DK Yoo Sparring

[JowGaWolf]

I always wanted to see what this guy could actually do with sparring. Now I know. The thing that shocked me the most was the locking of the knees.

 

[SOD-WC]

Sorry so is he doing good or bad? Is this what sparring usually looks like? To me its more like playing around.

I see some of his other demos on generating power but he didnt seem to show it here. Maybe he isnt trying to kill them ?

 

[Danny T]

1. Punching only.
2. He is playing with others not on his level.
3. He is not nearly as relaxed as someone as I'd think to be at his supposed high level. Especially vs others not on his level.
4. He locks his legs out and is often out of range for good striking. Having to reach long to get to the opponent.

In the videos shown he is a different level than those he is playing with but not impressive.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I'm not familiar with Mr. Yoo. What is he known for?

In the videos he looks like a so-so boxer playing with some beginners who don't have the experience or confidence to give him any real pressure.

 

[SOD-WC]

I'm not familiar with Mr. Yoo. What is he known for?

In the videos he looks like a so-so boxer playing with some beginners who don't have the experience or confidence to give him any real pressure.

If you do a youtube search he is known for like being the next Bruce lee. The clips usually show him very relaxed but can punch very hard. I think he teaches jeet kune do.

 

[O'Malley]

He's made up his own style which superficially looks like Systema (it'd be nice if a systema practitioner could comment on what he does).

On his website, he does not list any training background other than 'I have experience in many martial arts including Wushu, Kung Fu, Boxing, Judo, etc." He says that he analyzed the advantages of all the styles that he practiced and combined them to take the best of each one (sic). He does not seem to hold any legitimate ranking in any of them, though (and some videos list up to 15 styles!).

Very good marketer (the "reincarnation of Bruce Lee" is a good sales pitch) and he does entertaining demonstrations:

Back to the sparring video, I'd be curious to see him against someone that actually tries to punch him. I mean, I can do (and have done) what he does and I SUCK at boxing.

 

[SOD-WC]

He's made up his own style which superficially looks like Systema (it'd be nice if a systema practitioner could comment on what he does).

On his website, he does not list any training background other than 'I have experience in many martial arts including Wushu, Kung Fu, Boxing, Judo, etc." He says that he analyzed the advantages of all the styles that he practiced and combined them to take the best of each one (sic). He does not seem to hold any legitimate ranking in any of them, though (and some videos list up to 15 styles!).

Very good marketer (the "reincarnation of Bruce Lee" is a good sales pitch) and he does entertaining demonstrations:

Back to the sparring video, I'd be curious to see him against someone that actually tries to punch him. I mean, I can do (and have done) what he does and I SUCK at boxing.

I was about 1% right .

 

[drop bear]

I'm not familiar with Mr. Yoo. What is he known for?

In the videos he looks like a so-so boxer playing with some beginners who don't have the experience or confidence to give him any real pressure.

The students are flinchy.

 

[_Simon_]

He's made up his own style which superficially looks like Systema (it'd be nice if a systema practitioner could comment on what he does).

On his website, he does not list any training background other than 'I have experience in many martial arts including Wushu, Kung Fu, Boxing, Judo, etc." He says that he analyzed the advantages of all the styles that he practiced and combined them to take the best of each one (sic). He does not seem to hold any legitimate ranking in any of them, though (and some videos list up to 15 styles!).

Very good marketer (the "reincarnation of Bruce Lee" is a good sales pitch) and he does entertaining demonstrations:

Back to the sparring video, I'd be curious to see him against someone that actually tries to punch him. I mean, I can do (and have done) what he does and I SUCK at boxing.

Wow, fascinating . Love the body movements... seems like he has a deep knowledge of the body and rapid power generation.. but am only going by the vid

 

[O'Malley]

Well, anyone can be fast if they do the flicky-flicky retracted punches. And more in general about his demos, there might be some trick that has nothing to do with martial ability (e.g. using compliant partners, psychological tricks, predefined positioning, etc.).

Can't speak about the other arts he claims but his kickboxing/savate and his aikido look subpar. But again it's higly improbable that he actually studied all those styles enough to understand even their basics, much less at his age...

 

[BrendanF]

Yah. He's clearly a fast, relaxed, twitchy type. Well coordinated.. but hasn't fought a day in his life.

Makes nice promo vids though.

 

[Flying Crane]

I’ve never heard of him before.

He clearly knows some stuff. I didn’t see anything in the videos to make me believe that he is exceptionally good. Dime-a-dozen.

Next...

 

[BrendanF]

Wow. I just watched the last clip in the OP -the 'timing lesson'. I don't know what the lesson is supposed to be, but his habit of leaning straight back, and moving straight back, away from punches... is NOT a good habit to develop. He is lucky he wasn't 'sparring' with anyone genuinely capable.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Sorry so is he doing good or bad? Is this what sparring usually looks like? To me its more like playing around.

I see some of his other demos on generating power but he didnt seem to show it here. Maybe he isnt trying to kill them ?

I don't know no if he's doing good or bad. I also don't know about playing around. It looked like he threw a few hard shots that I personally wouldn't have been happy with. I'm the type who doesn't tolerate variable sparing intensity. It's either light, medium, or hard sparring and never a mixture of intensity. There were a few clips that made want to say "ease up."

I never like the playing around reasoning for not doing one's techniques. For example, if I "play around" with sparring kung fu, I'm still doing kung fu techniques.
To me this is playing around

The most important thing that I look for when I see people sparring is whether or not they are using the techniques that they train. It doesn't matter how good or how bad they are at using the techniques. The most important thing is that they are making an effort to use the techniques. I will always give positive feedback for that. But if they start sparring and then don't do any of the stuff that they claim to train then I become very disappointed.

When I see this, then I expect to see some of it in a sparring situation. He had a lot of lean back in his sparring.

There are a lot of things that don't sit well for me as an instructor. The horse stance one was funny to me as well. My teachers used to test my horse stance as well, but they would push me from the front and the back. If I had a good horse stance then I could maintain my balance. If my horse stand was bad, then I would lose balance either forward or backwards.

Keep in mind I'm not bashing what he does and what he teaches. All of that may be legit. My only interest is can he actually use what he teaches.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Here's a higher skilled opponent that you guys might enjoy.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I don't know what the lesson is supposed to be, but his habit of leaning straight back, and moving straight back, away from punches... is NOT a good habit to develop.

He doesn't do it in his demos

 

[_Simon_]

Hmmm yeah it's hard to tell... he clearly knows some stuff and I'm impressed with his fluid nature and explosiveness, but still feels like something's missing or off... It doesn't feel like he's fully proficient in a martial art, but perhaps that's what he's about.

Yeah I know what you mean about him "easing up", he was absolutely smashing some of those students haha, for no apparent reason, but it's hard to get much from a voiceless vid.

And I don't quite understand that exercise with horse stance. Horse stance is supposed to be incredibly stable from the side anyway (that's what it's about, along with dropping centre of gravity and being more rooted), so why are they pushing him from the side... of course it's going to be hard to push him...

 

[Martial D]

It's always one at a time, from out of range. Footwork isn't there, movement isn't there, and he does that thing that people very new to sparring do where they switch from defensive mode to offensive mode rather than blending them.

Meh

 

[ShotoNoob]

The most important thing that I look for when I see people sparring is whether or not they are using the techniques that they train. It doesn't matter how good or how bad they are at using the techniques. The most important thing is that they are making an effort to use the techniques. I will always give positive feedback for that. But if they start sparring and then don't do any of the stuff that they claim to train then I become very disappointed.

In sparring or actual fighting, the claim is made that technical form is not attainable or desirable. In principle, however, I agree with your position either the techniques work, or your practice of the art is faulty.

That aside, we see & hear commentary about wing chun & boxing usage in these videos. TMU, boxing versus wing chun, the drivers of competence in each is world's apart. Again, along your line of thinking, if you want to practice kung fu, do kung fu. If you want to win a fight by boxing, train boxing.

I suspect there is a marketing angle here because the sport fighting methods typified by boxing are so popular & mainstream accepted.

EDIT: Style? aside, DK appears talented. Failed his technical kung fu exam in these then perhaps cheesy promos. Certainly quite a number of large egos are posted on YT for display.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I suspect there is a promotional angle here because the sport fighting methods typified by boxing are so popular and mainstream popular.

I can see that. The marketing of a new fighting system that is so dominant that it makes the practitioner look untouchable. If I were to make Jow Ga Kung Fu like that, I would only show my highlights when something went right and only spar others who make it easier for me to get away with a lot of things that I normally wouldn't be able to, for example, locking my knees.

All of his videos reflect Power and Speed concepts and not actually fighting. Which sounds good until you try to apply it. For example, This video below is the exact same technique /concept that I use in Jow Ga

While the grip works, everything that comes after it will not work as he shows. This is me speaking because I've tried it that way multiple times and each time I ate a counter punch. The reason it doesn't work is because the moment you grab the risk is the exact moment that it will trigger your opponents punch. By the time you get the hook, you will be hit at the same time or slightly before your hook lands. You should be fine if the reaction of the person is to pull back but you'll be in trouble if the person want to punch you after you grab their wrist.

There is a way that the technique works but you have to add some footwork and handwork with the grip. I'm fine with the "power grip part" but not so much with this part. Still some missing gaps here.

Again it looks powerful because they are resisting the pull vs flowing with it so they have that jerking motion as if they are about to fall over. They also aren't trying to counter so it makes the technique look unstoppable. Both are great for marketing purposes.

Maybe I should take the same marketing route lol.