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.:Martial Arts:.

.:Oct 18, 2004:.

Are Martial Arts about fighting?

Several people seem to view martial arts, yoga and other philosophies as simply a means of self defense or a good workout. That is fine but broadly inaccurate and limited.

The real power of those practices have to do with the effect they have in the overall life of those who dedicate themselves to them.
The beginning of martial arts can be traced as far as Mesopotamia and greek history, but it's main incarnation as we know it today seems to have been introduced, alongside Zen Buddhism, by Bodhidharma, who was born in Southern India, to monks at the Shaolin Temple in China.
The idea of meditation, self enlightment and social responsibility associated to the physical development of the practicioner have to be viewed as just parts to a whole, without which their studies are crippled.

The main form of non-violence can be simply knowing how to stop it from happening. If by knowing self defense you can prevent someone from commiting a much greater form of violence and ruining their own lives in the process of destroying someone else's, and you can prevent unimaginable acts from occuring to you or those around you, who exactly are you harming? The basis of martial arts is that one does not attack unless that is the last alternative. In Hapkido, even with the possibility of great damage, the preference is always to disarm and subdue, not to attack.

The physical exercise is nothing but the tuning of the shell for changes that happen much deeper.

.: February 16th, 2004 :.

Wing Chun

Wing Chun is the name of a system of martial arts developed in southern China approximately 300 years ago by a woman.
Its originator, the Buddhist nun Ng Mui, was a master of Shaolin Kung Fu and is believed to have been one of the fabled five ancestors who escaped the temple's destruction. She used this knowledge to invent a way to take advantage of the weaknesses inherent in the other Shaolin systems. She started thinking of the concepts while observing a battle between a cobra and a crane. This new system was well-guarded and passed on to only a few, very dedicated students.
Later, the style became known as Wing Chun, after Ng Mui's first student, a woman named Yim Wing Chun (translated as Beautiful Springtime).

It is arguably the most famous single style within the Shaolin system. In 1949, Yip Man, who was considered to be the grandmaster of modern Wing Chun, brought the style out of China into Hong Kong and eventually to the rest of the world. It was made known to the west by Bruce Lee and James Lee in the late 1960s in what was the single most influential introduction of Chinese Kung Fu outside China.

There are two concepts that are essential to Wing Chun:
Centerline and Simplicity

It is a style that emphasizes economy of movement and combines the practical applications of using both defense and offense simultaneously.

Below are some demonstration videos (unfortunately, very bad quality ones). If you have a slow connection, please right click on the link and chose "save target as" and save to your computer.

Wing Chun Classical Fight
Real Player format 9.91 mb

Wing Chun Footwork
Real Player format 2.89 mb

Suggested study material:

.: February 5th, 2004 :.

Hapkido

Hap means "together" and means the harmony of body and spirit.
Ki defines the essential life force, body or spirit.
do means "way of life, way of learning".

Hapkido is a discipline of coordination, a way of strengthening the mind and body, of fusing the individuals physical and mental powers so that he or she will emerge as a more fully integrated human being.

This Korean Art of Self Defense is considered a "soft" style of Martial Art, as opposed to "hard" styles that practice the use of force against force, making the outcome a simple matter of size and strength. The Hapkido practitioner diverts or suppresses an attacker's flow of energy peacefully, this diversion allows him to use the attackers power against himself leading to the attackers defeat. Through the use of pressure on certain skeletal joints and pressure points, very little strength is needed to overcome an opponent..

The Hapkido practitioner is in complete control of the confrontation defusing the aggression without the need for uncontrolled damage as seen in many "hard" styles. Courtesy, Respect, Modesty, Loyalty, Generosity, and Dedication are not only the source, but also the rewards and objectives of Hapkido.

Below are some demonstration videos. If you have a slow connection, please right click on the link and chose "save target as" and save to your computer.

Hapkido Demostration Extreme
Real Player format 11.4 mb

Basic Gun Defense Moves
Windows Media format 2.13 mb

Suggested study material:

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.:February 5, 2004:.

MARTIAL ARTS

Due to a strange twist, I decided to add Martial Arts to the archive page as part of this blog. My explanation is as follows:
1. The development and correct practice of any serious form of Martial art requires from the practitioner dedication, concentration, creativity, a lot of sweat and constant betterment. The pillars followed by any serious artist.
2. When practiced correctly, their main objective is to benefit the community, enrich the lives of those who practice them in a physical and spiritual level and prevent violence.
3.I love them , lol
So check out the new archives section, which will be update often with videos and information.