HOW WOULD A FRAGILE GIRL COUNTER A POWERFUL SWEEPING KICK FROM A MUAY THAI FIGHTER
How would you defend against such an attack?
Once Grandmaster Ho Fatt Nam asked Grandmaster Wong, “How would a fragile female kungfu practitioner block a powerful sweeping kick from a Muay Thai fighter?” The question was topical as there were talks around that time among kungfu circles about how formidable Muay Thai fighters were, having defeated some kungfu and other martial art practitioners in the rings.
There were also kungfu movies around that time showing heroines using both their arms and sometimes even their palms to block sweeping kicks and round-house kicks from villains. Both Grandmaster Ho and Grandmaster Wong knew that these counters were unrealistic; the heroines' hands would be fractured.
Sweeping kicks from Muay Thai fighters are very fast and very powerful. As part of their routine training, they kick an areca tree trunk hundreds of times everyday until the tree sways. Grandmaster Ho knew this very well for he himself was a former professional Muay Thai champion.
At that time Grandmaster Ho was teaching Grandmaster Wong a Shaolin kungfu set called “Seven Stars”. Grandmaster Wong thought for a moment, but Grandmaster Ho continued, “There is no need to block. Blocking would fracture the poor girl's arms. Seven Stars, taught to me by my simu, is especially meant for fragile females against massive brutes. You can find many such moves in this set.”
This video series concerns whirlwind kicks, which are similar to sweeping kicks of Muay Thai fighters. The standard counter against whirlwind kicks in the basic Shaolin Kungfu combat sequences in Shaolin Wahnam is an intercepting technique using the pattern “Bar the Big Boss”. This technique was taught by Grandmaster Ho to Grandmaster Wong, but it does not come from “Seven Stars”; it comes from the fundamental Shaolin Temple set, “Four Gates”.
“Bar the Big Boss” is a relatively hard counter against whirlwind kicks. A “softer” counter is “Tame Tiger with String of Beads”, a beautiful pattern that can also be used against any kicks!
As an opponent attacks you with a right punch, grip his hand with your right hand tiger-claw and chop his head, shoulder or arm with your left palm using a pattern called “Chop the Hua Mountain”. How would you defend yourself against such an attack when your hands are held? If you practice this movement 50 times a day for six months, you may end a combat as soon as an opponent attacks you with a right punch irrespective of his stance.
An effective counter demonstrated is a whirlwind kick, implemented by the pattern “Naughty Monkey Kicks at Tree”. This is also a combat-ending move as the kick may break an opponent's ribs or injure his kidney which can be fatal. So be careful.
Whirlwind Kick and its Counter
The class performs the initiator's mode as well as the responder's mode for this sequence involving a whirlwind kick and its counter.
Intercepting the Kick, Not Blocking It
The counter, “Bar the Big Boss”, is an intercepting technique, not a block. The difference is crucial. Blocking a powerful sweeping kick from a Muay Thai fighter, for example, may result in the exponent's arm being broken. But intercepting the Muay Thai kick may put the fighter out of action.
Combat Sequence 12: Naughty Monkey Kicks at Tree
This is Combat Sequence 12, “Naughty Monkey Kicks at Tree”. The counter against the whirlwind kick is “hard”. A “soft” counter is shown in the next video clip.
Tame Tiger with Sting of Beads
A “soft” counter against the whirlwind kick, which is a powerful kick, is to avoid it by slanting the body back without moving the legs. A suitable pattern to implement this technique is “Tame Tiger with String of Beads”. As soon as the kick is spent, shift forward to strike the opponent's ribs or any suitable exposed part.
Guarding Own Leg, not Blocking Opponent's Leg
This is a soft counter against the whirlwind kick. In the pattern, "Tame Tiger with Strings of Bead", it is important not to block an opponent's kick with the front hand which may result in the hand being fractured. The front hand is meant to guard the exponent's front leg.
Follow up with a Leopard Punch
When shifting forward to counter-strike after avoiding an opponent's sweeping kick, it is important to push the leg away to prevent him from kicking again. You also have to guard his leg and hands when counter-striking. Follow up with a leopard punch.
How would a Fragile Girl Counter a Powerful Sweeping Kick from a Muay Thai Fighter from Wong Kiew Kit on Vimeo.
1. Stances: the Foundation for Internal Force and Combat Efficiency
2. Footwork Secrets for Health, Efficiency and Elegance
3. Moving into a Same Direction using Different Ways to Gain Advantages
4. Picture-Perfect Forms and Flowing Movements
5. From Random Fighting to Patterns, and from Patterns to Sequences and Sets
6. One-Step Sparring to Develop Combat Skills
7. From Pre-Arranged Sparring to Guided Sparring
8. Using Techniques and Tactics in Sparring
9. The Five Basic Kicks
10. The Secrets of Side Kicks and Continuous Cannons
11. How You may Defeat Opponents Experienced in Random Free Sparring
12. How Would a Fragile Girl Counter a Powerful Sweeping Kick from a Muay Thai Fighter?
13. Shaolin Felling Techniques and their Defences
14. Safety First Before Executing Felling Techniques
15. From Combat Sequences to Free Sparring
16. Sixteen Combat Sequences and Five Kungfu Sets
17. Surprise your Attacker with a Counter-Attack
18. Working out Ways to Fight a Boxer
19. Effective Tactics and Techniques against Boxers
20. From Gross Outline to Fine Details
21. Exploiting Advantage to Clinch Victory
22. Variety of Kungfu Techniques against Boxers
23. Analysis of Techniques Used against Boxers
24. Using Shaolin Kunfu against Boxing in Free Sparring
25. Effective Shaolin Tactics and Techniques against Kick-Boxing
26. Shaolin Kungfu against Kick-Boxing in Free Sparring
27. How to Handle a Karate Exponent
28. How to Handle a Taekwondo Exponent
29. How to Handle a Wrestling Exponent
30. Understanding the Typical Attacks of Muay Thai Fighters
31. Grandmaster Ho's Secrets in Countering Muay Thai Fighters
32. First Avoid Defeat, Then Secure Victory
33. Counteroing the Elbow and Knee Attacks of Muay Thai Fighters