HOW TO HANDLE A KARATE EXPONENT
Defeat an opponent as soon as he moves
From the perspective of tactics and techniques, handling a Karate exponent is comparatively easy — easier than handling a Boxer or a Kick-Boxer, for example. This statement should not be taken as an insult to Karate, or belittling it, though unfortunately it is often the case. This is our dilemma of being truthful.
But we must realize that the above statement does not mean a Karate exponent is not formidable, nor a kungfu exponent will necessary beat a Karate exponent. In fact, the situation today is that most kungfu practitioners, including those who have been teaching for many years, will be beaten by Karate blackbelts. The main reason for this fact is of course not due to the superiority or inferiority of Karate techniques, but due to most kungfu practitioners not having been trained in combat application.
My following experience, which I still remember clearly, may be illuminating. Years ago, even before I learned from Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, I had my first free sparring with a Karate exponent. At that time my combat skills were far below those of an average Shaolin Wahnam kungfu student today. Yet, the Karate exponent was very impressed with my techniques, which to me were the most basic.
He initiated a mid-level punch, to which I responded with a Single Tiger. Immediately he gave me a low frontal kick, to which I responded with a hand sweep. I still remember I used a sideway Bow-Arrow Stance instead of a False-Leg Stance which our students would use today, and which is a better choice.
The Karate exponent stopped immediately and asked whether I practiced kungfu. He did not know earlier what I practiced. We were talking about martial art, and he wanted to impress me with his Karate. But he did not want to continue with the sparring. He conceded that kungfu techniques were too sophisticated for him. Instead, he told me and a few other friends who were also around what happened at his training session the day before.
A student wanted to know what to do if someone grasped him from behind with both arms. The group tried out the technique for some time. No one knew a counter, not even the instructor. Then accidentally someone slipped his hand behind and griped the attacker's groin, causing him pain and therefore to release his grasp. Someone from the crowd exclaimed that the pattern was called “Bail Fish from Sea Bottom”, and all concluded that only a kungfu exponent could make such an effective counter.
“Bail Fish from Sea Bottom” was a mis-pronunciation for “Bail Moon from Sea Bottom”. But actually the pattern was “Steal Peach with Reverse Hand”.
We did not spend much time at the Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course of October 2006 to practice special Shaolin techniques against Karate because the 16 basic combat sequences learn in the course already serve the purpose excellently. Nevertheless, Sifu Ronan demonstrated what he would do if a Karate exponent attacked him. All the attacking and counter moves were impromptu and not pre-arranged.
The Karate exponent, posed by Padraig, initiates with a frontal kick. Notice that Sifu Ronan counters with three strikes. The two are obvious, but do you know the third?
As the Karate exponent attempts to attack, Sifu Ronan intercepts, fells him onto the ground, and completes with a decisive strke.
Defeat an Opponent as Soon as he Moves
As the Karate exponent attacks, Sifu Ronan closes his attack and simultaneously strikes his groin. It defeats an opponent when he just completes his initial move!
As an opponent attacks, Sifu Ronan leans back and executes a side kick, followed with a hanging fist at the oppoent's head. This also defeats an opponent when he just completes his initial move.
Instant Change to Defeat Opponent
Sifu Ronan initially wants to grip an opponent's throat, but as he pushes in, Sifu Ronan fells him onto the ground, then grips his throat.
Superiority of Kungfu over Karate
A kungfu exponent might neutralize the felling technique and counter-attack. The other combatant would then continue accordingly. This, in fact, was how kungfu techniques developed.
How to Use Shaolin Kungfu to Handle a Karate Exponent from Wong Kiew Kit on Vimeo.
1. Stances: the Foundation for Internal Force and Combat Efficiency
2. Footwork Secrets for Health, Efficiency and Elegance
3. Moving into a Same Direction using Different Ways to Gain Advantages
4. Picture-Perfect Forms and Flowing Movements
5. From Random Fighting to Patterns, and from Patterns to Sequences and Sets
6. One-Step Sparring to Develop Combat Skills
7. From Pre-Arranged Sparring to Guided Sparring
8. Using Techniques and Tactics in Sparring
9. The Five Basic Kicks
10. The Secrets of Side Kicks and Continuous Cannons
11. How You may Defeat Opponents Experienced in Random Free Sparring
12. How Would a Fragile Girl Counter a Powerful Sweeping Kick from a Muay Thai Fighter?
13. Shaolin Felling Techniques and their Defences
14. Safety First Before Executing Felling Techniques
15. From Combat Sequences to Free Sparring
16. Sixteen Combat Sequences and Five Kungfu Sets
17. Surprise your Attacker with a Counter-Attack
18. Working out Ways to Fight a Boxer
19. Effective Tactics and Techniques against Boxers
20. From Gross Outline to Fine Details
21. Exploiting Advantage to Clinch Victory
22. Variety of Kungfu Techniques against Boxers
23. Analysis of Techniques Used against Boxers
24. Using Shaolin Kunfu against Boxing in Free Sparring
25. Effective Shaolin Tactics and Techniques against Kick-Boxing
26. Shaolin Kungfu against Kick-Boxing in Free Sparring
27. How to Handle a Karate Exponent
28. How to Handle a Taekwondo Exponent
29. How to Handle a Wrestling Exponent
30. Understanding the Typical Attacks of Muay Thai Fighters
31. Grandmaster Ho's Secrets in Countering Muay Thai Fighters
32. First Avoid Defeat, Then Secure Victory
33. Counteroing the Elbow and Knee Attacks of Muay Thai Fighters