Rootless root

[cloudz]

oh and that it reminds me of systema for some reason. (edit. first 2 clips posted)

[Ian]

I prefer to be immovable on one leg; this level of reaction / passivity is not my cup of tea.

From a health perspective, though, it's excellent. Thanks for posting.

[cloudz]

I can see the direct value of hopping for example. It's useful if someone catches a kick or get's a leg on you. I remember watching BJ Penn using it extremely well in a fight.

Freedom of movement is something I enjoy exploring from time to time, no big deal. Creativeness, Recovery, getting in "bad" positions, or (I should say) sub optimal for this or that.
I always try to be clear (as far as I can) in my own practice what is useful for what, when and where and why.

[I-mon]

I think they're great videos.

George, you seem to have taken issue with several posters on the forum recently, and it certainly appears like you are personally attacking them (Graham in this case, "marvin8" in another case that I've seen in the last couple of weeks) immediately after they post anything. These weird personal grudges some of you guys are promoting here are really bringing the vibe down, and I'm sure I'm not the only one getting sick of filtering through snide comments in just about every post.

From what I understand, Fighting Monkey AKA Rootless Root are more about exploration of movement generally, and martial arts only peripherally, so some of their drills tend to reflect more of a dance or even somatic psychotherapy approach. According to the people I know who have worked with them, it's all very interesting stuff.

[RobP3]

From what I understand, Fighting Monkey AKA Rootless Root are more about exploration of movement generally, and martial arts only peripherally, so some of their drills tend to reflect more of a dance or even somatic psychotherapy approach. According to the people I know who have worked with them, it's all very interesting stuff.

Yep, this.
There's a growing movement for "movement", some of it incorporating or copying aspects of Systema - in fact I may be working with one of the better groups in this area later in the year. However as I-mon says this is largely a health based approach, though of course that doesn't preclude people having application skills.
One thing Systema does is "organise" these movement skills into direct application, while of course retaining the health aspects.

[cloudz]

George, you seem to have taken issue with several posters on the forum recently, and it certainly appears like you are personally attacking them (Graham in this case, "marvin8" in another case that I've seen in the last couple of weeks) immediately after they post anything. These weird personal grudges some of you guys are promoting here are really bringing the vibe down, and I'm sure I'm not the only one getting sick of filtering through snide comments in just about every post.

I-mon,

I like and respect you/ your posts a great deal, that's all I really have to say right now.
Feel free to message me though if you want me to go further about the above.
I'll try and keep the weird to a minimum.

There is also something I have been meaning to thank you for.
But yea, feel free or not as the case may be.

[emptycloud]

There's a great message behind this one - just waiting for RobP to say, "did they ever study Systema?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av4qO5Rbs_c

excellent find... I like to do a lot of this kind of stuff..

Rich

[BruceP]

Really liked the 3rd video (haven't watched the first two). Lots of familiar material, drills and pressure-games there.

The foot-tag is a great way to get folks to understand their operable range and appreciate nuances of range management. It isolates the idea so there's no confusion between that and 'controlling distance'.

That short stick drill is another good one. Excellent video all around.

Thanks for posting it, Graham

[dspyrido]

Ah rsf ...

Anyway here is my concern with this stuff.

Are these people just playing games, rubbing up against each other for dry humping and feelling enlightened when someone is preaching to them the traumas of the modern world (which has doubled the average life span in the last 100 years)? If it is then good for them. They look like they are having fun, getting fitter and are not hurting anyone.

If this is martial arts then it will miss pressure testing and also working with skilled opponents. Sure dry humping a smelly carnivore vs a slim vegan or trying to avoid a kick aimed to miam vs a floating tennis ball is not as much fun but the reality is when ou get it right it improves combat ability.

Oh and I get the value of doing these as supplementary excercises but I pretty sure gymnanstics, surfing, playing football, learning to cha cha and other sports fall into this category to.

[mrtoes]

I'll answer in the context of the "knee rotation" discussion on the other thread, since there was some reference to that.

Original clip looked nice enough (mobility exercises I think rather than expressing power) showing a femur rotation that is in line with the lower leg (note how the femur rotates as the knee moves around) meaning no observable knee torque. Mind you, even if there was there's no power being directed through the leg so it wouldn't necessarily be such a big deal.

Not sure what the point of it is but I certainly have no problem with it. It certainly doesn't show some of the inefficient/dangerous knee torque which I saw on some of the clips on the other thread (still cringing at that guy fajinging whilst twisting his knees!)

Matthew

[BruceP]

"...skilled opponents...combat ability"

Mistaking the technique for the goal, eh

Intermediary objects and 'cooperative contact' provide a neutral medium for learning/exploring individual adaptability and spontaneity.

[wayne hansen]

Nothing wrong with putting up a clip without comment
One of the only reasons I come here is because others search out vids I don't have the time to look for
There is also nothing wrong with the first clip
I teach most of what he is doing in massage classes
Doing it with a standing partner is quite good
Saying that I would be carefull with the last bit where he grabs the knee with both hands and rotates it

[Bodywork]

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[Bodywork]

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[I-mon]

Dan, I absolutely love what you post about martial arts. I sincerely wish you would post more, in more detail, about internal martial arts, what's important, how to teach it, what the learning process is, what your favourite exercises are, how you go about dealing with common mistakes, all of that sort of thing.

I also wish you wouldn't spend so much time picking fights. Seriously, it seems like you'll respond over and over again to everything that you don't like, but when good genuine people ask you honest, direct questions you often ignore them completely, or respond by saying that it's not worth the effort on your part. How about you don't waste so much effort responding to people who disagree with you, and instead expend just a fraction of that same effort having good discussions with people who are actually interested?

This IS a neutral thread. It's not about "6H", or any of that stuff. In and of itself it has nothing to do with any other thread - although I see that Graham's edited his original post, so maybe it did have some backhanded reference in it originally. He sometimes does that, not sure why, maybe you could ask him in a private message.

So far moderators have had words with everyone here. Dan - you actually get away with a lot of stuff here, because a lot of forum members have trained with you and every one of them says you're not only an exceptional martial artist and teacher, but that you're actually also a very friendly and generous person, when you're not on the internet.

I think a lot of us would appreciate it if you guys could just lay off it a bit.

Simon