Since there's always a question mark over the whole "is IMA effective in combat" question, let's collate some examples of how/where/when IMA (especially) has been used effectively in a "real life" situation. Some competition examples as well if you've got them. NO THEORY. This one is just real examples of IMA (and/or IMA principles) in combat. Feel free to put your own examples in if you've used IMA in a fight. Try to keep the historical stories to a minimum - otherwise we'll start arguing about how many carts Yang Lu Chan could jump over in a single bound (it's 12, ok! :woo: )
guy I know was confronted by a drunk in the street. He deflected the guys assault and pushed him away. The guy was pushed quite a few metres. Confused as to how he got so far away, he wondered off. Needless to say after a good dose of chinese whispers, it turned out that what had REALLY happened is that the guy was flung through a shop window! On a slightly different note a mate was out with some friends and this guy showed his rooting ability against a push from the rest of the group. Another guy thought he could do it. He tried. He set himself up, but my mate tucked under his sacrum and blasted him into the wall. It was only plaster board. Big dent. Bouncer not happy. Big retreat made.
I've been looking around the net and found this video. Never accuse me of being biased! here's a clip of the closest you'll probably find of bagua vs (something like) MMA/grappling. Needless to say the bagua guy gets dropped on his head about ten times! http://longxingbaguazhang.web-gratis.net/download.php - open "another bagua fight"
seen that one before. I think I saw in on a shuai jiao site. For those who don't know shuai jiao is a chinese grappling style.
Unfortunately all the 'masters' were able to blast their assailants with their empty force skill and cause their innards to rot! Maybe IMA guys just get into fewer fights?
