My mind is still a muddle when it comes to my chin-na lessons. A lot of the techniques are complex and too new for me to remember what’s what. This week we did the line drill again: One side attacks while the other side defends with chin-na. By the time you get to the end of the line you’ve been attacked at least five or six different times. It’s a really good way to work on flow and spontaneity.
The down side? This week was even worse than last and I could only remember a few things! Prior to the drill us “newbies” spent about 40 minutes learning four different single finger chin-na techniques. I have to admit that I REALLY like these because they take very little strength to make work. Better still, at least two flowed very naturally already so I can envision making this stuff actually work and fast! Anyhow, I think trying so hard to focus on learning the single finger chin-na made me vapor lock when I got into the line drill.
Oh well, it’s only been a month so what should I expect?
The last two classes I’ve had three a-ha! moments. Last week in the line drill I actually pulled off part of “turning body elbow wrap”. It’s kinda hard to describe but basically it’s a defense from a grab from behind and you end up getting your attacker in an arm bar. The thing is I was trying to crank and break things. Well the guy that I was cranking on got slightly annoyed and corrected me. Instead of worrying about the arm he told me to maintain the lock and drive his spine into the ground. “Push through my spine!” When I did he went face-first into the ground! After he got up he smiled and said: “There’s a reason chin na means to seize and control!”
Number two was this past week. In the line drill I was trying white crane nods its head again. My problem is when I get those fingers I crank and start to bend at the waist. My attacker who was Chinese yelled at me in broken English: “No! No! You make white crane bow! White crane needs to nod head!”
Number three also happened this past week. While learning the single finger chin na I was grabbing pinkies like you’d hold a screwdriver. Well you can bend a finger but after a point your “death grip” starts to get in the way of the bend. I was corrected by one of the three most senior people there. He told me to get my thumb near the top of the pinky and my index finger just above the knuckle joint. By doing this you create a mini-lever. Well presto! When you do this one correctly I suspect you could control or very easily break most fingers, no matter how big or strong the person is.
My problem is I still want to do things the taekwondo way: Hard and powerful! The reality is that for most of these chin na techniques that is wrong.
I’m also pleased to have found a video that shows some of the techniques I’ve been shown. I’m a very long way from pulling these off as good as the guy in the video. In order of what I’ve done so far:
- Wrap hand 1
- Wrap hand 2
- Turning around Heaven & Earth
The video also has a bunch of stuff I’ve not seen or done.
I’ll close this post with some karate guys integrating chin na into their art. At 1:50 you can see white crane nods. They are doing things a little different but the chin na part is pretty close to what I’m being taught.
~BCP
5 responses so far ↓
Dojo Rat // July 6, 2008 at 12:21 PM
My martial brother from another mother;
man I sure wish I could be in that class with you, it sounds great. My joint locking skills are mostly from Aikido and Small-Circle Jujitsu, I would love a more traditional approach. It sounds like your instruction is very complete and detailed.
Stick with it!
Also, you should look into Yangs martial arts association, Dr. Yang is in the first video. His book “Shaolin Chin Na” would be a great reference for you (if you don’t already have it!)
D.R.
Bob Patterson // July 6, 2008 at 12:30 PM
DJR -
Yeah that book is on my list. I’ll probably pick up a used copy.
I’m definitely down with the chin na for the next year. My goal is to test out of the beginner rank and get my certificate. It takes a year for that.
I’m still debating about taking the next step and trying Praying Mantis Kung Fu. Part because of the high gas prices and extra class fees and part because it’s a little more orthodox than some of the stuff I know.
Regardless they teach their chin na with a striker in mind. You can use it to control, to disable, or to set the attacker up for a punch or kick.
karrie // July 8, 2008 at 12:42 PM
Man, this is the neatest MA ever! I don’t believe the Kung Fu school in Burlington has these classes, just Kung Fu and Ba Gua, but I’m sure going to inquire. They are so simple (I mean once the technique understood) yet so powerful. Keep it up! It’s a definite change from TKD, but it sounds like your moves are coming from a better place.
Bob Patterson // July 8, 2008 at 5:37 PM
Hi Karrie -
It’s a blast for sure. It’s also refreshing to be totally lost once again!
I’ve Googled it and there are not that many pure Chin Na courses out there. That having been said you can find them. Ours is Yang style so I’m pretty lucky to have found them. Master Yang is an authority on Chin Na and we can trace our lineage back to him.
I would not recommend JUST Chin Na as a martial art if you did not have background in some sort of striking art. But add it to any striking art (even boxing) and it’s a really good addition.
As I noted, my goal is to test out of “basic” in about a year. Past that we shall see. Studying their Mantis is also a “we shall see.”
Anyhow, good luck on your journey. I’ll be eager to see how it plays out on your blog.
~BCP
When art’s collide… « Striking Thoughts // July 8, 2008 at 5:55 PM
[...] 8, 2008 by Bob Patterson It’s comforting to see the Chin Na muddle carry over to my last days of taekwondo. Both my school and myself are done in August. So these are [...]