A huge problem facing Chinese martial arts today is that most practitioners cannot apply their kungfu techniques for combat. There are two aspects to this problem. One, many of them only practice kungfu forms without any combat application. Two, those who practice combat application use other martial art techniques instead of kungfu techniques for sparring. We in Shaolin Wahnam believe that as we practice kungfu, we should use kungfu techniques in sparring or actual fighting. These video series show our sparring methodology.

A common question many people have is how practicing combat sequences which are pre-arranged can lead to efficiency in free sparring where attacks come at random. If one merely practices pre-arranged combat sequences, he may not be efficient in free sparring. There are many steps in between, and these steps mark the progression from full control in combat sequences to no control in free sparring. Various methods are employed to accomplish these objectives, such as “pre-choice”, “self-choice”, “surprised counters”, “continuity”, “external change” and “internal change”. The operation uses “subtraction and addition” involving patterns and sequences.

Records indicate that practitioners of great kungfu in the past were relaxed and graceful in combat, happy and peace-loving in daily life — and certainly not rough, angry and belligerent. It is heartening that our Shaolin Wahnam members exhibit these qualities of great kungfu practitioners. It is also significant that after training and sparring for many hours, our Shaolin Wahnam practitioners are not tired or panting for breath! More significantly, we enjoy our training and sparring where we build camaraderie and help one another. But, notwithstanding this, is our training methodology effective for combat? Of course it is, otherwise we would not waste our time training this way.