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SSD – Class notes 2026-02-05

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DISCUSSION

Relax the body to learn

Intellectually understanding something is very different from being able to do it instinctively. Most people, when they hear the word “strike,” reflexively tense up. Do not add power until you know you are doing the movement correctly, or you will build habits that are very difficult to change later.

Some of the key challenges for beginners include:

  • Unnecessary tension in the shoulders
  • Elbows flaring outward instead of staying relaxed and down
  • Keeping the body tight instead of “relaxing into” one’s own structure and center
  • Overuse of stabilizing muscles, causing one muscle group to fight against another
  • Failing to slightly tuck the chin, which opens the throat to strikes
  • Strikes moving side by side instead of hand over hand
  • Strikes traveling too flat or downward, rather than slightly upward so that action–reaction helps anchor you instead of lifting you
  • Leaning to generate power, which adds little benefit and increases exposure; staying centered is more effective and safer
  • Forgetting to reestablish guard after striking
  • Underuse of the legs and whole-body connection

Train the brain first

We have demonstrated how important it is to change reflexive responses when working on escaping wrist grabs. Many people automatically tense up, even when practicing with a cooperative partner. We have shown and discussed how tension alters mechanics, and how using tension in the wrong places actually causes you to work against yourself.

Your brain can only process a limited number of commands at one time, especially when learning something new. Relaxing and slowing down gives your brain the time it needs to send the correct signals and allows you to self-assess what you are doing. Blindly adding muscle does not speed up learning; more often, it programs incorrect neural pathways. Once those patterns become habits, not only was the training time wasted, but correcting them later requires more than twice the effort.

Importance of the lines

  • Straight line – during the strikes, we want the line to be straight where possible so that we arrive fast via the shortest path
  • Circular line – sometimes you have to take a semi-circular route to have better control or sometimes to simply move out of the way. For example, the windshield wipers move in semi-circle to cover a big area with a single stroke.
  • Structural line – the line of support is often referred to as structural line. For example, for a person standing up, the structural line is vertical thru the upright axis.
  • Point weapon to target line – as a concept, the weapon can be anything anything from your fist to possibly a knife or a gun. Police are taught not to point their gun to anyone unless absolutely necessary to avoid accidental misfire. However, when you are in the midst of a combat, you should point to the potential target.

SCENARIOS

Pressuring your opponent backwards

We are attacking the opponent’s weak structural line so that they have no option but to step back and rebalance. This pressure must be continuous; you should not pause or “wait and see” between steps. Through your controlling arms, you should be able to feel where the opponent is structurally strong and where they are weak, and adjust your pressure accordingly.

Use of elbow

The elbow has the disadvantage of limited reach; you must be very close to your opponent to make contact with the target. However, it has the advantage of being extremely strong and effective. The tip of the elbow concentrates force into a very small area, which means the impact can generate significant pressure and cause serious damage.

We begin with the right elbow and learn three strikes: across from right to center, top down, and bottom up. As before, apply the same learning process—start from the guard, slide in, and experiment with different leading legs. Use your hips to generate rotation, and perform the movements slowly and loosely. Focus on experiencing the motion rather than forcing power. We will go into greater detail next week.

EXERCISES

  • Repeat exercises from last week for body conditioning.
  • Stretch and move your shoulder to get your body ready to learn elbows without hurting yourself.

SIDE NOTES

SSD – Class notes 2026-01-29

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DISCUSSION

Attack Mode

A 500lb punch must land on a viable target before it has any effect.

In martial arts, participants are always taught that physical techniques should be a last resort, used only when talking, warning, and all other attempts to slow or stop the aggressor have failed.

As seniors, we must assume that we are neither stronger nor faster than an aggressor. There are many reasons a confrontation can occur, but an imminent threat to life is one of the most serious. If there is a possibility of more than one assailant, there may be no choice but to act quickly and use whatever “tricks” are available. It is inherently unfair to be attacked in the first place, and in such situations, the outcome can truly be a matter of life and death.

Increasing Reach and Power

One could argue that the legs are longer and stronger than the arms and therefore offer greater reach and striking power. While this is true, for most seniors, kicking can be dangerous. For some, even on their best day, standing on one leg is already a challenge. As a result, while I do work with them to improve balance and strength, they are often not yet ready to rely on kicks as a primary weapon.

When it comes to punches, many seniors have additional limitations. Some have experienced falls and have wrists that never fully healed; others suffer from arthritis, leaving their hands and wrists in poor condition. For these individuals, punching with a closed fist is not an ideal option. Instead, I favor palm strikes to the nose. This causes the aggressor’s head to tilt back, which naturally exposes the throat. When the distance closes further, the elbow can and should be used as necessary.

Lack of striking power is a serious issue, because once you commit to an attack, you are within reach and fully engaged. A strike that feels more like a touch than an impact encourages the aggressor to trade blows—or to respond with even greater force.

Maximizing your body structure for the hit

If you rely only on the strength of your arms, you are drawing from a limited resource. Chances are your opponent is stronger, which may be why he chose you as a target. To amplify your hitting power, you need to consider the following points:

  • Maintain sufficient reach to penetrate the target and allow force to pass through it.
  • Relax your shoulders and back so the angles are smoother and your structure is supported by your entire body rather than isolated muscle tension.
  • Relax and put your whole body behind the strike, instead of tensing up and emphasizing only arm strength.
  • Do not try to time your hands to your foot movement. Treat everything below the belly button as the “bus” you are riding. Your upper body should be able to move independently of it.
  • Keep your elbow relaxed and loosely aligned with the centerline to reduce torque acting against you.
  • Practice slowly and in a relaxed manner to make habit changes easier. Increase speed gradually once you are confident the mechanics are correct.

SCENARIOS

Chained hands attack

The following are the keypoints:

  • The following are the key points:
  • Relax the shoulders downward and allow the chest to rotate around the centerline to maximize reach.
  • Aim for the nose. During solo training, visualize an opponent of your height. A point roughly four inches above your shoulder level is a reasonable approximation of nose height.
  • Coordinate the retreating arm with the attacking hand. The hand that has just completed the strike should press downward to create space for the opposite hand to extend immediately. Do not pull the hand back past the ribs. Keep the elbows resting close to the ribs to maintain protection.
  • Once you move off the line, continue with short, controlled stutter steps to follow up and strike while maintaining balance and positioning.
  • Pulling back while grabbing or destabilizing can either turn the strike into a heavy, “collision-level” impact or knock the aggressor off balance, reducing their ability to counterattack.
  • Maintain mental commitment and decisiveness. Your focus should be on stopping the threat and acting with clarity, rather than hesitating or becoming distracted by fear of retaliation.

EXERCISES

Practice the strikes taught in class and develop them one step at a time. Begin from a stationary position with the arms relaxed. After each strike, pause to check your guard, shoulder and chest position, centerline alignment, strike height, and coordination between the striking hand and the controlling hand.

Next, work on the following strike using the same process until individual strikes are mostly correct. Then begin chaining strikes in pairs, again stopping after every two to reassess structure and positioning. Learn to feel the movement and develop the ability to self-assess.

Once this foundation is solid, gradually introduce stepping and continuous strikes, increasing complexity only as control and correctness are maintained.

In addition, train your body strength and cardiovascular endurance as described in the previous class.

SSD – Class notes 2026-01-22

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DISCUSSION

Concept of the Pivot

  • A pivot does not move. If a pivot moves at the same speed as the rest of the line, the action becomes a simple direct push rather than a push with mechanical advantage. A common example is the center point of a seesaw, which remains stationary while force is applied on either side.
  • The farther away from the pivot a force is applied, the greater the mechanical advantage generated.
  • If an opponent manages to rest a hand on your shoulder, they have effectively established the pivot of their mechanical system. In this situation, blocking at the elbow will be ineffective because the resistance at the shoulder is positioned farther back, giving it superior mechanical efficiency.

Generating Force Through Projection and Structure

Projection and visualization are functions of the mind in additional to the physical body. For example, you may move your body into a specific shape and reinforce the shape via the mind, you can also anchor certain parts of your body as pivots even though there are no physical bolts to keep you there, or you can put your arms as a circle and imagine your arms and the body form an expanding sphere. These mental constructs are tools that influence physical structure.

All of these methods rely on a single underlying principle: using intention and mental framing to alter the mechanical system in a way that shifts advantage in your favor.

Power of the Bent Rebar

A straight piece of rebar can be bent with relative ease. However, once it is bent, it becomes extremely difficult to pry back into a straight line.

This phenomenon explains why we do not keep our arms fully straight when punching or pushing. Instead, we maintain a slight bend so that the elbow joint does not become a structural weak point. The same principle is applied in certain anti-grip techniques, where a bent structure makes the “crowbar” effect feel significantly stronger and more resistant to leverage.

SCENARIOS

Many people push by relying primarily on their upper body while leaning into the target. This approach usually requires you to be physically stronger than the person receiving the force, which is inefficient and unreliable. The following principles address this problem:

  • Do not lean into your target. Leaning forward makes you vulnerable if your opponent suddenly moves away, causing you to lose balance and structure.
  • Do not apply force in a simple straight line, as explained during class. Instead, adopt pendulum mechanics whenever possible to redirect force and improve mechanical efficiency.
  • During a push, the arms should travel only minimally. The true engine of the push comes from the whole body, not from the arm muscles alone. While the arms must maintain structure, they should not be limp, nor should the entire body and arms become stiff.
  • You cannot take a preparatory step before pushing, as this signals your intention to your opponent and gives them time to resist or evade. Engagement must occur at the moment the intention to push arises—you must affect your opponent immediately, without telegraphing.

EXERCISES

Plank

The standard plank is widely regarded as one of the most effective exercises for engaging multiple muscle groups. Our approach is similar, but with a slightly different emphasis.

The focus here is on developing the ability to relax muscles that are not directly involved in maintaining the structure of the plank. You should learn how to “lock” your joints appropriately so that the correct shape is preserved with minimal muscular effort.

The goal is to experience what it means to use only the minimum set of muscles required to hold the plank. This skill—efficient structural engagement rather than brute muscular tension—will prove extremely useful later in your training.

Squat

Recent research indicates that seniors with strong leg muscles tend to live longer and maintain independence for a greater period of time. The squat is a fundamental exercise for developing leg strength.

In our training, we perform the squat as an isometric (static) exercise to avoid aggravating knee conditions, which are common among seniors. We do not prescribe a standard number of repetitions or a fixed hold time. Instead, our criterion is simple: hold the squat until your muscles begin to burn and your legs start to shake, then maintain the position for an additional slow eight-count while actively working to preserve proper structure.

This approach strengthens not only the body, but also mental resilience and focus.

Football

Stay in a squat position while you stomp on the ball of your foot alternating between left and right as quickly as you can to build leg strength, endurance as well as work your cardio. If you do the squat right (or vice versa) after this exercise, you find that your legs start burning very quickly.

SSD – Class notes 2026-01-15

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DISCUSSION

“Blitz” — a sudden, overwhelming, and intensive attack or campaign.

Most people will feel overwhelmed by a sudden, intensive attack, no matter how simple it appears. This natural reaction can be used to your advantage in counteraction. Rather than relying on a single punch at a time, overwhelming pressure—such as a rapid series of actions—can disrupt an opponent’s ability to respond effectively.

Body language is important

When someone approaches aggressively, the instinctive response is often to back away in order to maintain a “safe” or comfortable distance. However, this movement is frequently interpreted as submissive or fearful. Ironically, such defensive behavior can have the opposite effect—it may encourage the aggressor to continue or escalate.

You must avoid falling into this trap. Instead of retreating straight backward, move laterally. Sideways movement forces the aggressor to adjust their direction of travel. This adjustment may seem subtle, but it is significant in terms of fight mentality: the aggressor must momentarily “reset,” and the dynamic shifts from you being led to you asserting a degree of control.

Arm Position Is Important

Raising your arms to create a “barrier” between yourself and the aggressor should not appear threatening. Instead, make it part of a natural, non-confrontational gesture that supports verbal communication, such as:

“I’m sorry if I upset you, but could you stay where you are? I’m not comfortable with people coming too close. We can talk.”

Do NOT assume a stance that resembles a fighting posture, as this will likely be interpreted as a challenge and will almost certainly trigger a physical confrontation. At the same time, avoid folding your arms tightly inward against your body, which can project fear or submission. Your hands should remain open, relaxed, and loosely oriented toward the aggressor’s arms in front of you.

Distance Is Important

If you are too close and do not intend to initiate a confrontation, you cannot afford to react after a punch has already been thrown. An overly aggressive individual is often faster and stronger. By the time your brain registers the attack and attempts to respond, it is usually too late—the first strike has likely already landed.

Maintain a distance that keeps you just outside the range of kicks and sudden forward charges, such as a football-style tackle.

Because you do not want to retreat straight backward, your practical option is to move in a circular pattern, keeping the aggressor near the center while adjusting based on their speed. Ensure your movement does not unnecessarily expose you. Continue to “peel off” laterally while talking, rather than planting yourself in place.

Voice Control and Explicit Directions

Voice Control – Assertive, Not Aggressive

Speak calmly but assertively, clearly stating the action you want the other person to take, such as:

“Please stay where you are and don’t come any closer.”

If this direction is ignored, you must escalate appropriately by increasing the volume and firmness of your voice—without insults or name-calling—into a clear command:

“STOP. RIGHT THERE.”

A sudden change in tone and volume can startle the aggressor and may interrupt their forward momentum, creating an opportunity to de-escalate and seek resolution.

Do not stop moving while this is happening. A small step forward from an aggressive individual may be an attack, and you must remain prepared.

As you continue to move and verbally de-escalate, a raised and commanding voice may also attract attention from bystanders. This helps establish, through both words and body language, who the aggressor is—potentially discouraging further escalation.

LRT Principles (Listen–Resources–Target)

A core framework emphasizing:

Listen: Active sensory intake and interpretation—eyes, ears, and physical awareness.

Resources: Strategic use of time, space, positioning, and environmental factors. Accumulate strategic resources even during time of peace.

Target: Actively managing movement—both your own body and the opponent’s focus—to reduce risk and gain advantage.

SCENARIOS

Oncoming threats and shortening of distance

During the partner drills, you discovered that intellectually knowing what to do is very different from being able to respond correctly when someone suddenly comes directly into your space. When a threat closes distance quickly, the body often freezes instinctively before the mind can catch up with the preferred approach.

This is why practice is essential. You must train until you are able to move laterally instinctively while speaking naturally, maintaining awareness and control rather than freezing or retreating straight backward.

Single arm push with driving steps

In this partner drill, you observed that maintaining forward pressure while in contact requires practice. Driving forward while stepping must be supported by the correct level of tension in the lower body, particularly in the hamstrings and calves.

At the same time, the upper body must remain loose and mobile. Excess tension in the shoulders or arms reduces efficiency and limits adaptability.

Handshake review

Further experimentation was conducted on how to practice this concept independently. A chopstick was used as a simple training aid to simulate contact and reinforce proper structure, pressure, and awareness.

EXERCISES

Planks with tucks and extensions

We begin with basic planks. For your first set, perform the standard (vanilla) version. Once you start to feel the burn and your body begins to shake, hold the position for an additional 8 counts.

Next, move to the advanced variation. From the plank position, actively drag your feet forward using upper body and abs. Then reverse the motion by extending your body and pushing your feet backward. Alternate between these two directions. The body should not be sagging during any of these.

Continue moving back and forth until you begin to feel unstable or shaky, then hold the position again for 8 counts. All movements must be slow, controlled, and deliberate. At the peak of each direction, pause and hold for approximately 2–3 breaths before reversing.

Repeat the various movement steps from last week.

You can treat this portion as a form of cardio training. Efficient and unpredictable movement is fundamental to any self-defense method. There is no single “best” technique, as situations vary widely.

What truly matters is the ability to move fluidly in multiple directions and adapt to changing circumstances. Developing this capacity requires consistent practice.

Isometric Push Against the Wall

The body consists of many interconnected and moving parts. Being able to summon and coordinate all the necessary components instantly takes practice. More importantly, effectiveness and efficiency are not achieved through muscle tension alone.

You must learn to engage only what is necessary while relaxing body parts that do not contribute to the action. This selective activation conserves energy and improves overall performance.

SSD – Class notes 2026-01-08

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DISCUSSION

Quick reminder / introduction of a few key concepts

The following are 3 of the key elements needed in almost all of the skills –

  • Project – This changes the state of your arm so that energy flows outward as a continuous stream, rather than being generated by isolated muscle engagement in individual body parts.
  • Pivot – The pivot is the point that does not move. It is usually the point of contact—for example, where your wrist is being held. Leverage system requires a fixed pivot.
  • Move as one piece – When you move, you must engage your opponent instantly. Stepping without affecting your opponent effectively advertises your intent to resist.

Guiding vs Pulling Analogy

One of the clearest ways to illustrate our power systems is through the example of tugboats.

  • Large cruise ships cannot maneuver easily in tight spaces, so they often rely on one or more tugboats for assistance. These tugboats guide the larger ship rather than attempting to push it using brute force alone.
  • The large ship and the tugboat are connected by a chain, not a rigid steel bar. The chain allows the angle of connection to change freely without creating unnecessary torque.
  • Anyone who has driven an older car without power steering knows how difficult it is to steer when the car is completely stopped. Steering becomes much easier when the car is moving—even very slowly—while turning the wheel.

Common errors

  • Stiffening the arms creates a leverage system that your opponent can exploit. Your arms must remain relaxed and adaptable, while your focus stays on the target.
  • Instead of leading and steering with the hands and fingers, many people rely on muscular force to push through. This undermines control and efficiency.

SCENARIOS

Handshake

Escape a handshake squeeze by controlling specific joints:

  • Relax your fingers while minimizing movement in the aggressor’s hand. Secure control of the thumb and rotate it in the direction it is not designed to move.
  • Apply downward pressure combined with rotational force at the joint.
  • Practice this slowly and step by step. For example, develop a basic understanding of how the finger joints function. Instead of using a finger initially, you may use a pen or a chopstick to learn the twisting action safely and clearly.
  • Next, practice extending your arm while maintaining downward pressure and applying the twisting motion. After that, incorporate a step-around. Train each component separately, even when practicing alone, before combining them.

Tripping over uneven pavement, tree roots, stairs, etc.

Tripping over a seemingly flat surface is one of the major hazards for people of all ages. Younger individuals often recover quickly, but for seniors, a fall can have lasting consequences. This exercise is designed to improve your chances of avoiding or recovering from a trip.

  • Lean forward into a long step, placing most of your weight on the front foot, while keeping the back leg relatively straight.
  • Without rebalancing or shifting your weight backward, attempt to free the front leg by briefly yanking it upward into the air, then landing back on the same leg.
  • Progress from a straight upward yank to an “unhooking” action, allowing the foot to land slightly in front of its original position.

EXERCISES

During the previous season, we experimented with gallop steps and stutter steps. Each addresses different needs and answers different movement questions. This season, we will begin with the sliding step.

Before proceeding, it is important to understand that most people naturally move using a two-beat step. In the first beat, the distance between the legs increases; in the second beat, the trailing foot is brought in to return to a neutral stance. In a combat context, a two-beat step takes too long. It is far more efficient to accomplish the same movement in a single beat.

The sliding step achieves this by allowing both feet to travel in the same direction at the same time.

Required Variations to practice

  • Sideways travel to both the left and the right, using different leading feet
  • Leading foot switches from a stationary position
  • Leading foot switches while traveling left or right
  • Create variations of each of the above by changing between high and low levels
  • Intermix the sliding step with all other stepping methods

Common challenges

  • If you have hip issues, proceed cautiously. Experiment to see whether leading with one side feels more comfortable or stable than the other. Also explore different stance heights to find what works best for your body.
  • Ensure that the workload is shared across multiple muscle groups, including the abdominals, glutes, and inner thighs, in addition to the quadriceps and feet.
  • Be aware that if the step includes a phase where the legs widen before coming back together, it has reverted to a two-beat step.
  • Focus on sliding. Minimize or eliminate bouncing to reduce impact and unnecessary stress on the knees.

SIDE NOTES

You must put in consistent effort to achieve meaningful and rapid improvement. The following are my expectations of every participant:

  • Review class notes
    You are expected to read the class notes every week to ensure nothing has been forgotten. They are usually available by Sunday evening. Do use the time before class to ask questions before class begins.
  • Arrive early
    Although the official start time is 9:00 AM, the room is available beforehand, and I typically arrive at 8:45 AM. This 15 minutes can be used to warm up, ask questions, socialize, and practice with different partners.
  • Practice outside class time
    Practicing only during class is not sufficient. Physical training is essential for sure, mental training is equally important. Thinking and reviewing class notes is a form of mental practice and reinforces what you learn on the floor. All the skills must become reflexes.
  • Read all the notes from previous seasons
    I strongly encourage everyone to review class notes from sessions other than the current one. This helps you understand the larger framework of the system. If you encounter anything you do not fully understand, ask questions. Do not be shy.

SSD – Class notes 2025-12-18

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DISCUSSION

Amplifying the slap

Breathing / movement of ribs to absorb

The rib cage can be moved with breathing but it can also stay relatively static. The movement is almost like a folding action downward as can be seen via the animation below. This phenomenon can actually be applied in martial art skills. The amplitude of this movement can be increased over time through practice.

Pain conditioning

If you think about a chess game, you will lose some pieces even if you win at the end. This is the same in another other sports like tennis, basketball, etc. In fighting, each of the point that was lost represents a hit that landed and therefore will cause pain. Do be ready for it. If you are in shock because of a single contact, you are guaranteed to run into problems: everything you learned will be out the window.

Some body parts that everyone that do martial arts train pain tolerance:

  • knuckles, palm and elbow for attacks
  • shin and thighs for defense
  • forearm and upper arm mostly for defensive moves
  • tummy to be able to take some hits

SCENARIOS

High grab on slightly higher than wrist

The last time, we were doing this scenario but with the grip below the wrist. However, one of the pairs have trouble making it work when the grip is partly on the hand itself and not on the wrist.

To get out, instead of bend the wrist down, wrap your thumb around your opponent’s thumb. This is cause his thumb to lose its support / anchor and roll inward. That will loosen his support and therefore give you the opportunity to press and get away.

EXERCISES

Keep yourself fit over the holidays!

MISCELLANEOUS

Do you understand the differences between the following:

Martial Arts — A broad, generic term that encompasses all fighting styles.

Kung Fu (or Gung Fu) — A term for martial arts that originated in China and that still retain many traditional training methods and core principles.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) — Many people assume that UFC and MMA are the same, but they are not. UFC is a specific promotional franchise for MMA competition. There are many others, such as ONE Championship, Cage Warriors, and more.

Karate, Aikido, Judo — Japanese martial arts styles. Although their historical roots can be traced back to China, they developed distinct emphases, structures, and training methodologies that are clearly Japanese.

Internal Styles of Kung Fu — The term “internal” refers to an emphasis on elements that are not easily visible, such as alignment, timing, and coordination. Many people doubt their practicality in real-life situations. However, if you are fortunate enough to learn from a good teacher, you will find that many of the principles and training methods make complete sense. Well-known examples include Taiji (Tai Chi), Bagua, Xingyi, and Liuhebafa.

External Styles of Kung Fu — The term “external” generally refers to styles that emphasize muscular power, speed, and physical expression, often resulting in movements that are visually impressive.

Why do I like martial arts so much?

My uncles were involved in a style called Wing Tsun (永春). My grandfather dabbled in Tai Chi. Whenever I visited him, his way of “bonding” with me was often, “XXX (my nickname), come and push me—you can’t move me.” My mother would sometimes read martial arts novels (武俠小說) to me as bedtime stories. A couple of translated Japanese television series about judo training (柔道龍虎榜, 柔道小金剛) from the late 1960s and early 1970s further fueled my intense interest.

Because my teachers came from different backgrounds and styles, it was challenging to reconcile their differences. I often wondered whether anything I was being taught was wrong. At that time, the primary method of learning was imitation—copying the teacher—so the emphasis was on how to do something, with little explanation of why it was done that way or what problem it was meant to solve. As a result, learning kung fu felt very much like solving a puzzle. You were given hints and clues through old Chinese poems passed down from generation to generation.

Later, during high school and university, I began to find some of those answers through my studies in physics, psychology, sports science, anatomy, and related fields.

I have always considered Liuhebafa to be my “home” style. My experience with other martial arts enriched my understanding and provided inspiration and alternative approaches to the art of fighting. During high school, protective equipment was still quite expensive, so my friends and I sparred bare-knuckled. I accumulated plenty of bruises to my body and legs, and I nearly lost a tooth once.

Those experiences are what keep me grounded. I want to ensure that what I practice and teach does not become merely another form of exercise for health alone—it must retain real fighting value.

Why I like teaching these classes

You may find this hard to believe, but I continue to learn and improve through teaching. The more people I teach and connect with, the greater the variety of behavioral patterns I observe. I also gain experience interacting with individuals of different sizes and body types. Each of you is unique, and when something does not work for you, I need to “debug” the issue immediately—this sharpens my eye and deepens my understanding. A single explanation or teaching method does not work for everyone.

I had a wake-up call when I was teaching children and realized that none of them knew who the Terminator was. Ultimately, it is always rewarding to help you overcome learning hurdles and to see a technique begin to work effortlessly for you.

2025 is a wrap!

This is the first year I have tailored my martial arts teaching specifically for seniors, and it has been a truly enjoyable journey. I hope we can continue working together for many years to come. Ultimately, I am passing on valuable knowledge that has taken me decades to develop—more than 60 years, to be precise. I hope this helps explain why it is impossible to condense everything into just a few weeks of classes.

Internal martial arts can be challenging and often seem cryptic to those unfamiliar with them. Many of the principles and approaches contradict practices that may have served you well for the past 50 years or more. However, as a senior, your body is changing. I am asking you to turn things around and adopt a different approach—one that can continue to serve you well in the years ahead. I know this is challenging, but I also know it is possible.

Thank you all for your trust and attention, and for your willingness to absorb even the smallest details. Thank you for making Thursdays such an enjoyable day for me.

To help me plan for 2026, please share what was the best part (or what do you like most) about these classes? Thanks.

SSD – Class notes 2025-12-11

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DISCUSSION

Target Training

Some people simply do not understand the word no. After multiple redirects, a firm refusal, and even an attempt to leave the scene have failed, you may have to induce pain as a deterrent. There are certain areas of the body that are particularly sensitive and can be targeted without causing permanent injury, as opposed to techniques such as eye jabs or groin kicks. Of course, there are situations—and individuals—where those measures may be warranted.

Striking with different parts of the body generally means working from different distances. For example, the hands can reach much farther than the elbows or shoulders. It is important to understand the advantages, limitations, and prerequisites of each type of strike.

Picking the “right” targets is just as important as being able to strike hard. In fact, it was demonstrated in class that it doesn’t matter how much muscles you have or how hard you can hit, being able to get there is the most important thing. You cannot cause damage without contact. The picture at the top of the article highlights some of the “soft” targets that can cause you to wince even with a finger pressing firmly.

Note: One of the challenges for many seniors is hand arthritis, which can result in pain, weakness, or deformity in the fingers and hands. It is not reasonable to assume that you can always form a tight fist capable of injuring an aggressor. In such circumstances, palm strikes, elbows, or shoulders may be more practical and effective options.

Slaps

This is the first time we will use pads to develop a sense of how to deliver a solid strike. This process will continue to evolve over time. It is essential that we always respect our own bodies as well as our training partners.

  • Start slowly and lightly, then gradually increase speed to develop power.
  • Give your joints and hands time to adapt to the impact.
  • Avoid developing bad habits, such as winding up before striking. Do not telegraph your intent; strike directly from where your hands already are.
  • Swing with your entire body, not just the arms.
  • Ensure that contact with the pad is perpendicular.

Tagging

A lot of people think mis-direction, feinting or faking an attack are all the same. We call it “tagging”. All those are simply sub-categories within “tagging”. The goal of tagging cause a moment where your opponent is frozen, confused, in a state of im-balance, overwhelmed, misdirected, over committed, jammed and much more. With good tagging, any hits can work.

SCENARIOS

Pad facing ceiling – the downward force is the easiest to learn to feel how gravity can help with the swing. It is important to learn the small moves of the body like: how to focus on the speed of the elbow, how to relax the spine into a sinking motion and the bending of the knees to add weight to the hit. If you stiffen your body, your arm will probably go slower and less of your body weight get transferred to the hand / target.

Pad facing the side held about head height – this intend to provide a target similar to opponents face or head. In this exercise, start slow and understand the path of the arm swing and how stepping into the hit and turning the body helps release more power.

EXERCISES

Misdirection, feinting, or faking an attack are all separate ways to confuse your opponent. We group these under the term tagging. Tagging can also be just an expression on the face, eyes looking away, whisper / yelling, a small shovel and many more. The objective of tagging is to create a brief moment in which the opponent is frozen, confused, off-balance, or overwhelmed. It aims to create an opportunity for open access to your intended target.

REALITY CHECK

You are learning to defend yourself. Is that the same as learning how to fight?

The answer is less clear-cut than you might hope. You are learning tools that allow you to hurt an opponent. Can I guarantee that you will be safe in all situations? Definitely not. Through training and understanding, you increase your probability of surviving an attack—but that probability is never 100%. This is similar to anything in life, always try your best, there are no guarantees.

Even striking a hard surface can hurt. Win or lose, you must be prepared to experience pain and not be surprised by it. If pain is triggered, you must not think, “Oh, this hurts.” Instead, your focus should be on delivering the message: This is going to cost you—it is not going to be free.

SSD – Class notes 2025-12-04

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DISCUSSION

Various Steps Explained

Stutter steps – this meaning repeating the front leg’s action of stepping as front. It is often used when you want to add more body weight to your push or strike at close range without changing the lead foot.

Gallop steps – Gallop steps conserve energy and can be performed high (with legs relatively straight) or low (close to a low stance). Their main advantage is that they allow you to cover long distances without the exposure that comes from switching your lead leg.

Angling tuck steps – this step is to most often used in conjunction with the upper body’s avoidance action of a hit to the head when your upper body instinctively ducks or moves off the line of fire. The leg moves in the same direction to amplify that evasive action. The movement is fast because it is a tuck powered by your core plus gravity. Since your support leg leaves the ground, gravity helps pull you in the direction your body is already moving.

Go with the flow, do NOT RESET

Striving for perfection is a good mindset, but it can also become a handicap. Imagine a writer trying to create the perfect novel—very often they freeze, second-guess themselves, and tear up draft after draft. Or imagine trying to teach a baby to walk perfectly on the very first day; it would be frustrating for both you and the baby.
To succeed, you must stay focused on the end goal, not the bumps and struggles along the way. In a fight—or in any challenge—you must be ready to take hits and keep going. Do not stop because of small setbacks or small successes. Continue until the job is done.

A better approach is to continuously get them to try continuously, keep trying and keep it safe.

Train to Be a Warrior

  • Heart (Passion) – You must care about something: yourself, your quality of life, your principles, or the people who care about you. That passion drives you to do whatever it takes to protect what matters.
  • Accountability – Wishing is not enough. You must take ownership of the work required to make things happen. You do not blame others; you focus on what you can do to improve the odds. You avoid procrastination and keep yourself ready—even if the opportunity appears for only a split second.
  • Toughness – Training is sometimes painful. Change is difficult. Survival is hard. Face challenges now so that you are ready to be tough when it truly counts.

SCENARIOS

Push is a very useful maneuver when you don’t really want to injure the opposing party. Care must be taken that even a push without any intention-to-harm might accidental cause significant damage. For example, if on the street, the person falling hit the back of their head on concrete; or someone fell backward and landed on their tailbone.

Some common mistakes with this push partner drill:

  • Start pushing at maximum
  • Stand square facing your partner
  • Body not working as ONE
  • Arms over bent into an acute angle or too extended during the push

EXERCISES

As we have seen many times, the right mindset can transform the mechanics and delivery of a movement. Apply this to the push exercise by focusing on maintaining the integrity of your whole body rather than extending the arm or creating unnecessary tension in your arms or abs.

While keeping the pressure constant, see if you can reduce the tension in your arms and body without decreasing the force you deliver. Do you notice that when you slightly relax your back into a gentle slouch, you can actually deliver more power without adding muscle tension?

Can you try to do the plank now and play with varying tensions on different parts of your body?

SSD – Class notes 2025-11-27

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DISCUSSION

Pushing Mechanics

Leg position – the majority of people started the push with back leg straight. However, this may be good only if you are attempting in a defensive position where you feel you need to count on structure for support. However, if you want to generate enough pushing power to affect your opponent, straight leg takes away the possibility of pushing with leg muscles.

Legs should be bent at knee at about 90 degrees. The knee should not be facing the ground in almost a kneeing position. It should be facing between 30-45 degrees of the frontal line so that you foot can be placed comfortably.

Arm position – The elbows should be relaxed and pointing downward. Keep the shoulders relaxed and settled into your upper-body frame. Instead of actively trying to push with your arms, maintain this “relaxed shape” and imagine your body and arms as a single connected unit. The arms will transmit force naturally when the whole body moves.

Body position – It is tempting to lean your body into the push to add weight, but this creates several problems. If your opponent steps back while you are leaning in, you may lose balance and fall forward—unacceptable in a live exchange. Keep your torso relatively upright and relaxed (but not limp). You may round and sink the body slightly to help redirect force downward into your legs.

Avoid arching your lower back, as this often causes the abdominal muscles to tighten and makes your body rigid. A rigid structure becomes a lever your opponent can exploit. Instead, relax your back and lower back, allowing a gentle pelvic tilt so force from the ground to your legs and can pass smoothly through your body structure.

Placement of Center of Gravity

Physics tells us that if your center of gravity (CG) is positioned directly above the edge of your base of support, any movement beyond that point will cause the entire structure to collapse. While advanced practitioners may still maintain stability in such conditions, beginners should play it safe and keep their CG centered between both feet.

You can observe a similar principle in professional tennis: when waiting for a serve, players distribute their weight roughly 50/50 so they can move easily in either direction.

What is the best way to step forward?

We all hope there is just one type of stepping to master—wouldn’t that be nice? In reality, different situations call for different types of footwork. Here are a few examples that I will try to cover next class:

  • Gallops – used to quickly cover distance when you don’t yet have contact with your opponent.
  • Stutter steps – used to add body weight and momentum into your technique.
  • Switch steps – used to change the leading foot and potentially adjust your angle, either to evade or to add power to kicks.
  • Angling steps – to stay at same distance but at a different angle.
  • Heel-toe – again an angling maneuver where you step without stepping
  • Safe-your-bacon step – to be able to release your weighted leg. This is especially important for seniors to save yourself from tripping over uneven pavement, etc.
  • Step-through – bringing the back foot past the front foot, similar to walking. This becomes challenging when you are already feeling resistance from your opponent or when you need to deliver a fast, long-distance strike with a changed lead.

…and many more.

SCENARIOS

  • Try to push with different leg, arm and body positions and experience how it feels.
  • Try tighten up your body using chest and apps
  • Experiment with hands on partner’s shoulder versus hip
  • Try to push against partners with different heights and body built as compared to you.
  • Apply the knowledge about a strong stance versus a weak stance from previous classes.

EXERCISES

Practice push-the-wall – the wall will not move and so it is easy to detect if any part of your body leaks out the pushing force. Read the discussion on the top to focus in on what to focus on. Feel your body and see if you can deliver the same thrust without engaging your whole body.

Do try also the “extension” push where you extend your shoulder, chest and arms without moving your abs and lower body.

Plank – plank is a good exercise to strengthen your core. Do not allow your body to sag. You should have a slightly rounded back. Try to hold until you shake and then count eight more slow count.

SSD – Class notes 2025-11-20

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DISCUSSION

Characteristics of a good defense technique

If you describe the purpose of blocking a punch simply as avoiding getting hit, that is valid—but it’s not enough. This mindset keeps you one beat behind and focuses your attention on the opponent’s punch rather than on the openings that they are giving you.

Our method focuses on the following principles:

  • Create something the opponent must respond to.
    Don’t just react; give them a problem to solve.
  • Move off the line of fire so you don’t absorb the full impact of the strike. Furthermore, they have to find you!
  • Affect the opponent physically and mentally so they must adjust—or get hit.
  • Be either fully out or fully in.
    Avoid the mid-range where the opponent has many striking options.
  • Limit the opponent’s choices as much as possible so the exchange is no longer a guessing game.
  • Use double-layered strategy whenever possible – for example, use structural support AND move the target AND breath out to absorb all at the same time rather than relying on a single method and hoping it always works.

Structural support

In general, the human body uses bones for structure and muscles for movement. Many people focus too heavily on muscle use and forget the power that comes from proper structural alignment.

Here are some of the benefits of using body structure:

  • Muscles consume energy, and you will fatigue over time.
  • Muscles require reaction time, which means they can be late.
  • Excess tension slows movement and can even cause opposing muscles to fight each other. For example, tensing both the biceps and triceps before punching makes a fast, strong strike impossible—though it may look good on a bodybuilding stage.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking internal styles like Taichi do not use muscles. If you’re standing, you are using muscles. If you bend your knees, you are using thigh muscles. The key difference is the focus: not on muscle contraction, but on the task at hand.

Some people tense their shoulders and arms before striking. These “preparations” are telegraphs, signals that reveal your intention to your opponent.

As a senior, percentages are against you if someone cares to bully you. Don’t compete on his terms, learn to fight smart. Apply the laws of physics like leverage, shape, etc.

Muscles require commitment to generate power. A properly aligned structure can remain in place indefinitely and function automatically when needed, with no advance signal.

Structure is extremely strong when used as intended, but very weak when pushed beyond its limits. A toothpick can deliver a painful poke if you press its tip against your finger, yet it snaps easily when pressed from the side.

SCENARIOS

Defense against circular swings

“Stay out or in.”
Circular hooks or swings often have shorter reach than straight punches. When you are outside their reach, you are safe. When you are inside—past the distance they train their heavy bag—you enter a zone where they often feel they need “more room” to hit harder. That close range can be a safe zone if you know how to use it.

Point your elbow at the swinging arm.

If the opponent’s arm strikes your elbow perpendicularly, there is a good chance they will injure themselves badly.

Warning: The following video is gruesome but reflects real-world consequences.

Review and practice defense against six grips

  • Low, crossover, thumbs-up grip
  • Low crossover, palms down grip
  • Low, same-side, thumbs-up grip
  • High crossover grip
  • High same-side grip
  • Two-arms-low grip

EXERCISES

Some of you are still struggling with the “gallops.” Here are a few things to avoid:

  • Do NOT use the terms “front” and “back.”
    These refer to where you are looking, not the direction of movement. The key consideration is your direction of travel, so please use the terms “leading” and “trailing.”
  • Do NOT gallop with noticeable level changes on each step.
    This wastes energy and time—save that effort for when you truly need to sprint away. Keep your movement smooth and maintain a consistent height unless there is a specific purpose for changing levels.

Some of you also mentioned that there are many concepts to absorb. Reprogram your brain over time by reading the class notes, applying the principles by brainstorming examples where the theories are applicable. This mental training is just as important as the physical training.