Wake up!

 As the year comes to its end, I've been reminded of several instances of real life threats, incidents, attacks, i.e. personal safety threats caught on video and circulated on the internet. In most cases the attacks were successful primarily due to the element of surprise, as they came unexpectedly and caught the victim(s) totally unprepared. It completely skewed their OODA look (do some research if you don't know what it is) and tipped the situation in attacker's favor. The victims' thought process was typically paralyzed (more about the wrong questioning in the next post), thus further impairing their ability to react. 

So, succinctly put, the main problem was the lack of situational awareness by the victims. In the personal protection circles it is one of the pillars of effective (re)action and often mentioned, albeit not always explained in detail. I won't go into it deeply either, but let's see what are its main components.

We see that the first phase of developing good awareness is to track what is going on in our surroundings. It effectively means not going around in the "autopilot mode", and instead be present in the given moment. That does not mean paranoid, but actually involved in perceiving what is going on in the overall sense. Essentially, it is like driving during rush hour  - yous can't allow yourself to doze off, but no need for super focused, nerve taxing attention either. After all it is (still) not a NASCAR of F1 race. 

The next component is comprised of comparing the info received against the background of habitual baseline that we have for a given time and place, in order to establish whether the situation is somehow deviating. If not - just carry on; if yes - how is it deviating and does it require more concern. 

Finally, in the case of relevant concerns, we ought to make general predictions of how the situation may unfold and decide on appropriate action, should our predictions show to be true. Namely, this accelerates the action, if the push comes to shove, as they say. 

By the way, this is also the summary of the above mentioned OODA (observe, orient, decide, act) loop.

OK, now you have the basic idea. However, as it is always the case, in order to ingrain this knowledge into a useful habit, some practice is needed. This is, of course, a subject that can be treated in depth, but let us get at least a basic start.

The main thing is to break out of the bad habits and harmful state of mind, such as being lost in phone conversations, email correspondence or mindless scrolling when on the go. To get the ball rolling, give yourself an assignment next ime you are in public transport or walking the streets, especially the routs you know well, as those are typically where our autopilot takes over. For example, make sure to note all the people who wear a hat, or a scarf, or a piece of clothing of a predetermined color. Next, strive to pick up certain actions, e.g. moving with hands in pockets or unusually quickly, against the crowd, too slowly, looking lost etc. Don't neglect your hearing either - try to identify some type of sound! Can you differentiate between the sound of a passing bus, truck, motorcycle, car? Sounds coming from a construction site or a school yard? 

The point is not to try and do it all at once, especially if "waking up" after a long "sleep". Take one step at the time, spend a couple of days at each assignment and things will gain momentum soon enough. 

Now, this reminds me of a comment I read from Terry Trahan (founder of WeaselCraft, check him out): in order to develop good situational awareness, you need to have some environmental awareness first! It means going back to that baseline we mentioned before, i.e. knowing what kind of general social behavior is normal for a given place or space. What might be normal or acceptable in a park or on he playground may sound your alarm in a workplace. As a matter of fact, the normal overall atmosphere could differ radically between two establishments of the same purpose, but in different places, e.g. a bar in the blue-collar part of town during the home game of the local sports club on weekends, and the fancy restaurant in the business area during lunch time mid-week. You get the idea...

Being aware of those factors and attuned to your environment, with appropriate state of mind (do a quick search for Cooper's color code of awareness) should ideally prevent the situation from turning really bad in the first place, or at the very least prevent you from finding yourself freeze as the proverbial deer in the headlights. 

Take the step in the right direction and help the new year be good to you!

Real deal kung fu!

 As most of my readers/followers are aware, one of my main arguments in view of one's combative effectiveness, provided that is the reason they are training at all, is primarily related to their training methodology. In short, what you train in terms of technical arsenal is less important than how you approach that practice. Consequently, the problems that a lot of traditional martial art exponents face in attempting to use their technical toolbox in dynamic, non-cooperative sparring or competition stem from the training methods that don't fit that goal. 

But it doesn't have to be like that! Even what is typically considered the most exotic among traditional martial systems, i.e. the so-called internal kung fu systems, can offer viable solutions for the above scenarios if approached adequately. And if you wonder how, you are in luck, because a long time Xingyiquan  and Baguazhang teacher Mike Patterson comes to rescue! 

A long time ago Patterson had produced a number of instructional videos that present the technical content of those systems in his lineage, but it is his books that outline the training methods and progressions that should actually bring that material to a functional level. 

His first book is dedicated to the art of Xing Yi Quan (or Hsing I Chuan in the older transcription) and it happens to be quite comprehensive. In other words, the author covers all the topics that make those art "internal", as much as that classification is questionable, such as the brief introduction to meditative and energy practices, yin/yang theory as it applies to kung fu practice, interpretation of some classic texts about Xingyi, importance of daily training etc. Of course, there is the explanation of the elements that the technical curriculum is comprised of - five elements and twelve animals, but in that regard this book is not meant to be a technical manual. Patterson himself says that the moves are better taught/learned in person or in video format, but the commentary on these elements is still very good.

The segment that make the book really shine is his explanation of the training method that is used in his school do train able fighters. Oh, by the way, how do we know it works, i.e. that those Patterson's are effective as fighters? Well, they put it to test and let the world see it!

For example, here are the real time applications of a couple five-element fist techniques:

And then some of the animal form tactics:

So, Patterson calls his methodology R.S.P.C.T., which stands for realistically structured progressive combat training. Trying to give you a short overview here would be futile, because saying it includes partner drills, focus mitt work etc. doesn't really say much. It might be more relevant to point that the author has five tiers of practice in place: reflexive, structural perceptual, conceptual and tempering, according to the main focus at that point of training process. 

The important point here is that, as is the case with most good methods, R.S.P.C.T. is not limited to being used just with Xingyi or traditional marts as such, but can be adapted to serve the practitioners of any other combatively oriented system, regardless of their technical background. 

Being that the first book was well received, it is no wonder that the author decided to follow a similar formatting path with his second one.

Now, having in mind that Baguazhang (od Pa Kua Chang) is seen as even more esoteric that other internal systems, Patterson spends more time (or rather pages) discussing the underlying philosophies and methods of the system, including one of the best presentations of breathing and qigong practices I have seen in martial art books. Fast forward to the R.S.P.C.T. method as it applies to Bagua... In this case, we are shown how it develops the skills such as binding, turning, dragon stepping, and then we move to the areas of continued integration, clinch drills, defense, attack strategy footwork, rou shou practice, advice on strategy and fighting etc. 

As some may have noted from the above videos, in practical application those techniques do not necessarily look like "picture perfect" examples, but then again, the same can be said about any other fighting art, including boxing and MMA. Even so, this one is pretty spot on:

The bottom line is, if you are interested in traditional martial arts and their potential use in practical situations, especially kung fu, you cannot afford to skip these books. And even if you are not a fan of those traditions but still care about functionality of training, the training method presented in them is still valuable.

Book 'em!

 If you are person of certain age and with interest in the fields such as martial arts, combatives, self-protection, survival and other topics on the fringes of mainstream domains, you probably remember (and miss) the publishing powerhouse that was Paladin Press. I still fondly remember thumbing through its catalogs that I used to receive in the mail and eagerly awaiting for the arrival of the ordered books and videos. Heck, I liked their stuff enough to be on the elite client list for a while. After Paladin stepped out of the publishing game in 2018, not a week goes by without me lamenting its absence.

Fortunately, someone out there obviously felt the same way and decided to try and follow in the footsteps. Enter the publisher with the intriguing name Off The Books Books (OTBB for short)! Now, as much as I'd like someone to pick up and revive Paladin's old catalog, the new player took a different approach - publishing new titles. Fortunately, those already happen to be of a good number, signed by several authors, and all brought together under the editorial efforts of Fernan Vargas (including some of his earlier books). 

So far I have managed to read a few of the titles put out by OTBB and to my pleasure they offer plenty of good content to enjoy and for the most part live up to the expectations stemming from the titles. For example, the book on the Advanced Lessons in Knife Combat really does address the deeper principles and goes beyond mechanical maneuvers of the craft; the volume on The Tiger Spirit in Asian Warrior Traditions shed light on several aspects I hadn't been aware of; the two Street Craft volumes offer great examples of real life skills and their application etc. 

You can expect more detailed reviews of a selection of those books as I get to do them, but for now suffice to say that I am elated to again have the opportunity to being challenged, inspired and guided on my own path of further research in martial arts and other (more or less) related avenues in the years (even decades?) to come...

Just keep bringing 'em on! 

Staff it!

Been a while since I posted something instructional, as in hands-on instruction. So, let's change that state of affairs! Here is a lesson on the use of two handed stick/staff in line with the Bakbakan Kali curriculum of FMA - Dos Manos, or also used to teach the bladed weapon version, i.e. kampilan.. 

The forms in Bakbakan are used as lesson plan, and this video is a fairly good depiction of that approach. It was recorded for the purpose of teaching the material to members of the European Hub, but here it is made available for the readers of the blog! Remember, take each "bite" of the form and work on it as a separate combo/technique, in order to get as much mileage as possible from it.

I hope you get something from it...but at least - have fun!

Classical classic!

 If my previous post sounded like a call to action, maybe this one will help point to the right direction.

You already should know that I support any motive to learn martial arts, as long as it is congruent with one’s needs and with a clear vision of what the person is training for. In that regard, it is obvious that learning traditional martial systems as a form of cultural study is beyond doubt valuable, but...can it also be effective as a practical fighting method?

Well, again, those of you who have read through this blog are aware that I firmly believe the effectiveness of a combative system is predicated more on training methodology than its history or the „real deal skills“ of the old masters. So, there is a way to approach the traditional arts in order to make them usable in actual fighting? The question „why does it have to be traditional?“ aside, the answer is – yes! And if you are wondering how to achieve it, I have a brilliant book to recommend, where the whole path is superbly explained.

If you happen to belong to the category of practitioners who seek to go beyond mere repetition of your chosen art’s techniques, drills and forms, in an attempt to actually understand the WHYs behind the WHAT and HOW, you cannot afford to skip The Principle-Driven Skill Development in Traditional Martial Arts, written by Russ Smith. The title may seem a bit long, but it tells you exactly what the book is about. Still, let me try to give you a somewhat closer insight into the material covered. Let me say right here that subject matter is not limited to a single system – Mr. Smith has background in Chinese (southern kung fu styles) and Okinawan (goju-ryu) arts, so the book cleverly shows how the conceptual framework of the former can be used in the latter. But properly understood, the principles described can be integrated into the training of any style or system.

The book is very nicely divided into half a dozen chapters which outline the conceptual tools one needs to adopt on their way to functionalization in traditional arts. In the introduction the author aptly addresses the typical problem of disconnect in the traditional arts, i.e. the lack of adequate synergy among the main training modes in that environment. He then proceeds to make a significant point that many instructors, sadly, ignore – teaching is communication, which is why the instructors need to grasp the basic steps in improving the skill of their students. Those are presented as the identification of actionable principles, development and/or modification of the curriculum etc. Sifu Smith concludes by explaining how to use the book for the best results, and I urge the readers not to skip this section!

On the premise of teaching being communication, the next chapter deals with terminology and fundamental assumptions that serve as the guidelines in the further treatment of the material. By being aware of the need to accurately describe these pillars of communicative exchange, the author shows some of the traits of great instructors. As such, it is important to pay attention to what he has to say about what martial art is and is not; what is the foundational aim of self-defense; the distinction between techniques and applications; and key success factors in one’s training, described as principles, applications¸ and attributes. This section alone will make a lightbulb blink many times and lead to numerous a-ha! moments in finally understanding what has been hindering your or your students’ progress.

With the foundation set, the author takes us on the tour of general methods (FA), whose understanding ought to serve as the launch pad for the improvement of the overall functional skills. He starts with the discussion of three types of timing in dealing with and opponent (different terminology than mine, but close in meaning); next is the need for technique stretching to meet the demands of purpose, physical context and starting point; then the strategic (dis)advantages of various positions between the participants etc. Excellent stuff, applicable across the board in any kind of combative endeavor, be it in in the real world or in the sport arena.

Now we move to the treatment of tools (XING) that we need to command when striving to bring the previous principles out. Some of the highlighted ones are the three gates, three sections, eights bridging principles and so on. They are not all numerical, LOL, but everything is explained in a concise and understandable manner, in line with the previously noted need for better communication. This is probably the chapter where you will gain deeper understanding of the technical arsenal of your art.

Sifu Smith’s analysis of power (GONG) as it realities to the improvement and effective use of a person’s technical skill is second to none! Namely, he manages to explain the principles of power, leverage and body structure without sinking into the depths of overly technical engineering or scientific jargon, but also successfully avoiding to dumb it down to the point of being meaningless. Hitting the right balance is the trap that too many other writers have fallen into. He demonstrated similar ability when discussing the four movements concepts of Chinese systems (sink, float, spit, swallow) – presents practical understanding without reaching for pseudo-metaphysical terminology that might make it all sound more advanced, but also potentially confusing.

In wishing to give his readers an actual working plan of action, the author concludes with a chapter that delineates a teaching model for skill development. Here, he points that the functional skill is the result of going through the stages of knowledge development, understanding and transference/application. It means the progression from the isolated skills and rills, through the next step of selecting proper actions via the drills of the constraint and affordance type, to the experimental testing of application of in the progressively non-cooperative drills with wider boundaries, such as classical push hands, chi sao and other more or less free-form exchange approaches.

All in all, we have before us a comprehensive treatise of what is frequently neglected, yet remarkably important aspects of training in the traditional martial arts. Too often is the notion of tradition limited to the superficial imitation of costumes and rituals, while failing to identify and respect the intent that was the driving force behind those arts.

In the end, as well as the material in the book is explained, Mr. Smith also offers a video instructional where it is shown in motion, for an even better learning experience. There is nothing else left but to conclude that this is a phenomenal work, which sets the new standard to the coverage of traditional martial arts beyond historical and ethnological approach.

Fake it...or make it?

You know the saying, sure, but I don't think it holds in martial training. Well, at least not as an attitude. Although many times have I pointed that different folks train for different reasons, hence varying motivational drive, and all of them legitimate, there is still good reason to approach training seriously. Just what it means to be serious can, again, differ from one practitioner to the next.

Naturally, for the people who engage in the martial arts and combatives training for the purposes of actual self protection, professional work (security, law enforcement, military) or sport/competition proper focus and commitment are sort of taken for granted. But the other two main niches - cultural/traditional students and recreational trainees - would also benefit from a deeper dive into understanding the underlying principles and applications of the chosen art/system. 

Specifically, it can frequently be the case with those whose main reason for the study of martial arts is the research of cultural tradition to get lost in the minutia of historical accuracy of costumes, armory, lineage, stances, postures done in solo formal exercises etc, while neglecting the deliberate drilling of actual combative applications. The thing is, when one attempts to recreate or understand the technical details of a system of movement without taking into account the actual purpose of that movement, the outcome of such a study will be an empty shell at best. In other words, all the attempts to attain some accuracy in practice and reenactment will boil down to guesswork. At worst, it will be mere LARPing. 

While for the recreational exercisers it might be all about workout - breaking sweat and burning calories - the authentic intent that stems from the actual understanding of the underlying strategies and principles will actually help to move with purpose, which in turn stimulates the higher expenditure of energy in training. 

To keep this short, what I want to say is: don't let yourself slip into a mere imitation of the chosen activity. Yes, it can be frustrating to deal with the mistakes on the road to actual improvement, but at least it will be an opportunity to really learn and truly raise the level of your performance, instead of mindlessly and carelessly repeating the mistakes...if nothing else, then to avoid self-inflicted injury. 

Ultimately, the choice is yours, and I'm not judging anyway, but the road to true enjoyment leads through true self-investment. 

Kung Fu - virtual yet authentic!

 As some of you may remember, some time ago I mentioned on this very blog that I was taking a step back to a beginner student process of learning a new, traditional-type art. It was not mentioned back then what it was, but now it has been a little bit over half a year, and this might be a nice opportunity to share some of my impressions.

First of all, although from my input here it is clear that my main areas of coverage are essentially FMA and RMA, along with a few other weapon based methods, as well as western fighting methods, including MMA, in the past, I have had a particular kind of interest for a long time when it comes to traditional Chinese arts. As an example, back in the second half of the 1990’s I spent a couple of years training in Uechi-ryu, which is normally perceived as a school of Okinawan karate, but in essence is a slightly modified southern Chinese martial system. That said, the teacher of that school, the late Mario Topolsek, also taught taijiquan and a little bit of baguazhang, of which the latter later become my favorite kung fu system. However, it too quite a number of years before I found a competent instructor to point me in the right direction of exploring baguazhang…but that is not my topic today.

Somehow, about a year ago I first learned about Baji Quan, one of the so-called northern schools of Chinese martial arts, coming of the Hui nationality, i.e. a Muslim minority from the Hebei province of China. This article will not deal with the historical background of the art, because that is not what attracted me to it. It was the quality of movement and overall attributed displayed by some of the exponents on the internet that drew my attention. 

As it often happens, there are several lineages of bajiquan out there, and my initial criterion for picking one was simple – availability! In this case, it means an online school, which then met other criteria of quality instruction and well presented material. I found that in the BaJiShu online program of sifu Vincent Mei.

So, what is it that makes his program good? First of all, it really is a program, which reflects the lineage from which sifu Mei comes, that of the renowned Wu Tan school of founder Liu Yunqiao in Taiwan. Basically, it is a curriculum of material that follows a well thought out progression, aimed at teaching the practitioners not just the moves, but also the underlining principles and physical attributes required for the proper execution. 

There are certain specific aspects of this online school that make it stand out. Namely, you can’t just sign in any time you want and then access the material at your own pace. No, you can enroll when a new group (cohort as it is called) is formed, thus starting the journey with several other people at the same time. Why is this important? For a very important reason – every week you get access to a video with material to be worked on, and then you have to submit homework for review. The neat aspect is that all of the classmates in a cohort submit their homework to the same online folder, so everyone is able to watch everyone else’s progress. Once a week, sifu Mei posts a review with commentary, critique, corrections and additional instruction, so you are able to learn from the common mistakes and general feedback, as well as the specific, individual comments. And let me tell you – the instructor has a sharp eye for catching even the smallest details of students’ performance. It also helps that he uses frame-by-frame video analysis to bring his point across.

The teaching approach is quite interesting. One of the forms from the school’s curriculum is taken as a lesson plan (which reminds me of FMA master Rey Galang!), and then dissected into components that make it. In practice, it typically means one of the maneuvers from the form is taught each week, presented as contained within the form, then analyzed in detail; next, the application is shown, so that the understanding of it gives a better feel for the moves; finally, a drill is derived from the technical elements, in order to really focus on the underlying principles of the material covered. 

By the way, the weekly lessons are not presented in isolation, but rather in each one the sifu leads an actual training session – warmup, basic exercises and foundational stances, followed by reps of essential punches and kicks. That way, it reminds you to put in your daily work before tackling new material. Trust me, with the attention to detail and weekly homework deadlines, you will never be complaining about not having enough to work on, despite the seemingly bite sized instruction.

The whole package is expanded by membership in a BaJiShu members only group on Facebook, where you can exchange opinions and experiences related to lessons and other material of interest, thus reinforcing the sense of belonging, as in a non-virtual class or club/school.

Yet, if you are not a person who can commit to this approach, you can order standalone weapon programs or recordings of Bajiquan seminars held every year.

For those who would like to have a peek into where the training leads to over long-term practice, sifu Mei has a Youtube channel with ample additional input for those who need the motivation from a wider context of what the program has to offer in the later stages of instruction. Honestly, while I am perfectly happy with working on whatever happens to be the ongoing lesson at the time, it is nice to see some partner drills to complement the functional understanding or absorption of the information.

All in all, with his BaJiShu project, sifu Vincent Mei has been doing great things for bringing the traditional Chinese martial arts into the 21^st century. So much so, that he was able to generate enough interest and support for the expansion of the concept, so now the Tsang Wu Ge Academy project he started is offering other Shu classrooms – Chang Chuan and Hung Ga, with top-tier instructors…and hopefully even more systems coming in the future.

In conclusion, BaJiShu is a prime example of how modern communication technologies and media can be used to adequately propagate traditional martial arts as best as possible, short of in-person instruction. And in order to bridge that shortcoming, sifu Mei goes on annual seminar tours of North America, Asia and Europe, thus creating possibility for members of his online academy to also experience the dimension of live instruction and cross hands with other practitioners. What better way to deepen the feeling of belonging and commitment?

To this practitioner – the whole package is clearly the winning combination!