Tai Chi Is Cool Again

Today i have a video for you guys to check out. This is a Tai Chi master who does a great job of taking Tai Chi back from senior citizens. Tai Chi Combat does a great job of showing the practical application of these traditional moves.
       Most often when we think of Tai Chi we think of slow meditative movements. It is not often that people think past the peaceful air of Tai Chi's appearance and look to see what is being acted out. Take for an example, Parting the Wild Horses Mane, which enacts a trapping and twisting motion that is used to bend or break the arm, leg and or neck if caught in the middle. Beyond the grace of Tai Chi it is still a killing art and T'ai Chi Ch'aun roughly (poorly) translated means "Grand Ultimate Fist"
      There is certainly beauty in Tai Chi but no martial art is worth something if it does not help protect you from attacks. So lets take a moment to thank Master Wong for sharing his knowledge. Master Wong has several more videos on youtube about Tai Chi and some on Wing Chun. (if you couldn't already tell from his hand speed.)

Tai Chi Combat

Weapons Retention

There is a split down the middle of our society on how people feel about fire arms in the United States. Some people feel that all problems can be solved without fire arms, which in most cases is true. Yet others hold up the argument that a gun for self defense could prevent you from being jumped and having your head kicked in by 6 people, should you find yourself in such a situation. Both arguments hold some ground. However, what will always stay true is the fact that your weapon is only good to you when you are the one holding it.

Wether you have a gun, a knife, a stick, or a hand grenade the only way to use it safely is to make sure it does not get used against you. The term for keeping your weapon as taught by police and military is called Weapons Retention. There are many techniques for this, one or more for every way someone can try to strip your weapon. The police practice what is called pin and spin, which is almost as simple as it sounds. Simply pin your hand to your holster, preventing another hand from pulling your pistol away and spin on your front foot, turning your hip and holster out of reach. The moves brilliance is its simplicity. However the technique itself, in my mind, is only a reaction to the flaw of open carry. 

By having your weapon in plain sight, yes it implies that you have nothing to hide, however it leaves your weapon exposed for a criminal to capitalize upon. To conceal your weapon as a law abiding citizen, allows you to appear less threatening to a bad guy in a crisis. Leaving you the opportunity to use or not Use your weapon as the situation allows. Even if some criminals see an armed populous as a deterrent; a easily reached weapon is an opportunity for some very bad things.

People who choose to carry firearms who do not understand the  principle of Weapons Retention, may find themselves on the wrong end of the barrel. If you are willing to take on the responsibility of your second amendment right, practice gun safety, take a few classes, protect and educate your family and children, and for everyone's sake be in control of your weapon at all times!

The muscle tendon changing classic

Here is a Shaolin exercise you can practice very easily in your own home. Much like Yoga this exercise is more of collection of postures rather than a combination of techniques. The stretches worked in this series of movements combined with slow, deep and controlled breathing opens up energy paths in the body, strengthens your muscles, and tendons and works to repair damage you may have caused from poor lifestyle or injury. Please watch. This "muscle tendon changing classic" can take a long time to preform properly but even doing a little bit of this exercise every day will improve your posture, and mood.

The Muscle Tendon Changing Classic

An Awesome Spinning Back Fist

MMA is seeing an evolution of techniques with every match. The sport has gone from the traditional face to face punchfest, to bouts with cartwheel kicks and people jumping of the cage like spider monkeys. One unorthodox technique has been shining through for years however, and it is due to many factors. The spinning back fist has racked up several famous knock outs and i believe although its a wild move it deserves some recognition. Here is a clip showing how a fighter (Yahir Reyes) went from being pushed back by someone he didn't want to go to to toe with, to winning the fight.

Yahir Reyes turns it around.

Rules to live by

Here is a link to a code of moral conduct written by Ip Man A master of wing chun. He is the man responsible for bringing the art to the worlds stage. Today wing chun is respected by schools and military around the world as one of the most effective and deadly martial arts. It is due to the power of this discipline that these words were penned. However if you read them you might realize that the majority of it goes beyond martial arts and should be adopted by all people. It is a moral code and a very easy one to follow. Please Read.  Rules to live by

Keeping Killing Fun

There are endless amounts of people out there with humorous martial arts video podcasts. But to this day Ask A Ninja is still my favorite. I don't keep up with him anymore but what i can tell you is that if you look up Ask a Ninja or visit his website you will be sure to have a few serious laughs. But be careful, he is a Ninja and he will kill you.

here is one of my favorite posts of his for your viewing pleasure.

Ninja Omnibus

The Best Intro in any tutorial ever!

I stumbled upon this video a few months ago. Although it is a great tutorial from someone who deserves much respect, i can't shake the feeling that this is something you could see on Tosh.0. If you don't laugh just a little bit during the intro Im sorry but you are clinically depressed and should really just go back to bed.

No Handed Cartwheel Guy

Sweet Justice

Here is a story to refute those out there who feel that a gun is the end all beat all of a fight. More evidence that a person with a cool head and the right training can defend his life no matter what the circumstance. Please do not take this article as proof that you personally can defend yourself from a gunman. This story happened in very specific circumstances, and if you read the article through, the martial artist in question handed over his valuables without resistance. 


Fatty Fat Gunman Gets beaten and shoots himself trying to rob an Ultimate Fighter

Somebody had to say it.

Here is a great guy helping us all out with his public service, making us all a little more aware of some truly STUPID martial arts techniques. Watch and enjoy.

Don't these techniques ANYWHERE!

Conditioning for Pain Tolerance

     Most all Martial Artist exercise conditioning of their bodies for specific usages. For example Mauy Thai and Karate practitioners often harden their shins because the round house kick is integral to their strategy. On the other hand many different styles of Kung Fu train to harden their hands and fingers because these small bones are often their main striking surfaces. Any of these exercises condition the bones using what is called Wolf's Law. However the training also has an additional benefit of improving your pain tolerance. Pain Tolerance put simply is the amount of pain a person can withstand before reacting, submitting, or passing out.
      Mind over matter does have a lot to do with a persons pain tolerance however every person has their breaking point. So the question is what can we do to our most vulnerable parts such as pressure points and  other parts of us, that we can't simply bang against trees and rocks and metal? What has worked for me is gradual self infliction of pain and or pressure to my pressure points. The beauty of this is that it is something that can be practiced little by little in your day to day life. Here is one simple exercise you can try for yourself.

Apply pressure to your nail bed just in front of your cuticle. This pressure point is used often to teach women's self defense because it takes little to no strength to inflict pain to this area. Continue to apply pressure until you feel it is to much for you to handle, than stop. Bare in mind this is not your actual pain tolerance, but more so the amount your mind will allow you to apply pain to yourself, before your mind says "HEY MAN! what are freaking retarded?" So now once you find that point continually apply pressure till the pain is to much, hold for a moment, and release. Over time your mind will allow you to experience this for longer periods of time as the nerves get used to it. Do this on all our you digits in rotation and i guarantee you will learn more about yourself and improve your pain tolerance in the process.

    

One thing leads to another

People have been practicing Martial Arts since prehistory, and through the years literally thousands of different styles or disciplines have been formed. Many of these styles were formulated based on family traditions and reenactments of animals in the wild. Whatever their base of idea we now have thousands of different styles and millions of different schools. However there is one common denominator, all these styles were used against each other, and there for helped each other evolve. The northern styles such as Wushu with their Long fist techniques were tested against southern styles like praying mantis kung fu in times of war and civil unrest. Over the years as these arts grew more acute and finite and as politics took place over war, we begin to see a boiling over effect in Martial Arts. An effervescent act of progression where arts not only begin to reflect one another, but also begin to spontaneously create entirely new disciplines of practice. Take for instance Jiu jitsu. Jiu Jitsu began in japan (believe it or not MMA Crowd) and was a very hard style the tournaments and practice often left practitioners injured. Over time a prominent Jiu Jitsu Practitioner, Jigoro Kano, eventually restructured the art in a way where people could train and compete while sustaining much less injury. And thus Judo or the "gentle way" was born, it is now practiced world wide. Just another example in Martial Arts of how one thing leads to another.