What kind of martial animal are you?

[Bill Glasheen]

It's well known that the Shaolin temple martial styles incorporated 5 animal systems: tiger, crane, dragon, leopard/panther, and snake. Other animal systems existed as well outside Shaolin including monkey system, drunken monkey, eagle claw, and praying mantis. Each animal is associated with specific kinds of techniques, postures, strategies, and mindsets.

To what degree do you identify with one or more of these basic animals and animal systems? If not these, then others? And if so, why?

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

Just to get things going...

A Uechi student once was asked what the three animals of Uechi Ryu were. And the answer he gave? "Art Rabesa, Jim Malone, and Van Canna."

No explanation necessary.

- Bill

[CANDANeh]

Just a quick answer for now. Dragon and snake because of the coiling. However, a few weeks ago it may have been the tiger because of relaxed movement (love the way the big cats move...they seem to enjoy every step). In a system like Uechi I think you can pick the "animal of the month".

[Jake Steinmann]

Human.

[Shana Moore]

I'm still learning what my best style/method is, so I'll defer the which animal am I question at the moment.

However, I wanted to comment on Leo's answer, because of a wonderful observation from my last kayaking trip. you mentioned dragon and snake because of the coiling, but that actually may apply to crane as well....perhaps not as it's traditionally taught, but...well..

While Kayaking last summer, I got to watch a mother heron teaching her babies to fish. It was fascinating, and it was good instruction on the mechanics of a quick strike. She would wind up by pulling her head back (her body in the standard S shape), and then she would whip her body neck and head in a whip like fashion, uncoiling her body from middle to top, to snap her beak out and down to catch the tiny fishes. It was amazingly fast, and it was a whole body recoil reaction.

Just something to consider

[robb buckland]

I 'd like to say tiger ...but I'm confident it's more likely a bear !!! LOL


or maybe a rabbit ....EAT , BREED , SLEEP

[Bill Glasheen]

In a system like Uechi I think you can pick the "animal of the month".

I find this to be true for me.

As a young lad coming out of college track and cross country, I was long and rail thin. Given my ability to use my legs and my penchant for jamming people with one-legged stances (I did Seisan jump posture before I knew the kata), I very much was the crane.

It took years of development before my body changed, and I felt comfortable going inside. So there was that tiger phase where I wanted to push an aspect of my fighting (the inside, bad-breath-range game) that was lacking due to fear of pain on fragile limbs and poor rooting. But it developed.

Tai sabaki opened my eyes to the dragon. I gave lip service to advanced fighting being all about footwork, but you know most of us fight in one dimension. A combination of aikido and the Fuzhou Suparinpei taught me to sidestep, duck underneath arms, work my way beind a charging opponent, use the vertical dimension to shoot, bob, and weave, etc.

I don't know when it happened, but at some point I rediscovered some of my childhood athleticism. Too often I think we overteach things, and screw up people's natural abilities. I learned not to do that as a teacher when I had a few gifted students drop in my lap. Rather than starting them from scratch, I found it more practical to shape and reinforce what was already there. And then when I looked inward, I discovered the SSM (sequential summation of motion) principle that I naturally applied in my baseball years. One day I was messing around with a hiraken and voila - I started poking holes in the mats with it. My students called the movement my "cobra strike." (The posture that inspires it is in the front elbow thrust in Seisan). When I began to teach it, I found that people could only do it if they had played baseball. If not, it was hopeless. Go figure...

- Bill

[toogreen]

Myself: Crane. Definitely.
Balance, posture, physical build, etc.

[Jason Rees]

I'm really not set in my ways. I don't see myself defined by any of them

[robb buckland]

The Tiger does not need to defend, it is the ultimate predator. It has no evasion techniques, no blocking or defence. In any confrontation it leaps into attack going for the quick and direct resolution of the conflict. It does not have the stamina, inclination or need for enduring and prolonged activities.

The Tiger uses any simple and direct approach. It's techniques and methods are easily understood with not a lot of strategic thinking or planning; and absolutely no preparation. The Tiger is purely reactive. Either the world is OK or the Tiger will do something immediate and sudden.

Tiger Techniques

Yang - Round sudden punches and direct kicks; round downward clawing techniques first impacting with the base of the palm and then clawing their way downward, including the famous Tiger Claw (hu zhua) technique (from which whole styles have developed). The techniques are in fairly large, wide and circular motions, much like a big cat swiping. The back legs of a Tiger are powerful and lend themselves to straight kicks and knees.

Yin - Digging the claws into the meat and separating tendons, muscles from bones with pulls, twist, tears, or strikes. Straight inward claws, again using the base of the palm to strike and in this case bunch up the flesh. Then clamping down with the sharp claws,digging deeply into the flesh, tearing, ripping and twisting (sounds gory; but tiger style is not a gentle art!)


"when two tigers fight, one is killed and the other is severely hurt".

"The nature of a tiger is also not to know when to quit. There is no retreat/surrender."

"There are no opponents; there are only victims and play things ."

The Tiger as a Person

First we need to understand that a person's character and habits are determined by both upbringing and genetics (Nurture & nature) and are tempered, brought out, qualified by experiences, environment and possibilities. Even if you are a person with a strong tendency towards a certain style you may not have had time to explore and develop it. As you grow older and wiser, one of two things will happen. You become more broad based and your speciality character will not be as dominant or you become more and more that character. It may also happen, in cases of traumatic or enlightening experiences that you change your preferred style/paradigm. So when looking at the following, look at the core and try and sperate the external influences to understand the internal preferences!

You are a Tiger if you prefer;

immediate action

clear solutions and paths.

If you find that;

people talk too much and there is not enough action

you tend to get restless when there is nothing to do

when you are more nervous leading up to an even but not when you are in the event

when you like to play hard and work hard

when you believe that you are better at things than others

In a group or team situation you would prefer to lead and define the direction without a lot of ado.

Your main tools for this would be action tempered with good dose of instinct and intuition (gut feel), carisma and past success.

You may have problems appreciating slower less direct actions by other people. You will have great problems if there is another Tiger in the Group.

You are best in emergencies where action is needed now, when a quick, effective solution is best and a long drawn out plan or discussion is not possible. When immediate self, family or friends safety are threatened. You are also best when you go with your instinct!

The Tigers Strength, bravado and attitude actually protects a softer, gentler and even vulnerable person inside. Tigers will be easily hurt by words, lies and innuendos; and will often not have a way of dealing with this unless they resort to action.

...... to be a full tiger you need to be big and strong, above average EQ, confident and with a good dose of attitude. You will be a natural leader..... (Wow this reads like a horoscope !!!!!)Remembering that this is not just to emulate animal movements but as a metaphor for a whole world of strategies, attitudes, problem solving, etc.........

[CANDANeh]

"There are no opponents; there are only victims and play things ."

My type of work out partner...but my oh my it hurts the next few days.

[robb buckland]

It hurts more every year ......but I love this stuff !!!