Dog Brothers Public Forum

CWS,

Who would you bet on living a longer healthier life? I would bet that most TMAs live longer and have a higher quality of life than Stone cold thugs. Trying to determine who is a better fighter gets in that sticky area between Self defense and what Marc Denny calls, "Young male ritual hierarchial contests." (YMRHC)

I believe that quality of life issues become an often overlooked ingredient when we try to decide fighting methods. Along those lines we have to ask, who lives longer healthier lifes? A Stone cold thiug or a TMA? Would anyone ever say, including Stone cold thugs, that people who learn to fight in the underbelly of America made a good lifestlye choice?


Maija,

I like what you said referring to your sword training and not getting hit thus achieving higher consciouness. Your skills attest to that. The harder contact, I was writing on is in reference to full contact sports. The nature of sword can not be a full contact sport, at least not in America. 

 

I think alot of people get confused by traditional martial arts, which is what this thread is about.

Misconceptions about TMA's:

1. TMA's are direct concepts and techniques which can be applied immediately to combat. This is not the case. TMA's are a complete language like an alphabet with grammatical rules. That is it! Now, how you apply that language is up to you.

2. The teachers personal ability of a TMA represents the effectiveness of that TMA. This is partly true but it is more important that the instructor be able to impart his knowledge effectively. Afterall, I could probably kick Angelo Dundee's ass but I bet he could train a teenager with one arm to beat me.

3. Another misconception is the quote, "doing that (fillin the blank)______ TMA technique wll get you killed." I have heard this so often and Frankly, I have yet to hear of all the TMA's being killed.   

This is where Bruce Lee and I split. He said something like, "take what is useful and throw out the rest." 
TMA's are a system of possible techniques which were collected over time through MANY situations in time of wars and peace. It is important to pass on these techniques without too much editing. As martial artists we must realize that these arts will survive way longer than you and you can't know what future generations will need.  If something is not applicable how do you know down the road it won't be the perfect tool for the job.

Take physical labor for instance. In our time, we are doing less and less of it. I am on this computer typing and spend most of my days doing so as do many Americans. This is no big deal for OUR time period but we live on this planet of limited resources. I am sure I will survive fine and my son most probably will survive just fine without working doing much physical labor. Generations later however, when things change and resources dwindle, not having those OLD, OBSOLETE skills might be the difference between life and death or surviving and thriving. 

Another example good example is sword fighting. I can't tell you how many times I heard that studying sword in a "useless activity" on internet forums. Again, we have a situation where people are too ready to toss out something that can be applied in many ways to our time period. First, sword techniques are very often the basis for emptyhand. Second, I don't think it takes too much imagination to see how a sword technique can be used with a stick or any other found object. Third, Sword techniques are also the basis for correct body mechanics in activities of daily living. The loss of sword techniques would be a loss of knowledge that has effects on humanity as a whole because of the universal body of knowledge that they contain.        

As for me, I will always be a traditional martial artist, who tries to carry the tradition onwards. However I believe that it is important to test these traditional techniques and place a higher importance on some than others for our time. That is why Kali-tudo is a very important DVD. 

Wow! Yes, I would be totally into it.

Is there a training location and contact info?

My Tai chi instructor is in Berkely. I spend a lot some time with him but I love weapons training!

Thanks for responding,

Chris

Many studies have been replicated testing mindfulness based practises. Yoga and Tai Chi definitely fit into this umbrella term. They are being examined rigoressly in a new field called, Behavioral Medicine. I have read many studies where tremendous efficacy has been demonstrated on a wide array of diseases.

There is no question that mindfulness based practise holds great promise for many modern diseases in our country. I don't find the claims of yoga vague or ambiguous. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't start seeing it in many hospitals along side standard treatments. 

I just read every post! Took me awhile. Great thoughts and gave me much to ponder.

I have a wing chung friend who is a police officer. He uses his chi sao all the time. I believe because the nature of police work is control. Chi sao is mostly done in medio to corto range. Similiar to TTD. He is always demonstrating how perps fall right into his chi sao flows. The subtle awareness of pressure in one area creates an opening in another. This can only be mastered through flight time doing sensitivity drills.

One thing, I am surprised that no one mentioned is that TTD can be done while moving. In attacking blocks CD mentioned that developing that rythm, we look to insert technique. In TTD you become sensitive to maintaining spacial relationship with your oppponent (or partner if you are dancing.) Maintaining proper spatial relations in movement is MAI in Japanese. I believe you do not need to Cha Cha to realize this in your training. You just need to do moving TTD. If you develop a high level of spatial sensitivity then flowing from largo->medio->corto and back should not be so choppy. When you are smooth you can find the stutter step opening in your opponent and exploit that.

To me the moving TTD is what makes them so valuable. It is the practise of putting your feet to your blade or whatever that is the essence of TTD. To be clear I am no expert on TTD at least in FMA style.

 
   

Comments from combing stick & footwork.

I have been praticing the Illustrismo cross step quite a lot lately. (Seeing those action clips of the techniques taught really provide good motivation.)

One thing, I noticed in that first empty hand example: Crafty Dog points out the spring step entry, after the evasion from the Thai kick to the inner knee. That spring step entry is strikingly similar to Hsing Yi, a chinese martial art. In HY, there is a step called a "chicken step" and basically you spring forward off the back leg. This is trained ad infinitum. If that spring step is developed it could provide a more stable and rapid entry. I never mentally realized that it could be used after an evasion. I am glad that connection was point out.

Second point, By not bending the wrist on the downward strike as the evading leg is brought back saves the joints from excessive wear and tear. It also seems quicker. Has anyone found this to be so? I have been practising this for long hours and I definitely feel less wrist pain when executing it without bending but I do not have enough experience with it to tell if it is faster.


I also imagine it is the same with the redondo. Palm up--> to palm down.

Thank you,

Krait   

Robertlk808

Are you joking, I can't tell. If so don't read any further.

I am by no means a UFC fan I love boxing and have been watching it since the early 80's. The UFC definitely has some skill, for Couture to keep on fighting tough 25yr olds at 40 that is something.

Boxing is down for the count, if you ask me. Sure, it is beautiful but pretending that you can't kick or do a takedown doesn't cut it anymore. The West knows that fighting is much more dynamic than that.

I wish it weren't so, I am much better in standup without kicking or takedowns but there has been a paradigm shift. 

Thanks for the suggestions. I will certainly take heed.

I am not endorsing these essays as gospel. I just spoke with the guy at Kingfisher woodworks and he suggested I read them. I read them and they made pretty good sense. He is definitely NOT saying they are or can be indestructible.

Kali-tudo is my next martial purchase.

http://kingfisherwoodworks.com/warr.maint.html
http://ejmas.com/pt/ptart_taylorcol_0603.html

Thanks,

Krait

I have been studying Chinese martial arts for a while 9-10 years and have done a few others along the way. I love and respect all martial arts.
 

I just purchased Attacking Blocks and Combining Stk and Ft. I am sincerely impressed. After a few years of doing Tai Chi sword I started to realize that something is going on here that is similar to Kali. The 8 lines of attack similarity was apparent but I had no basis to take that connection any further than that. Enter Dog Brothers; they translated the grammatical code of traditional weapons arts into an American taijitsu(kinesthetic language), so to speak. I am sure if anyone writes a book on martial arts in America the DB's will have a big chapter.

I am deeply grateful for this information and it has deepened my love of martial arts.

Questions:

1. I am definitely going to buy Kali-Tudo, does it have Hubud drills?

2. If not, Can anyone recommend a good Hubud DVD?

3. Are Cold Steels polypor escrima sticks any good? Have they been tested?

Thankyou,

Krait