The Official TreeHouse Martial Arts Thread!

Butch, I've trained with 70 year old masters who could beat my ass.
That is why we call them masters.
 
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  • #453
stig said:
Butch, I've trained with 70 year old masters who could beat my ass..
Click to expand...

Seriously? I know that is the legend type stuff but yeah really?
 
It's real, Cory. My teacher is in his late 80's now...he had a TIA (small stroke) about a year ago. He has slowly gotten back a lot of his mobility and coordination...not like it was 10 years ago when he could most definitely tear up some arse. But even now...if you rush him and push him over, use a pipe to smash him you could take him.

But, if he gets the least little hold of any part of you it is probably over for you. His grip is still good, but most important is he knows how, when, where, why and what to grip. If that grip fails its OK...it evolves into another grip...or elbow...or eye thrust...or throat grip/squeeze/poke/pluck/smash, or cheek rip, ear tear, hair grab and neck twist/wrench, groin slap, rib fire grab.....

Several things will happen at once...each producing its own distraction/pain that opens another path or augments one he has already started down.

A master is a maelstrom of constant motion, manipulation, evolution, instant learning and adaptation. In the 3 techniques he employs he probably bypassed 6 possible techniques to optimize what he used.

I was learning a foot/ankle lock against an opponent once and kind of had it...but the guy could almost get out. Dr. Gyi, as he walked by, casually reached down, adjusted my elbow "drop" to a position about 3 inches different and the guy started squealing. Dr. Gyi saw the optimum angle for the lock as he walked by.

At my black belt test in 1981 he used me for a "victim" when he demonstrated an elbow to the chin...but it wasn't just the face, head or chin...it was PRECISELY the tip of his elbow to the very center of my chin, in that slight groove, not left or right. Moderate speed, controlled blow that didn't hurt much at all; but it like a sniper had zeroed in on that spot. I had a "Eureka" moment...no one else there knew what happened, but my mind was opened at that moment. To me an elbow was to smash a head or throat...after that I saw it as a precision tool that, when properly focused, would be devastating.

I have trained with Dr. Gyi once a week, Wednesday nights, for the last 14 years. I have seen subtleties of movements in his hands that were a flutter a few years ago...I knew something was happening but could not discern the meaning. I have since learned what those flutters are. I cannot employ them with the precision that he can but I can now recognize them for what they can be. First must come awareness; then, if the body can handle/learn the movement one can practice to make the movements fluid and automatic. When we can remove the thought from the equation the movement can be a "fire and forget" system that lets you turn loose the needed resources and use thought to look ahead to what might need to be done next....engage, escape, etc.

It's kind of like being up against a tree or something that suddenly starts to move in an unexpected way. No time to think...you just have to react (;)). Hopefully the reaction is proper for the situation. Training and preparation makes that kind of response possible. MA masters have done LOTS of focused intentional training so that when there is no time for thought they have reactions to respond with...hopefully their training coupled appropriate responses with stimuli.
 
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  • #455
Wow great insight, Gary. Thanks for the detailed response.

Your teacher is at a lofty level. It makes me wonder, did he get there simply by tons of practice and experience or is there tons of that also coupled with innate talent that would prevent most people from reaching that level despite loads of time and effort
 
All of it that you said. He says he is nothing special but I think there was an innate disposition to be able to achieve that. Many people probably could achieve such high levels but their focus/interests are elsewhere.

Plus...he was born in Burma and lived there until his late 20's. His father was the Minister of Physical Education for Burma and was exposed from a very early age to MA masters from Burma, India, China, Tibet. His father's personal mission for decades was to assess, evaluate, record, assimilate and preserve the many ethnic martial arts that are part of Burma (Myanmar). Dr. Gyi grew up either seeing masters come to visit his father and show their stuff or having his father send him to train with various masters...Boar, Cobra, Tiger, Panther, Dha (sword), Staff, etc. masters.

Plus his father and grandfather were all Gurkhas. He was born into a situation ripe for nurturing his talents and abilities.
 
My Ju-Jitsu Sensei could kick my ass, easy, and he was at least 30 years older than me - I was 2nd-degree brown, which was actually pretty badass. They didn't give belts out very easily.
 
Good Ju-Jitsu is some officially badass stuff. The "jitsu" form of a martial art is the combative/practical part of a system. Ju-do competition. Ju-Jitsu....combat oriented.
 
I did Judo as a youngster, Karate as a teen, and Ju-Jitsu as an adult. Judo taught me how to throw and fall - correctly. Karate taught me how to strike. Ju-Jitsu taught me how to tie a mofo UP! LOL.
 
cory said:
Seriously? I know that is the legend type stuff but yeah really?
Click to expand...

Really!
Gary said it for me, but yes.
I've trained with a few of the old time Okinawan masters and they are incredible.

It is a brand of people that will be extinct when this generation dies off.
People who took up the art at age 8 years and have been at it since.
Their skill level is beyond belief.
 
<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="a/kVoeV6r"><a href="//imgur.com/a/kVoeV6r">I will never be this cool, and I’m ok with that</a></blockquote><script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Not cool at all.
Totally unable to use his/her body at all.
He/she wouldn't be able to crack a walnut with those Nunchakus.
 
<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="a/prqeybW"><a href="//imgur.com/a/prqeybW">Celebrate each other instead of putting each other down.</a></blockquote><script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Sweaty eyes, huh? yep.


That's a tough situation. If he breaks it, after all that, its great. IF he doesn't, it can be really rough.
 
An advanced move!

<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="a/S9BKGaO"><a href="//imgur.com/a/S9BKGaO">How to get out of a rear naked choke</a></blockquote><script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
That'll work, and quite well :).

Of course, a small flip blade no larger than the lighter, inserted hilt deep in the same place under the choking arm, would achieve the same results and last far longer at getting the choker to consider the wisdom of a "back off" position...just my opinion :evil:.

I suppose I'm bad that way...no martial arts skills aside from a very few tricks with a stick or cane, old and slow; I rather like the surprise knife defense...and besides, I always carry at least two blades, but never a lighter. Smoking is bad for your health, right? :D.
 
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