Category: Arts

I almost feel guilty, giving out a few martial arts dirty tricks, when such things as Karate and Kung Fu really stand for honor and virtue. The sordid news, however, is that if you have to use your martial skill outside the training hall, fighting dirty may save your life. That said, here’s a few nasty, little things I’ve learned over the years that will help you walk away, and make him cry.

It’s not really much of a dirty tactic in these times, at least not as much as when I was in high school, but a good, swift kick to the peaches can win a back alley brawl quicker than fast. It doesn’t require a lot of martial arts training to do this, and it will distract the thug, and maybe even end the fight. When he rushes towards you do a front kick, or simply bring the leg up and let him run into your foot, and the fight is completed.

One important item you should understand, dirty fight or not, is to not take your eyes off his. If you launch a snap kick to his silly sacks, watch his eyes, and be willing to change tactics as you must. You will find that this eyeball thing can really change the fight.

For instance, as you rush at him throw something in his eyes. Heck, you can even spit at his eyes, and if you can make those eyelids shutter, you have just increased the odds of you living and him going down for the snooze. Even a quick flick of the fingers towards the eyes, an intention to make him think you are going for the eyes, might help out.

Now, let’s say the fight is hot and heavy, and you have to do something or you are going to lose. Something you won’t learn in a polite training hall, and especially not in the MMA arena, or the UFC octagon, is to go after his fingers. One of the first things we were taught, back when I was first learning freestyle, was to use a snappy backfist to his open fingers as you close the distance.

If you can make him say ow, or even damage his fingers, you’ve got an edge. Make him blink, or make it so he can’t close a fist, or use his hands to grab, and you’ve essentially destroyed his weapons. The idea here is to win the fight, to walk away from the mugging, and to leave him with a better idea of how to behave in polite society.

Now, in closing, I know these tricks aren’t much, but they will help. If you want more than an edge, if you want a fighting chance, you really should find a classical school and learn some good Martial Arts Techniques. Heck, a little time having a blast in the training hall, and you’re going to have Karate power, or Kung Fu power, or Kenpo Power, or Taekwondo Power, or whatever kind of power you desire, and whether you use martial arts dirty tricks or not, you’re going to come out on top in a street fight.

Just relative to each martial art has various style of weapon that is typically dramatically verified at a dojo or at seminars. The weapons are going to be no matter that exacts soldierly art has used it for within the past to either guard oneself or to travel into battle through.It ought to be noted that almost all martial arts weapons are prohibited to hold or utilize on the road in most components of the country and that I am positive this conjointly applies to the remainder of the elegant world thus to talk. This suggests that each one you are coaching with a stick or weapons are going to be curbed to the dojo, coaching hall or probably your home.

Demonstrate the weapon in different additional public places could get you in prison and even have your weapon impound. the opposite different is that a police detective can treat you as a doable threat and poisonous force is also by mistake applied which implies you may probably be sprayed with sprinkle, shot or maybe each.A one with a weapon that is in public is treated terribly critically by law enforcement and that they will not take possibilities when addressing an unknown scenario. >

That the 1st rule is; use your martial arts stick solely within the dojo, coaching hall or your dwelling.This rule might not apply to stay weapons like a hanbo, job or boo that simply indicate the various lengths of the picket sticks. Use sense when moving any style of martial arts mace to and on or after the dojo or coaching hall as a result of what appears innocent to you will look entirely completely different to somebody else.

You should use caution when addressing conduct weapons in any respect times. An easy resolution to carrying picket weapons is to urge a carry box to use when carrying them slight in public. These shipping cases are comparatively cheap and might solve several problems sooner than they arise.

Not everyone who studies martial arts moves does it because they’re interested in the discipline, philosophy, and grace of the arts themselves. Many people do it because they fear that one day, they will need to protect themselves from an attacker. Martial arts styles, histories, and traditions are irrelevant to this type of student, and it’s absolutely understandable. If you’re in that kind of situation, let me suggest a few martial arts moves that have saved lives in the past.

Oni Kudaki — Japanese for “Demon Crusher”, Oni Kudaki is a simple maneuver that will stop most drunken brawlers in their tracks. When the aggressor swings a fist in an even slightly circular fashion, perform a basic outer forearm block, but slide the back of your wrist up to the inside of your opponent’s elbow. Then rotate your hand palm-outward, and clasp your hands together around his elbow, with both of your wrists twisted. As you straighten out your wrists, his forearm will roll backwards and his elbow and shoulder will pull out-of-joint. He will either dislocate his shoulder or end up on the floor.

This technique is especially valuable because it can be done on any attacker that’s not two feet taller than you, and it works against a very common form of attack — a basic punch.

Nazad Pereryva — Russian for “Spine Breaker”, Nazan Pereryva is another nasty response to a basic punch, knife thrust, or other stabbing action to the face. When someone swings their fist or weapon at you, step past it to the outside, and sweep it further in the direction it’s already going with a basic outer forearm block. Step behind them with your outer foot, and slide your outer arm between their attacking arm and their head. Wrap it around their neck, bending them backward so that their head is in your armpit, and then drive your knee up into their spine until it breaks.

That trick of getting your arm around their neck can take some practice; it’s among the more difficult of Sambo’s martial arts moves. Still, if you can get it down in sparring, you can prove to any attacker that you are not to be trifled with.

Sahas-alis Sandata — Filipino for “snakebite disarm”, Sahas-alis Sandata is a technique that exists in several martial arts, but Escrima has its own beautiful variation. When someone attacks you with a club, knife, or other simple weapon, take a long step toward his chest but away from the path of the weapon — basically toward his opposite shoulder. At the same time, punch his bicep as hard as you can. Most martial arts stop here, but Escrima adds a graceful second step: a Batman-style backfist to the temple or nose, depending on which direction he’s facing. The weapon arm will be disabled for some time due to the bicep strike, and the blow to the skull will ring his bell for a few seconds as well — easily long enough for you to set up another of your close combat martial arts moves.

As you can see, martial arts styles from around the world have found very different and very effective responses to a pretty basic attack. Choose the one that fits best with your level of competence, aggression, and training. Part of the beauty of martial arts moves is that they come in such staggering variety.

At only four minutes long the fitness gains delivered through the Tabata method are almost unbelievable. Furthermore, this short duration means that any martial artist can adopt for use at home, while any martial arts teacher can use it in class. Be warned, the four minute workout will surprise you, it is no walk in the park as flat out intensity only is allowed!

The intensity of this workout not only improves fitness, both aerobic and anaerobic, but also burns fat for a number of hours post exercise due to the raised metabolism. Given the flat out intensity followed by short rest period methodology, the Tabata method closely mirrors both slef-defence and competitive fighting rendering it ideal for ALL martial artists.

With just eight rounds of 20 seconds effort and 10 seconds rest the Tabata method may appear easy enough, you will be surprised. This protocol is extremely versatile meaning that almost any aspect of training can be incorporated into a single workout. A complete Tabata cycle can involve conditioning exercises or specific skills or a bit of both. Mixing and matching exercises makes the workout more enjoyable.

Adjusting the protocol for the unfit or very fit.

Although the standard methodology is very taxing the intensity can be turned down or up as desired, to suit the fitness level of the single martial artist or entire group, by altering the cycles performed. This is a better option than reducing the actual ‘flat out’ intensity

Rounds.

Reducing the number of rounds to four or so for beginners will provide a starting point while increasing the number to ten or twelve will challenge the more experienced to a greater degree.

Timing structure.

Difficulty can also be manipulated by messing with the work to rest ratio. Beginners could start off with 10 or 20 seconds effort and 20 or even 30 seconds rest while the converse would increase the intensity of the workout while only minimally lengthening the duration of the workout.

Exercise Intensity.

Replacing regular press-ups with the clapping version increase the intensity hugely. Similarly, squats could include a jump to increase intensity

By adjusting these variables the intensity of a workout could vary between class members depending on experience. Alternatively, given the extremely short duration of the workout the class could be split by experience and/or fitness level, with each group performing a suitably adapted version.

Choosing the exercise.

Exercises should be chosen with care, conditioning exercises and/or skills used simply have to tax the cardio system, strength based muscle isolation exercises are not as effective. It is a good idea to choose exercises that involve a large amount of musculature.

The Tabata method is a great way to build fitness for ALL martial artists.

Seeing paintings by Le Thiet Cuong at “Like a Nil” exhibition, many may think that it is very easy to copy his paintings, but that’s just a joke, the way to Le Thiet Cuong’s irreducibility is anything but simple.

In art, people often love complicated techniques and many lose themselves in that maze of complication their whole life. Only some can escape from the maze to define their own language of creativeness and most of them choose simplicity.

This simplicity may be seen as “bounds” in creativeness. It makes an easy way for the public to have access to artworks and the artists have to work hard to make that simplicity or “like a nil” to stir up obsessions or deep feelings in viewers.

Le Thiet Cuong’s paintings are deep of feeling and they don’t repeat themselves. “Lan’s Story” is not new in the arrangement because its motif is about the fate of women in the war but it is new for the feeling it brings to viewers.

Asking Le Thiet Cuong why he didn’t draw a story about someone else, for example a mother or a soldier, he said he drew “Lan’s Story” from his own experience. He has travelled to many areas to understand hidden corners behind the war and stories about women’s fates are the greatest obsession.

That was the reason for Le Thiet Cuong to display “Lan’s Story”, not “Hung’s Story”, a story about a soldier. He said “Hung’s Story” needs a larger space than “Lan’s Story” and he will bring “Hung’s Story” to an exhibition in the near future.

The painter said many people are very interested in “Lan’s Story” but nobody wants to buy these paintings. But he said he didn’t care about the sales of these paintings.

“Exhibitions are for my career, not for business. I’m very happy that many young people have visited my exhibition. I want these people to see my artworks because Vietnamese painting arts lack audiences,” Le Thiet Cuong said.

That’s a sad truth as schools don’t teach children how to appreciate art. That’s why Vietnamese people often neglect museums or traditional arts like ca tru (ceremonial songs), hat xam (blind musician’s songs) or don ca tai tu, etc.

“When I led my friends to the History Museum, I saw Vietnamese people went there to take photos, not to look at huge numbers of valuable objects. Paying VND70,000, museum staffs will open glass boxes for you to take photos of objects of thousands of years old. I felt terrible when I saw people carve their names on Champa towers in Nha Trang though these towers are built of terra-cotta. Invaluable vestiges are treated like toys because people don’t understand their value,” the painter said.

For this reason, Vietnamese paintings are not paid attention to by Vietnamese people. Painters like Le Thiet Cuong exist by selling paintings to foreigners. Some of his paintings are now hung up at a big museum in Singapore.

A painting by Le Thiet Cuong, which was displayed at “Like a Nil” exhibition.
“Are your paintings selling well?” Le Thiet Cuong said: “They sold well in the past, not now. I’m living on the past.”

“Are they expensive?” “Very expensive, because each painting is unique, and records the only moment of feeling in my heart,” the painter added.

“But you have your own gallery, why can’t you sell your paintings?” Cuong said his gallery is not for profit since he chooses and display artworks by young painters to help them take the first step in their careers.

“I’ve drawn paintings that I like, with my own style. I want to reach other fields like pottery, sculpting”

Le Thiet Cuong has a project that he plans to finalise in ten years: making a dictionary about Vietnamese craft villages. Three years have passed and he has finished researching art-related craft villages.

Deeply researching craft villages of Vietnam, he realised that hand-made products not only show the talents of Vietnamese craftsmen but also the cream of a society. Woodworks are currently made by machines but hand-made products are the most expensive because they are created by exquisite talents.

Pointing at a tea pot, Le Thiet Cuong said all of the patterns on the pot were drawn by hand, not by soulless machines. But Bat Trang pottery village now has only two craftsmen who can make patterns by hand in the traditional method.

Le Thiet Cuong can talk for hours and hours about such old things. “My friends say I love playing with old things but I understand their values and I love such values,” he said.

His house is an old one, which has been existing for many years, with bamboo-made handrails; most of the furniture is hand-made. All of it is very nice.

He loves rural cuisines. He can stay in his room the whole day to make small things or look at some old photos in his huge collection of photos. It seems that he is very satisfied with his current life and what he is doing.

Talents often have unhappy lives. For me, Le Thiet Cuong is a talent but he loses nothing. His children are very intelligent and his wife is very pretty.

“I have my own sadness. I haven’t had a meal with my whole family for tens of years. I love my mother most but she is now in a harsh situation, where money can’t help. I love her but I’m helpless!” he said.

“Is family the most important thing for a man like you, who is said to be gentlemanlike?” “I consider family as something that I must do. I have to do that job well so I can be assured to do other things,” Cuong said.

We drank tea on a late afternoon in April. Cuong’s family grilled meat for dinner, and the aroma was sublime. Le Thiet Cuong said he feels comfortable on such afternoons.

His gallery at 39A Ly Quoc Su often closes early. And at that time it is Cuong’s house, his happiness and sadness, like a short story he wrote a long time ago “The House on an Old Street”. That house is older than him and it keeps his life.