Yoga Fu

So the kids are away and I am going to be doing some basic Kung Fu at the Jamaica Pond Softball Diamond. I was planning on just doing the meditation and stretches that I started off with when I started White Crane Kung Fu at age 14. Of course before then I had done Wushu and even Ballet, so I had other stuff in my head, I didn't start from nothing.

So then I realized it was foolish to be married to these particular stretches especially if others might want to join in. I mean those stretches are pretty difficult for a lot of people (I do them for my children's classes though because I am hired to be Chinesee and I'm not sure how salute to sun would go over.)

But I realized this was an opportunity to develop my Yoga Fu.

I know there is already a martial art based on the Yogic moves. It's called Kalari.

I also know a lot of the moves in Kung Fu already have similarities to Yoga.
And I had explored this before in my writing. In fact in my upcoming book, Lions and Dragons and Drums, I was even going to have a section with diagrams etc that merged Yogic moves with Lion Dance. But I went with just describing it.

I fooled around in front of the Go Pro doing some Kung Fu with ethe Salute to sun as a base. Basically I just wanted to show how you can do that. A) do all the Kung Fu on a Yoga mat. So that means you can do it at home. and B) use the salute to sun as a meditative stretching rest in between the Kung Fu moves.

I feel like it's more efficient. To stretch on your rest, than to stretch... then do basics.

And I realized that watching videos of people teaching techniques.. I rarely follow along exactly. So I just did some stuff that is difficult to follow along with but introduces a concept. Then I said that you do the Saliute to Sun, followed by a set of basics. The 4 basics I am talking about are chuen (A streight punch that is classic Kung Fu/Karate except that we turn our waist. If we didn't turn our waist, I don't think I would be so married to these moves. Because then any move is good. But since we turn our waist, there is a very relaxing, stretchy aspect to the motion, plus you can use it as cardio.

And then another salute to sun, and then POWs. This is like an uppercut excpt it isn't. In fact it looks like a disco move... except again we turn our waist. Again there is a loosening relaxing stretchy aspect to this move and it also opens up your lungs. You get the drift now. Another Salute to sun and then cups.

Cups are just downward windmill like motions. I wanted to say to sets of 100, but to start... 30 should be fine, until you get into the routine.

One more salute to Sun, and then Been Ngau. This is a backfist hook... or it is just swinging your arms out horizontally as you turn your waist. It is a lot like the drum move that Daniel San uses to defeat Chozen in Karate Kid II. Except even more emphasis on turning the waist.

Anyway, later on I fooled around more and discovered if I didn't do these moves... there are a lot of other options to work on too. A lot of other ways to approach Yoga Fu.

What is missing from this is the sparring idea. (Which honestly.. you can get from play fighting. It seems weird for adults to play fight. But it is totally natural for children. We take fighting too seriously. It either has to be a sport where there is competition... or it has to be life and death. Kids play fight all the time and so we associate play fighting (with sticks or hands or whatever) with child's play. We are insecure in our ability to KILL it seems. But real fighters fool around doing stupid bonehead type games all the time. Drinking is often involved. And sometimes it is true it escalates.

But I will say that Tigers, or Chimpanzees or real killers in nature that kill to eat every day without the benefit of projectile weapons or traps play fight all the time. Yes they do the ritualized fighting and posturing as well, but they also play and that is how they stay sharp. Old animals probably don't play much... but I'm just pointing out that the fighting skills came from play, so no need to overthink your sparring with rules and complex methods. Just do it often with out thinking.

The strategy comes later when you are by yourself and unable to play and so you run through your weaknesses.... with Yoga Fu.


The Yoga Fu also misses moving, since you are on a mat.

Yeah forms cover that. But forms are hard to learn.. especially over you tube. I am showing some forms.. and if you can learn them, then you are worthy. Mostly they are for friends that already know the form but have forgotten.

But the true way to get good is to break apart the techniques and just move with them. Use the whole field, Go backwards and forwards in circles. Go slow and fast. Go into the woods on the trails. And frankly, the four moves mentioned above are enough. Add in a variation here and there, something cool you saw on You tube or in Kung Fu Panda.. and you have you self a fine workout and muscle memory that is able to produce strikes.

Of course I've seen people who are self taught, or even traditionally trained who are missing something. Missing a lot actually, even if they themselves are talented.  But the answer isn't in the moves themselves so much. More in the mentality behind the practice and training. But hey not everyone will get it anyway and whether you get it or not will not effect your ability to compete in the modern environment. Or even the ancient wild environment either. Projectile weapons and traps have long been a more effective way of killing prey... whether your prey is for food or a competitive tribe or species.

Before the missile and IED was the Bow and arrow and the various hunting traps. And before the bow and arrow there was the throwing spear and the fish hook or at least the net I think was a very early invention. If not, then driving animals off a cliff, or the old crushing an enemy below with a boulder.

So taking that into account.. than martial arts is really for something else.