Skip to main content

Book Review: The Tao of Gung Fu

Post a Comment

A solid foundation

Neal Martin at Urban Samurai has triggered a flurry of posts by various martial arts bloggers about the importance of continuing to train "the basics".

My take:
  • The basics are not just for beginners.  They are foundational.  Perhaps "fundamentals" is a better term than "basics", but I'll stick with the shorter term.
  • Since we practice them every class, we log more "flying hours" in the basics than anything else.  Why?
  • Hopefully because they contain the essence of the style.
But just going through the motions, however regularly, while necessary, is insufficient.  Like the difference between 20 years of experience and one year of experience - 20 times, we need to keep peeling away layers and getting more and more out of our basic practice, both in terms of performance and in understanding.

So I absolutely agree that continual training in "the basics" is not just for beginners, but it has to be more than routine.  For example:
  1. Every time you learn something new: How does it relate to the basics?
  2. Got a question?  Look to the basics.
  3. Want to focus on something: Find it in the basics and work on it there.
  4. See someone doing a different variation from what you're used to.  Learn the other way and see what lessons it has to offer.
  5. Bored by the basics?  Think you have a thorough understanding of a particular exercise or technique?  Time to look again.
It's part of learning to hit the occasional plateau (bored!), or be stuck at the bottom of a cliff (can't do it!), but by training the basics continually and intelligently these obstacles will in time be cleared, and you will have also built yourself a solid foundation for further learning.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10 favorite sayings of Confucius

From the numerous sayings attributed to the ancient Chinese sage, Confucius : "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." "It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop." "The cautious seldom err." "A person who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it, is committing another mistake." "Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles." "By nature, people are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart." "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." "Respect yourself and others will respect you." "Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three." "Wherever you go, go with all your heart." And here's a selection of  Confucius jokes like the ones we used to tell in high school.
Post a Comment
Read more

The ancient art of Ti Kwan Leap: Boot to the Head!

A very nice re-enactment of the classic "Ti Kwan Leap" sketch -- the original soundtrack is by the Canadian comedy troupe The Frantics -- that I spotted on Wim de Meere's blog : And if you think that "too much ti kwan leap is barely enough", here's a realization of the catchy follow-up song, "Boot to the Head": Now, "Let us meditate..."
Post a Comment
Read more

Kung Fu animals

Many styles of Chinese Boxing (aka kung fu or gong fu ) have origin stories based around the observation of animal movements and fighting styles. This notion has been popularized in the Kung Fu Panda animated movie and its sequels. Many kung fu styles incorporate aspects of multiple animals, with specific animals identified with specific techniques, or entire "sets" taken to embody a particular of mindset and/or physical characteristics In drawing on the animal heritage of kung fu it is helpful to learn more about the nature of the animals in question. Ways to do so include: Visiting a zoo for direct observation Watching nature documentaries and clips Learning about the cultural significance of the animals And, of course, go practice and pay attention to what you find! * * * In Hung Kuen chinese boxing (and other styles) the main five animals are: Tiger (trains bones): sheer power, prowling, connection to the Earth, ultimate predator, claws Crane (sinews): balance and gr...
Post a Comment
Read more

Recommended For You...