Pearls of Wisdom

Karate and Fitness International, March 1991

by Jane Hallander

Photos Compliments of Nathan Fisher

Throughout man’s long history of unarmed combat you would think there would be one standardized fighting style. With the fighting experience and background that fills each country’s history books man should have found the best method of dealing with assailants and made is popular throughout the rest of the world.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. Not all fighting systems use the same self-defense techniques, with some radically different from others—employing techniques that imitate fighting animals or believing that the best defense is to directly withstand the blow, rather than block it.

There are those who prefer long, circular hand movements, while others claim that only straight, direct, short hand techniques are truly effective.  Chinese martial arts are a perfect example of differences in successful fighting styles. Southern Chinese kung fu systems typically use many short hand movements, with straight punches predominating. At the other extreme, northern styles prefer long hand actions along with relaxed flowing circular power.

One of the best known theories about the difference between Southern and Northern Chinese martial arts describes Southern Chinese as mostly farmers who worked with their hands and squatted in the fields in low stances. Supposedly, they were more muscular than Northerners, unable to kick high and using short explosive power when they punched.

Northerners, on the other hand, were considered more scholarly, with primarily military men engaged in martial arts, riding horse back and developing strong, flexible legs for high kicks. Since they did not perform manual labor with their hands, Northern Chinese fighters had less muscle mass, using long distance arm techniques with active footwork. Of course, remembering that this is a general theory and not a definite fact, there are exceptions.

One of the exceptions is a Southern Chinese martial art called Choy Li Fut. Choy Li Fut Kung Fu is a long range, circular hand fighting style with quick, active footwork—the opposite of what Southern Chinese kung fu is supposed to look like.  Choy Li Fut is one of the most popular kung fu styles in the Orient, having a great number of practitioners and tournament fighting competitors. It is equally popular on the West Coast of the United States, with almost every major city containing at least one Choy Li Fut Kung Fu school.

Choy Li Fut’s founder, Chan Heung, had three different teachers; two were Southerners who had studied at China’s southern Shaolin temple in Fukien, and the other, a Northern Shaolin monk.  The fighting techniques employed by monks of the Northern Shaolin temple showed strong influences from one of China’s oldest kung fu systems, Chang Chuan (long fist). Chang chuan is characterized by smooth flowing, long circular hand techniques.

As Chan Heung combined the teachings of his three instructors, he developed a unique fighting style utilizing long range circular blitz-like strokes that drew their power from strong active stances and footwork.

Choy Li Fut is unique because it does not really resemble either southern or northern kung fu systems, combining both types into one fighting style.  Although Choy Li Fut and most northern Chinese martial art systems use long-distance hand tactics, Choy Li Fut’s power comes from explosive waist, shoulder, and hip movements. Northern styles, such as northern Shaolin, utilize quick snapping power produced from quick footwork.

Much of Choy Li Fut’s footwork resembles that or northern Chinese kung fu rather than the almost stationary stances of popular southern styles such as Wing Chun or Hung Gar. While Wing Chun and Hung Gar often stay in one position, only advancing one foot at a time, Choy Li Fut uses the running horse stances of northern kung fu, giving Choy Li Fut quick active footwork.

Southern Chinese martial arts like Wing Chun and Hung Gar are famous for their short, straight punches. Wing Chun uses a rapid-fire attack to the opponent’s centerline, disabling him, while Hung Gar proponents like to overwhelm their opposition with sheer strength of muscles developed through isometric exercises called won kiu.

Choy Li Fut Kung Fu has its own characteristic long range circular hand techniques. They are not broken down into offensive and defensive movements, since at the advanced level, offensive hands are simultaneously defensive and offensive.

Do not get the idea that Choy Li Fut is restricted only to empty hand techniques. This fast moving southern Chinese martial art also contains a vast array of kung fu weapon forms. The two standard weapons in Choy Li Fut are the staff and broadsword, reflecting long and short weapon techniques. Long weapons like the Kwan-Do (General Kwan’s knife), spear, and gold coin spade also make appearances in Choy Li Fut. Of course, short weapons are not limited to the broadsword. The straight double-edged sword is another Choy Li Fut short weapon.

Other weapons may fall into the double weapon category, such as butterfly knives, double axes, and hook swords, or flexible weapons, represented by the chain whip, three section staff and two section staff. There’s even a special category for typically southern implement weapons, such as the tiger fork (trident), horse bench and fan. These are only a few of Choy Li Fut’s many weapons.

Not only is Choy Li Fut Kung Fu one of the most popular fighting styles in the Orient, it also contains one of the widest varieties of forms.  Aside from hand and weapon forms, there are also a number of wooden dummies to train on. Choy Li Fut Kung Fu is truly a martial art with something for everyone!

By Grandmaster Doc-Fai Wong

Training For Life May 1991

I believe the head instructor of any martial arts school that has contact training, such as sparring, push hands, or two-person sequence drills, should have at least simple first-aid knowledge. Many do get this kind of training from the local Red Cross.

A number of Chinese martial arts schools follow China’s traditional medical ways. Among those schools and instructors, most learn tit da techniques, involving the use of tit da jow and tit da powders to relieve the discomfort of bruises, strains and sprains. Chinese traditional sports medicine includes the art of setting bones, replacing dislocated joints and reviving unconscious fighters. Most of today’s teachers don’t have access to these skills.

Chinese herbs, such as tit da jow, when rubbed or massaged into the skin, help remove bruises from contact injuries. Tit da jow liniment helps reduce pain and inflammation. Tit da powder can be made into a plaster, placed on the skin over an injured area of severe injuries like blood clots or joints that have been reset.

Knowledgeable teachers make herb teas to take internally, increasing circulation, removing blood clots that make up large bruises and helping injured body parts heal faster.

Tit da pills are internal herbs ranging from pellet size to the size of large marbles. These pills are convenient for travel and easy to store in your school when you cannot get fresh herbs for tit da tea.

Tit da jow liniment is a must for use after sparring or two-person contact workouts. There are a number of different tit da brands made in this country’s Chinatown at herb stores or by individual martial art teachers. If you can’t buy tit dat jow in person, you can get it through the mail.

Martial arts schools should also have available tit da pills, called Hsiung Tan Tieh Wan. This pill comes as a wax-covered, ping-pong sized pill. Don’t take the whole thing. The thick wax covering is for protection only. When opened the herb portion is the size of a marble. Hsiung Tan Tieh Wan is for severe injuries like strong blows to the solar plexus or abdomen. For such injuries, I suggest you take one the day of the injury and one the next morning. When people do a great deal of sparring, take one of these pills occasionally to help your blood circulation after hard training or contact.

Next in your school first-aid kit is an herb plaster that works as an analgesic for bruises. It comes in a thin tape sheet with plaster on one side. To use it, cut a piece to fit the size of the bruise or injury. Don’t put this plaster on an open cut. Remove the transparent plastic backing from the plaster. Then using a hair dryer, heat the cloth side of the plaster for 30 seconds, making it adhere better. Wear the plaster for approximately eight hours. The best time to wear the plaster is at night while you sleep. Remove it in the morning. If you wear it longer than eight hours, you might develop a rash under the patch because of a lack of air reaching the skin. The herb plaster is good for bruises, sprains, strains, swelling, and arthritis.

The herb plaster and Hsiung Tan Tieh Wan pills are produced by United Pharmaceutical Manufactory, Kwangchow, China.

I also recommend Yunnan Paiyao (blood stop powder), made by Yunnan Paiyao Factory, China. Sometimes students get cut sparring, or during two-person weapons form practice. Yunnan Paiyao is effective by placing a pinch of powder on top of a clean, washed cut. Put a piece of cotton over the powder, then tape the wound and cotton covering with medical tape to hold everything in place. Remove the tape and cotton after 24 hours. At that time the scab is then dry. Cut off any excess cotton, leaving any cotton that is attached to the scab, as this will fall off with the scab. The use of Yunnan Paiyao often saves a trip to an emergency center for a few stitches.

If you don’t eat food containing too much acid, you may not even have a scar over your wound, Foods, such as vinegar dressings, hot and sour soup, or sweet and sour pork, contain too much acid and should not be consumed within the first few days after the injury. Fish or cold food are also not advised. Yunnan Paiyao is not recommended for pregnant women.

Yunnan Paiyao comes with a small pill, in addition to the blood stop powder. The pill is to be taken with serious injuries and not necessary for minor wounds.

These traditional Chinese remedies can be purchased in Chinese herb stores and large Chinese food stores in areas with Chinese populations. If you cannot find them in your area, write to me at 925 Taraval St., San Francisco, CA 94116.

Training for Life

by Grandmaster Doc Fai Wong

Guess what?  Everybody’s getting older.  So far no one’s invented a fountain of youth or elixir of life.  We all have to realize age is steadily creeping up on us.  When you reach 40, your tendons and ligaments start losing their elasticity.  With this comes an increased risk of strained muscles and tendons.  Your stamina and speed are less than a 20 year old’s, and you’ll probably tire a lot quicker.

For those who are overweight, out of shape and have high blood pressure, you’re running a serious risk when you practice martial arts based on hard active force.  The risk is of shortening your life by putting undue strain on your heart and blood vessels each time you work out using hard, forceful power.

As a student you must work out to learn your marital art.  However, once you complete your learning and become a teacher or master, what do you do?  To keep in shape, most martial artists do stretching exercises.  Some do push ups and sit ups.  Most workout with kata or forms.  While some people over 40 can still practice hard, forceful kata , many tire easily and develop physical problems with elbows, knees or muscles.  At that age many have high blood pressure and stressful everyday lives.  If they don’t know how to take care of themselves, their martial arts practice will shorten their lives.

If you’re reaching middle age, you do have a choice.  If you are a beginner in martial arts, you can take up a softer, more internal style such as tai chi.  If you’ve been training for awhile and are noticing yourself slowing down or feeling easily fatigued, you can modify your training with the addition of a softer style.

Why is it bad for older martial artists to practice nothing but hard styles?  Most so called hard styles are based on tense, stiff muscle action.  When you do nothing but tense, stiff muscular workouts, your muscles and tendons quickly lose their elasticity, making it easier to injure yourself.  That type of workout is bad for people with high blood pressure.  Tense muscles slow the circulation and prohibit normal relaxed breathing.  There are multitudes of health problems that face an aging person who constantly emits tense force.  Tai chi or chi kung (qigong) are both good supplements to the aging martial artist’s workout.  They’ll help you understand relaxation.

How can you tell if your style uses too much tense force for the over 40 person?  First, your shoulders should be down and relaxed when you punch.  If they are raised, you’re too tense.  Next, your chest should not stick out.  When your chest sticks out, your chest muscles are tight, restricting your breathing and lung capacity.  Third, all kicks and punches should be smooth and flowing.  Broken, jerky movements are bad for aging joints.  Finally, when you strike, your upper body muscles should stay loose and relaxed, rather than firm or tense.

For you beginners who decide to join the nearest tai chi class on your block, be aware of one thing:
Not every tai chi instructor is teaching a martial art.  Over 90 percent of tai chi teachers don’t know the martial art applications of what they teach.  Even if you just want tai chi for health, you’ll still need a teacher who knows the martial art aspect of tai chi.  If your instructor doesn’t understand tai chi the martial art, it’s just a slow dance, and is no different from doing a hard style kata slowly and without intention.

Focus and intention, along with the right timing and balance are essentials for any martial art, including tai chi.  Learn from a tai chi instructor who comes from authentic martial art lineage and background.  Then you’ll get a good, safe workout along with self-defense training.

For those at an advanced level in most kung fu, karate, and other martial art styles, keep doing your martial art.  However, when you practice, relax and slow your speed so your heart doesn’t work too hard.  Don’t put too much emphasis on high kicks and low stances.  When you release power, use intention instead of raw force.  Use your mind to put forth plenty of power.  Keep your body relaxed before the moment of impact, adding power at the last instant.  Your form or kata then becomes slower, between the power sections.  But when you need power, it will still be there.

Dynamic tension exercises are not good for those over 40.  Keep your breathing even.  Don’t do techniques that require you to hold your breath too long.  Of  course, it doesn’t hurt for those in the advanced category to add some tai chi or comparable internal martial art to your daily workouts.

Learn more about the benefits of internal martial arts, click here: whitedragonmartialarts.com

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.  Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent.  Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.  Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.  Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.  The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

-Calvin Coolidge

For all things difficult to acquire, the intelligent man works with perseverance.

-Lao Tzu

Boys, there ain’t no free lunches in this country.  And don’t go spending your whole life commiserating that you got the raw deals.  You’ve got to say, that if I keep working at this and want it bad enough, I can have it.  It’s called perseverance.

-Lee Ioccoca