Kung-fu in MMA....This is how I got here.

[Bang!]

Can you give us some concrete examples of how animal aspects are part of your training?

[EmetShamash]

Very nice story. You are appreciated.

Would you describe the style that you teach and your training methods a little bit further?

[It is Fake]

In Xing Yi, this is VERY far from the truth. While for many of the Wushu-ish type arts, I would agree.

Let's add legit to this and I'll agree. I've seen some horrible modern wushu xingyi.

[Omega Supreme]

Blah, I'd rather not go into a whole book on this guys so I'll break it down simple. then vs now:

My original system was composed of 5 different styles of training:
Leopard: Speed and quickness, cutting strikes (elbows and such), and evasive maneuvers ground attacks (nothing like BJJ just a lot of sweeping pouncing and then get off)...
Eagle: Evasive maneuvering straight in attacks with joint locks (mostly small joint and shoulder) This gave me a good idea of how the body really moves when it came to understanding joint submissions.
Tiger: Strong powerful attacks (Thought they were better suited for stalky guys). Head butts, palm strikes, clawing powerful low kicks (thrusting and rounding), and off balancing throws.
Crane: Quick subtle movements, jumped around like TKD guys IMO. Love to do pressure point attacks and tricky wide moving strikes. Better suited for thinly built guys.
Dragon: Adaptive ever changing technique must jack of all trades master of none.

So as you can see it was more of a body movement training than actually trying to emulate the respective animal although the forms spoke other wise. After basic training, as it were, it would take you about 1-2 years to become proficient in the respective group of techniques.

My system has taken away the animals per se. I still train the traditional sets but I've expanded the basic training to explore more modern interpetation:

Earth, Water, Wind, Iron, Lightning (Fire)

Iron: Muay Thai, Karate, TKD (real TKD), all the hard straight forward techniques

Lighting: Leopard style attacks, Kenpo strike flow, western boxing (yeah you heard me) and wing chun (yeah, you heard me there too)

Earth: SAMBO, Judo, BJJ, Wrestling; in other wordls unbalancing techniques with very little striking

Water: Aiki, crane, eagle claw techniques to establish flow

Wind :Chi kung (relax), pressure point tactics (no I don't do the touch you paralyze stuff), distraction attacks.

And they are taught in that order. I teach my students to fight first. If they fail at some of the more theoretical based maneuvers then they're in for a rude awakening.

Don't look into this any further then it needs to be looked at. I just used words that I thought people from the outside could understand. My kung-fu students spar with the MMA guys, stand up with the kickboxers, and roll with the SAMBO guys. I train them in weapons and still practice philosphy.

There you go I hope that helps.

[Neildo]

Goddamn, I wish I could train at your school. :(

[Cullion]

Man, stop sucking his balls everybody. Lightening kung fu sounds goofy and you all know it.

[Omega Supreme]

Man, stop sucking his balls everybody. Lightening kung fu sounds goofy and you all know it.

First...no it doesn't sound goofy it sounds ghey. Second, you're just jealous for not being esucked for awhile (or ever).

I use the term lightning because of western ideas it's really supposed to be fire.

[Teh El Macho]

Finally we get to know the Alpha of teh Omega... and I second Neildo, I wish I could train at your school. Sounds good, and pretty fucking interesting (where "fucking" == "fucking cool".) :P

-- ED --

Omega, if it is possible to summarize in one post, can you tell us what you see/find in WC that you decide to incorporate in the lighting set?

And for all of you out there, please this is a serious question that I don't want it degenerate into yet one more "_ing _un sucks, no it doesn't, yes it does" clusterdump.

[Omega Supreme]

Lighting are essentially those fast moving techniques, strikes and kicks, that broke down your opponents defenses until you could put them down. Trap and parry response and narrowing of punching arc is what I take from wing chun. You can actually see me employ it once in my other highlight video 2:45. All these techniques base their theories on the same principal, speed comes from relaxation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwys7ZBVny8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwys7ZBVny8

[shoushutiger]

Dude, Omega, you're a fucking inspiration to all us martial artists, kung fu guys ecspecially. If you ever teach your style in northern California, well, Ill find you and enroll immediately. :D