Fight Lab and The Shaolin Salutation
This week’s TanDao Fight Lab begins with the traditional Shaolin Salutation, an open hand, symbolizing the moon, and a fist, the sun. How quaint. For modern martial artists this is relegated to an arcane gesture to preserve tradition. Otherwise what relevance does it have to a modern fighter?
Actually, this salutation uses body language to communicate primal actions. The open hand represents no weapon and peace, in contrast to the clenched fist that communicates potential aggression. Next to each other, it shows the capacity to express our energy either as the peaceful monk or as a prepared warrior.
Yet for traditionalists initiated into the secrets of form and postures, such a gesture has layers of meaning with practical significance for combat, provided one knows the keys to the hidden language of forms. We are introducing the notion of hard and soft, a major theoretical principle for understanding fighting techniques and tactics.
Do not dismiss it so readily. A different mindset is required to understand these hand symbols, but they can enhance our appreciation of the intellectual depths of the martial way. And, of course, increase our power. Evolving Martial Artists use the principle of hard and soft to understanding the true nature of power. We’ll explore further in the future.
Lawrence Tan
Check out our premium downloads – TanDao TIGER COMBAT ebook and video.
After this week’s Deadliest Warrior, D’Artagnan and his three buddies Athos, Porthos and Aramis, are safe to continue their dueling, carousing and skirt chasing.The defeat of the Ming infantry by the French musketeers was not surprising, since, as time and again the program bears out, superior technology reigns supreme. Despite the variety of ingenious Chinese weaponry, they simply could not penetrate the French armor.
These computer duels provide perspective on imaginary encounter between history’s warriors from the point of view of battlefield heroics. From a historical perspective, however, it is interesting that the mightiest warrior empires – Sparta, Rome, Mongolia and Aztecs – have not survived. Think about it.
China, though conquered by the Mongolians and Manchus, were able to overcome their conquerors by absorbing them culturally. The Mongols were quickly overthrown, but the Manchurians – who ruled three centuries – adapted the Chinese culture. That is why the importance of culture, the arts, sciences and learning – not just technological weaponry –are vital for the preservation of a civilization.
For the Evolving Martial Artist the fist guided by higher principles is true power.
Thanks for your favorable responses to our first Fight Lab video. One of our online students studying the TanDao tiger, posed a question: why are these palm strikes considered advanced? His answer is insightful. Check it out in our TanDao Forum.
Lawrence Tan
Check out our premium downloads – TanDao TIGER COMBAT ebook and video.
It’s here! We have been busy and are happy to announce our TanDao Fight Lab Video series. Many web warriors browse the sea of martial arts videos, ranging from laughable “what were they thinking,” to dazzling, or mediocre wannabe experts, to the occasional genuine expressions of mastery. Thumbs up or thumbs down. Next. Rarely do we stay to analyze the movements and study deeper meaning underlying the throw, punch or locking technique. Sometimes we are unaware of vital knowledge simply because we are not looking beyond the obvious. Or ask questions.
We will address those questions. You might ask: What is the difference between a boxer’s right cross, a wing chun straight or a karate reverse punch? Is the defense against a tae kwon do round kick or muay thai round kick the same? Why should we fight differently at different ages? Is this sparring technique practical for real combat? Our TanDao Fight Lab video series for Evolving Martial Artists explores three themes:
1. Comparative Combat to discover universal principles behind different styles and systems.
2. Secret Knowledge to refine your techniques with tips from masters I’ve encountered in Asia and the States.
3. Traditional Form and Modern Fighting to enhance your power and efficiency by analyzing realistic function hidden in stylized techniques.
Join us! Explore techniques, tactics and strategies from a deeper perspective to enhance our power and skills. We’d love to hear from you. What would you like to see?
A special note of thanks to John Duval for appearing in the videos. John – thank you for your time, effort, patience and talent!
Happy Birthday Sophia!
Lawrence & Toni
Check out our premium downloads – TanDao TIGER COMBAT ebook and video.
Many of us who watch Spike’s Deadliest Warrior suspected the outcome of this week’s epsiode: Vlad the Impaler vs. Sun Tzu. After regular viewing, we are familiar with the show’s computer program, designed to compare the weapon technology of famous and infamous warriors of all time, rather than the personalities and strategies behind the duels. After a climatic duel, Vlad – one of histories cruelest and most feared warriors (who forced parents to feed on their roasted children) defeats the Chinese general and author of The Art of War.
An ignoble defeat. History’s most brilliant military strategist, Sun Tzu, is skewered on a stake by Vlad the Impaler. But a warrior vs. a martial philosopher/general? Come on. Yeah, in a mano a mano duel, put your money on the barbarian with superior technology. However, pit them in warfare and the outcome would be different. Savage force over the power of the mind? Bullshit!
Do tigers rule the world? Look at history. Cro-Magnon man, weaker but more intelligent, overcame the strong but dumb Neanderthal. If this were real life war with armies and the mental – not just the physical – components were factored into the computer, I would put my money on the grand daddy of all military philosophers. After all, he wrote the book (no pun intended).
So, for fun, let’s change the duel to armies at war. The encounter has Vlad, the model for Dracula, sneaking up on an unsuspecting Sun Tzu. Not realistic. Sun would be forewarned by the use of spies and would have prevented Vlad from advancing so close. And if Vlad managed to do so, it would probably be into an ambush planned by the wily Sun. Sun Tzu’s Art of War, has so many martial gems of insight and wisdom, that if he followed his own advice, as history indicates, he would not likely have been defeated by Vlad. Sun’s most famous adage “Know your self and your opponent and you will survive a hundred encounters” would certainly have kept him from encountering Vlad face to face. In fact it is more than likely, he would have given the feared warrior a gift of fair maidens, trained to poison the unsuspecting conqueror.
Of course, this is all fun conjecture, just as the premise of the show is entertainment and not to be taken too seriously. For Evolving Martial Artists, intelligent strategy guides the skilled warrior to victory over terror and brute force.
Lawrence Tan
Check out our premium downloads – TanDao TIGER COMBAT ebook and video. Watch a martial art video
In the Karate Kid, Mr. Han, an aging building superintendent, and as we soon learn, martial artist, saves the young underdog outsider from continued ass kicking by school bullies. Faithful to the classic remake, he reluctantly teaches the young boy, whose brash behavior covers childhood fears and anger, eager for revenge.
While the audience naturally identifies with Dre the young underdog, the old master – with a quiet, nuanced performance from a usually upbeat Jackie Chan – is haunting. Of course this remake is fun popcorn melodrama. It’s upbeat. Han transmits kung fu’s physical and mental powers. Dre eventually triumphs over his tormentors, attesting to the transformative aspect of kung fu. Especially highlighted is the exotic Wu Dang Monastery, with spectacular aerial shots of monks serenely practicing flowing martial forms in the mountain mist. David Carradine’s Kwai Chang Cain would be envious. It’s the hub of the inner mysteries of martial arts.
Still, there was something disturbing about the old martial artist. Sadly, it seems the sorrowful old master, though physically skilled, is disconnected from the deeper spiritual side of the art. Although he is never shown practicing, from Chan’s portrayal of the emotionally wounded character, it seems that he has not found solace in kung fu’s meditative side or internal qi training.
Though he reveals himself as a healer, he himself is not healed. The message of the film might have a deeper meaning if it also depicted how the path continues beyond youthful combat. Some mention of martial arts as a life long pursuit, and as a path to master life in all its pain and glory. Maybe the spiritual philosophy of the martial arts doesn’t make for exciting chop socky scripts. As Evolving Martial Artists mature, we are compelled to also seek the quiet, obscure aspects of the martial way and its power of inner peace. That is real kung fu.
Lawrence Tan
Check out our premium downloads – TanDao TIGER COMBAT ebook and video to learn realistic animal fighting. Watch a martial art video
