In the mid seventies while studying Damo Animal Kung Fu in Taiwan, Master Li Min-Ching showed me secret dragon stepping techniques. A series of quick steps employing an intricate pattern of movement using traditional twisted stance. It was impressive as far as chop socky fantasy fighting goes. Otherwise it was bullshit!
As a student of JKD’s pragmatic approach to fighting, I used Bruce Lee, the Little Dragon’s, bent phasic stance, which is more flexible and mobile. Because the legs are crossed when executing the dragon stance, I dismissed it as a fancy technique useless and even dangerous for practical combat. I understood the zenith of form skill is the literal expression of the stylized movement in real combat. The traditional goal, is to fight exactly like you do in your forms, with slight modifications.
This is a false view held by many traditionalists and modern martial artists. To those initiated into the true secrets of form, a form is a book of knowledge with universal principles of combat embedded behind formal moves. The contradiction: form is ultimately an artificial movement designed to teach us to move naturally. The practical technique was never meant to be a literal expression of the form technique but it must express all the hidden fighting principles concealed in the form.
Therefore don’t dismiss these awkward looking dragon stances. Study them to discover the real meanings concealed and to make even a JKD stance even more formidable. There are biomechanics and tactics there to enhance your present system. Use this TanDao dragon technique to get ready for 2012 – The Year of the Dragon.
As we say in TanDao: the secrets are there, if you’re aware.
Lawrence Tan
Tags: dragon, dragon kung fu, fight, how to knockout, knockout, kung fu, lawrence tan, tandao, tandao kung fu, toni josephson
It’s always struck me odd that traditional forms employed such stylized postures–one couldn’t possibly move efficiently in real combat from some of the deep stances employed. But…one thing I did find from Kyokushinkai practice back in the seventies was a lesson I learned while playing high school football–”low man wins.” Leverage–it’s all “ju-jitsu” in football line play. That same principle works on the street; obviously one doesn’t move toward an opponent in a front stance or attack in a horse stance–mobility is the key. But once engaged in a combat “clash” a lower stance allows one to keep his balance and prevent being thrown. And strike from the ground up–there’s that “developing a strong root” thing that only makes sense when one really needs it.
No wisecracks today–Toni has forbidden it!