I met a young man yesterday that told me he used train in an art but he couldn't remember the name. Basically he was taught that to defend himself he had one chance at one strike to take his oponent down. His stance was to turn his body at a 90 degree angle from where I was squared off, lean really far back on the leg that was farthest from me (looked like he was doing a one legged squat) and prepare to strike with the other leg that was extended towards me. When coming in to strike he kind of shuffled his feet sideways towards me and was suppose to stomp to take out my knee. He said that during his three years of training there really were only about 3 or 4 techniques that they used to help defend themselves. He said that they never worked on opposing people because his master told him that the art was 'so deadly' that they would seriously hurt each other so they only practiced on dummies.
This young man is now in University and hasn't practiced his art for over 7 years now (he quit at 14) but is still under the impression that he was taught so well that he could still defend himself if need be. While speaking with him, he mocked other styles like Judo because apparently while training with his master, they had invited a judo instructor to their school and when the judo instructor was showing them his stuff their master kept seriously kicking this guy in the head to prove to his students how superior his style was. So much for not practicing on other people because of its deadly force.
My eyes really were opened yesterday. I had read about schools that were less then admirable and that taught "deadly, secret techniques etc." but I had never actually met anyone and it truly saddened me to see this young man years later walking around thinking he was safe cause he knew how to defend himself. I am sure there are many art forms out there that can strike once and seriously hurt someone else, actually I am sure all of them probably can, and I could believe that his master was probably a great practitioner of his style but what worries me is that this young man, even years later and without practice, still believes that he can execute his 3 or 4 moves and defend himself.
Please understand I am not flaming anyone's art form here, I was just a little taken back by his insistance about his techniques and I am also curious as to what kind of art form this was and thought maybe someone could name it for me. I apologise for the lack of anymore information but the stance is really the only thing the young man could explain to me.
This young man is now in University and hasn't practiced his art for over 7 years now (he quit at 14) but is still under the impression that he was taught so well that he could still defend himself if need be. While speaking with him, he mocked other styles like Judo because apparently while training with his master, they had invited a judo instructor to their school and when the judo instructor was showing them his stuff their master kept seriously kicking this guy in the head to prove to his students how superior his style was. So much for not practicing on other people because of its deadly force.
My eyes really were opened yesterday. I had read about schools that were less then admirable and that taught "deadly, secret techniques etc." but I had never actually met anyone and it truly saddened me to see this young man years later walking around thinking he was safe cause he knew how to defend himself. I am sure there are many art forms out there that can strike once and seriously hurt someone else, actually I am sure all of them probably can, and I could believe that his master was probably a great practitioner of his style but what worries me is that this young man, even years later and without practice, still believes that he can execute his 3 or 4 moves and defend himself.
Please understand I am not flaming anyone's art form here, I was just a little taken back by his insistance about his techniques and I am also curious as to what kind of art form this was and thought maybe someone could name it for me. I apologise for the lack of anymore information but the stance is really the only thing the young man could explain to me.
