Transitioning to Tàijíquán from External Martial Arts - Martial Journal

[Kung Fu Wang]

Which is better chasing hands or center?

The reasons that you want to chase hand are:

You want to

- hurt your opponent's arm.
- guide your opponent's arms away from your entering path when you enter.
- guide your opponent's leading arm to jam his own back arm.
- control your opponent's leading arm and take him down.
- ...

 

[marvin8]

The reasons that you want to chase hand are:

You want to

- hurt your opponent's arm.
- guide your opponent's arms away from your entering path when you enter.
- guide your opponent's leading arm to jam his own back arm.
- control your opponent's leading arm and take him down.
- ...

Per the OP comparing using force ("external") to leading into emptiness (internal), can/will you discuss more specifically...?

Should Lopez have tried to block, harm, or grab Commey's arm before KOing him...?

https://imgur.com/WwsvBnU

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

If you can lure your opponent into a committed attack, then they can lure you to "go after them" with feints or fakes.

The cheating game can go both ways.

1. A uses force to bait B's force.
2. B applies force.
3. When A tries to take advantage on B's force, B tries to take advantage A's force.
4. When B tries to take advantage on A's force, A tries to take advantage B's force.
5. ...

3,4 can repeat over and over.

 

[marvin8]

The cheating game can go both ways.

1. A uses force to bait B's force.
2. B applies force.
3. When A tries to take advantage on B's force, B tries to take advantage A's force.
4. When B tries to take advantage on A's force, A tries to take advantage B's force.
5. ...

3,4 can repeat over and over.

Yes. Per the action/reaction principle when you feint or step, the opponent can feint or step. This can be a 50/50 or trading attacks situation.

So, how did Lopez "leave after yet arrive first?" Again, can/will you discuss more specifically...?

Should Lopez have tried to block, harm, or grab Commey's arm before KOing him?

https://imgur.com/WwsvBnU

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

So, how did Lopez "leave after yet arrive first?" Again, can/will you discuss more specifically...?

To establish arm contact in a fist flying situation is not an easy task. Again, by using Taiji principle, no arm contact means no yield, sticky, follow, borrow force, ...

- A throw a jab.
- A then throw a cross.
- But B's cross hit on A first.

When there is no

- arm contact, both A and B can knock the other down.
- sword contact, both A's sword and B's sword can cut the other's head off.

When you allow your opponent to have 2 free arms, you are not doing yourself any favor.

 

[marvin8]

- A throw a jab.
- A then throw a cross.
- But B's cross hit on A first.

When there is no

- arm contact, both A and B can knock the other down.

That's not what happened in the GIF. Lopez followed taiji principle/skills in concept to arrive first.

- sword contact, both A and B can cut the other's head off.

When you allow your opponent to have 2 free arms, you are not doing yourself any favor.

Can/will you explain how striking/grabbing Commey's right cross (external) before KOing him will make the KO better (external vs internal method)?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Can/will you explain how striking/grabbing Commey's right cross (external) before KOing him will make the KO better (external vs internal method)?

If you want to change a striking game into a grappling game, arm control is a must. If you want to keep playing the striking game, arm control is not necessary.

 

[marvin8]

If you want to change a striking game into a grappling game, arm control is a must. If you want to keep playing the striking game, arm control is not necessary.

It's proven that block, hurt or grab the leading arm (external/force) is not a must to transition from striking to grappling. Rather, most successful throws use the "internal" method in bridging the gap.

In Yan vs Sterling, Yan lures a kick by controlling the range and takes down Sterling. Next, Yan controls range and Sterling's position with long guard then foot sweeps. Neither uses force to enter.

Will you explain how you use "double hooks" to enter grappling against Lopez's jab-cross in the GIF? The jab-cross is not thrown like in your double hooks drill.

https://imgur.com/WwsvBnU

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Will you explain how you use "double hooks" to enter grappling against Lopez's jab-cross in the GIF? The jab-cross is not thrown like in your double hooks drill.

https://imgur.com/WwsvBnU

- His opponent used left jab, right cross.
- He used right cross, left hook (He didn't use jab, cross).

When his opponent uses left jab, he can use right hook (forearm) to push his opponent's left arm to jam his opponent's own right arm. If he changes right hook into downward parry, he can enter through his opponent's front door. His right hook can then change into a jab (or cross) to his opponent's face.

 

[marvin8]

- He used right cross, left hook (He didn't use jab, cross).

Lopez uses left jab feint -> right cross to knock down Commey.

When his opponent uses left jab, he can use right hook (forearm) to push his opponent's left arm to jam his opponent's own right arm. If he changes right hook into downward parry, he can enter through his opponent's front door. His right hook can then change into a jab (or cross) to his opponent's face.

Per your double spears drill, when Lopez throws the jab-feint, you down parry leaving an opening with the other arm.

Your second down parry attempt may be followed by Lopez's delayed cross.

https://imgur.com/jetXHAk

Conversely, Lopez uses the "internal" method by not chasing hands and trying to hurt Commey's arms. In short, Lopez attacks the center knocking down Commey. If one has not been taught the "internal" method, one may not realize the internal skills (without force) used to integrate the striking to grappling.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Lopez uses left jab feint -> right cross to knock down Commey.

Now I see his jab. His cross didn't come right after his jab.

- A jab at B.
- B jab back at A.
- B cross at A.
- A cross knock down B.

Since both persons arms are free, anything can happen. It's a perfect example of "fists flying" situation that a grappler tries to avoid.

 

[marvin8]

Now I see his jab. His cross didn't come right after his jab.

- A jab at B.
- B jab back at A.
- B cross at A.
- A cross knock down B.

Yes, many people miss a variety of feints. They see it as a 50/50 brawl or "fists flying" when it's not. Because, they have not been taught the "internal" method in depth.

Since both persons arms are free, anything can happen. It's a perfect example of "fists flying" situation that a grappler tries to avoid.

Both arms are not free (to hit). Both Yan and Lopez control the arms and center using "internal" skills: deception, timing, position, distance, rhythm and no touch.