What styles are the best for self-defense/ street situations?

Littledragon

Above The Law
yudansha said:
... that's not the kind of reflexes I'm talking about...

The beginners start out (this is how I've trained) building up neglect for pain. Instead of punching bags, you'd be given specially moulded walls to punch for half an hour. Then, they'd put you in different stances to build up some muscle (since you're a beginner) ... especially for legs ... then you'd be doing push-ups to exercise your heart while working some muscle groups in your arms to warm up. Between each, you are given rest for not more than 30 seconds. Then, you'd be asked to lie on the mat while the instructors walk on you and stand on you (imagine an over 150lb assistant standing on a 10 year old beginner) ... you'd be lined up lying down with your classmates and the assistants would walk from one person to the next. (ofcourse some 'praying' and meditation ... I still don't get what they were saying in those).

When forms are taught, they are perfected. The sifu doesn't do more than 2 or 3 forms per class. Emphasis is on repetition. The forms are then practiced in a situation where another student must get at you and you'd use the just practiced technique.

Wu-shu is very acrobatic (fluid motions occuring in a swift manner), but the way I was taught, it was also a way to build up strength.


Do they teach you how to prevent a tackle or where to strike in a street fight??
 

yudansha

TheGreatOne
Forms are all about strikes ... that's what the wooden dummy is for

... and the acrobatics are your route to defense ... yes you are taught.
 

Littledragon

Above The Law
yudansha said:
... and the acrobatics are your route to defense ... yes you are taught.


But Wing Chun uses the wodden dummy.


Acrobatics in a street situation? Not unless you are Jet or Jackie or Yuen and Samo..
 

yudansha

TheGreatOne
Why do you have to be named Jet or Jackie or Sammo to be able to use the techniques??

Wing-Chun is just ONE style of Kung-Fu.
The wooden-dummy is used for all sorts of kung-fu styles. It's part of the training.
 

Littledragon

Above The Law
yudansha said:
Wing-Chun is just ONE style of Kung-Fu.
The wooden-dummy is used for all sorts of kung-fu styles. It's part of the training.


I am stating to using acrobatics in a street fight to Jackie and Jet etc...


I know Wing-Chun is one style of Kung Fu just never seen Wu Shu practicing on the wooden dummy but Wing Chun is primarally used 4 the wodden dummy.
 

yudansha

TheGreatOne
Wu-shu is not a grappling art...

You are taught how to avoid being in a harmful situation (acrobatic training - constant ... prepares you to avoid a strike ... there's never a need to strike the striker - avoid and stay away) ... once you are in a hostile position, wu-shu becomes offensive more than defensive.
 

Littledragon

Above The Law
yudansha said:
You are taught how to avoid being in a harmful situation (acrobatic training - constant ... prepares you to avoid a strike ... there's never a need to strike the striker - avoid and stay away) ... once you are in a hostile position, wu-shu becomes offensive more than defensive.


Sorry still would not do a flip or cartwheel if I was being attacked by a group of thugs in the street.
 

yudansha

TheGreatOne
You don't have to do a flip or a cartwheel...

... that's the whole beauty of it (I wouldn't do a cartwheel either :D)
 

Aikilove

Old member aikidoka
Come one Littledragon! nothing he or I will say will convince you, since you have already convinced yourself how one needs to train in order to be "effective on the street" (man, can't you get over this expression already?).
Just as I said in a previous thread (seems like you read, say you understand and agree, and then ask the same thing all over again!), it is not the techniques that will save your arse. It's how you train them that will. Wushu, litt. chinese word for budo and only a collective name for all types of chuan fa (kung fu) or chinese boxing there is. Traditional training in, say, shaolin kung fu may look vary acrobatic but it all intend to give your body tools, such as strongness, agility, endurance, rapidness and reflexive responses etc, which will all prapare you for conflict, should it arise. Of curse the form monkey is not something that one will bring up in conflict, but the training in the form will give you valuable tools.

Of curse there has today evolved schools (such as the hong kong opera academy) were complete focus is on being able to do fancy flips and showy movements very much completely separate from traditional kung fu.

If I study dance, I will achive great understanding of my body in the sence that I know when and how my and my partners bodies are in balance etc allmost exactly the same way aikido, judo or kung fu would do. Dance, however, doesn't prapare me squat for a physical or mental attack. It is the understanding of balance and achiving reflexes put into the context of handling and controling a physical and mental attack, that will prepare you for this. Aikido, jujutsu, kung fu, boxing, karate etc. will all do this, given that not all focus are on winning matches.

/J
 

yudansha

TheGreatOne
Exactly! The focus is never on 'winning' ... Nobody 'wins' a fight...

I think (according to my Chinese friends) that the term 'wu-shu' means martial art. Wu-shu is kung-fu and kung-fu is wu-shu. Any martial art can be 'effective in street situation.'
 

Littledragon

Above The Law
yudansha said:
I think (according to my Chinese friends) that the term 'wu-shu' means martial art. Wu-shu is kung-fu and kung-fu is wu-shu. Any martial art can be 'effective in street situation.'


You are right, it all depends on the person not the style, however the style can give the person some advantages over another.
 

Donald Lee Wilkey

A Steven Seagal fan
best styles for street fighting or street defense?

i think ba gua zhanf or pa kua chang, tai chi chuan, hsing i, and aikido are just a few?
 

yudansha

TheGreatOne
Classic! Tai Chi chuan can be very effective!

Very powerful and dangerous! Today, it's regarded as a form of exercise, but it the traditional teachings are very much a martial art. I don't know much about it, but I've seen its power.
 

Littledragon

Above The Law
yudansha said:
Very powerful and dangerous! Today, it's regarded as a form of exercise, but it the traditional teachings are very much a martial art. I don't know much about it, but I've seen its power.


Hmmm.. Tai Chi in a street fight?? lol
 

Leon

Banned
Pardon me Littledragon, but you've probably never seen a proper Wu-Shu competition. I have and it's about as "full" as full-contact can get and it can lead to some pretty nasty injuries! But I'm just talking from what I saw, I've neither practiced nor read anything in-depth about this style, but I've been told it resembles hapkido, which is right in my alley.
 

Littledragon

Above The Law
No, Wu-Shu Is Just Forms.

Leon said:
Pardon me Littledragon, but you've probably never seen a proper Wu-Shu competition. I have and it's about as "full" as full-contact can get and it can lead to some pretty nasty injuries! But I'm just talking from what I saw, I've neither practiced nor read anything in-depth about this style, but I've been told it resembles hapkido, which is right in my alley.


Nope totally incorrect, there is no sparring in Chinese Wu-Shu, I used to train in Wu-Shu for over 3 years, my instructor was a pupil of Jet Li at the International Beijing Wu-Shu Academy, the only full contact Kung-Fu tournaments are San-Shou, Chinese Boxing, and the Southern Kung-Fu styles, often in OPEN competitions some one they calem to be doing Kung-Fu but it is a mere tag point match. Wu-Shu just concentrates on forms and weaponrey. At the olympics Wu-Shu will be held as an official Olympic sport, competing in what? -FORMS.
 

pantera

New Member
Welcome Last of the breed and enjoy the forum (well it sound strange to tell you that because you registered before me :p ;)
I'm interested by the website link because i'm a weak and lonely woman :D
Thanx.
 
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