Traditional Kung Fu tactics that WORK….

Traditional Chinese martial arts, AKA “Kung Fu,” has a pretty horrible reputation in today’s martial arts world. As I have previously posted in regards to this, much of it has to do with the culture that has developed; the wrong people in charge, the wrong attitudes, “posers”, “wannabes”, talking about fighting but not fighting, not understanding fighting, etc. Regardless, that does NOT mean that there are not applicable skills in traditional Chinese martial arts.

This first picture I post shows a combination of two tactics I am very fond of. The first is the “cross kick” to the shin. Hard to see, effective in not only creating opportunities but also very damaging. There is a similar kick in French Savate, and we combine methods a lot in my school. Here it is combined with using the hand as a distraction, a proven method in real fights.

Using “pek teui” / “bahk hok tam soi” against the inside of the rear leg. I recommend you wait until they jab, putting their weight forward and turning out their lead leg.

Again, use the hands to distract. Throw a jab, set up a spin kick….

When they lift their leg to avoid the Pek Teui, use the same leg to launch a Chaai Teui!

Remember, the Chan Tai San book is still available at http://www.amazon.com/Authentic-Lama-Pai-Kung-teachings/dp/1500432822

Throw your leg in the air, and kick like you just don’t care!

A slightly different blog today, a bit shorter than usual I think….

In Japanese and Korean traditions, the so called “stretch kicks” are usually done stationary. But they still have the three basics; a straight kick, an inside crescent and an outside crescent.

In Chinese martial arts, usually these three so called “stretch kicks” are doing with movement. They are line basics, done moving down the floor and then back again.

Have you noticed yet that I called them “so called stretch kicks“? Now, I am probably going to offend some people here, but if you’ve been reading this blog, you already know I am not shy about just being direct. I’ve seen some “applications” of these kicks…..

If you think a crescent kick is going to deflect a punch, or much MUCH worse, a knife thrust, you have some serious problem buddy… That was ok when we were 12.. maybe it was OK in the 1980’s, a lot of stupid stuff was OK in the 1980’s… but today? In the age of real martial arts?

There ARE some applications for the inside crescent kick (Pin Teui) and outside crescent kick (Baai Lin Teui), but I am not going into them right now… they probably require a video and I just don’t have the time today to film it 🙂

HOWEVER, a much more important reason to do these “stretch kicks” is to learn how to control your leg. I was taught that the RETRACTION of the leg is as important, perhaps even more important then the “throwing” the leg up high. Learning to control your leg at every minute/part of a movement is a skill important for real combat applications of the leg.

I recently got to see some Indian martial art, kalaripayattu, where similar leg motions are used, and for exactly the same reason. It was a cool way to be reminded about this, and to be inspired to do a BLOG about it….

More on this topic, on Jibengong, on Kalaripayattu and other stuff REAL SOON….

Now go train!
Sifu
http://www.nybestkickboxing.com