Martial Arts As It Pertains to Life

In today's rushed society, it can be easy to question the value of martial arts training. Why would anyone do anything just for the sake of doing it?

There is much to be learned when training in kung fu, and some other forms of martial arts. Much of my commentary will focus on kung fu as that is my experience. During my years of training in Siu Lum (Shaolin) Kung Fu, it has taught me many lessons that I have applied to real life. I will itemize and explain my experience and application of these lessons.

I have learned the value of integrity through maintaining the true nature of the art. It is ok to be unyielding when you know you are right. You do not need to lower your expectations to satiate someone who cannot understand the true value. Be true to yourself, and you will know the true value of honesty.

My Sifu places value on doing for the sake of doing. It is about the activity and not always the payoff; when you do something just because it’s the right thing to do with no expectation, and only the feeling of the good deed is its pure goodness.

One does not need to see the end in sight when the experience of the journey is more important than the destination.

Dedication to the continual learning and perfection of my chosen path has allowed me to become proficient and knowledgeable in problem solving. There is more than one path to the solution - improvise, adapt and overcome. If you always take the same path you will ultimately reach the same destination.

The most obvious value is that a practitioner can protect their safety and defend their life. This is important, but maybe more important is the confidence in oneself. This confidence in our ability to learn something new and difficult allows us to challenge ourselves to try new things and learn from the experience.

We train in kung fu in order to be able to defend ourselves to the fullest extent of our ability. We do not train in kung fu to learn how to fight. There are plenty of martial arts schools who will train you to fight, whether it’s for a specific competition or a MMA style fighting system.

In kung fu, the outcome is foremost in mind. When I train in kung fu, I am not training to fight. I am, in fact, training to win. I do not want to engage in a fight with a person and sit there and exchange blows. This is inefficient.

Siu Lum Kung Fu emphasizes the quickest route to the end of the altercation. There are no rules or referee in an altercation, and one must introduce a level of violence to the altercation that your opponent is not prepared to deal with.

Most fighters enter into the altercation with a certain level of acceptance in mind. This means that they have come to terms with a certain level of damage that they are aware they may take. This means they mentally accept that they may get punched in the face or body, they may get kicked in the face or body and have prepared for this possibility.

In Siu Lum Kung Fu we will meet the level of violence of our opponent and then rise above it. We will always give our opponent the opportunity to reconsider the action; however, once action is taken towards us we will end the altercation before it escalates to a fight. A concisely placed strike to the throat (one of many options) with moderate pressure will give your opponent the realization that your intentions for survival supersede his intentions to fight. This becomes the second and final warning ("this isn't baseball…" as my Sifu would say). The first warning is a verbal attempt to deescalate the situation.

Siu Lum Canada is Winnipeg's Shaolin school. We teach the Siu Lum style of kung fu. Our training revolves around real life situations and real life solutions. There is no question that we will not answer.

Watch our video and get a glimpse of what we do at Siu Lum Canada.

Follow us on Twitter at @SiuLumCanada

Email us at siulumkungfu@gmail.com

The Devaluation of Martial Arts

I recently read an article in the Winnipeg Free Press regarding a six year old achieving his black belt in, what else but, Tae Kwon Do.

This frustrates me because it gives the impression that a black belt is easily achieved.

The child started training in Tae Kwon Do at the age of three and a half. Two and a half years later, and he’s already a black belt. I guess this could be considered the norm when it comes to certain martial arts.

There are several versions of the history of the black belt.

Some say that when a student first started training in martial arts, they were given a white belt. After 20+ years of learning, training and practicing, the belt became so faded, stained and dirty it was black.

Western society could not understand this type of commitment and dedication and were focused on measurement. Therefore, a sequential belt and ranking system was born and has even spread back to the east.

Others say that Kano Jigoro, the founder of Judo, first gave out black belts in the 1880's. Regardless, the full ranking system we know today has existed for less than 50 years.

This ranking system has its place, allowing students to differentiate which students have earned the rank and respect, provided it is based on proficiency of skill. Any dojo or school that rapidly promotes students to satiate their need for achievement is forgetting the main purpose in training in martial arts.

By bending to a students or the public's need to rapidly advance, we are not teaching patience, and a martial artist without patience is dangerous.

The value is in teaching dedication; seeing something through to the end with no end in sight. Martial arts’ training is a path and not a destination. Allowing our children (or ourselves) to be caught in an instant gratification trap does not teach the value of hard work and doing something for the sake of doing it.

The Winnipeg Free Press article goes on to explain that this child has earned a "poom" belt, and the "real" black belt cannot be earned by anyone under 16. I know for a fact that you can achieve a "real" black belt in Tae Kwon Do in three years. It will be interesting to see if this child actually sticks it out to get his real black belt that is now 10 years away.

To emphasize the difference between a student who achieves a black belt after three years of training twice a week (which is what the maximum amount a student can train at the school mentioned in the article) and a Siu Lum Kung Fu student, I would place our Green belt against their black belt.

Now, our green belt is three belts from white and seven belts from black. Our instructional class time is one hour per week, and students are expected to practice speed and strength techniques on their own. This teaches dedication and value. Our class time is maximized for efficiency and not wasted with endless punching and kicking of mirrors or shadow opponents.

Our message to our students is "you get out of it as much as you put into it".

This Winnipeg Free Press article seems like a brilliant marketing ploy to sell their new and improved, faster, easier, less work, and immediate reward Black Belt producing system (insert Sham Wow infomercial guy here).

So I caution a buyer beware. Tae Kwon Do schools are built on a strong business model, and that is a large reason they flourish in today’s marketplace. They promote quickly and sell hard. They are a large part of the martial arts market, and with the exception of the recent popularity of MMA, have been popular for years.

Now consider McDonalds; not exactly a 5 star restaurant but reasonably priced - quick, easy and on every corner. Just like a Tae Kwon Do McDojo.

Siu Lum Kung Fu is based on the most recognized martial art in Shaolin, and we will not compromise our value for the sake of mass producing Black Belts who are not able to defend themselves as a true Black Belt should.

Siu Lum Canada is Winnipeg's Shaolin school. We teach the Siu Lum style of kung fu. Our training revolves around real life situations and real life solutions. There is no question that we will not answer.

Watch our video and get a glimpse of what we do at Siu Lum Canada.

Follow us on Twitter at @SiuLumCanada

Email us at siulumkungfu@gmail.com

Timing, Positioning and Distance

I want to discuss the importance of timing, positioning and distance. I will discuss each individually, as well as how they work in conjunction.

Timing

Timing has multiple applications in martial arts and kung fu. Proper timing of a strike can be the difference between winning and losing. Some martial arts focus timing on a block followed be a strike or what they call a counter punch. This results in a timed tempo like a dance.

For example: punch, block, counter punch, block, kick, block, counter kick block. The rhythm is a 4 count, 1, 2, 3,4 and 1,2,3,4.

Are you training to fight or dance? Bruce Lee spoke about varying timing and rhythm. He emphasized attacking on a half beat. If your opponent attempts to attack on a one beat, you attack on a half beat (0.5). If your opponent is fast, and you cannot beat them at 0.5, continue the attack on 1.5 beat.

This is impossible to do if you wait for the attack, block, and then attempt a counter attack. In order to be successful you must attack DURING your opponents attack. How do we execute this without getting hit? This leads us into the next section.

Positioning

Positioning is not just about where you are standing. It is also about where your opponent is standing in relation to you.

In Siu Lum Kung Fu, we try to maintain at least a two feet (or 24") safe zone between us and our opponent. This isn't saying that we don't have infighting techniques. Anyone who understands the true nature of kung fu knows we do. We just prefer to keep this positioning, if possible.

Positioning concerns our start point, as well as our opponents. It continues to the opponents position mid attack, and where we position ourselves while initiating a counter attack. Our opponents type of attack and positioning determines the type of counter attack we will initiate. What type of attack will this be? Again, this leads us into the next topic.

Distance

Distance is not just in  terms of the safe zone. It also factors in when selecting the type of counter attack to use. 

Distance is in relation to the closest targets. In Siu Lum Kung Fu, we attack the extremities first and work our way in. This also factors into strike selection. When distance is close we will select infighting techniques and strikes. When distance is far we will close distance during the opponents attack, use mid range strikes and not hit at full extension.

Using timing, positioning and distance to win.

Combining the use of these three techniques allows for safer movement with maximum results. Attack during your opponents attack to change the timing to your advantage; use positioning to gain a favourable angle of attack; close the distance, allowing you to hit with full power and not at full extension.

The combination of these allows you to use the effects of compounding force into your counter attack.

Watch tonight's UFC match between Nick Diaz and Georges St. Pierre. Look for these details. See what they do and what they don't do, and how if it's successful or not. Go a step further and read some of our previous posts and then analyze the fight from your armchair. Think about what we have said and compare it to what the fighters do in the fight.

Siu Lum Canada is Winnipeg's Shaolin school. We teach the Siu Lum style of kung fu. Our training revolves around real life situations and real life solutions. There is no question that we will not answer.

Watch our video and get a glimpse of what we do at Siu Lum Canada.

Follow us on Twitter at @SiuLumCanada

Email us at siulumkungfu@gmail.com

The Martial Arts Mindset

It can be a very big mistake to overlook the importance of proper mindset, especially when it comes to martial arts training. Many martial arts utilize a focusing technique to achieve proper mindset.

This is great when you have time to concentrate and build focus to hit with maximum power (picture martial artist about to break boards).

The problem is that an altercation can occur in a moment’s notice, leaving very little time to "prepare" the martialarts mindset. The solution is to train proper mindset.

What I define as proper mindset is the appropriate level of intent for the task at hand. If you train with a self defense attitude, then ultimately you are fighting "not to lose". This is a defensive mindset and does not allow you to match the level of aggression of your opponent. Instead you end

up playing tag with your opponent with hopes that you can deter further attacks.

If you are unwilling to do harm to someone who is trying to hurt you, then no amount of training will keep you safe. Instead, train your mind and body to become a weapon. Accept the fact that you may have to do harm to protect yourself from injury or survive with your life.

Raise your level of aggression above the level of your opponent and respond with a counter attack.

Martial arts, like some styles of kung fu, Tae Kwon do and karate, have become influenced by tournaments and sport arts like MMA. There are no rules in a street fight, and the person who is willing to do anything to win or survive will triumph.

Take your training to the next level through proper mindset preparation. I'm not saying you need to become a violent person; rather, you need to learn how to harness, control and direct the violence within you.

This is part of the "master one’s self" philosophy of martial arts.

Siu Lum Canada is Winnipeg's Shaolin school. We teach the Siu Lum style of kung fu. Our training revolves around real life situations and real life solutions. There is no question that we will not answer.

Watch our video and get a glimpse of what we do at Siu Lum Canada.

Follow us on Twitter at @SiuLumCanada

Email us at siulumkungfu@gmail.com

Failing Our Youth

We are stepping aside from our normal programming of martial arts as of late to bring you this...

There is a dangerous trend emerging regarding how we protect our young people from disappointment and failure.

It’s evident within the academic system. Schools have begun to "place" students in grade levels even though they never passed its prerequisite. This is an effort to limit their exposure to failure.

The number of problems with this is too many for a short conversation.

We need to prepare our children for the real world. Reality doesn't consider how you might feel before it beats you down with its harshness.

By restricting the degree of failure all we are doing is failing to prepare our children for real life.

In sports there is a trend towards not keeping score, with a no winners or losers mentality. All this will succeed in doing is suppressing the natural desire to excel or be good at something. Competitive nature is the backbone of progress. The want drives the doing. The majority of technical and mechanical improvements have come to fruition due to the unyielding persistence of people always believing they can do better.

This would not be possible in a society where mediocrity is rewarded undeservedly. If society was complacent with how things were, we would still be walking everywhere. We would not have begun riding horses, and most certainly would not have invented the automobile.

This trend is pushing us to a "perfect" or Utopian society. This is a slippery and dangerous slope. If you have read "OurViolent Nature", you will understand why forcing people to go against our nature can become a problem. Hollywood has provided examples of failed attempts to pacify society. It always ends badly. As an experiment, make an effort to not show aggression, disappointment, drive, frustration, anger, or excitement for one week to one month. Take note of how long you actually last.

We all know that it is unhealthy to suppress your emotions, especially anger. This leads to explosive and unpredictable outbursts that are often uncontrollable. The Utopian societies we are shown in movies all resolve the emotional problem with behavioral modification. One form used is pharmaceutical. Sound familiar? Antidepressants are used daily in our society. There are other ways, better ways, to treat mental conditions that don't rely on drugs.

What I am getting at is we need to stop turning our children into emotional time bombs. They need to fail in school to learn that if you don't dedicate yourself to passing, you will not pass. Failure teaches you more than being placed into a grade you didn't earn. School is supposed to teach the value of hard work and preparation. School is also supposed to prepare kids for life in the real world.

We wonder why our children act so spoiled and deserving. We wonder why they believe everything in life will be handed to them. Well, it is OUR fault. We accepted their lack of motivation. We allowed the school to place them in a grade that they didn't earn.  We are passing up an opportunity to teach our children that to try and fail isn't the end of the world. We can teach them to try harder, prepare more, get emotional, and pass that class on your own. Failure teaches much more than success.

The most successful people in the world are experts on failing. Sport gives yet another lesson in determination and hard work. We teach that it’s ok to lose as long as you try your hardest to win.

Losing teaches us that it’s much better to win; teaches us to prepare harder, and strive for more. Losing gives us the opportunity to teach our children that sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you never quit. Sports teach us to get back up when knocked down.

In short, expect more from your children than society and your academic system. Raise them to succeed and stand on their own. This will ensure they are well adjusted and able to appropriately deal with life's disappointments. This will ensure that future generations will reduce the amount of suicides and mass shootings. We are creating monsters by not challenging their emotions and intellect.

I'm sure the powers that be would love a society that would drag their emotionless bodies into a monotonous job each day; employees that were happy with the bare minimum and would never strive for more for fear of rejection. In essence drones or worker bees. Put your children in activities that they can succeed at with hard work; activities that capitalize and challenge their natural abilities. This could be art, soccer, football, MMA, or kungfu. The list is literally endless.

It’s up to you to help your children find what they excel at and provide them with the opportunity to do so.

Siu Lum Canada is Winnipeg's Shaolin school. We teach the Siu Lum style of kung fu. Our training revolves around real life situations and real life solutions. There is no question that we will not answer.

Watch our video and get a glimpse of what we do at Siu Lum Canada.

Follow us on Twitter at @SiuLumCanada

Email us at siulumkungfu@gmail.com

Linear vs. Angular

Most fighting martial arts rely solely on linear type movements.

Before everyone gets up in arms regarding how they use circular type movements, or that they aren't confined to straight lines, I would like to explain that linear fighting relies on maintaining a frontal position and keeping your opponent in front of you.

Linear may be effective when fighting an opponent who is the same size, smaller or not as skilled. The disadvantage lies when you are the smaller, less skilled fighter.

Personally, even with my skill I would not maintain a frontal position when being attacked. If an opponent rushes or attacks straight on and you react by backing straight up, then eventually you will run out of real estate. This technique is used in MMA, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, as well as other martial arts styles.

The easiest way to identify linear style is that it’s based on a + type movement. If your opponent moves left, you mirror and move right. If they attack straight on, you block and attempt a counter attack. This keeps your opponent toe-to-toe with you.

Some martial artists will claim that they use a box type system. To this I say, if you move straight forward or backward during any movement then it is still linear. Keeping your opponent in front of you can keep them at arm’s reach, and it’s easier for them to defend.

Hitting at full extension, as this distancing tends to facilitate, can reduce hitting power significantly.

Angular movement is based on X type movement. When moving towards or away, it is important to always move using diagonal lines. This forces your opponent to adjust to your constantly moving position, especially if they’re linear movers. Rather than move sideways then back or back then to the side to create distance, a diagonal move will be used. Your opponent can either step forward then to the side or to the side then forward.

It comes down to efficiency - one move instead of two.

This also puts your opponent two moves behind and can frustrate them by constantly making them readjust their attack. This changes their timing and can force them to make mistakes like utilizing an angular movement they are not accustomed to using. Now, they are playing into your hand.

Angular movement can make attacking more efficient and add power to your strikes. As your opponent attacks, rather than blocking then moving or moving then blocking, you would redirect their strike while moving towards them on an angle. This allows their weight and momentum to continue forward uninterrupted.

When you combine this with your weight and momentum, and your strike, you get a compounding force effect. This allows you to hit with much more force than if you left your opponent just within reach and made contact with all the force you could muster. This efficiency allows you to stay reasonably out of harm’s way, do significant damage and end the confrontation faster.

This is what Siu Lum Kung Fu (Shaolin) is based on. It allows for a smaller practitioner to hit with more force and stay out of the linear.

Siu Lum Canada is Winnipeg's Shaolin school. We teach the Siu Lum style of kung fu. Our training revolves around real life situations and real life solutions. There is no question that we will not answer.

Watch our video and get a glimpse of what we do at Siu Lum Canada.

Follow us on Twitter at @SiuLumCanada

Email us at siulumkungfu@gmail.com

Adrenaline: Friend or Foe?

Adrenaline, or adrenal response, can be a double edged sword during an altercation.

Adrenal response is sometimes referred to as "fight or flight" syndrome. The decision to fight or run will depend on individual tendencies. This means that adrenaline taps into our basic survival instincts.

While this can be a benefit, it can also be the Achilles heel of self defense techniques.

Human basic survival instinct usually reverts back to "gross motor movements". This means that the part of your brain that controls fine movements is temporarily overridden.

Why is this important? Most martial arts training is taught in a very predictable manner. This results in low pressure training that doesn't stimulate adrenal response. The closest thing some martial arts have to "real" pressure is sparring or competitions.

Sparring and competitions have rules, referees and in most cases safety equipment.

Although MMA competitions do not use much safety equipment, there are still rules to protect the fighters. And, you can quit before any real injury occurs.

The problem with sparring and competition is you can psychologically prepare for the event. This allows for partial adrenaline control. MMA competitors talk about being amped up and adrenalized before a fight, yet they have had months to prepare for a fighter they were assigned to fight.

It is drastically different when the fight is not scheduled and the opponent is a random attacker on an otherwise ordinary day.

If you want to see what happens to a MMA fighter when they become adrenalized all you have to do is watch the first 3 UFC competitions. These examples highlight what happens when fighters cannot control their adrenaline. You will witness accomplished martial artists resorting to "swim" type flailing of arms (gross motor movement) premature fatigue and an inability to effectively process attacks and defend. You will also see what happens when a calm methodical fighter can control his adrenaline and win.

Adrenaline can help summon super human strength in an emergency; however, it does this by pulling the blood in from the extremities as part of survival response. Without the ability to control the level of adrenaline, this strength will be short lived and result in premature fatigue.

It is essential to learn how to control adrenal response in order to take advantage of the increased strength and reflex speed. This is done through repetitive movement, training your fine motor movements to respond under adrenaline – repetition, repetition, repetition.

Knowing that adrenaline must be controlled is a step in the right direction. This combined with understanding the function of adrenal response allows practitioners of self defense to prepare for the unexpected.

Fear not the 1000 kicks practiced once, but the one kick practiced 1000 times.

Siu Lum Canada is Winnipeg's Shaolin school. We teach the Siu Lum style of kung fu. Our training revolves around real life situations and real life solutions. There is no question that we will not answer.

Watch our video and get a glimpse of what we do at Siu Lum Canada.

Follow us on Twitter at @SiuLumCanada

Email us at siulumkungfu@gmail.com