Fred Neff's Response to Reader's Questions

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WARNING: THE ANSWERS TO READERS QUESTIONS ARE NOT MEANT TO TAKE THE PLACE OF TRAINING UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A QUALIFIED INSTRUCTOR. READERS SHOULD TAKE PROPER SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AT ALL TIMES WHEN PRACTICING MARTIAL ARTS INCLUDING:

• Practicing defense and attack with a partner only under the supervision of a qualified instructor.

• While practicing, always wear safety equipment such as a head guard, mouthpiece, groin-cup, knee guards and any other protective gear needed.

• Any grappling or throwing should be done only on a thick mat designed for such use and then only under the supervision of a qualified instructor.

• When practicing with a partner, do not put all of your force into a blow. Start your practice slowly and gradually with the consent of your partner speed up the execution of techniques. Practice full power techniques only on a punching bag-not on a human partner. The instructor should be present to supervise the practice session.

• Do not make contact with your training partner unless he or she agrees to it, you are both wearing full safety equipment, you are sure that both people have the ability to control their blows, and you are supervised by your instructor.

• During practice, never hit sensitive areas on your partner, such as the eyes, nose, throat, neck, ribs, groin, knees, or any area, along the centerline on the rear of the body. Do not even pretend to throw blows to such sensitive areas on a practice partner.

• Do not apply locks or throws without your opponent understanding in advance that you are working on these types of techniques. Work out a warning system with your partner in advance of practice. Never surprise your training partner with a throw, sweep, lock or hold and be sure that your partner is ready to start before executing these techniques. No throws should be done until the person to be thrown has been properly trained by a qualified instructor on falling. Do not practice any technique with someone who does not understand what is required in martial art practice. Make sure a qualified instructor explains and demonstrates any new techniques to you and your partner. Treat all training partners with respect and consideration for their safety.

FRED NEFF'S RESPONSES TO NEW READER QUESTIONS WILL BE POSTED AT THE TOP OF THIS SECTION, SO CHECK BACK FREQUENTLY.

After over six months practicing karate and I still feel very slow, awkward and find myself out of steam before the class is over. Any suggestions other than to keep with it at the school and things will eventually improve?

Answer by Fred Neff: Supplemental activities may help you feel and do better with your training. When someone is tired they often feel awkward and discouraged. You should try taking regular brisk long walks, bicycling and/or swimming to improve your endurance. Learning to skip rope can not only be fun, but also improve your agility and endurance. Try practicing your fighting movements at home against an imaginary attacker non-stop for a timed interval. Start with a minute and then as your endurance builds move the time up gradually. If you persist with your training and work on supplementary activities, in time you will find greater satisfaction and success in your training.

My friend and I have both studied different styles of Karate. We have been arguing over the value of kata’s for real life self-defense. My friend says that kata’s look nice, but does not believe they will help me be a more effective fighter?

Answer by Fred Neff: Kata, prearranged sets of movements, are a very important type of martial arts training for number of reasons. They help a student develop not only individual techniques, but also the ability to link techniques with others. A kata can show certain defense and attacks that are useful in fighting. Kata’s also develop not only the conscious ability to move from one technique to another, but form a subconscious pattern that may allow for instant execution of techniques in an emergency. A kata may also act as a cultural transmission of movements, ideas and concepts that play an important part in keeping a martial arts style true to its original form. Kata are important and well worth practicing and cultivating.

I have tried to move while free fighting but I find it awkward and seem to be vulnerable while in the process of movement. Is there anything that I can do to make my movement positively contribute to winning rather than a weakness?

Answer by Fred Neff: Movement is a common problem for martial arts students. Different styles vary on the use of movement and the types of movement. You did not mention what form of martial arts you are studying, but if your style of martial arts has more than one stance then practice moving smoothly from one stance to another. Just the movement from stances can be a subtle distraction and/or evasion that will help you. For greater movement than you will have to learn movements such as slide stepping and circling. These movements can be very effective with practice. Spend time each practice session performing the basic movement from your style looking in a mirror, against an imaginary opponent, against a heavy bag and a fellow student. In time, the movement will become for graceful and effective. Another type of movement that is very useful is to learn to side step an attack. When the aggressor moves forward to throw a blow, step to the side away from the blow and then execute your own counterattack. You should also practice bending your body to the side and down and away to dodge attacks to the upper body.

Although I keep practicing blocking, in sparring my opponents keep getting through with a fast series of reverse punches?

Answer by Fred Neff: Building a good defense involves not only developing blocking, but also other skills such as movement. Many blows can be evaded so that you do not have to block them. A common error is to try to use a fortress defense of standing still and trying to block all attacks while trying to fit in your own counterattack. This does not work against a determined attacker who skillfully throws blows in a series. Instead, you should try developing the ability to move in unexpected ways around while you are sparring so that you are not a stationary target. You should be able to launch your own attacks as well which will keep the opponent confused enough not to be able to keep wearing your defenses down.

I have been trying to read up on the martial arts to find out what would be the best for me to take up, could you suggest which one would fit someone like me who is not very athletic and aggressive by nature?

Answer by Fred Neff: The selection of a martial art to study is a matter of individual choice. The information you have provided in saying you are "not very athletic and aggressive by nature," does not provide enough information to suggest any particular martial art. It is a good idea to study up on different martial arts as you say that you have been doing, but in connection with that study you should go and observe different martial arts classes. Carefully view and consider the activities that take place in a martial arts class. Consider whether what is done in the class matches up with your perceived abilities, expectations and goals. Imagine yourself participating in the class and see how you think it would be for you. If possible talk to students in the class and get opinions from them about their study of the art and the pros and cons of their particular class. Ask questions to determine if the art that you are considering is right for you. Each individual has his or her own unique personality, abilities, and expectations that contribute to their success in the study of martial arts. Past labels of "not being very athletic or aggressive by nature" often fade away after diligent study of a martial art. There are many wonderful martial arts to consider studying. Take your time in finding one that fits you.

I have a hard time defending against fast hand attacks and when I do block them my arm often hurts?

Answer by Fred Neff: Different martial arts deal with protecting against attacks in different ways. For that reason, there are various solutions offered for improving defense against hand attacks. You should consult with your instructor to see what he has observed about your blocking techniques that could be improved to heighten your ability to handle hand attacks.

For people who have a hard time conditioning their body to handle blocking with their arms, there are other defense alternatives such as supplementing your arm blocks with parrying with the hands. When you use the palm of your hand to parry blows it can be done very quickly, uses a padded part of your body and can be done very effectively.

Another alternative is for you to practice evasion as a way of dealing with attacks. When you block an attack with your arm it is forced to come into contact with a powerful moving object, which even when stopped or deflected may cause pain. When you evade the attack, no part of your body comes into contact with the opponent's body so there is no pain. Evasion is an important skill to cultivate; it enables you to avoid getting hit, saves your body from coming into contact with your opponent with a block and positions your body to do an unexpected counterattack. There are many different types of evasions. To complicate things the same type of evasion may be called by different names. Some of the common evasions are: body bending to the left or right, side stepping away from a blow, lowering your upper body and stepping backward. It is a good idea to start your practice of evasions by looking in the mirror while in a fighting stance. Imagine a blow coming toward you and bend your body to the side to evade it and then snap back and do your own counterattacking blow. You should practice bending both to the left and right to evade blows. After you have developed a smooth effective body movement you may move on to practice this evasion against a slow blow thrown by a partner while under the supervision of a qualified instructor. In time, you may speed up the blow so you develop the ability to evade even a very fast hand blow. You can slowly add to your practice first in a mirror and then with a partner other evasions such as earlier mentioned. Safety is a prime consideration so you should wear safety equipment while practicing defending against attacks and do so under the supervision of a qualified instructor.

What does endless fist mean?

Answer by Fred Neff: Endless Fist is an expression used to describe a particular type of Kempo that teaches that knowledge is endless. As knowledge is without end, so likewise in Kempo there are endless variations of the application of techniques and tactics, which flow in an endless stream. The Kempo practitioner that acts in harmony with nature's way derives endless benefits from studying Kempo. The aim of the Kempo practitioner is to develop a smooth endless flow in thought and action, so he or she has an effective response for any situation that will be in harmony with nature.

What type of approach to teaching techniques and tactics is used in Endless Fist Kempo to make it in harmony with nature?

Answer by Fred Neff: Endless Fist Kempo teaches that nature’s energy moves in circles of endless spiral energy. That as energy flows in its spiral path the form may change. Kempo aims to be in tune with this ever-flowing energy stream in its practices to cultivate harmony. In the Endless Fist way, the practitioner learns to direct energy in a linear, angular or circular manner, but understand that in the end the course of all energy will be in a circle that is part of the spiral of energy. The Endless Fist approach stresses being in tune with the elements of nature. For example, Endless Fist Kempo cultivates the ability to keep endlessly wearing away at a problem or an adversary until the opposing force dissolves or in the alternative not directly opposing force, but rather redirecting it. Using circular motion where possible for defending and counter attacking in dealing with problems including aggression is an endless fist approach. This is analogous to the manner water may penetrate and dissolve something hard that blocks its path. At other times where water’s path is directly opposed it moves around it, to go on its path, which is another approach to movement that is taught in the Endless Fist way of Kempo.

Is the best approach to ending a fight to rush in and go all out to win the fight?

Answer by Fred Neff: There are different strategies for handling confrontations used by various martial arts. One sensible approach is to prioritize your possible responses. The first priority is to avoid a confrontation if possible. There is nothing to be ashamed of by walking away from a potential fight. If the aggressor is merely taunting you, then take into consideration the source and carefully move away. When you may not move away safely to avoid the fight, then the next priority is to manage to evade harm. One way to do so is by avoiding or minimizing bodily contact. Slipping, ducking, sidestepping or dodging an attack are ways to evade being hurt. If you may not do so, then your next alternative is to deflect the attack with a movement such as a parry or block. If it is clear that the aggressor is going to continue his or her attack after you try to either evade or deflect the attack, then you may counterattack. You may counterattack at an opening on the opponent, where he or she is weak or where he or she is off-balance by hitting, securing a lock or executing a takedown. While you should always be prepared for a prolonged confrontation, the goal is to get out of the fight as quickly as possible. If you do have to make a counterattack, try whenever possible to move away from the confrontation as early as it is safe to do so. You should not use another person's starting a fight as an excuse to chalk up an outright win by punishing that person with physical abuse. It is not as important to get an outright win, as it is to end the confrontation. Remember that you must only use reasonable force in defending yourself.

I have a great fear of being hit in a fight what can I do to get over it?

Answer by Fred Neff:There is more than one way to help get over the fear. One method to help get over the fear combines several elements. First, you must mentally prepare against attack by repeatedly reminding yourself that by conditioning and practice you will be able to defend yourself. Second, is to start to condition yourself through a regular set of exercises to increase your strength and endurance. Third, practice repeatedly defenses dealing with attacks. It is important that you imagine yourself being attacked while you execute your evasions, blocks, and counterattacks. Fourth, is to practice defending against attacks with a qualified instructor present to make sure that everything is done in a proper and safe manner for practice. You will find that by being in a positive mental state, excellent physical condition and having practiced your self-defense techniques your fear will decrease.

I am on the wrestling team at school and enjoy it. My friend claims that wrestling moves just don't work in a fight-- is he right?
Answer by Fred Neff: Each individual has his or her own special talents. A person's wrestling skills may be very useful in self-defense. Presence of mind and proper choice of application of technique are critical in protecting against attack. There are times where a wrestling move may be a fine choice to deal with an attack while there are other times where defenses from other martial arts may be more useful. To improve your self-defense abilities you may consider learning fighting techniques from martial arts to supplement your wrestling.

As a Judo practitioner I was wondering if I can rely on throwing and grabbling in a real fight or if striking moves would be a better choice to learn for self-defense?
Answer by Fred Neff: Because each individual fights may differ it is not prudent to claim superiority in general of one type of fighting technique over another. Throwing, grabbling and striking are all effect. The key is to choose and execute the right maneuver to fit the situation. Each fighting technique has its own particular advantages. Strikes are fast techniques for close-in situations and often can be directed at any part of the opponent’s upper torso. Kicks may have great reach and are quite powerful. Throwing and grappling may be very effective for close-in fighting. A single judo throw may be powerful enough to stop a fight. To maximize your chances for fighting efficiency it is a good idea to learn throws, joint locks, to grapple, strike, punch and kick. In this way you will have the right fighting techniques to apply in a many different situations. Certain martial arts like Kempo teach its practitioner to use the whole body to deliver an effective self-defense response. This includes taking advantage of the ability to use a combination of Kempo punches, kicks and throws in a fight.

I am small for my age and get picked on a lot. If I study karate, Can I learn to be able to handle a much bigger attacker in a fight?
Answer by Fred Neff: Presence of mind, Physical conditioning and skill can allow a smaller person to overcome a bigger attacker. Proper skill allows a person to maximize his or her power output. The smaller person in a fight who uses proper leverage and technique may at times generate more force in a technique than the bigger person who is unskilled. Karate is an excellent art to study to improve the power of your punches and kicks.

I heard from a friend that you can take advantage of a bully by waiting until he attacks and then using his own move against him? How is this possible?
Answer by Fred Neff: Every attack creates has both an advantage and a disadvantage. When an aggressor moves to attack he commits his body in a certain way that can be taken advantage of by the opponent. The attackers own power may be used against him or her. The attacking move may leave a potential opening for counter attack or off-balance the aggressor so that he or she is open to being thrown by the defending person. By waiting for the aggressor to first attack, the skillful defender can exploit the opening left by the aggressor. A typical example of exploiting an aggressive move can be seen in the situation where the aggressor puts all of his or her weight behind the attack. The aggressor's own force may then be directed by the skillful defender in such a way as to throw the aggressor to the floor. Similarly an aggressor's blow may leave him or her open for the skillful defender's punch or kick.

I have always been very adept at verbal skills, can't I just either verbally convince someone of the folly of fighting or walk away rather than have to get into a physical confrontation?
Answer by Fred Neff: It is always preferable to be able to avoid a physical confrontation. Unfortunately it is not always possible to get out of fighting with verbal skills or to be just able to walk away. When confronted by an aggressor it is important to maintain presence of mind. You must adapt to the needs of the particular situation. Focus on the aggressor to try to determine his real intent and be ready for an unprovoked attack by him or her. You should maintain a sense of alertness and self-confidence. This will allow you to send the right message to the aggressor that you are not afraid and at the same time allow you if necessary to quickly counter any attack by exploiting the aggressor's weaknesses.

I have seen many martial arts movies and have learned to copy fighting moves from them. Don't these fighting moves give me a strong advantage in a fight?
Answer by Fred Neff: You must not confuse martial arts for entertainment with reality. Martial arts movies depict sensationalized fighting moves that while entertaining may not be practical in many fighting situations. Sometimes the least visually sensational fighting move is the most effective to end a fight. You should not rely on sensational fighting moves to win a fight, but rather learn from a qualified martial arts instructor foundational techniques of self-defense.

I want to learn to fight right away. Can I take a few lessons that will give me what I need to know to be a great fighter who can take out a tough bully?
Answer by Fred Neff: The reality is that martial arts is a wonderful process that must be followed in a patient and diligent fashion to be really effective. This means that there is no instant knowledge that will automatically make you able to be a great fighter. You must practice fighting moves for quite a while before you use them in a real fight. It is important to be patient in learning any martial art or even basic self-defense. Your chances for mounting a successful defense increase with diligent training and practice. A person is more likely to be able to successfully defend himself or herself if the martial arts training has given him or her a firm foundation in fighting which only be acquired with study over a long period of time.

Aren't many modern fighting systems greatly watered down so that they no longer are effective in combat?
Answer by Fred Neff: While many ancient fighting forms were useful for combat they may not have been practical for use in modern society. While some modern forms of fighting have deleted the use of ancient fighting moves or lost knowledge of them over time this does not necessarily discount the effectiveness of these modern fighting arts. Ancient systems of martial arts share many elements with their modern-day counterparts. Karate is an excellent example of an art that still has relevance in today’s world for self-defense. While weapons training may have been a substantial part of ancient curriculums it is not necessary to have that knowledge today for ordinary self-defense. Weapon knowledge did serve many useful purposes including the ability to deal with life and death struggles where it was expected that everyone involved would use every weapon available including formal weapons. It is neither practical nor necessary to practice formal ancient weaponry to deal with an ordinary schoolyard bully. While it may not be necessary to learn such weapons they definitely may enhance a person's physical conditioning, focus, coordination and skills. Today's modern students may choose to learn either a modern form of a martial art that will give necessary self-defense skills or a more traditional form of the art. Either choice will provide a measure of skill and satisfaction when properly handled.

Don't I have to learn to use weapons like a sword to really be able to fight?
Answer by Fred Neff: The use of formal weapons was in ancient days a substantial part of combat training. Fighting training was directed at preparing people for life-and-death struggles where the use of a sword may have been necessary. Modern martial arts training with weapons such as a sword may be used in some schools. Other schools may provide training in the use of weapons as optional supplementary training. Some schools may completely delete the use of weapons such as the sword. In today's modern society the knowledge of the use of the sword may not be essential for practical everyday self-defense.

Is there really any difference between karate and jujitsu? Answer by Fred Neff: Yes, are historical and often practical differences in form, substance and application of technique in these arts. While it is true that today there may be some blending of these distinctive arts by some people that does not change either of their essence. Ju-Jitsu is derived from the Samurai unarmed fighting arts. It includes a combination of ancient Japanese grappling and seizing techniques as well as Chinese influenced fighting techniques. There are different schools of ju-jitsu with each having its own unique way of dealing with self-defense. They do often however, share a common goal, which was to use hand-to-hand fighting techniques to supplement weapons when fighting close. As a result many forms of ju-jitsu emphasize fighting moves that are useful when close in proximity to an attacker such as throws, joint locks, fast strikes to vulnerable spots on the body and grabbling. While there may be an emphasis in some schools on close in fighting moves that does not mean that they necessarily neglect teaching fighting techniques that can be used for differing ranges of attack.

Karate has a different origin from Ju-Jitsu. It came from the island of Okinawa where it was developed to defend against the raids of pirates and dealing with physical confrontations with samurai warriors. Because the Okinawan people were not allowed to use weapons, they developed an art that later became known as karate. This art taught people to fight either empty-handed or with ordinary tools. Overtime, various families of empty-handed fighting techniques were developed in Okinawa. These schools were extremely effective and put a heavy emphasis on punching and kicking techniques. Today modern karate still puts an emphasis on punching and kicking. These types of techniques may be utilized from various ranges to deal with an aggressor. While there may be the forgoing differences between karate and Ju-jitsu, they are both excellent martial arts.

Should I just blast a bully as soon as he starts to bother me?
Answer by Fred Neff: Dealing with other people is an art where there may be no easy answers. Each individual situation calls for its own solution. It is always best to avoid having to hit someone else. There is nothing to be ashamed of by avoiding a fight. It is often the case that the stronger and more effective fighter is the person who tries to avoid the fight. You should only use physical force when you are in danger of being physically harmed by a bully. If there is no immediate danger, there is no reason to "blast a bully." There are many skills that need to be developed including the learning of fighting techniques. These skills include learning to ignore bragging bullies, verbal threats, insults, and other challenges.

Are there any key principles that should be learned by karate students?
Answer by Fred Neff: Each karate school may have its own key principles. These principles may apply to not only learning physical skills but philosophical matters as well. While each school may have its own unique key principles it is important for karate students to remember to practice self-control at all times. A karate student should not use fighting skills against another person unless he or she is in danger of being physically harmed.

I have heard that many great kung-fu moves have been filtered out of the art?
Answer by Fred Neff: Each Kung-fu style remains distinctive in maintenance and application of fighting techniques. It is not easy to generalize and claim that all styles have lost, abandoned or filtered out techniques. The reality is that schools treat fighting moves differently in training. Some maintain many ancient moves for only the most advanced practitioners, so that they are not lost but rather guarded carefully. It may be however, the case that some particular arts may have lost, abandoned or discarded fighting moves. This does not necessarily imply that they have lost usefulness. While some instructors’ distrust and lack of time may have caused them not to teach certain kung-fu techniques to students, a tremendous pool of kung-fu fighting methods was still passed down for use. There are is a vast array of kung-fu techniques available for study so it is not realistic to worry about any moves that may no longer be available for study. The diligent student of Kung fu can derive great satisfaction and skill from the study of any number of different arts that are taught today.

From where does gung-fu derive its philosophic basis?
Answer by Fred Neff: Kung-fu schools derive their philosophic basis from differing sources. It is often the case, however, that kung-fu schools have a foundation in philosophy drawn from the teachings on Tao, yin-yang, Chan Buddhism and Confucianism.