(Qing gong is the legendary Chinese Kungfu skill that enables masters to run up walls, and fly through the air.)

From Manchester, we bring you the unique Mr. Tony McCabe, a man who claims he can jump on hen’s eggs and human noses without breaking them…

BBC Nationwide

Outside the school gym, two men sat idly on a bench, waiting for Tai Chi class to begin. “If anyone were to attack me,” the first student offered, “I would simply run away, living to fight another day.”

A faint smile crossed his companion’s face, as both continued to enjoy the summer sunset. Allowing a respectful pause, the second man finally replied: “And how fast can you run?”

While it is true that a fight requires two consenting parties, a brutal beating does not. There are times when strategic retreat is not an option. We all know that martial arts experience is valuable in such times, for everyone.

But did you know that martial arts training offers special benefits for the kind and gentle? [Read more →]

From American Shaolin, a autobiographical tale of Matthew Polly’s intensive training at the modern Shaolin Temple:

With most TV programming so dull, the boys at Shaolin were kungfu movie freaks, constantly visiting Shaolin’s multiplex to watch the latest blood-spattered Hong Kong releases on VHS. Wanting to undermine the assumption that laowai (non-Chinese outsiders) suck at martial arts, I brought VHS copies of Steven Seagal’s Above the Law, David Carradine’s Kung Fu, and Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Lionheart back to Shaolin after winter vacation.

The monks were used to highly fictionalized portrayals of the Shaolin temple, so they weren’t bothered by the fantasy version of Shaolin in David Carrdine’s Kung Fu. They were, however, shocked by the casting of David Carradine.

“The actor is a laowai,” I said. “He’s pretending to be half-Chinese.”

“That explains why his kungfu is so terrible,” Little Tiger said, as he ducked to the back row to avoid another cuff from monk Deqing.

For the rest of the movie I ignored the slights about Carradine’s kungfu skills, which were admittedly poor. (To be fair, however, he did capture that California New Age, faux-Zen blankness perfectly.) I was waiting for that climactic moment that nearly every American male who was alive in the early 1970s remembers: the scene where Carradine lifts a burning chalice to pass the final Shaolin test, permanently branding a dragon one one forearm and a tiger on the other. I hadn’t seen or heard anything like this legend since my arrival, but I had to know.

“Is the story true?” I asked. “Did that used to be the final test for Shaolin monks?”

[Read more →]

Platypus: The Unofficial Mascot of MMA
Sporting a duck’s bill, otter’s feet and beaver tail, the platypus is considered by some to be the greatest combination of all animals.
Photo credit: striatic

While many Chinese martial arts take inspiration from animals—Tibetan Crane Kung Fu, Monkey’s Fist, Dragon Style, and White Ape Boxing are just a few popular examples—Tai Chi Chuan uses dreary references to binary arithmetic. Small wonder, then, that most people consider Tai Chi boring. It has a serious image problem.

To remain competitive with the thrilling spectacle of mixed martial arts, Tai Chi Chuan should adopt a provocative animal mascot. But what kind of animal best embodies Tai Chi’s unique qualities? [Read more →]

On August 8, 2008, Beijing staged most the elaborate opening ceremony in Olympic history. 2008 Tai Chi performers played their form in perfect synchronicity. Enjoy these pictures and video clips from their spectacular demonstration.

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Which of the following photos depicts an athlete in the 2008 Beijing Olympics?

[Read more →]

What is Zen?

Zen Buddhism is a way and a view of life which does not belong to any of the formal categories of modern Western thought. It is not a religion or a philosophy; it is not a psychology or a type of science. It is an example of what is known in India and China as a “way of liberation,” and is similar in this respect to Taoism, Vedanta, and Yoga. A way of liberation can have no positive definition. It has to be suggested by saying what it is not, somewhat as a sculptor reveals an image by the act of removing pieces of stone from a block.
- Alan Watts, The Way of Zen

If Zen has no positive definition, then everything is Zen. And if everything is Zen, then naturally every blog is Zen too. Right?

Actually, this argument is a perfect illustration of New Age rhetorical misdirection. While one can say that everything is Zen in its transcendent sense, such a statement cannot serve as the premise for an immanent logical conclusion. In other words: Zen proves nothing, by definition.

Applying transcendent or non-dual definitions to conventional worldly contexts is a popular tactic amongst false gurus. [Read more →]

Imi Lichtenfeld
Founder of Krav Maga

• In reality, there is no worst-case “real world” scenario to train against; there are only circumstances. By applying the same techniques in every unique situation, you will create more problems then you solve.
• Want to live a long and healthy life? Eat your veggies, exercise regularly, drink in moderation and avoid smoking altogether. These habits are more important than anything you will learn in a personal protection workshop.
• A calm mind and steady heart are required to apply martial arts training under duress. These traits can be demonstrated, but they cannot be taught.
• The level of expertise required to stop a sneak attack is much higher than the level required to launch one. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a sneak defense.
• Self-defense skills can only help you in the present. They cannot change the past.

Recent diversions and entertainments from the world of martial arts

Chess boxing
Credit: Sascha Pohflepp

Nikolay Sazhin new world champion in chess boxing’s light heavyweight division

The 19 year old challenger, Siberia’s Nikolay “The Chairman” Sazhin, was able to execute his strategic chess concept against the more experienced world champion, Frank “Anti-Terror” Stoldt. Sazhin then used his superior boxing skills to ram home the advantage.

After carefully approaching his opponent in the first round with a Slav defense, Frank Stoldt took a heavy right hand to the chin in the following round which led to a standing eight count. Stoldt then demonstrated the experience gained from 3 title bouts, recovering to endure three more rounds without slipping further behind.

At the beginning of the 5th round, however, the contest culminated at the chessboard. The wily youngster Sazhin lured Stoldt into a false sense of security. With his bishop in severe danger near the center of the board, Stoldt made a horrible blunder, overlooking a concealed threat to his queen…
[continued at the World Chessboxing Organization website]

[Read more →]

Two underappreciated facts about self-defense:

1. The time for avoidance is before the fight starts. Once it has started, you should abandon any notions of yielding or appeasement, and focus on not losing the fight. To honor this distinction, you must be able to recognize the seeds of violence before they sprout.
2. Statistically speaking, your probable attacker does not care about you. It’s nothing personal, really. If someone else had walked into the wrong place at the wrong time, they would have been assaulted instead.

No martial arts training should be required to appreciate these points, which can be derived from basic human empathy. The worst Karate move I ever learned, however, flagrantly disregards both of them. Before examining that inferior technique—and a superior alternative—let’s briefly consider the context in which it is taught. [Read more →]