Cool topic, never seen much on this topic before. Later I will look for a clip of one of Zhong Luo’s guys doing a BM dummy form. I remember watching it on youtube and thinking at the time that it was a really cool dummy form.
I have seen some other dummy forms from schools. I remeber seeing one that was awesome, and I think that dummy form called for the arms to be parallel? I can’t remember.
I do know that Wooden dummys are too expensive! :eek: Tree trunks don’t cost that much. Neither does labour.
We don’t have it in our line. But it does seem like a great training tool! Also I think i would get a lot of kung fu practice with my neighbours if i would install one in my flat!
Wooden man training, to me, is simply like working a bag. Its a tool. Try this, try that, see if you can make something work.
Also, its used for hardening the forearms and striking surfaces, and strengthening core muscles. Its a training tool that requires a higher level of mindfullness when using.
There are many kinds, and many placements of the arms/legs. Some on springs, some that slide up and down a wall, some that rotate.
I have not heard of a ‘form’ per se, but I can see how you could develop exercises that you repeat on the jong regularly.
Bak Mei and Lung Ying are no different than any other martial arts. Of course we use wooden dummy / telephone poles / concrete slabs, etc. How else do you condition the hammerfist? If you don’t want to break the bones in your hand / forearm, you’ve gotta condition them. But most traditional martial artists also use lineaments / massage, etc. to avoid the pains of old-age ("Remember now the days of thy youth, while the evil days commeth not…).
Same with phoenix eye fist - useless unless you spend countless hours conditioning!
Wongyim,
To answer the question, yes we do have a wooden dummy set in our Bak Mei.
It is a complete dummy training form with about if i remember correctly about 200 - 250 moves.
Yes it is a tool and a great one when training it. Perfect for conditioning, timing, exercising the ging and just being able to let loose.
Thanks for all your very interesting replies! great stuff here.
I do think the dummy is great tool whatever style you practice, useful for hardening arms as well as praticing striking, keeping the center while bridging…
Interesting to know that some lineages have a defined set, some more like an informal following of moves or exercices, or not at all.
Concerning hardening though, I learned that striking the dummy comes after some preliminary steps, like hitting one’s arms whith sticks then applying lineaments, as it has already been said.
I have to say that even without dummy, as Olaf said, this can make your neighbours quite upset!