Wong Way Saturday (with random thoughts)

Master Wong no like to look ugly.

Neither does Bob, Master Wong.  Neither does Bob…

The lesson is actually not bad.  I’ve dabbled with chi sao — mostly in chin na.  Also a lot of what Wong is teaching I’ve seen distributed between Mantis or chin na.

• Controlling the lead arm
• Stepping off the center line while you trap
• Positioning so attacker has to punch across their body (awkward for attacker)
• Using the trap/body position to set up strikes

Random Thoughts Not Related to Wong (prepare to be bored)

Resemblence to Master Wong purely a coincidence

• I think my middle-aged body is as healed as it’s ever been.  Most has to do with my regular martial arts practice falling apart these last six months.  I also gave up running (again) for the 85th time–that constant shock is just not good on a body that has injuries.
• I think I finally damaged a mental circuit these past six months.  It was due to a combination of badly timed circumstances, too many presentations, and the failed [so far] academic job quest.  That last interview took a lot of my fire and now I’m starting to feel trapped.  I’ve always been internally driven and a hard charger — not sure how to re-light those fires…
• I’ve gained close to 15 pounds these past six months.  I had hoped to lose some of it before restarting regular martial arts practice in July.  That may not happen.  It seems that regular martial arts practice (esp. the TKD and kung fu days) motivated me to also workout at home.  Without a martial arts quest my at-home workouts have went to hell.
• I’m still on track to try aikido in July.  Between June and July I have two vacations and another bloody conference to attend.  Consequently neither is a full month.  Regardless, I need June to finish home maintenance projects and a research article for work.  I will not have the full four weeks of July for aikido.  Still, what I can commit to will be enough to try it out and see if it’s a good fit for my broken down body.
• Plan B?  I don’t really have one.  I’m hoping to latch onto a regular martial art that moves well.  i.e. one that I stand a good chance of picking up again in another city. In every potential job I’ve looked at there has been at least one aikido school in the area so aikido looks like a good fit.  My hope is to stop starting over and give up my martial arts gypsy days.
• My main concern about aikido is how my injuries will hold up to all the falls and rolls.  The BJJ light did not give me the problems that I thought it would so maybe it will be OK.  In fact, the art that hurt me the most seemed to be Praying Mantis.  It wasn’t the Mantis per se, rather, it was all the traditional Chinese torture exercises that we had to do at the beginning of class.
• The wing chun punch: we practiced this a little at my last school.  I’ve come to the conclusion that I suck at it.  Mantis and chin na have given me the habit of using a single vertical fist as a strike, and I do have the habit of using the vertical fist as a set-up.  Doing it WC chain punch style does not seem to work for me.  Yes, I can do it but it really sucks, does not feel natural, and would likely get my clocked cleaned.
• Teacher’s bastardized wooden dummy form: I have it memorized and still practice it at home.  It has a bar that uses the chain punch — I’m thinking about removing that bar and replacing it with boxing uppercuts.  What the hell!  It’s not like anyone can fire me for playing with a form that’s already been modified!
• Maybe I’ll video the form but probably not.  I envy those of you who are not camera shy.  I guess it’s not my cup of tea.  If I had a regular training partner I’d pull a “Willits” and consider a photo series.  Incidentally Craig has a nice breakdown of the “Fairbairn Kick” and it includes his own photos.

-B

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