Basic Series One - Practicum
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Making a Proper Punch: Fist formation - Geometry and Attitude
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Back Fist: Affect and Effect
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Chin Na
On Sunday January 13, 2008 we were treated to a workshop in Chin Na that was guest instructed by a former student of our teacher we called Sifu Yusuf.We were exposed to some of the basic theoretical principles and practical techniques of seizing and grappling (we didn’t have time to get into techniques that render an opponent unconscious or exploitation of pressure points).Among the things that struck me the most during the workshop was the realization that it only takes about 6 pounds of pressure to break the average elbow and about 8 pounds of pressure to break the average knee. This suggests that all we need to do is be able to correctly employ mass roughly equivalent to the weight of a small infant against our opponent (or even less if we are able to use our opponents force against themselves). One of the things Sifu Yusuf emphasized was that Chin Na is not about striking, muscles and linearity but about pressure, joints and circularity.The techniques we practiced with Sifu Yusuf challenged our imaginations. They were so simple, beautiful and actually humane when you thought about them. Much gratitude to Sifu Yusuf for guest instructing the workshop and for Sifu Troy for exposing us to Chin Na and making the workshop possible.I hope that between now and the Spring, we can have follow up workshops in “sealing the breath” and pressure points. If we are able to have a mini-manual of essential Chin Na techniques and counter techniques by the Spring time, I think that would be ideal.I want to say that this post is not meant to be informative so much as to serve as a marker from which further discussion about Chin Na can proceed.Peace.