Ken Gullette's Internal Fighting Arts Blog

Do This the Next Time You Practice Fighting Applications

fighting applications internal fighting arts martial arts training Apr 23, 2012

I was sent a YouTube link a few weeks ago showing a Bagua instructor doing fighting applications against a student. The student stepped and punched, and the instructor did all sorts of fancy, twisting movements -- sometimes two or three techniques that included takedowns and joint locks -- all while the student didn't fight back. Usually the student did one punch and basically stood there.

Now, I've done a lot of fighting applications on video. Usually, they're done to instruct, so you slow it down and show how it's done. I'm also a fan of practicing principles of movement.

But most of the fighting applications I practice, and the ones I put on video, are applications that work in a real situation. It's NOT a real situation for an attacker to stand with his arm outstretched in a punch position while you do two or three techniques. I don't care if you're practicing TKD, Shotokan, Aikido, Tai Chi, or Bagua.

My students and I over the years have rejected techniques because -- even thou...

Fun with Tai Chi Self-Defense - Single Whip

fighting applications fighting with tai chi single whip tai chi self-defense Sep 23, 2009

This is a video I shot in 2008 showing some fighting applications for the Tai Chi movement "Single Whip." It's an example of the kind of instruction you'll find on my website.

Internalizing Fighting Applications for Tai Chi, Xingyi, and Bagua

bagua self-defense fighting applications self-defense tai chi self-defense xingyi self-defense Oct 27, 2007

Working on forms is one of the foundations of a good martial art. Forms teach many things, including proper body mechanics, posture, balance and precision.

I once read a tai chi article by a guy who said if you practice the slow Yang form for 20 years, you'll be able to fight when a self defense situation arises.

No you won't. You'll be seriously injured or killed. That's what will happen.

If your practice is only on form, you're missing the heart of any internal art, which is self-defense. You must practice fighting applications in a way that helps you internalize them so that you can react without thinking.

Sparring is one way to do it, but let's face it. Sparring the tournament way limits your techniques. And you can't really use all the techniques of these arts against classmates because you can't drive your palm through their faces, break their elbows and wrists, dislocate their shoulders, twist their necks until they snap, throw them to the ground to smash their head, etc.

H...

Ken Gullette's Internal Fighting Arts

Do This the Next Time You Practice Fighting Applications

Fun with Tai Chi Self-Defense - Single Whip

Internalizing Fighting Applications for Tai Chi, Xingyi, and Bagua

Author - Instructor

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