day 200: starting shuai jiao

concepts:

• falling
• rolling
• leaning
  

lessons:

• basics

i should announce that we started shuai jiao classes at UCLA last week. currently, the classes are scheduled for every Thursday, 6:30-8am at the Wooden Center. it's a small class, with some of the people who had originally expressed some interest bowing out, leaving 4 students. it's being taught by Sifu, largely at my request, and fits in prior to his tai chi class in Kaufmann Hall.

if anybody reading this blog is affiliated with UCLA and has an interest in shuai jiao, feel free to join us. we'd be happy to have any company.

for those of you who don't know, shuai jiao (alternatively spelled in English as "shuai chiao") is among the oldest of traditional Chinese martial arts, stretching back approximately 2,000 years, with evidence of traces to even older styles that existed close to 5,000 years ago. it involves throws, grappling, and strikes. it shares many similarities in appearance and origin with Mongolian wrestling.

you can learn more about shuai jiao by referencing the following links:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuai_Jiao
• http://www.kuoshu.co.uk/History%20-%20SJ.htm
• http://www.combatshuaichiao.com/history.html
  

i had asked Sifu to teach this, since it seemed to form many of the basics in methods and technique that were adopted and used by successive TCMA. i figured it would enhance my understanding of TCMA, and also of the physics in working with human bodies in hostile situations. in addition, seeing that the UCLA Wooden Center has a room with mats and that both Sifu and i are on campus, i figured it would be a waste not to take advantage of the opportunity (Sifu hasn't been able to teach shuai jiao at the park because the grass doesn't provide sufficient padding for practicing throws).

the other reason is that Sifu learned shuai jiao from Chang Dong Sheng. i've written about him before (reference: masters: chang dong sheng). i've come to admire Chang Dong Sheng for the seeming effortless nature in throwing opponents (check out the videos in the link, and note that he was in his 70s when the video was filmed--whatever he was doing, i want to do, cuz that old man was flat-out kicking ass), and also for his personality (at least, based on what i've seen of it in Youtube videos...he seems like the kind of personality i'd get along famously with).

the first class last Thursday was divided between logistics and lessons. the logistics was dealt dealing with class cost, uniforms, equipment, and books. we also discussed confirmation of the meeting time and room.

the lessons were focused on the basics. Sifu showed us 5 basic drills for falling and rolling:

• falling forward from a standing position
• rolling forward from a standing position
• small somersault from a standing position
• rolling sideways from a standing position
• rolling backwards from a kneeling or sitting position
  

Sifu also showed us the 1st 2 basic lines in shuai jiao. he commented that unlike other TCMA, shuai jiao has no forms, at least not the same kind. the "forms" in shuai jiao are just lines involving repetitions of the same techniques over and over again. he said this shows just how old the style is--it's the fundamentals of combat, boiled down to the bare-bones practical components, and nothing more. it was (and is) meant to be used, and so is composed of only the useful. Sifu said that shuai jiao competitors can be effective knowing just a handful of techniques, and in reality, in fighting that's all you really need.

i have to say i liked this. it's different. and you can literally feel the age of the movements. and you can see just how they could form the basis for subsequent TCMA. a lot of the stances are similar, except with a slight lean of the torso, but with the center of gravity still kept solidly within the base of the stances. i have the feeling of seeing the thread of history through time. and i definitely want to see more.

we finished right on time at the 8am mark, with Sifu promptly going with Art to the tai chi class.