Yes! I know boards don't hit back!

Hi, everyone! I am especially glad to log in and see my blog has gone beyond the 7000 views mark.

So far the prospects of Wenhsiuquan's survival beyond my own lifespan seem a bit better now that people are interested in learning. Seeing how far these people still have to go, however, brings my expectations down towards minor improvements. So- we'll take this on one improvement at a time, I guess...

I have finally started with the fourth book. This book is on how I train and gives the actual exercises that make up my personal work-out and which are of course done in each class.

Today's post is about an attitude that has started a couple of decades ago, probably when Bruce Lee said: "Boards don't hit back" (Enter the Dragon).

My first karate teacher told me once that he does not teach breaking simply because it has no use in combat. He deemed it far more useful to be able to hit a moving target than a stationary board.

The shocking part in all this, however, is that I have only learnt how to throw a proper punch after I have made the rank of 1st kyu brown belt and quit karate. Why is that?

Let me tell you- I first had to experience what a proper punch feels like.

Yes- sad fact is that there are boxers and black belt karateka that do not know how to punch and yes- you can get a black belt even if you don't know how to punch.

Well- if you want to learn how I punch you can go back to my post of last year where I left a video of myself punching out a candle flame. Another thing you can do is to read my books...

This is not what my post is about, though. What it is about- is that that it is true that boards don't hit back, but also that they don't lie either. Boards, tiles and bricks don't care what style you practice or what type of blow you use. It will tell you whether it is powerful or not without beating around the bush.  

Now here comes the other part- 

Lots of people will tell you that the board/ tile/ brick gets broken because the stress of an actual confrontation is not there to tense up your muscles or to mess with your concentration. Now here is the big secret: That is how it is when you are still a beginner. Yes- actual fighting is a fearful thing and it is one of the challenges to overcome for us in order to execute our techniques in the heat of battle.

One of your missions- if you want to become a proficient fighter like this guy-

as opposed to these two-

is to take that Zen state in which you are meditating and observing the world with you into the fight. The day the act of fighting feels like when you are meditating you will find that landing that liver exploding punch or that neck breaking roundhouse kick happens by itself when it has to. Okay- maybe I am exaggerating, but it is still a good image to have in your head while training. (Not only did I have a story of a guy jumping over a small sapling with a calf over his shoulders for 3 years straight to inspire me, but I watched lots of Dragonball Z stories as well.)

If you don't meditate and your teacher does not teach you to I strongly recommend you start teaching yourself!

What I have said above is the reason why I do not join the group of martial artists that dismiss difficult techniques as being "ineffective", "bullshit" or "myth".

Well- since I have learnt how to punch I have something else to tell you: You know the one-inch punch? I have a one centimetre punch and a millimetre palm! And no- I am not the only one walking the earth with these abilities. There are even more amazing people out there in the world that can do even greater things, just because they have trained with patience, discipline and perseverance.

Stay well, train well and have fun.