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[Aion]

I ROLL FOR INITIATIVE!

I reach for my phone and dial 911 while walking backwards while my friend does as he will?  (I have a friend that can fight? lolwut??)

If I had a gun, I draw it then dial 911..
If I knew Wing Chun, I'd turn the guys back and ask they leave me alone.

If one learns martial arts, the first training is all about mastering techniques. A black belt means one has done that—mastered the basic techniques of a discipline. The levels above the basic black belt are about the inner learning. Of course, with the right teacher, this is taught as you go along. But when one trains for long enough to get past the physical mastering of a discipline, the inner understanding expands.

It's true that techniques practiced in the dojo are not the same as being on the street. But one must learn technique. When the technique is mastered, your body will know what to do on the street. You have muscle memory and an overall confidence in movement. It's not about thinking at all. It's a reaction that draws on the wealth of learned responses. If you know anything about martial arts, you will know what katas are—the series of movements put into a specific sequence such as the nan quan form. These forms teach the body to act not only with one technique, but to fluidly move through many.

When training in martial arts, there comes a point when you just know you can defend yourself. There is some critical mass that's reached. This doesn't mean you are omnipotent. It just means you are not without a self defense.

In the U.S. there are a lot of martial arts studios. Many are geared toward a business rather than toward actual love of the art. Even so, the students do learn something. But if you are going to learn martial arts, I would visit different dojos to see which teacher you resonate with. The first lesson is usually free.

I'm not familiar with Krav Maga. If nothing else, taking a martial arts class is a blast.

I practice Wing Chun in the Ip Man lineage and it is a very fascinating style. It is entirely defensive while being offensive in that it is a simultaneous block and counter system. We do not attack, our philosophy is that fighting is a last resort but if you go to strike us, we will hit you first. The system is responsive and conceptual so it is based in feeling and touch sensitivity. Advanced students often practice with blindfolds.

I feel the system very accurately portrays my philosophy of balance where everything is matched and followed. "Greet what comes. Follow what goes. If contact is lost, strike." So we do nothing until there is something to greet.  Until then we practice peace.

Another feature of Wing Chun is its use of 'forward energy' so we learn to push all of our energy forward in to the center line of the opponent while maintaining a firm stance. This goes very well with Chi Gung and Tai Chi style practices. Actually my sifu is also trained in Tai Chi.

What I think you would find funny is that there are no belts at all. The progression is from form to form. Since there are only 3 forms they expect them to be perfect before you progress. Each builds on the next. A story I've heard often is that someone once asked, 'Well what about a black belt?' Sifu's response was, 'Okay, everybody fights everybody, whoever is left standing, black belt.'

The point being that it doesn't matter where you are at, they will train you at where you are at. They are very accommodating. Although the story behind belts is kind of amusing. In the old days a fighter would only get one single belt in a dojo and they would not clean them so the older the person got, the dirtier the belt got until it was black. Thus an experienced fighter is a 'black belt'.

I don't have anything against belt systems, I just find the stories amusing.

Wing Chun!!!
-Falls to knees-
Teach mee--!!!

Tai Chi and Wing Chun call to me.

As for such nonlethal weaponry.

And the Police State...

It is my understanding I can't change the world.  I would rather avoid, thugs, police, weaponry, and violence overall...
Too much violence for my taste in the world...

Legalize guns.  Australia showed a full Gun Ban raises gun related criminal crimes.
Legalize guns, educate appropriate gun safety and use, educate yo frickin kids to see it as a dangerous weapon, not a toy or 'daddys shiny closet thing' or something like that.

If half the people who've robbed me at work knew the moment they turned around their knees would get shot at, the probably wouldn't bother.  Cigarettes and...well for some alcohol is worth their life...  So.

Swat team's exist and have been used to 'execute' (no knock raid) people before.

Its a scary country I'm in...

It is my understanding that an abundance of this attitude is the reason the world never changes. The first movement of change occurs within the self.

I'm by no means advanced enough to teach, I've been practicing for about 8 months now. If you want to come to Canada my Sifu is about as legitimate as you can get.

Kind of funny though that you are drawn to Wing Chun when you have a deterrence towards violence. Although it is a defensive system it is very aggressive and once the point of peace has been passed it is ruthless. We do not have rules. The rule is to end the fight quickly and effectively. This means there is no dirty fighting in our eyes. We strike at vulnerable, weak and easily damaged points. This is fair since we make every effort possible to avoid the point of combat.

Tai Chi on the other hand sounds like more in the vein you are looking for and if you find a competent teacher (which are not so common) it can be a very powerful martial systems. The guy my Sifu trained with is one of the world champions in Chi Sao, sticky hands. Might also try Aikido, another system that is very much about non-lethal and minimizing damage. The 'Art of Peace' is a book you might find interesting.

Needless to say, the island on which I live is, I think, a boiling pot of secret masters and ancient teaching. I've heard that our island is something of the 'new Atlantis'. Many mysterious things going on here.

Bold is exactly why Wing Chun calls to me.  Violence is also inevitable in this world. . .I haven't encountered it yet, but it has been all around me constantly.  I don't want to come into contact with it and get wiped across the floor like a worthless nobody I often feel like.  To be able to just show people from one moment of being docile to an explosive force of defense/offense from moment to moment without needing to be extraneous or flashy, to just showcase it, a physical 'leave me alone, or else.'  In cases like the one you mentioned, or to literally put a person off their feet if they are a real threat.

I've heard Aikido before but it feels too vulnerable to me.  Tai Chi is more a mental calling, Wing Chun is somewhat physical.

I've also seen the Ipman movies, I derive my basis of desire for Wing Chun off of the fact I highly appreciated the Philosophy towards fighting showcased in the movies.  It is not something to seek out, violence and conflict find you, it is up to you to defend and keep it away.  For the sake of peace, violence is avoided, for the sake of survival, violence can also be embraced in the ways you mentioned, attacks at the eyes and throat, lethal strikes, using surroundings as an extension of yourself as well as a tool/weapon all in the name of defense/offense, or what I term, Survival.

Yeah, I liked it.  Tai Chi however calls to me intellectually towards the mentality of the martial art.  I understand it's a somewhat meditative style?

I don't think you understand Aion.  I am scared of the violence enough to embrace it, like being terrified of the ocean and finally entering it (something I did).  Often times my first thoughts are the go after the eyes and throat if I ever get into a dangerous fight.  I've even begun carrying a multitool and a small pocket knife on me at work for safety...  If I could rely on my body and not a simple blade I'd feel much more safe and comfortable quite often honestly.  Wing Chun is exactly what I was always wanting.  A very well balanced defense/offense 'parry' style and 'quiet' style martial art.  I don't like attacking.  I play defense.  I do this in real life, I do this in video games, I do this.  I stay back, I take in the surroundings, I react, I don't pro-act unless I see a chance to do so that is basically safe or plausible.

I feel like your intentions are very close to my own, except perhaps that I maybe find it too enjoyable at times to engage in violence and it is that pleasure I seek to not be tempted by. That being said, I am well aware of this in myself and so have never been a violent individual, but I do think I have tried to be threatening enough to avoid fighting.

I think you would be a good student, you should come learn from Bob. I haven't seen any of the Ip Man movies but I was/am very fond of old kung fu films and was very influenced by Jackie Chan who uses a tight Wing Chun style.