Jow Ga Kung Fu - Interview

[JowGaWolf]

Just some Jow Ga perspective from a Jow Ga practitioner. Skip to 23:50 for the questions.

My thoughts on some of the things that were said.
#1 Question: A statement was made about adjusting the system to make it work. I didn't like that. Specifically when he says "If you can make it work exactly like the system .... people get hung up on the looks." I understand part of what he's saying, but not to happy at how he says it. It's my personal take on things. Kung fu techniques should look the way you train them. PERIOD. Purpose of training dictates the function and ability of the practitioner.

Jabs that boxers do in training look like the jabs they use in fights.
Movement that boxers do in training look like the movement in fighting.

To say that your kung fu in training looks nothing like the kung fu you actually use should not be acceptable to anyone who actually uses Kung Fu or who actually tries to use the techniques that one trains. I didn't spend more than 10 years training kung fu just to say that "my long fist punches don't really look like how I train. I just train to understand the concept of the punch." Nope. I can't accept that and I hear a lot of people say similar things when it comes to explaining "why people can't do kung fu" Stuff like this blows my freaking mind. Now with all of that said. One has to train according to purpose. If I'm training kung fu so I can make it look exciting like an action start. Then I have to understand and accept that is all that my training will be good for. I can't make the assumption that I can fight when I'm not training to fight.

I can use probably 90% of the techniques from this form. When I use the techniques. I don't have to adjust anything with the technique. They are usable techniques. The only adjustment that I've ever had to make with Kung Fu is my understanding of what I'm doing, Understanding Form practice vs Application practice and accepting the reality that we can only do in fighting what we train in sparring. I just people would understand that the focus of one's training will dictate how the techniques will look. In short, if I'm training kung fu for entertainment then I shouldn't expect that training and that appearance to show up in fighting because the focus in to to fight. However, if I'm training kung fu to fight, then those movements should show up in my fighting and it should be easy to identify and I should be able to use it. When all of the other fighting systems work just like it looks in the system, it should be the same for kung fu when it's trained with focus to use it for fighting.

#2 What forms are for? Agree with what was said. There are a lot of uses for forms, the biggest being it allows a person to train techniques without a partner

#3 Being a black martial artist. This is based on his personal experience. I personally didn't have anyone question my martial arts ability when I was teaching. No one looked at me and said that I didn't know kung fu because I'm black. Those who did probably didn't show up or call the school for classes. But there were a lot of Asian Americans who train in our schools. Culturally we always had a good mix. Owning multiple schools is a business accomplishment more so than a teaching accomplishment. Other than startup money there's no rule that say I can't open up a school in multiple locations and teach at those multiple locations. There's not much I can comment on what he experienced, Everyone walks a different path. But my mentality is that there are a lot of Martial arts schools and where the instructors aren't Asian. MMA school, Boxing Gyms, Karate Schools, BJJ schools. My personal opinion on Martial Arts and Schools is that the people who teach the school are usually the worst at business. I'm not saying that they are stupid. I'm just saying that many of the martial arts teachers aren't focused on money. If someone can't join then they will usually try to help a person so that they can train in the school. Great for being a kind human. Not so good for making money and running a business. When I was laid off I couldn't afford to pay for Jow Ga classes. I was still able to attend the school through the kindness of my teacher and I used my marketing, website, and business skill set to help promote the school free of charge. Great for being a kind human but in my case he it was a lost revenue for him. And it wasn't just me. My son was able to train for free as well.

#4 Influencers I always like how people experienced kung fu. It's always a good to hear how martial arts impact people. Some of the best stories I've heard have come out of the mouths of Martial Artists lol.

#5 It's hard to teach: I would probably say that Teaching is a lot of work. It's not hard or at least it shouldn't be. You are only teaching what you know. But it's definitely hardwork. Whatever you think about martial arts as a student, You will instantly realize that it's small when compared to teaching. And you don't even have to be a Sifu or Master to experience this. Leading a class for the day or leading forms training, or helping beginners will shift how you see martial arts.

 

[Alan0354]

Just some Jow Ga perspective from a Jow Ga practitioner. Skip to 23:50 for the questions.

My thoughts on some of the things that were said.
#1 Question: A statement was made about adjusting the system to make it work. I didn't like that. Specifically when he says "If you can make it work exactly like the system .... people get hung up on the looks." I understand part of what he's saying, but not to happy at how he says it. It's my personal take on things. Kung fu techniques should look the way you train them. PERIOD. Purpose of training dictates the function and ability of the practitioner.

Jabs that boxers do in training look like the jabs they use in fights.
Movement that boxers do in training look like the movement in fighting.

To say that your kung fu in training looks nothing like the kung fu you actually use should not be acceptable to anyone who actually uses Kung Fu or who actually tries to use the techniques that one trains. I didn't spend more than 10 years training kung fu just to say that "my long fist punches don't really look like how I train. I just train to understand the concept of the punch." Nope. I can't accept that and I hear a lot of people say similar things when it comes to explaining "why people can't do kung fu" Stuff like this blows my freaking mind. Now with all of that said. One has to train according to purpose. If I'm training kung fu so I can make it look exciting like an action start. Then I have to understand and accept that is all that my training will be good for. I can't make the assumption that I can fight when I'm not training to fight.

I can use probably 90% of the techniques from this form. When I use the techniques. I don't have to adjust anything with the technique. They are usable techniques. The only adjustment that I've ever had to make with Kung Fu is my understanding of what I'm doing, Understanding Form practice vs Application practice and accepting the reality that we can only do in fighting what we train in sparring. I just people would understand that the focus of one's training will dictate how the techniques will look. In short, if I'm training kung fu for entertainment then I shouldn't expect that training and that appearance to show up in fighting because the focus in to to fight. However, if I'm training kung fu to fight, then those movements should show up in my fighting and it should be easy to identify and I should be able to use it. When all of the other fighting systems work just like it looks in the system, it should be the same for kung fu when it's trained with focus to use it for fighting.

If you said it a month ago, I would agree with you totally. You should know me by now, I don't like anything fancy, only want to look at things that work and can be used in real fights, not interested in anything else.................


BUT................

After watching this video:

I really like them and I keep watching them and try to learn the footwork. They use very deep stance, much deeper than I feel comfortable. It reminds me of the traditional TKD forms with deep stance. I want to learn how they lunge forward in big steps, so I started practicing that a month ago. It's hard, I was very wobbly at the beginning. I kept practicing like 7 minutes a day and slowly I got better. I do it in much slower speed to sync up with the swinging of the cane.

I have no intention to use those deep stance at all, just to practice because I really like that video. To my surprise, I notice I gain balance, I feel my legs are more steady. I have less pain on my knees. Everything is better. Maybe some of the moves are more foundation building than actually using it.

I used to walk up the stairs two steps at a time to build up strength on my legs, I did it 18 times and did it once a week. I stop doing it lately. Last week after two or three weeks of doing once a week, I thought it's going to be hard. To my surprised, IT GOT EASIER!!! Seems like the deep stance is more effective than up and down the stairs in double steps.

So I am going to spend a few minutes doing this even though I have no intention using it in cane fight.c

 

[JowGaWolf]

If you said it a month ago, I would agree with you totally. You should know me by now, I don't like anything fancy, only want to look at things that work and can be used in real fights, not interested in anything else.................


BUT................

After watching this video:

I really like them and I keep watching them and try to learn the footwork. They use very deep stance, much deeper than I feel comfortable. It reminds me of the traditional TKD forms with deep stance. I want to learn how they lunge forward in big steps, so I started practicing that a month ago. It's hard, I was very wobbly at the beginning. I kept practicing like 7 minutes a day and slowly I got better. I do it in much slower speed to sync up with the swinging of the cane.

I have no intention to use those deep stance at all, just to practice because I really like that video. To my surprise, I notice I gain balance, I feel my legs are more steady. I have less pain on my knees. Everything is better. Maybe some of the moves are more foundation building than actually using it.

I used to walk up the stairs two steps at a time to build up strength on my legs, I did it 18 times and did it once a week. I stop doing it lately. Last week after two or three weeks of doing once a week, I thought it's going to be hard. To my surprised, IT GOT EASIER!!! Seems like the deep stance is more effective than up and down the stairs in double steps.

So I am going to spend a few minutes doing this even though I have no intention using it in cane fight.c

Low stances serve 2 main function.
1. They build foundation
2. They are functional.

1 is good, but 2 is better, Unfortunately you can't achieve #2 without doing #1.

All of the low stances that you see below exists in Kung Fu and in Traditional martial arts in general. Here's a free secret. Yes this is a real secret. You really can improve your defense by using a stance.. If you stand tall, I can attack all of your body. To you my punches would seem as if they are everywhere. If you take a lower stance then you'll increase the distance and the time that I must use to hit you. The other benefit is that now my punches and kicks won't be everywhere, They will all be targeting the general area, so it takes the guessing game out of where your strikes will be.

A lower stance removes the abdomen out of harms way so that means you can only go for my head and legs. Take a look at the fencing picture below. Strikes that travel at an angle either downward or upward must travel a longer distance. The person on the left cannot reach the person on the right. But the person on the right can reach the person on the left. The low stance gives a clear advantage. it's the same story for the Wrestlers in the last picture..

The reason why a lot of people don't think the martial arts low stances are function is because of how how Hollywood and the movies created the fantasy about low stances as if they are something that you just use by standing still like statue. We may train like static stances but that's foundational training and not application training. Static stances done correctly will actually make your knee joints (ligaments and tendons ) stronger. It's like everything else in the world. Do it correctly and there will be benefits, do it incorrectly and there will be harm.

 

[Oily Dragon]

Forms are for basic physical endurance.

#2 What forms are for? Agree with what was said. There are a lot of uses for forms, the biggest being it allows a person to train techniques without a partner

It's not only that. The forms are there to remind you. Remember that, always.

 

[Alan0354]

Low stances serve 2 main function.
1. They build foundation
2. They are functional.

1 is good, but 2 is better, Unfortunately you can't achieve #2 without doing #1.

All of the low stances that you see below exists in Kung Fu and in Traditional martial arts in general. Here's a free secret. Yes this is a real secret. You really can improve your defense by using a stance.. If you stand tall, I can attack all of your body. To you my punches would seem as if they are everywhere. If you take a lower stance then you'll increase the distance and the time that I must use to hit you. The other benefit is that now my punches and kicks won't be everywhere, They will all be targeting the general area, so it takes the guessing game out of where your strikes will be.

A lower stance removes the abdomen out of harms way so that means you can only go for my head and legs. Take a look at the fencing picture below. Strikes that travel at an angle either downward or upward must travel a longer distance. The person on the left cannot reach the person on the right. But the person on the right can reach the person on the left. The low stance gives a clear advantage. it's the same story for the Wrestlers in the last picture..

The reason why a lot of people don't think the martial arts low stances are function is because of how how Hollywood and the movies created the fantasy about low stances as if they are something that you just use by standing still like statue. We may train like static stances but that's foundational training and not application training. Static stances done correctly will actually make your knee joints (ligaments and tendons ) stronger. It's like everything else in the world. Do it correctly and there will be benefits, do it incorrectly and there will be harm.

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Ha ha, my problem is my leg is not strong enough to keep the low stand all the time at this point, it's getting lower, not there yet.

Funny in the 80s, you look at the PKA fights, they stood straight, that's the time I learn TKD. My school have fighting stands almost straight standing up, that's why I never work on low stands. Slowly, MMA goes lower stance now as people progress. I wonder why back in the 80s, people fight standing straight up.

We'll see, I am not giving up at all, we'll see how much I can improve. I definitely doing 5 to 7 minutes a day on walking and striking with low stance. Just not comfortable to use it in fighting yet. Yes, I definitely can reach farther even with not as low stance. Just slowly getting lower and lower.

 

[Alan0354]

This morning, I did the lounging exercise with 30lbs dumb bells one on each hand. I have not done this for like 3 weeks, today, it was a breeze doing two sets of 22steps. The walking and striking with low stance really makes a difference. Quite a difference!!!

I don't know whether I can ever get to doing fighting with such low stance, but I sure will keep working on it, not for fighting, but for general health.