This is sort of a follow-up to my last post.
First, it’s looking like my modem is failing. So I’m in spirited negotiations with Comcast. I still have an XP issue but that’s another topic for another day.
I was able to find a video that shows Butterly Bores Through Flowers. It also “almost” shows Embraces Guitar.
At about 1:28 you can see what my school calls Butterly Bores Through Flowers (aka Back Turning). We are taught to use a large circle as you roll their hand/wrist into the lock. If you thread the needle with a small circle you basically can tear stuff up and displace bone well before you even make it to the lock. Another theme that’s frequently repeated: Large circles when practicing and small circles for bad guys. Once you have the lock in place there’s about a half dozen things you can do. You can get them to submit and hope like hell when you let them go they don’t fight. You can tear tendons and ligiments in the wrist and fingers and displace bone. Or, you can easily throw them and follow-up with punch or kick.
At 5:35 you can see what’s very close to Embraces Guitar. The difference is in the grip and the finish. In Embraces we are gripping the pinky side of the attacker’s hand much the way Dojo Rat is demonstrating in this video. You then move into your while you are bending their wrist back and twisting their fingers sideways. You end with their elbow in the air and their fingers jammed in the arm pit. In this video which shows a different technique, Yang just dumps the guy. However, if you have a differnt grip you push their elbow towards their front and take the wrist/hand toward their back. Apply jerking jing from the hips and you displace bone. Pretty nasty for sure if you can get them to that point. Also, practicing this one hurts like hell!
Jerking Jing comes from the legs and is directed by the hips. It’s sort of the same principle you see in the famous 1″ punch. That energy is coming from the legs and up through the hips. It requires lots of practice and coordination to transmit energy that way. Now advanced chin na practitioners will add chi to the mix. However, for the sake of Chris at Martial Development, I’ll give chi a rest but I will say that until I have more experience in this flavor of chi I’ll keep an open mind!
Some of the things I’m starting to see and learn in chin na are this:
- It’s very deceptive. You can see some of this demonstrated and think “that can’t work”. Yet when you feel it you end up on your toes or kissing the ground! (especially with Yang certified instructors that have better than five years doing it!)
- Strength is secondary and in many techniques a hinderance. Most of what we do (so far) is to diffuse opponents’ energy and take a free ride into our technique (this is also a Mantis thing). The majority of what I’ve been taught so far has the opponent trying to pull away from their failed grab. When that happens you take a free ride in on their energy. Very different from taekwondo and something I’m still struggling with.
- Speed is primary and technique is secondary. If you don’t pull the technique off with speed they’ll know something is up and be able to counter.
- We are taught that to show mercy to your opponent is honorable. So control via pain compliance is the first option. Still, some of these techniques can harm someone for life and they are much more gritty than taekwondo self-defense. e.g., at levels four and five you are taught neck breaking techniques, chokes, etc. (I’m learning level one material; level four is at least three years out)
It’s looking like Tornado wants to help me review my chin na. This is good because I get an extra hour of practice and he also gets to learn something that he can use to supplement his taekwondo. He’s a 5th gup with a lot of natural talent. He can punch and kick good enough to get something out of chin na. If you can’t punch or kick I’d not reccomend chin na as your first martial art. But if you can I can see how it gives you a whole new dimension to your striking skills!
Last but not least my copy of Yang’s Analysis of Shaolin Chin Na has arrived. I’ve found most of the level one techniques that I’m being taught so this will prove to be a good supplement. Dr. Yang has a few other books that I plan to get including one relating Tai Chi–the latter which talks about chi and jerking jing!
One last thing before I go work out. YMAA has it’s own YouTube Channel so check it out!
~BCP
