Perspectives Pictet

After developing "Whipping Hands" striking power (not a technically accurate description of the technique, from the EOE point of view), as seen in other clips from this seminar, Master Su leads students through a consistent application of the principle behind the movement. Students are walked through the entire expression of the opening/outside movement. "Consistent Method" is the EOE term for this approach. A "Consistent Method" is one where the movement principal is used throughout the...

Master Su, having already spoken of how to develop up-down striking power (see other clip), now talks about opening (i.e., "whipping") hands power. Using the physical model of the towel, he walks students through steps used to develop the movements so that they have the lightness, the snap, the speed and the power that is required for this movement to function as a strike. Students ask various questions about the possibility of self-injury and Master Su instructs in safety in training and...

In this clip, Master Su responds to a student's concern about how we spend years studying "tradition," but then when it comes time for application (sparring, etc.), we throw it all away and engage in some form of "American kickboxing." Master Su's answer, in large part, is that we need to see tradition, as represented by forms, as a body of material to analyze, rather than as a body of material to "divide up." Master Su provides as an example the sort of punching, typically executed from...

A students asks Master Su why he "always goes to the outside." Master Su states that he used to worry about that, too. Then he realized that going to the outside of the opponent is very natural, particularly when we consider the nature of grasping. Master Su demonstrates how human anatomy dictates that it is a very natural choice to "go outside" the opponent. Clip from a seminar in 2000 at the Herndon/Sterling branch of the White Birch School of K'ung-Fu then lead by Si Fu Sean Kans....

Master Su responds to a student question about angles and crossing. Without an angle there can be no cross. Once there is a cross, then don't stop there - learn to continue the movement. Clip from a seminar in 2000 at the Herndon/Sterling branch of the White Birch School of K'ung-Fu then lead by Si Fu Sean Kans. Thank you Si Fu Kans for your hospitality. More to come, including clips from the October 2010 seminars in Miami hosted by Natural Motion Systems.

In this clip, Master Su breaks down, step-by-step, a method of developing striking power. While unstated in the clip, the basic movement is derived from Hsing-Yi Chuan's "splitting," which is here analyzed, in the EOE fashion, as primarily focused on upward-downward movement. By learning to extend our intention (the 意 of 形意) beyond our bodies we develop the ability to unify our intentions and our movement. As he says, and I paraphrase, "If you can't move your hand, how can you coordinate the...

Master Su Dong Chen discusses application of a basic movement. A student asks, basically, "can you use it just like you practice it?" Master Su explains that when we practice we are at the center of the movement; when we apply, there is an opponent, and the opponent becomes the center. Necessarily, the application looks different from the single-person practice form. Master Su demonstrates initially using a simple centrifugal spiral, and then uses examples from Ba-Gua stepping. At the end...

A student asks Master Su about how traditional martial arts are actually applied. While my interpretation, in the video, of his reply definitely leaves something to be desired, I hope that Master Su's demonstrations fill in the blanks that I left. As I understand him, Master Su states that the essential element of the tradition ought to be grasped as reflected in the form, yet not limited by the form. He gives examples from the Taijiquan opening (common to all branches of Taijiquan), and...

In this video Master Su starts with a "very important point." When we look at tradition in martial arts, which is to say "forms," we see people not moving their legs. "In tradition, forms are the main thing." "In a real application/situation, the opponent is the main point." Real application requires moving the legs. My interpretation of this is that we can say, therefore, that forms contain the essential idea of the technique, which can be used in application, though the application...

Master Su Dong Chen discusses fighting. Fighting, he says, is only complete when the opponent's back has been taken. To stand in front and fight is to stay in the danger zone and not finish the fight. The physical model to copy is found in grasping. This seminar was held in Winter of 2000 at the Herndon/Sterling branch of the White Birch School of Kung Fu - then headed by Sifu Sean Kans. Thank you Si Fu Kans for your hospitality. More on the way - Including clips from Master Su's...