What skill/technique are you learning right now?

4 years at BJJ, so I definitely feel progress is being made.
As someone who consistently attends 2 times a week and occasionally 3 I have to focus on fewer things, it definitely helps as I can feel improvement on those areas, then I can maintain those techniques whilst focusing on a few others.

 

There is no other school near me, Tibetan crane is not a common system and there are few instructors in the entire continent. So I train mostly on my own but I also have a student I work with once a week. Would like to see that training group grow.

 

It turns out my most excellent Tai Chi instructor also knows Xing Yi, so I'm pretty deep into that at this point.

San Tishi. The boxing applications of this are kind of limitless, in my opinion.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c5/Santishi_sunlutang.jpg

 

At the minute I'm condensing technique down to my "Essential 8" and seeing how they fit with my wider style and the pattern application stuff I've been looking at.
So far it's...

1: Pre-empt from a fence
2: Palm strikes
3: Hammer fist
4: Elbow
5: Clinch knee
6: Groin kick
7: A "default" position
8: Technical stand up in base

Only one I'm not 100% on including is the groin kick but not sure what to put in its place. Maybe drop it entirely and call it my "Survival 7".

 

Front kick/teep?

 

Maybe, but I'm not even sure a kick should be in there at all to be honest? Better to stay mobile and stable and able to escape and move.
I'm thinking in terms of if I had to get someone ready to be a target of violence but had no idea when or where they'd be a target...what would I teach them?
Pre-empt if you can and escape to safety is a given I think.
If they're still standing after that blitz in with gross motor skill strikes (palm, hammer, knee, etc) and once again escape when able.
If they get the drop on you and attack first use a "default" position (there are a few) to regain the initiative (no log-jam decision making) and strike with maximum venom and intent.
If you get knocked down use the technical stand up and rinse and repeat the above.
I think a kick would complicate that simple strategy?
Been watching the Urban Combatives Netherlands channel on Youtube and really like the guy's style and approach (Michiel Mulder I think he's called). He's under Lee Morrison but don't let that put you off!

 

I think one technique to create distance and make your opponent respect long range strikes is important. All the techniques you list are short range (on purpose, I know); even palm strikes give you less range than fists.

I've seen the Netherlands Urban Combatives. Not a fan to be honest. The way the instructor has taken Morrison's style down to small physical habits weirdos me out. There's nothing particularly objectionable about the techniques themselves, but the delivery is just not my cup of tea.

I'm not generally a fan of the all-or-nothing approach, as I've found that people and the conflicts they get into are rarely that simple. Not to mention that hesitation and keeping distance should probably be accounted for because it's likely to happen to at least some people, no matter how they are trained. If they have no tools to deal with that then they run the risk of mental paralysis and losing the initiative.

Icy Mike did a good video explaining how he feels the front kick is the best kick for self defence. I felt he made a good case, and I thought the same for years but now I've come to love the oblique kick for its superiority in keeping a stable platform for using your hands. I wouldn't recommend that for beginners though, as it takes a lot of practice to open up the hips to get power out of them, rather than the stiff-leg oblique kick you usually see.

Anyway, just a thought. I'll try to find that Hard2Hurt video for you.

 

Here you go:

 

Yeah that is a bit weird. But then JKD instructors have been poking their pinkies out like Bruce for decades!
I know I've adopted certain ways of moving and habits of people I've trained with extensively and people I admire.

Yeah I don't think the videos do the material justice. There is more depth to it than "all or nothing" but in short Youtube clips that's probably not gonna come across. It's there in bits and pieces. There some good stuff on contact management, pre-threat cues, escape, avoidance, mindset, predator/prey relationship, initiative, posture, body mechanics, etc. Like any good approach to self defence really.
As a student of the trad arts, which are often mired in complexity, obfuscation and downright nonsense the stripped down "basic" (but not really) approach and fruity language appeals to me. What can I say?

 

Very true!

 

really nice idea for a thread

these days I work as much for general physical/ mental etc. benefit as specifically martial technique type stuff.
I find that there's always crossover whether it's specific or non specific. am on my holidays so that limits me a bit. everything (broadly speaking) comes down to strength, mobility and motor control. martial technique is about motor control.

that said, at the moment I'm trying to make progress with gymnastic body weight calisthenics using parallatettes.
some of it's tough and highlighted to me (again) that I need to work on some of my flexibility issues, hamstrings/ hips in particular.
following the GMB P2 program of progressions.
v- sit, planche (miles away!), single arm levers, shoulder stand with legs fully extended, straddle.
can do the double arm lever, had been working on the floor version over last year, so just working on extending the hold on the bars.

martially speaking tai chi form everyday, rather predictably
where there's always room for improvement and something to work on.

have improved my swimming breaststroke technique also - after reading an article on it a few weeks back. that was fortunate timing, having the perfect opportunity right now to practice it daily.

 

Wing Chun basic training type stuff and Siu Lim Tao...

 

I recently decided to start into online learning, believing after doing various martial arts for over 15 years across striking and grappling that at least a simple enough, small system could be something I could pick up. I chose Taekyun, which I am on month two of. Really love the hip flexibility drills on it, and the footwork is familiar enough to me. If I were to describe it, think triangle stepping meets capoeira jinga. The angles for evasion are very much like sabaki in karate, and I like how the stepping is done in a way so you swap from orthodox to southpaw back and forth. I've made it a mission that, while I cant travel to some countries right now, to learn what I can like this and eventually get hands on in person with instructors for when I do my world tour.

 

Working on Wing Chun Siu Lim Tao again. A bit more in-depth this time (that is the type of teacher I am working with this time). Looking at applications and, for the first time, trying to memorize the Cantonese names for the various forms

 

going to focus on shadow work and combinations a bit more going forward
made a start today

 

For both of my schools, new season started in September, along with new classes. As for karate, I am working on Sepai kata and bunkai now, I recently learned a lot of interesting stuff about Sanchin kata in an online seminar.

In Taiji, I started learning Laojia Erlu - the Cannon Fist form. To be honest, it is rather difficult and I should practice more than what I had time for thus far. At the last moment, the teacher also added a class to learn the Fan form. I originally really wanted to learn the fan and I am enjoying it, but ever since I held the taiji sword for the first time, the fan was a bit overshadowed in my mind. I am enjoying both very much, though. Learning the fan form and polishing the sword one.

I just spent a weekend at a seminar and I got my sword form on a video to see for myself what I should improve. And also to give the video to a friend from afar as a reference for his solo training. First I have to say I really dislike seeing myself on a video. It always looks worse than I think it would in my mind, haha But I guess it could have beeen worse and thought I'd share, just for fun.



If anyone has any critique, feel free to throw it my way. I know about some things I should work on, but no doubt I am overlooking others.

Even better, if anyone has any video of yourselves you'd like to share, I always enjoy seeing how others train!

 

@Nachi I love these types of sword forms. Sorry I can't give you any critique or tips because I had 2 or 3 lessons Tai Chi in the past.

I'm working on something we call ensayo in De Campo 1-2-3, other styles might call it karenza. It's like shadowboxing with a stick, we focus on short bursts with the length of 30 seconds to 1 minute. Below is one of my many video's I shot.

 

Very solid form! Nice consistent low stance and smooth transitions

 

Here is one of my old video - 1974 Dallas Karate tournament (one year after Bruce Lee passed away).

 

Yeah, I love the form, too!

Oh, thanks for sharing, that looks cool! Your movements seem well-practiced. I've never tried that kind of thing, but it does look good!

Thank you! I think I should work on the stances more, though.

Wow, that video does have a nice vibe! The form you do is not karate, though, or is it? Looks like a chinese sword if I can see well. It's been long before I was born, so cool you have such memories on a video.