Training report

Sifu and few others trained with sifu’s sifu (aka Sigung) this past weekend. Due to other commitments I could not go. The next trip is slated for the end of winter and I’m going to make a serious effort to attend.

Besides some refinements on Gong Li Quan it sounds like the bulk of the material covered was the soft methods from Praying Mantis. We reviewed some of these in warm-ups and line drills last night. Granted, it was only one class and we barely touched on the seminar material, but one basic premise I learned is that soft is used to set up a hard technique. It also sounds like a good portion of the soft methods rely on footwork. For example, last night we worked on a retreating stance with Mantis claw and also a side step palm block with hard strike. It sounds pretty basic but coming from a taekwondo/karate paradigm I have to say just the little lesson last night was hard enough!

After a year-and-a-half of Qinna and about six months of Mantis I now can see why Tae Kwon Do is considered a hard art. Getting soft and using your softness effectively is very hard (pun intended). I often wonder if it’d be easier for me to pick up something like Goju Ru Karate which, like Mantis, is classified as a hard/soft style.

Goju Ryu shares its roots with other styles of karate developed over the centuries from the fighting arts of China and rooted through Okinawa. Many of the school’s movements are very soft, as in Chinese Kempo.

At least with Goju Ru I’d have a better familiarity with a lot of the hard karate concepts. In Mantis even the hard is done differently than the hard in Tae Kwon Do. Whatever the case, I sort of see this time as a transition period for me. At the very least it’s a good introduction into getting softer and it also starts to fill another martial deficit I have.

This week is forms week so we did not (or will not) dig too deep into the soft methods. It sounds like there were a lot of form refinements at the seminar too. Before I could even work on Gong Li Quan I had to review Tam Tui and pay particular attention to my stances. By the time I got to Gong Li Quan my legs were well on their way to fried. As for Gong, well, there were enough refinements to really throw me and probably set me back a few weeks. I was on track to probably learn the rest of it this week. After last night I can see that I’ll spend all of this week trying to remember all the corrections. The good news for me is that I’m so new that I’ll probably have it easier than some of our veterans who are now set in their ways.

Related to the above image, these last few weeks have seen an exodus of sorts in both Kung Fu and Qinna. I really think it’s a combination of factors:

• The poor economy
• The Midwest’s attraction to sports-type competition
• The fast food mindset vs. the traditional approach to martial arts

Sifu was wondering what he could do to attract more people. Part of the equation is attracting them but the other part is keeping them. We had enough trouble keeping members at my old Tae Kwon Do school. It would seem that many who were turned off by the traditional approach were still kept interested due to all the competition opportunities. Also, chasing and preparing for that next big belt test is also a good motivator. Still, even in TKD, we had a pretty high attrition rate.

There are very few opportunities in the Midwest for competition in the traditional Chinese arts. In addition, I’m learning that this type of competition is still frowned upon by some. Worse still, schools offering authentic Chinese arts are few and far between. So it’s not even possible to compete within a collection of schools. When you factor all this in with the now pervasive MMA mindset you end up with a challenge keeping students.

Lets face it: I’m in a part of the country that subscribes to the NASCAR mindset. Most in this area are attracted to the flash-bang of MMA and they also think it’s cool to own a uniform than looks like something a race car driver would wear. I’ll have to think about it but I’m not sure what advice I can give sifu.

-BCP

Schroedinger’s Sardine

Abstract:

An experiment investigated the assumption that a domestic house cat will not eat something that is perceived as smelling bad to the cat. Drawing on numerous studies that the author read or thought he had read, the experimenter argues that cats may have free will.

Introduction:

Their is accumulating evidence that television science is not scientific. For example, Jones (2006) argues that Fonzie could not have jumped his motorcycle over a shark, Buttkiss (2000) asserts that radioactive spinach would not have made Giligan stronger, and in his landmark study McCafferty (2008) concludes that shows investigating the paranormal never find evidence of the paranormal.

The Sardine Factor:

Joining the ranks of these debunkers, McGrath (2009) observes that the ABC science fiction show “FlashForward” is equally lacking in its basic understanding of science:

The FlashForward version [of Schroedinger's Cat in a box] has a cat hidden away with a poisoned sardine. Not only does this not involve quantum indeterminacy, but unless the poison can be smelled, there is really no doubt that the cat will eat the sardine, is there?

Aim, Design, & Hypothesis:

The aim of this experiment was to test if a domestic house cat would eat something that smelled bad. The dependent variable in this experiment is one domestic house cat who is presented with a choice of something that tastes good and something that tastes bad.

Method:

One domestic house cat participated in this experiment. “Fred” (aka the house cat) was presented with a choice of two sardines. Sardine A (clear plate) contained a normal sardine while Sardine B (the blue plate) was stuffed with a crushed kitty vitamin. In a previous experiment it had been proven conclusively that “Fred” would not eat the kitty vitamin without assistance (Patterson, 2008).

Results:

Fred was placed at an equal distance from both sardine plates. Moreover, Fred did not see the experimenter treat Sardine B (blue plate) with the cat vitamin therefore he lacked any prior knowledge of either sardines’ condition. In the video Fred is observed walking directly to the control Sardine and then he proceeds to devour it. While this is happening something unexpected occurs: “Karli”, another one of the experimenter’s cats, interrupts the test. She first smells Sardine A, ignores it, and moves on to Sardine B. After a few sniffs she concludes that neither Sardine is worth eating. Fred, however, finishes Sardine A and proceeds to devour Sardine B.

Conclusion:

The results of this experiment indicate that cats have free will. These findings may seriously challenge theology’s assertion that Homo sapiens have a special place in creation. The experimenter  believes that more studies need to be conducted before any final conclusions are proposed.

References:

Buttkiss, D. H. (2000). The effects of radioactivity on domestic seeds. Journal of Stuff You Should Not Try, 3(1), 11-15.

Jones, H. F. (2006). Happy Days were really not that happy. Journal of Comparative Pop Culture, 55 (3), 893-896.

McCafferty, J. B. (2008). Big foot or big fake? Journal of Erich von Daniken Studies, 34(4), 23-30.

Patterson, B. (2008). I can’t feel my face — please call a medic! Journal of Bad Ideas, 17(2), 10-11.

Martial Arts News 11.8.09

• King is making a few bucks on WWE-style boxing.

King said he hopes to get into the ring soon with Laurence Powell, one of the police officers involved in his beating. He said Powell pulled out of an exhibition that was planned five years ago, but said he hopes something can be worked out this time.

• Paul Schaffer reminisces about writing Kung Fu Christmas. You can listen to the song at this link.

“Thank you for remembering,” Shaffer said during a long conversation from Los Angeles.

• Some woman whose name I cannot pronounce wins a European Judo contest.

Bianca Ockedahl of Montreal won her two weekend bouts, capturing the gold medal Sunday in the women’s 48-kilo division at a European Judo Union tournament in Vantaa, Finland.

• Paddy Briggs criticizes boxing.

It may take up to fifteen years for the damage of repeated concussion to emerge in the way that it has with Ali and countless others.

• On a positive note, Karate rescues one person from poverty.

Zolottev, now 33, and still competing in national and international tournaments, said martial arts training helped him achieve his goals and it started with that first class.

• These kids are within driving distance of yours truly!

Three Louisville youth — Miya Holley, Jax Matinelli and Taylor Kiyota — are headed to Morroco this week to compete in the exclusive, international Junior World Karate Tournament.

• Our old friend Dojo Rat might find this one on backcountry self-defense interesting.

Of the 85 votes cast, 41 (48 percent) said they carry a firearm. Twenty people (24 percent) said they don’t worry about self-defense in the backcountry. Sixteen said they would use a knife, axe or hiking poles to defend themselves (19 percent) and another eight (9 percent) bring pepper spray.

• Age catches up with the former champ.

He told Sky News in an interview: “I am m 43 years old and I am fat and overweight. Who am I going to fight? No, I am not interested in doing that. I am not going to be successful. I am just not that guy. I don’t love this stuff any more.”

• 12-year-old wants to be Muay Thai champion. I can’t help but wonder if the poor kid even knows what he’s in for?

If not seen, it is difficult to link the 12-year-old boy with dark skin and runty body to the four champion belts and the record of 74 wins in 80 games.

• OK I really hate to disrespect their black belt achievements but PURPLE Tae Kwon Do uniforms? I think I may be dizzy…

But the father and daughter from Bethesda decided to take the class together, and they promised each other that they would stick with it.

• Female MMA fighter is also an English teacher.

She exudes a bubbliness about the sport that’s not often seen among many of the jaded fighters.

• OK, Marines mixing it up with MMA fighters is always cool. However I may have to sue! Don’t they know that Bob “El Conquistador” Patterson is MY moniker?

Working in conjunction with some of the best fighters and coaches in MMA, the program is designed to provide active duty service members with cutting edge martial arts training and the opportunity to meet and train with the stars of MMA.

• Don’t mess with the boxing Rabbi!

Yuri Foreman hopes to become the first rabbi world champion boxer, as the super welterweight from Brooklyn, N.Y., fights Daniel Santos for the WBA title Saturday as part of the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden.

• A reporter who has a black belt in Karate gives some trouble-making thugs more than they bargained for!

But what they didn’t realise was that Mr Patel has a black belt in karate, and when he was finally pushed too far the suited reporter lashed out in kung-fu style and floored one of the unsuspecting men with a punch and kick to the groin.

• You think that last one was good? How about a Kung Fu cab driver that beats up two robbers!

Shi – who is also a trained martial artist – pulled a nunchuck from beneath his seat and drove them from the cab, beating them back into a nearby ditch.

From the blogs:

- First I’d like to draw your attention to two martial arts blogs. The first is Self-Defense for Women and the second is Crime Information. Both have a lot of good material so you should really check them out!

- Check out a Jiu Jitsu persective on Yoga!

I know little yoga, but I try to incorporate its principles and practice into my daily life. It affects me deeply and has offered to me a lens with which to understand the workings of life, just as Jiu Jitsu has.

- Well I think I finally figured out who the commenter Jon Law is so why not check out his blog? I, for one, look forward to reading!

This blog will chart everything that is going on in my martial arts world at Epic Martial Arts Academy in Birmingham, UK.

- Urban Samurai has a review up of Geoff Thompson’s Master Class. Next to Loren Christensen, Mr. Thompson is one of my favorite no BS self-defense instructors. However the Bob Patterson cheese award still goes to Bas Rutten!

Now, most people who know Geoff Thompson obviously know him for his self defense stuff and this is what most people will watch this for, to learn the art of self defense, and the viewer will certainly not be let down in that respect.

The videos:

- Here’s one for the Taiji crowd. If you don’t want to watch the form FF to about 4:05 for the applications. Pretty cool stuff! The punch defense reminded me of Aikido and the kick defense was pretty cool too — though he really should keep those hands up!

- Lets close this week’s news with footage from that British reporter who was attacked by those drunken buffoons.

You really have to give this black belt Karate reporter credit for his control. I suspect that this can be directly related to his Karate training. That drunken moron was in his face so many times that it isn’t even funny! Even worse, when the drunk starts to swing on him the reporter STILL keeps his cool and does not level the guy. I’ll be you $100 dollars that the front snap kick the reporter delivers to his  groin was not at full power. Based on my prison days I’d have to say that after the guy swung on me all bets would have been off!

While both videos are pretty good neither make Side Bar Video of the Week.

-BCP