This year's World Kobudo Convention was held on Canadian soil.
Levis, Quebec to be exact.
A great chance for us to meet new people, train students from other arts and show the attributes of Fang Shen Do training.
What we hear alot is: "Speed"
"You guys are fast!?", "Did you see that?", "Quick but also powerful", "That looks really cool".
If you had a chance to catch a glimpse of our demo during that event you'll understand a bit more. If not, follow this
link after you've checked the pics below.
My father, Sijo J. Patenaude, Hanshi J. Therien and my brother Sifu S. Patenaude. We're always very careful to watch who we associate with and World Kobudo is a professional, well organized event with a common goal of spreading the practice of martial arts and using it to better one's self.
Naturally, it was a perfect match.
Working knife defenses with Shock Knives. 1200 volts of pain for a wrong move. Better watch out!
Working with these quickly separates fiction from reality. Hard to stay serious when working with flappy, rubber knives or wooden ones.
Being touched by a shock knife feels like a real cut to the bone, there's no room for error.
Sifu Silvain Patenaude and Sifu Alain Garofalo working energy drills with Kris Swords during Saturday night's demonstration.
Working Chi Sao with a padded opponent gives more freedom
and realism to your attacks.
Chi Sao is a game in which both partners use each other's energy or weaknesses to setup attacks, traps and take downs.
This allows the student to practice safely while respecting the rules and at the same time, gives him a platform to practice any technique he so pleases spontaneously and creatively.
Sifu Stephane Patenaude coming up to his feet after a throw, Sanshou style.
Sanshou is a mix of strikes, kicks, and throws unique to Kung-Fu Stylists. If we were to compare it to something, it's a mix of Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai and Judo.
One must train Full Contact Stick Fighting as soon as you feel proficient. This time varies from one student to another but eventually everyone builds up the confidence to undertake this high action, adrenaline punch.
Sanshou is about timing, speed, power and flow.
As soon as your opponent makes a mistake, payment is a throw or being knocked off balance for points.
Students could choose where they wanted to go with over 15 seminars being taught simultaneously. Attendance at our workshops concluded the level of interest and intrigue when it came to learning the finer points of Fang Shen Do.
What students liked the most was our level of enthusiasm. Nobody likes to be taught by an unmotivated, unskilled instructor.
Our teaching style is hands on, dynamic and fun.
And above all, approachable, respectful and gets you at ease immediately.
Sijo, our founder, going through the finer details of Spring Phon Sao.
Another platform we use to develop speed, sensitivity and power.
Most of these drills are never practiced by other arts which is a shame. The benefits that derive from them are extensive.
At the core and in the end every art deals with energy. To neglect this piece of the puzzle is completely missing the boat.
Imagine how much better you would be to throw, submit and lift your opponent if you only had 6 mths of Phon Sao training.
We all want to have fun. When your partner is patient and both of you are loose and relaxed, learning is easy and concepts sink in effortlessly.
No matter what, never be a "learnt" man (or woman), every person you meet is superior to you in one way or the other. Always be a learner, pay attention and listen. This is one of the secrets to success.
Respect.
This quality reigns in all good schools. Judge a school by it's students. How they talk, how they act, how they sit, how they interact with each other, then you'll know their instructor without even meeting him.
Most of the energy drills must be done one on one.
Although this process is a bit longer, the student's progression is greatly accelerated.
Modeling is still by far the quickest way to acquire what it is you want.
If you want something, find someone that already has what you want and repeat what they do exactly.
Finding ways to sneek in and control the opponent's head is a wise decision.
Where the head goes the body follows.
An important principle that students are taught almost immediately if you're going to have any kind of success manipulating your opponent.
Trapping hands is a drill you do to get comfortable standing up close to your opponent.
This way if you ever find yourself there you won't be intimidated.
Through sense of touch you acquire intuition.
Developing this sense makes you more receptive and aware of your body. Once totally aware, you can make your body do whatever you ask it to do.
There are several hundred pictures still left to upload. Check back regularly for updates.
Master Yourself,
Sibok M
