Chinese Street Fighting Kung Fu San Soo

We are almost into the Autumm months and hunting season is just around the bend, Holloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Years.  It does not mean we have to write about the arts all the time I know we have more of an interest in other endeavers, nothing that could match San Soo Though doing what you like is cool also.

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Jeffrey P. Cornelius SR.
San Soo Michigan
5th degree black

Women in San Soo have not achieved the kind of success that men have. Martial arts are a male-dominated activity. Women participating in San Soo should expect reactions from others ranging from total support to subtle condescension to downright derogation.

In general, parents seem supportive of their daughters taking San Soo. They feel that in our crime-ridden society, it would be beneficial for them to learn to defend themselves. In addition to learning effective self-defense skills, women also develop self-confidence and get a challenging workout. From my experience in teaching women, husbands and boyfriends at times tend to belittle or intimidate their wives and girlfriends when they learn that their women are taking this type of class. They try to disguise this as humor or teasing. This most often happens, but not always, when the husband or boyfriend is not actually a martial arts student themselves. This behavior would not be directed at a male student

At different schools, women may encounter other obstacles; men tend to underestimate their abilities. They are sometimes, somewhat condescending, holding back their techniques and "taking it easy”, throwing softer punches or throwing themselves to help her, even without realizing it. I often hear the males in a studio “talk it up” about how tough the females in their school are but often they in fact hold a subconscious double standard for the females in the school.  The females are taught to hit hard and all the men are impressed about how hard so and so hits and how tough she is... I hear it all the time. What I observe is a woman who is tough and can hit hard but really has very little technique in her art, very little geometry, very little weight displacement, very little manipulation of her opponent. Any woman can be taught to hit hard but that doesn’t mean she has a good grasp on the “art.”  It is not necessarily just hitting hard that is the basis of success, but the combination of balance, coordination, speed, power, technique, control, and mental discipline. I don’t find these skills stressed enough when teaching women. With these skills developed the woman doesn’t necessarily have to hit hard at all. I have attempted to discuss my views about this and male instructors will invalidate what I’m saying almost immediately by becoming defensive of their women rather than weighing the information I have to give. This is often the case. Therefore I hesitate to give. Why bother?

Sometimes society's reactions to a woman taking martial arts can be more annoying than anything else. A lady out on a date often is jokingly called upon by her date to protect him in the event of danger. Because she knows San Soo, it is assumed that she is ready to perform as needed, almost like a certified walking security system. Also, at social functions, there is never a shortage of requests for her to "show her stuff." Some people think there is something “cute” about a female martial artist.

Their male counterparts are often respectfully spared such attitudes. Worse still, women sometimes may be challenged to a duel by men who need a boost to their egos. An experience when I was in my 20’s and a new black belt recipient, illustrates this case. In an all night coffee shop where I was working, a drunken man, twice my size, challenged me to fight having heard from my brother at the bar down the street, that I was a black belt I was used to shrugging off and generally ignoring this kind of braverity.  Meanwhile, some of other men in the room were cheering him on. They were excited at the possibility that this guy was asking for it and they might see him get it. He got in my face and confronted me. I stomped on his foot, when he bent towards his foot, I grabbed the back of his collar and spun him around, grabbed the back of his pants pulling them into a wedgie and causing him to rise to his toes. Then I quickly propelled him towards the door where someone had opened it for me. I pushed him out the door and closed it.  I was forced to exercise a great deal of restraint and kept my fists and feet to myself. It was an uncomfortable situation and it could have gotten a lot worse.

These are just some of the problems women taking martial arts may encounter. It is good for them to be prepared to handle  threatening situations that could come their way. While the family is generally supportive, women must be aware that there are uninformed people ready to give them a hard time. They often will be put to the test of mental and emotional control, both of which are vital to the discipline of martial arts. It is only then that they will maximize the potential of the art and use it in an effective manner, as needed. While self-control and self-defense are important aspects of San Soo, mental calmness, stability, endurance, quickness, strength, muscle toning, and self-confidence are also developed.  

Hope: something that you want to come true so bad, it hurts!  Unity: the same thing as hope and to have everyone come together!  Martial Artist; no matter what sex you are, race, greed, religous beliefs, disabilities we share the same goal, enlightment and a better path in life to lead!  Impressions: you never get a second chance to make a first impression! All equal to a better life.  This I instill into all my students who pass through my door.

 The above is what I believe will happen, maybe not in my life time but in the future as we pass.  I think everyone should read the words of Master Sharon Wikel; what she has written is true to natures form.  Not only does the male species do this to the women also to the weaker beings of the male gender.  What I received out of this message is giving of False Confidence to the ladies, for they are being patronized, in 98% of the cases so very very true.  Not only does this happen in the martial art schools but also in every day life more so to the house wife living with a very dominate male, I know I had grew up in such a house.  This is why I share the same believes as Master Sharon Wikel when it comes to training.

 I am violent by nature and humbled by a Martial Artist.  Jeffrey P. Cornelius SR.

 Some people say that the life of a warrior is a road to violence and only men of a certain nature follows it!  This statement is so far from the truth.  Has any one seen how these ladies work out Master Sharon Wikel, Master kathy Long, Cynthia Rothrock, for give me for I do not know Claire's last name but she surely know who I am speaking of [she surely showed me a lesson or two and that is a fact.  Just ask Stan he is probally still laughing at me].  These ladies have a gift and that is the fight game is in their blood.  I have seen them all work but only had the opprotunity to work out with Claire {Chuck did say to watch out].  She said throw a punch and do not throw a sissy punch.  I threw a fast right jab at her and she just disappeared.  The next thing, the in step of my right foot was just hammered into some serious pain, the upper cut to the groin I could had done with out, the shot to the right knee buckled me down to the floor as she has followed through and a hammer back to the groin as she was leaving, no she did not leave, she stepped into the right hip and than a round house to the face.  Her timing and acuracy is second to none and I will never forget that after words; what a work out between her Stan and myslef. 

A recent visit to the Tennesse school sets a great standard when it comes to training, they look at everyone as a future martial artist and trains them that way.  I would like to point out Amanda, Mary Margrette and there was another lady and I am terrible with spelling just ask anyone I do believe her name was Nam.  I would be proud to have them as students they would not be short cutted and they showed why.  All the guys were cool for they gave them what they truely wanted an honest work out.  Their instructors should be very proud of what they accomplished for the ladies do not stand second to none and can hold their own.  I was blessed to work out with all of them they had done what was expected hit the target and take them out, over kill is needed take a step further.

 

We had a lady student in our class working on getting her green belt and you should had seen his faced we had one of those guys who would not hit or block her hard.  Now this man has, to this day, no neck.  Well she had enough of his whinning and said you either hit me or I am going to slap you [I am sorry I am laughing so hard cause you should had seen his face] he was a none believer and Bhaaaaammed it was a slap from right field, [ cannot say he did not deserve it for he was cheating her out of a true work out] she tried again hit the side of the head apparently that is what woke him out of his coma.  Well he finally block her good and took her down and I do believe that was the last time it happen.  You take it to her and she was a blast to work with, it is too bad she had left the school.

Every walk of life should be treat as equal, though we are not made the same.  It is a shame that most school do not give the ladies the training they deserve or treated as an equal student with the same skills.  It has been my belief as has been taught to me as I had learn it; as a teacher of this art.  I get the benifit of giving the student my best so they may be better than I, in attitude and as a martial artist and as a human being.   I expected this from all my students to be the best they can be, from my 5 year old to my 58 year old student.  Once you pass through the doors of San Soo Michigan we are all of equal parts treat one another as so, for we are the same, we are Martial Artist, students,  practitioners, teachers.

 A quote:  " I am here not only to train fighters, but teachers of this great art; to carry on the legacy of Kung Fu San Soo, myself and Jimmy.  If I get a teacher and a fighter out of the individual I have done more than more job could aks for!"  These words to this day I preach to my students, not only as a fighter, teacher and a fighting teacher but a person who builds confidence with human character.

 

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Jeffrey P. Cornelius SR.
San Soo Michigan
5th degree black

Thanks Jeff, you said it exactly right. Thank you for not invalidating what I had to say and weighing it thoughtfully. It was directed mostly at any women who read the boards and yet I hoped it would give the men something to think about as well.  For some it is second nature to resist the idea that women (having never been one) are different from men in more ways than just the obvious. Some obstacles women face in a martial art are different than what men face.

Condescending, patronizing, and prejudging a woman’s ability to take as good as she gives in a workout. These are the things that cheat a female student out of becoming a legitimate force to reckon with, a powerful fighter.

Now, I may be speaking only for myself here but I believe that the woman who stays in San Soo has a bright burning spark of the competitive fighter inside her. We relish the “Neanderthal male” who thinks he can squelch our spirit in a workout. We say “bring it on.” What cause us frustration are the guys who adhere to societal conditioning about protecting females, being gentle with us, not hitting us, treating us like the ladies we are, etc. This does not apply to the San Soo female. This cheats us out of the training we need. This kind of man is not who we will face when the time come that we’ll need to protect ourselves. Believe me, we are grateful this kind of man exists but we most likely won’t be facing him in a street encounter. . She wants to learn how to kick butt. Not just to kick the butt of another woman or man close to her size but the threatening “Neanderthal male” she most likely will encounter in a confrontation. We need realistic attacks in our workouts and we need to be tagged if we fail to elude the attack. We need to feel some realistic resistance from our workout partner. We need to feel his weight pull on us as he falls so we can learn to maintain our balance. We need to feel adrenalin when we are attacked in a workout, how else will we learn how to use it to our advantage and stay in control? We need to feel the hit to some degree. We need to learn that we can receive a strike and not crumble in tears as we did as little girls and sometimes still do as adult women. We don’t need to learn how to hit hard. We already know how to hit hard.

Boys are taught to play rough and tough and to suck it up when they get hurt as toddlers and throughout childhood. Women are very far behind them in that kind of conditioning but to be a fighter that’s exactly some of the things we need to learn.

Jeff thanks for the opportunity to be the voice of women in our art. I hope women will read and respond.

More women should voice their needs especially on the sites if they know of them.   My mom would had been a great at this art of San Soo, in fact I think she may had invented Futga.  LOL  Her attitude is lets get it on, bar none and she is just a plain ol city gal who grew up in Detroit.  She loved a good scrape verbal or physical, maybe that is where I get my High Spirit from.  She seems to think since I have been in the art my appetitie for confrontation has curved. 

 To cheat a student out of training just because she is a girl is the wrong thing to do and who ever is doing so give them their money back send them my way, your way or anyone who is willing to train them to the best of their or better yet both abilities; one to learn as one teaches.  I have a 9 year old girl who has the spirit to learn and she takes no crap from any of the boys.  She hates when she does not get the work she would like and that is what so cool about it; her eagerness to learn.   I hope she stays with it for she has a gift and that is the will to fight and that is rare in any walks of life.  When I watched kathy Long and wonder how the heck did she do that, best answer I have gotten so far was from Chuck "It is all done with smoke and mirrors"!  LOL  We all know it was from her dedication to hard work and training. 

What I had learn while being taught to be a teacher of the Martial Arts, "Teach all who are willing to learn no matter how they may appear, what they believe"!  These are words to teach and train by, I would recommend the schools who does not give the ladies their moneis worth do so; for are they really students of your art?  They are not getting the benefit of a technique when the work out partner think she is fragil; this is just plain B.S.  Does the teacher or instructor step in to inquire why she is just standing their and the guy is punching the air a foot from her?  The ladies just like the gentlemen sign the same waiver why not give them the same training.  They may be your battle partner when the time comes.........

I thank you Sharon for this is a topic that should be on everyones mind who cheats the student.  You cannot just pick through who you think would make a good student, I have seen it happen in other schools.  Sure everyone has their favorite work out partner, the students should get the same benefit of working out with their teacher, it gives them incentive to keep the faith in what they are working towards.  To push off to a lower belt for you think you may be wasting your time, shame on you..................................................................

You are one of the best out there and I mean of all the 1st generations students who came from Jimmys teachings, you put it on the line and it shows, you have to have heart in order to be of a humble nature.  Teaching is a gift and not everyone can do it; I just hope I am going in the right direction and the path my teacher had sent me on.

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Jeffrey P. Cornelius SR.
San Soo Michigan
5th degree black