Saturday, October 24, 2015

I'M Back

Hi All,
Haven't posted anything for quite a while.
Have started instructing again at the local community center.
Will be posting forms and techniques for my students and anyone who's
interested . Should be posting next week.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Full Contact San Soo

Hi,
This video comes from Deaths Head Kung Fu San Soo.
These guys are very skilled and their use of equipment allows them
to get as close to full contact Kung Fu San Soo as you can get!
You can see the awesome power of Frank Woolsey's style of this art.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Cane Techniques

Hi All,
I saw a sign in town the other day by the local Karate instructor, Cane Self Defense for the senior citizen. Got me to thinking, I always carry a cane when I go for walks, mostly for dogs . If a dog trys to bite you , stick the curved end in their mouth and let them chew on it instead of your leg.
Then a swift kick in the throat if you have to. Don't get me wrong I love dogs, but not when they are trying to bite me ! Good idea to carry some pepper spray also, there might be more than one dog ! Good for humans too.
Anyway there are a ton of cane techniques you can use to protect yourself from the higher animal, Humans ! Here in California I see many people carrying anything from a stick to metal pipes while out walking, which is fine but if you happen to hit someone with any of those it's a Felony! But you have a much better weapon by carrying a cane and you can say I need it to help me walk instead of I need it for self defense. Sounds much better to the police if they get involved. Ok enough of the legal B.S.
Here is a quick and effective technique you can do with a cane.

Say someone approaches you while your out walking on the street and becomes hostile, and decides to try and grab or throw a punch at your face (most street urchins are head hunters) we will say it's a right punch, but for this technique it really doesn't matter. Always try to keep your distance from them , just out of reach. Now as he throws his punch if you have your cane in your right hand, step to your left on a 45 degree angle with your left foot and duck under the punch or just step far enough to the side for the punch to miss you and swing your cane hard across their shin. Which ever one is forward. This really hurts and will make them bend over toward the pain. Now you either take off running or hit them on the back of the neck. Across their back or kidneys etc. The back of the neck is a very serious area to strike especially with a cane. So if he is hurt enough for you to get away after the shin strike do so.
Anyway this is something to think about when ever you go out for a walk.

Peace ! Jerry

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Chin Na Kung Fu

Hi All,
I'm Back, Sorry about not posting for so long, been busy trying to quit my day job, almost there !
Anyway Chin Na Kung Fu is most definitely part of Kung Fu San Soo , If you are a San Soo person you will notice some of the techniques used by these 2 practitioners, they are very skilled ,and show the intensity that should be used in training for real life situations. For those of you who think this won't work in a fight think again !! Anyway enjoy !!


Saturday, September 12, 2009

Using Geometrics in Kung Fu San Soo

Hi All,
I never took geometry in school didn't have to in my day, but every time I went to kung fu class I was learning how to move on triangles, crosses and circles. Though I didn't realise it until years later. Kung Fu San Soo's techniques and and lot of other martial arts are based on moving on these geometric shapes. Done correctly you will most of the time outflank your opponent by moving your self to a more advantages position. You will be able to strike your opponent with him not being able to hit you because of your position. I've used these principles several time in real confrontations in the past when I was a little younger and not so wise. Some martial artists say stepping on angles does not work in a fight , they are wrong ! When combined with good timing and distance you definitely have the advantage. Paying attention to your surroundings always helps too. In Kung Fu San Soo we combine all of these into our fighting techniques. Here is a simple technique that illustrates moving on a 45 degree angle.

Opponent Throws a Straight Right Punch at Your Nose
You are at your safe distance (just out of reach) as your opponent steps and throws his punch, using the time that staying at your safe distance gives you . You step on a 45 degree angle with your left foot and block and grab your opponents right arm at the wrist with your right hand, turning your feet from left to right horse stance you bring your left arm over his right arm and switching your feet back to a left horse to generate power you do a left backhand strike to the throat or left back hammer fist to his nose. Your opponent cannot hit you because you are at his right side, he cannot punch or grab across himself with any power you have already hit him in the throat or broken his nose. This technique is very effective and takes about 3 to 5 seconds to do. So using timing, distance and a geometric shape (a triangle ) you have evaded, neutralized and disable your opponent. Give it a try, slowly !
If you want to learn more about using geometric shapes in fighting, Go get my book : The Use Of Lines,Angles and Circles In Hand to Hand Combat. HERE

Peace , Jerry

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Master Dave Hopkins

Here is a video of my friend and instructor, Master Dave Hopkins , Great guy and instuctor !!

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Kung Fu San Soo Freestyle

Hi ,
This is a friend of mine Phill doing a demostration work out at Dave Hopkins studio.
What is happening here is these two fighters are practicing their techniques, they don't know what the other person is going to throw at them. During a demo like this it's usally right punch , left punch for safety's sake.When in class a freestyle work out means you just throw whatever punch , kick you want at the other guy or girl.
After you have trained for a while your reflexs are so sharp it really doesn't matter what the other person does. Thats what a lot of people don't under stand about Kung Fu San Soo. You kinda have to be there !!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Master Bill Lasiter

Hi All,
This is a tribute video made by one of Bill's students.
I had the privilage of meeting and training with Bill a few times at Dave Hopkin's studio a few years back.Bill is one of San Soo's best.
Enjoy, Jerry

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

One of The Basics of Self Defense

Hi All,
I watched a couple of people having a little confrontation the other day, I noticed that they were all up into each others faces, getting almost chest to chest and just yelling. This is the last thing you want to do in a confrontation. So today we will talk about the first rule of self defense, Keeping Your Safe Distance !
What is your safe distance ? Your safe distance from anyone is just out of their reach. Enough distance between you and them , so if they want to hit or kick you, they have to take a step to do so. You never let anyone get close enough to touch you if you are in a hostile situation. I gauge this by taking the length of the other persons leg and then adding a few inches. You can easily eyeball this distance after a little practice. This distance gives you enough time to react and attack instead of defend. Give this drill a try, have a friend stand in front of you, try and judge the length of their leg and then have them bring their leg up as if to kick you . Can they reach you when their leg is fully extended ? If yes, you are too close to them. Back off a little and try again until they can't kick or punch you with out stepping forward. That is your 'safe' distance from them. If you have ever seen a mugger at work you will notice that they are usually talking to the other person and inching themselves closer and closer until they are in striking range,then it's a blast to the face or chin and the other person is down and robbed before regaining their senses. Remember this pattern of behavior. If you are approached by some street urchin and he is slowly but surely getting closer and closer, before he gets in your safe zone put your hands up and tell him to not come any closer, if he continues to come forward you can do the following.
Once he is in your safe zone and has ignored your warning, as he is stepping forward you step forward to the center of his body, keeping your hands up to block his arms and palm him on the nose hard with which ever is your strong side, this will push him back, now kick him in the groin with what ever foot is back. This should cause him to bend over or just fall over and puke. If he justs bends over grab is hair or head if he is bald with both of your hands drop on to one knee and push his face into the ground. Remember keeping your safe distance will keep you safe.
If you practice this be careful, it's easy to slip you don't want to mess up your partner.

Note to my friend Aron, Good to hear from you : drop me an email at jgid2001@yahoo.com

Peace, Jerry

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Happy 4TH. Of July

Hi All, Hope you have a great 4th. of July, I'm posting this video as areminder to all Americans to not forget our heros in the armed services. While we are having a BBQ they are thousands of miles away from home doing their jobs. Raise a drink in their honor today I will be !!
Jerry


Saturday, June 13, 2009

Martial Arts Conditioning

Hi All,
If any of you have ever been in a fight, you know you can get pretty tired very quickly. So if your going to practice self defense you need to get into at least decent shape. You don't need to run 5 miles a day and a 1000 push ups. You can do a few exercises a day and get into good enough shape to hold your own in a fight. Here is what I do to stay fighting fit.

Jump rope for 3 to 5 minutes.
On the 80 lb. heavy bag, Imagine it's some one your own height.
Do 20 high, medium, low punch combination, say you start with the right side, so you straight right punch first at face level on the bag. Then you left cross punch at solar plexus height (middle of the bag), then a right round house punch at rib height. Do this twenty times 1,2,3, 1,2,3, get the idea ? on both sides.
Then 20 front kicks both sides, 20 side kicks both sides, 20 round house kicks both sides
Using the heavy bag helps you learn to generate power into your punches and kicks. Next You can do some forms if you know some. I have 3 forms I do 3 times each. Finish up with stretches and 20 push ups. This little workout takes about 30 minutes.
I do it every other day and isometric exercises on the days in between, so you don't have to do a lot just have to be consistent. If your interested in Isometric exercise you can get to some books on my other post on Isometric exercise.

Give this a try , Have fun

Peace ! Jerry

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Teaching of San Soo Techniques

Hi All,

A lot of people have no idea what they are seeing when they watch a demonstration of Kung Fu San Soo technique. They are wondering why the people are not going full speed and power. San Soo techniques are taught slowly step by step, as you learn them what is happening is your brain is being trained to spot and recognize vital targets on the human body. Your trained to move in rythm for each technique, letting one strike flow into another. What happens is your body and brain will respond instantly to the movement of an opponent after you learn enough techniques there are thousands upon thousands of different combinations for these techniques. Watch how this Master shows his students a technique.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlLHOqFABLA

Jerry

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Build Strength with Isometrics

Hi All,

If you have been in martial arts or any other physical activity you know the importance of conditioning. Aerobic for stamina and resistance training for strength. Most people use weights for strength training. If your like me and don't like to lift weights, there are other ways to build strength.

For martial arts we want to build strength for punching and kicking power, not to get big and bulky. Isometric exercise or flexing ones muscles doe exactly that. I've been doing it for about a month now and I can tell you it works. You target specific muscles just like weight lifting, but the difference is you use your body or an unmovable object like a wall to provide the resistance. The idea is push and flex your muscles for a short period of time, most of the time it is a ten count. so you flex and count to 10 or you do ten repetitions of an exercise and hold it at the end . Every muscle in your body can be exercised this way. Some examples of isometric exercise are, pull ups and push ups. The routine I do is 50 different exercises, sounds like a lot but they can be done in under an hour. I do them every other day and do punching and kicking drills on the in between days for cardio.
Here is one exercise to try: Bicep Builder
Standing up put your right arm down by your side, now bring your hand slightly in front of your body. Put your left fist in the palm of your right hand, now do a curl and apply even pressure down against your right hand as you do a curl up towards your chest just like doing a curl with a weight, concentrate on flexing your bicep but do not strain it, just slow even pressure. Do 10 repetitions and the hold it on a ten count at the beginning position and at the ending position.
Do both sides, you will definitely feel your muscle tighten up.

Here is a link to some books on the subject.
Enjoy and have fun, Jerry

Build Strength with No Weights

Saturday, May 2, 2009

How to End a Fight in 5 Seconds

Hi All,
A friend at work asked me what is the quickest way to end a fight and how long it should take.
I told him the quickest way to end a confrontation was to walk away quickly or run if you have to !!
If you can't do that, then you can do this :
Most of the time whom ever it is will try to intimidate you, as he is approaching put your hands
up about your shoulder level open palms facing him and say hey i don't want any trouble,don't
come any closer. Now he's been warned, thats all he gets. If he takes another step toward you
as if to push or hit you, as he is bringing his hands up step to the center of his body with your foot left or right which ever is your strong side and open palm strike to his nose go straight between his arms. The strike and your forward motion will push him back, his hands will proably be up at his nose, his eyes will be watery. Now with whatever foot is back after you've stepped and striked , shin kick him in the groin this should cause him to bend over, make sure you bring your foot back after you have shin kicked him so he can't grab your leg when he bends over. Also this loads your leg for another kick to the face if you have to. Now it took me longer to write this than it takes to do on someone, should take about 3 to 5 seconds. Any of the strikes could put someone down, if that happens great ! Leave !!

You can practice this on a partner (make sure you pull your strikes ! )
Or practice full force on a heavy bag, palm strike high and shin or instep kick bottom of bag.
Do both if you can.
Note : On the step, if you step with your left foot and palm him with your right it doesn't matter, kick him with whatever foot is back.

Give it a try.
Peace , Jerry

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Knocking Someone Out

Hi all ,watch this video , shows you how to knock someone out without punching them in jaw.
There are many nerves located all over the body.
Watch the strike and then the effect it has on the PIMP.
He just choose to mess with the wrong guy !!
In San Soo we do this strike we call it a backhand , hitting the target with the hard bone on the
bottom of the arm .
Enjoy !! Jerry

Hey, Mike check this out !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4dQbtx7yRM

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Knife Fighting Kung Fu San Soo

Hi All,
I'm back , this post is for my friend Mike, who's probably the only one that reads my ramblings.
And HAPPY BIRTHDAY Tina !! It's all down hill now HA ,HA !!
Any way this video was posted to the Kung Fu San Soo forum.
These are highly skilled knife fighters in the Phillipino Martial arts.
Knife fighting is a very dangerous business as you will see, as far as Kung Fu San Soo , the good part is you can use the same hand techniques you learn in class for knife fighting,the angles and
foot work are the same you just adapt the knife to them.
I'm buying a video camera so i can show what i'm talking about.
In the mean time enjoy this clip and remember you don't know who knows what, so never fight unless you have to !!
Peace Jerry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s66QUVtyDpc

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Using the Upper Cut

Hi All,

If you have ever been in a real fight, you know that most street fighters are head hunters.

That is they will immediately try to hit you in the face or some place on your head. They have been conditioned by watching boxing matches and mma fights into thinking that one good punch to the jaw will knock the other guy out, that is correct if you do it right. You will know if a person is trained by the way they punch. Straight punches usually means the person has been trained in how to punch at least, were as big wild round punches usually means no training. You can use the upper cut on both of these fighters. To use the upper cut on a trained fighter or some one who throws straight punches. As the punch is thrown you either have to step straight in to the persons center line ( to the middle of his body ) or step to the outside of his arm on a 45 degree angle . We will discuss stepping straight in.

Say the person throws a straight right punch to your face if you step straight in with your right foot and block with a left out block coming from the center of your body out , hit his arm with the outside of your left forearm and then let your hand slide down and grab his arm at the bicep. At the same time deliver the right upper cut hitting him under his chin. Bring it up from your waist level , he won't see it coming because it is below his line of vision. This is a rude stop !! you can now right elbow him across his jaw since you are still holding his right arm. Follow up by hooking his one of his legs (which ever one is forward) and grabbing his face with your right hand and pushing him down. The first strike, the upper cut sets up all the rest.

If a person throws a big wild round house motion punch at your head you step on a 45 degree angle with your left foot and do your left block at the bicep and then upper cut under the chin. This will change the follow up as you will be more to one side so you could do a back elbow to the side of his head and then wrap your arm around his neck and do a guillotine choke or wrap and fall back and ram his head into the ground.

If you decide to try these techniques go slow and be care full as you can get hurt very easily.

Do so at your own risk !!



If you would like to learn more about using angles and straight lines in fighting go here and check out my book : The Use of Lines, Angles & Circles in Hand to Hand Combat

http://stores.lulu.com/martialarts

Peace ! Jerry

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Defending Against Multiple Punches

Hi All,
Sorry about not posting for a couple of months, been going to school. That's just about finished
so I'll be back to rambling once again. ha !

I read an interesting question on one of the Kung Fu San Soo forums.
Someone asked about how do you defend against a person who throws multiple punches at you.
If your a kick boxer, boxer or similar fighter that makes perfect sense, because these fighters stay in front of their opponent and trade punches, they use bobbing and weaving and block punches with their arms and elbows to get in close enough to score or knock the other fighter out.
So they are trading punches to to achieve their goal "win the contest". In Kung Fu San Soo and alot of other true self defense arts that is not the case. We do not stay in front of our opponents and trade punches our art is not set up that way , the kung fu fighter uses movement to keep them safe while striking vital areas on the other fighter. In San Soo we are usally fighting only on side of the opponent at a time, if some throws a one two combination , since we can step to the side that's thrown first that effectively neutralizes the other punch thrown from the other side.
Here's an example: if some one throws a right punch left punch combination, you can step to the outside of the right punch by stepping on a 45 degree angle with your left foot blocking and grabbing on the outside of of the opponent's right arm, so when he throws the left punch there is no one there to punch !
He can't follow you with that other punch because he would have to punch across himself to do that and it's already to late for him as you should have already backhanded him in the throat or kicked him in the groin our goal is to eliminate the threat as quickly as possible.

Do this drill : Have your training partner step into a typical boxers stance, left foot forward with the power hand (right hand in back), as he slides or steps forward with his left foot to close the distance on you and throws that left jab you step with your right foot on a 45 degree angle to the outside of his left arm block and grab with your left arm, as you can see he would be throwing the right punch at air ! By that time you should have right forearmed his elbow, right back hammered his nose or throat, right backhanded to his ribs and right shin kicked his left thigh ,effectively ending the fight. This would take about 3 to 5 seconds . Alot of people, even some San Soo people say you cannot block and grab a full force punch , well I'm here to tell you you can once you perfect your timing and apply the basic principles of Kung Fu San Soo.

Learn to use your timing and angles to your advantage, also you don't have to always block and grab , you can duck under, go around, drop to the ground and punch them in the groin and kick their legs out.
Have Fun !
Peace , Jerry

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Put Some Stopping Power in Your Kicks

Hi All,
In the martial arts we use our bodies for weapons.
Hands for striking and grabbing along with elbows, fingers, knees, etc.
One of the most powerful weapons are our legs and feet, the legs have the largest muscles on our body, so they can deliver a very powerful strike if you know when and how to deliver them on to your opponent. I see in cage match's and other such fights the front kick used for a jab and round house kick to legs kick boxing style, these will really put the hurt on you . If someone is rushing at you need to stop them in their tracks. Use the front or side kick for this , you just need to put some concentrated power behind them. Also they have to hit where it hurts, solar plexus, abdomen, ribs and have to be timed so they hit them as they are rushing toward you, this increases the amount of energy in your kick.
A good drill to develop this is to swing an 80 lb. heavy bag so it is swinging back and forth.
Set yourself up with your kicking leg back and do a front kick, kicking with the ball of your foot as it comes toward you try to kick through the bag and knock it back.
Do this drill with front kicks and side kicks.
If you have a training partner have him hold a kick bag and move toward you, how fast is up to you, it's going to be a rude stop!!
This will build your reaction time and power.
Have fun !!
Peace, Jerry

Friday, July 4, 2008

Open Hand Defense Against A Weapon

At one time or another you or I could come up against someone who has picked up a weapon of some sorts. Could be a stick, tire iron, baseball bat, bottle, chain, any number of things that could be swung at us. The big mistake some people make is to try and fight the weapon, you always want to fight the person not the weapon. You don't want to use your body to block something that is harder than your body is. Using the right movements you can neutralize the weapon your opponent is swinging at you. You do this by moving past the weapon and attacking the opponent.
Here's a technique to show you that.

Opponent has a stick or some other weapon in his right hand, he is swinging it at your head in a circular moition. As he approaches and starts to swing it , you step on a 45 degree angle with your left foot and squat down into a full horse, you are going under the weapon. This movement will put you by the side of his right leg , now right roundhouse punch to his groin ,this will cause him to bend over, you are still squating , grab his right ankle at the back with your left hand and stand up this will drop him on his back, hold on to his ankle, turn right back at him ,this will put you standing between his legs and right stomp on his groin.

This is a simple technique and works very well, so you see you don't have to block or worry about the weapon. You evade the weapon, attack and take him down hard !!

Have a nice 4th of July !!
As my generation likes say : AMERICA, LOVE IT or LEAVE IT !!
Peace, Jerry