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- From: sog@craycos.com (Steve Gombosi)
- Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts
- Subject: Re: Describing techniques in words - Yuk!
- Message-ID: <1992Dec21.171229.28109@craycos.com>
- Date: 21 Dec 92 17:12:29 GMT
- References: <memo.811753@cix.compulink.co.uk> <11564@sun13.scri.fsu.edu> <1992Dec17.193158.601@walter.cray.com>
- Organization: Cray Computer Corporation
- Lines: 99
-
- In article <1992Dec17.193158.601@walter.cray.com> radner@cray.com (Lauren Radner) writes:
- >In article <11564@sun13.scri.fsu.edu> poore@dirac.scri.fsu.edu (David Poore) writes:
- >>A couple possible proposals:
- >>
- >>Use of the terms inside/outside to refer to general movements with
- >>respect to the body in question.
- >
- >I'd rather not use 'inside/outside'... there was quite a lot of
- >verbage here a while ago when people fumbled all over themselves
- >trying to figure out if "an inside block" was a block moving
- >from the outside TOWARDS the inside, or STARTING FROM the inside
- >and moving to the *outside*... Can't we just use 'left and right'?
- >>
- >>Use of terms cross-handed or same-handed to indicate the spacial
- >>relationship between the two opponents. I think this works especially
- >>well, since it seems more relevent that using left and right, since
- >>techniques should work on both sides!
-
- The terms "cross-hand" and "same-hand" are used consistently in most Japanese
- arts, but I'm not sure that's universally true for all arts. As Lauren has
- noted, there's ample room for confusion. So, David, what do you Xing Yi folks
- mean when you use the term "cross-handed"?
-
- >Your use of 'cross-handed' and 'same-handed' in your "simple"
- >example confused me... but then, not only am I light-headed
- >from a head-cold at the moment, there are a few on the net
- >who I'm sure would argue I'm just dim.
- >
- >>
- >>Ex.
- >>
- >>Opponent throws a high punch with right hand. I counter with a
- >>cross-handed block on the inside,
- >
- >... at this point, I honestly don't know whether 'cross-handed' means
- > your left hand (the one "across" from his right), or maybe your
- > right hand (the one diagonally 'across'), or maybe you meant
- > either your right hand or your left hand blocks by moving *across*
- > his arm (as opposed to an upward or downward block, joint technique,
- > etc.) ... but I don't know whether to the 'inside' or to the 'outside'...
-
- Or even the infamous "X-block"!
-
- >I find that left/right and clock-face directions work well. The 'Good
- >Guy' is always assumed to be facing 12:00 (no, it's not military time!).
- >
- >And I'd suggest that we avoid all "buzz words" if at all possible (no
- >"and then you apply an 'atemi wazi uke tensho dai yakuza whizbang'
- >followed by a 'tiger meets crane under the yellow ribbon on the old
- >oak tree in the winter storm' stance" stuff.)
-
- Absolutely, why should we use a compact, precise notational system when
- we can waste bandwidth and storage on systems all over the world ;-).
- In the case of Judo, there's a consistent naming system which allows one
- to describe *really* complex gyrations in very little space. There are any
- number of excellent reference works which can serve as "Judo glossaries".
- Failing that, I'm sure that the net.Judoka would be elated to describe
- ko-uchi gari in mind-numbing detail to anyone who asks (right, Wharfie?).
- Anyone who is too lazy to ask probably doesn't have much to contribute
- to the discussion anyway.
-
- Karate presents a different problem - many terms (especially "inside"
- and "outside") are used inconsistently between styles. Different
- terms are used for parts of the body ("shotei" vs. "teisho" for "palm heel",
- "enpi"/"empi" vs. "hiji" for elbow). Still, whoever does the "Karate FAQ"
- could provide a cross-reference to terms and how they're used. After we figure
- all that out, we can try to settle the kata nomenclature (is that Pinan/Heian
- I in the original numbering system, or the way it was after Funakoshi
- changed it, etc)
-
- My impression of the TKD folks is that they've got the terminology problem
- under control.
-
- Aikido is easy - if you don't know the name of a technique, just wave
- your hands and use the words "kokyu nage" ;-). If that doesn't work,
- use the word "atemi" and snicker.
-
- Chinese terminology confuses me hopelessly, but I'll bet if I asked *real*
- nice they'd explain what they were talking about ;-). Then again, maybe
- not...
-
- >For example, if I were to re-write David's example 'my' way (not that I'm
- >sure I understand what he meant!) I would phrase it something like:
- >
- >- Bad Guy is attacking from 12:00.
-
- Tsk tsk...pretty judgemental!
-
- >- You are standing feet shoulder-width apart, hands at sides.
- >- Bad Guy thows a high punch with HIS right hand.
- >- You block his incoming arm with your left arm by:
- > - moving your left hand and arm in a circular motion up from your
- > side, over to your right, such that on a *vertical* clockface,
- > your elbow has not moved more than an inch or two to the right,
- > but your hand has swept counter-clockwise from 6:00 to 2:00.
-
- Which way is the clock facing?
-
- Steve
-