Use what is natural: Kiyap

Kiyap.  It's that yell that Martial Arts people do when they strike.  Why do they do it?  What purpose does it fulfill? The kiyap has multiple interpretations and in this article I'll explain my reasoning for the kiyap.

Use what is natural: Running

Early humans ran their prey to death using a technique called persistence hunting. Click the link to read all about it. Nowadays I feel that the consensus is that most people are scared or intimidated by running a mile or two. It seems like a lot, but given your natural chemistry, you are born and built to run.

Don't believe me? Well, I was a non-believer before too.

Earn Your Ph. D in Martial Arts

The Goal

If your goal is to get a great career, then there are 2 paths you can take.  Some people will have you go to college so you can do those high paying jobs, like a Doctor, or an Engineer.  Some people have decent skills and just know the right people.  There was a System Admin who never got his Degree, yet he is one of the most sought after people.  His age? Mid-twenties.  Most people need to work a long time before they become that special.  Regardless of our path, the goal is still about the career you want and desire.  

Martial arts follow a similar chronological path:

A Sparring Experience

Saturday, Oct 23rd, morning, cloudy, got up late, didn't eat breakfast (finally brought down a bag of apple cinnamon pop-tarts), making calls, getting calls, arranging rides, got a pretty bad start in the morning. However, while on the way there, with some help from 95.1 and metal songs help my mind started to calm down a bit more.

We got to the place around 950ish, just before wushu demonstration began at around 10. Saw Brian Wang, our former social chair -- everytime I saw him I would now and then have the song "Good Morning" by Kanye West. It was a fitful song for that morning actually, very chill and relaxed, with some hidden tides wavering around underneath everyone's thumping hearts. At least it was in mine.

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Protection doesn't help

While exiting the ring and stepping down to ground level. I felt a tightness in my right shin. I was still able to walk of course, but keep in mind that adrenaline does wonders to hide the pain. I just stopped sparring and it already hurt. What is going on?

Learning To Spar

I opened my eyes this morning recalling the events of last evening. I flexed my quads to tighten my knees. I rotated my ankles. They did not hurt as bad as the night before. Sparring....the act of you and your kung fu brothers hitting each other. It can be rough, but you learn quite a lot.

In the mirror I saw a long rectilinear marking on the side of my ribs. My knees, pink and my shins purple.

Why Train with Traditional Weapons?

Traditional Weapons Training

Very often people are attracted to Chinese Martial Arts because of the absolute array of weapons present in the system. No other ethnic combat system can boast such a plethora of sharp and shiney, blunt and edged, long and stout tools of defense and war. However, aside from being a “marketing” ploy, many others ask, "what is the use of training in such archaic tools for combat?" I will introduce a classification of weapons called the Four Great Weapons. I will then explain why I believe it important to continue training in these weapons despite the fact that the carrying of such items would either be considered illegal or simply a societal oddity.