Tai Chi vs Single Leg Takedown: Unbelievable Defense with Fascia Mastery 

Thank you so so much for this feedback! Because it makes me incredibly happy to see and hear that people have improved their skills and found my courses to be valuable! I know money does not grow on trees and I would not release a course at a certain price unless I truly feel that it will be worth your time and investment. And I genuinely want to see everyone who trusts me to guide their learning, to get at least that much value, if not way way way more! Because I know there is a truly deep wisdom to these martial arts and so much joy and meaningfulness in mastering them, is there not? Thank you for being on this journey with us! It's also an honor that a physiotherapist, professionals on the forefront of studying and working with human movement, can validate and appreciate these methods. Thank you! ❤

Where do we find this course?

​@@tsimpthenightcrawler2704The Fascia Mastery course is here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--WocXig2jvo.html Once you complete the course you will completely understand how the technique in this video is done, how to instantly find and control another person's balance, especially when they are resisting! Thank you for asking!

Ya congrats! He worked hard and earned that gold medal!

You make a very good point about fascia control in BJJ, Judo, or wrestling. Some of my students with background in BJJ mentioned that they have felt similarly feelings when rolling with some skilled black belts. Judo, I don't know but I teach people to In wrestling, I have seen wrestlers use this principle, especially in Greco Roman style. Take a look at this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6k5gg-8BXfs.html Can you see some similarities? And in Shuai Jiao, Chinese grappling, there are families and styles that have this exact technology. They often keep it as their secret weapon, only teaching their son or school inheritor. So by no means is this method owned only by Tai Chi. Someone said that arts that have grapples as long as wrestling must've figured it out, and they are right. I also don't claim to be the sole genius or inventor. But I don't know of anyone who both knows how to do this, and is also openly teaching it. So I'm here sharing this principle and tool, for open minded people who would like to discover a new dimension beyond anything they have trained yet. Because I love the traditional arts and their wisdom, and I want to see it persist and flourish into the future!

The video shows that they are on to something, but they are not putting it into words. They are using it as a technique and not a principle. You could really help the Greco guys.

That makes perfect sense. Because it would be silly to believe something that contradicts what you know, without some level of evidence support right?. I'm not here to ask you to believe on just faith. In time I hope to share some meaningful competition footage! And when there is good evidence, I hope it can be understood as something helpful and enjoyable to practitioners. Until then, thank you for watching! 🙏

A partner will help ensure you get the full benefit out of this course, because it is all about sensing another person's balance, force, and resistance. I explain how to practice on yourself and that will be important and very beneficial too but I would absolutely recommend having a practice partner. They do not have to be knowledgeable about Tai Chi or skilled in any martial art. They simply have to be willing to stand and resist your efforts to move them, or press or pull upon you in general as you learn to neutralize the forces. The applications shown in this series of Tai Chi vs ___ are applications of fascia mastery that will be intuitive to everyone who's completed the course. But as others wisely point out you would want to drill those over and over, against speed, against resistance, to provide the familiarity to make this something you will naturally and effectively use if the situation raises! In those contexts, the more skilled the partner, the better your practice can be. But for purely developing your Tai Chi Tingjin and push hand skill, any partner can be of great help!

@@phoenixmountaintaichi Thank you!

No offense taken! I know it looks quite beyond what we normally factor in for how grappling moves work. That's why I titled the video unbelievable! It's also why I wanted to share it at all, because sometimes it's nice to open our mind and wonder, even if we initially doubt, and consider if something we hadn't considered before might have some value. I appreciate your thoughtful comment and the willingness to even watch the video! If you're ever in Southern California area you're welcome to visit and I'm happy to share the experience in a friendly setting. 🙏

Very true that this is presented slowly at a teaching pace. Many things are taught step by step, and that doesn't mean it can't be done quickly. As you consider anything you've ever learned in any sport, you can probably relate to that kind of process. I'll post a RU-vid shirt of this technique at speed, with full forward momentum, after next class and we can see what that looks like because you're right that it can be helpful to see. Another point of consideration is that even when the attacker successfully grabs the leg in a single leg take down, it's very viable to hook your leg around or between their legs, stabilize your balance, with or without hopping on one leg a bit, and stopping their forward momentum, before attempting to free your leg and being able to do it successfully one way or another. This can be seen in numerous UFC fights, and everyone who has ever sparred or fought MMA have had this experience, have we not? So once you stabilize your balance, hook your leg, in that moment when they want to finish the take down and you want otherwise, that is when you can execute this technique. Also, everyone who trains competitively, knows that no technique is guaranteed, that there are counters to counters, plans that foil plans. Just because a technique can fail or be countered doesn't mean it's stupid. The smart fighter experiments and discovers when each tool is useful, how to optimize its efficacy, and how that adds to their odds of success. You clearly have a nice analytical mind that can recognize the shortcomings in a presentation. Aside the shortcomings you are critical of, what have you learned before, that seemed initially improbable, but has helped you beyond what you initially expected, to become a part of what is valuable to you, in any other time? You certainly have grown in unexpected ways in your training, have you not? Thank you for your observant analysis! I'll incorporate your points in future presentations!

@@phoenixmountaintaichi Thank you for your thoughtful response, I'll look forward to seeing your demo at higher speed.

I had another commenter who studied 10yrs of BJJ and tried this fascia control technique who said that some of the BJJ black belts feel like this and have this effect. So it may be something that is developed instinctively but not necessarily discussed and taught systematically. I'm planning to share more of this so that Tai Chi understanding can help any art grow, just as challenges from other arts like the single leg take down can help our Tai Chi grow!

You would suspect in an art/sport as old as wrestling this would have come up if effective in real competition.

​@@vin5388​ you are totally right to suspect that grappling as old as wrestling would use this. And they do. I've seen it used, whether knowingly or instinctually, by top level wrestlers, BJJ practitioners. I saw a top level competitive coach use it as part of a move or combo, and then accuse his students of not resisting hard enough, not realizing they're having a very hard time resisting losing position and balance to it. In the Chinese traditions, certain schools of Shuai Jiao, Chinese wrestling, pass on this knowledge in a restricted fashion, usually only to their son's or son in laws in some cases. If you go back and watch the greatest wrestlers you respect you will likely see moments in which the opponent looks like they completely forgot or failed to resist, as they lose their positions or even the whole match. I've studied the use of this by non Tai Chi practitioners with great interest and I think you will discover many surprising cases of it, as you look beyond the apparent and don't assume that it's the opponent's mistake. So you are totally right that wrestling would have it, and you can have that valid thought until you begin to notice exactly where they do have it. It's very cool to discover a layer of depth in things that you love, beyond what you have already enjoyed. Thanks for sharing your great point!

@@vin5388 No, because people did not have such a good understanding of anatomy. I wrestled 8 years in school, the fascia is not taught even today. But you can see the guy in the video is a real BJJ practitioner who just won a tournament, and he clearly has no familiarity with it. That guy is not going to waste his time learning something that doesn't work.

I'm ready for the summer! 🌞

That's very true! A few months ago I was sparring with my students, and took a number of hits one time but I was ecstatic and told them I was very happy, because I maintained the calm emotional state even while getting punched, kicked, and thrown. And as you have realized, that is the real challenge and as we overcome that that means we will really begin to make use of these skills, all the time, especially when it matters most!

Yes that was pretty much his initial impression too! He tried it many times, several times in this video and more outside this video, and decided what he wants to do is master this technique ha ha. Connor's loyalty is very much to BJJ and is constantly seeing if he can overcome what he calls "my Jedi tricks" with just that. Watch the video and see his reactions, confusions, and all and maybe, give the method a try too! I know the results look unexpectedly and surprising and thats exactly why I'm sharing it, to expand our mind a little bit beyond what we have known to be possible! I'm sharing the method openly and completely freely. All it costs you is a little bit of open minded experimentation. And what might we discover, beyond all the familiar things we've known before, when we experiment with an open mind, that can be pleasantly surprising? You've had good experiences like that before, haven't you? That is the joy of scientific exploration, is it not? And I wonder what pleasant learnings, whether different, or similar to what I show, you might discover? Cheers and I appreciate your thoughtful and totally reasonable comment! 🙏

Just a heads-up, but high level bJJ and other grapplers do NOT keep their head up like that when going for a double leg take down. I was shown this technique in Wu Style Taijiquan years ago as well (spent 10yrs and Chinese Wrestling was also taught), and it works against less seasoned grapplers, but the champion types (Im talking ADCC and IBJJF Worlds types), they weld their heads to your leg very well and the take down is immediate not stumbling like this. I've trained a few years at ATOS in San Diego at Andre Galvao's BJJ gym...his blue belts and above aren't getting caught in this ever. Been at Soul Fighters in AZ for 1yr (UFC champion Sean O'Malley is a brown belt under this gym, though I don't train with him, just stating gym pedigree) and they teach the same as I'm sure others do. Not discouraging you btw, like I said, this works against those who know less or are conditioned a certain way, but just be aware that there are other counters, however. Your best defense is to avoid allowing them to grab your leg in the first place. Opening Tai chi posture is actually an effective sprawl to avoid when they shoot in if you're training it as a sprawl. Most Taijiquan students never think of opening Tai chi as a sprawling technique because they've conditioned themselves into thinking you can't move your feet for some weird reason. MOVE, people! 😂

Yeah, I'd want to see it pressure-tested by grapplers who know what they're doing.

​@@Whiskey_Tenguhmm, you're right. I've never thought of it as a sprawl. Going to consider this...

Really good thought! I have not had the privilege of being thrown by Saenchai but I would not be surprised if he did this, whether consciously or instinctually. In Muay Thai there are different styles, some that emphasize kicks, or knees, or hand strikes, and clinch throws. It would be reasonable to think that Muay Thai, given that their clinch throw has very similar geometry to what I've shown in this fascia series of videos, just at a closer distance, and that Muay Thai fighters train to be very relaxed, it would be quite reasonable to think they develop the same technology. And maybe the top fighters and fight coaches keep it as their secret sauce. I hope no one comes beating me up for sharing the secret if that's the case ha ha. I'm not here to say I can beat up everyone or I know more than everybody. So nobody has to feel I'm attacking them, or that they have to attack me. But if Saenchai were to come over and say "Hey I can do this too, let me show you!" That would absolutely make my day. 😀

No! People who actually know how to fight laugh at you all. None of this would work. Go into ANY MMA school. Come to Atlanta, no way you get me off ya

Wow! I did not ask you to write this but I really appreciate you writing this. Because first hand account of the learning experience and outcome is so valuable in this online world. And that you have your own channel that people can look at to judge for themselves is amazingly helpful. Thank you for sharing and I'm very very happy to see your growth! ☯️🙏😀

You are very welcome, Chester. It is my true pleasure.

It's almost as if I knew people would say it's unbelievable haha. Kidding aside, you're right that a wrestler wouldn't be phased by that, because a good wrestler knows the importance of alignment, the cost of losing your alignment, and the effectiveness of spiraling forces on people's bodies, do they not? Wrestlers are experts in controlling these qualities and a great wrestler may already have this in their tool kit. And an even greater wrestler would know how to manage and defend it, hence to not be phased by it. Here is a short video I found of a similar kind of spiraling geometry applied in Shuai Jiao, Chinese culture's version of wrestling. ru-vid.com-58lCNBeJxQ Aside from the wrestlers that you mentioned that wouldn't be phased by that, I made this video for Tai Chi lovers who may not be as familiar with Tai Chi's history of encounters different fighting styles in Beijing and how Tai Chi contains within it methods that they may not be familiar with yet. I like how wrestlers and grapplers have aggressively challenged themselves, each other, and evolved over time. And I hope the same can be done in arts that have not opened themselves up to sharing knowledge and comparing skills, to take their methods beyond what they are now and see what we can accomplish. You are a martial artist too, and so I think you understand the desire for improving oneself, and how love and respect for an art motivates you to bring out the utmost potential in the art, do you not? Thank you for watching the video and commenting, because I hope one day more Tai Chi players can be knowledgeable, well trained, and competitive like the great wrestlers who would not be phased by this!

That's a really great point! Thank you for sharing that. Now a few more people will know 😀

Control the elbow; control the man

​@@XavierJustice-is2or simply stated but a great point!

🤯

Thank you for commenting! I appreciate it! 😃🙏

🙏🙌

The positioning really doesn't matter as much, the technique changes to accommodate, but the principles remain the same.

Haha that's pretty much Connor's reaction too. Because it would seem like you will not be able to move their head, when they have placed their strength and weight into it to drive into you. And that's true until you realize that it creates a tense and fixed lever, that when you engage the fascia, becomes a powerful way for you to connect to their whole body and affect their coordination!

@@phoenixmountaintaichi I recognized the mechanics but I've never been taught that. It was like being shown a whole new side of the art. Like "why didn't I think of that before?"

​@@LordReginaldMeowmontgive it a try! Make sure you are applying force at the surface and rotating it, like you are rolling a big wine barrel, without pushing into their mass at all. And then you can see someone else be surprised ha ha.

Thanks for asking! Just as throws and take downs typically apply forces to levers and across fulcrums and posts, in this method, force is applied to the fascia, which is to say, along the surface of the body, almost like the skin. This creates misaligning forces that are difficult for people to align against and to resist. Some commenters mentioned various doubts about applying this, and it would be right to think that if you just shove into someone's head and arm, while they are aligned and braced, you will have a lot of difficulty. And as you learn to direct the force to their fascia you will begin to experience how one can overcome more force with less force, that is optimally applied. Because we study martial arts so that we can overcome greater strength, not to bully people with less strength than we do, right? This video is one of many in a series of videos explaining this principle. It happens to be the one of the most viewed one at the moment so someone popping in here might not have seen the foundation and context that we've been building. So thank you for bringing up the question! 🙏

@@phoenixmountaintaichi Having been to rolfers many times, and having cooked many animal muscles, I understand what the fascia is. But isn't it the skeleton you are actually manipulating?

Yes you are right to think that ultimately, when a person moves, we move their skeleton. And as you have been to rolfers, you have experienced the relationship that fascia has on our muscle functions and capacity for movement. By influencing the fascia in regards to its role in regulating and supporting bodily movement, we can affect a person's ability to perform their desired movements or muscle exertion, without fighting the full strength of their muscle and skeleton. And as you've cooked a lot, you know that fascia is everywhere! And because the fascia is there for a reason and it would be reasonable to realize that if we didn't have them, or if they were not working right, we would not be working properly as a whole either, would we not? So it is along this principle that we are exploring and developing this method. Does that help clarify?

@@phoenixmountaintaichi Thanks for the reply. I guess it also follows that with a tensed muscle it is easier to create movement in the skeleton than a relaxed, loose one.

​@@Spiritof_76yes good point!

Yes I agree with you, I'd personally put my head on the outside to avoid strikes. Maybe even pivot to the outside too. We also might do a video for a high carry single leg sometime, as is more common in MMA versus the grappling centric one seen here. Thanks for pointing out a good tip for single leg takedown!

That does sound like a technique to be very careful with! Thank you for sharing and for the warning!

NO IT IS NOT VICIOUS; AND NO YOU WONT DO DAMAGE TO YOUR ATTACKER! 😂😂😂Only to your fragile reality bubble bursting when you learn that Tai chi will ONLY get you hurt in a real fight. Anyone telling you different is selling used snake oil.

Wait.... are you being serious? You did an online course, and you're calling it vicious? Please tell me this is a joke. And you're not really a physiotherapist. Because if you are and you're pushing this kind of garbage you are professionally and ethically irresponsible. What this person is teaching is not safe for use in a self-defense situation. You will get your face smashed into the concrete faster than you can blink.

@@RowdyGrunt if you know what a standing chin lock is you know what I am talking about, if not, you have no idea. You think that if someone studies Taiji they have never crossed trained, or studied combatives. What will make you a better fighter, is you getting out of mom’s basement and going to a gym.

I like your username! I agree with your point on illustrating the efficacy under pressure. I'm working on getting an aggressive attacker to agree to be published online with me ha ha. I'll keep you posted!

The problem is you are asking someone to get seriously hurt just to satisfy your curiosity. At real combat speeds and power the results are uncontrollable, the techniques from Chen, Yang, Wu styles of tai chi are incredibly dangerous properly applied. They are made for life and death combat. You could attack a real tai chi practitioner, but you obviously do not know what you are dealing with, so that would probably go very badly for you. Better go ask to feel it a little bit and resist some and your doubts will be cleared. I have done many years of what people say "works", 8 years of wrestling, Muay Thai for longer, Silat, FMA and jujitsu for 20 years. I have done plenty of real fighting, including full contact fighting with rattan sticks that cause hideous injuries. But when I encountered my first internal martial arts instructor, right away I knew there was no way in hell I was going to stop him, would be like trying to stop a truck, or bull, or elephant. You just know you are being overwhelmed. On contact I instantly became rootless, I felt like he could knock me away as if I was a sheet of paper. I had to learn what he was doing. Another instructor (my kali/silat instructor) said "If you can do a technique at slow speed, and they know it is coming and they are resisting but you can still do it anyway, it is very easy to do at high speed." In my experience, this is correct. It is a much better and safer way to test things.

​@@huwhitecavebeast1972I particularly like the part where you say "better to go and ask to feel it a little bit and resist some and your doubt will be cleared." I find that when there is doubt in the heart, it is almost impossible to find the type of evidence to sooth that doubt. Because every new evidence breeds new thoughts and new doubts. I myself am guilty of this, staying up late at night deciding whether I should buy this pair of sneakers or that power drill. I read some professional reviews, but then doubt if they're honest or biased. Then I read real user reviews, but then I doubt if their expertise is sufficient. Then I ask my friends, but doubt if their goals and priorities align with mine. I stay up and waste precious sleep over this! Over the years I've finally grown wise, as I now just go ahead and order it. And once I have it, try it, really experience it, I instantly know, and truly know, whether this is right for me or not. If anyone reading this is in the Southern California area at some point, you're completely welcome to visit one of my classes. Or buy me a cup of decaf coffee and have a chat. As huwhite points out, we're not out to get anyone seriously hurt! But we are a curious bunch, are we not? And we can enjoy and work together on fulfilling that curiosity. Thanks for the important discussion huwhite! 😀

​@@phoenixmountaintaichi I'll do it! (Be the aggressive attacker) 😜😅

Look up Tim Cartmell. He's been doing it for years. Trained Taijiquan and Baguazhang in Taiwan and has been using those principles in his own BJJ for years. He mostly teaches now st his current age but he used to compete frequently.