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Not so sure about how far weights will take you ....especially as you get older. And whatever you do, watch out for the negative effects of repetitive motion. Many years ago I used to do all kinds of hand and forearm exercises including weights, pole exercises (Escrima baston and WC luk dim...

Well, Obi you pretty much nailed it. ...and yes, I was a direct "disciple" of Leung Ting for about a dozen years starting when he made his first trip to the USA in spring of 1980. I stopped training MA for a long time in the 90s and then started up again in 2007 with my old si-dai who had also...

Some of the precepts of my lineage that trouble me include: 1. Insistence that memorizing more and more stuff, such as a seemingly endless progression of Chi-sau "sections" and "lat-sau sections as well as the forms and drills will make you an ever better practitioner. Many fall into the trap...

You mean just your two cents? Otherwise I am reminded of my high school years when we had a Norwegian exchange student living at our house. In his language, like so many European languages, the vowel sounds for "e" and "i" were approximately the reverse of how we say them in English, but on...

The guy you directed this at, "Kung-fu Wang"aka John Wang, says he privately trained Wing Chun in the early '70s while studying at UT, Austin but has not continued in WC. He is best known as a pioneering Shuai Chiao practitioner and coach, having trained directly under the legendary master Chang...

All power? ...This is not always true. Power can be generated rising and falling, moving forward (outward) and contracting (inward) and rotating ...or a combination of these. Regarding such sweeping statements... Always remember never to say always and never! ;)

Not sure how doing Siu Nim Tau slowly for years will help you to instinctively and effectively apply your art against a competent and non-compliant opponent. SNT does train important skills, but not that skill.

For someone just getting started, that's a terrible idea. Besides, if there's anyplace where traditional CMA is still being taught, a big city with an old, established "Chinatown" ...like NYC would probably be your best bet. The trouble is finding a school since a lot of stuff is not taught in...

That's a really thought provoking proposition. Is it even possible to initiate a conversation by making a point that clearly "misses the point"? I think it is. ....At least I have been accused of that on occasion. :)

Not a contest, just useful info. Canemaster's is pricey, so it's nice when people post alternatives. That's one thing a forum like this is good for. :) BTW I picked up one of these at a fair price back before the pandemic: https://www.woodenswords.com/Crook_Cane_Hickory_p/cane-crook.h.htm It's...

Politics??? I don't get that. Everybody sees politics where I just see ...normal stuff. Like when my neighbor, who knows I'm a teacher asked if my students were woke. I said sure they are. I don't allow them to sleep in class. Then he asked me about CRT in the classroom. I had to tell him...

Oh yeah, it's important to me. When I read your posts now, I imagine a thick Scottish accent. When I read Simon, I'm hearing "Broad Austrailian". I imagine I'm way off the mark, but it keeps me entertained. :D BTW I'm a afraid I speak a pretty boring and generic variety of American English and...

I have a friend, now about 80, who also had both knees replaced about ten years back. He had previously been learning Wing Chun for a long time. After taking a good deal of time off to recover, he was able to return to Wing Chun, become an instructor, and eventually reached a very high rank...

Of course. It's important to stay hydrated.

Since you guys have brought up horses and dogs, I would add that there are several types of animals that have been used in warfare over the millenia. I would think that skills in handling these animals in battle would definitely qualify as a martial art. Here are two more: falcons and elephants...

I'm not a BJJ guy, so I don't know the training etiquette of rolling, but in other arts I've trained, things like this have also come up. Scenarios where a training partner does something that leaves them very vulnerable without their realizing it (like when your partner wouldn't release her...

Is animal handling a martial art? Dunno. I saw a movie once where somebody threw a cat at another person. Claws first. I guess that would count. Kinda mean to the cat though. Here's another question. Is cat throwing science?

In that case, the "qualified instructor" is the proverbial "school of hard knocks"! ;)

Qualified instructor? As I have gotten along in years I've become a lot more skeptical about what constitutes a qualified instructor in such dubious and esoteric practices. It reminds me of an an acquaintance back in my school days who once said something like, "I only get my psychic advice...

Honestly, I doubt that there is much scientific data on the effects of "iron shirt training" on the body. These traditional practices are usually cloaked in secrecy and their supposed benefits are expressed through the language of traditional Chinese medicine practices and attested to...

In what way does it work? What results did you gain? How did you test it for effectiveness? And, were there any short or long term side effects?

Hmmm. Like this? OK, seriously now, you make a good point. On the other hand, different WC/WT/VT branches have very different ideas about what makes a proper stance and steps.

First of all, I agree with your previous post. Now if you will permit me, a brief digression commenting on the bolded words in the quote above. The "sad comment" applies not just to our educational system but to the larger culture that shapes that system. As a public high school teacher for...

At the vet? You must be a total animal! :p I'm impressed.

Ironically, this is soooo true! Sportsmen know better than anyone what's unsportsmanlike!

That looks nasty! So looking back at the era of old-time bare-knuckle boxing, the era of John L. Sillivan & Co., think about the consequences of a serious hand injury without modern surgery and physical therapy to rehab ...especially for a tradesman who lived by working with his hands. Those...

Belief is a powerful thing. Some say it can even stop bullets. Science and history prove otherwise. I'm thinking of the "iron shirt" practices of the yihequan society during the Boxer Rebellion and the "ghost shirts" worn by the Lakota at Wounded knee. "Ghost Shirt" with bullet holes from...

Boza... I can't argue with your boundless faith in WC. Faith is not constrained by facts. So I grant you your faith. By contrast, I still love WC, but I am not a person of faith, either in religion or martial arts. For me beliefs can be a fine thing, but without objective evidence to support...

Maybe he is a dalit from India? ....or maybe Eliot Ness

I trained under my old Sifu from 1980 into the early 90s. Then I stopped training for many years to pursue my career and raise a family. I returned to WC in 2007 to train with an old kung fu brother and teach a bit. Somehow I never got super-powers though. Guess I'm doing something wrong. :(