Video Clip Series: It is Heartening to see so Many People Using Kungfu in Free Sparring

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Shaolin Wahnam Video Series

How to Think and Act as a Master
Review of the Special Shaolin Kungfu Course of 16th to 22nd April 2007 – Part 9

IT IS HEARTENING TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE USING KUNGFU IN FREE SPARRING

Participants at the Special Shaolin Kungfu Course enjoying free sparring using Shaolin forms

A few people have expressed to me how heartening they felt when they saw so many of our Shaolin Wahnam Family members use typical Shaolin and Taijiquan patterns in free sparring. The sparring shown in the videos below, however, is not totally free. The combatants are asked to use Sequences 1 to 12 as their base, which means they cannot use felling and gripping techniques which are found in later combat sequences.

What is even more heartening is that while injuries and aggression are typical occurrences in most other free sparring sessions, we develop wholesome qualities in our free sparring practice. Indeed much of the strong bond of brotherhood (and sisterhood) among family members is nurtured during sparring practice, as was the case amongst traditional kungfu exponents in the past.

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”.

Helping One Another in Sparring Practice
Helping one another is a hallmark in our sparring session, and it contributes greatly to building strong and warm feelings amongst our family members. This video clip captures Sifu Anthony Korahais helping his sijat (student of a younger kungfu brother), Peter, in improving his spacing, which is a very important aspect in sparring.
The size of the video clip is 1.89 mb.
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Lowing Level to Help Junior Sparring Partners
Helping a junior member is not just restricted to correcting mistakes. More significantly it involves purposely lowering your own sparring level to provide opportunities and guide your juniors to develop skills and practice techniques. Here Sifu Anthony Korahais is helping his sijat, Nicholas, in this way by feeding him appropriate practice opportunities at his pace.
The size of the video clip is 1.52 mb.
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Developing Wholesome Qualities in Sparring Practice
Nicholas almost strikes Sifu Anthony’s eye, but Sifu Anthony skillfully threads the strike away just in time. He gives Nicholas some advice. Though we do not know what transpires between them, Nicholas’ gentle pat on Sifu Anthony’s arm shows Nicholas appreciates it. Such occasions in sparring build strong bonds amongst our family members, as well as develop wholesome personal qualities, which we value more than just combat efficiency.
The size of the video clip is 1.14 mb.
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Rare Opportunity to Hone Skills
Junior members obviously benefit much from sparring with seniors who slow down to help them. But will the seniors benefit from sparring with those much below their level? Yes, they benefit a lot. Among other benefits, they have a rare opportunity to hone their skills. When someone is much below their level in sparring, the seniors have a rare opportunity to observe how an opponent moves, as well as at what point in time and space they would counter his moves (though they may not do so in the sparring so as to allow the juniors continue at their pace).
The size of the video clip is 1.26 mb.
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Developing Control in Free Sparring
Dr Damian is forcing George back in his attack, although George is much bigger in size. Dr Damian can accomplish this not just because he has good techniques, but more importantly he has good internal force which renders George’s superior size redundant. Dr Damian also has good control skills. Notice his tiger-claw stops just short of George’s face.
The size of the video clip is 1.37 mb.
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Assessing Levels of Combat Competency
Being able to assess the level of combat competency of opponents is an important aspect in our higher combat training. This video clip gives us an opportunity to do so. In the first pair, Steve and Sifu Rolland are of similar level. In the same pair, Molly and Eugene Butterworth are also of similar level. But it is obvious to the initiated that Steve and Sifu Rolland are of a higher level in sparring competency than Molly and Eugene. It is also interesting to note that Dr Damian is smiling broadly at the end of the sparring session. Obviously he and the others are having fun.
The size of the video clip is 1.69 mb.
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Why are All the Attacks and Defences Similar?
If you pay some attention, you may notice that all the combatants are using similar patterns not only in their defence but also in their attack. Some critics may say that this cannot lead to combat efficiency; the opponents will know what your attacks and defences are. Such thinking is flawed. Do you know why?
The size of the video clip is 1.69 mb.
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Employing the Best Patterns for the Situations
The attacks and defences are similar because they are trained to do so. In other words, they are trained to spontaneously use Shaolin patterns in sparring. But why do they use these Shaolin patterns and not other Shaolin patterns? It is because these patterns give them the best advantages in their situations. If Sifu Anthony were to move back instead of intercepting Daniel’s whirlwind kick, for example, he would miss some advantages. Here, Sifu Anthony could strike Daniel before Daniel has recovered from his kicking attack.
The size of the video clip is 1.82 mb.
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Other Martial Artists also Spar in Predictable Ways
What the critics mentioned above do not realize is that other martial artists and free-style fighters also spar in some recognizable and predictable patterns. If you raise your hand, for example, many of them would instinctively bounce back. Because their range of techniques is narrow than that in Shaolin Kungfu, their choices are more limited, and therefore it is easier to predict their reaction. Many people do not know how to exploit such prediction.
The size of the video clip is 1.71 mb.
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