Bag Beatdowns for Brains 2017- Annual Alzheimer's Charity Boxing Drive

Bag Beatdowns for Brains 2017

Our Annual Alzheimer's Charity Boxing Event
Coming Soon!!!

What is it?

Bag Beatdowns for Brains is our annual Alzheimer's Research Charity Boxing event; a way for us to help raise funds for research to combat this devastating disease. Anyone can donate even if you can't attend the event (please spread the word).

Unleash your inner fury on a heavy bag for a good cause. Punch. Kick. Slam. Or show up to support someone else. Follow it up with some good eats prepared by a local cafe, and boxes of donated coffee.

Let's come together and do our best to help put a dent in the cost of researching a solution, prevention, or cure. Help 'Punch Out' Alzheimer's! All are welcome.

Please sign-up for the event by email, in person, or on Facebook page. Thank you!

Date: Saturday, Nov 18

Deadline to Sign-Up: 11-14-17
Deadline to Donate: 11-20-17

Time: Heats start at 10am Sharp!

Location: 
Randy Brown Mantis Boxing
930 Main Street
Acton, MA 01720

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Last year, with your help, we raised over $3600 for Alzheimer's Research; beating our goal by well over a $1000!!!. This year we'll set the bar higher and see if we can beat it again. Let's make this an event that makes a difference!!!

No experience required. Adults and Kids welcome. All proceeds go to charity.

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Sponsors

Our event shirts are brought to us by Cool As a Moose again this year. If you are in Maine on vacation, please stop in and say hello at one of their awesome stores.

We have some excellent food being donated for the event by Metropolitan Catering Co. in Westford, MA run by Ken Messinger and his crew. Once we wrap up the heats, we'll dig into some eats!!

Starbucks Westford is supporting the event again this year. The Manager Linda and her team will be providing boxes of coffee for everyone to enjoy. Awesome!

Bruce is an amazing designer and illustrator. His office is next door if you need Graphic Design work. Bruce has run magazines, and later helped start this dojo with me.

Our very own Dominic Breen located right in Chelmsford. Check him out for your IT solutions.

My top notch Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teacher Andre 'Dedeco' Almeida is contributing again this year. 

You will see him again in December for belt ceremony and workshop.

Eric Reardon changed my life with his nutrition expertise. You'll see him working out alongside you at the event. Pick his brain if you have questions.

Dr. Kate Kelly is one of my goto people when I'm dealing with an injury. I highly recommend her.

Another sponsor this year is Boston Kung Fu Tai Chi. Joshua Grant is an exceptional martial artist, athlete, and teacher. He is incredibly supportive of this event and our cause. Please visit if you are in Boston.

The Round Kick - Like a Dragon Lashing It's Tail

Here we help you set up the round kick without getting hit, run over, or shut down. Check out our video on Advanced Footwork if you need help with some of these angles. 

This is an extremely powerful kick. It's like getting lashed by the tail of a dragon. When fighting, getting hit here can be a huge game changer. Whether we take our opponents leg out from under them, or we weaken/injure the leg to get them to change sides. 

Check out these angles that can help you set up a good position to throw it from. Thanks for watching.

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Defending Against the Bear Hug - PASS vs. FAIL

Jumped from behind? Your opponent got position on you? No matter how it happened, it's a bad place to be. Join me and my special guest Sensei Ando as we show what to watch out for, and how to make one of the most commonly failed escapes, succeed.

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First thing to do is to drape the hands to defend the choke, and drop your stance to keep your center of gravity lower, making it difficult for your adversary to pick you up. 

Next, it is important to realize that standard escapes with splitting the arms do not work unless your opponent makes a mistake. The objective of holding you from behind, unless a multi-attacker scenario, is to pick you up and slam you. This means, our adversary is going to grab us lower, around the elbows; making it impossible to split the arms and slink out.

After establishing control of the arms and a good wide base, start using your hammer fist attacks to the groin, combined with foot stomps to rattle your opponent and get them moving around. Remember to always use the 'outside' foot to stomp. Never the inside.

Since our opponent has widened their stance for stability and to avoid the attacks we are making, we can now make our first attempt to escape using the underhook to the single leg takedown.

Caution

Be careful not to walk out and stop. This is transitional only. We have to immediately move to the takedown, or re-establish our base and position if something went awry. 

As you shoot for the single leg, if the opponent moves, or you do not have enough mobility to get a strong hook/position, then we can abandon that and use the elbow splitting escape that previously did not work. After all the moving around, chances are that the grip they had before, has slipped higher on our arms and we can make our secondary attempt a success. 

Where to? 

Once we're out of the bear hug, we want to look for a follow-up move to secure our position and turn the tides. Sensei Ando has a good go to he shows, followed by a variation I would use.

After the elbow split - immediately snag the neck hook position to keep control.

Ando

Attack the head with a knee to the face to soften them up. Maintain the neck hook and do not give up a strong position. Immediately follow up with a shoot underneath using the elbow in the groin to bring them over the back for a Fireman's Carry Takedown.

Tips: Sensei Ando makes note to watch the danger of the headlock as we're slipping out. Good tip. He also points out to tuck the foot so they don't land on you and break your toes.

Randy

I start off the same way and attack the head with a knee. I'm anticipating the block, but if they don't, even better. We're done here. If they do block as planned, then I shoot over the top and thread my arm under the neck all the way to the other underarm. Clasp the hands, and we have a nice guillotine setup. Use your shoulder to drop weight on them making it difficult for them to posture up and move. Follow this up with a nice reaping leg takedown variation for the finish.

The finish is up to you and your skillset. You can chuck them and go to a ground and pound, pound the ground package, or you can hold on to the guillotine, keep a solid position on the same side of the body as you started on, and finish the choke you already have.

Mantis Captures Prey - How to Stop the Underhooks

The underhook is a powerful tool in the hands of an opponent who knows how to use it. They have leverage, control, and setups for numerous takedowns. So how do we stop our opponent from getting the underhooks? With this awesome move from Taijiquan called Fist Under Elbow, and what I like to call Mantis Captures Prey.

In this video, we'll walk you through 1. The dangers of the underhook. 2. How to shut it down. 3. Counters from our opponent to watch out for, such as the 2nd hand. 4. Spear Hands, Eagle Claws, and Reaping Legs. 5. Hook, don't Reap - how to vary the technique based on our opponents position.

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Martial Superiority: The Silent Assassin

View of Mt. Washington from 7000 feet - 2012

I had this amazing conversation the weekend before last, with two accomplished martial artists/teachers over lunch - Sensei Ando, and Sensei Dave Abraham.

During the discussion, we arrived on the topic of judging other schools, or the policing of other martial arts schools/styles because of what they are doing; whether said instruction, or the belt requirements not being up to standards.

I shared something that took me years to arrive at within myself, and what I believe is an important perspective to maintain for all of us as martial artists; especially, as teachers/mentors.

When we look at one school versus another, and determine that one of them is promoting people to Black Belt with far easier requirements than we ourselves went through, or they are expecting less of their students than what we expect of our students, we can climb on our rickety soap box and take a stand against them, railing at the injustice of it all, or we can look at it like this...

Harvard University does not concern itself with trashing lesser universities, community colleges, night schools. They do not publicly humiliate students of those institutions for taking classes there, nor for their effort they applied to achieve their goals under said curricula.

If you attend either school, an Ivy League, or a Community College, you will receive a bachelor's degree upon completion of the required courses/credits just the same. Both are Bachelor's degrees, both are opportunities to learn and grow. One of these holds more credibility, or esteem than the other, by outward appearances only. Yet the price tag attached along with it is far greater as well. 

The individual who studies is the one who truly defines the value of the degree. Going to an ivy league school is not a qualifier that we received a good education. The inverse is true as well; going to a community college, or night school, is not definitive proof someone received a sub par education.

This judgement happens in the martial arts world as well. People use lineage, and even race, as a testimonial to the value of their belt. I have witnessed this first hand. If we study a Japanese Art, is our teacher from Japan? Did we go to Japan to study? The implication in the question being, that an answer of 'No', somehow makes your achievement less significant.
 

If we practice Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, is our teacher Brazilian? Did we sweat in the dojo's of Rio? If we follow Chinese Martial Arts, is our teacher Chinese? These are seemingly innocent questions from the uninitiated, but I have seen more times than I can count, this being used as a bully tactic from those in the martial arts world. A world where we are largely responsible for empowering others to stop bullies.

A Mantis Boxing coach I trained with for years, is Mexican-Filipino. He jokes with people that he is 'Paco the Gardener'. Why? Where he lives, people will see him as that, long before recognizing him as a highly effective, and battle tested warrior.

"Not all Black Belts are created equal." - unknown

The quality of a Black Belt is another mountain we stand upon to look down upon others from on high. I have seen this in Mantis Boxing, Eagle Claw, Tai Chi; and it will become more prevalent in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as the art becomes more proliferated and widely spread.

The Tibetan Monks did not populate temples in the mountains to look down upon others, but rather to peer closer to the heavens.

Someone who received their belt from a no name individual, but trained diligently for years, persevering numerous trials; could, and at times does, outmatch a person who has had access to, and trained in the best facilities, with a famous fighter/teacher that awarded them their Black Belt.

The person makes the belt. The teacher is only a guide. We should be careful judging others, as it is simply Narcissism disguised as justification, goodwill, or constructive criticism.

Focus on what we have, be the best we can be, and we will rise above the fray. Stay focused on what everyone else is doing, and we will drag ourselves down into the mire.

Defending the Worst Position Ever!!

The High Mount combined with striking is a deadly combination. This is by far, one of the worst positions you can get stuck in on the ground. The traditional BJJ escape for mount - bridge, trap, and roll doesn't work quite yet, and meanwhile our opponent is raining punches on us, and bringing the thunder like Poseidon.

All too often, we panic in this situation and end up flailing, or trying to grab arms. Here we show a technique we call - 'Shield Up / Shimmy Up' to help you deal with this problematic position. We have to work from where we are, not where we want to be.

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Cracking the Black - Vincent Tseng

July 8, 2017

On July 8, 2017, Vincent Tseng was awarded his Black Belt in Mantis Boxing (Tángláng quán 螳螂拳). Vincent arrived at our wŭguān (martial hall) in 2006 at the age of 16. I still recall our first phone conversation.

Vincent was searching for a martial art, but he was extremely comprehensive in his quest. Asking detailed questions and thorough in his research. Many of his friends at the time studied martial arts, but Vincent was seeking something different, something more.

Vincent, Adria, Chris - Littleton Mill, 2007

In his research, he found out about the Chinese Martial Art of Praying Mantis Boxing. He then called me with a clear determination that Mantis Boxing was the style he wanted to do.

When he arrived at the school to discuss his training, he was full of exuberance, and commitment. We talked for a while, and he came back soon after and began classes. He spent the next 2 years training diligently before leaving for college. 

One of my favorite Vincent stories...

We were attending the annual Mantis Boxing Anniversary dinner in New York City in honor of Great Grandmaster Chiu Leun. We met up with our West Coast family - Sifu Mike Dasargo, Sifu Mark Melton, and our late Grand Master, Sigung Stephen Laurette.

At the dinner, people will get up on stage and perform a demonstration for the crowd. Vincent waits quietly at our table as the night unfolds. When the stage was empty for a while, he looked at me and asked if he could go up. I nodded.

He stood up and walked earnestly past 20 or so teachers, and 40+ other attendees made of practitioners of the art, family members, and friends. He arrives on stage, but the audience is too busy eating, drinking, and sharing stories to notice.

Vincent does the salutation, and steps out into his horse stance with thunder. Everyone looks up and stares as he begins his set; Gong Li Quan (Power Building Fist) if I recall. He lets loose with vigor through the first road of the form. As he gets further in, he has a momentary lapse and is suddenly lost as to what his next move is. When this happens, it feels like years are passing by, when in reality, it is barely a second to the audience, and if played right, they will never know you forgot.

Instead, Vincent erupts with a loud 'SHIT!!!!!" in front of the audience. There is silence for a moment, then you hear some laughter, or maybe I was the only one laughing, and then everyone resumes their meals and conversations while Vincent is humbled by his 'black out' and embarrassed by his words.

Vincent receiving his certificate.

Vincent went off to college after High School, and although he was still in the State, it was far enough away that he could not regularly attend classes. Still, he would pop in on the occasional weekend, over the holidays, train in the summers, and practice on his own. 

Vincent maintained a presence in the school even when he couldn't be here, returning to the fold a few years later to pick up where he left off. I'm not sure if my words here can express the significance of that last statement.

In the martial arts, you are training with the same group regularly for the period of time you are there. When life throws something in the way, you have to step aside while your peers continue to train and progress. This is often difficult for a student to overcome. They feel behind, left out, and there is a strong deterrent from returning even though they would be welcomed back with open arms. 

The ego is powerful and unruly. Instead of continuing something we enjoy, we'll decide to quit for good and miss out on the joys, experiences, and team we had once been part of.

Vincent came back without issue. He stepped onto the mats, and quickly realized the people he knew before, even some that started after him, had surpassed his level. Instead of quitting, being bitter, or letting this be a problem, he smiled, chuckled (the same laugh we hear when we get a solid punch, or clean throw on him), and congratulated those that had advanced beyond him. He then set himself to the task of moving forward once more. A testament to his character.

It is an honor have Vincent join us as a Black Belt in Mantis Boxing, carrying the torch for future generations.

photos courtesy of Max Kotchouro

video by Holly Cyr

Training Your Elbows and Joint Locks (Chin Na)

Joint locks (Chin Na) are fun!!! If you are into pain that is. ;-) Seriously, standing submissions are very cool; unfortunately, they can be extremely difficult to pull off for real. 

Here is a more advanced drill to help you train ways to flow your fighting into those nifty locks. In order to make this drill easier, you'll want to have some knowledge of elbow strikes, and joint locks before doing this. 

As Vincent and I throw elbow strikes, it forces the other person to counter the strike and place themselves in a position where we can setup a joint lock, rather than trying to attack a completely resistant opponent. This is a softening the target, or creating a distraction so we can affect the lock.

Enjoy!

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Collapse and Fall Into Ruin - (Beng 崩)

A huge thanks to Gene Ching and the team at Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine for publishing my article this month. Such an awesome presentation! Thank you to my team - Holly Cyr, Vincent Tseng, Max Kotchouro, Bruce Sanders, and Sean Fraser for your assistance in making this happen. I am honored.

The article is an expose on the Mantis Boxing principle of Beng (Crush, or to Collapse and Fall Into Ruin). You can read the rest of the article 'Collapse and Fall Into Ruin' in the July/Aug issue on store shelves now, or available online.

BJJ Mount Attacks For Smaller Fighters

Fighting bigger opponents can be frustrating when we try and control the mount position. I know I avoided the mount most of the time as a BJJ White Belt after getting tossed around repeatedly. After a while, I started using the high mount to setup some attacks. Here's are two videos highlighting some attacks from the mount. 

Moving closer to the head helps maintain the control needed, but many opponents will seal their arms up to try and stop arm bars, and americanas. Here's a tool to crack open that pesky shell and get the arms exposed for attack.

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How to Start Martial Arts

How to get started in martial arts. Here are some tips and advice on what to look out for as you search for your first, or subsequent martial arts school.

Enjoy the sound effects. [Gunshots were not an intentional part of the production]

Swamp Talks - Episode 01 - How to Start Martial Arts This was one of the more common questions we received, and super important for people. Your first school can make or break you in your martial arts endeavor. It is important to search around and try different places before signing up.

Types of martial arts vary, but this can apply to any of them. Here is a list of some of the more common styles you may find in your quest in the USA:

• Boxing (western and Chinese) - often depicted in modern times as the sport with two contestants wearing trunks and padded gloves facing off in a ring. Original roots encompass a far broader definition that included grappling, and weapons. Something more similar with Chinese boxing styles like mantis, eagle claw which include kicking, grappling, and joint locks/chokes/submissions in addition to striking with fists, palms, fingers, and elbows.

• Kickboxing - a combination of striking and kicking. Also more sport oriented with rules to protect combatants from serious injury.

• Wrestling - as with boxing, in modern times this calls forth distinct imagery in our minds of two combatants on a mat grappling one another to the ground and looking for a pin. Wrestling’s roots are far more pervasive and have origins to every continent on the globe. Greco-Roman which is more common in our minds today, to catch wrestling, to folk-style wrestling that changes slightly from culture to culture whether in Asia, Europe, Africa, or the Americas.

• Jiu-Jitsu (Brazilian and Japanese) - jiu-jitsu origins hearkens back to the combat arts of the samurai which included but were not limited to hand-to-hand combat methods such as throws, joint locks, and ground finishing moves (submissions). Eventually this migrated to Brazil in the 1900’s where it was blended with catch-wrestling methods and focused more heavily on the ground fighting component of hand-to-hand combat.

• Judo - a descendant of Japanese jiu-jitsu that focused on the grappling and ground fighting elements of jiu-jitsu.

• Karate - an Okinawan fighting art that originated by blending methods from Southern China with the indigenous grappling methods of the Okinawan people. Also included weapons in addition to hand-to-hand combat applications.

• Shuai Jiao - a Chinese throwing art similar to Judo but lacking the ground fighting elements. Descendant from Bokh, and other folk wrestling styles found in Mongolia and northeast Asia.

• Tae Kwon Do - a Korean martial art developed in the mid 1900’s that focuses heavily on kicking.

• Hapkido - also a Korean martial art that focuses more on locking and throwing methods.

• Aikido - a Japanese martial art centered around falling, throwing, and locking an opponent.

• Tai Chi - an old style of Chinese boxing that has been converted to a form of health practice and physical education since the early 1900’s. Prior to that it was a hand-to-hand combat art that included striking, kicking, throwing, and joint locking/chokes.

• Kempo - an American martial art that early on focused on practical self-defense. Combined methods from all forms of Asian fighting arts as well as boxing and kickboxing.

• Krav Maga - an Israeli hand-to-hand combat system designed specifically for commandos/special forces. Techniques are straightforward and practical, relying heavily on strength and speed to overwhelm the opponent.

Emotional Control - A Core Fighting Principle

Serenity Now!!!

Update (1-7-19) - I recorded a new podcast on this topic. Click below to access it.

‘Emotional Control’, this often sought after and rarely attained side effect from martial arts training. We envision a wise old master sitting quietly in meditation, serene, placid, only to turn into a verifiable badass the moment the movie needs an action star to save the day. Undertaking martial arts, consuming supplemental materials in our journey such as movies, television, or in Asian style martial arts, wu xia, or even religious or philosophical teachings that were, tacked on to the art at times. We can experience teachings and practices that espouse control over the body, mind, and spirit, and yet, fail to show us the way.

What we don’t see is, emotional control does not come for free, nor as an proxy trait of simply being enrolled in martial arts classes a few times per week year over year.  Emotional control does not come with sparring, nor does it come without sparring. This skill only comes from proper training, and constant diligence in applying said training.

Being punched, slapped, kicked, or choked induces a highly emotional reaction for most of us. Especially if we have experienced some sort of trauma or abuse in life. For others, the act of hitting someone else is a highly emotional act, and may even cause unforeseen responses in us such as: anxiety, fear, hesitation, and more.

These reactions caused by different catalysts are each, common for some, and completely foreign to others. What they share in common is, learning to control ourselves when we are experiencing these combative acts, and overcoming the body and/or minds’ natural response so that we can still function and apply our skills under duress. Sparring, the glue that binds martial arts training, allows us to confront things within ourselves that we may never see otherwise. In my experience, the mats teach us more about ourselves than we can learn in any other activity we undertake. If attended to, and cultivated we can take that knowledge, and experience growth not just physically but mentally, and spiritually.

REQUIRED TRAINING

If someone studies martial arts but never spars, they simply cannot know what it is like to function under stress until it is too late; they have not been inoculated to violence. On the opposing side, if someone spars all the time and isn’t taught to control their emotions (rage, fear, jealousy, inferiority, retaliation, pity, etc.), they will fail to develop this skill of emotional control.

Rage and anger can cost us a fight, I have won, and lost fights entirely due to this lack of control. Here one of many examples:

One sunny summer day in the early 1980’s, there was a concrete bandstand in the center of a small town in New Hampshire, USA. I was 10 years old. A friend and I were playing on the elevated deck of the bandstand when another friend arrived. I was sitting on the railing about 10 feet of the ground when he suddenly and violently pushed me off the edge.

I fell, slamming into the ground below. He raced down to revel in his glory and laughed uncontrollably as my other friend stood by. I felt the pain, but what overtook my body was an intense broiling rage. My heart raced, my vision closed to tiny tubes as if I were peering at my target through the scope of a snipers rifle; adrenaline coursed through my veins giving me a primal strength my youthful body had never felt. I attacked with all the savage ferocity my tiny preadolescent body could muster. 

My opponent, a student of karate, laughed and remained calm in face of my oncoming barrage. He deftly applied his superior range and agility, side stepping my furious charge and throwing me to ground like a doll of rags. I sprung to my feet again and again, each time he would deflect, sending me into the dirt face first. This only angered me more, causing me to go back with increased fury.

Eventually my newfound ally adrenaline fled the front lines, leaving me spent and broken in the coarse hot dirt, starkly aware that with my greatest of efforts, I was utterly useless and defeated. At the time, I could not see that my excessive, wild, and animalistic attacks were causing my own demise. 

Emotional control does not mean we are immune to feeling fear, anger, or the other emotions that accompany the chaos of engaging in conflict with another human. It means that we experience these feelings, and we continue function without letting them control us, without allowing them to inhibit us, or prevent us from defending ourselves.

In order to build this skill in training we need to spar, to test our skills to ensure that they work. However, doing this improperly, or too soon, can have permanent adverse effects much akin to trauma.

How do we train Emotional Control?

If sparring is necessary to build emotional control, how do we do so without putting ourselves in the fire of all out conflict and no holds barred fighting? How do we lower the cost of failure in sparring in order to build fighting skills along with emotional control?

There are a few mandatory components to ensure effective results. First though, is understanding what all of us will do if/when we are introduced to sparring too early in the training process.

Slow to learn, fast to test.

Each an every one of us walking into martial arts training has two attributes we come through the door with regardless of whether or not we are absent of skill. These attributes become a crutch that we fall back on whenever we are faced with stress, anxiety, fear, aggression, or the unknown. These attributes are speed and power.

You can easily say, “I’m not strong.”, or “I’m not fast.”, but when push comes to shove, you will move fast and go hard, it is instinctive. In order to properly train skills we need to remove these elements from the training process. Slow things down so we have time to figure things out, to diagnose, to recognize mistakes.

When I was first introduced to this idea, I latched right on to it. Some research on the human brain, learning methods, teaching techniques over the years, all reinforced this in various ways. But the place I learned it didn’t enforce it, only said it over and over like lip service. I spent years saying it in my own gym, telling students to slow down, to stop using strength. Things improved but it was never reliable.

There was one way to mitigate this, and it truly works.

Talk

Yes, talking. It is that simple. Before sparring with someone, especially if we are nervous, try talking with them for a moment. Ask how they are doing. Talk about a recent movie, or current event. Find a way to break the ice, to create a connection between the two of you. This can change the future.

What follows next, is a vastly different approach to the sparring match than what would have happened had we gone into the match amped up, nervous, scared, etc. Silence is deafening. Especially in the training hall. Help one another. Point out what we like about the other's technique or skills.

When I learned this principle from a Mantis Boxing coach I was already a coach myself. I was traveling across the country to train two to three times per year with this group. I only sparred with members of this group on those trips. The rest of the time I was sparring with my own students, and friends, which changes the dynamic of using this principle, especially when you’re the only one who knows it. I was always the one using it to help my students acclimate to sparring.

Aside from when I was first shown it, I never really benefited from this being used to help me, but I gained a invaluable insight from this process. As I traversed my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu path, more times than I can count I would attend class, team training, or visit another school to train at, invariably I would get paired up with the meanest looking player in the room.

The coach would pair us off, and having already scouted the room beforehand, I knew who was trouble. They would usually have a disgusted or angry face on, and no one would go near them to even talk to them before class. Looking at them, I could ascertain that if I were paired up with them it was going to be all out war in the ensuing match. Instead, I fell back on this skill I had built from coaching.

As it so happened, I would usually end up being paired off with these folks. When the coach called out our names I would go up, shake hands, and sit in front of them or aside them on the mats. As we waited for the coach to finish pairing people off, then for the bell to go off, or after the bell if there was no time, I would ask their name, where they are from, or what they do for work. Something to break the tension.

It turns out, with the exception of one person out of all the times this happened, and it was many, the individual was super nice, and we found something in common after talking for a few minutes. The result? The match would be relaxed, smooth, and injury free. Excellent experiences and the beginning of new friendships.

What I came to realize is, these individuals were just as nervous, anxious, afraid, not of my hulking 5’6” demon frame, but of sparring with people they didn’t know, or wondering if they were going to get smashed again today, or even worse…injured. By the look on their face it was easy to assume they were angry, or mean, but this was simply a mask, their mask, to hide the real underlying emotion - fear. Once someone took the time to say hello, they became completely different people and showed their true colors.

TALK BOX

You can even talk while sparring. I know this seems silly, and it can be quite difficult at first, but later this becomes a crucial training tool. By talking we learn to stabilize our emotions while getting hit or hitting someone else. Removing the stress from the situation allows the brain freedom to learn, and the ability to maintain a good 'speed' for gaining, and advancing skill.

We want to focus on relaxing, and gaining this coveted emotional control. Later on when we have achieved this and sparring is less of a stress to us, we can focus on trying to fix things while we’re sparring. At this stage, we'll be in a different place skill-wise. As our training progresses, so too does our ability to control our emotions. We train, not only to be able to handle ourselves physically in bad situations, but also to inoculate ourselves to physical contact so if and when things go bad outside the gym, we react without thought, we perform as our training has prepared us, without our emotions getting in the way.

UPDATES

All of the above is true and I still stand by it. However, I will add that in the past two years we have taken another step to ensure success. We no longer allow sparring until students have gone through the entire curriculum one time. By giving people skills to fall back on, rather than relying on speed and power when faced with the unknown, we’ve been able to reduce injury, increase camaraderie, and begin building emotional control from the ground up, rather than what we were doing prior.

At the time of this article, and since first learning and instituting this in my gym back in 2006, the success rate was pretty poor from student to student. This was due to sparring early on. We had not replaced the attributes with skills, or instituted a few other necessary practices that have shown extremely high success rates. When it is complete, I’ll post a link to my recent talk on this at the Martial Arts Studies conference in Cardiff, UK. Stay hooked.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

In the meantime, check out my friend Ando’s vlog on this same topic. Ando is an extremely high level martial artist, and incredibly adept coach who has spent decades perfecting his teaching methods. Take a few moments to watch this great video he put together on how he deals with emotions in the training process. You will laugh, and perhaps cry along with him as you watch. I highly recommend following his channel to see some of the great work he puts out.

Research Notes: (Open) Praying Mantis Boxing vs. Supreme Ultimate Boxing

Current document status: open and active.
Edited - 3-2020

Brothers in Arms: A Comparitive Analysis of Praying Mantis Boxing vs Supreme ultimate boxing (Tai Chi)

Although tánglángquán (praying mantis boxing 螳螂拳) and tàijíquán, also known as tai chi (supreme ultimate boxing 太极拳) have very different purposes in today's world, they share a plethora of similarities beyond just common fighting arts from the late Qīng dynasty in China. So much so, that I believe that they are intertwined in history.

Shared techniques, principles, and geographic location all hint to a broader cross-pollination of Chinese boxing techniques in this time period, and region. The reality is these styles have more in common with one another than any defining uniqueness.

For the past few years I have been working intermittently on this project and from time to time come back and update these notes with more findings, and observations. I noticed similarities with praying mantis boxing and supreme ultimate boxing back in 2012 while researching texts. At the time, I was doing an article on one of the keywords of mantis boxing - Kao (Lean), and I recalled the 13 characters of tàijíquán had the same keyword.

I decided to do a character comparison between supreme ultimate boxing and mantis boxing, and see if it was the same 'kao'. Sure enough, they were the same character. I quickly then asked myself, ‘if these were the same, were their other keywords they had in common?’

This lead to further research and comparisons, and soon I had a series of principles and sub-principles that drew a solid link between the two styles. Showing clearly that they held more similarity with one another than not. The English translations people use can vary, but the Chinese character for many of the keywords is found to be the same for each style.

Below is a work in progress but it is far enough along that I can share it. 

Note: when I refer to Taijiquan, I am referring to my background in Yang style Cotton Boxing. The name was changed in the late 19th or early 20th century when the practice shifted to fitness/health, from practical fighting art.

The original names of Chen, and Yang family styles (see below), were very different than the broad characterization of tàijíquán they are muddled in nowadays. From my research it has been hard to locate any evidence of the term tàijíquán in relation to these 2 families and their boxing systems prior to the second half of the 19th century when the Wu brothers wrote about it.

The Wu’s studied with Yang Lu Chan, patriarch of the Yang family. Who had trained with the Chen family but used his own combination of 37 techniques later known as Yang style tàijíquán but what Yang referred to as mianquan, or cotton boxing.

I’ve been able to trace (thanks to the translations of other researchers that speak Chinese) that the Wu’s later studied with Yang’s son after he passed away. Eventually they separated into their own style, and from all outward appearances, then began branding it as tàijíquán, or Supreme Ultimate Boxing.

One can quickly surmise that if the Wu’s called it such, that the grandson to the founder of the Yang family’s boxing system himself, Yang Cheng Fu, who incidentally is the most influential in the spread and recognition of tàijíquán in the world today, would lay claim to that name since the Wu’s learned their art from his family/grandfather.

From there the Chen family catching wind to this, could certainly take notice and say, ‘how can you be the ‘Supreme Ultimate’ Boxing if Yang Lu Chan learned from us?’ Thus, I believe the chain reaction that caused them to possibly take on the name/moniker of tàijíquán across all families.

Regardless of the chicken and the egg argument, the fact remains that the keywords used by tàijíquán share many common terms/principles with tánglángquán. Speaking to a larger overriding argument that there was more in common with all styles of Chinese boxing as a whole rather than differences.

The following are examples of the crossover between these two arts from northern China and the Yellow River region:

12 Keywords
of
Praying Mantis Boxing
(Táng láng quán 螳螂拳)

1. Hook (Gōu 勾)

2. Clinch (Lǒu 摟)

3. Pluck (Cǎi 採)

4. Connect (Zhān 粘)

5. Cling (Nián 黏)

6. Hang (Guà 掛)

7. Wicked (Diāo 刁)

8. Enter (Jìn 進)

9. Crush (Bēng 崩)

10. Strike (Dǎ 打)

11. Adhere (Tiē 貼)

12. Lean (Kào 靠)

13 Keywords
of
Supreme Ultimate Boxing
(Tài jí quán 太极拳)

1. Arrow-Quiver (bīng 掤)

2. Stroke (Luō 擠)

3. Press/Squeeze - (Jǐ 擠)

4. Press/Push, Keep a hand on (àn 按)

5. Split (Liè 挒)

6. Pluck (Cǎi 採)

7. Elbow (Zhǒu 肘)

8. Lean (Kào 靠)

9. To Enter (Jìn 進)

10. To Retreat (Tuì 退)

11. Left

12. Right

13. Central Equilibrium

Shared Keywords

Includes the primary keywords listed above, sub-principles listed in the tàijíquán manuals, and some tánglángquán correlating evidence.

Hook (Gōu 勾)

A predominant tool in tánglángquán and the first keyword, yet absent from the keywords in tàijíquán. However, it is still used in tàijíquán, and seen in techniques such as strum pipa, single whip, and snake creeps down. Hook, is also listed within sub-principles in tàijíquán manuals. Similar usage in application of ‘single whip’ vs ‘slant chop’, the initiation of pluck, requires a grab, or a hook. Hooking was not unique in Chinese boxing, and is quite prevalent in many of the various ‘styles’ from the region, including numerous shuai jiao applications. It would be more difficult to explain why ‘hooking’ wouldn’t exist, rather than why it does.

Pluck (Cǎi 採)

The ‘pluck’ principle is not only present in Chinese arts, but exists in styles from around the globe. In wrestling styles of the west it is commonly referred to as a ‘snap down’, but the arm variation of pluck, while included in the Chinese variant, exists in the west as a separate method known as a ‘drag’. This keyword runs strong in tánglángquán, and tàijíquán and it used heavily in conjunction with hooking, or splitting.

Enter (Jìn 進)

To enter as in a doorway. To advance. This keyword is shared between both tánglángquán, and tàijíquán, and other styles as well. The entire premise with xíngyìquán (mind intent boxing 形意拳) for example, is to go forth and blast someone with full intent. The concept of advancing in xíngyìquán is more in line with tánglángquán. Within tàijíquán, we see the concept of yielding and retreating displayed more prominently in their framework. I would attribute this less to any sort of superior approach, and more to do with the framers incorporation of taoist, or Chinese philosophical beliefs in general, into the tàijíquán agenda. The concept of Enter is straight forward - go in. Do not dally. Press the attack into the opponent to overwhelm them.

Lean (Kào 靠)

Both ‘styles’ work inside and outside of the clinch. Whenever we’re engaged in this range, we should be leaning forward to prevent easy takedowns, or being uprooted with minimal effort. The lean principle can be applied this way, but…it’s true measure is within the application of throwing techniques such as crashing tide, or white crane spreads wings. In both praying mantis boxing, and supreme ultimate boxing, the designer of the framework for these arts that later became known as the keywords, sought to convey significant value to this character and its importance.

Connect (Zhān 粘) | Cling (Nián 黏)

[In process] - Correlation between - Connect/Cling found in tánglángquán vs Stick/Adhere/Connect/Follow within tàijíquán. The significance of sticking.

Adhere (Tiē 貼)

Any grappling based art, or hand-to-hand combat system that includes grappling, whether on the ground, or stand-up, would be remiss not to include such a principle. This is further supported by this character being prominently listed in both tánglángquán and tàijíquán which use grappling and clinch work in their application. Tiē, is an emphasis on sticking, but closer in than the aforementioned sticking highlighted in both arts with Zhān, and Nián.

Elbow (Zhǒu 肘)

One of the core forms of mantis boxing is known as 8 Elbows, or Ba Zhou. The use of elbows is highly prevalent in Mantis Boxing. This correlates to the emphasis placed on the ‘elbow strike’ in tàijíquán in it’s prime principles.

Notes on ‘Ward Off’

The first keyword of taijiquan is often called - Peng (ward off). I was unable to prove this to be true in my research. Much of my findings indicated a schism in the tai chi community at large, over what the original Chinese character was. Some claim it to be peng, others bing, what I used above. What is the most important factor here is the Chinese character. If the community cannot agree on what the original character was then any translation or meaning of the first keyword is null and void. We cannot translate that which we do not know, or are incapable of agreeing upon. This coupled with Yang Lu Chan, founder of Yang family style taijiquan, being recorded as illiterate, makes it even more preposterous to claim original intent here.

Additional Commonalities

Kicking Methods

The two styles share their kicking strategy in common. Some of the kicks found in both styles are the ‘heel kick’, ‘toe kick’, and ‘cross kick’.

Striking & Blocking

The two styles share common striking attacks and counters.

• ‘Deflect, Parry, Punch’ from supreme ultimate boxing is also found in mantis boxing forms.

• Both styles depend on an upper block combined with a counter strike down the middle; known as ‘bend bow shoot tiger in tàijíquán, or ‘pao quan’ in xíngyìquán. This move shows up repeatedly in tánglángquán forms such as Tou Tao (White Ape Steals Peach).

• The use of the 'chopping fist' shows up in both styles. This appears to have been Yang Lu Chan’s primary offensive attack/bridge. I suspect, based on the expression and representation in the original Chen style form, known as ‘cannon fist’ that this is similar. This attack method is used repeatedly in styles of Chinese boxing found in the north and south, to include, but not limited to praying mantis boxing. Other styles/sets relying heavily on this include - gongliquan, lianbuquan, tongbei, changquan, choy li fut, etc.

• The Beng Quan (Crushing Fist) is used predominantly in both mantis boxing and Yang’s mianquan (cotton boxing). This attack is commonly found in mantis boxing forms, such as Beng Bu, Lan Jie, Ba Zhou, and Tou Tao, and more.

• White Snake Spits Tongue is also a shared attack in both systems. Parry and counter-strike to the eyes, or throat.

Throwing/Tripping Methods

The crossover here is expected to be heavy. I will name them as they come to mind, but given the prevalence of the Mongol influence in the north, and the wrestling techniques of the Steppe peoples permeating the local cultures, it is likely this will be one of the strongest areas of similarity and crossover. Many of the movements are even evidenced back to the 1500’s in Qi Jiguang’s unarmed boxing set used to train troops in the Ming dynasty.

Techniques

• Snake Creeps Down is the same move/attack as found in tánglángquán’s piercing hook method.

• Single whip in tàijíquán is the same method known as slant chop in tánglángquán.

• Grasp Sparrow Tail:
  Stage 1 - rowing hook variant (see below).
  Stage 2 - known as double sealing hands in mantis boxing.
  Stage 3 - known as ‘crashing tide’ in mantis boxing.
  Stage 4 - double push takedown found in an opening move of mantis boxing form known as lanjie, which evidence points to meihuaquan origin.

• Step Up to Seven Star is a second variation of ‘crashing tide’ that is found in another mantis boxing form. The same move, expressed with variation on the leg execution based on grappling pressure of opponent. The monkey stance or bow stance version is heavy forward momentum when going from striking to takedown. The seven star variant is when adhering to the opponent in the grapple and using forward pressure (lean) and trapping the leg to prevent the step out.

• Strum Pipa is known as ‘white ape invites guest’ in mantis boxing.

• Diagonal Flying is a shuai jiao move known as a rowing hook. The flying diagonal is one variant.

• Golden rooster rises up is also a rowing hook variant and is found in lan jie form in mantis boxing.

• to be continued…

Two Roads Same Path

The two styles took very different paths as time passed, yet originated with a similar intent. Yang tàijíquán was very condensed; using one form to house the entire system of 37 applications.

Tánglángquán, on the other hand, had 2 or 3 original forms (allegedly), and later became bloated as more and more forms were piled on. The system split into multiple lines as did tàijíquán, except each branch with a multitude of varying forms, rather than a single representation, further diluting the art.

Tàijíquán, was also transformed into the health practice commonly known as Tai Chi today and was used for physical education. This took place in the early 1900’s; spearheaded by Yang Cheng Fu. It was excellent for all ages, and those who could not perform high impact exercise thus keeping it fairly intact through the ages.

Tàijíquán had already been split into different family lines (Chen, Yang, Wu, Wu Hao, and finally Sun). It split again post-transformation from fighting to fitness. The original Chen family style (Cannon Boxing), and Yang family style (Cotton Boxing), were combative and extremely condensed. See my article on ‘The Dirty History of Tai Chi’ for more details, and a bibliography of sources.

Praying mantis boxing, was also absorbed into the national movement for better health and fitness. Jin Woo, Nanqing Guo Shu Institute are examples, but with a different methodology. They added pre-requisite forms known as fundamentals training prior to being able to focus one’s studies on mantis boxing, or another style. In Jin Woo, practitioners performed sets at a faster, and more athletic pace, to a fault; as this later became a standard by which your ‘art’ was judged, versus the original combative intent.

In the end, it saved neither from becoming obsolete, broken, and losing their teeth. Lucky for us, the forms, and the keywords/principles survived; making reassembling the arts still possible.

Below are maps to show the provinces in China where these styles originate. Eastern Henan Province, Shandong, and Hebei province.

As Douglas Wile points out in his book - ‘Lost Tai-Chi Classics of the Late Ch'ing Dynasty’,

“the Yellow River basin was a hotbed for martial arts training and fighting. Many famous boxers emerged from this region and went on to be accredited with founding of their own fighting systems.”

Crossover of techniques and principles that work, or the use of a technique that defeated another opponent, would surely be picked up and used among anyone in the know.

The common use of bēng quán (crushing fist 崩拳), pào quán (cannon punch 炮拳), and pī quán (chopping fist 劈拳) in Xing Yi Quan, Tang Lang Quan, and multiple family styles of Tai Ji Quan offers a clear example of this cross-pollination of techniques.

Maps

Yantai, Shandong, China. Birthplace of Tánglángquán

 

Chen family village. Henan, China. Birthplace of Tàijíquán

 

Dai family biaoju company. Xingyiquan Region

 

---

Research Bibliography and Character Sources:
 

• Lost Tai-Chi Classics of the Late Ch'ing Dynasty, Douglas Wile, 1996, SUNY Press

• 12 Character Formula by Michael Dasargo

• Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan - Fu Zhongwen, translated by Louis Swaim 1999, North Atlantic Books

• The Essence and Applications of Taijiquan, Yang Chengfu, translated by Louis Swaim, 2005, North Atlantic Books

• Brennan, Paul. 2013. EXPLAINING TAIJI PRINCIPLES 楊班侯 attributed to Yang Banhou [circa 1875] - https://brennantranslation.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/explaining-taiji-principles-taiji-fa-shuo/

Cracking the Black - Don Maurer

We have some great news to share from last weekend. Don Maurer was awarded his Black Belt in Mantis Boxing by my hand on December 3, 2016.

Don Maurer - 2006

Don was one of our first students when we started this school. He has spent the past 12 years training with us, and is, in my mind, the epitomy of perseverance. No matter the setbacks life has thrown his way, he has found a way to stay the course and keep his feet on the path. 

Don has always worked at bettering his skills, and bettering those around him. Some of you may even remember when he was helping run classes back in the mill. He is a tenacious martial artist, and always pushing forward through adversity.

I recall a story Don told me once from his childhood that I believe had a profound affect on his ability to stick with it when life tried to say otherwise.

When he was a child, Don's father came home one day with a guitar. He asked his father what the guitar was for, and his father replied - "It's yours. I signed you up for guitar lessons and you start next week." Don adamantly told his father that he did not want to learn guitar. His father's respons - "Too bad. You're taking guitar."

After a couple years, Don grew to love playing the guitar. Do you know what he still does to this day, some 40+ years later? Plays guitar. I have not personally heard him play, but I can tell through our discussions, and how he relates martial arts to music, that he is at a master level. 

That same perseverance has paid off again. Now his level of understanding has evolved in Mantis Boxing. The ability to see the unseen, to know the intricacies, to connect the dots. To achieve something that cannot be taken away, or erased. A mark is left.

It is such an honor to be able to guide people to this level of the journey. Thank you, Don. I am glad Mantis Boxing is being passed down and I am grateful to be able to share the art with you. 

photos by Max Kotchouro

Cracking the Black - Holly Cyr

photo courtesy of Haeyong Moon

Saturday was a very special day. Holly Cyr received her Black Belt in Mantis Boxing  (Tángláng quán 螳螂拳) on Saturday, January 2, 2016. The first Black Belt awarded by my hand. Holly has beaten the odds and continued to stay the course. Becoming one of the few women to achieve such a rank in Mantis Boxing.

Holly has spent the past seven plus years dedicated and committed to not only her training, but the elevation of her peers. She constantly contributes to the team in any way possible, and has been an upstanding student, mentor, and coach.

Holly receiving her first belt in Mantis Boxing. 2008

Over the years Holly attended classes every possible chance she could. Including workshops (here and abroad), mountain retreats, and competitions. Training during the day, returning again at night. Day after day. Any opportunity to train, learn something new, or hone an existing skill, she was on it. This took second place only to her desire to help others.

As our mantis boxing has grown and evolved, so too did Holly along with it. Change is difficult for many, but rather than let it stop her, she embraced it. If it improved what we did, she never looked back.

In 2010, we added to our striking and kicking, with a class devoted to throwing. Holly jumped right in. When we added Fitness Kickboxing to create a bridge to the local community, she offered to help coach it. When we needed a kids instructor, she was there helping to run the class, and organize holiday events for the kids.

Seeing a need in the local communities, she jumped at the chance to help coach self-defense training for adult and teen women. Later integrating her knowledge of ground fighting into her coaching.

Continuing to add to her skillset, she took on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and devoted a passion and focus and to ground fighting and self-defense. She competed and gold medaled at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation in 2013, and was one of the first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belts in our school.

Over the past year, her Mantis Boxing has coalesced into a formidable art; Holly has become a force to be reckoned with on and off the mats. Her hard work has paid off, and will continue to serve her well into the future.

IBJJF Boston Open 2013

It has been a true honor to watch Holly grow and evolve as a coach. It is the pinnacle of our experience to be able to see someone reach this level. Many fall by the wayside over the years, which only makes this achievement all the more meaningful. Staying the course for this length of time, persevering, seeing something through to this level, is a sign of true inner strength.

This accomplishment did not demarcate an end to Holly’s journey, nor a completion of her training. More aptly, it has only served as an entry into Holly’s greater sight, skills, knowledge, and an ever growing desire and ability to share her art with those around her.

No matter where she goes. No matter how hard life gets. No one can ever take this achievement away from her. Thank you Holly for many years of dedication and commitment to the arts, and the pleasure of being able to award you this honor. You are an inspiration to all those who follow in your footsteps. I look forward to seeing where you take the arts from here.

Embrace the Suck!!!

Frustrated with your progress or lack thereof? Embrace the Suck!

I want to take a few minutes today and try to shed some light on this obscure 'suck zone' we go through, and perhaps offer some perspective to help you not only power through it, but optimize your progression.

• "Arrrrgghh!!! Why Can't I Get This!?!?!"

• "Why is that person getting this so much faster than I am?"

• "Why do I feel so stupid, or uncoordinated?"

These are common questions I hear, or see, as a coach/mentor/instructor. In order to understand why martial arts, or any new activity requiring physical prowess [other sports apply here] is giving us a hard time, we have to look at the human brain. 

Over the past decade and a half, I have taught highly intelligent people. By and large, most of them extremely intelligent. And yet, when forced to freeze a motion and are asked, many cannot tell you where their arm is located in that moment in time if they do not stop and look at it. I have lost count of the amount of times I have given a correction to someone, and received an incredulous look while stating - "I am leaning, really?!?!?!"

What many of us fail to recognize in ourselves, or cut ourselves slack for, is our level of physical activity going into the arts. So maybe we played sports in high school...then we went to college, got a job, started a family, and then realized at 35 we haven't been active in 17 years and need to so something, anything to do to get moving.

Maybe we are 16 years old and have lived in front of a video game console our whole life; never really using our body. Maybe we are 65 and deciding to take up Tai Chi to stay active, but we spent a bulk of our life parked at a desk job since we were in our 30’s. To our brain, there is a common thread here.

The human brain is incredibly conservative. If something is not being used, then the brain ignores it. Don't exercise? Our muscles atrophy. Don't stand/walk put a load on your skeletal system? Our bones atrophy; after only 18 hours (on a molecular level). It doesn't take long to regress with our physicality, and the brain does the exact same thing.

FRUSTRATED???

We have pathways connecting neurons in our brain, and each pathway connects one piece of information to another, to another; creating a network, or a web of interconectivity. This happens with physical activity as well. Compare it to our high school Algebra experience. That thing we said we would never use in life. Let’s say we were right, and we never used it after leaving school. Now, when we try to do Algebra at the age of 25, 30, 35, it doesn't work so well. The same thing happens with our body and physical movement.

When we have a group of common connections with shared threads, it is due to our brain building relationships. Connecting one neuron to another neuron to build a 'network'. Think of it as a power grid; transmitting electricity from node to node. If one node goes down, other connections still exist. Except...this power grid automatically shuts down lines that are not being used in order to save energy.

Unfortunately, if we stop using a pathway, the brain starts overwriting these connections it no longer deems relevant. Pathways grow dormant, and new information that is relevant to whatever we are doing in our life HERE and NOW, is what is going to take precedence.

If physical activity is not at the forefront of our life, then atrophy sets in; physical AND mental. The brain does not waste time and energy trying to keep things 'alive' that are not useful to its purpose. If we were a star athlete in college, we will still have pathways for those actions in our prior sport, but they have faded; and continue to fade over time. If we return to the sport in our 30's, we will probably stumble a bit in the beginning, but will likely pick things back up relatively quickly after the initial grind.

The Neural Network

Neural Network

Our brain is full of billions of neurons. When we start training in martial arts, we may develop a neuron for a block, or a punch that we learned. We practiced the block, we know the block, and it is now a reflexive part of us. We practiced punching for hours on end as well.

Now, when someone punches us, we block successfully, but we don't punch, or there is a delay before we punch. Why? No connection...yet. 

After practicing for a while we see similar circumstances. One day we are comfortable enough with our blocking, and punching enough that when someone in class takes a familiar swing at us, we suddenly match up an opening we see in their guard when we are offensively punching, with the opening we see after blocking one of their strikes at us. We then throw a counter punch.

After an action like this, our brain now creates a connection from the ‘punch’ neuron, to the ‘block’ neuron and we become accustomed to seeing that opportunity in the future, and responding that same way the next time. Voilà! Progress.

Now, let's add a piece to the puzzle. Person A punches. We block. We counter punch, but suddenly our punch misses. The person slips the punch. Now we stand there for a second unsure what to do next. Why? We don't have the connection laid yet. This is a new situation that has occurred. We have to build a new path from here. This is like trying to cross from Boston to San Diego in our car, but there is no map. We have to try road after road, retracing steps and getting familiar with paths so we can venture down new paths from there.

Grappling example: We learn how to do an armbar. Neuron is mapped. We learn how to triangle choke from guard. Neuron mapped. Now we are fighting with an opponent in our guard and we go for an armbar. An armbar that we may be quite successful at and have trained thoroughly over and over.

Our opponent pulls the arm before we can secure it. We lose the submission and have to start over with something else. Or instead, we take that triangle choke we practiced a thousand times and we learn how to snap that on as they counter the armbar. We have successfully mapped a connection between these two submissions and our next response is to immediately counter their counter, with another submission. Something that is impossible to do when we have not mapped out either neuron, or built the connection between them. 

The more we train, the more we experience on the mats, failures most importantly, the more neurons we build connections to as we find solutions. Eventually, we get a web of connections and when faced with unfamiliar stimuli, we have a wider net to catch it in, and formulate a ‘creative’ response based on all the other connections in our web. The better we get, the more likely we are to have a 'proper' response to this new threat or action. The more we can ‘see’.

A.I. 

When I was studying Artificial Intelligence, the coolest subject I had in college, and yet somehow turned to the most boring in practicum (still unclear how one can do this), we learned about neural networks. One of the early mistakes made by pathfinders in the field was to try and code every potential outcome into the machine in advance.

While this may work with a simple 3 instruction test, they quickly found it was impossible to train every single scenario/outcome that can happen. Even some of the simplest tasks would take years of coding and massive amounts of storage. Impossible for hardware at the time.

The solution, was to go from ‘trying to program every response possible’, to ‘building neural networks’ - nodes with pathways, interconnected so the computer could train as it goes through a series of pass fails - what is now known as 'machine learning'. Learn through added stimuli, the same way we learn as humans - through trial and error.

Fighting is chaos incarnate. The supercomputer residing inside our skull would take 100's of years to try and calculate all the possible responses in fighting. Instructors training students in this way, would result in absolute disaster. Instead, we train principles. We train using sparring and rolling to create randomness and variability, causing us to error out, and learn a mistake. The results we get are far superior.

This explains why someone becomes more proficient the longer they train. They see more options, form more connections, and become more and more adaptable.

Coaches Perspective

"Your left foot. NOOOO!!! YOUR OTHER LEFT FOOT!!!"

From a coach's perspective, it can be extremely frustrating to tell someone to move their left, or right foot, and have them unaware of where their leg is. I have been in schools where teachers have thrown out students and told them - "Get out!!! This is not for you."; completely giving up on the student due to their lack of coordination.

I wholeheartedly disagree with this approach; even though at times past I confess to watching students and wondering if they were ever going to get it. We never know where someone is going. We all have our own struggles, some earlier in the process than others. Sometimes these same individuals turn out to be the hardest workers because of the struggles they faced early on.

They could become the next coach, mentor, or even a champion; the next in line to pass on the art. If we turn them off of martial arts for good because they didn't get it right away, then the loss of potential is immediate, and sometimes everlasting. Encourage, guide, support.

Patience, understanding, and empathy are easier said than done, but they are necessary tools when teaching our art to ALL those who wish to receive it. Someone with long periods of physical inactivity, is going to take longer to get up to speed with basic movement than a seasoned athlete. We each face our own struggles.

MILITARY TRAINING vs. CIVILIAN

Holly - playing in the mud at Spartan Race 2014

The drill instructors in boot camp have one hell of a job to do - 8 weeks to turn goofy, uncoordinated, immature, head up their a$$ teenagers into lean, mean, fighting machines.

This is not an easy task, and our lives, and the lives of those around us, depend on getting it right. And quickly. However, we are a captive audience; by choice, or not.

When teaching adults/civilians, who are not REQUIRED by some threat to stand there and take our bull$%&^, we have to be somewhat flexible in our demands. We can do this by drawing out the timeline for success. We can't just scream, degrade, and humiliate them until they get it; like boot camp. If we are training people for combat in a condensed period of time, then absolutely.

However, in that case we likely are not teaching in-depth martial arts that require years of training to explore high levels of skill. We would be focused on simplified fighting systems like Xing Yi, Krav Maga, or some other streamlined hand-to-hand combat system. Simplified, and meant for short training not mastering high levels of skill. 

High Skill Competition Training

If we are training competitively, or training a team to compete, then this can also change the game. Pushing people, and people wanting you to push them, become an interwoven dynamic to increase performance, and achieve higher gains.

This process is voluntary on both sides, and usually involves a higher degree of focus and effort on the part of the competitor. Skills increase over time, and people compete at the level/age bracket they are currently at. As they gain higher skill and aptitude, they move up in rank and compete against more advanced opponents.

The Long Term Approach

If we are teaching out of our garage, do not need to sustain ourselves from a vibrant school, or we are trying to train people as quickly as possible, then we can cherry pick our students, and kick out (directly, or indirectly) the one's that won't get up to speed fast enough for our taste, or goals.

But...if we are interested in creating a strong community of martial artists that help one another grow and learn to a high level over time, a group that accepts people of all skill and talent levels among their ranks, then we need to keep in mind that not everyone has been training for these arts their entire life. Some will need more time and patience in the process.

One approach I like to use in thinking about this - drawing. When we want to draw a human face, we don't start by drawing every freckle, line, or hair. We start with a rough circle for the head, and rough circles for the eyes, nose, mouth, ears. Then, we begin to create finer and finer circles and lines. Adding more and more detail as we go, and erasing/removing unnecessary lines. Martial Arts is no different. We don't need to feel like our ROUGH DRAFT is supposed to be the final MASTERPIECE.

All black belts are not created equal. All black belts are not created in the same amount of time.

No SECRETS

There really are no secrets. The solution is simple, but not easily achieved. The longer we train, the more we surround ourselves with other people who train, the more we watch; the more we read, ponder, discuss; the more 'consumption', will directly affect the pace at which we move up the skill ladder.

This obviously takes other traits and behaviors such as discipline to keep showing up, perseverance to get up after each failure and try again, and overall grit to stick through the lows and not just ride the highs. Combine this with continuing to build that neural network, and you have the recipe for success. Eventually creating a web in your brain that is ready to catch anything that flies through it.

Many people come and go from activities. If we keep showing up, keep training, we will keep evolving. Sometimes the successful people we see in various fields, were not the best at what they do, but they are the one's that kept showing up. 

Stay the course. All will be revealed with time and effort.

--

Photos courtesy of Max Kotchouro

Bibliography:

Buonomano, Dean. Brain Bugs: How the Brain's Flaws Shape Our Lives. New York: W.W. Norton, 2011. Print.

"The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science Paperback – December 18, 2007." The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science: Norman Doidge: 9780143113102: Amazon.com: Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.

Essay: The Heart of Mantis

Update - 10-MAR-2019

Below is an essay from May of 2013. After 14 years in Chinese boxing styles, thousands of hours of training, and a year into my journey of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, in 2012 my ideas and approach to the art of praying mantis boxing began to shift. I was not happy with the ‘status quo’, the failure of the art (meaning the methods within forms) to ‘work’ in fighting, and I began to approach mantis from a different angle - a grappling mindset. What you are about to read, is written during this early period in my transformation. Some of this (the history in particular) is incorrect, or incomplete. Later, through further training, research, and sparring, I was able to more deeply develop an understanding of the art. This is the foundation, the beginning of the evolution. I consider this to be when my art truly began. While I could delete this, hide it, or pretend I was never ‘new’, I leave this here to demarcate a point in time on my journey in martial arts. - Randy

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The Heart of Mantis - What is Praying Mantis Kung Fu?

By Randy Brown - 28-MAY-2013

photos by: Max Kotchouro

The story goes something like this...

Wang Lang observed a Praying Mantis fighting a larger and more powerful Cicada sometime in the 1600’s. After watching the Mantis defeat the Cicada with ease, he adopted the Praying Mantis' combat style into his Kung Fu. He began mimicking the hooking techniques, as well as the fighting strategy into his own fighting, to much success. Mantis is said to be a hybrid of 18 different styles of Kung Fu; streamlined and polished for efficiency in combat.

Concept art for new logo - 2013

Here is a style created some 350+ years ago in an area of northern China known as the Shandong Province. The style has survived dictators killing/imprisoning/exiling martial artists, rebellions, war, racial boundaries, distrust, and cultural diversity through the annals of time. It has survived in part because of it's legend as a superior fighting art. So why isn't it being used by anyone in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships)? Why isn’t it at the forefront of self-defense like other systems? Why isn't it as well known as Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Jiu Jitsu, Karate?

As with much of the Chinese Martial Arts known as Kung Fu, the fighting application was lost over the centuries or decades. Practitioners and teachers were left with choreographed forms; empty shells of a bygone fighting art. Speculating on what it meant to fight like a Praying Mantis, and what the true art contained. After all, we don't have 4 legs, 2 arms with large hooks and spikes on them, or the ability to fly. So how does a human fight like a bug? And how is it relevant to hand-to-hand combat in the 21st century?

What is Praying Mantis Kung Fu?

Mantis Hooks

A Praying Mantis seizes it's opponent with it's large arms and hooks. It pulls it's prey off balance, and devours it on the ground. When observing the mantis against a larger foe, one can see the mantis pounce, take the back of it’s foe, use it’s legs to hold on, and continually try to control it's opponent while it bites and gains better hook positions to keep it safe.

We don't have large mandibles to chew on our opponents, nor would I advocate biting your enemies unless absolutely necessary. What's important about the mantis' tactics is, the controlling, the seizing, the binding up...the hooks! This is what I love about Mantis, and what I believe has been misunderstood for quite some time - where the hooks belong.

We often thought Mantis was all about grabbing wrists and pulling our opponents around. Some have made that work quite well for themselves, especially those with large hands, or body types. What of the rest of us? How do those techniques get used against a full speed attacker coming to take you down, or knock you out? How does a smaller person use that to grab someone with wrists twice as thick? It doesn't, and they don’t. Plain and simple. It might work on low skill opponents, or those under the influence of drugs/alcohol. If it worked in full out combat against a trained opponent, you'd see that style of fighting in a venue such as the UFC.

Mantis should be based on the following - if you had two large hooks, not small hands with 10 fingers, how would you control a human opponent? How would you fight like a Mantis? What would you take away from watching a real mantis that could function in live combat?

A Stand-Up Grappling Art

You would use these hooks to clinch, to control your opponent; latching onto their neck, their upper arms, their body - over hooks, under hooks, clinch. Similar to what is seen in other fighting arts - Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling, Muay Thai, etc. These techniques are still alive today in other art forms. Minus the defining attribute of Mantis - the hooking hand (more on that below).

The moves inside the Mantis forms make much more sense when viewed from this perspective. Many obscure and often seemingly useless applications/movements, suddenly come to life as amazing and ingenious solutions to combat at mid to close range. Approaching it from this angle, one can also disseminate and get rid of stylized marketplace Kung Fu, stuff that has the practitioner just trying to act like a bug with no real purpose.

The hooking hand is used to grab an opponent’s wrist in some applications. Mantis accounts for the range it likes to function in; the hooking hand vs. the forearm/wrist becomes an important tool for maintaining the dominant position or winning the fight when grappling for control.

The Hooks (Gōu 勾)

‘Mantis Hook’ as depicted in Chinese martial arts forms.

The Mantis Hook - an obvious indicator of the Kung Fu style. Making it readily apparent that the practitioner is doing Praying Mantis Kung Fu. This seemingly innocuous shape is highly effective and ingenious in it’s design.

Other martial arts styles use hooks (White Crane, Muay Thai, Wrestling - Mongolian and Western), but unlike Mantis, there is no emphasis on the curling of the fingers. The little finger (a.k.a. - the pinky) is the grip finger. This finger controls our grip and governs the strength of such. When latching onto an opponent, focusing the energy and intent in the pinky increases the tightness of the hold.

When practicing Mantis in the air, folding the fingers into the hook hand engages the muscles in the forearm, making your hooks stronger, thereby giving you more control, and being more difficult to contend with. Use this to clinch and control your opponent so you can topple them to the ground, or cling to them while you strike, knee, elbow. The common hooks are neck hook, over hook on the tricep, under hook, arm hook, wrist hook, leg hook.

Hook positions, And Where They Attach

Some applications involve wrist hooking and lower arm control as stated - defensive measures in the clinch, but predominantly the hooks are used to control upper limbs and body. Control the head, and you control your opponent.

The following pictures show some of the common holds in Mantis, as well as other fighting arts.

Hook variations found in mantis forms. Common to other styles of martial arts as well.

The Mantis Boxer Strategy

Bridge, Strike, Kick, Contact, Cling, Takedown/Throw, Destroy

Bridging with Closing Door Kick

The 5 elements of a Mantis Boxer:

1. Bridge using deceptive kicking.

2. Overwhelm with ‘crushing’ strikes (Beng Da) or block counter-strikes.

3. Contact/Cling - engage the hooks for control in the clinch. Use elbows/knees where necessary.

4. Takedown or throw the opponent to the ground.

5. Finish them with ground strikes, kicks, knees, elbows, or joint locks.

This is the overall offensive strategy in Mantis. Overwhelm, seize, control, strike with knees, elbows, tight hooks, uppercuts - all from the clinch; then take to the ground, and finish the fight, mimicking the same actions of a Praying Mantis in the wild. If the opponent is offensive, block incoming blows, close to the clinch, then strike, knee, and take to the ground.

Conclusion

What makes Mantis different from so many of the other fighting arts in the limelight today? Not much. A few incredible things that were developed for the range that Mantis likes to control from, and the nuances of the hooking hand - using it to delay an opponent’s return to a defensive position long enough for a counter attack, etc.

Like many of the Northern Kung Fu styles, Mantis descends from centuries of Mongolian Wrestling (Elephant Style Wrestling). An artform in and of itself, whereby Genghis Khan tested the fortitude and skills of his warriors.

Northern Kung Fu styles such as Praying Mantis developed from these roots and evolved to include combat effective techniques. Used properly, Praying Mantis Kung Fu can be a highly effective and destructive fighting system.

Form vs. Function: A Lesson in How to Get Worse at Martial Arts

Fifty. That's the number of kung fu forms I had accumulated after 7 years of training. This was a combination of empty hand and weapon forms from a myriad of Chinese boxing styles. Some of you reading this, may think this is somehow a great achievement; I found it disparaging and detrimental to my martial arts training. Something that led to a decline in my skills, and ability to run/teach a new school with eager students.

Forms are choreographed sequences of martial movements. In Karate they are call kata. In wu shu (aka - kung fu) they are called tao lu. Historically forms were used as a database to store a boxers martial arts techniques. A way to practice techniques when one did not have a partner available to train with.

Why were forms used in traditional Asian martial arts, and why do we not see them in boxing, muay thai, judo, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, etc.?

A majority of the population in China and surrounding areas were illiterate. There were no videos, photos, etc. for people to pass on information. These choreographed sets were at times used as a method of transmission from one boxer to another, or as a storehouse for a boxers arsenal of hand-to-hand, or weapon combat methods.

Forms were also used for thousands of years in China, as callisthenics training for troops, or intimidation of an enemy army prior to engagement on the battlefield. Forms have a long, deep history in Chinese martial ritual/training, and are often for this reason, difficult for practitioners to separate their importance, or lack thereof, from the true underlying point - the practice of methods of violence.

This factor has played into why Chinese martial arts has gone off the rails in an extremely destructive train wreck. Function became absent from forms, and forms became the pedestal in which one’s art was judged. Like judging the quality of a significant other based on their make-up they wear, or their clothing, rather than who they are as a person.

After 7 years of training in Chinese martial arts, I had little practical knowledge of the kung fu applications locked within these forms. My only exposure to ‘real’ methods of attack and defense, were routine uncoached sparring, often way too hard and fast to be productive at anything other than hurting one another, and joint locking (qin na), which I trained as an entirely separate component from the normal class schedule.

I had zero idea what the moves inside my forms were designed to do. Additionally, I could barely keep 20 forms fresh in my head without having to run back to the video documentation I would compile so that I could keep records of what I had learned.

As far as handling myself in a fight after all this training? If I am honest about it, I would say on a good day, I could have handled myself against the average joe, but against a knowledgeable trained fighter? No chance. This was upsetting too me, and continued to gnaw deep in my bones as years passed, especially after all the hard work and countless hours of training I had done. What was the point? I wanted to know how to fight, not dance.

Whenever we would spar in classes, there was no cohesion of any kind between applications in the forms, and our fighting. Again, they seemed to exist independently of one another, with any sort of homeostasis lacking. It is as if one had absolutely nothing to do with the other. I began to question everything I had been doing. I stared long and hard into my art, and myself. Years before I had studied tae kwon do and found it lacking. I sought out kung fu 'specifically', so I could be a badass martial arts fighter. That was not happening.

Another growing problem with collecting forms - the more of them I learned, the worse I actually became at martial arts. Even though my mistakes were aplenty in the first years of training, as I progressed ever closer to competing in Nationals, I felt that my abilities and precision with my forms grew markedly worse than it was in year 1.5 to 2 years into training. Even when I won two gold medals and a silver at Nationals, I felt scattered, all over the map, and certainly unable to allocate enough time and focus on any one thing to master it.

This frustration caused me to look for answers through the annals of history. As I scrolled through text, after text, I recognized a pattern - zero, or limited numbers of forms to each style. Nowhere in the history of these Chinese boxing styles did I see 50 forms, 30 forms, and certainly not 125 forms which some boast about in their curricula. Instead, I found at their roots - ba gua: 1 form; tai chi: 0 forms; eagle claw: 3 forms; praying mantis boxing: 2, maybe 3 forms depending on who you talk to. Xing yi: 0 forms, Hung gar: 1 form.

This was a significant revelation to me at the time, and I began to recognize the gaping flaw in my own training practices. Immediately I started throwing away forms I did not want. Show forms, acrobatic forms, and anything that seemed too contrary to the other forms I decided to keep. I also began researching the styles of kung fu that were of most interest to me, as I had encountered and practiced many at this point. These included - mantis boxing, eagle claw, long fist, southern fist, hung gar, tai chi, and over 17 types of Chinese weapons.

It had come down to this - ‘I had to narrow my focus’. I chose praying mantis (my original style) and tai chi. I kept tai chi only because the two were so similar to one another that I was able to focus on both in tandem. Following this pruning of the tree of knowledge, I sought out experts in those prospective styles to fill in the gaps years of misspent training had created.

That training ultimately served me well in the long run, but I could not help but feel discouraged and somewhat angry about all the time I had spent chasing these trivial, or ephemeral things I thought were going to make me better. I felt like Gollum in The Hobbit, or Lord of the Rings, ever chasing the ‘shiny precious’s’ down every crevasse of Mordor imaginable.

Eventually I found people with the knowledge that I truly sought, and the know-how to show me how to do what I enjoy most - breaking things apart and figuring out how they work. With this knowledge I have been able to reconnect the past to the present and have a new found appreciation for forms and the depth of knowledge that they often hold.

It’s amazing how many of the true fighting applications have been lost from Chinese boxing arts. But now, it is easy for me to understand why. If we took a string of 10 BJJ moves that we would apply based on our attacks, defense, and the opponent countering, and we then remove our partner, we have a form. A BJJ form.

If I took said form and taught that to a student, but did not show the application to each move, yet I was precise and particular about each detail being correct and just so, ensuring the individual were handed something that would work if needed, two things would result:

1. They wouldn't be able to use it for real, and…

2. After I taught them and was no longer watching over them, they would change something through forgetfulness, laziness, or just plain desire to do a move differently than the way it was originally taught.

Now that same student teaches that form to someone else. What happens then…? The fighting application is lost. Possibly for good, if no one else is carrying it on. One generation. Lost. That is all it takes.

Without function, a form is just an empty shell subject to the flaw of human transmission. It reminds us of the game telephone. Where people sit in a circle and one person whispers in the next persons ear, and each person is supposed to repeat it around the circle until it comes back to the originator. It is never the same sentence.

So ultimately, form should always match function, and function should be realistic and achievable in full speed all out combat. This keeps integrity in the system, and keeps our martial arts honest.

If we are in a style with forms, how many is the right number? I would counter with - how many applications do you need in your style? An average form in Chinese boxing has 30 to 50 moves in it. If the form is a specialization set, e.g., its primary mission is kicks, then it may be lacking when it comes to offense/defense in a real fight.

If the forms is a boxers arsenal, then it will likely contain strikes, kicks, throws, and counters that they considered their primary method of fighting.

How many forms do you need in a 'forms-based’ format? If you only do forms, and do not practice how to use the techniques inside, how many forms/routines can you remember, or reasonably practice before seeing your skills drop. This is completely arbitrary, but for me, when my training had a heavy forms focus, 3 to 5 was plenty.

In 2004 when I traveled to Pennsylvania for the Nationals Qualifiers, I had three forms I competed with. Once I qualified, I decided for Nationals I was going to compete with 5 forms. This expansion was a mistake. Although I did well in the two of the three divisions I competed in at qualifiers, the other sets suffered. I had less polish on them.

If you practice forms, and you know each of the applications, consider testing these on a live and resistant partner(s) to keep the applications intact as intended. Making sure they can stand up to someone throwing multiple punches not just stepping in and throwing one strike.

If you have no idea what your forms do, but you want to learn:

• If possible, seek out good teachers in your style that might know the answers. This saves you time/energy of reinventing the wheel.

• If that is not an option, then find a martial art based in real technique such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, jiu-jitsu, judo, wrestling, shuai jiao, sumo, etc. This way you can have a solid self-defense system to accompany your forms.

• If your style is multi-faceted, take up boxing for a while to learn more about hands, upper body, positioning, and footwork. Kickboxing, muay thai, or silat for kicking power, and skills. Take up judo or shuai jaio to learn throws, trips, takedowns. Wrestling, and/or BJJ for grappling experience. Learning BJJ has helped me unlock so much more understanding of my mantis boxing.

• Above all else - SPAR! Not point sparring either. Test your skills and you will have invaluable lessons to help you weed out bad techniques from the good.

Size Matters - In Qín Ná (擒拿)

Why Qín Ná works, and does not work. 

Original article can be found here

Qín Ná (Capture and Seize 擒拿) - the Chinese art of bone and joint locking found in many styles of Kung Fu including Tángláng Quán (Praying Mantis Boxing 螳螂拳).

The human body has a plethora of ways that it will, and will not bend. Qín Ná capitalizes on these anatomical weaknesses with the objective of controlling, or destroying one's opponent. Locks exist for every joint, from the head to the toes; and quite possibly 20 to 50 variations of each one depending on who you talk to, or what reference you use. 

Having spent years studying these locks, I found it awkward to pull some of them off in 'live' situations. A great many of them if attempted, would have landed the practitioner in a world of hurt from their opponent. Simply from the person reacting by punching them with their free hand/arm. This article attempts to clarify some of the misunderstanding of how and why Qín Ná does, or does not work.

qīng Dynasty and Republican Era 

Much of the documentation I have been able to find on Qín Ná, comes from the late Qīng Dynasty (late 1800's when China's Martial Arts practice was in decline), and the Republican Era; with some emerging during the Communist reign.

These sources are often littered with a ridiculous amount of locks; and include locks that are completely irrelevant to fighting. I recall one technique involving a hair grab from the front - the victim is attempting a forward hand press lock with no leverage to counter the attacker grabbing hair on the front of his head. A simple counter-attack to the persons groin would suffice, yet here lies an ineffective lock.

Forms - Our Window to the Past 

Forms are perhaps our oldest and most reliable documentation of Kung Fu's history of techniques. They are our library or catalog of applications that are relevant to each system or style. Given the lack of documentation on Chinese Martial Arts through the ages, we have to rely on forms as our window to the past.

If you look at the majority of Kung Fu forms they are comprised of strikes (fists, elbows, knees), kicks, throws, and locks. The locks however, typically focus on gross motor movements; attacking the most accessible joints - elbow, shoulder, hip, and knee. Earlier in my training I studied close to 25 to 35 hand forms, and rarely, if ever, have I found a small binding lock within those forms.

Motor Function and Stress

The primary reason Qín Ná often fails to work, or has no place in certain situations, is our motor function skills. According to the National Police Association the level of accuracy in gun fights across the nation was reported at 12% for 2008. These are individuals that train to use their weapons over and over; yet there is a problem hitting their targets when under intense pressure; proving we as human beings lack accuracy and fine motor skills under stressful situations. 

In the world of Qín Ná - humans in the midst of situations such as physical altercations, use gross motor function and react with adrenaline coursing through their system; the heart rate is up, breathing becomes erratic, palms sweat. These factors alter the reality of trying to attempt a finite lock on someone as they attack; grabbing a hand out of mid air becomes increasingly difficult.

Training the same technique over and over through repetition, helps eliminate this problem, but only if the training approaches live scenarios in it's charter.

In essence, if the locks are simply practiced with compliant partners, and/or in fixed sequences such as line training, then we will find them unreliable in combat. To counter this, we can train the locks with 'feeder drills' that lead to random sparring to increase effectiveness.

Size

The where, when, and on who, of locks is the most crucial element of lock training. What we cannot recover from, is attempting a lock on a larger and stronger opponent when we tried to use the wrong lock on them. This is typically where we get punished trying to use joint locks. 

A human body, is a human body; no matter what size the person is. Aside from certain individuals who are double jointed, locks will work no matter how big the person is. The problem isn't whether a joint will lock, the problem is, a larger person also has larger muscles.

It becomes increasingly more difficult to manipulate these larger muscles when we are a smaller fighter. We need the appropriate strength to turn and position the joint, and then apply the lock. The battle becomes strength on strength, instead of technique winning the day.

As an analogy - joint locks will work on animals just as they will work on people, but you will see drastically different results if you attempt a lock on a dog vs. a horse. The two animals are not only different sizes and weights, but possess far different strength potentials. 12 dogs to pull a sled vs. 1 horse to pull a wagon. In the human world of Qín Ná, there is no difference. If you attempt a lock on a much larger opponent, they will resist with strength and then counter with a punch, grab, or counter lock.

Working with different sized partners can give us insight and kinisthetic feedback to this phenomenon. Learning to move from compliant to resistant training will train us on how to detect, and become sensitive to, the when and where of applying locks; so that when we meet someone that resists, we know automatically to switch to another lock, or resume striking to soften the target.

Target Fixation

Military and civilian pilots have a term - 'Target Fixation'. For a military aviator it is most prevalent when we are diving and attacking a ground target. We become so fixated on our target, we fail to realize our altitude reduction, and leave insufficient time to pull the aircraft out of the dive - thereby crashing into the target itself, or the ground.

This same principle applies to joint locks. It is a common occurrence when we train Qín Ná in fixed patterns, to get lock fixation. As we attempt a lock, and the initial attempt fails, we become fixated on making the lock work. We continue attempting to apply the lock while our opponent is at first resisting, and then changing position; then starting to hit us, throw us, or reverse the lock.

We can avoid these situations by dynamic lock training, or principle based lock training. Instead of opponent throws X punch or Y grab, we train the principles of locking by themselves; direction, fulcrum, refined technique. Then once we have an understanding of these, apply feeder drills to train dynamic locking and counter locking.

In this type of training, opponent attacks, we counter and apply X lock, and our opponent resists and/or applies Y counter, and then we can apply our counter. The lock, the counter, and the counter to the counter, so each of us learns to move fluidly from one joint lock technique to another, or even transition back to striking.

Since fighting is random, it only makes sense for us to recreate this randomness in our training without full on fighting. If we try to apply in sparring, stress will take over and we operate in survival mode rather than learning mode.

Small vs. Large Binds 

We can narrow locks down to two major categories:

• Large Binds - locks attacking major joints such as the elbow, shoulder, knee, ankle.
• Small Binds - locks that attack small joints such as the wrist, fingers, toes.

The key is for us to know when and where to use each of these locks. Given that stress is involved in a live situation, and as previously stated, gross motor function is more likely - large binds should be used for initial contact. The larger joints take larger motions, which fits into our first response to an aggressive act. Gross movement is more reliable and quite possibly why we see these in the Kung Fu Fighting Forms and a lack of small binding locks.

Small binds are more appropriately used when we are responding to a grab, in the clinch, on the ground, or finishing the opponent after softening them up with a throw. When we are tied up (grappling) with an opponent and have access to the occasional finger, toe; wrist, or ankle, then small binds are extremely effective. After we have thrown the opponent and they are stunned, we have access to time and movements that were otherwise difficult to pull off and can score a small bind as well if appropriate.

Leg Locks

Leg Locks are effective when we are able to pull them off; keeping in mind that the legs are proportionally stronger than the upper body of a human being. When we are attempting to lock up an opponents legs, we are fighting strength, maneuverability, and multiple weapons - other foot/leg, arms.

These are best attempted after a throw, or when our opponent is least expecting it - such as rolling in a ground fight. Basic knee bars can be applied as a counter to a kick, but attempting to maintain the lock on the ground after you have tripped them, is foolhardy at best. Our arms alone lack the strength to keep their knee from bending, and once they bend it, they will be more than willing to use their fists on our head. 

I mention these due to our applications of trapping a kick and trying to apply a leg lock in the air. This works to effect a takedown, but enters problems when trying to maintain that lock on the ground without using larger parts of our body as the fulcrum and lever such as the hips or torso.

In conclusion, Qín Ná is a highly effective and rich part of our art and can be of great benefit. Training and practicing with appropriate measure is crucial to success, as well as understanding when it is appropriate to use each lock. We are wise to avoid the over complication that is commonly seen in much of the reference material on Qín Ná. Seek out the K.I.S.S. method (Keep It Simple Stupid) when locking and you will find success.

The Truth on Effective Strike

reprint of an article published in 2013 in the Journal of Seven Star Praying Mantis -

Xiao Da - The Truth on Effective Strike (Journal of 7 Star Mantis vol. 4, issue 4/Northern Shaolin Praying Mantis Institute and Association 2013) 

Targets

Listed below are the targets and the effects a person experiences when being hit in those regions.

8 Head Targets

1. Throat

2. Side of Neck

3. Back of Neck

4. Jaw

5. Nose

6. Eyes

7. Ears

8. Temple

12 Body Targets

1. Shin

2. Knee

3. Outer Thigh

4. Inner Thigh

5. Groin

6. Bladder

7. Rib (Floater)

8. Kidney

9. Liver

10. Stomach

11. Solar Plexus

12. Collar Bone

Photos courtesy of Max Kotchouro

Cervical Spin - Downward Elbow Strike

Effective Strike (Xiao Da), is the Chinese principle of striking to vital targets, or targets that have more destructive impact than other areas of the body. This is a common concept in many styles of martial arts. I recall the first time I showed up for Tae Kwon Do/Hapkido class back in 1991 -  my teacher said - "Want to kill a man? Hit here, here, here, or here." I was happy, but stunned.

I thought to myself - "WOW!  Cool!!!" Followed by - "wait...why would you tell someone that in their first class? Isn't that dangerous information to hand out to strangers? After all even US Army Basic Training Hand to Hand Combat didn't teach us that!". I chalked it up to him just being half psychopath since he spent most of his life training elite South Korean Special Forces Soldiers in Hand-to-Hand Combat.

It was some time later in my martial arts career that I realized why this information wasn't so dangerous after all. The reason is simple. If you don't train it, you won't use it. Effective Strike is a skill like any other. It needs extensive practice and proper training in order to be effective in real combat, or in other words - to manifest itself under stress. In said Tae Kwon Do class, we never used finger strikes, throat chops, or did any sort of training that incorporated strikes to these vital areas; we simply kicked, punched (less), blocked, and smashed our shins and forearms on one another till bruised an battered.

Brachial Stun using Slant Chop

Train Like You Fight, Fight Like You Train

I like to use the terminology - train like you fight, fight like you train. In your Kung Fu training, the constant focus of hitting to Effective Strike targets is crucial to making this habitual. There is no time to think in a fight. One must react and react appropriately; which is the whole objective of proper training.

So when should you learn this skill? Ideally the sooner the better, especially for smaller fighters.  Smaller fighters lack the power that a larger or heavier opponent can produce, so this skill is crucial for us. Being able to hit someone in a targeted area means that your strikes pack more bang for the buck.

With that said, one needs to learn how to properly punch first, before focusing on Effective Strike. Trying to perform Xiao Da from Day One, gives the brain too much to focus on at one time.  A beginner should be more concerned with proper striking, blocking, guard principle, and defense first. Once Xiao Da is properly introduced, aim for these targets with every strike in your arsenal.

After you have learned it, you can then veer off to other non-effective targets that may lure or distract your opponent; creating what we call Open Doors to the effective targets we want.  This is necessary because an opponent with a good defense will 'require' you to 'open doors' in order to hit his covered targets.

Training Tips

These vary based on whether or not you have a training partner.  I did not have a partner to use when I wanted to integrate this into my fighting, so I took colored price stickers used in yard sales, and I plastered them on my heavy bag in the general target areas on the human body. I then practiced various combinations striking to these targets. To test them, I sparred with other people.

For those with a partner, I recommend a great technique called 'Walk the Body', passed down to me from a mantis boxing coach on the west coast. Walk the Body has one person standing still (in their fighting stance is fine) while the other practices slow and very low power combinations to targets on their partners body.

As you grow more comfortable with the targets, the complexity increases by having your partner put their hands up in a defensive fighting position forcing you to move their arms. Following that, you need striking combinations, that the partner blocks, so you can open doors to the Effective Strike targets you wish to hit using solid striking combinations.

Note: this is not a fast paced exercise and requires patience, cooperation, and hours of practice to become second nature. It challenges your critical thinking skills once you add the complexity of combinations versus a live defense. Done properly however these strikes will become automatic and ingrained in your skill set.

Ear Claw

DIM MAK - The fallacy of pressure point based combat

Early in my training I met people, and still do from time to time, that have little knowledge of martial arts, but they talk about Dim Mak (pressure point striking) from books they've read, or videos they've watched, or even some Hollywood movie.

You can find videos online of teachers knocking out students at demonstrations to show Dim Mak, and all the supposed power one can have over other human beings by hitting them in these targets. People are fascinated by this and very enthusiastic. I can understand why, the idea of knocking out someone else with such ease is...alluring! Unfortunately, while some of these are legitimate strikes to real targets, some are incredibly finite and difficult to get to.

In a previous article, Size Matters - In Chin Na I discuss 'gross' versus 'fine' motor function in combat. Just like finite Chin Na skills, high precision striking is less reliable when we are under stress, AND when our opponent is trying to hit us back. That's the live, active, and moving opponent that is also trying to ‘take your head off’ component.

This complicates things and makes it much more difficult to perform a finite strike to a small target area. So unless you're Luke Skywalker firing your torpedo at the Death Star, give up on the idea, and stick with something that will work.

Natural armor - in addition, a human being under the affects of adrenaline in combat (never mind the affects of drugs), is more resilient to these strikes. It really sucks when you're in the thick of it and your silver bullet doesn't really kill the werewolf! This is why it is better to learn multiple targets, strike in combinations that you would normally throw, and cover your bases in case you miss the first target.  Meaning, you missed but it still hurts them like hell!!!

Targets Defined

Temple Strike using Backfist

8 Head Targets

1. Throat - Crush the larynx making it difficult to impossible for opponent to breathe

2. Side of Neck (Brachial Stun) - Knock out blow, or excrutiating pain at the least

3. Back of Neck (Occipital Lobe) - Knock out blow

4. Jaw - Break or Dislocation. Extreme pain.

5. Nose - Pain. Bleeding. Watery Eyes causing reduced vision.

6. Eyes - Loss of sight. Extreme pain.

7. Ears - Tear them off for extreme pain.

8. Temple - Knock out blow. Extreme pain. Disorientation.

Knee Break using Cross Kick

12 Body Targets

1. Shin - Extreme pain and discomfort.

2. Knee - Break/Dislocation. Extreme pain. Loss of Mobility.

3. Outer Thigh - A solid kick to this target can cripple a fighter and make them think twice about closing distance.

4. Inner Thigh (Femoral Nerve) - Identical to the Outer Thigh, this target causes excruciating pain.

5. Groin - Extreme pain and discomfort. Potentially cripple opponent.

6. Bladder - Pain and discomfort. Possible bladder release. (you figure it out)

7. Rib (Floater) - Break. Extreme pain and discomfort. Possible breathing effects.

8. Kidney - Potential knock out as well as extreme pain.

9. Liver - Knock out blow. Extreme pain/discomfort.

10. Stomach - Knock out blow. Extreme pain/discomfort.

11. Solar Plexus - High concentration of nerves. Also the meeting point of the heart, liver.

12. Collar Bone - Break. Extreme pain. Loss of use of arm on that side. Harder target to hit and not effective on everyone.