Learning Combat Sequences for Free Sparring

The secret of the sparring methodology in our school, Shaolin Wahnam, lies in the 16 basic combat sequences, which are taught in the Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course. But as the Switzerland Regional Shaolin Kungfu Course covered only three days of training, there was insufficient time to practice all the 12 sequences.

Hence, a simplified set of 8 combat sequences were derived from these 16 basic sequences to be taught at this regional course. These 8 combat sequences are complete by themselves, covering all the four categories of attacks and defence, namely striking, kicking, felling and gripping. In other words, without the need to borrow from any other martial arts but by using these 8 combat sequences, a practitioner can adequately defend himself from any forms of attack. Of course he must have the necessary combat skills.

As sequences are made up of patterns, you can be proficient in performing sequences only when you have become proficient in performing patterns. Every pattern should be performed in a picture-perfect manner. Only in this way can you bring out the best advantages that pattern will give for the combat situation it is used.

When performing various patterns in a sequence, the movements must be fluid and not staccato. The various patterns are linked together smoothly and performed as if they were one long, continuous pattern. Should variations be made in a sequence, like when a sparring partner intentionally or mistakenly goes out of the pre-arranged order, they should be fluid and spontaneous too. Of course, at the beginning you may be hesitant and haphazard, but with this principle in mind you can attain fluidity and spontaneity with due practice.

Indeed, this is the reason why some kungfu sets are called "Long Fists" ("Zhang Quan" in Chinese). "Long" here refers to the "Long River", the name the Chinese people call Yangtze Kiang, the longest river in China. The kungfu patterns are like waves in the Long River, flowing continuously and overwhelming the opponent irrespective of what moves he makes.

To help you remember the 8 simplified combat sequences easily, they are linked into a set called "Single Tiger Emerges from Cave".

For more info: www.ShaolinWahnamUSA.com

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• shaolin
• wahnam
• kungfu
• kung
• fu
• sparring
• training

[idakinlikes]

what's this got to do with shaolin?

[monkfg]

"Learning Combat Sequences for Free Sparring"

This might help you to control your body, but

you should also learn to work with your intuition.

The master should have a free fight with one of his students, or a fighter trained in another martial art, so he can proof the effectivity of what he is teaching, or does he fear to kill his opponent?

[shaolindrunk]

they're not free sparring in this video, they're practicing pre-arranged combat sequences which help to develop skills eventually control is taken away from the sequences until free sparring is achieved. The training is systematic and scientific. free sparring at the beginning is sure to result in failure. It's like trying to figure out how to drive an airplane on your own.

[omnispork]

It's seems you use the term "sparring" in a way I'm not used to.

[shaolindrunk]

that's a good point but I don't believe in blocks. In good kung fu deflections, interception, and evasion is used.

[Wutangquan]

Yeah that's right. Because it is kung fu and not for example muay thai or kickboxing, in sparring you have to use stances and blocks instead of bouncing around like a boxer. You have to spar with stances and blocks if you want to put your kung fu in action. Otherwise its like a clone form of kickboxing

[kungfufreddy]

that is one of the stupidest things i have ever seen

[blackjamm]

"Long fist" would be "Changquan", not "zhangquan." The character, "chang", long, does have an alternate pronunciation of "zhang", but that means, "to grow."

[shaolindrunk]

I like how they use stances instead of bouncing around.