Christmas fun

Christmas Self Defense


http://www.ikigaiway.com/2009/christmas-self-defense/

Thanks for the laughter.

I would have added (after each incident) - Tase the perpetrator with your new Christmas Taser Santa brought you.

It would lighten my holidays for sure.

Maybe you can hide the Taser in your new 'Battle Scarf' (http://www.battlescarf.com/).

Surviving Disaster

Here is a link I cam across today. Not exactly a 'yau kung mun' link, but a cool link, nonetheless.

http://www.spike.com/show/33200?tabId=33737&fxn=getTabMembers - Surviving Disaster. Great job (by a former SEAL). Haven't reviewed all of them yet....

Web site change

We have finally changed to our own website. The pamcom personal security site is now www.mwsecuritygadgets.com, and a link to the security camera site is now operational, too.

Train in shoes?

This from a blog I follow - http://www.ikigaiway.com/2009/thoughts-on-footwear/

The concept has been around since I started training (late 70's) at least. Some even call it environmental training. Adding in street clothes, uneven surfaces, dim lighting, etc. And I trained in a very 'traditional' way - remember the first Se Ping Ma lesson? Usefulness was always demanded. Still wondering about some of the crane beak strikes...

Also, some believe that training barefoot on concrete sucks the 'chi' (life force) out of you and is unhealthy. Training on grass, ground, wood, even mats is preferred.

Just my two cents worth.

'Anti monkey butt'

Knowing my sense of humour, here's a great product....

http://hamptonroads.com.nyud.net/2009/11/anti-monkey-butt-powder-gets-bottom-things

Taser clip

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/fight-science/3049/Overview#tab-Videos/03296_09





Visit my other sites to order yours today.

'Meditations on Violence' and 'Pak Mei - A Dedication'comments

I just finished reading 'Meditation on Violence' by Rory Miller.
Highly recommended reading for self-defense/security minded folks.
A few quotes from the book.
From the preface - Never, ever, ever delegate responsibility for your own safety. Never, ever, ever, override your own experience and common sense on the say-so of some self-proclaimed 'expert'.
Never, ever, ever ignore what your eyes see because it isn't what you imagined.

And later - In general, respond to the situation as it is. Not to your fantasy and not to your paranoia.

I will be reading this book again, taking more time to digest the lessons he imparts.



Also just finished reading Pak Mei - A Dedication. Highly recommended for YKM students to get a glimpse of the principles behind a major portion of our arts curriculum. Not a techniques book, a good explanation of some of the principles behind the movements.

Flow and Kuen

Been away and busy, sorry for the neglect.

Just a thought - I like to think of Kuen practice (or kata, form, etc) as 'ritualized combat' - sort of an 'in the perfect world' situation.

Then there are drills, exercises to bring the Kuen to life - add some resistance, timing, etc. to the practices.

TFT style practicing also brings this 'flow', this 'life', to the Kuen.

Together with bag work, conditioning, and even, yes, sparring, it starts to develop the martial artist to handle real world situations. I don't feel you can do any of these practices in isolation. There is a time and place for partner work, and a time and place for solo work.

Any comments?

Another great article from Mercop

Thoughts on pressure points and joint locks for SD

http://mail.myptsmail.com/mercop/blog/?p=434

I totally agree - use the locks to break things or to hold for a strike - or to affect a "barter" position, to paraphrase Mr. Keating.

India and Martial Arts

Not a long treatise on the origin of martial arts and the connections to Buddhism, etc. Just a couple of photos of a statue in Chennai (formerly known as Madras).

Great ideas

Here is a great view of self-defense - from a conceptual standpoint. Consider the use of deception and operational security to your advantage, also.

Survival Tactics in Nature
http://mail.myptsmail.com/mercop/blog/?p=422

Boxer rebellion era weapons, anyone?

I received an email from my Yau Kung Mun Sifu, asking if I knew anyone interested in purchasing weapons from the Boxer Rebellion time frame.
Anyone out there interested in hearing/learning more? I'll update as more information comes in.

TASER Issues

Just posted this on my other blog - www.yachtsecurity.blogspot.com. Relevant here also.
This from the Taser Blog - http://blog.taser.com/2009/08/the-taser-worked/.

The Taser is not a magic weapon. Use it as intended - to temporarily incapacitate an attacker. Then use other means to control the situation (further strikes, better cover position for firearms usage, etc.) or to move to another location (get off the X).

If interested, visit http://www.pamcompersonalsecurity.com/ and buy one (or more).

Mobility

Mobility - not referring to footwork or stances today.

Mobility is the ability of the body to move through ranges of motion. Easiest way to visualize this is to think of moving the joints of the body in circles - understanding physiology limitations of some joints (they just aren't made to move that way). this also includes loosening the spine (my tight back limits my bridging abilities - working on this).

I have a tight upper body, which limits mobility, and inhibits 'jing' to some degree. Better relaxation and range of motion helps to unlock the bodies abilities.

My YKM Brother Christer demonstrated some exercises - a martial application to what I have been looking at for health. Very cool stuff.

Thanks to all who read the blog, comments/input are welcome.

Links for the day after Fathers Day

Some really good posts here. Check them out, let me know what you think.

http://internalarts.typepad.com/ken_gullettes_internal_ma/subscribe-to-internal-arts-ezine.html


http://www.ikigaiway.com/wp-content/themes/Ikigai%20Way/students_dojo_survival_guide.pdf
Sorry for no cool photo - been one of those days....

Gorilla Knife Fighting?

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Travel/Knife+wielding+gorilla+shocks+visitors/1704496/story.html
Even gorillas are smart enough not to mess with knives. Read the story. Smart apes for sure.

Postings...

Been a tad busy the last couple of months.
Hopefully I will be posting more the next few days.
Meantime, check out Sean's Blog - Tales from the Carport Kwoon. http://carportkwoon.blogspot.com/

Cool image

Being a diver, boater, and martial artist, as well as a yacht security business owner, I love the SE Asian arts that tend to thrive along the coastlines.
Here is a link to Wing Chun, with a cool image (I picture it as being taken from above the deck of a wooden ship).
http://martial-arts-asia.blogspot.com/2009/05/introduction-to-wing-chun.html

Say Mun Ba Gua Kuen

Say Mun Baqua Kuen (Four door, eight directional fist) - Second longest form of YKM. I learned this set from Sifu Garry in Sydney. It is one of my favorites, as it seems to combine other sets and adds some great charging footwork, and is a little more athletic to perform. A couple more kicks than normally found in YKM sets, and some interesting stance work.

40,000 Lives Lost Per Year Must Be Worth It…

Here's a link to a pro-gun article.

http://www.ignatius-piazza-front-sight.com/2009/05/04/ignatius-piazza-40000-lives-lost-per-year-must-be-worth-it/

Not "YKM" but it is martial.

Practicing Slowly

One of the items Target Focus Training is criticized for is the slowness of the practice.
I came across the following article on genius, and feels it may apply here. Also, it applies to the Tai Chi Chuan players out there, too, I believe.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/opinion/01brooks.html
"Coyle describes a tennis academy in Russia where they enact rallies without a ball. The aim is to focus meticulously on technique. (Try to slow down your golf swing so it takes 90 seconds to finish. See how many errors you detect.)

By practicing in this way, performers delay the automatizing process. The mind wants to turn deliberate, newly learned skills into unconscious, automatically performed skills. But the mind is sloppy and will settle for good enough. By practicing slowly, by breaking skills down into tiny parts and repeating, the strenuous student forces the brain to internalize a better pattern of performance."

As always, adapt the training principles from a variety of sources to what you practice. Try to not fall for the latest fad, look closely and discern the principles behind the techniques.

Mindset article from Mercop

Have been busy with work and such, not much computer time. Here is an article that hits on a few good points.

Mindset from Mercop:
http://mail.myptsmail.com/mercop/blog/?p=243

Cornered Cat

http://www.corneredcat.com/TOC.aspx

Came across this (sorry I don't remember the original blog I got the link from).

Looks very good to me so far.

Fitness Post

Fitness should be one of your goals as a "gung fu" man. The term Gung Fu (aka Kung Fu) liberally translated means hard work. In the overall scheme, I refer to it as self protection, to include healthy living.

Body weight exercises are the way to go for general health and conditioning, in my opinion. Weight lifting is great for specific sports conditioning and specific goals (i.e. "my job is to lift heavy objects, so I need to be ready").

Here is an object that will help you along the road to better health and fitness.
http://www.mattfurey.com/powerwheel.html

OK, this is a bit off topic...

Here are a couple of new links to articles from Patrick Estebbe of Affairaction in Ft. Lauderdale, on yacht security And overall personal security, too. Look for the common threads in all security, just adapt to the situation. Sounds like my philosophy on the martial arts, too.

http://www.affairaction.com/CrewReport_Article_March09_InconvenientTruth.pdf

http://www.affairaction.com/Soundings_Advice%20for%20cruising%20Somali%20waters.pdf

Off Topic? I think not

Here's a link to a story on mindset, training and a lot of other factors involved in personal combat. Have a short read, let me know what you think.


New Findings from the FBI about Cop Attackers & Their Weapons
http://www.stoppingpower.net/commentary/comm_cop_killers.asp

Sorry for the long lag of posting...

Been as busty as a one armed paper hanger lately (or is it a one legged man in an ass kicking contest?).

Work has been very much taking my time, but it is good. And the shoulders have been in "rehab" the last month or so, just starting to work out a bit harder now.

My TFT site is now https://www.targetfocusmonthly.com/yachtsecurity - I changed the link, please stop by and check things out. I find that their approach is very pragmatic, and certainly worth a look at and adapting it to your own training and system.

More posts to come. Thanks for the patience, drop me a line and let me know what you would like to see. And check out my other sites, help me drum up some business.

Target Focus Training

I finally got around to attending a 2 day Target Focus Training seminar last weekend in Dallas.

Had a great time, met some great people.

The training methodology (go slow, no, go slower) works very well on a number of different levels - the emphasis on targeting (hence the name) is probably the unique feature of TFT - others talk of targeting, we actually do it.

I recommend attending a TFT seminar if you can get the chance (or make the chance) - it will enhance any martial art you currently practice.

If you are interested in learning more, check out my website they have created for me - www.tftdirect.com/yachtsecurity.

Saam Mun Pa Kua Kuen

Saam Mun Pa Kua Kuen (aka Sum Mon Ba Gua Kuen and other variations) - Three Door 8 Methods Fist

Generally taught after Saam Mon Kuen, this form teaches stomping power, features lots of open handed strikes, and contains some very active footwork patterns. Lots of forward, lateral and diagonal movements.

Considered an intermediate set, it sometimes seems to be moving one direction and immediately moving another. There are some subtle variations to techniques already taught in the prior sets.

Note: Sorry for the inconsistencies in the spelling/translation of the names of the sets. Depending on when and which dialect was translated, the 'Romanized' spelling may be different. Heck, I started out studying the Chinese arts when Beijing was Peking - so humor us old farts our spelling flaws.

Lineage and Instructors

To new readers of this blog, I'd like to introduce my instructors.

I started mid-70's with Sihing Steve Slover, a student of Sifu John S.S. Leong. He taught us Hung Gar, which gave us a great foundation to judge real "Kung Fu". I still remember my first lesson, Say Ping Ma (and some stretches). We also learned a lot about Christian ethics.

Around 1979, I was introduced to Yau Kung Mun. Not as a student, just friend to friend. Around 1980, I managed to find the kwoon in San Francisco's Chinatown, and observe a couple of students training.

In 1982, I finally settled my schedule down (after completing BUD/S) and was invited to start training in Yau Kung Mun. This association has continued to this day. I saw my Sifu, Sifu Loi Lok Fu (Ralph Ferreiro) certify his first Sifu's (Dusty and Billy), and had the honor of being certified by him in May of 2003. I have also trained Yau Kung Mun under Sifu Garry Hearfield in Sydney, Australia. I credit my training with Sifu for teaching me to apply the sets, and being a kung fu man that can fight, not just perform beautiful forms.

Along the way, I have also trained under Jerry Peterson (San Soo/SCARS), Ray Dionaldo (Filipino Combat Systems) and a host of others. James Keating's ComTech has had a large part in opening my eyes to the universality of movement that is inherent in all the arts.

I have trained with many people over the years, all of whom have contributed to what I am today. Thank you to all the people involved, it has been great training with you and I hope to be training for another 34 years.

Saam Mun Kuen

Saam Mun Kuen (Three Door Fist) (also spelled Sum Mun Kuen)- departs from the traditional cross pattern of footwork found in Siu Sup Ji Kuen, moving at 45 degree angles in addition to the linear patterns.

This is a more active form, moving the body into and out of range, with lots of close in type hand work and combinations. Some large circular motions in conjunction with the footwork make this set look pretty cool.

A Video Clip

Came across this today. Great example of the aggressive footwork applications.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2398257566700849141&hl=en

Yin Ching Kuen

Yin Ching Kuen

Taught as the third form by Sifu Garry Hearfield in Australia, and as an advanced level form by Sifu Loi Lok Fu in the US, Yin Ching Kuen seems to have a lot of Hung Gar/Choy Lee Fut type of movements - longer punches, more circular punches, etc. Also contains some dynamic tension sections. A very good set to use to develop fitness (one of the longest sets), hand combinations and footwork.

From http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Yau-Kung-Mun - "Ying Ching Kuen - contains a lot of dynamic tension, muscle building, external ging & rib training. This is a cleansing form (health), hard chi kung."

Dai Sup Ji Kuen

The third set taught (by my Sifu, Sifu Loi Lok Fu) in the curriculum is Dai Sup Ji Kuen - Large Ten Pattern Fist.

Like Siu Sup Ji Kuen, it's footwork when viewed from above resembles a cross pattern (+) similar to the Chinese character for the number ten.

The set contains some interesting changes in direction, introduces some more hand combination's and, being named "Large" ten pattern fist, is a little longer and more complicated than Siu Sup Ji Kuen.

In my opinion, these three sets (Tong Gee Kuen, Siu Sup Ji Kuen and Dai Sup Ji Kuen) form the nucleus of a very effective fighting system. Of course, it is up to the student (and for the instructor to distill) to practice diligently, examine the movements carefully, and develop a proper mindset to enable use of these techniques for self-protection.

Train the basics, they are what the advanced techniques are based on (stance, footwork, conditioning, fighting experience to develop the spirit).

Siu Sup Ji Kuen

Siu Sup Ji Kuen - Small Ten Patter Fist - is the second set taught in Yau Kung Mun. It is named after the pattern formed on the ground, the Chinese character for the number 10, a plus sign.

Like Tong Gee Kuen, it is a fairly simple, aggressive set, very suitable for self protection. The set introduces some interesting footwork and a few 'hidden' throws and locking techniques.

As an aside, many styles use the same naming convention - after the pattern formed. Gung Gee Fook Fu Kuen from Hung Gar comes to mind - Character "I" Tiger Subduing Fist.

Tong Gee Kuen

Generally taught as the first set, it is full of extremely useful fighting combination's, teaching the student how to move, strike and kick. Not very flashy, but designed to impart basic competence and aggression (forward movement) from the beginning.

I was told it translated as "through the joint" fist, referring to the method of punching used.

From personal experience, I have seen students who had not trained formally for about 15 years, able to perform the set - it is drilled that intensely and is that effective.

By the way, the name of the style, Yau Kung Mun, translates as "Sect of Flexible Power". A word by word translation is "Soft Hard Door".

Welcome to 2009, and a new post

Happy New Year!

An ongoing series is starting today - Yau Kung Mun sets (at least the ones I know).

Starting off with the "Stance Set" - we would start every class in San Diego with this simple set of movements. It is a great way to practice the basics (stance, hand strikes, kicks). Combined with the first two sets, you have a very good fighting system.

Way long ago, I saw some YKM workouts in Washington State and in San Francisco's Chinatown, and they all started with the Stance Set (after bowing in and observing courtesies, of course).

After the Stance Set, we moved into physical training (leglifts, pushups, saam sing, etc). Then on to the sets practice (forms, kuen, kata, whatever your art calls them).

If you want to learn more about the sets we will be discussing, contact me.