So ... someone asks you to show them a MA technique ..

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by Paul A, Jun 8, 2011.

  1. Paul A

    Paul A Valued Member

    So you're at a party with relatives or friends, or sat on your lunch hour with colleagues who know you do some form of Martial Arts ... and they ask you politely to show them a technique.

    What do you do?
    What do you show them?
    Why that technique?
     
  2. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    I never show anything.
    It usually never works out well in my experience.

    You try to show "arm lock A". You can't actually set it up properly by hitting him in the face first so just have to rely on the lock. There's no surprise or combative context.
    They resist to show it doesn't work because they don't realise you are making concessions to show them something in isolation from actual combat.
    You try to put on harder to show that it does actually work.
    It all gets messy and no-one comes out of it looking good.

    If anyone asks me "what would you do if I did "X" I usually say "punch you in the face really hard until you stopped doing "X". :)
     
  3. Moosey

    Moosey invariably, a moose Supporter

    I must admit, I struggle a bit when that question comes up and tend to just not show them anything.

    I find that karate isn't particularly good for "showing off" techniques. There's nothing you can do to someone that will impress them but not hurt them, and if you throw a light punch or kick, they just wander off saying "wow, these karate guys don't hit hard at all"!

    I guess maybe tap them on the side of the head with a roundhouse kick or, depending on how they're standing, sweep their front leg and catch them.
     
  4. querist

    querist MAP Resident Linguist?

    Brilliant question! Seriously.

    The first thing I'd do is tell them which martial art I study and explain to them that there are many different types of martial arts which have different histories and, therefore, different emphases, philosophies, and techniques.

    Since I'm currently actively studying Wing Chun, I'd probably show them something very "Wing Chun" like tan da or pak da to illustrate the concept of simultaneous attack and defense. I'd do it very slowly, telling them that I want them to see how it works and that, as I am a beginner, I do not want to risk actually hitting and hurting them. I'll remind them that the most 'dangerous' martial artist is the beginner because he or she has not learned enough control to be able to avoid hurting others when training or demonstrating things.
     
  5. Rider

    Rider Everybody loves cakes! :D

    Im same...if someone asks me about it i treat it just like any other conversation...

    i'll talk abit about what i do, and how i enjoy it generally



    I think the only show off things i've done tho is mostly kicks as they show the martail arts off the most...but i'll also show them a lock so they get the idea that its not all fancy moves and it is for actual self defence, or just tap them with a roundhouse...If they smoke i'll ask them to put a fag in there mouth so i can kick it...but thats because i dont like people smoking and i think one should encourage not only people to stop it but get into fitness.

    Adam
     
  6. Moi

    Moi Warriors live forever x

    Punch them in the face. There is no grey area here :)
     
  7. Hatamoto

    Hatamoto Beardy Man Kenobi Supporter

    Give them the details to the class and tell them to come along and see people who are better at it than me who can demonstrate techniques while doing the art some justice.
     
  8. Llamageddon

    Llamageddon MAP's weird cousin Supporter

    Depending on who it is, I usually tell them I'm crap so there's no point :D
     
  9. Done-Gone

    Done-Gone Banned Banned

    :rolleyes: I show them the vid - "Sensei Almost Dies" - and they quickly ask me to disregard their request.
     
  10. Kurtka Jerker

    Kurtka Jerker Valued Member

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTBcOWmmHGI"]YouTube - ‪michael jackson Get on the floor‬‏[/ame]



    But seriously, I usually just show them. If you can't do your technique on someone who doesn't know what you're about to do without hurting them, then you can't train it with a partner without hurting your partner.
    If they have more questions I'll discuss it and if it comes to a point where something needs to be tested in motion I tell them to drop by the gym or just fiddle around with some light sparring or rolling. You don't have to kill someone for them to know you're controlling the situation.
     
  11. Gripfighter

    Gripfighter Sub Seeker

    this recently happened to me for the first time properly at work, a colleague asked me what I would do if she did this and proceeded to lunge punch, when I put my hands up to my chin and moved my feet into a stance she expressed disappointment. she was expecting me to do like a karate/jiu jitsu block, at this point another girl said judo is more like wrestling. So the first colleague said well show me something on her so I thought what the hell can I do, well a rear naked choke is probably the first thing most grappler's would think of in these situations it can be done standing up which means you don't have to roll around the floor of your work, its relatively simple and safe. now this girl I was going to do it too watches wrestling and MMA, and had just shown a rudimentary knowledge of what judo was and even had an idea of what I was going to do before I did it so I stupidly assumed she would know to tap my arm when she wanted me to stop well..... she didn't.
     
  12. Guyin

    Guyin Old Cynic


    Simple. I tell them I'm busy enjoying myself - maybe another time when it's more appropriate.
     
  13. Gripfighter

    Gripfighter Sub Seeker

    so what would you do at a more appropriate time ? I think that was his question. or do you mean you just always say that to avoid showing stuff ?
     
  14. 6footgeek

    6footgeek Meow

    Guy/Girl: Hey waqas! i heard you do karate =D! show us something cool!

    Me: Like what?

    Guy/Girl: I dunno. what'll you do if someone suddenly punches you in the face =D

    Me: Punch them back. Harder.

    OR

    Guy/Girl: What'll you do if someone suddenly stabs you with a knife?

    Me: Die.

    Seriously. there's nothing you can do to impress them if you show them stuff that actually is practical. Most still have the Moviefu image of all martial arts.

    Of course if you know a few jump kicks that's kewl. =)
     
  15. illegalusername

    illegalusername Second Angriest Mapper

    I just tell them my favourite move is the triangle choke. And that it involves me putting my crotch on their face.
    Things usually work out.
     
  16. Bruce W Sims

    Bruce W Sims Banned Banned

    I think this situation is rather much the flip-side of the many times MA ask themselves if what they train in will woerk on the street. In this case somebody who has wondered about the same question as an outside observer wants to know if what he has heard is true and that MA is an effective way to dominate other people.

    Used to be that I accepted such queries as a way to let people know what real MA is about. Then experience taught me that they don't really want information or questions answered. Its more like there is something odd in their environment and they want to check it out to see if there is anything relevant to them going on.

    Best Wishes,

    Bruce
     
  17. Johnno

    Johnno Valued Member

    I tell them that I'm just going to change into my special Judo Thong and that they should join me in the bedroom in five minutes, naked, for a demo. They usually decline.
     
  18. Moi

    Moi Warriors live forever x

    Usually? What about the ones that don't? We need pictures :)
     
  19. Kemposhot

    Kemposhot Valued Member

    Have gotten into this situation myself a few times. I find it rarely works out as other people who don't study don't understand why you do something a certain way with people whom you don't want to actually hurt.

    That being said, if they are really insistent I'll go through something very slowly with them explaining it along the way so they can actually see what its doing and the different parts of it.
     
  20. Johnno

    Johnno Valued Member

    The ladies rarely say no... naturally. ;)
     

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