Ok Windwalker...
I'm not trying to be a thorn in your side but are you trying to confuse me? It's like you're talking about apples vs oranges:
Apples:
+ the winner told me after "your the only one here who knows what ph is about"
+ Have judged ph events in the South East, and some in CA helping some friends run events
= Both of which suggest that you know what you're talking about when it comes to PH.
Oranges:
- competed once in a national reated event lost the event
- Claim no skill in ph....
= Logically, if you haven't won an event and you claim no skill in PH...then how is your opinion to be taken seriously?
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2 vs 2
So which is it, do you feel confident and experienced enough to make an informed decision that I could view you as a reference or not?
I suspect that you're being very Chinese and being humble but I'd prefer you be a little more assertive and just say..."believe me I know what I'm talking about"
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Otherwise, NOW I'll respond to your post.
The masters of old didnt use push hands to prove skill sets...
= When it comes to people referencing old masters I get very skeptical. You put a weapon in my hand and I could defeat 10 Chinese peasant farmers using hit and run tactics and in 100 years my fame would be legendary. But farmers still suk.
Anyone ever see the supposed "KF Masters" fighting eachother on rooftops in black and white footage?
Believe me, I love CMA...I am a practitioner myself...but even I'm a realist.
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Its not wrestling, why would one look for something in it, that it is not?
If it was wrestling or any kind of grappling as some suggest or feel it is
one would expect the best grapplers to come from taiji back grounds...
or do well when contested with grapplers....
Most often they do not the reverse is true
the grapplers are able to take advantages of the taiji practitioners
because, they are not grapplers..
= 1st paragraph, Think about what you just said, I disagree... one would expect the best grapplers to come from Wrestling and grappling back grounds and NOT from Taiji!!!
* Just stating that I don't disagree with Grahams OP comment about "Wrestling" at all. His wrestling comment is correct because allot of what is done could easily transfer into Greco Roman wrestling (stand up)...Having done both and can see the parallels and why he thought that.
= 2nd, dude you prove my points:
1) Grapplers are able to take advantage of Taiji practioners because they(ie TC guys) often don't train SPEED and STRENGTH in realistic enough environments. But grapplers train exactly how they will combat. TC guys often spend far too much time trying skill only and to achieve mythical levels of Sinking the Chi for defense.
It suks because I'm also a TC player and at my heart I strive to get to the highest levels just as we all should.
*** What do we all think are High Levels? That should be a entirely separate topic IMO.
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Those with the higher level skill sets normally don't compete....they fight, or used to.
= Ok cool, I'm going to be assertive right here and say...Yeah I fought MMA and won, I fought San shou and won, I wrestled and won and I've also done PH and won and I've also judged. All of these experiences collectively help me to form what I would hope to be an informed opinion. Basically, If I have not achieved it, I have no right to speak critically about it.
It sounds like ego and it is, sorry but if I were a novice and reading a forum who would I listen to?
I'm sorry if it seems like I'm going after you...and I apologize that it sounds that way. I deserve what you want to say in return...go ahead slam me.
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Lastly its the local politics here in the USA that has gotten me frustrated....sorry.
If I had to explain what has gotten into me tonight mabe it's my frustration with seeing Certain Teachers do bullshit woo woo demos and people just falling head over heals in love with them. Despite, those "SAID" teachers: (and we know who they are) not having any kind of fight record or much experience beyond their own students.
I liken the same parallel with these idiots in the USA that think that Trump is a good guy. How can they not see a CON MAN...all it takes is the tiniest bit of research to see how bad he really is. Instead, they prefer to live in fantasy land.