Kenneth,

I don’t think someone who has only practiced forms and chi gung should consider themselves a (or let their students consider them a) “Martial Arts Teacher”. (Which would take care of any worries that a ‘teacher’ doing a ‘demonstration’ which might be challenged and turn ugly. They’d be able to defend themselves).

Someone who has learned a martial art and has proven able to use their martial art in a spontaneous, non-cooperative setting (sparring, competing, bar room brawling or jumping angry teenagers who stare) can, in my opinion, be a Martial Arts Teacher in good conscience.

Regarding my suggestion that ‘sparring’ can equate to ‘fighting’:
Sparring rules are agreed to ahead of time. At Shen Wu some of the guys agree to Vale Tudo style rules during sparring. There has been blood. There have been knockouts. Both guys were fighting. Both guys where determined to win. I understand that struggling to survive a confrontation with an escaped felon who just murdered your wife if different than putting on head gear and a cup and going head to head with a classmate- but both will give you a better idea of your martial ability than rotating your Dan Tien while swirling your chi in a park.

Regarding the fantasy world I live in- it’s pretty frickin' cool.

No argument there. My point is that this reality does not stop the unscrupulous or the self-deluded from giving demonstrations. And these demonstrations can seem quite impressive to the uninitiated.

As for the rest, I never said it was unnecessary, just that it is not the end-all of MA training. CQB does not exist in a vacuum. Head-on confrontations of any kind should be trained for, but all the other tools (such as maneuvering a future opponent into an ambush, for instance. Or conversly, manipulating a potential enemy into being a friend.) should not be ignored. This goes well beyond the mere adrenal-rush/"mindset" arguments of the barney fifes.

Don't get me wrong, performance oriented sportfighting can teach us, just as drag racing, though impractical for real-world driving, develops technology put to practical use in street cars.

Quite impressive demo from meynard the angle changes seemed well drilled and the hands seemed fast. the swoping of hands in front of the other fighter seemed kind of 'showy' was there any theory behind it. also meynard changed angles to avoid the other guy but did not press forward straight away when he possesed the superior angle he could have put the big guy on the back foot and possible swept him or taken him to ground. when he did move in it was in a straight line which seems kind of dangerous especially as the other guy was bigger (all though it showed a lot of heart). He did very well from the clinch when it came though.

I think the ONLY reason Meynard didn't sweep or put the guy on the ground is they where on concrete and Meynard saw no reason to hurt the guy.

I'm certain if it had not been broken up when it was- it would have escelated and Meynard would have thrown the guy- really hard.

Shane

Also, qui- ...."when he did move in it was in a straight line... "

Xing Yi uses the slightest angle and attacks in a straight line. I'm surprised that surprised you.

I could not see what the floor was madeup of from the vid clip. even if he had not thrown him he could of got the fellow on the back foot and pressed him against a wall or something (unless the walls were made of glass etc). It did suprise me (the straight line of attack)I think it surprised the big guy to and possible threw him off what he may have normally done against a similarly sized opponent which is just to blast through. A calculated risk from meynard perhaps.

I have learned only the barest fundamentals of hsing-i but have noticed that the competent styles that I have seen demonstrated (as well as the one I had a taste of) will move forward in a relatively straight manner.

The best practitioners of these styles will angle in a very subtle manner as they penetrate their opponent's space in what looks to a casual observor as a straight line.

Too much angle results in telegraphing your intention while no angling means that you are using your mass and strength relatively crudely.

Michael appears to understand more about Xingyiquan than many people who apparently practice the art.

Sorry what I meant by straight line should be centre line to centre line. which may be the fastest entry available. However the opponent still has as many options of attack open as the person who has commited to close range. Meynard must have been both confident in his own abilities and also sure of how little fighting knowledge the other guy had (a calculated risk).

Qui- you don't know what you're talking about.

Shane

Shane, don't correct qui. For a guy that wasn't there, he seems to have divined an amazing amount of not only the physical tactics, but the mental strategies and thought processes Meynard went through while being surprise attacked. I'm sure that even Meynard is learning from his analysis.

See!Not everyone thinks Meynard is all that.

I agree with Shane. Qui and Robert haven't the silightest idea what their talking about.

Wow, not only does Robert know what Meynard was thinking, he even knows what Meynard thinks about what Qui thinks Meynard was thinking.

That's amazing Robert, is it a skill you've always had or did you have to train to develop it.

Actually I already know the answer to that one.

Psychic Joe

Shane - as usual you flame posters but fail to contribute to the disscussion in any way, shape or form. Now that sure must be a skill you always had its hard to imagine someone wanting to develop it.

Iron bastard - how can you agree with shane he made a single uneducated,unsupported statement. If shane said the moon was made of cheese no doubt you would also agree.

Everything is a calculated risk. I've always been lucky when the danger is real.

Thanks for arguing over this, but give it a rest. I'm just lucky I was trained well by Tim.

Shane nor myself need to provide you with an answer. Next, I am not Shane's sycophant if anything I'm the exact opposite. However, I respect Shane for both his charcter and his diligence in pursuit of martial skill.

You, on the other hand, have an uneducated eye for any fighting skill. Meynard's opponent had and has good point, point-line, and surface attack capablities. He (Meynard' opponent) also creates excellent density so if you, Qui, initiated any of the attacks mention you would have been handed your anal track to you in a matter of seconds. You will notice, Qui, Meynard never does any of these attacks a very good understanding of what martial skill is, don't play your opponents game.

What is density?

Iron bastard - I mentioned no specific attacks only footwork, angle, line of intent etc. you must be reading between the lines of my post. nowhere is there mention of surface attacks. Anyhow any attack can be made penitrative its not a matter of the technique as such but the energy you put into that technique. you obviously have an uneducated eye for the reading of the english languague. Also note I did not critise meynard he showed good technique and positioning. I was mearly asking (him specificly) what his thought process was at the time. That was until shane started flaming. Now meynard has answered I will no longer post on this discussion.

Meynard - you are obviously very good at what you do, And doubt you were suprised when the big fellow started to play rough. I am sure in a real situation the guy would not of been able to fight for as long.

Honestly all I was thinking was...

1. don't get knocked out
2. hey is the camera on?
3. damn this guy is strong
4. damn the camera is on...don't get knocked out.
5. oh ••••, brick wall...
6. no way you're going to take me down or hit me
7. better get not get slammed to the wall
8. pummel, pummel, set him up...
9. watch the short hook...
10. time it just right...come on...wait...wait...