Mook Jong/dummies in FMA/Kali?

**One Round** · Posted On: 2/11/2007 5:58pm

I did a search on mook jong. In one thread, somebody admonished not to bother getting a mook unless the MAist is involved in a style that normally uses a mook.

I knew a couple Kali guys (Inosanto blend) who used the mook a lot. They weren't much into JKD or Chun, and pretty much stuck to FMA. They also used some other jong with moveable arms, and padded bodies for stabbing/cutting practice. Looked much like Kelly Worden's Silent Fighter--yeah, I know you all think he's a choad; just using that as an example...

For you FMA guys (especially Pekiti-Tirsia, Atienza, Sayoc if you're here...), where, if anyplace, does the traditional mook fit into Kali/FMA as it's practiced today? What about modern adaptations like the S.F.? Does it hurt your training? Help? Neither? Some other viewpoint?

**X_plosion** · Posted On: 2/11/2007 10:22pm

There are lots of styles of FMA, so the usage of the mook is in whatever style finds it useful. There's lots and lots of stuff that various FMA stylists use as training aids.

I've seen truck tires, steel pipe, sections of Tartan track, traditional heavy bags and tree trunks used as targets. To the best of my knowledge, the mook was taken in from Wing Chun. I personally haven't seen any local FMAers use it, but I could understand the Inosanto group using it, since Mr. Inosanto has had exposure to Wing Chun and JKD.

**selfcritical** · Posted On: 2/12/2007 1:20am

It isn't in any of the more "blade oriented" systems that i've seen(atienza, pekiti, sayoc, san miguel).

**Permalost** · Posted On: 2/12/2007 1:30am

The dummy is in the background in some Dog Brothers videos, and in Kali Tudo Marc Denny makes use of some wing chun motions that can be drilled on a dummy. For example he details the bong sau position to lat sao + backfist to head, all worked off of a FMA footwork pattern. A lot of FMA stuff can be worked into a wooden dummy, because both FMA and wing chun utilize sticking, checking and passing of limbs. Just keep in mind that working a dummy quickly is not your final goal, it is a means towards working the same thing on a resistant opponent. Having hard arms from hitting wood is also a good attribute for FMA.
You list CLF in your field. I assume this is choy li fut. Do you ever work with a ching jong rather than the wing chun mook jong?

**One Round** · Posted On: 2/12/2007 6:15pm

Yep...Choy Li Fut. I use the ching jong mostly, and also the dan wong jong. We don't use the WC mook in our training. There's a WC mook at my school, though, but it belongs to the Chun sifu (we share space). It's a little different from most of the WC mooks that I've seen: the two upper arms are at exactly the same level, instead of one being above the other. They share one big rectangular hole, and the arms themselves are bent, instead of protruding out at angles. Plus, the horizontal supports are really springy and the dummy slides from side to side on them when you give the trunk a good shove. The Chun sifu doesn't like it when we (CLF dudes) use it, though. I was in there one night throwing some of my best CLF **** on it and he walked in and almost had a seizure he got so pissed. Whoda thunk that a Mexican would know how to curse in Cantonese?

I don't plan on using the mook fast just for the sake of speed. Just exploring my options. Much of the WC hand work (sticking, checking, passing...like you said) looks similar to the Kali that I've seen, just with the Kali being much more powerful and direct. Just my impression, since I don't know squat about Kali, yet. I thought maybe a mook or adaptation of some sort would be nice to play around on, since I have a shortage of training/sparring partners.