the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Now lets see, I really like that big silver ball at about 6:00 on this clip. Trouble is I am in a condo. Small condo. Second floor. Maybe I can talk a friend of mine into building one of these contraptions. Maybe. Acquisition of necessary hardware presents some problems.
Oh well. Hope springs eternal.

windwalker wrote:Thought some might be interested in old history.

Yes, interesting U.S. history. Here's a couple photos I found.

GENTHE'S PHOTOGRAPHS OF SAN FRANCISCO'S OLD CHINATOWN
Photographs by Arnold Genthe, Selection and text by John Kuo Wei Tchen

"The Mountainbank," "The Peking Two Knife Man," "The Sword dancer" - Genthe's various titles for this portrait of Sung Chi Liang, well known for his martial arts skills. Nicknamed Daniu, or "Big Ox," referring to his great strength, he also sold an herbal medicine rub after performing a martial art routine in the street. The medicine, tiedayanjiu (tit daa yeuk jau), was commonly used to help heal bruises sustained in fights or falls. This scene is in front of 32, 34, and 36 Waverly Place, on the east side of the street, between Clay and Washington Streets. Next to the two onlookers on the right is a wooden stand which, with a wash basin, would advertise a Chinese barbershop open for business. The adjacent basement stairwell leads to an inexpensive Chinese restaurant specializing in morning zhou (juk), or rice porridge.

Sword dancer in San Francisco’s Chinatown, by Arthur Genthe, 1896-1906:

https://aerbook.com/maker/books/5984/as ... _i0018.jpg

Chinatown tong wars, http://www.sfexaminer.com/chinatown-tong-wars/:

Paul Drexler on January 16, 2016 wrote:Tongs began in 1852, with the establishment in San Francsico of the Ghee Kung Tong — the mother of all tongs. Inspired by the 17th century Triads of China, the Ghee Kung Tong began as a protective organization but soon developed a strong criminal component. This tong played a small but significant role in the establishment of modern China.

The San Francisco Police Department’s Chinatown Squad, pictured in 1889, were known for using direct means to squash the tongs’ presence in Chinatown:

http://s79f01z693v3ecoes3yyjsg1.wpengin ... rooks1.jpg

TaiChiTJ wrote:Now lets see, I really like that big silver ball at about 6:00 on this clip. Trouble is I am in a condo. Small condo. Second floor. Maybe I can talk a friend of mine into building one of these contraptions. Maybe. Acquisition of necessary hardware presents some problems.
Oh well. Hope springs eternal.

Pretty simply accomplished IMO, or something that simulates very much the same/ similar actions.. The dynamics will be slightly different, of course.
Get a balance/ stability ball and work against a wall.

In all probability the ball in that clip is probably heavier than a balance/ stability ball, which provides the resistence and feedback whilst hanging and moving freely in space. With the balance ball against the wall, it's the wall together with the interaction of you and the ball which provide the 'resistence' and gives feedback. This is nice in a way as you can play in a way where you can minimize your contact level to just enough, whilst keeping the ball moving and engaged with your actions.

As well as rolling/ circling actions with te hands and arms you can introduce other aspects of shadow boxing; a shoulder bump here, a kick there..
This is a basic push hands pattern done in the fashion I'm talking about. It's all I could really find atm to illustrate. You can start with simple motions like this, then add more, start to combine different things etc.

Pretty useful when there's no partner to train with and you want little more feedback and guidance even for you circular movements.

ok... found another, some in here.

and this.... is what I really really want for Xmas.

The second is better than the first but the hitting is a bit silly
Keep the hitting for pads or bags

Depends I guess. short range hitting, like shoulder and elbows feels ok, knees and even kicks feel ok, though you need to make a bit of space for a taichi kick - to the rear/side of the ball say. hand strikes DO feel awkward (the distance doesn't really work) and you probably don't/can't acheive anything much, other than your own flow perhaps.. but, then, in that sense is it any different than shadowboxing, and what's silly about that. I guess it's what you feel about silly and what you don't. It's funny actually.. I was chatting to a training partner the other week and I remember saying to him; "don't worry if you look or feel "stupid" doing xxxxx".. or words to that effect.

Silly might have been the wrong word
Inept
Just doesn't flow or seem effective

yeah... the distance is definitely funky for certain striking. Can't say I analysed the Italian that much, but saw some similarity in what he was doing to what I've done with it. Can't say I've done loads of it, or it's some staple of my training, but i did find it quite fun and useful to play around with. i wouldn't consider it particularly "serious" training, if that makes sense..