In the field

In my mind I'm putting two conversations where older men gave me some advice on the Martial Way.
Basically the gist of it was that a lot of Kung Fu looks good, but in the end, not sure if it works. Not because of fanciness or the moves themselves. But just look at this. In war fare (even ancient warfare, you have to ride on a horse. How can you just focus on doing stuff not on a horse? In fact maybe Hung Gar is all in the Horse stance because your supposed to be on a horse. But then those techniques and stuff got adapted to other aspects of life.

Some Hakka  techniques (especially those that became pirates) were done real low to the ground, being practiced under a table. Because of the environment that they were going to fight in.

But basically if you practice in one environment but then you are going to be fighting in another, that's nuts. That doesn't work. If you fight in the mountains you have to practice there.

So... if you fight in the street.... you have to practice there.

Now one of the conversations was talking about how Kung Fu might be the more true way and the other that Kung Fu might be the wrong way. Because in some traditions or stereotypes Kung Fu is getting back to nature, being out there in the mountains doing crazy stuff and living off the land.

Then, when you think of Shaolin Temple, especially today, these guys are sort of isolated from the real world and maybe their perspective is limited. I mean ultimately even back in the day you are a vegetarian meditator. Can you really be a better warrior or can your group be better warriors, than a Mongolian Tribe living on the plains? So what if the training that the Mongolians do for Hand to hand combat is just wrestling? Can you shoot while riding a horse? Because that's the real killer. A finger eye strike is not as deadly as an arrow to the back or chest from across the field.

But Kung fu is better than doing nothing for sure.

And then... if you look at where most people train now, even if you are MMA the "realest" you mostly practice in a gym. A gym is like a lab. It's got flat ground. It's a controlled environment. The fight against another person, that's the most filed- like aspect about it.


So how's this apply to me?

Well I'm thinking of opening my own school because I feel like I need a base or could use a base, that somehow that is better, even though for a while I've been thinking that you don't really need a school to practice Kung Fu. Actually I know this.

But what I also know is that people like to have a place to practice where people aren't watching and that sort of thing. And really you have to think too, like I said in my last post Kung Fu isn't close to everything. Science is really everything. Science and the scientific way of thinking. Kung Fu is sort of just something to do. So if Noah wants to do basketball, then what the hell, what's the difference. It's just that somehow I have identified myself with Kung Fu and rituals surrounding it. So I would like to keep aspects of it alive. But seriously now that I am separated... I even feel separated from the system itself. I don't feel like practicing those forms which I sacrificed so much to learn. Or I feel that I want to change them all drastically.

Shoot I'm really starting to sound like a Bak Mei, but that's what it is.

But thinking of this concept of practicing in a realistic environment. How does that translate into my world/ Well for one, a lot of street gangsters laugh at Martial Artists. Or even if they respect they understand that martial arts is just one aspect of a whole variety of variables.

Parkour, in this way is closer to being a field tested martial art, even though the object is sort of just running away. There are other arts that are traditionally practiced on the street as well. Mainly Breakdancing.. and when you look at it. Lion Dance and the other animal dances are really performed on the street... so why not practice them there too? And Kung Fu, even if you argue about all the ground fighting BJJ stuff, ultimately is an art that was practiced n the villages, outside, in conjunction with farming, trapping and hunting.

It is meant to be practiced outside. Like Break dancing, you could consider it a street art or even a street gang's art. Like rap. Like beat boxing. It's just that that's not how it has been practiced in recent history. That is not to say that you should be a thug.

I mean one of the arts that is still very much practiced outside and in the streets is Tai Chi and push hands.
But still people look for the special space and all that. But what if you still did a nod to forms but started practicing in the weirdest areas. In truth I have practiced in the weirdest places... but I haven't taught in those places. Ultimately I don't have students and I don't have followers and there is good reason for that. There has to be a reason for them to follow me. I mean even my own sons are only mildly interested in the forms. They would much rather free style.

In fact. Maybe, instead of trying to teach Noah all the time. I should be learning from him. In fact I was doing this... but how do I translate that perspective, into forming my own group? Or recruiting a crew?

And how do I make a living while doing this?