Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Jing Do - Chinese Short Range Striking


One of the biggest problems we face is to rely on what we have been shown. Of course there is a time for that as a beginner, but to continue to do so later is where the problem begins.

(The Really good stuff is at the end, hint)

I was a Sho-dan when I began training in tai chi with Ernie. Later I started to study various form with him and over time we began a friendship. His schools were teaching Pai Lum, while he had chosen to focus on Eagle Claw for his own study. He did not change what he was teaching at the schools until he became a certified eagle claw instructor (after 25 years of work). Only then did he change what his students studies.

The form I chose for all of you was the Pai Lum form Supple Dragon, which he taught at green belt. It was more than complex enough for all of you, as very different from Isshinryu. The other forms I studied were frankly beyond the time you had to spend in your own studies (they were also too complex for me over time too). Supple Dragon is a good choice with an interesting range of motions for you to master.

One day Ernie gave me a copy of his students Black Belt manual. (but my copy was discarded when I moved). In it he described Jing Do training. He made his black belts aware of it, but didn’t push them, their choice, and I remember him telling me most of them never got it. Well I got the value and pursued it (I believe only in part). I don’t think it was totally Pai Lum, but it may have come from his original instructor Dennis Decker’s material.

I found value in Jing Do and taught it to you. The Chinese Short Range striking.

Essentially you begin with any karate block and use in a circular manner to become a strike after the block.
1. High block becomes a descending shuto.
2. Outside middle block rolls into forward vertical shuto.
3. Inside middle block continues into a forward forearm strike.
4. A low block continues into a abdominal reverse ridgehand strike.

I guess I messed up filming it (and only got the first 3)

Jing do  1 

Jing do 2 

Jing do 3
 Jing do 1-2-3

This Is a variation of No. 4 :

Chinese Jing Do 4

Similar to the last technique, is the equivalent technique taught by Ernest Rothrock, or Jing Do “Chinese Short Range Striking”.

 

While looking like a low block followed by a middle block, in Jing Do the low strike circles out and down striking into a leg at its bottom, but then continuing the circle to return up and strike into the abdomen with the returning strike.

 

When done like this, it becomes a continuously flowing circle and the circle is used for the two strikes.

 


John Dinger and Victor Smith

 

When you think about it Jing Do is somewhat related to Sutrisno Multiple Striking in how we use it.

 

 

Some related posts:

 



2 comments:

Victor Smith said...

Essentially the use of Jing Do striking becomes instant alternative strikes for any uke technique in any kata.

Victor Smith said...

Uke – Too often dismissed as one of the most useful tools in kata study.

The range of potential of the “blocks” we have in kata application potential is often overlooked.

The motion of blocking can be used in many different ways.

1. A block might be a deflection of a strike away from the center.
2. A block might be used as a strike into the opponents limbs, torso or head.
3. A block might be used to open up a strike for following techniques.
4. A block might be used as a ‘sucking motion’ to draw an attacker closer.
5. A block might be used with “osae” draw/drop an attacker to the ground.
6. Then a block might be used for multiple striking as in Jing Do.
a. The rising bock becomes a descending knife hand strike.
b. The middle outside block can roll into a forward palm strike into torso/head.
c. The middle inside block can roll into a forearm strike into the head
d. The low block can roll into the torso/head.
7. I am sure there are other uses too.

All are potential uses for a block. Making an opponent not know what you response could be. All of them must be trained to become effective.

But first this is only technique application potential.

The next step is to find a way to reach toward technique application realization.

And that is the much more difficult task. Realization something can be done is much more difficult than reaching than making it work every time.

But moving toward that is the real challenge behind all our training.

One tool is to take kata and specifically perform it with the differing energies required to make them work.

One way I utilized was not so much as change the classic kata of my system, rather use the beginning kata I developed, Kata Sho Or rather use the embusen (floor movement of the form. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jud6cd3vdkg

Taking Jing Do as an example.

First perform kata sho with low block into torso strikes and high block into descending shuto strikes.

Another version replaces the forward strikes with outside strikes into palm strikes on the out steps of the kata. And replaces the forward strikes with inside strikes into forearm strikes into the head.

Another version can be done using all four jing do striking techniques.

I recommend such an approach to develop more basic skill using jing do.

Of course any of the 7 uses I have already suggested can be done also.

For greater skill development these uses can be done with any kata.

And doing so you begin to become more unpredictable.

Personally as I did not study in Okinawa or Japan, I normally do not use the term ‘Bunkai’, to explain how technique can be used.

This is just a small step to infinity and beyond.