What have you learned from animals re: martial arts?

[girlbug2]

I "touch spar" now and then with my cat, a young male siamese mix. He is very thin, strong and wiry. He is also quite talented at sparring. We do this all in good fun -- in fact, I can hear him purring the whole time. Usually, he keeps his claws in..usually

At first I would do this as an extension of other play, but after a while I noticed that he was teaching me quite a bit about quickness and the art of waiting for the right moment to strike. I was also intrigued to discover that the "cat stance" referred to in Kenpo is a real thing that cats do to set up for striking sometimes!

My dh grew up with dogs and swears he has mastered the art of "dog fu" from "wrestling"with Aerdales.

What have you all learned from animals that relates to your martial art?

 

[Empty Hands]

What have you all learned from animals that relates to your martial art?

A crazy attitude is everything.

 

[Xue Sheng]

ALWAYS keep an eye on BOTH paws... I mean hands.

I had a cat once that loved to fake... hold up the right paw... get your attention with it...BAM... hit you with the right.

 

[Andrew Green]

What have you all learned from animals that relates to your martial art?

Playfighting (sparring) is done by every animal in nature, that behavior didn't evolve without reason

 

[celtic_crippler]

Biting, clawing, and scratching work well in terms of SD.

 

[Sukerkin]

For me, the major lesson I have taken from the animal kingdom when it comes to violence can be melted down to:

Look confident always, if necessary make yourself look big and scary, make an attack if you must but try to avoid a fight at all costs.

 

[Kacey]

I love watching my dog wrestle with other dogs - they always look like they're having so much fun! Some things I learned from watching him - never get mad... and if you do, get over it immediately; throws work best if you get under your opponent's center of gravity (my dog plays with a much larger dog - 150 pounds to my dog's 82), and gets under her front leg and stands up; then she falls down; be ready all the time; let the junior/smaller/younger win some of the time, because it increases their incentive; take regular rest breaks and remember to drink water when you do.

 

[mook jong man]

Both of our cats like to hit each other with double and triple jabs.

 

[theletch1]

From watching my cat vs my dog... attitude, confidence and timing will carry you further than sheer size any day.

 

[girlbug2]

These are great lessons! Animals are the best

 

[jkembry]

I love watching my dog wrestle with other dogs - they always look like they're having so much fun! Some things I learned from watching him - never get mad... and if you do, get over it immediately; throws work best if you get under your opponent's center of gravity (my dog plays with a much larger dog - 150 pounds to my dog's 82), and gets under her front leg and stands up; then she falls down; be ready all the time; let the junior/smaller/younger win some of the time, because it increases their incentive; take regular rest breaks and remember to drink water when you do.

Thanks Kacey....Now to get out of my head and act like the dogs wrestling when I spar.

 

[tshadowchaser]

I play fight with my cats all the time and have with every cat we have ever had in the house.
When I had dogs we would play in the yard and I learned the way the circle and attack the run only to circle and attack and hold on. I also learned that when one went off in one direction he might come sneaking back from a different one. And lest I forget, I learned that when sparring and the dog was out to make sure I kept one eye on him because he would wait till he saw his opening and attack while I was concentration on my sparring partner.
From watching wilder animal I have learned that fights are not always to the death but till one submits to the others superiority. However some times death dose occur in a fight.

 

[Jin Gang]

Here's Shinobi, demonstrating the ground techniques of the black tiger style

 

[kidswarrior]

ALWAYS keep an eye on BOTH paws... I mean hands.

I had a cat once that loved to fake... hold up the right paw... get your attention with it...BAM... hit you with the right.

I think my old boxing coach must have learned from your cat. :lol:

Look confident always, if necessary make yourself look big and scary, make an attack if you must but try to avoid a fight at all costs.

Yes, as you can see from the warrior princess, I have a live-in role model for how to look BIG and scary. She thinks she's a BIG dawg...till she gets around big dogs.

But her reflexes are still better than mine, as she loves to demonstrate every evening when we play with her Tuggie.

 

[MA-Caver]

Cats are natural born fighters it seems. One of my cats (I have no animals now) I used to flip over on to his back and he would use both of his hind legs to kick when I was trying to hold him down by the chest/neck area (ground fighting tech).
I would playfully spar with one of my others and noticed the same patient waiting for the right moment.

With my snakes (no, never sparred with them) I've observed the same waiting patiently, still, unmoving until BAM and then all over the rat/mouse before it could do anything and just hold on.

True, many (animals) do play fight and it's basically training/practice for them. Bears do it, lions, deer, and many other animals. Insects however go all out to the death. They can teach a few things as well.

Also size matters not, look at me judge me by my size do you??

 

[hkfuie]

Some things I learned from watching him - never get mad... and if you do, get over it immediately;

Great point. I love the dog whisperer and he says dogs live totally in the moment. Often dogs' behavior problems are caused by their owners' attachment to traumas from the past, either traumas involving the dog or the owners' personal traumas.

It's a great discipline to live in the moment and that's one thing I think of often about my dogs.

And back to Kacey's point, when they disagree, or even fight, when it's over, it's over. No grudges. Boy could I learn from that! Definitely.

Also, I have so admired that small dog's or cat's ability to stand up to the bigger animal and even intimidate the bigger animal.

Other than that, I have often practiced sticking and redirecting the nose of my dog who likes to lick. We get into a battle of him trying to lick my hands and I try to deflect and redirect!

 

[tellner]

I have meditated long on the lessons which animals have to teach in the martial arts. In particular, I have learned much from the Cane Toad:

1. Eat anything that is smaller than you are.
2. Poison anything that is bigger than you are.
3. Run away from anything that is bigger than you are which you cannot poison
4. Breed faster than everything else so that you have no enemies.

 

[Rich Parsons]

I "touch spar" now and then with my cat, a young male siamese mix. He is very thin, strong and wiry. He is also quite talented at sparring. We do this all in good fun -- in fact, I can hear him purring the whole time. Usually, he keeps his claws in..usually

At first I would do this as an extension of other play, but after a while I noticed that he was teaching me quite a bit about quickness and the art of waiting for the right moment to strike. I was also intrigued to discover that the "cat stance" referred to in Kenpo is a real thing that cats do to set up for striking sometimes!

My dh grew up with dogs and swears he has mastered the art of "dog fu" from "wrestling"with Aerdales.

What have you all learned from animals that relates to your martial art?

I have a 19 year old Black Cat. And until the last 12-18 months she could hit people and leave a bruise, Most pulled their hands back and yelled OUCH!

I used to play with her and I called what she did "Kit-Cat-Do". I have also referrenced a previous cat I had growing up that also did this style. It can be very difficult for humans to learn. Many come away with cuts and teeth markes and bruises as I mentioned.

It does teach one reflex motion and to be relaxed.

 

[Flea]

Of course, what works for animals may not always work for us ...

When my cat Dammit was a few months old, he developed the unsettling habit of climbing up the pant legs of my male guests. They would always get the "ants in the pants" reaction, and Dammit would saunter off with supreme satisfaction. Who's your daddy? Say my name!!

Somehow I don't think I'd get the same reaction from my male friends if I tried that ... :uhyeah: Well, maybe my gay friends.

 

[firerex]

i sometimes get on my knees and i have a lab and puppy and ill get them both really hyper and practice my blocking, of course not as hard as usual cause that will hurt them but hand open blocking