Wen Hsiu Quan

One of the main reasons why we can't rely on just basic drills and form practice is that we need to develop quick reflexes. I invented this method back in my Shotokan days to help me develop my blocks.  What you see in the photo are two favourite rubber balls. I use only one of them at a time. It already helps a lot if you bounce the ball against a smooth wall and catch it. What I have done to help me with my blocks however is to intercept the ball on its way back with in inward slapping block combined with a grab to catch it. Outward blocks can't be done in this exercise with much success, but I also intercept the ball with an outward circling movement at times before I catch it. The better you get at this the harder you can throw the ball to get more speed.  I also catch the ball with my eyes closed at times, but the success rate in that is far less than 100%. The effect this exercise has on your actual sparring is almost immediately visible- plus: you ...

If you can't hear me so well in the video- I was telling you about my new shurikens and how shuriken-jutsu (or in my case " shuriken-do" ) ties in with my Wenhsiuquan training. I don't actually practice much with shurikens. Biggest reason for it is most likely that shuriken throwing does not make me tired, sweaty and out of breath and also does not make my muscles ache (I mean ache in that way that tells you that you are on your way to getting more buff). What shuriken throwing does, however, is calm your mind. The actual technique requires focus that leaves no room for thought, worry or doubt. There is only room for technique. In other words- to me it's a form of meditation. Ninjas had to be able to deploy these projectiles on the run, during a fight or in any other situation that left little time for taking aim and calming yourself. In actual fighting a thrown shuriken is often deployed as a distraction to allow the shinobi...

I was going to write an entire post on the yoi stance in karate when I saw this video here on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorningGloryMartialArts?fref=nf I think many of us remember scenarios where the self defence moves we learnt got shot to pieces in a real situation. In my case I did not even have to leave the dojo! Our sensei used to make us practice blocking a swinging stick blow to the legs using gedan barai! I got bruises on my back for my trouble!  Believe me- when I got around to developing my own self defence moves that gedan barai response was the first to go!   Sure- we can argue that the responses taught do not always take into account how an actual opponent- who is not from your dojo- is going to move. But then again- if you think that you will become invincible by training and rehearsing as many responses as you can in a lifetime- let me be the first to tell you that you are likely to get your arse kicked all the way to the afterli...

After a long wait it is finally here! The Wenhsiuquan Book on Defense focusses on responses to attacks. It shows how I have simplified blocking to make it suit a real-life situation and shows how I have formulated my responses to common attacks so that the reader can know how to formulate his/ her own. I am really glad to have received my friends' help to get this together. The A5 size version- my favourite- is R 350.00. A cheaper A4 version can be bought for R 150.00. I have not really thought about overseas customers, but I think they'll understand if there is shipping to be paid as well...  For now- I'll take a break before getting to the next one. I am three books away from having my style documented to at least an extent which is worth carrying over. :) Train well, everyone!