Martial Arts Training Methods

Martial arts systems use a variety of training methods. Some stick to one or two methods while others use a variety. It is important to understand the various training methods and what can be gained by utilizing them. It is also important to consider this information in choosing a martial art to study. Your personal preference and physical limitations may have some bearing on what training methods you would favor.

Forms Training

Forms training is usually the starting point in most traditional martial arts systems. Forms are a series a choreographed movements designed to teach the student the basic principles, concepts, and movements of a particular system.

Technique Training

In learning a technique you are learning a specific response to a specific attack. This method of training is good for beginners and people who have no prior martial arts training. It develops some degree of mind body connection and definitely improves things such as coordination and balance. However it will take a long time before any real martial skill is developed using this method alone.

Sparring

Sparring is an excellent training method but it must be structured and introduced in levels of difficulty and intensity. The student must already have a good basic foundation before any sparring is done otherwise the risk of injuries is very high. Sparring develops stamina and mental toughness, it will also give the student the opportunity to see at what level they are able to make their skills work against an uncooperative adversary.

Training using an apparatus

The Wooden Dummy from Wing Chun Kung Fu, a punching bag, a speed bag, a makiwara, a sao bao, all of these are considered training apparatus. Using an apparatus functions as supplementary training usually to develop one or more martial attributes such as speed, power, coordination etc. The proper use of any apparatus normally requires expert instruction in order to reap the full benefits of this mode of training.

Using Pads and Shields

These could also be considered training apparatus however with boxing, kick boxing, MMA, and JKD as well as several other systems there is very intricate pad and shield work that can only be provided by a skilled trainer. You can simply use pads and shields to get accustomed to hitting something but higher level skill development can only be achieved with an instructor.

Sensitivity Training

What I mean by sensitivity training is the ability to glean significant information from any limb to limb or body to body contact concerning intent, direction, force, and balance. There are many systems that utilize sensitivity training, the depth of the skills acquired and the manner in which they are used vary from system to system. It is not an easy skill to acquire but it is one of those skills that distinguishes someone who is just a good fighter from someone who is a master.

Consider that any decent martial arts system will use at least three of these 6 training methods. Any one method by itself will produce a limited skill set with shallow depth. Ideally if you are training for self-defense you want a solid and broad skill set that is easily adaptable to any situation you are likely to face on the street. Being an expert within a very limited set of skills can be detrimental.

 

Do you not know that I kill at will?

The Baht Jahm Do is the last and most advanced skill set learned in the Ving Tsun Kung Fu system. The Ving Tsun practitioner’s hands become ten times more deadly as his hands have now become blades. When learning to use these weapons one must also learn to consider and incorporate a certain state of mind. A state of mind that will allow you to do what is necessary in a life or death situation even if it involves killing. This is a lot to consider and should not be taken lightly. One has to ask themselves the following questions, are my skills sharp enough that I could kill if necessary. Do I possess the mental fortitude necessary to kill if needed? Under what circumstances would I be willing to take a life? Under what circumstances is a lethal response legally justifiable? This is not our natural state, in our everyday lives we do not contemplate killing on a regular basis, but it is important to have the ability to instantly access this frame of mind if the need arises.

We are not speaking of a psychopathic mindset, more akin to resolute single-mindedness; being fully in the present moment and 100% committed to doing what must be done. It is not rooted in emotions like anger or fear, it is rooted in awareness and clarity. As regular people living our everyday day lives we rarely if ever encounter a set of circumstances that would make this state of mind necessary. However it is important to know what your mental, physical, and spiritual limitations are and to be able act fully and efficiently within those parameters. Spend some time with these ideas and take an honest assessment of yourself, better now than in a moment of crisis.

 

Elements of engagement

1.       Get off the line of attack
 As your opponent initiates his attack, get out of the way. Do your best to get off of the line of attack. The manner in which you do this is very important it is not a dodge or a retreat. You should move just enough so that you do not get hit and there should be a forward component to your movement but we’ll get into that more a little later.

 

2.       Occupy Centerline
As you are moving in reference to your adversary you must forcefully occupy your centerline. Punches, kicks, and deflections must be employed with energy and commitment as you break critical distance. Halfhearted attempts will cause you to lose the opportunity to gain superior position and put you in danger.

 

3.       Move Forward
There are only four ways you can be physically attacked with a punch or kick as defined by the type of energy being used in the attack (long or short) and the path that the attack takes through space (linear or circular). For linear attacks you want to move ever so slightly off the line and then move forward while occupying centerline. For circular attacks you can move outside the arc of the attack and deflect it or move inside the arc of the attack to receive and dissipate it. In either case it is important to create the opportunity to move forward to engage and land a finishing blow. Use your sensitivity to problem solve if your attempts to strike are thwarted. Engage, bridge, and finish as quickly as possible. The longer you take the higher the probability something can go wrong.

Five Martial Arts Misconceptions

1.       It’s all Karate

      Many people use the term Karate as a generic term for martial arts. This is incorrect, Karate is a specific term for a specific martial art. Karate is a Japanese form of unarmed combat specializing in various punches and kicks. There are also several different styles of Karate each with unique methods and tactics. It really irritates serious martial artist when Karate is used as a generic term for all martial arts, so try not to do that.

2.       You have to register your hands as deadly weapons

There is a very popular urban legend that trained fighters must register their hands as deadly weapons. This is not true in any way shape or form. However a trained fighter does have to consider any legal ramifications if he uses his training on the street. Any use of force that is greater than what would be necessary to neutralize a perceived threat could be grounds for prosecution.

       3.       It’s just for kids

When many people think about martial arts they think of it as character building and exercise for young children. As if there aren’t adults that could use some exercise and character building. Seriously speaking, martial arts practice is a worthy pursuit for anyone from age 8 to 80. There are hundreds if not thousands of different martial arts that one could learn. All you have to do is find something that suits your physicality, level of fitness, and your personality and then get started. It is by no means just for kids!

4.        I want to learn the ultimate martial art

There is no one martial art that rules them all. There is no one system that you can learn that will make you invincible. The effectiveness of any given martial arts depends a great deal on the individual practitioner. There are some people who are so talented they can make something that seems totally impractical work every time. There are people who are so challenged that even the simplest most straight forward technique may not work for them.

       5.       UFC/MMA is like street fighting

MMA is a wonderful sport that requires talent, skill, dedication and many many hours of training. MMA has rules and regulations meant to insure the safety of its participants and give them the opportunity to showcase their very impressive skills. It is in no way nor does it intend to be an approximation of a street fight. Street fights have no rules, no rounds, often there are no winners, and many losers. Street fighting is not fair, it is often not one on one mutual combat and very likely involves weapons. If your primary interest in martial arts is to become a successful street fighter then there are some other issues you may want to address prior to beginning your martial arts study.

This movie had nothing to do with Karate...

 

Don't rush!

It is important to remember that Ving Tsun training is about developing attributes and internalizing principles, it is not about accumulation. It is often the case that a junior todai (student) will look at what his seniors are doing and have a desire to learn it. There’s nothing wrong with that as long as the student understands that his ability to perform what his seniors are doing is determined by how well he understands the material he or she is currently studying. There is really no beginner or advanced training it’s all just Ving Tsun but we have to start somewhere and we must move forward in a logical fashion in order for the skills to be developed properly. If the process is rushed or if you are operating under a misapprehension there will be holes in your Kung Fu that will be difficult to correct later.

Let’s take Pak Sao as an example. Pak Sao doesn’t look like much yet every essential attribute and principle can be explored via Pak Sao. The worst thing you can do is to interpret Pak Sao as some sort of combative drill i.e. “blocking punches”. Pak Sao is essentially a physical discussion of centerline, energy, and hand replacement. The key to gaining anything out of the Pak Sao exercise is to understand it in this context. To perform the exercise in a perfunctory manner while thinking about what comes next is a waste of time. This is true for all the exercises leading up to Chi-Sao.

If you cannot teach someone Pak Sao beyond the physical choreography then you do not understand the drill. If at any stage in your training you cannot explain what you are doing and why you are doing it then by definition you do not know what you are doing.

Treat each stage of your training like a research project, try to glean as much insight and skill as you can prior to moving on to the next phase. Do not be eager to move on prematurely. Even consider not taking the opportunity to move forward if you know within your heart you are not ready.

It is also very important to help your sidai (juniors), this will improve your Kung Fu immensely, Once again the best proof that you have a firm understanding of something is your ability to explain and convey it to someone else…face to face, mind to mind, heart to heart.

The Touch of Death

Everyone who loves Kung Fu movies has seen the unbeatable technique where the kung fu master is able to touch specific points on his opponent's body to cause various effects ranging anywhere from lost of various bodily functions up to and including death. The effect of the technique could be immediate or could takes days, weeks, or months all depending on the desire of the person applying the technique. Who wouldn't want to master the five point palm exploding heart technique?

One has to wonder is this in any way shape or form representative of reality. In my opinion there is a shadow of truth in the various movie portrayals of the so called Dim Mak (death touch). Anyone with a basic knowledge of anatomy and some very basic training could take advantage of obvious anatomical weak points on the body that if struck would cause temporary to permanent injury and or death.Targets such as the eyes, ears, nose, throat, solar plexus, groin etc.

That 's not really quite the theatrical effect we were looking for, another possibility is deep knowledge of physiology and anatomy. If a highly skilled martial artist was also trained as a doctor he would know precisely where to strike to create specific effects and shut down specific bodily systems. Although this is closer to what one might imagine it's still not quite the same.

One last option might be an expert martial artist who is also an expert in traditional chinese medicine. With this knowledge he may be able to attack the body's energetic network of meridians and cause more subtle negative effects to the intended target. This is probably the least likely scenario as those who possess very deep martial arts knowledge as well as deep knowledge of TCM are very rare indeed...

Ving Tsun Footwork

It may seem that the Ving Tsun system has limited footwork, in actuality there is a great deal of footwork in the system hidden in plain sight. The Ving Tsun Kung Fu system contains linear, circular, and angular footwork. The elements of Ving Tsun footwork are contained in the forms, exercises, and weapons training.

In some ways learning Ving Tsun is like having a set of Legos, there are a variety of building blocks of various shapes and sizes. What you do with those building blocks is based on your own intelligence and creativity. Much of the basic knowledge of the system is explicit, the intermediate to advanced level knowledge is mostly implicit, do the work and you will figure it out. This is how it goes for learning the footwork as well as anything else at the higher levels.

For the purposes of training and research I would suggest the following categories.

1.       Maintaining and controlling distance

2.       Closing to bridge and finish (while minimizing your chances of being hit)

3.       Close range footwork based on contact sensitivity

4.       All of the above versus an armed opponent

This will serve as a great study and research guide and help you analyze what you are learning while you experiment with how it can be used. I am not going to get into specifics because the real learning is in your experience, experimentation, and discussion.

Good luck and enjoy!

 

 

The Ving Tsun Long Pole

From a layperson’s standpoint one of the most impractical weapons you could learn how to use is the Ving Tsun Long Pole. How many scenarios can you imagine where it would be necessary to defend yourself with a 9 foot pole. If anyone can think of a realistic scenario when this would be the case please email me at sifubryant@vtkfsystem.com. All joking aside, there is a great deal of practical benefit in becoming proficient with the Luk Dim Poon Kwan (6 and ½ point pole). 

The first benefit is physical conditioning, you must have coordinated full body strength as well as stamina to use the pole. As a matter of matter of fact it is recommend that you do at least three months of moving low stance work (Jin Choi) before you even touch the pole. Many do not even complete this process simply because of lack of will power.

That reminds me of another benefit of Ving Tsun pole training, developing mental toughness. Having the will power to force your body to its limits and endure a training process that many will find very challenging and unpleasant. Of course the attributes of discipline and mental toughness have value in everyday living. There are many things worth doing that we may find challenging and unpleasant.

The last benefit I will discuss is punching power. As I mentioned previously it takes full body coordinated strength to wield the Luk Dim Poon Kwan. The process of developing this kind of strength and power and the ability to express it at the end of a nine foot pole also develops significant punching power. In unarmed combat we want our punches not only to be physically damaging but also psychologically demoralizing. When you hit someone you don’t want them to simply get angry, you want them to reflect deeply on their life and the choices that led them to such severe punishment. You want to extinguish both their ability and desire to fight.

 

 

Nature's Laws

When training in martial arts it is often our primary concern that we are training in a way that will make us effective in combat. Although this is important in these modern times there is another consideration that is just as important. Are we training in a way that improves and optimizes our health, also will we continue to have full physical expression of the art we study even as we age?

As human beings we have two arms and two legs yet there is an infinite variety of combative movement that can be performed with the human body. How do we determine which of these movements is effective and at the same time determine if these movements fall within the range of movements that are biomechanically feasible and healthy over the long haul. There are movements we can perform at age 8 that we may not be able to perform at age 80 yet if we start practicing the correct movements at age 8 we will have capabilities that surpass the average 80 year old if we are blessed enough to live that long.

In Ving Tsun we often discuss the attribute of sensitivity usually it is in reference to our training partner or opponent, we must remember that it is important to have sensitivity in reference to yourself. Can you feel your own balance, can you feel the alignment of your various bones and muscles, and can you tell when you are using your structure in the most optimal way. It is very important to have this awareness of your own body, in combat you must be aware of your opponent and yourself. Also it is important to feel when you are using your body in a way that it was not meant to be used. The older we get the less forgiving our bodies become of incorrect use. Our study of martial arts should be a study of nature's laws and the exploration of our mental, physical, and spiritual limits within those laws. Through this endeavor we learn more about our world, ourselves, and each other.

 

Sun Character Fist

Yat Ji Chung Kuen – Sun Character Fist

This is the signature technique of the Ving Tsun Kung Fu System, often seen as multiple punches launched down the Ving Tsun practitioner’s center line. When done in this fashion it is known as lin wan kuen or chain punching, each punched linked to the preceding punch. People have often expressed the opinion that the Ving Tsun punch lacks power, the reality is nothing could be further from the truth. Considering that punching is one of the primary techniques of Ving Tsun, it is imperative that the punches have power. The reason that most people perceive Ving Tsun punches as weak is because there is very little overt body movement, but the body movement that does happen is very important and very subtle. Mike Tyson’s punching power is obvious in both how he creates it and what its effects are. Believe it or not there is a lot of similarity between Mike Tyson’s knockout punch and a correctly executed Ving Tsun punch, they both start at the feet and end with power expressed in the hand. The power spirals up the body though the joints and muscles, the difference is that the Ving Tsun spiral is so tight that it is almost invisible.

The ability draw power up from the floor and express it in the hands is developed in Siu Nim Tau. It’s something you will not fully realize until you have been playing Siu Nim Tau for several years. You must look at the form, really all the forms, and determine when you are being tense and when you are being relaxed or loose. It is this ability quickly to go from loose to tense and then back to loose along with coordination that allows us to produce power with the Ving Tsun punch. It is the sequential muscle activation passing energy from the legs, to the torso, and finally to the arms that produces a wave of power that is expressed in the fist. When this skill has been mastered it is possible to produce a significant amount of force in a very short distance with no preparatory motion.

The punch is also developed with focus mitt drills both stationary and moving. It is important to gradually condition the bones muscles and tendons of the hand to inoculate them to the force of hitting another object. Part of the conditioning process is the use of a sao bao, this is a bag that is mounted on the wall and used specifically for punching. The contents of the bag can vary from sand, to rice, to hard beans, to stone gravel. The use of a sao bao should be supervised by a competent Sifu to avoid the risk of injury. We want to be able to shatter bones and yet still have the dexterity to sign a check.

With proper training and guidance the Ving Tsun punch is devastatingly powerful and effective, but just like any other skill it requires that time be invested in persistent training and development. It is not easy but the results are well worth the effort. This is the nature of Kung Fu, skill acquired through hard work.

 

 

The Three Pillars

The Three Pillars of Ving Tsun : Tan – Bong – Fook

The three basic hands of Ving Tsun are;

Tan Sao – Spread out hand (as in to spread something out, like butter on bread)

Bong Sao – “Birds Wing”

Fook Sao – Smothering Hand

These three hand positions are not static but should be understood as dynamic or transitional movements. The purpose of each hand position being to redirect incoming energy away from your centerline.  Imagine you are facing a clock, at the top is 12 o’clock, to the immediate left is 9 o’clock, to the immediate right is 3 o’clock, and at the bottom is 6 o’clock. Now, imagine you are practicing these basic hand positions with your right hand as you face the clock. Tan Sao will redirect energy towards 3 o’clock away from your centerline. Bong Sao will redirect energy towards 9 o’clock away from your centerline. Fook Sao will redirect energy towards 6 o’clock away from your centerline. Also keep in mind that energetically each hand position has a forward component.

The hand positions should not been thought of as blocks. They can be used that way but it is not optimal and indicates a low level of skill. Ideally you want to be in a position to attack, in offense we attack, in defense we attack. In the process of attacking we may meet an obstruction. What we want to do is remove or redirect the obstruction based on sensitivity. Sensitivity and relative position determine which hand position is most optimal. This is not easy to do, and cannot be an intellectual process as things happen to quickly in the heat of combat. This is an ability that must be developed naturally and applied intuitively. The method used to develop this skill in the Ving Tsun Kung Fu system is Chi Sao (sticking hands). Chi Sao is not fighting and should not be thought as an equivalent or substitute for sparring. Chi-Sao does develop skills that are useful in fighting. That usefulness may only be for a fraction of a second, because our primary goal is striking, not sticking, we only stick when we cannot strike. Chi Sao gives us a skill set that helps us instinctively problem solve if something prevents us from accomplishing our primary goal of striking.

Tan, Bong, and Fook must be understood in this context, as dynamic changing shapes meant to meet and redirect energy away from center line, not as static techniques. Your homework assignment is to determine what hand positions within the Ving Tsun system redirect energy towards the 12 o’clock position on the previously described clock?

Can you use it for fighting?

 When considering the possibility of studying Ving Tsun people often ask the question, can it be used for fighting? I think this topic can also be approached in the context of my previous post concerning refinement and accumulation. Ving Tsun is a system, as such its effectiveness is determined by its results. Once you have a decent understanding of Ving Tsun as a system for gaining knowledge then it becomes relatively easy to map out a path to gaining fighting ability. Ultimately the answer to the question “can Ving Tsun be used for fighting?” is yes. The real question is are you willing to do the work necessary to make YOUR Ving Tsun useful for fighting. Unfortunately for most the answer to this question is often no because they are simply too lazy to do the work.

How does one become a fighter, one way is to simply start fighting. Through trial and error and probably several injuries you may actually become a decent fighter. Unless you have a great deal of natural ability your chances of success will be pretty slim with this method. Or you could take the Ving Tsun approach; identify the necessary attributes, internalize the essential principles; research and refine. There’s that word again…”refine”.

Another question to ask your self is what type of fighting are you trying to train for; sport fighting, professional, sparring with a few friends? Testing out the local biker bar? Have you identified what is necessary to be successful in these arenas? Have you determined what aspects of the system are applicable in these circumstances? Have you applied these observations to your training? Does the level of your effort match the level of the results you would like to achieve?

With all that said, this intellectual approach does need to be balanced with some practical experience. Any competent Sifu should be able to guide you safely through a training progression that leads up to full out sparring. Again it is important to be able to identify what your goals are so that your Sifu can help ascertain the most efficient path to that goal.

What do you want?

Refinement Vs Accumulation

In learning Ving Tsun it is important to remember that increasing your skill level has more to do with refinement than accumulation. It’s often the case that a junior will see what his seniors are doing and have a desire to learn what they are learning.  The fact of the matter is that if you don’t concentrate on your current level of training then you will not be able to do what your seniors are doing. It won’t be because your Sifu refuses to teach it to you, it will literally be the case that you cannot do it.

For example one of the weapons in the Ving Tsun System is the Luk Dim Poon Kwan (6 ½ point pole). There is a training process that gradually gives you the attributes necessary to be able to use the pole. Each stage in the training process is dependent upon the satisfactory completion of the previous stage. If you cannot hold a decent Jin Ma, you cannot use the pole. If you cannot do at least 10 jin choi forward and backward you cannot use the pole. If your biu kwan is inaccurate you cannot play chi kwan. Are you starting to see my point? Every skill in Ving Tsun is developed through a methodical training process that must be followed in order to obtain the desired results.

You have to be patient, you have to be disciplined, and you have to be smart. As a student it will not serve you to have the expectation to learn something new every time you come to the school. Of course your Sifu could humor you and teach you a new technique every day. The result would be that you would have the type of Kung Fu that fits in your pocket. When you need it, it might be there. Then again it might not; it might have fallen out of your pocket. You may have left it in your other pants. It may be lost in the cushions of your couch, who knows? What you want is the kind of kung fu that is a natural expression of yourself. If something happens, you will handle it, because that is what you do. Trying to memorize one million techniques does not produce that kind of Kung Fu.

So, don’t rush, take your time, absorb as much as possible at each level of your training. Test your understanding by sharing with your juniors. Get input from your Sifu and your seniors. The training floor is your laboratory, make good use of it. Approach your training like a scientist, identify and refine the elements of pure skill.