PAUL

When I was training in San Soo at Jimmy Woo’s El Monte studio; among my favorite people there was a man named Paul.  Paul was a very polite, brownish haired young man of medium height with the build of a brick layer (which he was).

Paul was a brown belt at the time and someone I really enjoyed training with. 

Not only was he a great workout partner, if he had a question he would check with the ultimate source.  The ultimate source at the time was our teacher, Jimmy Woo. 

One Saturday afternoon while we were in the workout area, I noticed Paul was losing his half horse stance by lifting his back heel when he punched.  Something like a boxer would do.  Because Jimmy had drilled into me the importance of maintaining a strong half horse stance  which included keeping your feet flat and never lifting your back heel when you punch, I wanted to help Paul before he developed a very bad habit.

I stopped our work out and talked to Paul about what he was doing.  Paul explained he had begun lifting his heel to gain more distance and power behind his punches.  I understood his reasoning but explained why in style of San Soo that Jimmy taught, raising the back heel was wrong.

Explaining as I had learned from Jimmy, I demonstrated the difference between lifting the back heel and keeping it solidly on the ground.

Although Paul seemed to understand what I was saying, I could see in his eyes that he was evaluating the information.

Later when we agreed to take a break Paul left and I later saw him walk up to Jimmy.  I could tell by his actions and gestures that he was asking Jimmy about what I had just told him.

I grabbed a new workout partner and later when I took another break, Paul walked up to me.

“Hey,” he said, “I asked Jimmy about lifting your back heel and he told me the same thing that you did.  He said not to do it.  I just wanted to let you know that I asked him because I wanted to make sure that I’m learning the right thing because I want to do it correctly.  I thought you should know that I asked him about what you said.”

“No problem,” I answered, “come on, let’s work out.”

Not only was Paul a good partner but he was a good man.  I recognized that he wanted to learn the Art correctly, that he felt it was good to question and not take something at face value and  he knew enough to go to the source when he had a question.  But more importantly, he was man enough to tell me what he had done to let me know that he was not talking behind my back.

What an example to follow!

On the flip side, when people ask me today about the right and wrong way to do San Soo I'll tell them what I know and then simply direct them to watch internet videos of Jimmy.  As they say, "One picture tells a thousand words."

Fruit Trees

Let’s pretend that a young woman came to the Kung Fu class and said that she’d like to begin learning  from me.  She explained that she had initially learned from another instructor and had even been promoted to an advanced belt rank.  Now she wanted to learn under a different teacher.

Subsequently, I had her change into her gi (uniform) and paired her with one of my advanced students.  They left to begin working out on their fighting techniques but returned to me within minutes.  My student was upset and complained, “Sam, she (indicating the new student) doesn’t know anything.  I threw her a punch and she had no idea of what to do, she just stood there looking at me.  So I stopped and threw another punch and she just kept standing there.  I would have hit her if I hadn’t stopped my punch.  I don’t think she knows anything.”

“What?” I said, turning and staring at the young woman.  “You told me that you trained for months and hold a belt rank.  That means that you should know what to do but you don’t know anything?  If you don’t know anything that means that you never trained.  Why did you tell me that you had?”  “Better yet,” I thought, “why did you lie to me?”  

The young lady looked down and gave an guilty grin like people do when they’ve been caught.

After dealing with the situation, all I could think was, “What a thing to do, didn’t she think it would be immediately obvious that she had no training in San Soo?  Sure he could wear a gi and even wear a colored belt that she must have bought somewhere.  But, that doesn’t mean she knows San Soo.”

That whole situation brings this scenario to mind.  Let’s say you and I are walking through an apple orchard.  We stop at one tree, pick one of its apples from the limb and notice that the fruit feels soft and the skin is a pale color.  We take a bite and immediately spit it out because the fruit is bitter and nasty tasting.  We then walk a few steps away and pick an apple from another tree.  That apple is large, red and firm.  We bite into it tasting a sweet, juicy, delicious fruit.  Just the opposite of the first one we tried.  Both trees may have looked the same but what they produced was radically different.

Jesus frequently used an analogy of fruit to exemplify the discovery of the true nature of a person.  In Matthew 7:18-19, Jesus said, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.”

Jesus was saying a person will reflect what they are made of by how they act.  Appearances don’t count but actions do.  A person could claim they are saved, a believer in Jesus Christ and committed to the teachings of Jesus.  They can go to church, raise their hands in worship and even quote scripture.  But the true test is the fruit or the actions of the person. 

Here is a good question to ask every day to keep ourselves in check.  “If my fruit was inspected today would people say, “Yeah, they’re a Christian, you can tell by how they act.”  Or would they say, “What, they aren’t a Christian, not the way they act, no way!”

If you feel your fruit is not where it should be, today is a great time to make a radical change in your life. 

2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV) reads, “I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation,” or as The Living Bible translates this, “Right now God is ready to welcome you. Today he is ready to save you.”

If you’re not where you want to be, today is the day that you can be.

A simple and heartfelt prayer of, “God, help me.  I believe that Jesus died for my sins.  I commit myself to you from this day forward,” will get you on the right path. 

If you have just said this prayer or want more information feel free to write us at sansoochinovalley.com.

Until the next time, “God bless and protect you.”

Old vs New and What Is Real San Soo?

Over the years, people have asked, “’What is the difference between ‘Old San Soo’ and ‘New San Soo’ and ‘How Do I Recognize what is real San Soo?’"

It amazes me when these questions are asked because they were addressed in the person of Jimmy Woo; the man who brought his family’s fighting art, San Soo, to the United States.  Jimmy answered them in word and deed throughout his life. In fact, he specifically speaks on them in the story, “Fight To Live” contained in the web site, sansoochinovalley.com.

If you are not familiar with it, by “Old” vs. “New,” some people believe the original art is not enough and there is a need to incorporate movements from other types and styles of martial arts in an effort to modernize San Soo. 

Besides Jimmy’s words, my personal opinion regarding "Old" vs. "New" is this: Hundreds, possibly even thousands of Chinese monks dedicated themselves over hundreds of years to a single goal.  To create one, all encompassing, unarmed martial art to be used in any situation in the defense of their life.  With their life and safety on the line, it logics they strived to create the best of the best. 

Knowing that, then how can a single person lacking the benefit of collective thought and in one limited life span hope to enhance an already perfect martial art?  To Jimmy there was no, “New.”  There was simply, San Soo.

Regarding, “How do I recognize what is real San Soo?” I revert to the fact that I trained under the supreme authority.  Jimmy Woo.  But instead of offering my opinion, I simply point to the man himself knowing that seeing should be; believing. 

Check out these videos that are currently available on youtube.com to answer that question.  In doing so, please recognize for whatever reason, as Jimmy is doing movements for the sake of formal demonstrations of the art, he is de-emphasizing the actual numerous punches, strikes and kicks that he taught in class. 

Watch the stance he uses in striking (half horses) including foot placement and position.  See his moderate speed and the important fact that his movements are very fluid.  Observe the position of his arms and hands as well as his body movement and balance.  Additionally, ask yourself one question; “What position is he in when he demonstrates the San Soo method of fighting?”  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFU7p2S0wvU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wu9W_aoqX8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck0kOBHfogI

The Sheep, The Ostrich, The Wolf and The Sheep Dog

"I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. Be as wary as serpents and harmless as doves.” Matt. 10:16
      
“Don’t go looking for trouble; trouble look for you!” Jimmy H. Woo

In his book, “On Combat,” the author, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman postulates that there are three kinds of people in this world when confronted with issues of safety. He classifies them as the sheep, the wolf and the sheep dog.

He explains sheep travel in groups and are oblivious to their environment which makes them opportune victims for the wolf who preys on these unsuspecting sheep.  On the other hand, the ever vigilant sheep dog is tasked with protecting themselves and the flock from the wolf.

Although I agree with Mr. Grossman, personally I would include one additional category of people. The “Ostrich!”

This person like an ostrich hides their head in the sand by falsely believing if they ignore danger then danger does not exist.

Herded with the unsuspecting sheep, the ostrich ignores the circling wolves. They even, at times, place themselves in positions of vulnerability by ignoring obvious danger as they chant a mantra of, “I’m different, bad things happen to other people but nothing is going to happen to me!”

The wolves love that chant because it gives them the availability of a non-ending supply of victims.

In other words, try as they might, a person can hope to ignore danger but the simple fact is: for many people it is not a question of “If it will happen,” but more appropriately, “When will it happen?”

In fact, statistics show throughout the United States violent attacks on the innocent occur on an all too frequent basis. 

Understanding that, please don’t mistakenly think that the police will always be there to save you at the exact moment a wolf strikes. 

Law enforcement provides a dedicated service to the community.  Brave men and women are prepared to lay down their lives, if necessary, to ensure the safety of the sheep.  However, they cannot be everywhere at once and many times they arrive at the scene of a crime after the fact.

It is what transpires before their assistance is even called that can dictate your survival and the safety of your family.

Yet, without training, how can an average person protect themselves?

As I once told a mother, “If your children were attacked, you’d fight like a tiger to protect them. But without knowledge of how to fight, you’d literally be a tiger fighting without claws and teeth.”

The purpose of training in the art of Kung Fu San Soo is to be prepared for the enviable, have the tools needed and the confidence to use them to protect yourself and those you love.

My instructor, Jimmy Woo was the man who brought his family’s art to the United States.  Around 1960 he opened a school in El Monte, California and called his art Kung Fu San Soo. In doing so for the first time in it's history he began teaching San Soo to non-Chinese and non-family members.  Jimmy died in 1991.  Blessed to have learned directly from Jimmy it is my goal to train others in the same exact manner that he trained us.  In doing so, San Soo is a common-sense art, designed for street situations.  Unlike what is seen on television and movies, if used properly, the conflict should end in seconds by using a minimum of effort for a maximum result.

If a person learns this art correctly, it is designed so that one day, when the wolf attacks, the wolf will find a  “sheep dog” waiting.