Cartwheels?

[Xianghua]

Was anyone ever told by an instuctor to do cartwheels as an evasive manuver? I tried Hapkido but as soon as we had to do cartwheels in class I bailed. Just didn't seem practical. :(

[PantherFist]

Was anyone ever told by an instuctor to do cartwheels as an evasive manuver? I tried Hapkido but as soon as we had to do cartwheels in class I bailed. Just didn't seem practical. :(

In some arts,(Taijitsu/Ninjitsu, Caporeira) they are used quite effectively, to escape sweeps and throws.

Under the right circumstances they can be practical. They are also a means to teach body awareness and balance.

It seams to me that you are missing out on so much by not contiuing in Hapkido, it is such a great art that has so much to offer. :D

[totality]

i'm not so sure how effective it is...but it's really cool looking, as evidenced my mr. jean silva.

[Xianghua]

I'm not saying that anything else I learned wasn't useful. It's just that I would feel stupid if I had done a cartwheel in the street and still got my butt handed to me. I realize that I don't have to use cartwheels, though. I'm sure hapkido is really cool but I found the style I want to stick with and that's Shou' Shu'.

[surgingshark]

In some arts,(Taijitsu/Ninjitsu, Caporeira) they are used quite effectively, to escape sweeps and throws.

I saw cartwheels being done in a few Kenpo forms...I'm yet to confirm their applications in said art.

[totality]

i can't believe i forgot...

the cartwheel guard pass!!!!

when in your opponents open guard, post one hand a few inches away from his shoulder, then jump over him in a cartwheel. i think most people know how to do a cartwheel.

not a practical move, but it looks freaking awesome. works somewhat well in the ring, too.

[blessed_samurai]

If you'd feel stupid doing a cartwheel in the street, then don't. I've never known Hapkido to do cartwheels, but each school is different. My instructor always says you'll learn hundreds of techniques and probabally only use a handful.

You take what you want from each art and leave the rest, but the rest is there just in case. It's kinda what I refer to as icing on the cake.

[Andrew Green]

i can't believe i forgot...

the cartwheel guard pass!!!!


A very good technique :D

I like to yell "Woohoo!" or "Yippee!" as I do it, leaves some people laughing too much to defend the next attack :D

[Kenpo Kicker]

The kenpo I took had no cartwheels. I would never use one to pass a guard or in the streets. I know sakuraba can use them good to pass gaurds but f that for me, heh. I rather evade with a spinning back kick.

[blessed_samurai]

The kenpo I took had no cartwheels. I would never use one to pass a guard or in the streets. I know sakuraba can use them good to pass gaurds but f that for me, heh. I rather evade with a spinning back kick.


Better be careful with that spinning back kick, you might have shoes on and your foot sticks to the pavement, not turning and now you have a messed up knee.

Or what I like is I have a friend that tried that, the guy basically just bull dozed him over, he fell down, cut his ass all up on the gravel and glass on the ground.

[Thomas]

Was anyone ever told by an instuctor to do cartwheels as an evasive manuver? I tried Hapkido but as soon as we had to do cartwheels in class I bailed. Just didn't seem practical. :(

In Korea, we did cartwheels sometimes in Hapkido class... but we didn't do them as a "self defence" move, rather we did them as part of training the body and becoming comfortable with different movements. We also did lots of breakfalls, which I have used to protect myself from falls and such.

I hope that you don't let the idea of doing occasional cartwheels in class turn you off from a potentially good school, I presume there was soemthing else as well. Regardless, I hope that by visiting the Hapkido forum (and maybe some Hapkido schools), you will see that Hapkido can be a good style and can be practical... if taught by good instructors in good schools.

[aml01_ph]

Was anyone ever told by an instuctor to do cartwheels as an evasive manuver? I tried Hapkido but as soon as we had to do cartwheels in class I bailed. Just didn't seem practical. :(

I prefer rolling to cartwheeling. The latter just exposes too much of you body. Besides, it is embarassing to get hit in such a position. Looks like a scene from shaolin soccer.

[Kenpo Kicker]

Better be careful with that spinning back kick, you might have shoes on and your foot sticks to the pavement, not turning and now you have a messed up knee.

Or what I like is I have a friend that tried that, the guy basically just bull dozed him over, he fell down, cut his ass all up on the gravel and glass on the ground.

I do practice on pavement. I cannot spin on wet pavement.That would be a very bad idea. I would punch and do throws on wet pavement. I also may emphasize take throws on pavement rather than any kicking. Good point bro. I am quick to roll on the ground too and fall good from judo. I have been cut up from glass and sand in fights before from grappling. It hurts more after or if you stop (bad idea keep going). I would hope they charge me because it is aiming toward's their grown or knee. I havn't tried this though and cannot back it up. I know two types of spinning back kicks from kenpo and tkd. I agree that is would be a risky evade as well. I may be better off with a countering throw.

[blessed_samurai]

True Kenpo kicker. Also, what I have noticed is the body tends to do what it is going to do regardless of how we have things planned out in our minds. A lot of it is muscle memory and with practice the body follows instinct to what is essentially easiest for it to do....I think I worded that right.

[Kenpo Kicker]

I would agree with that. I honestly don't spin all that much. Spinning side or back kicks are poweful and not bad to evade with. Just a simple side kick could do the job without spinning.

[johndoch]

hmmm, Imagine doing a cartwheel then halfway through getting axe kicked in the groin :cry:

[Thomas]

hmmm, Imagine doing a cartwheel then halfway through getting axe kicked in the groin :cry:

I imagined it.... now I wish the thought would go away!

[johndoch]

I imagined it.... now I wish the thought would go away!



:D LOL, Yes its the number one reason not to try it whilst in a combat situation :)

[Thomas]

:D LOL, Yes its the number one reason not to try it whilst in a combat situation :)

Yeah... like I said, we did them occasionally, but mainly to help develop coordination and trust in your body. I have never had a Hapkido instructor tell me it was a "self defence" move yet! In my mind, it would be like saying not to do push-ups and situps or even stretching in class because they are not precise self defence moves.

Still... the image of an axe kick in the middle of it... gives me the quivers!

[TigerAn1]

Handstands- but no cartwheels.