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Do Filipino Martial Arts Work?

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Filipino martial arts absolutely work in street fights and real life self defense. Filipino martial arts contain practical and devastating techniques. Eye jabs, throat punches and and knee strikes make up the bulk of the striking techniques.

In particular, the knee and elbows thrown while in the trapping range are highly effective, largely because the majority of people will not know how to defend against them.  

In addition to having strong striking techniques, the Filipino martial arts also strike the vulnerable points of the human body are targeted. For example, soft, vital areas like the throat, eyes and the groin, are the first targets you will be taught to hit when you start learning Filipino martial arts.

What are the Filipino martial arts?

Filipino martial arts is a term that encompasses all of the different styles practiced in the Philippines and is commonly referred to as Escrima, Kali, Arnis. This style of hand to hand combat is most effective when dealing with a real life threatening situation. It is not as well suited for combat sports like mma.

When most people think about the Filipino martial arts, they might visualize two guys fighting with sticks. However, stick fighting is just a small portion of the techniques found in the style.

Escrima

Before we go on, I must address real fighting vs. combat sports.

When someone asks me “What is the best martial art for self defense?" My answer is always "Track" In other words, the best strategy is always to get the heck out of dodge by running away.

I do what I can to avoid fights and will de-escalate every time if possible. That being said, if I had to resort to just one style of fighting in order to defend myself I would pick the Filipino martial arts because this style Is devastatingly effective  in close quarters fighting. 

Let’s not forget that your opponent only has to get lucky once. The longer the fight goes on the more likely it is you'll get hurt. There will be a referee around to stop them from stomping on your head while you are on the ground. Also, there's nothing preventing his  buddies from helping him. Finally, there is nobody to stop him from pulling a knife or even a gun.

You start with weapons training on your first day.

Arnis, Escrima and Kali incorporate a number of weapons, including sticks, knives and swords. Unlike karate, the emphasis isn't just on punches and kicks, but also includes a variety of weapon-based techniques.

Most people don’t understand the process of why weapons training must come first before empty hands training.

I once had a parent come up to me and flat out say, “Stick fighting is impractical”. This is a common misunderstanding. I believe that it is 99.99% likely that you will never get into a fight where you and your opponents have sticks. However, the coordination gained from working with weapons directly translates into skills with empty hand self defense.

Once you have coordination and rhythm, it makes learning any other martial art immensely easier. You will be able to progress in other systems faster than the average person.

One of the most famous Filipino martial arts instructors, Dan Inosanto once had a student named Randy White. Randy played professional football for the Dallas Cowboys between 1976 and 1988. When he was inducted into the Hall of Fame he credited learning Filipino martial arts as giving him the agility and skills he used to become a top notch player.

Stick training is not meant as a simulation of what would happen in a real fight but rather a way of building coordination, rhythm and timing. It is also a tool to develop and familiarize yourself with lines of attack.

Let me explain -

The way you apply the stick is almost identical to the way you apply the sword and knife. The way you apply the stick is also how you apply many of the empty hands techniques. In other words, the gross motor skill or movement stays consistent between ranges and weapons.

This translates to less time learning “techniques,'' and more time in drilling and refining. The emphasis shifts to making drills more realistic and practical.

Principles that apply to dealing with weapons make sense in unarmed self defense. For example, when defending against a knife, evasion of limb destructions become very important. Stepping offline, flanking  and changing angles are concepts that not only work against an armed attacker but also against an unarmed confrontation.

The progression for stick work looks like this

Sinawali

Sinawali translates to "weaving" You learn to weave your two sticks together.

Sumbrada

Counter for counter flow drill

Single Stick Counters (Lock and Block)

Counter for counter flow drill

These three areas contain the bulk of the stick based curriculum. Once you learn and get comfortable with these ranges and options, you then move into knife work.

Knife Attacks 

How blades can be used in fighting

Knife vs. Knife

Knife dueling

Knife Disarms

Stripping the weapon from the attacker

Once you go through this portion of the filipino martial arts you then move into empty hand work

Empty Hand Patterns

Hubud Lubud means to "tie and untie"

Sweeps, and throws

The throws arre not as big as Judo throws but are effective nonetheless.

Joint Manipulation And Locking

Wristlocks, Elbow Locks And Footlocks

Every art has a personality.

If the Filipino martial arts would have a voice it would say “I need to train in weapons because my opponent could be armed.” or perhaps “All weapon techniques are extensions of my empty hand techniques.”

Whereas Kung fu would say “The purpose of training is to have a sound mind and fit body, but in case I have to defend myself I have techniques and strategies I can use.”

Finally, you should keep in mind that the martial arts style matters less than you think. Instead, focus on finding a good teacher who understands the ins and outs of multiple styles. They will be able to give you both the pros and cons of the different strategies employed by the various arts.

Your skill will ultimately be determined by how knowledgeable your teacher is, the environment of the school you are attending and the effort and practice that you put into it.

Effective self defense

As you can see the Filipino martial arts is one of the most complete martial arts in that in encompasses the four major types of techniques (Striking, Locking, Throwing, and Kicking)

Like any martial art, the effectiveness of Escrima, Arnis and Kali  is largely dependent on the skill of the practitioner.

Think of it this way, who would be more likely to win a fight; someone who has been practicing MMA for 6 months or someone who has been practicing FMA for 12 years?!

In reality, it's not about how effective the art is, but rather how skills are drilled within each class. Any martial arts technique can be effective if drilled realistically.

If you really want to be able to functionalize your training to the point where you can handle any situation, having a good guide or instructor is by far more important than the style itself. It is of utmost importance to find a school where the culture or general attitude of the class is to explore what works in real fighting. A talented instructor would facilitate this culture.

Did Japanese Samurai use judo?

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Japanese Samurai did not use Judo but rather an early form of jujitsu. In fact, modern day martial arts styles like Judo, BJJ, Iaido and Aikido can all trace their roots back to these ancient Samurai combat techniques.

If you’re anything like me, someone who loves martial arts movies and Japanese culture, you probably wondered at least once, did Japanese Samurai use judo? After reading a little bit on the subject I found out that Samurai never used judo. Not only that, but judo was created hundreds of years after the Samurai way of living was banned in Japan! That’s crazy, right?

That will make you wonder how come judo is so popular in Japan - and, more importantly, what did the Japanese Samurai learn to defend themselves? I find the answers to these questions incredibly interesting and I know you will too!

What did the Japanese Samurai use to defend themselves?

Well, they used swords, duh! All kidding aside, Samurai actually invented a martial art of their own. And believe it or not, it’s a not-so-distant relative of judo! This discipline was called jiu-jitsu, which, roughly translated into English means “the gentle art”. Which is probably ironic, because it is rougher than you could possibly believe.

Japanese Jiu-jitsu is a martial art designed to serve the Samurai on the battlefield. Especially during hand-to-hand combat, when their katanas were no longer available. Even though it’s not really talked about, katanas often broke or were lost during a scramble, leaving Samurai to either use a back-up sword or their own fists to defend themselves.

Jiu-jitsu is a martial art that doesn’t rely on kicks and punches. It’s all about grappling - throws and joint-locks. You might think this wouldn’t put anyone away - especially if they are fighting to the death. But a well-executed throw can actually kill you if you are wearing heavy armor. A joint-lock, such as an armbar or a shoulder-lock, does not kill you but renders you unable to continue fighting for good.

That’s what made jiu-jitsu so effective on the ancient Japanese battlefield - so, don’t try it at home, friend!

When and why was judo created?

Judo was created during the late 19th century. It was way after Samurai ceased to exist. But even though the Samurai way of living was outlawed, a lot of people continued to practice jiu-jitsu, as a way to keep traditions alive. But here’s the thing: jiu-jitsu was created to kill your opponent. It was not a friendly martial art - and it wasn’t something most Japanese men wanted to practice, because it was considered barbaric.

Japanese rejection of jiu-jitsu and their need to keep traditions alive set the stage for something amazing to happen - and that’s judo. During the second part of the 19th century, a truly remarkable man called Jigoro Kano thought jiu-jitsu needed a second chance - because, don’t we all?

By removing the most lethal throws and the life-threatening locks, Mr. Kano designed a new martial art. One that was safe to practice and, most importantly, was not looked down upon as jiu-jitsu was. That’s how judo was born.

And there’s a funny anecdote in all of this. Even though judo was less lethal than its distant relative, judo practitioners defeated most jiu-jitsu practitioners in sanctioned battles. After that, jiu-jitsu became a part of Japanese history, and judo became the new national sport.

What’s the purpose of judo?

Jigoro Kano designed judo as a way to simulate ancient Japanese combat. Even though heavy armor is no longer used, this modern martial art heavily relies on throws and joint-locks. In a judo match, whoever throws its opponent with a clean throw, wins. Sounds easy, right? But you know, you have to try to throw someone who is actively trying to throw you!

By removing its most lethal aspects, Kano managed to create both a martial art and a sport anyone can practice. It has the discipline aspects of most martial arts and the competitive non-deadly characteristics of a sport. Kano, an educator, conceived judo not only as a sport but as a way to teach character to the Japanese youth.

Because of its positive elements, judo was included in the Olympics a few decades after its creation - something Japanese jiu-jitsu would’ve never managed to accomplish. And, truth be told, it’s better that way, isn’t it? My guess is nobody would practice a sport if you might die after the match - especially if you have to wear heavy, uncomfortable armor, no matter how cool it looks.

Do people still learn Samurai martial arts?

The short answer is yes. The long answer is that, of course, it’s more complicated than that. Even though there are people who claim they practice and teach traditional jiu-jitsu, that martial art is dead.

Most people merely practice judo with a couple of forbidden techniques added in and called it Japanese jiu-jitsu. Quite honestly, f you ask me, the forbidden techniques aren’t worth the hassle to learn. But hey, I’m just a dude. You can try them yourself if you want! Or not, because, you know, they are kind of deadly.

Truth be told, if you are interested in practicing jiu-jitsu, you’re better off with judo. Due to jiu-jitsu being long-forgotten, the best teachers dedicate themselves to teach judo instead of learning jiu-jitsu. More importantly, judo is an Olympic sport - the best athletes probably want a gold medal instead of learning some dead martial art.

Is jiu-jitsu still practiced today?

Yes, but not in the way you think! Back in the early judo days, Jigoro Kano sent his best students out to travel the world and teach judo to anyone who would want to learn it. A Japanese fighter called Mitsuyo Maeda arrived in Brazil during the first part of the 20th century and taught it to several people. That’s how Brazilian jiu-jitsu began.

Oh, by the way, in its early days (when Maeda traveled to Brazil), judo was called Kano’s jiu-jitsu, that’s why Brazilian jiu-jitsu isn’t called Brazilian judo!

If you ask me, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is the modern’s man Japanese jiu-jitsu. It was designed in a similar way to traditional jiu-jitsu. People actually went out to the street and brawled their way into creating a new martial art, far different from judo. They took what Maeda taught and shaped it to better fit the gritty reality of Brazilian streets. Brazilians, quite literally, punched their way into a new martial art!

So, long story short, judo wasn’t used by Samurai and jiu-jitsu is still practiced today. But it’s not the same jiu-jitsu the Samurai used.

If you want to, you can either learn the Olympic sports variant called judo or the martial art combat-variant called Brazilian jiu-jitsu. I’ve done both, and truth be told, they are both really fun.

If you want to be a complete warrior, you should dedicate your time to learn both - that’s what a true Samurai would’ve done!

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What Are The Ten Principals Of Small Circle Jujitsu?

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There are many ins and outs in mastering small circle jiu-jitsu. Small circle jiu-jitsu has many principles that-when learned-will make you a better fighter. So what are the 10 principles?  If you're eager to learn what they are, stay with me..

Here are the 10 Principles Of Wally Jay's Small Circle Jujitsu:

  1. 1
    Balance
  2. 2
    Mobility and Stability
  3. 3
    Avoiding Head On Collision Of Forces
  4. 4
    Mental Resistance And Distraction
  5. 5
    Focus On The Smallest Point Possible
  6. 6
    Energy Transfer
  7. 7
    Creating A Base
  8. 8
    Control And Sensitivuty
  9. 9
    Rotaional Momentum
  10. 10
    Transitional Flow


Balance

Balance is a principle that is important not only to small circle jiu-jitsu but to other martial arts as well. In a simple sense, balance is about standing your ground. Balance is important in small circle jiu-jitsu because it enables you to go back to your original position or transition from one stance to another after attempting an attack.

In small scale jiu-jitsu, one way to practice balance is to maintain good posture when executing kicks, punches, etc. Learn to have a good sense of balance and you will harness the maximum power available when defending or attacking. With good balance, you'll be able to deliver more powerful blows and evade or defend against attacks directed at you.

In contrast, it will be handy if you know ways to render your opponent off balance. You can do this by tripping his feet using kicks, foot locks, or making him dizzy. When you're opponent is off-balance, it will be easier for you to find openings and dominate the match completely.

Mobility and Stability

Mobility and stability pertain to how you move and how you maintain balance. The secret to excellent mobility and stability lies in how you control your center of gravity. Lowering your center of gravity gives you greater stability and decreases mobility. On the other hand, increasing your center of gravity increases your mobility and decreases stability.

When standing up, your center of gravity is found at your midsection- hips, legs, etc. Increasing stability is useful if you're defending yourself against an attack. Mobility, on the other hand, is handy if you're planning to attack or is finding an opening to launch an attack. Use mobility and stability in transition and your opponent will find it hard to protect himself or attack you.

Also, don't forget that your mind plays a central role for you to be mobile and stable. Thinking that you're light as the paper will help you move faster. On the other hand, telling your mind that you're as heavy as steel will help you become more stable. You may not believe these, but try it and you will see that they're true.

Small Circle Jujitsu

Avoiding Head-On Collision Forces

In small circle jiu-jitsu, it is important that you learn how to avoid your opponent's attacks effectively. Avoiding attacks will help you prevent critical damage while fighting. It also gives you the opportunity to launch a counter-attack if you're opponent is not very agile or mobile. In small circle jiu-jitsu, this is practiced by avoiding head-on collision force.

So how do you avoid head-on collision force? You can do this by deflecting, blending, evading or redirecting. Deflecting attacks means that you move the force of the attack away from you. Blending, on the other hand, means that you incorporate the force of the incoming attack in your body. Evading means that you render the incoming attack useless by not letting it contact you physically. Lastly, redirecting means you guide the force of the incoming attack toward another location or target

Additionally, you need to remember that avoiding head-on collision force is done differently in small circle jiu-jitsu compared to other martial arts. In small circle jiu-jitsu, you do not avoid by pivoting in towards your opponent. You should move away from him instead. Masters recommend that you do this by doing a 45 or 90 degrees movement going to the right or left.

Mental Resistance and Distraction

"A martial artist has more than physical aspects", says Claire Bouchard on a TEDx talk given at Columbia University in New York City in November 2012. This is one statement that small circle jiu-jitsu agrees without any arguments. Fighting is more than just brawns, it should also include brains- small circle jiu-jitsu recognizes this.

Every human being has the ability to resist pain. Scientists call this pain tolerance. Various people have different degrees of pain tolerance. You may control the pain you're feeling using the right exercises. For example, when an opponent has managed to give you a wristlock, stop resisting and relax your mind instead. Think about the point where the pain is felt and picture the agonizing sensation starting to disappear.

After doing this, you'll be surprised that you feel lighter and lesser pain is felt. This might be hard to do at first, but keep practicing and you'll see that it really works.

Distraction, on the other hand, plays a vital role when launching an offense or counter-attack. Distract your opponent by using feints or attacking the weak areas of his body. Doing this successfully will enable you to escape from a lock, find an opening or deal greater damage to your opponent. 

Focusing on The Smallest Point Possible

It is important that you attack by focusing on the smallest point possible. You can do this by having precision and clear intent to lethally damage your opponent when doing chokeholds, locks, punches, kicks, etc. Quickly assess which part of your opponent's body is weakest. After you know which is which, attack without holding back and let it land without fail on your intended target.

By focusing the smallest point possible, the force of your attack will have lesser spread and will deal more damage to your opponent. Trust me, attacks that don't have focus and precision are ineffective and are a waste of stamina.

Energy Transfer

Energy transfer means applying force from one area to the next. Personally, Learn to place your attacks on different parts of your opponent's body to follow or observe the principle of energy transfer. Punching or kicking your opponent in the head or abdomen and then following it with a joint lock is a good example of energy transfer. Doing a counterattack after evading or blending the attack of your opponent is another example.

Energy transfer is useful for finding openings, rendering your opponent defenseless, and dominating the fight completely. Always attempt to hit various parts of your opponent's body with focus and precision for you to do this.

Creating A Base

Sometimes, your opponent will manage to lock your wrist, legs, arms, etc. During these situations, you wouldn't want your opponent to dominate you completely and restrict your movements. This is where the principle of creating a base becomes useful. It will help you recover from being locked or held by your opponent.

The purpose of creating a base is to prevent your opponent from executing further techniques while he has you locked. A base is anything that can provide you support while you're trying to break free from him. Table, floor, mat, and even your body can be used as a base.

Control and Sensitivity

Evading and attacking is useless if you don't have control and sensitivity. Control means that you stick to your opponent. Follow your opponent wherever he goes inside the mat and always be alert of his actions. By doing this you'll be able to land kicks, punches. locks, and holds one after another. Your control depends on focus and mobility. After all, how will you keep up with your opponent if you're distracted and is slower than him?

Sensitivity, on the other hand, means that you learn to predict the movements of your opponent. It relies on your reflexes and instinct. It is easier for you to execute spur-of-the-moment attacks and evade if your instincts and reflexes are sharp. Sensitivity ensures that you will not be caught off-guard when fighting. Also, sensitivity helps you to keep up with your opponent's movements.

Rotational Momentum

Rotational momentum is all about using your opponent's force against him (those who watched Kung Fu Panda 2 will understand this principle easily). This principle makes it possible for you to deal with your opponent by using minimal force. For example, if you've managed to get a hold of your opponent's arms or body, he will try to break away from you by rotating. Instead of not allowing him to rotate, let him do his thing but don't forget to change direction or rotate with him. Doing this will add an additional force to his initial movement that is enough to make him lose balance or offset his rhythm.

Rotational momentum is particularly useful when defending, finding an opening and initiating counter attacks. Utilize this principle and you will catch your opponent off guard.

Transitional Flow

Transitional flow is all about the smoothness of the execution of one attack to another. You can think of it as the efficiency of the combination of various attacks available in small circle jiu-jitsu. Transitional flow makes it possible for you to efficiently use punches, kicks, holds, and locks in perfect combination with one another.

In practice, there are existing combinations that masters teach to their students. For example, after evading an attack and finding an opening, it is best that a punch or lock follows this movement. After breaking free from a lock, it's recommended to move away from the opponent to recover balance or launch a counter-attack. Joint locks can also be used one after another to incapacitate opponents.

Wrapping It Up: Are the 10 Principles Equally Important?

An absolute "yes" is my answer to this question. The 10 principles discussed here make the foundation of successful training in small circle jiu-jitsu. Without these principles, it is just a plain martial art with no significant difference with other fighting styles. To put it simply, these 10 principles make small scale jiu-jitsu unique and each of these works hand in hand with one another.

Learn these 1o principles beforehand and small scale jiu-jitsu training will be easier to understand. They will give you the fundamental knowledge that will help you grasp techniques on small scale jiu-jitsu. Learn them and fight like a grandmaster!

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Is it okay to force my child to do martial arts?

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Yes it's ok to force your child to do martial arts in the same way it's ok for you to force your child to brush their teeth or to eat their vegetables. If you believe that a 5 year old is capable of making adult decisions about what is best for themselves, then you should let your child quit going to school the first time the say that they don't want to go.

An essential rule of parenting that everybody should know is that lessons should be taught through examples and not by words. That means that if we want our children to fully nurture a certain trait, we should aim first to develop that trait in ourselves.

More than ten years working as a martial arts professor has allowed me to discover an amazing feature in children. Children will learn the things you expect from them. In a sense, there's an innate feeling of wanting to meet their parents' expectations of them. This isn't necessarily a bad thing or a good thing, that's just how it is. But parents can benefit from using this correctly.

Pleasing a Child at All Costs

Another thing I've discovered as a martial arts professor is that some of the parents that bring their children to my classes coexist with two very harmful beliefs. They may want the best for their children in terms of values. They want their children to be confident, respectful, disciplined and prepared to fight this dangerous world. Yet, they eventually fall prisoners of these beliefs – even when they could be harming their children by doing so.

These two internal beliefs are:

* The belief that their child should never be angry at them.
* The belief that they should always please them and never say "no."

Not all parents are like this though. I have encountered many centered parents during the years. Parents who know that sometimes, they have to be the enemy and force their child to do something for their own good. But other parents don't get that. They spend their life pleasing their children and never really expecting anything from them. The lack of parental expectations in children certainly isn't a good thing.

"I just don't want to force him"

I've had very interesting conversations with parents like this over the years. When they come and say that their child doesn't want to keep coming to my classes or that the process is too long and their child will not benefit from it. Conversations with these type of child-pleasing parents usually go something like this:

"Listen, I didn't bring my child today because he said that he didn't want to come."

"Seriously? And why didn't you bring him anyways?" I add.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand your point. He said he didn't want to come and I just don't want to force him."

"Okay, but I'm sure that you force him to do other things that he maybe doesn't want to do," I say. "I'm very sure that you force him to eat vegetables and to wake up early to go to school, right?"

"Sure, but it's not the same thing." That's a response I hear very often.

"I think they're the same thing. I don't think that they're different things at all. Don't you think that this is also important for him? Here he learns about discipline, resilience, respect, and self-defense. I believe that those things are also important for a child to learn."

"It will take her too much time"

Another conversation I usually have with parents like this goes something like this:

"I don't think I should commit my daughter to a three-year program. She's too young for that and it will take her too much time."

Sometimes parents are missing the logic of their argument. I answer calmly and respectfully to them by pointing out how that is a very flawed argument.

"Okay, I understand, but I have a question for you. Is your daughter going to school?" That's a question I like to ask.

"Of course," is what follows every time.

Kids Martial Arts Class

"Well, then that means that you think that education is something valuable. Valuable enough to make your child commit to it for a long time just to be prepared for the real world in the future."

"Of course I do. But what does all of that have to do with karate lessons?"

"Everything!," I say. "Martial arts are another form of education for your daughter. A kind of education that she won't get from the traditional school setting. The lessons she will learn here will have a tremendous impact on her life."

"I guess, but I think it's a little different." This is the good old typical response I get most of the time.

"It's not different at all. We're talking about the school system, right? That means that she will go to school for almost twelve years of her life – without counting college. And there will obviously be days where you'll have to explain to her the reasons why she has to go to school, even when she doesn't want to. It's the same for this. Karate serves as a way for her to be disciplined and to commit to goals. And I believe that's an important trait of any well-functioning adult. I've heard many people say that they wish their parents would've kept them motivated every time they wanted to drop something. She might not know what she wants, but that's what parents are for, to guide their children. To give them valuable opportunities even when they don't want them."

If You Have Never Been Hated By Your Child You Have Never Been A Parent

Parents aren't supposed to be their child's best friend. They are supposed to be their mentors in life, they should be the ones guiding them and giving them the tools to prosper, because if they don't do that, who will?

I'm pretty sure that this concept might sound rough to many parents. Many others may have stopped reading a long time ago. We need to be clear about the role of parents in a child's life. 

A parent must:

  • Teach them what's important, not what feels good.
  • Encourage them not to be quitters.
  • Tell them about the value of commitment

Children might not like this, but parents must insist on these lessons.

The practice is the best example. How are you supposed to teach children the value of discipline and commitment if you always let them quit whenever they're not feeling entertained? Has any creditor ever told you it's okay to stop paying them if it isn't fun? I don't think so.

After a decade of dealing with families, I can honestly say one thing. The parents that commit the most to their child's development, even when their kid complains, are the ones that create successful men and women. These types of parents get rewarded with sons and daughters that can commit to themselves and to their friends and family.

The thought of a child like that should spark something inside every parent, and it's definitively something to remember every time they walk up to a martial arts class.

What are the main purposes of martial arts forms?

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A martial arts form or kata (as it is called in Japanese) is just a series of self defense techniques strung together in a sequence that flows together. Practicing forms is akin to doing rounds of shadowboxing in boxing, just with less of an emphasis on freestyle.

The Truth About Kung Fu Forms – Practical Training Tool Or A Huge Waste Of Time?

I recently read an article written by a Jeet Kune Do instructor. In this article, he advocated the idea that learning forms or choreographed patterns are a useless endeavor.

My humble opinion is that whenever someone tells you that there is no value in training in a certain way or using a certain method it says a lot about their understanding of the martial arts.

Broad sweeping statements such as those are the equivalent of saying that that it never snows in Las Vegas.

Training In Forms Is Not Useless

Forms can teach you numerous things. It can develop many attributes that will help you become both a better fighter and a martial artist. One quality that training informs can develop in you is the attribute of fluidity. Kung fu forms are famous for their flowing and powerful motions.

Executing a set of kata without pausing or stopping between moves will directly translate to being able to fight without stopping. In a real-life self-defense scenario, the ability to flow is so much more important to your success than practically anything else.

Practicing forms or sets will likewise teach you the correct way to block and strike while in motion. Many times students can perform blocks and strike perfectly while standing still but, include footwork and they now must focus on moving multiple body parts at the same time.


Practicing Forms Are The Best Way To Workout

At the highest level of training, forms practice can become the ultimate conditioning solution.

Just how much of a workout you get out of doing forms will greatly depend on how much intensity and speed you execute the form with. What you put inot it is what you will get out of it.  Imagine a boxer that does shadowboxing. Does he get a good workout? Well of course, his results will aslo greatly depend on the speed an intensity that he puts into hos shadowboxing. Does he practicae at a lackadaisical pace or at a very elevated pace?

Why Not Just Do Sparring Instead?

I have trained in several systems of martial arts. Some systems and styles will teach forms, then teach and self defense as a separate class. These systems think of forms and fighting as two completely detached entities. In fact, it is almost as if they were teaching an entirely different styles.

For example, if you went to a tae kwon do gym, the first thing they would teach you is the jab, the cross and the roundhouse kick. yet these techniques are nowhere to be found in the form.

They never teach the how to use the movements found in the form in realistic sparring.

Sparring

No Practical Use Of The Movements Found In The Form

In these types of programs, it seems as though the traditional forms have no realistic use. However, the movements contained within the forms of Shaolin Kung Fu each have an explicit application in combat.

If the movements you are learning have no martial function, then you are learning a dance.

Practicing Forms Has No Value?

It has taken me literally half of my life to feel like I have a firm grasp of every one of the forms in Kung Fu. Even these days, I believe that I have a lot of more room for refinement. Shaolin Kung Fu can take a whole entire lifetime to learn and master.

Saying forms has no value is akin to saying hitting the heavy bag has no value.

You could easily make an argument that the heavy bag does not counter or hit back at you, therefore, hitting the heavy bag is useless. The heavy bag is nothing like a real opponent. 

Hitting or kicking the heavy bag will enable to develop the trait of striking with power. Just as Jumping rope will help you develop fast footwork and jogging will develop your endurance. A boxer, will work sparring, heavy bag, double end bag, running, jump rope, and focus mitts all on the very same day.

Forms are just one of many methods you can use to practice Kung Fu.

However, there are a couple of things that training in forms will not help you with.

What Form Practice Is Not Good For

Training In Forms Will Not Teach You A Feel For What Is Correct Range Or Distancing.

To be proficient in the martial arts you will need to develop a good instinct for what is the correct distance needed between you and your opponent in order to successfully apply blocks.

Kung Fu forms practice also will not teach you how to flow or follow up effectively. Having the ability to recognize the next target then strike it with power is also an essential skill-set.

It took me almost a full year to learn my first Shaolin Kung Fu form. Occasionally, I tell my students how long it took me to learn the first form. Often time they look at me incredulously and I think they do not believe me.

This intrinsic challengesfound in the art of Kung fu are one of the things that initially drew me to it.

However, I also think one of the reasons Kung fu is not as popular in the United States as Tae Kwon Do is, because training in kung fu appeals only to a certain type of person. Shaolin Kung fu appeals to people interested in continuous and constant work and improvement.

 Learning Kung fu is the exact opposite of instant gratification. It takes back breaking work and perseverance to be successful.

Are you looking for true transformation? Then you can be our next student!

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