Throwing demo

[GrahamB]

Just wondered what you Shuaijiao guys here thought about this "Shuaijiao" demo



Don't get hung-up on the name - I think they've adopted the term Shuaijiao just to mean "throwing" because it was never called that when I trained it years ago. It's a family style - more like a blend of CMA stances and locks with an Aikido influence.

It looks like fun practice anyway.

[RobP2]

I think I heard somewhere that Clifford Gibbs aka Chee Soo, who's style this was, was originally an Aikido man?

[GrahamB]

He was (Judo and Karate too), but he claimed to have learned Aikido only after his mysterious teacher Kam Li taught him the family style. Either way, Aikido clearly influenced his throwing art.

[middleway]

yes as i understand it he did aikido for a while in the early years.

A guy that trains with me trained under Chee Soo for some time and recognizes some of my foot work and ideas (from Daito Ryu i guess ) as also being present in the Lee Family system so i am sure its incorporated to some degree. I am also reliably informed that, despite some controversy surrounding his Taiji system, Chee Soo was a superlative fighter with real skillz.

regards
Chris

[Areios]

some of the throws were good I just see a problem with the how are you getting there.

[DeusTrismegistus]

Most of the throws looked pretty standard to me. The wrist control throws were interesting but not something I have been taught.

[AllanF]

I thought it was alright, thought i am not shuaijiao expert. At least it is good to see they are trying to keep the martial aspect alive and well.
I have heard of the Lee family system in passing for several year but don't know anything about it really, can anyone fill me in on the details?

[GrahamB]

It would be hard since there is so much controversy!

There's a Chee Soo biography here:

http://www.seahorsearts.co.uk/chee-soo-biography.php

Chee Soo's daughter has made a fine attempt at putting the record straight here:

http://www.wu-kung-federation.co.uk/wu- ... avinia.asp

however even here I find things that don't add up - he was learning Aikido in 1945 and teaching it in 1947? Kind of difficult since Aikido was introduced to Britain in 1955 by Sensi Abbe (http://www.aikidojournal.com/article?articleID=694). I think there will always be questions and unexplained events about Chee Soo and Li style - he was just that kind of guy I guess. He seems to have had the goods though, by all accounts. However, it's the usual story of him teaching thousands of people, with only a handful getting the 'real stuff', and they seem to have been mainly from his early days.

If you look on my videos page you'll see the Lee style Tai Chi form done GrahamB-style.

[nianfong]

eh, it's ok, but not great. the upper body control is pretty sloppy. the guy getting thrown kinda flops around. it he were to just try to stand, a good half of these throws would not look so good. also the guy getting thrown has no idea how to fall--he's gonna end up with some fucked up knees if he keeps falling like he is. he keeps his legs straight and lands with his heel striking the ground often, as opposed to using the sole of the foot.

[GrahamB]

eh, it's ok, but not great. the upper body control is pretty sloppy. the guy getting thrown kinda flops around. it he were to just try to stand, a good half of these throws would not look so good. also the guy getting thrown has no idea how to fall--he's gonna end up with some fucked up knees if he keeps falling like he is. he keeps his legs straight and lands with his heel striking the ground often, as opposed to using the sole of the foot.

Good observation about the straight leg landing - plus he looks like a hippy