Video Clip Series: From Shaolin to Instinctive Fighting to Boxing

Sifu Wong Kiew Kit’s Home Page
Shaolin Wahnam Video Series

Basic Shaolin Kungfu against Boxing, Kick-Boxing, Muay Tahi and Wrestling -- Part 1
Review of the Regional Shaolin Kungfu Course in Barcelona 2007

FROM SHAOLIN TO INSTINCTIVE FIGHTING TO BOXING

The less perfect the form, the more disadvantageous it becomes in both attack and defence

Should our form be picture-perfect, even in sparring or fighting? Of course. It is precisely because of our picture-perfect form that we minimize our disadvantages and maximize our advantages when applying the appropriate technique in any combat situation. The picture-perfect form of our kungfu techniques is the result of centuries of crystallization from actual fighting situations.

We had some fun at the regional Shaolin Kungfu course in Barcelona when we purposely degrade our kungfu form. We found from direct experience that the less perfect our form is, the more disadvantageous we become in both our defence and attack. Eventually, when we discard our kungfu form, we would be sparring instinctively, which is sparring without any art.

Then we reversed the process. We still sparred instinctively but tried to minimize obvious disadvantages like throwing the body too far forward that resulted in losing balance, and maximize advantages like striking with the shortest movement so that we could reach an opponent faster. Interestingly we found ourselves sparring like what Boxers did.

Please note that you can download the video clips onto your own computer and view them at your leisure. Place your computer pointer at the picture or one of the links, and right click. Choose “Save Target As”. Select the directory or sub-directory where you wish to keep the video clip. Click “Save”.

The basic Sequence in Picture-Perfect Form
The various counters against Boxing and Kick-Boxing are developed from Sequence 1, Black Tiger Steals Heart, of our Basic Shaolin Combat Sequences. Here, Tim and Alex, both from Shaolin Wahnam Spain, perform the basic combat sequence in picture-perfect form.
The size of the video clip is 0.68 mb.
Click here to download

Degrading the Form on Purpose
Next, Alex purposely degrades his form, while Tim maintains his form to be picture-perfect. It is obvious that when his form is not perfect, Alex is at a disadvantage in both his attack and defence. In kungfu terms, Alex is handling his own defeat to Tim.
The size of the video clip is 0.64 mb.
Click here to download

Which is Easier for you to Fight Against?
Now Alex has gone further away from picture-perfect kungfu form. He has discarded his stances and fights instinctively. If all other things were equal, which of the two modes of fighting your opponent adopts – one with picture-perfect kungfu form and the other without proper kungfu form – would be easier for you to fight against?
The size of the video clip is 0.50 mb.
Click here to download

Progression from Random Fighting
In this video, though Alex is not using picture-perfect kungfu patterns, he has improved his form. He does not have the best advantages of picture-perfect kungfu techniques for the particular combat situations in question, but at least he does not give away self-created disadvantages like throwing his body dangerously forward. He is approaching a fighting manner not as sophisticated as Shaolin Kungfu but better than random fighting.
The size of the video clip is 0.54 mb.
Click here to download

Fighting like a Boxer
Now Alex has improved his form further. He is fighting like a Boxer. It is harder for Tim to fight him now than when his form was random, but still easier than had he used picture-perfect kungfu form.
The size of the video clip is 0.52 mb.
Click here to download

Kitten Washes Face
Now Alex poses as a Boxer. Tim can still use “Single Tiger Emerges from Cave” to respond to a Boxer’s jabs, but he uses “Kitten “Washes Face” instead, as this needs less force as it flows with the attacker’s momentum.
The size of the video clip is 0.52 mb.
Click here to download