My experience with Chen Ziqiang

[Andy_S]

I trained with Chen ZQ in the village in '06. Have not seen him since.

When foreigners walked into the gym his eyes lit up with a "fresh meat" kind of look: He expected them to be a bit more fighty than the locals. A friend of mine, a very big Aussie called Andy, who had previously worked as a nighclub bouncer, was essentially living in the village school free of charge just so ZQ had a sparring partner every afternoon: He just loved it.

When I played with ZQ, he just went very, very rag-doll soft: As noted, you could not really put power on him, though you could move him (he would sometimes neutralize force with footwork, which I suppose is not allowed in these non-step PH events). He would let you do something, then would counter it with his own technique and was pretty gentle. (In this, he was very much like my BJJ teacher, John Frankl, who would let you do anything, then counter and submit.) Though I did hear that once or twice, with his own students, he could fly off the hook and be pretty rough.

I asked to feel some power. He said, fine, try the shoulder strike; He would give me three gradations of power. He banged me once: pretty well nothing. Then he hit me with No 2, long power - I was sent flying about 15 feet, and ended up doing a backward roll. That impressed me (I am a couple of inches taller and probably several kilos heavier.) He said do you want to try the big one and I said, "No mas."


Can't speak for the seminar in question: I guess the curriculum was set up by the organizers. ZQ is (or used to be) happy to play with anyone who asks. Or, maybe he has settled down a bit. But he certainly never used to refuse anyone, and the bigger, the better.

I am really amused at the comments on the clip of ZQ being thrown. Gee! A guy gets thrown! How can this be? How can he be a master? How can he know Taiji? Etc, etc.

I have yet to see or hear of the perfect master who has never been hit or thrown. Actually - sorry, I have! They are the ones who never fight, or have never fought.

[willie]

I trained with Chen ZQ in the village in '06. Have not seen him since.

When foreigners walked into the gym his eyes lit up with a "fresh meat" kind of look: He expected them to be a bit more fighty than the locals. A friend of mine, a very big Aussie called Andy, who had previously worked as a nighclub bouncer, was essentially living in the village school free of charge just so ZQ had a sparring partner every afternoon: He just loved it.

When I played with ZQ, he just went very, very rag-doll soft: As noted, you could not really put power on him, though you could move him (he would sometimes neutralize force with footwork, which I suppose is not allowed in these non-step PH events). He would let you do something, then would counter it with his own technique and was pretty gentle. (In this, he was very much like my BJJ teacher, John Frankl, who would let you do anything, then counter and submit.) Though I did hear that once or twice, with his own students, he could fly off the hook and be pretty rough.

I asked to feel some power. He said, fine, try the shoulder strike; He would give me three gradations of power. He banged me once: pretty well nothing. Then he hit me with No 2, long power - I was sent flying about 15 feet, and ended up doing a backward roll. That impressed me (I am a couple of inches taller and probably several kilos heavier.) He said do you want to try the big one and I said, "No mas."


Can't speak for the seminar in question: I guess the curriculum was set up by the organizers. ZQ is (or used to be) happy to play with anyone who asks. Or, maybe he has settled down a bit. But he certainly never used to refuse anyone, and the bigger, the better.

I am really amused at the comments on the clip of ZQ being thrown. Gee! A guy gets thrown! How can this be? How can he be a master? How can he know Taiji? Etc, etc.

I have yet to see or hear of the perfect master who has never been hit or thrown. Actually - sorry, I have! They are the ones who never fight, or have never fought.

cool man, about time. he is one dude that I would definitely go to his seminar and I don't like seminars.
thanks.

[johnwang]

A friend of mine, a very big Aussie called Andy, who had previously worked as a nighclub bouncer, was essentially living in the village school free of charge just so ZQ had a sparring partner every afternoon:

I thought I was the only person who was stupid enough to teach people for free in order to get sparring/wrestling partners. Believe it or not, I even put ad in local gym and willing to pay $15/hour for sparring/wrestling partners.

I do believe if you don't spar/wrestle for 3 days, your arms and legs will no longer be yours.

[willie]

I thought I was the only person who was stupid enough to teach people for free in order to get sparring/wrestling partners. Believe it or not, I even put ad in local gym and willing to pay $15/hour for sparring/wrestling partners

I hear you man, it's not easy finding good partners.

[windwalker]

@ jw and willie,

why not become a member of

DBMA ASSOCIATION CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS, GUROS & AFFILIATES

http://dogbrothers.com/affiliates/

The Magic Words:

The MAGIC WORDS: “No judges, no referees, no trophies. One rule only: Be friends at the end of the day. This means our goal is that no one spends the night in the hospital. Our goal is that everyone leaves with the IQ with which they came. No suing no one for no reason for nothing no how no way!Real Contact Stickfighting is Dangerous and only you are responsible for you, so protect yourself at all times. All copyright belongs to Dog Brothers Inc. CA law applies.” © DBI

The Adventure continues!!!

“Higher Consciousness through Harder Contact” (c)

This would allow for testing, and provide a venue for those interested
in your craft.

[willie]

@ jw and willie,

why not become a member of

DBMA ASSOCIATION CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS, GUROS & AFFILIATES

http://dogbrothers.com/affiliates/

The Magic Words:

The MAGIC WORDS: “No judges, no referees, no trophies. One rule only: Be friends at the end of the day. This means our goal is that no one spends the night in the hospital. Our goal is that everyone leaves with the IQ with which they came. No suing no one for no reason for nothing no how no way!Real Contact Stickfighting is Dangerous and only you are responsible for you, so protect yourself at all times. All copyright belongs to Dog Brothers Inc. CA law applies.” © DBI

The Adventure continues!!!

“Higher Consciousness through Harder Contact” (c)

This would allow for testing, and provide a venue for those interested
in your craft.

No

[johnwang]

This would allow for testing, and provide a venue for those interested.

At this point of my life, I'm interested in different kind of testing. I may not be able to box or wrestle for 15 rounds, but I'm interested in the following kind of testing:

If I can

- block your 20 punches that you throw at my head, I win that round, otherwise I lose that round.
- block your 20 kicks that you throw at my body, I win that round, otherwise I lose that round.
- wrap your punching arm within your first 10 punches, I win that round, otherwise I lose that round.
- catch your kicking leg within your first 10 kicks, I win that round, otherwise I lose that round.
- take you down within 10 seconds, I win that round, otherwise I lose that round.
- choke you within 10 seconds, I win that round, otherwise I lose that round.
- ...

Test this for 15 rounds with resting in between and record the testing result.

In other words, for the

- striking skill, I'm only interested in testing my "defense skill".
- throwing skill, I like to test my "offense skill" but my opponent can play offense as well.

I believe this kind of testing is safe and fun. It also doesn't require to have endurance as 20 years old. As long as your body can handle the full speed and full force in that short period of time, you should be able to enjoy that 15 rounds.

[willie]

This would allow for testing, and provide a venue for those interested.

- block your 20 punches that you throw at my head, I win that round, otherwise I lose that round.
- block your 20 kicks that you throw at my body, I win that round, otherwise I lose that round.
- wrap your punching arm within your first 10 punches, I win that round, otherwise I lose that round.
- catch your kicking leg within your first 10 kicks, I win that round, otherwise I lose that round.
- take you down within 10 seconds, I win that round, otherwise I lose that round.
- choke you within 10 seconds, I win that round, otherwise I lose that round..

This is actually pretty good strategy, someone with incredible defense is very difficult to beat.
But the second part of what your saying is "hmmm". otherwise I lose would suggest a do or die thing. That's a 50 / 50.
Also the leg kicks are very hard to catch because they might just be a decoy, the decoy is sent out, you go to grab it
and then the real technique is used.
Still good defense means that there is very little anyone can do.

[johnwang]

the leg kicks are very hard to catch because they might just be a decoy, the decoy is sent out, you go to grab it
and then the real technique is used.

This is why a leg catch should always be followed by a leading arm jam. You try to use one arm to catch your opponent's kick while use the other arm to jam his leading arm (and also use his leading arm to jam his back arm).

[willie]

the leg kicks are very hard to catch because they might just be a decoy, the decoy is sent out, you go to grab it
and then the real technique is used.

This is why a leg catch should always be followed by a leading arm jam. You try to use one arm to catch your opponent's kick while use the other arm to jam his leading arm (and also use his leading arm to jam his back arm).

I got a better idea, how about just learning windwalker's secret chi blast system, go to the ufc, take all the money and never get hit once.
" A jab at Windy, just for fun"

[marvin8]

I got a better idea, how about just learning windwalker's secret chi blast system, go to the ufc, take all the money and never get hit once.
" A jab at Windy, just for fun"

No. Even better, go to boxing. No kicks, throws, elbows, or submissions to worry about. Then, make $300 million (like Mayweather Jr.) for one fight, 36 minutes.

[dspyrido]

If you are looking for sparring partners why not go to a school that competes in mma? There are many around & they are accessible.

With wrestling there are amateur ones in many countries where people just wrestle. Also boxing clubs. These guys are usually community run & some are even run by ex-olympians. The irony is for their skill & focus they are damned cheap without any big contracts, no need to buy the branded gi and drink the coolaid. Some I have seen are tiny clubs with real high quality focused individuals.

As for refining ima I have my original sifus students & we keep doing what we do but if you dont have this I'd suggest creating a meetup group with your interest. I've visited several & they are not for me but thats because they are just health arts. A couple ended up being open matt schools where people just tried stuff out from diverse styles. They were fun to.

[willie]

the leg kicks are very hard to catch because they might just be a decoy, the decoy is sent out, you go to grab it
and then the real technique is used.

This is why a leg catch should always be followed by a leading arm jam. You try to use one arm to catch your opponent's kick while use the other arm to jam his leading arm (and also use his leading arm to jam his back arm).

Not so easy. I have no answer to Muay Thai leg kicks other then lift your leg or go train the same way they did and get iron leg.
This a very big problem with arts that require rooting. People think they can take those kicks until...no.

[johnwang]

Not so easy. I have no answer to Muay Thai leg kicks other then lift your leg or go train the same way they did and get iron leg.

Everything is relative and not absolute. If you wait for your opponent's kicking leg

- to generate maximum power and speed, it will be very difficult to block it.
- just starts kicking in the early stage, you only have to deal with part of his speed and power.

In TCMA, it's called "squeeze space" that you don't give your opponent enough space to do whatever that he intends to do. This is the advantage of a wrestler that the closer the distance, the better advantage will be toward him.

In SC, the moment that you can detect your opponent intends to kick you, the moment that you try to

- catch his kicking leg,
- attack his rooting leg, and
- jam his leading arm (also use his leading arm to jam his back arm),

at the same time. It's a very good general strategy IMO.

[willie]

- catch his kicking leg,
- attack his rooting leg, and
- jam his leading arm (also use his leading arm to jam his back arm),

at the same time. It's a very good general strategy IMO.

sounds good, I give it a maybe.