How good is the teacher?
How good is the training environment?
How good are the people you have to spar against?
How good a student are you?
How committed are you?
The practicality of a style is only limited by your ability to use it, it's not like learning how to use a fighter jet then realizing you'll never be able to fly one.
That is something that no one can say. First there are at least 300 to 400 different Kung-Fu styles, possibly many more (As stated in Black Belt Magazine many years ago).
Second instructors vary greatly. Everyone pretty much agrees here that Kyokushin is a good style. Yet I can say for sure that I've know many good Kyokushin instructors and one that was so bad I would not send my worst enemy to him. So does that say that the style is good and effective or not. Anyone with any logic would say that it is a people issue not a style issue.
So could you use what is taught at your local kung-fu school for self-defense. All that can be said truthfully is that you should be able to, but you need to investigate that school to see what and how things are taught there.
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The videos this guy above me is exactly what is wrong with kung fu. As Liondancer said kung fu can useful for other things. But for fighting? No.
Like those videos for instance. They are full of so called one step techniques. It's basically you do that I do this. It only works if you know what the attack is going to look like. In real life if you throw a punch your arm is going to retract immediately. Like in the first video. If I punch my arm is not going to stay in that position for more then a third of a second. So what that shaolin guy is doing is completely impossible. Like that move he does at 22 seconds. Not possible. I guarantee you that in any real life situation your arm will have retracted by the time he does all that. He might evade the punch but he will not be able to counter it like that. Trust me on this one. Without blowing my own horn I used to do boxing and I am pretty damn good at slipping and weaving away from punches. And I promise you what that guy does is not possible in real life at real life speeds.
The only way to find out what works in real speeds is to do hard sparing.
Chinese martial art is not necessarily taught for fighting. For many years you simply condition in agility, flexibility, stamina, strength, etc. Most people think these exercises that are supposed to develop your body are learning how to fight. This is incorrect as they are exercises. In China only about 10% of Kung Fu practitioners also learn to fight and you are at least in your mid teens before you do. I never saw any kids sparring the whole time I was there. After all the conditioning for years they learn how to fight very quickly so it does pay off. Fighting are separate classes. If you want to learn how to fight look at Sanda or Sanshou.
For CMA to be practical for real life self-defence, the practitioner must go through a 4-stage process in the training. Stage 1: Body and limb conditioning, and learning the taolu and knowing the applications, and this is a lengthy process, minimum 3 years for Southern stylists and 5 for Northern stylists; Stage 2; be proficient in executing the related fixed sparring set and using the techniques in sanshou/sanda setting; and Stage 3: alot of free sparring and exchanges with other exponents of other systems, and finally, Stage 4: go and seek out street bullies and gangsters and fight them; may be beaten up instead, but with more fighting experience and growing confidence, you may begin to win your fights. This process takes one thing for granted, that the student has a good and knowledgeable sifu. Without Stage 4, CMA exponents lack that confidence and experience necessary to use the techniques in real situation. For CMA to be practical, literally, the exponent must look for trouble and use it in real situations. That is how most traditional CMA styles, like Zhou-jia train their first generation of disciples.
Those who say it's completely impractical speak out of ignorance. Perhaps they haven't come across a truly skilled practitioner. It's not like the movies where they fight for 20 minutes. Real kung fu isn't for competition or meant to look fancy...it's meant to end a fight as quickly as possible.
it's a sport and should be treated as a sport it has benefits by keeping you fit and active violence in todays society is unacceptable if this the main object it's not practical as a sport many people get enjoyment out of it
this is then practical
If I were to go to my local kung fu school and begin learning, how practical would it be for real life self-defence/fighting?
I see a lot of people on the internet say it's completely impractical, but I was hoping someone could answer with legitimate reasons as to why/why not it's practical, etc.
Thank you :)
