Not much of an update
An interesting bit of information came my way recently. It's martial arts stuff, so those who aren't interested, this is your cut-off point.
Still here? Good, I'll continue. Way back during the 1930s, my current instructor's master (Shihan Wilson) managed to study Southern Style Eagle Claw Kung Fu. He studied it from a Japanese spy named Fan Gin Han(who had been raised in China in order to train him to fit in there). No one at the dojo knows what exactly the spy was doing in the US, but he was working as a janitor for the YMCA where he was teaching kung fu. Shihan Wilson got caught watching him teach his kung fu, and Shihan Han was furious. He initially refused to teach Shihan Wilson anything, but after some time he relented, contigent upon the fact that Shihan Wilson never teach these forms to anyone else. The students of Shihan Han all took blood oaths to kill anyone they caught teaching Southern Eagle Claw. Shihan Wilson kept by his word until he found books on the open market teaching Southern Eagle Claw, and he did some research. It turns out that the other 8 students of Shihan Han were all dead, so he began teaching the style to his black belt students. Each of these students took an oath to never teach this style to anyone who wasn't a black belt. One of the students he taught is now Professor Larry Beard, a very talented Judo/Jujitsu instructor in Alabama.
Shihan Wilson died about 10 years ago, and Professor Beard is one of the few remaining people to carry on this very old style of Kung Fu. After much thought and consideration, Professor Beard decided to teach the style to anyone that was interested in learning it. He made this choice because he is scared that the style will die out if only black belts practice it. He announced this decision to his school, and the organizational grapevine carried it to Athens. One of the instructors at Itto (Billy McBride) has been learning Eagle Claw from Professor Beard, and he agreed to teach the style to his students, provided the students pass his physical, mental and emotional requirements.
One of those students is me.
The reason all this matters is because I'll probably end up learning Eagle Claw whether I want to or not, simply because it will be required of me as an advancing black belt. I'm a little concerned about this because Eagle Claw Kung Fu is a highly dangerous art, and it is the complete philosophical and conceptual opposite of the Aikido I currently practice. Aikido is a peaceful, flowing art. It is defense-oriented, with throws, joint locks and evasion being practiced. Southern Eagle Claw kung fu is aggressive and savage. It teaches us to attack relentlessly, ripping at eyes and blood vessels until the opponent either dies or attempts to flee, whereupon he is attacked from behind by the Eagle Claw practicioner.
This is some scary shit, folks. I had my first lesson Saturday, and every step in the kata we performed was designed to maim or kill other humans. No real defensive manuvers, blocks, or evasions, just eagle-claw attacks, spear hand strikes, neck and spine breaks and eye gouges.
Practicing Eagle Claw trips some of the warning circuits I've built into my mind over the past two years. It's going to be very difficult to avoid having the more savage side of myself come to the surface during practice.
Sooner or later, I'm probably going to hurt someone while practicing this. Hopefully I won't hurt them too badly, but this style's mindset is devoted solely to wrecking the human body. I'm worried.
/end trans
Still here? Good, I'll continue. Way back during the 1930s, my current instructor's master (Shihan Wilson) managed to study Southern Style Eagle Claw Kung Fu. He studied it from a Japanese spy named Fan Gin Han(who had been raised in China in order to train him to fit in there). No one at the dojo knows what exactly the spy was doing in the US, but he was working as a janitor for the YMCA where he was teaching kung fu. Shihan Wilson got caught watching him teach his kung fu, and Shihan Han was furious. He initially refused to teach Shihan Wilson anything, but after some time he relented, contigent upon the fact that Shihan Wilson never teach these forms to anyone else. The students of Shihan Han all took blood oaths to kill anyone they caught teaching Southern Eagle Claw. Shihan Wilson kept by his word until he found books on the open market teaching Southern Eagle Claw, and he did some research. It turns out that the other 8 students of Shihan Han were all dead, so he began teaching the style to his black belt students. Each of these students took an oath to never teach this style to anyone who wasn't a black belt. One of the students he taught is now Professor Larry Beard, a very talented Judo/Jujitsu instructor in Alabama.
Shihan Wilson died about 10 years ago, and Professor Beard is one of the few remaining people to carry on this very old style of Kung Fu. After much thought and consideration, Professor Beard decided to teach the style to anyone that was interested in learning it. He made this choice because he is scared that the style will die out if only black belts practice it. He announced this decision to his school, and the organizational grapevine carried it to Athens. One of the instructors at Itto (Billy McBride) has been learning Eagle Claw from Professor Beard, and he agreed to teach the style to his students, provided the students pass his physical, mental and emotional requirements.
One of those students is me.
The reason all this matters is because I'll probably end up learning Eagle Claw whether I want to or not, simply because it will be required of me as an advancing black belt. I'm a little concerned about this because Eagle Claw Kung Fu is a highly dangerous art, and it is the complete philosophical and conceptual opposite of the Aikido I currently practice. Aikido is a peaceful, flowing art. It is defense-oriented, with throws, joint locks and evasion being practiced. Southern Eagle Claw kung fu is aggressive and savage. It teaches us to attack relentlessly, ripping at eyes and blood vessels until the opponent either dies or attempts to flee, whereupon he is attacked from behind by the Eagle Claw practicioner.
This is some scary shit, folks. I had my first lesson Saturday, and every step in the kata we performed was designed to maim or kill other humans. No real defensive manuvers, blocks, or evasions, just eagle-claw attacks, spear hand strikes, neck and spine breaks and eye gouges.
Practicing Eagle Claw trips some of the warning circuits I've built into my mind over the past two years. It's going to be very difficult to avoid having the more savage side of myself come to the surface during practice.
Sooner or later, I'm probably going to hurt someone while practicing this. Hopefully I won't hurt them too badly, but this style's mindset is devoted solely to wrecking the human body. I'm worried.
/end trans