bending_sickle | Cans of whoop-ass

I've spent the morning investigating martial arts and Star Wars, being seriously tempted to write a something SW-related (Sith-inclined, of course).

It's obviously been a busy day at the office.

The fact that I got to this topic through the wiki* on Steve Irwin, which comments that he liked the style of "mixed martial arts", is plain bizarre.

The following is heavily based on Wiki.

First off, then, :the martial arts:

There are a number of notable martial arts styles and famous martial artists, with a listing of the martial art(s) they've trained in. Notable eye-catchers are Chuck Norris, with the immpressive list of 5 arts (Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do, Shinto-Ryu, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Chun Kuk Do), Elvis and Priscilla Presley (Karate) and the pretty solid suggestion that Kung fu is what they teach non-action actors who need to kis some ass in a moderately convincing amnner (such as Keanu Reeves adn the whole present-day Charlie's Angels gang**). Wesley snipes gets mayor coolness points by knowing Capoeira (apart from Karate, and Kung Fu).

There's a full list of the martial arts on Wiki.

I was trying to find the martial art Eliza Dushku said her and Sarah M Geller trained in to portray the slayers in BtVS but can find no reference. However, I think the mixed martial art is a close quess. This art mixes everything:

Stand-up: ACIMA, Boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and sometimes karate and taekwondo.
Clinch: Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, Sambo, and Judo, Muay Thai.
Ground: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, shoot wrestling, catch wrestling, Judo and Sambo.

Although I figure an even closer guess would be the more violent verion on which MMA is based: the portuguese Vele Todo (or "everything goes") wiki'd at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vale_tudo.

Before I started investigating particular styles, I took a look at the various punches and attack strikes. I particualrly like the rabbit punch (aka "Coleman Punch") but only if I'm planning on writing a particularly vicious quick-murder scene. Kind of like Riddick's "sweet spot": knifing the lower back, effectively slicing the renal artery. The rabbit punchh is directed to the neck or to the base of the skull and can damage the cervical vertebrae (thus the spinal cord). It is, of course, "illegal in boxing and many other combat sports that involve striking." The name comes from a hunter's preferred way to kill a rabbit.

Naturally, this brought me across the descriptions of a hook, jab and the uppercut. Then my eyes strayed to the image of Bruce Lee as he demonstrated the Wing Chun punch, aka the one inch punch. The events are described as follows: "Bruce's famous "One Inch Punch" was able to knock back and off balance a 200lb man into a chair, using only 1 inch of striking distance. The target stands with their feet squared and is unable to turn to a sideways stance because of the chair being in the way, thus being knocked off balance."

That man is freakishly impressive. For example, his triking speed from 60cm away was five hundredths of a second, he could break Bruce was able to break a 70 kg bag with a sidekick and hold a 57 kg barbell at arms length in front of him (with elbows locked) for several seconds.

Still don't believe me? Three words: Two. Fingered. Pushups. I'll add a compound word for your appreciation: One-handed.

About Wing Chun, what I particularly like about it (for fictinal yet accurate descriptions, of course) is this that the moves re "uncommitted". That means that the practionner can miss and his*** position and balance remain uncompromised. Instead, he flows into a follow-up attack. "All Wing Chun techniques permit this. Any punch or kick can be strung together to form a "chain" or combination attack."

Consider Bruce Lee and his list of martial arts: Tai Chi Chuan, Hung Gar, Wing Chun, Jun Fan Gung Fu, and his own "style of no style", Jeet Kune Do. The latter emphasizes "practicality, flexibility, speed, and efficiency". Sadly, the schools were dismanteled, and very few people remain who can lay claim to Bruce Lee's teachings.

After that, I wandered off to find out what martial art Ray Park practiced. It's Northern Shaolin. It's the northen style of Chinese kung fu, one fo the most prominent northern styles. The emphasis is on "long range techniques, quick advances and retreats, wide stances, kicking and leaping techniques, whirling circular blocks, quickness, agility, and aggressive attacks." Ray's last achievement as in Turkey in 1995, where he won first place in the European Wushu Cup for Dao Shu (broadsword), Chan Quan (longfist), Gun Shu (cudgel) and Open Sectio Zui Jian (drunken straight sword). (This info ganked from Ray's official site.)

Northern Shaolin teaches "empty-hand techniques and weaponry through predetermined combinations, routines, or movement of sets", which is to say, katas. These are "not only practical in applications but are also graceful and artistic in nature. The fluidness of the movements combined with acrobatic techniques are trademarks of the Northern Shaolim Kung-Fu sets."

Yet there are some who may differ, saying that the method of teaching katas, amongst other things, that it's a 'dead pattern', "and by following a pattern one becomes bound by it"**** Of course, there's this plus which I agree with (although not precisely fro training): "Practising kata is akin to moving meditation, providing increased focus, awareness and self-discipline." Whether doing it for tradition's sake is a plus or not depends on which side you're on.

Then there's Muay Thai, which doesn't get a paragraph or anything because I'm tired.

The weapons used in martial arts get no better either.

The SW links will have to wait.

* I love the expression-I'm-now-coining "What's the wiki on that guy?".

** This has nothng to do with the Charlies Angels, and everything to do with the word "gang". I saw a shirt the other day saying: "Nothing can stop the Wolf Gang" and just below that: "Amadeus' Army". Think a minute and you'll get it.

*** None of that (s)he, Ze or Thon crap..

**** A true statement in everything, I find.