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5 de Enero, 2007
Say Jak!
Categorized under Viernes Noche Música | Tags: YouTube
I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS about martial arts that turns so many people into morons. I don't mean studying. I mean commenting. All you have to do is go to any single thread on YouTube and see what I mean. And that is actually representative of everyday life, too. It's as if it confronts or intimidates people so they either have to lie and say they "studied for a while" or are a "5th dan" (yet don't understand or act upon extremely basic concepts that a yellow belt would need to know to even test successfully); are positive that somehow knowing TKD means you will lose a "Streetfight" as if "streetfights" are magical things that don't involve telegraphing, fear, confidence, quickness, endurance, or training (and that your losing is the most important thing they have to associate with TKD?)—and then, of course we have the normal people who just listen or comment as sane humans might. But far too many people fall into the former categories.
Which is really disturbing and sad because studying martial arts is an amazing experience, or can be. And if you have no idea what kind of training goes into excelling, or even advancing, you really ought to humble up a bit. I can think of few things that I've had such an intense, spiritual, physical, satisfying experience with. And since I am personally acquainted with the art, I don't think of Bruce Lee movies or something when we talk about it, I think of the people I've trained with, sparred with, the hurdles I overcame, the revelations, the self-confidence I gained, the life-long dream I acted upon, the way it helped me quit smoking cigarettes, the mad respect I had for my Sabumnim, the joy I took home along with any medals or trophies I won, the relationship I had with my instructors, the days I was asked to paint the Tenets on the wall when we moved to a new Dojang, and what an honor that was. So it hurts me when people trash talk it, to me it feels like it might to you if I trash talked your religion. It's some idiota casually slandering something profoundly enriching and important to me and my path. I had no intention of going on this rant, but when I came across the threads, it just get me aggravated.
This is a short video, just a series of kicks and strikes, sort of a demo. And yes, learning to tie the dhee (belt) is a trick all in itself! What I like about this guy is how well he holds his guard. My teacher was very big on that. If you watch a lot of sparring, you'll see people letting their guard down when they move in or to (weakly) balance their kicks instead of doing the harder balancing work. This flaw begins in training. Sabumnim was very tough on us with that. I respect that and thank him for it now. An adept defensive fighter will wait for that guard to drop and smack you so quick you won't know what happened, especially since it often happens just as you think you are about to strike him/her, and you will always telegraph it (give a sign of what you are doing before you do it, something untrained fighters almost always do by default). Another thing some people will do is hold their hands all "cool" like Bruce Lee, with the fists open, the hands out. Let me tell you right now. If you want to break your fingers quickly, that's a "cool" habit to train with. Nothin' like a leg unfolding at the speed of snap right into a few open fingers. I've seen it happen, and it ain't fun. If you check especially the beginning of this vid, you see the man always guarding his floating ribs and solar plexus. He has trained well. The floating ribs can be broken with strong enough roundhouses, even if you are wearing a hogoo (though it would be tough), and if you get nailed good in the solar plexus (yes, with a hogoo on) you can get so stunned that someone can just mop the floor with you.
Anyway, I know I normally post music on Fridays. But that's me. I like to switch it up sometimes. Keep you on your toes. :)
Enjoy your evening!
*"Say Jak" is Korean for "begin" or "start!" and you hear this while you are already facing your opponent in a ready position, totally focused. When you hear this, you kiai ("eeeooooaaaaaaiiiii!!!" or whatever your choice of sound is) and you begin!
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Comentarios (2)
Kai dijo:
Nezua, yeah there are lots of martial arts poseurs out there, especially with the fantasy-life that cyber-world enables, it's just a sad joke, really. Then again, martial arts is a topic so vast and deep, so multi-faceted and complex, that there's really no "right" place to enter it. Most people enter in fear and violence, but the best students gradually over time transmute those lower impulses into the drive for enlightenment. So in a sense, we can't begrudge anyone's starting point.
Just for fun between fighting amigos, I wanted to point out one thing: I stood with closed fists for the first 10 years of my training, but eventually switched to an open hand style. One first needs to learn to protect their fingers and develop all the good habits of a tight guard, but after a certain point (once you learn to really see range and the dynamic sphere of bodily motion) there's no chance that someone can close range on you fast enough to strike your fingers (a hand moves faster than a big-motion kick can possibly be delivered). Indeed, in the style of self-defense I now study, techniques are not even launched from the fighting stance, but from natural standing (feet together, hands down or palm-to-palm), sitting, and prone positions. It's like jazz, once the fundamentals are in your bones, you can start opening up the possibilities. In this style, there is no "guard" position any longer and you no longer "block" strikes, you simply move through the dynamic sphere ensuring your own safety and exploiting the opponent's movements to maximum effect.
Anyway, I still train in boxing (and indeed most boxers could beat up most martial arts students, as far as I'm concerned). I just wanted to chit-chat, I guess. A knockout blow to the button is a beautiful thing (the brain spinning inside the skull, twisting the brain stem), but an effortless jointlock followed by someone crashing onto a table full of stemware, while the martial artist remains in repose, is neat too. About a year ago I got into a fight at a sports bar, which began as a silly disagreement about sports, and escalated to the point that the drunk white dude sitting at the bar next to me said, "I wonder if I'll have to shoot a chink tonight." That was enough for me: I simply kicked his bar-stool and allowed the edge of the bar and floor to do the work on his head. His friends were gathering over him as I was escorted out of the bar. That's more my style these days.
But of course: Peace.
Palabras por Kai spat forth on el 6 de Enero, 2007 at 09:09 AM
nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez dijo:
yes, kai, you are right. i definitely do not begrudge anyone's starting point. all mine have been at a place i no longer identify with. i feel we all ought to have that chance to grow.
i do speak of poseurs, people who dont know shit, dis it, and casually dismiss anything and everything that martial arts is. just hop on a thread and claim blackbelt and in the same breath talk up the inadequacy of the very art they claim to be disciplined in...some call these liars and destructors "concern trolls." i call them disgusting.
just chit-chatting (and with less experience than you on this) i would add to the boxing vs martial arts: they do have to close the distance, first, tho. personally, i think both arts are incomplete alone. i feel a total mastery must consist of a kicking art, a submission lock art, a boxing art, and a grappling art. that's a lifetime. and i certainly am not there. yet.
and...clearly if we were ever to spar i best keep my hands in closed fists! :)
Palabras por nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez spat forth on el 6 de Enero, 2007 at 09:40 AM