2 Challenger's fights

[Lance Chan]

This week I've encountered a couple challengers from Chinese martial arts background. One with 2 to 3 years of Dao form and the other with Jian form. They both criticized me as slow, unable to attack lower openings and don't know any real swordsmanship. As the result I invited them to come spar with me and here're the videos...

http://lancelot.servehttp.com/gathering/challenge.mpg

If I remembered right, it was 18:2.

http://lancelot.servehttp.com/gathering/frederick-vs-lancelot.mpg

This one was 38 : 2 (After carefully reviewing frame by frame, 2 of his underhand strikes were with the flat of the sword, thus wrong blade alignment)

It seems they finally realize the difference between just watching the video and judge without any practical experience and actually putting themselves into the shoes of the practitioner.

[Mike Sega]

Yes, It is amazing how much people talk without actually being able to DO. Nice bit of documentation. And by the length of the clip, I don't suppose they can claim it was a fluke!javascript:void(0)
grin

Mike
<img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Lance Chan]

It's part of their teachers' fault for inducing the theory that after they've perfect their form work, their fighting ability is automatically gained.

[Allen Johnson]

Well done! Didn't look like much of a challenge to me <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" /> So I'm curious as to what their reaction was after the bouts? Were they making excuses or admiting they were wrong or whatever?

Also, whats with holding the off hand in the 2-finger thing- Is it a Chi thing?

[Lance Chan]

They realize what they thought was totally unrealistic and but one of them kept his impolite attitude (the one using single edged sword) while the other started to consider learning more forms..... sigh.

He thought the fingers, when chance presents, can be used to push the opponent's blade away.

[Will Adamson]

I only looked at the first clip, but I can't imagine that he was actually using any real stance. It looked more like he was just standing there with the edge pointed up, like he didn't even want to put up a fight. Those hits on you looked more like you just ran into the blade than him really hitting you.

Jolly good show!

[Ray_McCullough]

It always seems to me that the Eastern Martial Arts dont study weapons(or unarmed techniques) as earnestly as the western MA's do. They tend to have to much imphasis on "mystical superiority" and not train as earnestly in testing and refining the Martial applications. Some schools do train earnestly, but the majority (espiecially the ones in the U.S.A.) do not.

On average they have great "movie martial arts skills" and have poor martial skills. This lack of skill only shows up when they fight a person outside of the dojo, espeicailly when it is someone with excellant skills.

I am partial to WMA. I did study traditional Japanese MA's and I enjoyed them because it was older(with more emphasis on the battlefeild) and we trained hard. I have seen both sides of the fence. I have since swaped over and aint lookin back.

[Derek Gulas]

Hi Lance,

I've always been a big fan of your videos. You pretty well wiped the floor with those poor guys. Someday, when I get over to HK (someday) I hope you'll have me for some sparring <img src="/forum/images/icons/laugh.gif" alt="" />

[Jaron Bernstein]

Very impressive. You must have better chi circulation. <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" /> Was that dude even trying to do some kind of guard or ward?

[Lance Chan]

Sure you're welcome. <img src="/forum/images/icons/laugh.gif" alt="" />

[Lance Chan]

Yes, he was assuming his most confident guard, trying to use the two fingers to deflect any incoming blade when chance presents. But I think he learned from that experience already that reality is somehow different from his assumptions. He said he'll be visiting again and I look forward to see his improvement.

[JeffGentry]

Lance

he was assuming his most confident guard, trying to use the two fingers to deflect any incoming blade when chance presents

You mentioned this in an earlier post, he was aculay trying to deflect the blade with two finger's? I can see maybe a push to your arm after setting aside using 2 finger's, i thought when you said that earlier he had mentioned it in conversation i didn't relaize he actualy tried it.

Jef

[Stacy Clifford]

Using your hand to deflect a rapier is viable, or just somebody who likes to thrust a lot, but trying that against cuts mostly just sounds like a good recipe for earning the nickname "Stumpy".

[TimSheetz]

LANCE! You beat him up and took his lunch money!

Seriously, you didn't even get nasty or even use some of your more robust attacks on him. Good Job. He now knows the difference between an art form and a martial art. It reflects well on his character that he wants to come back and learn more.

I hope he also learned that it is important to be sure of your technique by TESTING IT before talking smak about what others are doing.

Good job!

Tim Sheetz

[Lance Chan]

Well, he never succeeded in the actual sparring... so it was just his idea. Good that he found an honest result.