Me, a dude who trained in boxing and taekwondo for 6-7 years got my ass handed to me BAD in sparring by a dude that had done ballet 15 years and he picked up kickboxing, had been doing it a year. Them kicks were no joke. No joke at all. I still have ptsd.
@@changlongwang9898 Around the same weight but he was/is taller. But i also severely understimated him because all i knew that he "did ballet" and i've doing martial arts for most of my life due to my father. After the first kick into my thigh i got a serious reality check. Felt like i got kneechecked by a truck.
Great analogy. Dancing at that level is incredibly demanding. It's like what the video says about training that can translate to other disciplines. Dancers are underappreciated as athletes.
I like watching Shaolin performances online. It doesn't matter if its about fighting or not. It's still a great personal achievement to do and motivating to try.
It's not shaolin boxing n, it's the rebranded version of the 1980's. They duped all us non asians and the asians alike, because china loves/is desperate for tourist money. Look at wugulun shaolin, actually watch function than some circus performance.
My first martial art was Muay Thai and then Boxing, Aikido, Judo, Karate. My dream martial art was Wushu because I love HK kung fu cinema and I love choreographing fights. When I finally practiced Wushu, it enhanced my Muay Thai, Boxing skills.
I totally agree with everything you say here. It's so rare to see a nuanced take on the subject, it's always either "kung fu destroys any combat sport" or "kung fu is ridiculous". From now on, any time I see somebody with that kind of take I'll send them a link to this video. Thanks a lot!
Kung fu is just like any other martial art.. thing is, lack of pressure testing and sparring is ruining the name of Kung Fu.. but actual warrior monks do exist.. these monks actually spar for real life combat and not just for demonstrations or forms.. Yes, such shaolin monks and temples do exist.. even such Kung fu schools exist.. Look up Sachka Wenk, even he trains in proper shaolin Kung fu but his Kung fu isn’t all about forms.. he trains with warrior monks
@@blazingdragon9607 Yeah, but, no one likes that though, because after seeing some of those spars there is no clue about it being kung-fu. It looks like kickboxing at worst (jab jab, punch, kick to the face) or MMA at best ( punching and kicking but grappling also allowed). The thing that makes kung-fu pop out are the forms and the movements, it's the whole mystique and not necessarily bending spears with one's throat. Without simping for MMA it did/does sum things up to keep what's useful and discard the rest and there are only so many actually practical and useful ways to bring a foot to someone's face or to punch. Things like slaps and open palm strikes or wasting stamina by rolling around get (rightfully) thrown away.
@@CedricDur Lemme also tell u that it all started with TMAs like Kung Fu and Karate.. Kickboxing it what it is today because it is heavily inspired from karate.. Only a non Kung fu practioner would say that there's no Kung fu in the "spars" they do.. Not to mention protective gear restricts their movements too.. But even today, in many parts of China, actual Kung fu is being practiced, using actual traditional Kung Fu knowledge and not modern sanda.. what's more interesting is tournaments are held too and these ppl don't wear protective gear, allowing them freedom of movement.. Look up Kung fu tournaments from the 80s, they used to be lethal.. made even mma look silly.. Modernization is slowly killing the true essence of Kung Fu but ppl just wanna hate on the martial art without doing their research.. Media doesn't show u the true side of Kung Fu.. and even if u want to see it, u won't be able to
@@blazingdragon9607 You say that as if it was brag worthy. Being lethal is easy, it's not an accomplishment from kung-fu. Any 'martial art' can kill when it's all a matter of hitting hard enough on vital parts. When you say that all I hear is a disrespect for human life (to be fair a staple of china) without enough rules or protective gear. You went off on a tangent there but my point is that having seen those spars we can hardly notice a difference between them and kickbox.
This is the most nuanced and fair portrayal and analysis of Shaolin Kung-fu that you could’ve made, brotherman. Also, please post more (on either channel). A video every 3 months doesn’t cut it.
I once heard that even after he had won some of his wushu championships, Jet Li was dissatisfied with his training and went to seek out other masters in various styles of martial arts. It's fun to think about someone with Jet Li's level of skill and training getting into striking
what I appreciate about my kung fu school is that we do the traditional forms and weapons, the stuff Ranton says are good for performances and look cool, but we also do have Sanda in our curriculum, so we immediately see something more applicable to fighting. it creates a good blend of modern and traditional
Tradicional forms are good for self defense. Modern forms are dance. Pressure test is a must for any fighter I do traditional, our forms are kinda dull, not a lot of acrobatics and a lot of sparring and studies of fighting. Forms are a form of mind and body conditioning
Yeah Ranton goes to one of the clown shaolin for tourists and performance. There are many Shaolin schools that train fighters especially SanDa. There's even a couple fighters that go to Shaolin schools for a couple years in ONE.
@@Gongolongo well this is just incorrect. He trained at the ORIGINAL Shaolin Temple, and this is very easy to verify online lol. It's the same place Jet Li shot his debut film. The film which is the reason the Shaolin Temple is even still going today. Don't be talking bullshit.
I personally feel you never fail to articulate that these sorts of topics have nuance. It makes the video more interesting but some wont listen or understand that lol
Nice shiner! ❤ Also nice rashguard at 4:15 😎 OK, now for a smart comment. I agree with you 100%. It's easy to call a martial art fake, but people just look at a clip and decide something is useless, without considering other aspects. What you're capable of doing from your Shaolin training, 99% of humanity isn't capable of doing. It takes dedication, perseverance, skills, physicality and the right mindset. If you take that same mindset and physicality, and apply it to learning combat sports, of course you'll have an advantage. Will Shaolin Kung Fu make you a better fighter on its own? From what I can tell, no. But will it give you the ground to become an excellent fighter, I think it can. Plus it teaches you cool flips and tricks 😎
As a lifelong martial arts hobbyist and enthusiast, I'm so grateful for videos like this. Growing up when I did, there was this idea that stuff like "Shaolin" and everything Eastern were these exotic, unbeatable arts that could give you abilities beyond comprehension. I really remember serious discussions that monks would be able to beat professional fighters and combat sport athletes, it was 100% a real way people thought. I really wish videos like this, from someone like you who's actually trained, lived, and experienced what you're talking about, were around back then. It was a time where mysticism and exoticism (but also misinformation) was able to live freely. A lot of life practices like therapy, Yoga, calisthenics, etc can improve your life the same way that many that advocate for traditional styles mention often. Martial arts specifically should be for fighting and self-defense in a practical sense, and videos like this help give people the tools they need to make better choices in terms of what to practice.
Fun fact, when I did live in Nanjing, China, it was really hard to find a good martial arts school. Did trained Sanda but unfortunately the trainer didn’t continue. Went than to regular western boxing because other fight clubs just weren’t there. And thanks for brining it to the point, you explained it very well. Schönes we und Grüße aus nrw 👍🏻
I've trained Karate and Taekwondo for a few years each and I gotta say I really enjoyed the video. No rose-tinted glasses view on your past, honest and to the point.
I might be wrong, but as a practitioner of Shaolin Kung Fu myself, how I currently see the state of Shaolin Kung Fu is that its current priorities aren't really on the combat side of things, but more on the performing and physical performance side of things. Will it someday shift to a more combat sport? I don't know, but who knows what the future of Shaolin will bring? But like you already said, traditional martial arts can work; however, you need to practice it in real sparring for the traditional martial art to be effective.
This is one of those videos where it's worth watching 100% all the way through. You shouldn't apologize, this video is jam packed with great info and presented very clearly. Hope more people watch this, it's solid gold.
Thank you for sharing Sanda! It is a very good style that deserves more recognition and will definitely improve the reputation of Kung Fu as a effective fighting style
Agreed with the "is it good for fighting, yeeeeeaa?" I studied Northern Shao Lin for 6 years earning 4 silver medals in the Oceania Wu Shu competition for taulo and weaponry & when we competed in matches we basically trained Sanda/Sanshou/kickboxing. But the balance, footwork & coordination I got from practicing my many forms daily improved my sparring incredibly, not to mention the stamina. Great vid Ranton, really enjoy your informed unbiased honest views on Kung fu & martial arts. Keep up the great content 😊👍
Really excellent video, Anton. I think its important to recognize that while there may be some comment section warriors who decide to hate on the smallest nuances of your very thorough explanations, you are also providing the first point of education for many who may not have any knowledge and always considered kung fu to be either useless or a mystical unbeatable art. Though the extremes may be louder, dont forget the middle.
Another home run of a video from Ranton. I'm shocked this doesn't have millions of views already. You definitely inspire me one of my favorite content creators of all time.
Kung Fu ist Ballet and for Show. Chinesisch Kampfsport is Sanda 散打。 Kickbock + Grappling. Der Shaolin Tempel ist ausschließlich für Touristen. In dem Ort sind etliche Kung Fu Schulen, in denen Sanda trainiert wird, neben dem Ballet Kung Fu.
TH-cam is well endowed for having people like Ranton who bring something here from a place of experience; that no one else really has or does. They are like extractors of the things they've practiced from a place where others haven't had the privilege of going to, or would rather not themselves. These people come here and sweeten this place up like honey with the pollen of knowledge that they've attained. Meaning that eventually we get someone of his quality of work, art, study, and effort to finally deliver to us great collections of information like this. Thank you to Ranton and those alike!
I completely agree with you, having trained shaolin kung fu for 15+ years (not as hardcore as in the temple itself though) but also having experience in other martial arts like Jeet Kune Do which have a large emphasis on actual street fighting. When people ask me about this I always tend to say that Shaolin kung fu has martial art capabilities but is - at least to me - just a great workout that improved my speed, power and flexibility drastically over the years. If I were attacked on the street I would turn to JKD instead but my kicks would have power and speed because of my shaolin kung fu training. A+ video, I hope your message comes across as intended to other viewers.
@@shinigummiethe ashes of war are fantasy but Dane's Footwork is definitely inspired by Taekwondo. The Dryleaf Fist's palm strikes are a little impractical though, I wish they would've gave the Dryleaf Arts elbows and knees.
I enjoyed every second of your video, it's very insightful. And just by seeing the comments, nuance is still very much appreciated by a lot of people, which makes me happy.
I found you from the Destiny podcast. This is a very nuanced take. I trained in capoeira for 6-7 years as a teenager before completing in mma in my 20s. Is pure capoeira practical for fight? Absolutely not. Did the flexibility, balance, and leg dexterity help me pick up kickboxing? Yes. Was I able to hit seasoned fighters with unexpected kicks, trips, and takedowns after building a strong foundation? All the time.
This is why I like your videos. You speak with completel honesty. You're right if you want to learn how to fight, go to somebody WHO HAS A PROVEN TRACT RECORD. GREAT WORK THIS VIDEO IS
Thank you for making these videos. As an English only speaker, it can be hard to find good information about China without being able to read or write the native languages. It's nice to have all this insight from someone who can understand and bridge the gap not only of the language, but of the cultural significance of things like Shaolin.
Nice to see you over here Champ! Yes those guys are really amazing. Goes to show kung fu is not the name of a martial art at all, but a term meaning hard work and dedication. Skill achieved through life-long commitment. For those guys, that was knife throwing. And it shows in your videos!
Similar to how some higher belt ranked martial practitioners from another grappling discipline is able to understand a new grappling discipline like BJJ faster than person with zero martial arts experience; its largely due to their early training and conditioning. A lot of martial arts disciplines are have similar fundamentals and elements. It's difference is in it's approach and direction. While certain martial arts disciplines haven't properly evolved, they still have useful elements you can pick and combine with other disciplines to create an effective fighting style. Currently no particular one-style discipline has it all.
Yup, agree. I learnt Nan Quan in my high school years. My teacher, a veteran of who knows how many street fights (which he did in his youth for fun; that's the way of life in his hometown, no joke. He said teenagers posse'd up and beat each other on the street before the cops break them up out of BOREDOM), basically divided the training program into three parts: 1. 80% physical conditioning (stretching, push ups, stretching, sit ups, stretching, stances, stretching, stretching, and stretching). The purpose is to build our bodies, strengthen our stamina, improve cardio, build muscle and joint strength. 2. 15% taolu (or 'kata'), which, in his own words, has the sole purpose of measuring our level of physical conditioning and nothing more. The Nan Quan taolu that he taught us was physically demanding, stamina draining, and leg killing with low stances, etc. If we do our physical conditioning properly, we won't have that much trouble performing the moves (theoretically). He also said very bluntly to our faces that if we were to use the moves from the taolu in a real fight, we would most probably die in that fight; which brings us to... 3. only 5% sparring. Mostly because we didn't have a lot of resources (no protectors, no gloves, not even enough floor space). He kept fighting simple, only taught us how to throw 3 basic punches (jab, hook, backhand) properly, and warn us about over-sparring which, as he believes, might drill 'bad habits' into our muscle memory (things like holding back punches when aiming for soft spots like the face). Aside from lack of resources, my teacher's reason for putting such a heavy emphasis on physical conditioning is quite logical: physical conditioning improves your strength, speed, stamina, etc. A strong body can deliver stronger blows and also is better able to take a punch; so even a fighter who knows only three moves he can do extremely well and has a strong body is much deadlier in a fight that those who knows a lot of moves but lack physical constitution. And, of course, all those leg conditioning should allow us to run faster should things get too dicey. Now, can I fight? Who know. Yes? No? Never been in a fight. I trained for only one and a half year, only once a week (sadly) and stopped practicing shortly after graduating from high school. About a year after that, I got sick and had to get a stomach surgery that ruined my stomach muscles, hence ending my martial art journey and any potential to pick the art up ever again (at least the hard external style, which I prefer). All of the result of my training went down the drain, years passed, I recovered enough to be able to pick up a chair without feeling like I'm being stabbed in my stomach, I met a karate practitioner who trained in Okinawa and asked him to friendly spar me. I wanted his honest opinion on whether or not I could at least survive a mugging. It had been about six or seven years of absolutely no training or any kinds of physical exertion, really, up to that point and somehow I sparred him to a draw. So, yeah, I agree wholeheartedly with Ranton. When it comes to fighting, the real gem of Shaolin, or most of the other 'dancey dancey' martial art is often not the moves they practice, but rather the physical conditioning and exercises that they do that allow them to perform those complicated, highly choreographed moves. Also, thanks for the video and honest opinion, Ranton! You're a gem! Looking forward to the next one!
Since you're so well articulated on martial arts, I would love to see you review fights from movies and show, even if they're exaggerated. The Raid films look fantastic and I think Gojo Vs Miguel is os a joy to behold.
What, that's it's not actually shaolin, but chinese government's rebranded version during the 1980's rebranding era. They did this because the cultural revolution succeeded in killing hundreds of thousands(& fucking up hundreds of millions for generations to come) but failed to destroy most of "the three old's". This is one of they're longest running dissappearance/illusion acts, that the man(who is fighting to save the real traditional olds, even martial arts & medicine) Xu Xiodong after he exposed(& beat) a fake taiji practitioner/teacher, after the old duck sent his dopish thug students after him infront of his school(a giant, expensive looking complex, possibly funded by Chinese government and CCP money together) for questioning his training, and knowledge of old chinese arts.
@gandhichoron1365 TH-cam deleted my second comment, so here's the copy: & yeah, true, my mom isn't of shaolin, but I sure stretched your mom out real nice last weekend.
I did Sumo for a few months and forced myself into being able to do the splits and let me tell you it is very useful in BJJ. I've had people try things on me that don't work cause my flexibility. I can last longer in an ankle lock cause I work on making every part of my body as flexible as I can make it. You could say this time is better spent in BJJ training but BJJ training is intense and I can stretch for hours without risk of injury while watching TV with my kids.
I think you hit the nail in the head here, efficiency is the key. So the questions is, if someone trains 6 hours a day in mma vs someone who trains Chinese kungfu 6 hours a day, who will have the more power, speed, stamina, flexibility, coordination and control? If the answers is pretty much the same then yes Shaolin Kung Fu is effective. They just need to learn how to fight through sparring, since the groundwork is already there
I love your channel. And I really love your honest analysis of Shaolin Gung Fu. I've been training under a 34 generation showing Monk from Hunan China. Wu ShangWei. True, Shaolin rigorous training and conditioning is a great foundation for the combative arts. Shaolin Gung Fu , training skills essential to any combative art, limb conditioning, power, flexibility, balance, agility, speed, accuracy, proper movement. It's really hard to pressure test any of the techniques associated with dim mak/ Chin na, severing disconnecting joint, joint manipulation, from the pinky on the hand to elbow to shoulder to neck. Even in a friendly combative situation applying this techniques could yield serious injury so it's no testable unlike throwing jabs and kicks. Like I tell my students every life combat situation is not trying to replicate Xiao /Da Hong Quan, Baji Fist or Fanzi fist into real combat. Taking what useful, dropping what's not. Did theatrical part I tell my students to shy away from, it will get you killed in real street combat. But there is a lot of usefulness within The Shaolin Curriculum for sure.
@@RealRantonBrother, you ever thought that if two Kung Fu masters use their techniques their fight will look like how it's in old movies, like both doing movements respective of their styles
What even is "real fighting"? There are huge differences between combat sports, civilian self-defense and military ('martial') hand-to-hand combat. And then military hand-to-hand can be split into historical and modern. Kung fu is historical military hand-to-hand combat, and it should be understood in that context, plus the fact that centuries have passed since it was practiced in its original context and it has obviously changed its function since then. The 'real fighting' debate always seems to boil down to arbitrarily assinging one of the above categories as 'real fighting', and more often than not what people mean by 'real fighting' is actually 'combat sports', which is arguably the least close to 'real fighting' of the three main categories.
i guess people conflate what was taught in shaolin a thousand years ago and now. It has changed like all martial arts. Its like fencing; i fenced for a while but the goal is points while it used to be to win a fight to the death. Fencing in 2024 and fencing in 1600 is worlds apart.
As a person who practiced traditional martial arts for 15 years, and eventually moved to combat sports, I couldn't agree more with every single point of your video. And I say that with no intention of disrespecting traditional martial arts. They are beautiful, fascinating and full of worth, but they have their limits (like everything else) and they're often not honest about it. I do love your intellectual honesty when you talk about this topic. You are rare, man!
Out of Chinese martial arts, weapon practice is what draws me the most. It's what got me into martial arts as a whole. To this day, the rope dart is the single most thing I have done more than everything else. I originally learned of it through old shaolin videos here on YT. That was twelve years ago now. The whole of Shaolin Kung Fu is a very beautiful art to watch. Very inspiring. Great video and good job explaining all the nuances of the topic. Amituofo 🙏
Kung Fu for a streetfight: being physically fit, prepared to be hit and knowing the bare minimum of fighting already puts you on a higher level than most of the population. Kung Fu against any martial art but Aikido/Tai Chi: Good Luck!
It does kind of dépend on the style and school you went to, as well as the kind of student you are, i lost against an mma user badly (to be fair he also had 4 years of practice more than i did) but one of my friends who practiced with me did much better against him. Martial arts like any kind of sport or art dépends heavily on the artist and teacher. Also no matter the style or martial art you practice please do not start fights, you never know what will happen and deescalating is always better
Good video. Balanced analysis and you are talking from your direct experience and the work you put into it. You're not a sell out but I reckon everyone should always just train with each other instead of talking about each other. Doesn't mean you can't make an analysis from watching someone of course but pressure testing with contact is of course the way to feel things you cant see.
Ranton is unique, he is the only "legit" and "real" Shaolin monk who became a youtuber, with contents about his experience as a monk, about video games, martial arts, shaolin monks, some random stuffs, compete in BJJ and gives his great insights about these things. 👍
I have never seen this topic covered so comprehensively, and with almost complete lack of internal bias. Stays objective and explains well. As someone who has practiced a little of everything here and there, including some Shaolin forms at one point, I can agree with all the points made here.
I have never done any martial art, but this video is great. You cover a controversial topic that many people have their own conflicting opinions very well. I learn a valuable lesson today.
I believe it's possible to practice those "forbidden moves" during light sparring sessions as long as we do it with slight modifications in order to make it safe.
First timer, great video! I love your in depth take here, it's legit journalism and athletic analysis. Much appreciated as someone who had never asked either question but is always happy to absorb information that is as close to true as possible and thinks kung fu is pretty sick 🤣
I really liked this video! It was truthful and actually objective as far as you could do so! I myself have been a practicing martial artist for over 15 years and KNOW the crap you are talking about! I did Wu Shu for 3 and a half years and know the hard work that goes into that type training with the forms, stances and so on. I was tested constantly as whether or not my stuff was “real” or not. I came into the whole mma v. kung fu battle and seen for myself that wu shu was not completely sufficient against such arts as bjj, boxing, Muy Thai, and so on. I took it upon myself to cross train and learn other styles and systems and to this day have a mixed fighting methodology unique to me and my prior learning and expierence. I have since that time fought, sparred, and more with varying practitioners in different systems and styles. In my expierence I have learned that wu shu, shaolin kung fu, wing chun, boxing, bjj, etc. is and is not useful in real fighting. I have come against people such as karate, boxing, Japanese jiujitsu, bjj, wing chun, and so on who I go right through and others who I can do nothing against. Now this is the whole crux of this matter and is ultimately my opinion as this matter will never be fully settled, it is that it is not really the style or system or form that is “what works” or not. It is the FIGHTER themselves that matter! If you cannot use or apply your methods and ways in real combat it is not always the way you practice- it is you as the practitioner that is coming up short. I mean that you have not really learned nor realized what works in given multiple combat situations. Also as well I have learned that no one martial art system or technique is 100% able to be undefeated. They all have limitations and shortcomings that can be overcome and exploited by a fighter with expierence and sound tactics and strategy. A good example of this is the classic argument of how boxing or karate is not “good” for fighting. Anti boxing folk will say boxers only focus on standup, their hands, and one opponent and this can be beat with grappling and going to the ground. This is a correct thing but, however, does not mean that boxing is all around ineffective or inferior a fighting form- it is a limitation within that system. All systems and forms have such aspects within them. If you cross train or learn to adapt to these limitations you as a practitioner can be more of a better fighter. So, all this bs on whether or not a style or form is “real” or not is not whether the specific fighting methodology is overall untrustworthy or will get ya hurt- it is about finding the inevitable shortcomings in any given fighting way and to recognize them and adapt by seeing this and utilizing your system in a way where these negatives do not encumber you in way that will get ya hurt! Peace out. Spiral🌀😵💫
Thanks for your very fantastic content and welcome back to the world of Martial Arts (not gamers)!!! I very much LOVE your Shaolin skills. BTW: In fighting someone effectively, we have to have: 1. Good body conditioned to ensure our endurance against pain; 2. Body agility to mobilize our attacks (*at the right timing*) during the fight, in making sure that the opponent can hardly protect himself (Footwork training is very important); 3. Powerful launch of our attacks (*with the right timing*) to hit hard the opponent (body alignment with the correct movement is key); 4. Potential breath control to ensure we won't get exhausted and can stand over the long time fight. - All traditional martial arts excluding Shaolin can build 3 and 4, since they train hard on the basic postures and probably the breathing techniques; but they don't understand the elementary training for a real fight which additionally requires 1 and 2. Fortunately, Shaolin provides 1,2,3 and 4; but it will fail the real fight in the ring without testing each practitioner with the sparring partner frequently; as the right timing (#RightTiming) can only be developed by frequent sparring. - MuayThai is effective in a real fight, not just because the mentioned 4 elements are focused; but all MuayThai practitioners also have sparred with their partners each day of their trainings.
My dude, don't apologize - we LOVE the detailed nuance that is so unique to your perspective. Fantastic breakdown!! I especially liked the sidestep into dangerous techniques that you can't test... which raises the legitimate question, are they even worth learning? Or are you better off spending your time with things you can properly train and pressure test, even if they're less "effective"? 🤔
I think it totally can work, it just needs pressure testing to find what works and doesn't work. I think the problem is many people try to force it to work rather than adjusting to what works. Like many martial arts, the forms have become stylized and ritualistic over time. It was originally designed for combat but it's morphed over time.
I have deep respect for Shaolin practices and I was very surprised to see you speak on Sanda. I discovered Sanda maybe half a year ago I honestly think it's one of the most badass martial arts out there.
Haha What the fudge about the dog part! You are a Shaolin guy I like on TH-cam! Not because of the dog part. But I like the way you present the video. Cheers, bro!
My Sifu was a Kyokushinkai karate, Japanese jujitsu, Hapkido, Savate, Ninjitsu and Judo, guy before he started doing kung-fu. He said everything he learned in the other arts were already in the kung-fu but hidden of course. Even the ground fighting techniques are in the stretching sets. He loved all of the arts but loved kung-fu the most.
I love this video. I am on my second year of Kung-fu, and so far i can relate to pretty much every thing you said if i just question myself and my club a little bit. Although it is a different, less popular style of Kung-fu (i practice Pak-Mei), i can very well say that all the physical exercises definitly help you for combat capability. But as it is a martial art and not a pure combat sport, it doesn't focus solely on fighting. If you just want to know how to fight the most efficient way possible i wouldn't recommend. However, i will add that a few elder members of the club actually join fight competitions from time to time. They receive intense personnal training from my master beforehand and only with his approval at the end of the training do they go for competitions. It still shows that, with proper preparation, a martial artist can transition into a fearsome fighter.
YO! This is the new Main Channel with Daily Ranton Uploads! 🚀
What's your reason for changing main channels if you don't mind me asking
@@Ajaxlancer He made a video about it in the main channel.
@a-Stalk3r main channel as in the new main channel?
@@Ajaxlancer yes,"RealRanTwo"
@@a-Stalk3r thanks, and didn't realize you meant like literally just now lol, got it
Babe wake up. Monk man uploaded again
It's only been 13 months 😭
@@drex5160 you mean 395 day or a kabillion seconds?😢😢
MONK MAN
Monk man?😂
Dude has a name
🤣🤣
Me, a dude who trained in boxing and taekwondo for 6-7 years got my ass handed to me BAD in sparring by a dude that had done ballet 15 years and he picked up kickboxing, had been doing it a year.
Them kicks were no joke. No joke at all. I still have ptsd.
was he bigger than you?
@@changlongwang9898 Around the same weight but he was/is taller. But i also severely understimated him because all i knew that he "did ballet" and i've doing martial arts for most of my life due to my father. After the first kick into my thigh i got a serious reality check. Felt like i got kneechecked by a truck.
Great analogy. Dancing at that level is incredibly demanding. It's like what the video says about training that can translate to other disciplines. Dancers are underappreciated as athletes.
@@Torguish You should have heard Jean Claude Van Damme's advice about ballet, so you wouldnt get ptsd
Well, ballet legs are no joke, especially after 15 years.
How tf are you expecting me to focus on the rest of the video after the part with the dog dawg
Like fr, I've been jumpscared and now I'm traumatised.
True, I cringed for a good 1 minute. I felt secondhand sexually harassed 😂
It's stuck in my head now, can't undo it 😂😂😂
Yeah, that was nuts.
@@AionDario what minute is that i missed it
If you look very closely in the background 9:19 you can see me losing my ish 😂😂
Live sensei seth reaction
I imagine you were surprised that the guy who took that kick continued like it was nothing 😂 Just watching it kinda rang my bell
you’re like Where’s Waldo but for martial arts tournaments 😂
OH MY GOD......😱
SenseiSeth emoted with AINTNOWAY
I like watching Shaolin performances online. It doesn't matter if its about fighting or not. It's still a great personal achievement to do and motivating to try.
It's not shaolin boxing n, it's the rebranded version of the 1980's. They duped all us non asians and the asians alike, because china loves/is desperate for tourist money. Look at wugulun shaolin, actually watch function than some circus performance.
Kung Fu works though
@@SirPlusOfCamelot I'll ask Xu Xiaodong 😱
To me it's like watching a more entertaining form of gymnastics.
@@SirPlusOfCamelot It does to an extent.
Now to the real stuff, does Kama Sutra work for fighting?
0:36
Bjj tournaments are not about this?
My girlfriend says yes, but strangely enough, she does not want me to pressure test it with other people.
Ay yo
@@Miguel23887 mcdojo vibes... might want to leave her
My first martial art was Muay Thai and then Boxing, Aikido, Judo, Karate. My dream martial art was Wushu because I love HK kung fu cinema and I love choreographing fights. When I finally practiced Wushu, it enhanced my Muay Thai, Boxing skills.
I totally agree with everything you say here. It's so rare to see a nuanced take on the subject, it's always either "kung fu destroys any combat sport" or "kung fu is ridiculous". From now on, any time I see somebody with that kind of take I'll send them a link to this video. Thanks a lot!
@Gatlink42 Did you know about the failure of the cultural revolutions goal, the 1980's rebranding craze, or wugulun shaolin boxing?
Kung fu is just like any other martial art.. thing is, lack of pressure testing and sparring is ruining the name of Kung Fu.. but actual warrior monks do exist.. these monks actually spar for real life combat and not just for demonstrations or forms.. Yes, such shaolin monks and temples do exist.. even such Kung fu schools exist.. Look up Sachka Wenk, even he trains in proper shaolin Kung fu but his Kung fu isn’t all about forms.. he trains with warrior monks
@@blazingdragon9607 Yeah, but, no one likes that though, because after seeing some of those spars there is no clue about it being kung-fu. It looks like kickboxing at worst (jab jab, punch, kick to the face) or MMA at best ( punching and kicking but grappling also allowed). The thing that makes kung-fu pop out are the forms and the movements, it's the whole mystique and not necessarily bending spears with one's throat. Without simping for MMA it did/does sum things up to keep what's useful and discard the rest and there are only so many actually practical and useful ways to bring a foot to someone's face or to punch. Things like slaps and open palm strikes or wasting stamina by rolling around get (rightfully) thrown away.
@@CedricDur Lemme also tell u that it all started with TMAs like Kung Fu and Karate.. Kickboxing it what it is today because it is heavily inspired from karate.. Only a non Kung fu practioner would say that there's no Kung fu in the "spars" they do.. Not to mention protective gear restricts their movements too.. But even today, in many parts of China, actual Kung fu is being practiced, using actual traditional Kung Fu knowledge and not modern sanda.. what's more interesting is tournaments are held too and these ppl don't wear protective gear, allowing them freedom of movement.. Look up Kung fu tournaments from the 80s, they used to be lethal.. made even mma look silly.. Modernization is slowly killing the true essence of Kung Fu but ppl just wanna hate on the martial art without doing their research.. Media doesn't show u the true side of Kung Fu.. and even if u want to see it, u won't be able to
@@blazingdragon9607 You say that as if it was brag worthy. Being lethal is easy, it's not an accomplishment from kung-fu. Any 'martial art' can kill when it's all a matter of hitting hard enough on vital parts. When you say that all I hear is a disrespect for human life (to be fair a staple of china) without enough rules or protective gear.
You went off on a tangent there but my point is that having seen those spars we can hardly notice a difference between them and kickbox.
This is the most nuanced and fair portrayal and analysis of Shaolin Kung-fu that you could’ve made, brotherman. Also, please post more (on either channel). A video every 3 months doesn’t cut it.
Love the return to Kung fu content, more plz
Fr we need more
We just need him to upload anything i love every single one of his videos 😂
I once heard that even after he had won some of his wushu championships, Jet Li was dissatisfied with his training and went to seek out other masters in various styles of martial arts. It's fun to think about someone with Jet Li's level of skill and training getting into striking
what I appreciate about my kung fu school is that we do the traditional forms and weapons, the stuff Ranton says are good for performances and look cool, but we also do have Sanda in our curriculum, so we immediately see something more applicable to fighting. it creates a good blend of modern and traditional
Tradicional forms are good for self defense. Modern forms are dance.
Pressure test is a must for any fighter
I do traditional, our forms are kinda dull, not a lot of acrobatics and a lot of sparring and studies of fighting. Forms are a form of mind and body conditioning
Yeah Ranton goes to one of the clown shaolin for tourists and performance. There are many Shaolin schools that train fighters especially SanDa. There's even a couple fighters that go to Shaolin schools for a couple years in ONE.
@@Gongolongo well this is just incorrect. He trained at the ORIGINAL Shaolin Temple, and this is very easy to verify online lol. It's the same place Jet Li shot his debut film. The film which is the reason the Shaolin Temple is even still going today. Don't be talking bullshit.
@@Gongolongo Nice spread of misinformation
@Ethan-wr2os So, the 1980's rebranding wasn't a thing, interesting...
Well done 🙏
🙏🏻
I personally feel you never fail to articulate that these sorts of topics have nuance. It makes the video more interesting but some wont listen or understand that lol
Nice shiner! ❤ Also nice rashguard at 4:15 😎
OK, now for a smart comment. I agree with you 100%. It's easy to call a martial art fake, but people just look at a clip and decide something is useless, without considering other aspects. What you're capable of doing from your Shaolin training, 99% of humanity isn't capable of doing. It takes dedication, perseverance, skills, physicality and the right mindset. If you take that same mindset and physicality, and apply it to learning combat sports, of course you'll have an advantage.
Will Shaolin Kung Fu make you a better fighter on its own? From what I can tell, no. But will it give you the ground to become an excellent fighter, I think it can. Plus it teaches you cool flips and tricks 😎
0:36 an important message right there.
😂😂😂what the fuck was that ?
As a lifelong martial arts hobbyist and enthusiast, I'm so grateful for videos like this. Growing up when I did, there was this idea that stuff like "Shaolin" and everything Eastern were these exotic, unbeatable arts that could give you abilities beyond comprehension.
I really remember serious discussions that monks would be able to beat professional fighters and combat sport athletes, it was 100% a real way people thought. I really wish videos like this, from someone like you who's actually trained, lived, and experienced what you're talking about, were around back then. It was a time where mysticism and exoticism (but also misinformation) was able to live freely.
A lot of life practices like therapy, Yoga, calisthenics, etc can improve your life the same way that many that advocate for traditional styles mention often. Martial arts specifically should be for fighting and self-defense in a practical sense, and videos like this help give people the tools they need to make better choices in terms of what to practice.
1:13 shoutout Sofia
Livestream enjoyer spotted
What livestream had that?
@@USBEN. the stream titled "my wife hit me 😥" lol ...start at 5 min 4 sec mark
@@zuhbooka lol thankyou
Fun fact, when I did live in Nanjing, China, it was really hard to find a good martial arts school. Did trained Sanda but unfortunately the trainer didn’t continue. Went than to regular western boxing because other fight clubs just weren’t there.
And thanks for brining it to the point, you explained it very well.
Schönes we und Grüße aus nrw 👍🏻
I've trained Karate and Taekwondo for a few years each and I gotta say I really enjoyed the video. No rose-tinted glasses view on your past, honest and to the point.
Is karate or kung fu better
@@SirPlusOfCamelot I personally think karate is better.
@@kmmahmud7177 And why is that so?
@@SirPlusOfCamelot Because there is sparring plus people are very open minded.
@@kmmahmud7177 Since when could Kung Fu not have sparring? I am talking about the techniques and philosophies themselves.
I might be wrong, but as a practitioner of Shaolin Kung Fu myself, how I currently see the state of Shaolin Kung Fu is that its current priorities aren't really on the combat side of things, but more on the performing and physical performance side of things. Will it someday shift to a more combat sport? I don't know, but who knows what the future of Shaolin will bring? But like you already said, traditional martial arts can work; however, you need to practice it in real sparring for the traditional martial art to be effective.
I think for that you need a Shaolin School out of China because the government there will not allow it to flourish.
"Hey, put on this gear, beat on each other ... see what happens." Best thing I've heard today!
This is one of those videos where it's worth watching 100% all the way through. You shouldn't apologize, this video is jam packed with great info and presented very clearly. Hope more people watch this, it's solid gold.
Thank you for sharing Sanda! It is a very good style that deserves more recognition and will definitely improve the reputation of Kung Fu as a effective fighting style
Your videos are always nuanced Ranton, I always appreciate the way you clarify things and pont out caveats
Agreed with the "is it good for fighting, yeeeeeaa?" I studied Northern Shao Lin for 6 years earning 4 silver medals in the Oceania Wu Shu competition for taulo and weaponry & when we competed in matches we basically trained Sanda/Sanshou/kickboxing. But the balance, footwork & coordination I got from practicing my many forms daily improved my sparring incredibly, not to mention the stamina. Great vid Ranton, really enjoy your informed unbiased honest views on Kung fu & martial arts. Keep up the great content 😊👍
Great explanation! It’s hard to answer such a question so comprehensively!
Really excellent video, Anton. I think its important to recognize that while there may be some comment section warriors who decide to hate on the smallest nuances of your very thorough explanations, you are also providing the first point of education for many who may not have any knowledge and always considered kung fu to be either useless or a mystical unbeatable art. Though the extremes may be louder, dont forget the middle.
Appreciate it bro
Another home run of a video from Ranton. I'm shocked this doesn't have millions of views already. You definitely inspire me one of my favorite content creators of all time.
I can tell you put so much effort into this video, and we appreciate you, man.
du glaubst gar nicht wie toll solche videos von dir sind. Man könnte dir einfach stundenlang zuhören
I love that he still has this outro.
His set up evolved, his content evolved, his hairline evolved (backwards) but he still has this outro
This is the BEST video I EVER saw about this topic. You are awesome dude, thanks for this.
WTF did not expect 0:36 😂
it had me dying 😂😂
W shi heng yi
@@cokecan6169 He casts testicular torsion.
When a german says "Indianerehrenwort" he means business and is dead serious fr fr
When a man, with a lisp, says “Bismuth”, he means “Business”
😂😂😂@@Scissors69
Todesstrafe an die die es brechen
Ungelogen ,heißt das. Kung für ist Training für Körper und Geist,beste Vorraussetzungen für Kampftraining
Kung Fu ist Ballet and for Show. Chinesisch Kampfsport is Sanda 散打。 Kickbock + Grappling. Der Shaolin Tempel ist ausschließlich für Touristen. In dem Ort sind etliche Kung Fu Schulen, in denen Sanda trainiert wird, neben dem Ballet Kung Fu.
TH-cam is well endowed for having people like Ranton who bring something here from a place of experience; that no one else really has or does. They are like extractors of the things they've practiced from a place where others haven't had the privilege of going to, or would rather not themselves. These people come here and sweeten this place up like honey with the pollen of knowledge that they've attained. Meaning that eventually we get someone of his quality of work, art, study, and effort to finally deliver to us great collections of information like this. Thank you to Ranton and those alike!
Ranton got beaten up by his wife 😱
Lol
"sparring"
Jon Jones vibe right there😂
😂
I completely agree with you, having trained shaolin kung fu for 15+ years (not as hardcore as in the temple itself though) but also having experience in other martial arts like Jeet Kune Do which have a large emphasis on actual street fighting. When people ask me about this I always tend to say that Shaolin kung fu has martial art capabilities but is - at least to me - just a great workout that improved my speed, power and flexibility drastically over the years. If I were attacked on the street I would turn to JKD instead but my kicks would have power and speed because of my shaolin kung fu training. A+ video, I hope your message comes across as intended to other viewers.
Hey have you ever heard about something called the "reaction lag time"?
@@jagger_claw i have not
JKD is simplified Shaolin Kungfu though.
Bro is using the dryleaf hand to hand weapon from Elden Ring IRL
Do Dryleaf Arts Really Work For Fighting?
@@shinigummiedefinitely not against Mohg's bloodflame spear
Woooow how topical
Maybe elqden ring in shaolinning. I wonder what might have influenced
@@shinigummiethe ashes of war are fantasy but Dane's Footwork is definitely inspired by Taekwondo.
The Dryleaf Fist's palm strikes are a little impractical though, I wish they would've gave the Dryleaf Arts elbows and knees.
Could not have explained it more comprehensively, it shows a talent for the arts, and self realization. Great work homie
09:01 Thank you for featuring Sanda!
I enjoyed every second of your video, it's very insightful. And just by seeing the comments, nuance is still very much appreciated by a lot of people, which makes me happy.
I found you from the Destiny podcast. This is a very nuanced take. I trained in capoeira for 6-7 years as a teenager before completing in mma in my 20s. Is pure capoeira practical for fight? Absolutely not. Did the flexibility, balance, and leg dexterity help me pick up kickboxing? Yes. Was I able to hit seasoned fighters with unexpected kicks, trips, and takedowns after building a strong foundation? All the time.
But did your pure capoeira work on them, no.
This is why I like your videos. You speak with completel honesty. You're right if you want to learn how to fight, go to somebody WHO HAS A PROVEN TRACT RECORD. GREAT WORK THIS VIDEO IS
Rantoni got beaten by his wife for not making the borscht correctly, so sad 😭 🙏
Thank you for making these videos. As an English only speaker, it can be hard to find good information about China without being able to read or write the native languages. It's nice to have all this insight from someone who can understand and bridge the gap not only of the language, but of the cultural significance of things like Shaolin.
thanks for the video anton :-)
FANTASTIC video. Seriously. As a martial artist, I bow deep. It´s fair, says all that needs to be said and will be shared a lot. Thanks!
I was just in China and it was crazy to see how their Kung-Fu Masters where able to throw knife throwing in just few years on super high level!
Nice to see you over here Champ! Yes those guys are really amazing. Goes to show kung fu is not the name of a martial art at all, but a term meaning hard work and dedication. Skill achieved through life-long commitment.
For those guys, that was knife throwing. And it shows in your videos!
@@WhiteApeMAmuch love brother yeah it was really amazing to see
Man, I'm just here after seeing you getting that kill-or-be-killed switch on USDC. Didn't expect to see your channel full of gaming stuff, subscribed!
Similar to how some higher belt ranked martial practitioners from another grappling discipline is able to understand a new grappling discipline like BJJ faster than person with zero martial arts experience; its largely due to their early training and conditioning. A lot of martial arts disciplines are have similar fundamentals and elements. It's difference is in it's approach and direction. While certain martial arts disciplines haven't properly evolved, they still have useful elements you can pick and combine with other disciplines to create an effective fighting style. Currently no particular one-style discipline has it all.
0:28 a demonstration of the little known "Chair Style" Shaolin.
Yup, agree. I learnt Nan Quan in my high school years. My teacher, a veteran of who knows how many street fights (which he did in his youth for fun; that's the way of life in his hometown, no joke. He said teenagers posse'd up and beat each other on the street before the cops break them up out of BOREDOM), basically divided the training program into three parts:
1. 80% physical conditioning (stretching, push ups, stretching, sit ups, stretching, stances, stretching, stretching, and stretching). The purpose is to build our bodies, strengthen our stamina, improve cardio, build muscle and joint strength.
2. 15% taolu (or 'kata'), which, in his own words, has the sole purpose of measuring our level of physical conditioning and nothing more. The Nan Quan taolu that he taught us was physically demanding, stamina draining, and leg killing with low stances, etc. If we do our physical conditioning properly, we won't have that much trouble performing the moves (theoretically). He also said very bluntly to our faces that if we were to use the moves from the taolu in a real fight, we would most probably die in that fight; which brings us to...
3. only 5% sparring. Mostly because we didn't have a lot of resources (no protectors, no gloves, not even enough floor space). He kept fighting simple, only taught us how to throw 3 basic punches (jab, hook, backhand) properly, and warn us about over-sparring which, as he believes, might drill 'bad habits' into our muscle memory (things like holding back punches when aiming for soft spots like the face).
Aside from lack of resources, my teacher's reason for putting such a heavy emphasis on physical conditioning is quite logical: physical conditioning improves your strength, speed, stamina, etc. A strong body can deliver stronger blows and also is better able to take a punch; so even a fighter who knows only three moves he can do extremely well and has a strong body is much deadlier in a fight that those who knows a lot of moves but lack physical constitution. And, of course, all those leg conditioning should allow us to run faster should things get too dicey.
Now, can I fight? Who know. Yes? No? Never been in a fight. I trained for only one and a half year, only once a week (sadly) and stopped practicing shortly after graduating from high school. About a year after that, I got sick and had to get a stomach surgery that ruined my stomach muscles, hence ending my martial art journey and any potential to pick the art up ever again (at least the hard external style, which I prefer). All of the result of my training went down the drain, years passed, I recovered enough to be able to pick up a chair without feeling like I'm being stabbed in my stomach, I met a karate practitioner who trained in Okinawa and asked him to friendly spar me. I wanted his honest opinion on whether or not I could at least survive a mugging.
It had been about six or seven years of absolutely no training or any kinds of physical exertion, really, up to that point and somehow I sparred him to a draw.
So, yeah, I agree wholeheartedly with Ranton. When it comes to fighting, the real gem of Shaolin, or most of the other 'dancey dancey' martial art is often not the moves they practice, but rather the physical conditioning and exercises that they do that allow them to perform those complicated, highly choreographed moves.
Also, thanks for the video and honest opinion, Ranton! You're a gem! Looking forward to the next one!
Since you're so well articulated on martial arts, I would love to see you review fights from movies and show, even if they're exaggerated. The Raid films look fantastic and I think Gojo Vs Miguel is os a joy to behold.
This is so interesting
What, that's it's not actually shaolin, but chinese government's rebranded version during the 1980's rebranding era. They did this because the cultural revolution succeeded in killing hundreds of thousands(& fucking up hundreds of millions for generations to come) but failed to destroy most of "the three old's". This is one of they're longest running dissappearance/illusion acts, that the man(who is fighting to save the real traditional olds, even martial arts & medicine) Xu Xiodong after he exposed(& beat) a fake taiji practitioner/teacher, after the old duck sent his dopish thug students after him infront of his school(a giant, expensive looking complex, possibly funded by Chinese government and CCP money together) for questioning his training, and knowledge of old chinese arts.
@@gerrekurquidez3044your mom is not shaolin
@@gerrekurquidez3044 China #1
@gandhichoron1365 Yeah, true, she's not. But I sure stretched your mom out good last weekend.
@gandhichoron1365 TH-cam deleted my second comment, so here's the copy:
& yeah, true, my mom isn't of shaolin, but I sure stretched your mom out real nice last weekend.
An immediate subscriber here! Thank you so much for your efforts in this video!
@@mrkrodog24 check my other content before you subscribe brother 🥸
I did Sumo for a few months and forced myself into being able to do the splits and let me tell you it is very useful in BJJ. I've had people try things on me that don't work cause my flexibility. I can last longer in an ankle lock cause I work on making every part of my body as flexible as I can make it. You could say this time is better spent in BJJ training but BJJ training is intense and I can stretch for hours without risk of injury while watching TV with my kids.
Amazing! It was not too long. The nuance and balance was on point. Great job!
I think you hit the nail in the head here, efficiency is the key. So the questions is, if someone trains 6 hours a day in mma vs someone who trains Chinese kungfu 6 hours a day, who will have the more power, speed, stamina, flexibility, coordination and control? If the answers is pretty much the same then yes Shaolin Kung Fu is effective. They just need to learn how to fight through sparring, since the groundwork is already there
I love your channel. And I really love your honest analysis of Shaolin Gung Fu. I've been training under a 34 generation showing Monk from Hunan China. Wu ShangWei. True, Shaolin rigorous training and conditioning is a great foundation for the combative arts. Shaolin Gung Fu , training skills essential to any combative art, limb conditioning, power, flexibility, balance, agility, speed, accuracy, proper movement. It's really hard to pressure test any of the techniques associated with dim mak/ Chin na, severing disconnecting joint, joint manipulation, from the pinky on the hand to elbow to shoulder to neck. Even in a friendly combative situation applying this techniques could yield serious injury so it's no testable unlike throwing jabs and kicks. Like I tell my students every life combat situation is not trying to replicate Xiao /Da Hong Quan, Baji Fist or Fanzi fist into real combat. Taking what useful, dropping what's not. Did theatrical part I tell my students to shy away from, it will get you killed in real street combat. But there is a lot of usefulness within The Shaolin Curriculum for sure.
Black screen at 3:40 seems unintentional?
I feel like there was supposed to be a clip that it cut to there
Sorry. A clip didn't render 😅 just close your eyes and listen to my soothing voice 🌝
@@RealRantonBrother, you ever thought that if two Kung Fu masters use their techniques their fight will look like how it's in old movies, like both doing movements respective of their styles
love your signature humor and editing with a strong educational aspect. Amazing
What even is "real fighting"? There are huge differences between combat sports, civilian self-defense and military ('martial') hand-to-hand combat. And then military hand-to-hand can be split into historical and modern. Kung fu is historical military hand-to-hand combat, and it should be understood in that context, plus the fact that centuries have passed since it was practiced in its original context and it has obviously changed its function since then.
The 'real fighting' debate always seems to boil down to arbitrarily assinging one of the above categories as 'real fighting', and more often than not what people mean by 'real fighting' is actually 'combat sports', which is arguably the least close to 'real fighting' of the three main categories.
Best explanation I have ever heard, I am glad someone is honest.
i guess people conflate what was taught in shaolin a thousand years ago and now. It has changed like all martial arts. Its like fencing; i fenced for a while but the goal is points while it used to be to win a fight to the death. Fencing in 2024 and fencing in 1600 is worlds apart.
To me the tuber sounds sincere and what he sais seems very reasonable. Thumbs up for him.
6:05 Lol Ranton saying "Sumimasen" caught me off guard :D.
6:30 Dog- "That wasn't very Shaolin of you sir....continue"
That poor dog 😂
As a person who practiced traditional martial arts for 15 years, and eventually moved to combat sports, I couldn't agree more with every single point of your video. And I say that with no intention of disrespecting traditional martial arts. They are beautiful, fascinating and full of worth, but they have their limits (like everything else) and they're often not honest about it.
I do love your intellectual honesty when you talk about this topic. You are rare, man!
Appreciate that 🙏🏻
5:33 whats chinese tina?
Out of Chinese martial arts, weapon practice is what draws me the most. It's what got me into martial arts as a whole.
To this day, the rope dart is the single most thing I have done more than everything else. I originally learned of it through old shaolin videos here on YT. That was twelve years ago now.
The whole of Shaolin Kung Fu is a very beautiful art to watch. Very inspiring.
Great video and good job explaining all the nuances of the topic. Amituofo 🙏
Kung Fu for a streetfight: being physically fit, prepared to be hit and knowing the bare minimum of fighting already puts you on a higher level than most of the population.
Kung Fu against any martial art but Aikido/Tai Chi: Good Luck!
It does kind of dépend on the style and school you went to, as well as the kind of student you are, i lost against an mma user badly (to be fair he also had 4 years of practice more than i did) but one of my friends who practiced with me did much better against him. Martial arts like any kind of sport or art dépends heavily on the artist and teacher. Also no matter the style or martial art you practice please do not start fights, you never know what will happen and deescalating is always better
Good video. Balanced analysis and you are talking from your direct experience and the work you put into it. You're not a sell out but I reckon everyone should always just train with each other instead of talking about each other. Doesn't mean you can't make an analysis from watching someone of course but pressure testing with contact is of course the way to feel things you cant see.
Ranton is unique, he is the only "legit" and "real" Shaolin monk who became a youtuber, with contents about his experience
as a monk, about video games, martial arts, shaolin monks, some random stuffs, compete in BJJ and gives his great insights about these things. 👍
There are no real Shaolin monks. There were only 3 old ones at the temple in 1981 and they are long since dead.
So Shaolin Kung Fu is like the Esperanto of Martial Arts. Ok that was the nerdiest crap i ever said
This is not shaolin boxing, this is the 1980's rebranded bullshit. Check Wu Gulun shaolin, see something meant function, not performance.
I have never seen this topic covered so comprehensively, and with almost complete lack of internal bias. Stays objective and explains well. As someone who has practiced a little of everything here and there, including some Shaolin forms at one point, I can agree with all the points made here.
In terms of fighting, kung fu is like those who keep digging the foundation but never build anything on top of it.
Exactly.
Already built decades ago. Sanda.
I have never done any martial art, but this video is great. You cover a controversial topic that many people have their own conflicting opinions very well. I learn a valuable lesson today.
I believe it's possible to practice those "forbidden moves" during light sparring sessions as long as we do it with slight modifications in order to make it safe.
First timer, great video! I love your in depth take here, it's legit journalism and athletic analysis. Much appreciated as someone who had never asked either question but is always happy to absorb information that is as close to true as possible and thinks kung fu is pretty sick 🤣
I really liked this video! It was truthful and actually objective as far as you could do so! I myself have been a practicing martial artist for over 15 years and KNOW the crap you are talking about!
I did Wu Shu for 3 and a half years and know the hard work that goes into that type training with the forms, stances and so on. I was tested constantly as whether or not my stuff was “real” or not. I came into the whole mma v. kung fu battle and seen for myself that wu shu was not completely sufficient against such arts as bjj, boxing, Muy Thai, and so on. I took it upon myself to cross train and learn other styles and systems and to this day have a mixed fighting methodology unique to me and my prior learning and expierence.
I have since that time fought, sparred, and more with varying practitioners in different systems and styles. In my expierence I have learned that wu shu, shaolin kung fu, wing chun, boxing, bjj, etc. is and is not useful in real fighting. I have come against people such as karate, boxing, Japanese jiujitsu, bjj, wing chun, and so on who I go right through and others who I can do nothing against. Now this is the whole crux of this matter and is ultimately my opinion as this matter will never be fully settled, it is that it is not really the style or system or form that is “what works” or not. It is the FIGHTER themselves that matter! If you cannot use or apply your methods and ways in real combat it is not always the way you practice- it is you as the practitioner that is coming up short. I mean that you have not really learned nor realized what works in given multiple combat situations. Also as well I have learned that no one martial art system or technique is 100% able to be undefeated. They all have limitations and shortcomings that can be overcome and exploited by a fighter with expierence and sound tactics and strategy. A good example of this is the classic argument of how boxing or karate is not “good” for fighting. Anti boxing folk will say boxers only focus on standup, their hands, and one opponent and this can be beat with grappling and going to the ground. This is a correct thing but, however, does not mean that boxing is all around ineffective or inferior a fighting form- it is a limitation within that system. All systems and forms have such aspects within them. If you cross train or learn to adapt to these limitations you as a practitioner can be more of a better fighter. So, all this bs on whether or not a style or form is “real” or not is not whether the specific fighting methodology is overall untrustworthy or will get ya hurt- it is about finding the inevitable shortcomings in any given fighting way and to recognize them and adapt by seeing this and utilizing your system in a way where these negatives do not encumber you in way that will get ya hurt! Peace out. Spiral🌀😵💫
Thanks for your very fantastic content and welcome back to the world of Martial Arts (not gamers)!!!
I very much LOVE your Shaolin skills.
BTW:
In fighting someone effectively, we have to have:
1. Good body conditioned to ensure our endurance against pain;
2. Body agility to mobilize our attacks (*at the right timing*) during the fight, in making sure that the opponent can hardly protect himself (Footwork training is very important);
3. Powerful launch of our attacks (*with the right timing*) to hit hard the opponent (body alignment with the correct movement is key);
4. Potential breath control to ensure we won't get exhausted and can stand over the long time fight.
- All traditional martial arts excluding Shaolin can build 3 and 4, since they train hard on the basic postures and probably the breathing techniques; but they don't understand the elementary training for a real fight which additionally requires 1 and 2.
Fortunately, Shaolin provides 1,2,3 and 4; but it will fail the real fight in the ring without testing each practitioner with the sparring partner frequently; as the right timing (#RightTiming) can only be developed by frequent sparring.
- MuayThai is effective in a real fight, not just because the mentioned 4 elements are focused; but all MuayThai practitioners also have sparred with their partners each day of their trainings.
My dude, don't apologize - we LOVE the detailed nuance that is so unique to your perspective. Fantastic breakdown!! I especially liked the sidestep into dangerous techniques that you can't test... which raises the legitimate question, are they even worth learning? Or are you better off spending your time with things you can properly train and pressure test, even if they're less "effective"? 🤔
you're among my fvourite content creators. freu mich schon auf deine nexten videos.
Best channel about martial arts ever.
Thank you so much 🙏🏻
I think it totally can work, it just needs pressure testing to find what works and doesn't work. I think the problem is many people try to force it to work rather than adjusting to what works. Like many martial arts, the forms have become stylized and ritualistic over time. It was originally designed for combat but it's morphed over time.
I love his accent, great info- love to hear more on applications for situations in scenarios
When I turned on this video my first thought was Sanda amazing video.
Bro, finally, this is one of your fine analysis. Agree with you on this! 👍
Great job articulating your perspective and information through your experiences in Shaolin kung fu in this video, brother.
It has been MONTHS if not YEARS since TH-cam told me that you had a new video.
Hit notification 🔔 baby
That was the most sober view on kung fu I’ve ever seen. Well done.
Great video, basically sums up everything I learned of shaolin kung fu from your previous videos and other sources in 12 minutes
I have deep respect for Shaolin practices and I was very surprised to see you speak on Sanda. I discovered Sanda maybe half a year ago I honestly think it's one of the most badass martial arts out there.
Discovered you on ultimate self defence championship. Your performance in shankntank made me and instant fan
WE’RE GONNA MAKE IT OUT OF THE TEMPLE WITH THIS ONE!
Haha What the fudge about the dog part! You are a Shaolin guy I like on TH-cam! Not because of the dog part.
But I like the way you present the video. Cheers, bro!
My Sifu was a Kyokushinkai karate, Japanese jujitsu, Hapkido, Savate, Ninjitsu and Judo, guy before he started doing kung-fu. He said everything he learned in the other arts were already in the kung-fu but hidden of course. Even the ground fighting techniques are in the stretching sets. He loved all of the arts but loved kung-fu the most.
I love this video. I am on my second year of Kung-fu, and so far i can relate to pretty much every thing you said if i just question myself and my club a little bit. Although it is a different, less popular style of Kung-fu (i practice Pak-Mei), i can very well say that all the physical exercises definitly help you for combat capability. But as it is a martial art and not a pure combat sport, it doesn't focus solely on fighting. If you just want to know how to fight the most efficient way possible i wouldn't recommend.
However, i will add that a few elder members of the club actually join fight competitions from time to time. They receive intense personnal training from my master beforehand and only with his approval at the end of the training do they go for competitions. It still shows that, with proper preparation, a martial artist can transition into a fearsome fighter.