Yee Chuan Tao

[chee]

I hope not Mike. Good luck on your tournament!

 

[nlmantis]

... Dylan was not allowed to use his own staff in the staff form because it was not classififed as a "Kung Fu" staff...

What kind of staff were you using, not a regular white waxwood?

...Reily performed his Jiu Huan Dao (9 Ring) in the Open category because we did not know that he could be entered in the Broadsword category since all the competitors had "regular" broadswords. So after his performance, the judges circled-around (!) and decided to disqualify his entry. Unfortunately, the Broadsword category had already finished so Reily was not able to compete in that category.

So there is no opportunity to ask prior to the tournament on qualification? That's kinda strange.

...
Oh, I forgot to post pictures of Nadia doing her Shaolin Six form. I did not mean to exclude her as we are all very proud of those who had competed!

Shaolin Six is a very cool form! How did she do and how does this kind of form compares to what other schools are doing? (off-topic? sorry.)

 

[7starmantis]

Shaolin Six is a very cool form! How did she do and how does this kind of form compares to what other schools are doing? (off-topic? sorry.)

No your fine, its not really off topic, since we are dicussing YCT. A little straying of topic is fine and expected. Now if you wanted to dicuss the variations in application from Shaolin Six before the reconstruction of the middle ages, then yes, I would say a seperate thread is in order. :ultracool

7sm

 

[chee]

What kind of staff were you using, not a regular white waxwood?

He ordered a "performance" staff made out of fiberglass. It looked really nice, we just didn't think there would be a problem since we have not done any KF tournaments prior to this one. This is the first time any of the teens did a KF tournament.

So there is no opportunity to ask prior to the tournament on qualification? That's kinda strange

No, we just did not know to ask. They would have answer if we knew what to ask. The year that I was placed in the Internal Taiji Sword category, I actually did call to ask telling them it's a Taiji sword but I don't do it with slow execution. I got put in there anyway. I guessed they looked at the weapon and thought there's only one way to do it.

Shaolin Six is a very cool form! How did she do and how does this kind of form compares to what other schools are doing?

She did very well, receiving a Gold medal. Many teens there are very good. They were all doing traditional forms (of their style of CMA) since that was the category. I love the form. Sifu Rob Moses taught us Shaolin Six for performance and demostration purposes. He starts us all out doing the Shaolin 1-12 forms, then gradually teach us more basic forms such as Law Horn (sp?) and such. Shaolin Six is a more advanced form less than a hand full got to learn it.

 

[grappling_mandala]

RHD Said "YCT remains a bit of an enigma."

You might be on to something. I think good martial art is impossible to put into a box.

Dave Copeland
Beaverton SBGi

 

[grappling_mandala]

RHD said

"Most of all, I realiz that you and all of the other YCT gang don't like what I have to say and do not appreciate my opinions or questions. That being said, I do not need your pity nor a justification of your mish-mash-of-martial arts background. I will post my opinions and ask whatever questions come to mind because this is a discussion forum. If you don't like what I have to say, don't listen. Oh...There is a point to my question, you just don't get it."

Inquiry is the only method of truly understanding something. With that said there are certain aspects of movement that are lost in translation on the net.

With that said I'll engage in dialog.

There is no such thing as the "YCT" gang your talking about man, and there is no such thing as a "mish-msh-of-martial arts" background. Fighting is fighting. Movement is movement. Every teacher of martial art is sometimes a student and sometimes the teacher. I know your interested in TCM, but I gotta tell you that you should study good movement for good movements sake. Figure out what makes good movement good. That is all that matters. There are plenty of stylists caught up in the style that forget they are suppose to be learning to move more effectively.

This is my reason for studying with Sifu Vendrell.

Your more then welcome to look at the effects of Sifu Vendrells teaching at my website gallery: http://sbg.technical-journal.com/gallery/

I have spent 10 years of my life studying jiu jitsu. The geometry you see on my site is a direct effect from Michael Vendrells mentoring. What is it you ask? It's nothing more then the wordless logic of form and function in any random moment of human motion & form.

I spar my art every chance I get. There is no room for abstract inapplicable theory in the truth telling that occurs on the mat. I avoid lists of information now. Either what you know works or it doesnt. And it works all at once, or not at all.

The SBGi philosophy is infamous for rejecting functionless form, and embracing methodical training environments that produce effective fighters.

Now as an individual, in the environment I train in, that means that "style" for me has more to do with finding my own personality in my movement. How I'm made and how I am meant to move. Vendrell's "formless" approach to martial art has taught me to look not only for the most effect stuctures of the body and their means of transformation. (thru the use of the bodies natural tetrahedral relationship to the edge of it's sphere) (ref: musashi's biography: the criss-crossing diagonals of the body)

Also in sensing the space between the seams of movement. The music of the body you could call this.

This makes my movement while sparring much smoother and forgiving, and I get moves to work more effortlessly, accepting the reality of what is possible for the situation instead of trying to force my own agenda. Although I can take credit for the hardwork of the trial and error of consistant sparring, having consistant reference points to express what I feel kinesthetically has been invaluable for my overall growth.

For instance the concept of the "perfect move" has pretty much solved any problem I had "rehersing" forms either in my head or in body.

I was very anti form before believing that practicing forms locked you into that response under stress. After training w/ Vendrell I believe there is a tremendous amount of potential locked away in the human body itself ready to come out thru our expression in movement. Once you know a basic concept or principle say for instance a "3-pattern" neutralize-redirect-attack it can be applied in any possible direction. No only inside the tight pattern of the mook jong, but along any natural plane our bodies move in. Now is that to say that there is now a form or pattern to follow? Who knows? There are whole systems following certain patterns of human motion.

I understand your critical tone, I am skeptical of most traditional arts because of my background in the grappling community. But alas, I have found Art to be bigger then style, tradition, or lineage. Movement speaks for itself. Everything else is hearsay.

Dave Copeland
Beaverton SBGi

 

[RHD]

Can we let dead threads stay dead?

BTW...nice to see you GM. Where have you been all this time?

Mike

 

[7starmantis]

Seriously. I was hoping this was one of the threads that would stay dead. Its not that I mind it being refreshed if it stays polite and respectful. I dont personally see much use in reviving it, as I think many others will agree, but your welcome to post as long as it stays above the rules.

MT Senior Mod
7starmantis
Adam C