Why I don't practice kung fu anymore

[Thai Bri]

Not what was on my mind.

About seven years ago, I was on a hunt for very specific information on CMA.
(I know some people here used KFO too.)
I went searching back through the archives of KFO and came across a post from it's early days.

There had been some very high level discussion on CMA, which had been disrespected, resulting in a group of people 'walking off with their incense sticks' so to speak.
They agreed never to share information again.
Yeah, yeah secrets of the masters n all that. I know.

One of them in particular, I know for a fact, had the information I sought, but due to the general distrust he'd gotten of people on the internet, he wouldn't help me.

To me, if you've got a problem with the efficacy of a system, of any description, then you have the option of going and doing something about it yourself.
If it bothers you that much, go kick a monks ass.
He'll accept it and you'll get whatever gratification you wanted = result.
If it's a Master or a style you have a problem with and you feel really strongly about it, then go and kick their asses = result.
See if you can toe the line.
Prove that you are right and they are wrong.
Try as you might, you can't do any of that on a forum.
Groovy word bending games are not MA.

I find that it's more useful that a forum offer information.
Information on the CMA section here is lacking, simply because potential contributors are scoffed at, which is a crying shame.

Also, I don't really care about the 'fight' factor in CMA.
I've gotten a lot more from CMA than that.
I know other people have too.

I caught a comment from EF wishing there were more 'fighters' on here.

I wish there was more of just about everything.
More fighters.
More thinkers.
More funsters.

I wish there were less;
Armchair Strategists.
Insulting posts.
Enormous egos.
Gangbang posters (you know who you are, you can't win on your own, so you grouphump).

In short, if I want to know what CMA are not, I can pretty much work that out for myself, with no assistance.
What I do want to read about, is what they are.
Anyone standing in the way of that, get's zero respect from me.

Jeez. That WAS on topic.

[Wai Yeung]

Kung Fu is not about memorizing techniques. It is more about building a strong foundation of flexibility, power with min energy as well as the condition you are supposed to be in a fight. For example, most "GOOD" kung fu guys don't break a sweat easily. But most boxers or wrestler sweats like a pig in less than a minute haha. Maybe there are better conditions boxers or wrestlers out there! i dunno.. maybe it's just the place i go to that sucks haha but just looking at UFC and Pride (most of the guys sweat like crazy within a minute of fighting)


Yeah the forms are useless if u only pratice 1-10 times a day. You should try praticing like 2 hours straight non-stop. Until you can do one form within one or two minutes (regardless of the length of your form) most forms should be within 3 mintues if you do it quick enough! Do the forms until it's like natural instinct to you! It's kinda like boxing drill but boxing don't have much techniques to pratice which is why it is a good martial art.

But...if you just want to kick someone's ass fast and pratice sparring... then take MMA kickboxing and wrestling.

[jubaji]

you did not just say that...

For example, most "GOOD" kung fu guys don't break a sweat easily. But most boxers or wrestler sweats like a pig in less than a minute haha. Maybe there are better conditions boxers or wrestlers out there! i dunno.. .

Ai-ya........

[Tom Yum]

Ai-ya........

That guy isn't talking from experience, is he.

[Wai Yeung]

Well i think the main reason for this is because kung fu guys know how to relax more. But boxing and wrestling guys are a lot more stiff and tense !

[Tom Yum]

Well i think the main reason for this is because kung fu guys know how to relax more. But boxing and wrestling guys are a lot more stiff and tense !

......Wrong.

[jubaji]

That guy isn't talking from experience, is he.

I don't think he's talking from planet earth!

[Thai Bri]

But...if you just want to kick someone's ass fast and pratice sparring... then take MMA kickboxing and wrestling.

Nah. Do forms, forms and more forms.

[Sagacious Lu]

So Sag, was there one specific moment when you had your change of heart or did it build up over time?

I was getting progressively more frustrated, but the deal breaker was when I asked my teacher why I hadn't gotten a chance to spar in more than six months and he answered "Look around you. I have maybe 3 people who can realistically work with you, and I can't structure a whole class around four people even if you all show up on the same day." I didn't want to leave but after that I had to accept that that school just didn't have what I needed in order to progress. You can't improve without people to train with. The gym I go to know has a lot of people that I can work with (many of whom are a lot better than myself) so it's a much better environment for me.

[GranFire]

I was getting progressively more frustrated, but the deal breaker was when I asked my teacher why I hadn't gotten a chance to spar in more than six months and he answered "Look around you. I have maybe 3 people who can realistically work with you, and I can't structure a whole class around four people even if you all show up on the same day." I didn't want to leave but after that I had to accept that that school just didn't have what I needed in order to progress. You can't improve without people to train with. The gym I go to know has a lot of people that I can work with (many of whom are a lot better than myself) so it's a much better environment for me.

That's a silly excuse, we have only 50 min. classes, sometimes we have non sparring students and we still can, depending on what we are working on most get a few rounds in. Lower ranks can work on forms etc while the others spar...and 3 or 4, that's enough for three rounds!

Hey, when the schools priorities no longer match with yours, it's time to move on.

[Sagacious Lu]

Hey, when the schools priorities no longer match with yours, it's time to move on.

This is exactly what it came down to for me.

[westway50]

ummm im not sure how u can even actually spare with most cma styles. most moves are like being able to escape locks or like twisting their arms or some other stuff. you can have forms that look like sparing but it really isnt a good idea to actually head on spare. you cant use alot of the stuff you learn because it would require u to really hurt the other person.

well maybe it just me and im not doing it right, but when i like spar for fun outside of my school, i never use the stuff i learn. i always just end up stopping right before i actually hit them. im not really into the strength thing, but sparing with someone that throws fast punches is hard

[Sagacious Lu]

you cant use alot of the stuff you learn because it would require u to really hurt the other person.

well maybe it just me and im not doing it right, but when i like spar for fun outside of my school, i never use the stuff i learn. i always just end up stopping right before i actually hit them. im not really into the strength thing, but sparing with someone that throws fast punches is hard

This sounds like an excuse not to spar; at my gym we do hit each other and it does hurt, but that's what you have to do if you want to get better.

[Thai Bri]

Heres an experiment. Look at this video and then find examples of moves directly like these being used in any encounter between resisting opponents.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSTyL333hRk&NR

I mean human opponents! Not Monkeys, Dragons or Snakes!

[Sagacious Lu]

Heres an experiment. Look at this video and then find examples of moves directly like these being used in any encounter between resisting opponents.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSTyL333hRk&NR

I mean human opponents! Not Monkeys, Dragons or Snakes!

We spent hour after hour on this sort of thing. It got to the point where I felt like I'd get more out of my work out if I stayed home and hit my bag instead of going to class.