Robot on Dummy

This is one dummy display that IS hard to match ! Maybe it's getting at the idea of simulation and 'aliveness' that Mat Thornton criticizes traditional training for, (no footwork). Ok - no it ISN'T, but ...good work here. I got this off youtube and its by Andy McGrath a 3D animator interested in Wing Chun. Good skills. www.anthonymcgrath.co.uk

Extreme Slam Set Segment

I bought this double-VHS set when I got my dummy in 2003/4. What I liked about this set was the insights and uses of the dummy. It went beyond what the classical instructional tapes had and was better than the JKD dummy tapes I had. JKD dummy use is very fast and hard to see what the practitioner is doing, (ok that's not totally true). Here Simonet had some integrated moves from other arts and does show multiple applications for the same tool. That is worthy.
Here I liked the straight blast that ends in the eye jab / fuk sau shape.

Sticks On The Dummy

Here is Addy Hernandez - Joseph Simonet's co-worker using the dummy, [minus its leg] for stick work. Fair use of the dummy. Lucay Lucay does something similar. If you are worried about splinters, then use rolled up magazine, or just put a tree branch in where the arm was.

Jeet Kune Do TRAPPING 1 Also Applied To Dummy

This is some good teaching and application video from Youtube. It's about the controversial skill of trapping:

Some people debate the value of this skill. Some say its H-a-R-d to implement. Some say it is hard - but you need to practice it - therefore.

I only know about 2 or 3 traps properly. You either excel at this or don't bother, I sometimes think. Complex or compound traps just arn't going to happen in an assault, they are best seen as using energy in different ways.
Interestingly Geoff Thompson said trapping is useful - it's how its applied. A basic pak sau and punch is well worth knowing, I believe as it could be seen in practical situatuations - e.g. finger pointing aggression; grab attempt. Remember you can re-feed your punch - dont bother swimming for another solution. OR just change your angles for a new line of attack.

Some JKD schools like Ted Wong's don't do trapping I understand. Maybe trapping will be reclassified to fit into wrestling and stand-up grappling. I can see chi sau going this way - see Alan Orr's www for ideas there.

Anyway what I liked here was the use of the dummy / other person. This is a clear video. Credit to the teachers.

Useful Quote From Josh Waitskin

Here is a good quote from Josh Waitzkin author of the book The Art of Learning.

From: http://onthemat.com/articles/Josh_Waitzkin_Interview_01_25_2008.html

"But to answer your question—honestly, a very large percentage of Tai Chi practitioners have their heads in the clouds…and they are the ones who make the most noise, stage the silly fake demonstrations, and create a cultish mindset that a practical fighter can just walk right through. I’d write them off too. Plus the system has little groundwork and most teachers are still closed minded about that element of the martial arts. Frankly, I think this problem is rampant in many traditional martial arts—teachers are terrified of looking bad and losing students so they create a world that denies what they don’t know."

What is interesting here is Josh is an uber MMA. He cross-trained Tai Chi, Brazillian JJ and chess !

He has ideas of how they are linked. What I liked in this quote is how he shows learning can take place in a bubble. If you stay in one place you miss out external voices that may want to test and question your premises. I can identify learning in martial arts when people refer to the techniques validity, via a master, in the system.

What has this got to do with the Wing Chun Dummy. Well it can be applied as a reminder to the learning of the form in its own right - rather than applications. You may get a shock if you arn't thinking about applications. Also you look on youtube and the comments people make about diversity of use of the dummy. It shows how people think there is one right way. That is the 'closed' mind set mentioned here in the quote.

It could be BJJ and Vale Tudo develop a closed mindset too if they end up thinking, due to their corrections and criticisms, they have arrived at THE method and stop pressure testing it and examining even old ideas again.