Since I took kung fu I’m not going to list the obvious like chain punches are awesome and the horse stance builds kicking power, etc.
When I usto watch people grapple and saw someone who was mounted or side mounted I usto believe those people were pussies because they couldn’t just power out of it.
I also usto believe that throwing a guy on his ass would be easy, and usto practice throwing imaginary opponents in hypothetical situations.
This isn’t related but I kicked my dog by accident once when I was younger practicing spinning crescent kicks. I also usto practice punching as close to my cat as possible without hitting him. After a while he didn’t even flinch, just gave me that “you’re a fucking LARPin’ piece of shit” look.
I usto believe that by practicing my forms with forceful movements I would be increasing my punching power. This might have helped a little as it got me usto throwing a lot of energy into a technique in as little of time possible but of course there are better methods for doing so.
I usto believe in throwing a lot of back fists as you were striking and potentially blocking a shot at the same time. This sounds nice in theory but in application if you’re not fighting a complete tool it tends to not work.
I usto believe my Sifu was hiding the grappling component of kung fu from me and all the applications to the forms until I realized that he knew nothing of either. He is a decent pseudo-kickboxer but I didn’t see him use any of his kung fu in the six years I studied under him.
I usto believe in the knee stomp and standing elbow snatch and break.
There’s lots more but that’s all I feel like posting for now. In short taking a bullshido martial art when you’re in the “I’m six feet tall and bullet-proof” stage of development just isn’t healthy, mmk?
I saw Drunken Master in theaters at a birthday party years back.
I came to the conclusion that Drunken Boxing was all powerful since drunk people are better at fighting than sober people. I tried to seek out this style; fortunately it’s rare enough that I couldn’t secure a location to train in it.
I pretty much went from typical layman saturated with martial arts myths misinformation to bujinkan nutrider, then transitioned over the course of a year or so to uber-combat sports nutrider.
Up until about 2 years ago I thought that Boxing consisted of two overweight guys hugging each other for 3 minutes at time for an hour. Figured there was NO WAY that was any use on t3h str33t.
Only if you were a kid at any time before the late 80’s when they actually tried to make it look like a legit sport. It got so over the top by the 90’s, I don’t see how anyone could believe it was real.
When the Undertaker first started wrestling in WWF I though that he was actually killing people when he used his tombstone finishing move, put them in a body bag, and carried them away. It kinda traumatized me as a kid.
Considering the number of accidental injuries from that stupid move in pro wrestling and the number of dumbass backyard wrestling idiots that have broken skulls/necks/etc… Pro Wrestling is “real” in that it is freakin difficult to do and if you screw up you can get hurt REALLY bad. The fighting isn’t the real part, but it’s hard to fake a backflip off of a 12 foot ladder onto a table… I still like watching pro wrestling when they are throwing themselves around like that. Very athletic and impressive. Just nothing whatsoever to do with fighting.
I used to think that boxing was just a contest to see who could hit harder/take more hits, and that it was just two big, tough lummoxes thrown in the ring. I thought boxing had no technqiue to speak of, or training - just two big guys standing toe-to-toe whaling on each other.
I also remember seeing a big heavy bag in someone’s basement as a child and figuring that I’d be pretty bad-ass if I hit it, since I watched so much ninja turtles and stuff (I really did think I was a pretty awesome fighter because of this) and expected the bag to go flying and buckle when I threw a really, really bad “cross” at it I didn’t know shit about boxing at this point) and was shocked and awed when the bag didn’t move at all and my wrist buckled and hurt like hell (I probably weighed around 110 pounds). This was actually a pretty useful experience because it made me realize how weak i really was, and the strength that a person would need to work out with such a bag.
This is basically how I feel, though I don’t watch it. Pro Wrestling may be fake, but it’s a skilled trade and I have great respect for the “abilities” of the actors.
Just a year back there were kids arguing about how real it was at my school. The majority seemed to realize it was fake, but there were people who legitimately thought wrestlers stomped on the ground at the same time they punched not to mask the fact that they weren’t connecting, but to “generate more power.”
Now they argue about “ultimate fighting” and such.
Oh god I only wish. I remember a conversation I regret having that shows how much of an idiot I was.
At a wrestling dual meet in HS, I say to myself outload “Christ, I don’t wanna be here.” Buddy of mine next to me says “Yeah you do dude, there’s no where you wanna be but here.” I say “I’d rather be at TKD class (strike 1).” He goes “No you wouldn’t dude, because this is gonna make you a better fighter than that shit. If a wrestler was gonna take you down, what would TKD do?” I reply, totally seriously “Just strike the throat.”
Even WITH wrestling I needed saving.
I also used to be brainwashed by BJJ, thinking that even with 3 years of folkstyle wrestling under my belt, I would fall victim to the magical guard of BJJ and find myself without arms and choked unconscious. My wrestling would be totally useless.
My numbchuck skills were the reason why the State of Massachusetts made their possession illegal (circa 1989).
The bunki for my kama form would result in the death of 52 people…but only if I had Robert Tepper’s “No Easy Way Out”, from the Rocky IV soundtrack, playing in my head.
My legs were MUCH longer than my arms so it was only logical to rely solely on my prowess with a hook kick to win fights.
If Van Damme fought Seagal the MA world as we knew it would probably implode due to the shear awesomeness of the match.
My jump spinning crescent kick could break someones neck.
It is much faster to respond to a self defense situation from a strong elongated front stance because hopping around like a boxer made you inherently off balance and easier to take down.
Ninjas were masters of all arts…no one could beat a ninjer…NO BODY!!!
Judo, Wrestling, Jujitsu, etc…were not practical for self defense because a grappler crumbles when you hit them; and a kick my kill some who doesn’t train how to kick like a grappler.