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Reflections on Competition
This question reminds me of the origins of Shaolin Kung Fu - developed by monks who had to make long pilgrimage trails through robber-infested lands, and who had to protect temples that were centres of light in sometimes dark and war-torn times.
The threat level back then was almost incomparable to facing someone in a San Shou ring with gloves on - live weapons, intent to kill, multiple attackers, ballistic weapons, explosive weapons, ambushes...the list goes on.
Shaolin Kung Fu was developed under such threat levels to protect life. That of self and others.
It is not compassionate to let a wild animal or a wild person damage your children, and the ability to use our own personal power in response to external threats is a natural part of life.
Using personal power to harm or force decision making upon another person is bullying. Using personal power on a consenting adult in a consenting situation is pressure testing and skills development.
I thought the spirit was good. Everyone was trying to win but no one was trying to hurt their opponent more than was necessary to force a ring out.
It is not compassionate to yourself to under perform in competition. This is degenerating your martial art. It is not compassionate to your opponent to under perform in competition. This is not allowing him or her to experience their weaknesses and strengths.
Competition is about self-expression: pushing yourself to and beyond your own limits; thus improving. Pushing your opponent to and beyond his own limits; thus allowing she or he to improve. To become more than they were before.
When you step into a ring under a certain rule set you are consenting to a particular experience. If you don't like it then don't enter, or concede defeat by stepping out of the ring if you find you are obviously overmatched.
This isn't an approach held in esteem by other types of martial arts, but in old kungfu challenges a challenger would often withdraw at the salutations stage, when the force and shen of his opponent became palpable.
If I was in a full contact match with someone with power and skills comparable to TaiSihing Kai I would concede rather than risk the level of physical damage that could result.
In regards to 'taking it easy' on opponents - I would liked to have used some bouts to focus on technique...but in the heat of the competition I found that a single mistake would see me hit very hard then pressed or thrown out of the ring. It was a credit to all participators - especially the non-instructors - that the difference level between opponents was so minimal that no one had an easy time of it.
Training Shaolin Kung Fu doesn't mean that you automatically win every fight you enter. For example, if you were fighting against your clone you would only have a 50% chance of success, and could easily go 0-3 in a few matches. Fighting is hard. At this competition there were a group of highly motivated individuals - people who spend about 30 mins on force training everyday, perform sets and sequences most days, and who have travelled the world to learn from a Grandmaster. It was never going to be easy. Despite the wide differences in age, external martial arts experience, internal martial arts experience, lifestyle and physical conditioning, and proximity to a regional instructor, the bouts were very close, and all those who lost more fights than they won should appreciate what they were up against.
Moreover, the fact that everyone improved in such a short space of time from the Spar Day, goes to show the applicability of our skills to the sports arena.
We made great strides training mostly by ourselves, meeting up to spar together once in a year, competing once in a year.
In comparison amateur boxers spar with good training partners 3 x per week and fight at intensity 1x per month.
If we did the same our progress would be meteoric. However, whether anyone would want to take that kind of punishment is another matter.
I hope you dont, Omar. It was great to see the facet of your character that comes out in competition - "Tiger Omar"! You did great at the sparring meet, and at the tournament itself it was a pleasure to watch you fight. Beautiful stances and application of stances, smooth Shen, and quickly collected Shen in the instances when you did take a big shot. You should be proud of yourself.
I have to say I did not enjoy a second of the San Shou. I did not enjoy injuring my brothers or being injured myself.
I did enjoy the tournament experience - the camaraderie before, during and after the event. Especially the eating, drinking, castle-touring and generally being merry afterwards.
Whilst I didn't enjoy it, I did appreciate the learning experience of the combat itself - where I am strong, where I am weak, the areas to improve and so on.
I did very much enjoy the personal growth that came with signing up to the San Shou. Reassessing and refocusing my personal practice, setting aims and objectives, sparring with martial artists of other styles, attending the Spar Day...the overall personal growth made the pain and discomfort of the day worthwhile.
On the topic of fun, I found last years Ten Tiger's a much more fun and light-hearted occasion. Because our techniques are so dangerous, everyone held back to prevent injury. I found my Shen, footwork and sense of creative freedom were better in the no-safety tournament. However, I had to by necessity apply full power and speed under San Shou rules, and respond accordingly to my opponent's full power and speed. My overall performance was better at the San Shou.
I think it would be good to continue both Ten Tiger-style and San Shou events in the school, at the national level as well as the international event, so that all students get a chance to pressure test themselves.
I take my hat off to all those in the nominally titled 'middleweight' division - that was a shark tank of top competitors from last year's Ten Tigers. Watching, there was some great stances, footwork, single techniques, sequences and throws on display...and even a beautiful Bagua throw reversal to ring out! Everyone in that division should be proud of themselves.
In my division, there was some good handwork and determination from Tim, some excellent handwork from Rich, a good all round display including a devastating fight-ending front kick from Jas, and some great power and pressing from Jon.
Jon in particular hit me as hard as I've ever been hit in my life. I did TaeKwonDo for around two years in my teens, free sparring with safety equipment twice per week and in that time getting kicked up and down training halls by grown men, but I've never taken a clean full power, stepping in right hook before...and it felt like being in a collision with a small car. It is the sort of shot boxers are used to giving and taking and it was not fun.
Also, Jon's pressing sequence where he put me out of the ring was illuminating to be on the end of. A well executed Shaolin sequence press feels like being on the end of an ocean swell and there is not much you can do but be pushed back.
Indeed, sparring with safety equipment just confirms the power of Shaolin Kung Fu - all of our basic techniques are combat-ending if they land clean in a real fight, with the possibility of fatal injury.
Thankfully there were no KO's or serious injuries.
I did get injured though - my back, neck and right shoulder are inflamed and I've got some nerve damage in those areas. I'll be fine in a few days but I did get hurt past the point of easy chi flow recovery.
In regards to internal force, I found it gave the ability to hit hard and also to absorb hard hits and continue to fight on without problems (until afterwards
).
Apologies brother. I felt really bad after I had realised what had happened. That was no normal nut strike either - it was a full power turning kick aimed through the target to land shin on inside leg, with fajing! This particular monkey turned out to be just too naughty!
I think every competitor managed to produce some of the good:
- stances, footwork, techniques, internal force, pressing sequences, good guard and defence, offensive and defensive trips, fells and throws, dan tien awareness, tactics and strategies and so on
and some of the bad:
- panic, flailing, ducking and covering, poor guard and defence, chest breathing, loss of dan tien, loss of balance, exhaustion...
But overall we should reflect on the positive aspects and take pride in them. The foundation to build on is there.
For almost all of us this was our first time in full contact competition, and if you see any martial artist in their first full contact competition fight all of 'the bad' is present. Only experienced top professionals can perform in that arena and make it look flawless.
I am willing to go in for official San Shou fights, but only after I have privately sparred with amateur San Shou fighters or others martial artists of a comparable level, and have handled them easily. I would only enter a tournament to confirm victory, so next year or however long it takes to reach the appropriate level.
Overall, I dont think we the competitors were up to the standards of our Grandmaster, our Art or our lineage, but just like last years Ten Tiger's it was a step in the right direction.
Sifu's pronouncement that we had all levelled-up from last year was the best external validation we could have - and I am motivated to continue to improve
Thanks to Sifu Tim and Siheng Robin for organising.
Thanks to Sifu, Siheng Mark and Sije Fleur for officiating.
Shaolin Salute to my ten brothers in Competition,
- A Compassionate Art?
This question reminds me of the origins of Shaolin Kung Fu - developed by monks who had to make long pilgrimage trails through robber-infested lands, and who had to protect temples that were centres of light in sometimes dark and war-torn times.
The threat level back then was almost incomparable to facing someone in a San Shou ring with gloves on - live weapons, intent to kill, multiple attackers, ballistic weapons, explosive weapons, ambushes...the list goes on.
Shaolin Kung Fu was developed under such threat levels to protect life. That of self and others.
It is not compassionate to let a wild animal or a wild person damage your children, and the ability to use our own personal power in response to external threats is a natural part of life.
Using personal power to harm or force decision making upon another person is bullying. Using personal power on a consenting adult in a consenting situation is pressure testing and skills development.
l was also surprised by the disappearance of our usual light-hearted Shaolin spirit -- it was as if we suddenly felt genuinely threatened or afraid of getting hurt and resorted to basic threat response instincts. In some matches, one opponent was obviously stronger than the other, but it was like we all only had one 'full volume' setting for each other. It would have been wonderful if we had been able to transcend aside the animal fear/aggression instinct and relax, smile from the heart, feel the opponent's unique energy and respond with appropriate levels of force and technique for each opponent. We would also have used a fraction of the energy we expended!
It is not compassionate to yourself to under perform in competition. This is degenerating your martial art. It is not compassionate to your opponent to under perform in competition. This is not allowing him or her to experience their weaknesses and strengths.
Competition is about self-expression: pushing yourself to and beyond your own limits; thus improving. Pushing your opponent to and beyond his own limits; thus allowing she or he to improve. To become more than they were before.
When you step into a ring under a certain rule set you are consenting to a particular experience. If you don't like it then don't enter, or concede defeat by stepping out of the ring if you find you are obviously overmatched.
This isn't an approach held in esteem by other types of martial arts, but in old kungfu challenges a challenger would often withdraw at the salutations stage, when the force and shen of his opponent became palpable.
If I was in a full contact match with someone with power and skills comparable to TaiSihing Kai I would concede rather than risk the level of physical damage that could result.
In regards to 'taking it easy' on opponents - I would liked to have used some bouts to focus on technique...but in the heat of the competition I found that a single mistake would see me hit very hard then pressed or thrown out of the ring. It was a credit to all participators - especially the non-instructors - that the difference level between opponents was so minimal that no one had an easy time of it.
Training Shaolin Kung Fu doesn't mean that you automatically win every fight you enter. For example, if you were fighting against your clone you would only have a 50% chance of success, and could easily go 0-3 in a few matches. Fighting is hard. At this competition there were a group of highly motivated individuals - people who spend about 30 mins on force training everyday, perform sets and sequences most days, and who have travelled the world to learn from a Grandmaster. It was never going to be easy. Despite the wide differences in age, external martial arts experience, internal martial arts experience, lifestyle and physical conditioning, and proximity to a regional instructor, the bouts were very close, and all those who lost more fights than they won should appreciate what they were up against.
Moreover, the fact that everyone improved in such a short space of time from the Spar Day, goes to show the applicability of our skills to the sports arena.
We made great strides training mostly by ourselves, meeting up to spar together once in a year, competing once in a year.
In comparison amateur boxers spar with good training partners 3 x per week and fight at intensity 1x per month.
If we did the same our progress would be meteoric. However, whether anyone would want to take that kind of punishment is another matter.
Part of me wants to 'throw in the towel' with regards to tournaments.
- Fun or not-fun?
I have to say I did not enjoy a second of the San Shou. I did not enjoy injuring my brothers or being injured myself.
I did enjoy the tournament experience - the camaraderie before, during and after the event. Especially the eating, drinking, castle-touring and generally being merry afterwards.
Whilst I didn't enjoy it, I did appreciate the learning experience of the combat itself - where I am strong, where I am weak, the areas to improve and so on.
I did very much enjoy the personal growth that came with signing up to the San Shou. Reassessing and refocusing my personal practice, setting aims and objectives, sparring with martial artists of other styles, attending the Spar Day...the overall personal growth made the pain and discomfort of the day worthwhile.
On the topic of fun, I found last years Ten Tiger's a much more fun and light-hearted occasion. Because our techniques are so dangerous, everyone held back to prevent injury. I found my Shen, footwork and sense of creative freedom were better in the no-safety tournament. However, I had to by necessity apply full power and speed under San Shou rules, and respond accordingly to my opponent's full power and speed. My overall performance was better at the San Shou.
I think it would be good to continue both Ten Tiger-style and San Shou events in the school, at the national level as well as the international event, so that all students get a chance to pressure test themselves.
- The Middleweights
I take my hat off to all those in the nominally titled 'middleweight' division - that was a shark tank of top competitors from last year's Ten Tigers. Watching, there was some great stances, footwork, single techniques, sequences and throws on display...and even a beautiful Bagua throw reversal to ring out! Everyone in that division should be proud of themselves.
- The Lightweights
In my division, there was some good handwork and determination from Tim, some excellent handwork from Rich, a good all round display including a devastating fight-ending front kick from Jas, and some great power and pressing from Jon.
Jon in particular hit me as hard as I've ever been hit in my life. I did TaeKwonDo for around two years in my teens, free sparring with safety equipment twice per week and in that time getting kicked up and down training halls by grown men, but I've never taken a clean full power, stepping in right hook before...and it felt like being in a collision with a small car. It is the sort of shot boxers are used to giving and taking and it was not fun.
Also, Jon's pressing sequence where he put me out of the ring was illuminating to be on the end of. A well executed Shaolin sequence press feels like being on the end of an ocean swell and there is not much you can do but be pushed back.
That level of threat that is created with gloves on actually makes you appreciate just how hard a bare knuckle black tiger would be or a full force white snake.... phew, I wouldn't want to be in front of one of those. One Hang Golden Star to the temple and it would be proper 'game over'. I don't think I really appreciated this before, until taking a few real belters to the head with gloves and headguard.
- Injuries
Thankfully there were no KO's or serious injuries.
I did get injured though - my back, neck and right shoulder are inflamed and I've got some nerve damage in those areas. I'll be fine in a few days but I did get hurt past the point of easy chi flow recovery.
In regards to internal force, I found it gave the ability to hit hard and also to absorb hard hits and continue to fight on without problems (until afterwards
).
Oh yes I forgot to mention about getting hit hard in the nuts.
- Summing Up
I think every competitor managed to produce some of the good:
- stances, footwork, techniques, internal force, pressing sequences, good guard and defence, offensive and defensive trips, fells and throws, dan tien awareness, tactics and strategies and so on
and some of the bad:
- panic, flailing, ducking and covering, poor guard and defence, chest breathing, loss of dan tien, loss of balance, exhaustion...
But overall we should reflect on the positive aspects and take pride in them. The foundation to build on is there.
For almost all of us this was our first time in full contact competition, and if you see any martial artist in their first full contact competition fight all of 'the bad' is present. Only experienced top professionals can perform in that arena and make it look flawless.
Who of you feels like going for official San Shou fights this (or next) year? Or was it just an unique experience?
Overall, I dont think we the competitors were up to the standards of our Grandmaster, our Art or our lineage, but just like last years Ten Tiger's it was a step in the right direction.
Sifu's pronouncement that we had all levelled-up from last year was the best external validation we could have - and I am motivated to continue to improve
Thanks to Sifu Tim and Siheng Robin for organising.
Thanks to Sifu, Siheng Mark and Sije Fleur for officiating.
Shaolin Salute to my ten brothers in Competition,
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