summation of forces. The heart of Chum Kiu. Video duration 03 minutes. https://wordpress.com/post/wingchunsydney.com/2290

it is like thinking that 6 different patterns combined in an ornate carpet are somehow 6 different carpets

Hi guys, I am at last getting around to updating the Information on the Forms page, they are quite outdated when you think of how we train now, hopefully, it will not take me too long, the IDEAs posted below are just a starting point, there is a tonne of things we can find and explore in the Forms.

The main goal for all of us is to make Wing Chun a personal expression of our knowledge.

Then any information can be valuable information.

When we surf the Internet we find many different opinions on what Wing Chun is, this is completely fine and we have no need to worry about it, the difference is only in the training approach which may or may not relate to the learning outcome.

At times like this we do well to remember that all roads lead to Rome.

For my guys, all rivers eventually reach the ocean.

And take their twigs with them.

Wing Chun is usually described as having 6 forms, I do not like this description, it is clumsy and suggests a separation that simply does not exist, it is like thinking that 6 different patterns combined in an ornate carpet are somehow 6 different carpets.

I prefer to regard Wing Chun as having only 1 Form, which is of course the Sil Lim Tao, presented in the way of 3 attitudes, the first Form [that usually retains the S.L.T.title], the Chum Kiu Form and the Biu Gee Form.

And 3 processes, Mok Jan Jong [dummy], Baat Cham Dao [knives] and Lok Dim Boon Kwan [pole] that allow us to combine and explore the 3 individual attributes.

A more contemporary way to perceive this is to see the First Form, the Chum Kiu Form and the Biu Gee Form as 3 separate yet related theories that we test in the 3 processes of Dummy, Knives and Pole with the goal of discovering ‘our own’ Unified Theory of Wing Chun.

This is the code that grants us access to the Sil Lim Tao.

WHAT ARE THE 3 THEORIES?

First Form Theory. A method of how to set up an upright neutral body, how to move the arms without disturbing this neutral body and finally how to positively charge this neutral body to become a powerful single unit.

Core learning objective. Unify/stabilise an [Upright] STATIC FRAME.

Related research process. The Mok Jang Jong.

Second Form Theory. A method for supporting the arms with the body on contact with incoming force, how to coordinate the movement of the arms with the movement of the body, an introduction to the hierarchy of movement and sequential acceleration in a linear orientation.

Core learning objective. Unify/stabilise a MOVING FRAME.

Related research process. The Lok Dim Boon Kwan.

Third Form Theory. A method of focusing attention to specific points of the body, to develop an understanding of how to enlist the powerful core muscles, and an introduction to weight shifting within the bounds of the frame in a rotary orientation.

Core learning objective. Dynamically empower a unified/stabilised MOVING FRAME.

Related research process. The Baat Cham Dao.

While there are established Forms for the Dummy, Pole and Knives they should be seen as good places to begin testing the theories and not as essential patterns.

A unified theory of Wing Chun resides inside each and every one of us, the big question is can we get it to come out?

HOKKA HEY

WHAT KIND OF DAY IS IT FOR YOU?

“Reality is what we take to be true,” 

pioneering physicist David Bohm

To be able to deeply understand Kung Fu we have no option other than suspending reality in an attempt to see deeper into what it is we are doing.

I am not trying to go all NEO and the MATRIX here but there is an element of that.

Our training needs to dip its toe into different realities, the outcome we are seeking is to change our perception of what it is we are doing, in fact what it is we are.

This is not as whacky as it sounds, neuro scientists and physicists have held the opinion that the universe is a hologram for decades, we have no need to go that deep but this is the way.

“Reality is what we take to be true,” pioneering physicist David Bohm asserted in 1977. “What we take to be true is what we believe… What we believe determines what we take to be true. What we take to be true is our reality.”

I was working on this with James on Monday evening the following video may look a bit sus but this was very advanced training, and training that transfers very well to increased physiality.

VIDEO

If nothing else this next few months should be interesting and amusing.

The idea that Shaolin monks would seek enlightenment and then go off to war is a Wuxia invention, a Hong Kong Movie Industry Myth.

Now that we have begun exploring along the lines of the Subtle Body we mustn’t wander off {mentally} and think that it is something that it is not, namely MINDFULNESS.

There is nothing wrong with mindfulness or using Kung Fu shapes to practice mindfulness.

Although it should be obvious that when you are using Kung Fu shapes to practice mindfulness you are practising mindfulness and not Kung Fu.

Working with the IDEA of the Subtle Body is very much a part of physical training for physical Kung Fu, albeit psychophysical/psychoneural/psychomotor, perhaps just plain PSYCHO!

Mindfulness practice has no place in fighting and cannot aid with the physical aspects of training.

What we in the west refer to as mindfulness came about due to a Medical Professor named Jon Kabat-Zinn, who created an 8-week course for terminally ill cancer patients to relieve pain, anxiety and stress, he called it Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

Mindfulness is a powerful tool when used as intended

The 9 Attitudes of Mindfulness according to Jon Kabat-Zinn

• Non-judging.
• Acceptance.
• Patience.
• Beginner’s mind.
• Trust.
• Non-Striving.
• Letting Go.
• Gratitude.

I think it is quite clear that none of the above attitudes is of any use in physical training and even less use in a violent situation.

Mindfulness should be an aspect of our holistic training and I will cover that in a later post.

The idea that Shaolin monks would seek enlightenment and then go off to war is a Wuxia invention, a Hong Kong Movie Industry Myth.

Do not fall for it!

The work we are heading towards is influenced by some of the giants of neuroscience the late Prof. Karl H. Pribram, the late Dr. Moshé Feldenkrais and the very alive Dr. V.S. Ramachandran.

Look them up and get a head start on training.

Stay tuned, stay in touch, there is much more to come and as I get a better handle on explaining things it may even begin to make sense.

IN A STREET FIGHT STYLE AND TECHNIQUE ACHIEVE VERY LITTLE AND MEAN NOTHING.

IT IS AGGRESSION AND DETERMINATION THAT MEAN EVERYTHING

It is not possible to meditate in the grips of the ‘Fight or Flight response.

WHAT IS THE SUBTLE BODY?

More extraordinary minds than mine have pondered this experience.

A ‘subtle body’ of sorts has been part of humanities perception from the dawn of civilisation, we come across it in such diverse instances as the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the Tibetan book of the Dead, Buddhist meditation, Taoist alchemy, Tantric Yoga, the Jewish Kabballah, the esoteric writings of Gurdjieff to the magic of Alister Crowly and the ‘Order of the Golden Dawn’.

Nobody knows what it is but all of us have experienced it or something akin to it at some time or another and many of us have a sneaking feeling that it could be real.

Try this.

Sit in your favourite chair, close your eyes, and ‘relax’.

Imagine that there is a knock at the door, still using your imagination get up, walk across the room and answer the door.

Who got up and opened the door?

It was the ‘Subtle Body’.

We cannot and indeed should not separate Kung Fu from the people that formulated it, the Shaolin Monks, it was their lived experience that created Kung Fu.

The constant danger of attack from bandits was a central part of their lived experience.

Physically working hard every day was a central part of their lived experience.

Training every day was a central part of their lived experience.

Practising Dhyāna/Chan/Zen was a central part of their lived experience.

Unfortunately, we cannot trust any of the histories that are put forward about the Shaolin Monks. On many occasions, the monastery was razed to the ground and all authentic written histories lost.

What we can safely accept is that they did work and train hard every day and they did practice Dhyāna/Chan/Zen every day.

If we apply modern sports science/sports medicine thinking to these two facts alone we find that hard training creates an abundance of Cortisol in the body.
Cortisol hangs around for a long time, more than 24 hours and the monks trained every day.
Cortisol is a stress hormone similar to adrenalin and is a precursor to the ‘fight or flight’ response.
If all the monks did was train hard they would be permanently in a ‘Flight or fight’ mindset.

Dhyāna/Chan/Zen is a practice that is known to decrease Cortisol.

Despite Kung Fu movie depiction, Shaolin Monks were spiritual people living in violent times, their main goal was meditation, fighting was an ugly but necessary evil {usually, but not always, performed by a secular section of the order}.

It is not possible to meditate in the grips of the ‘fight or flight response.

The practice of Dhyāna/Chan/Zen, or what today is often referred to as ‘Mindfulness” was not an aid to the Monk’s Kung Fu, on the contrary, it was an antidote to the Monk’s Kung Fu.

The more secular monks no doubt found that their Dhyāna/Chan/Zen practice had mental benefits to their physical practice so some cross-pollination becomes inevitable.

It is also inevitable that some of the monks would have lost limbs in clashes, so the lost limb syndrome, although it would not be seen as such at that time, could well account for the manifestation of the subtle body to the less spiritual monks.

Food for thought.

Your mileage may vary.

WE MUST AIM TO BE EQUAL TO THE LARGENESS OF THE THINGS AROUND US.