Point-Counterpoint - Counter 1 - Counter 2 - Counter 3

This point-counterpoint analyzes Walu Gonka Kung Fu concepts and its Earth Punch, as presented on the Walu Gonka web site. From what I learned some Walu practitioners, this "master" and his teachings do not represent the true concepts and teachings of Walu.

First, watch the video clip on the web site at: http://www.walukungfu.com/video.html

Some counterpoints to consider while watching the video clip:

• The premise of the Earth Punch is that you punch in much the same manner as a gorilla punches; never tensing you body, even at impact. While watching the punching in the video, notice that the puncher is relaxed before the punch (as all good punchers should be), but is he relaxed at impact? Since the fist and arm, and entire body for that matter, is composed of many small bones (many of which are not directly connected at the joints, such as the elbow joint, which, unlike shoulder, is not directed connected by use of a ball and socket joint), is it possible for the body to not be tensed at impact and still impart damage to the target? If the muscles are not tensed at impact, how is enough energy transferred from the attacker's body into the opponent's body to do damage, and how are the small bones of the hand protected from injury?

• In 1970, at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, IL, there was an old gorilla in a large cage at the end of line of cages. The cage was lined with Plexiglas. The gorilla would sit patiently until a crowd gather and got close to the cage (since the Plexiglas offered them protection). When the crowd got close, the gorilla would suddenly punch the Plexiglas with a loud boom, shaking the room. The crowd would scream, children would cry, and adults would be startled and some would run away. Was the boom and shaking due to some special punching technique used by the gorilla—no!  When you are an adult, muscular, super-strong, 500 pound gorilla, you hit hard. Mike Tyson does not need an Earth Punch or any other secret, special punch to knock your head off; he just uses raw power.

• Why all the phone books? When demonstrating the effectiveness of the Second Chance protective vest, the creator of the vest used to don the vest and then shoot himself in the abdomen with a 44 magnum revolver. An protective vest will stop a bullet, but the force that the vest absorbs from the bullet must go somewhere, so it is transferred into the wearer's body. Therefore, the creator of the vest placed one phone book on his abdomen behind the point on the vest that he shot into to prevent bruising from the force of the bullet (the demonstration I witnessed was in Norfolk, VA, not Los Angeles, CA, so the phone book was relatively thin). Apparently one phone book protects against a 44 magnum, but it takes five phone books to protect against a Earth Punch. I have held a foam body shield against myself as a target as my instructor performed a jump spinning side thrust kick into it. I felt a jolt as if being hit by a train and was knocked backward (even while standing in a deep, low front stance), but the pad did its job, no need for phone books. So why does Mr. Lannom need to use five phone books for one of his punches? Could it be showmanship?

• After standing under hot studio lights being filmed for a video CD while holding a phone book tightly against his abdomen, the assistant's abdomen was warm after the books were removed. Duh! I held a phone book against my abdomen while writing this, and guess what, my abdomen got warm under the book.

• Staying loose and relaxed, pushing from the legs, rotating the body into a punch, and using a snapping motion punch are nothing new. Most of the martial arts, including boxing, use these same methods.

• The assistant's head is jolted by the punches. Duh! I am not surprised his head was jolted; I would be surprised it was not jolted, especially sine the assistant is standing stiffly erect. Since the head is a heavy, freely moving, unsupported extremity (the lower extremities (legs) are supported by the floor and the arms are braced by the phone books), it would jolt even if the assistant was punched by a wimp.

• Notice the stance of the assistant. The puncher speaks of staying relaxed, low, and in a wide stance for power, and yet he has the assistant stand stiffly erect with his feet side-by-side. Why? Could it be to make it is easier to jolt the assistant with a punch? Watch demonstration of other art martial arts. When they perform board breaks, the holders are in low, wide stances so the force of the breaking strike is concentrated on the boards. However, when they are demonstrating their mysterious super power (such as Bruce Lee's one-inch break), the assistant stands stiffly erect so he or she is easily knocked backward.

• There are 10 levels of force in the Earth Punch. What not 9 or 8 or 7? From a light tap to the most powerful punch you can throw, there are an infinite number of levels of force that may be used. No need to name each one.

• The assistant claims to be a 30-year practitioner of Taekwondo—What happened to him, has he forsaken all logic and reason?

• In conclusion, lets analyze the Earth Punch. First you stand in a low stance (good), you relax (good), then you shake your arms and grunt similar to a gorilla (silly), and then you swing your arm backward before you punch (stupid, since only an idiot would wait for the cocked punch; anyone else would fire a jab into the punchers face and a reverse punch into his gut before the "bone-crushing" Earth Punch fires). A punch must fire from where the hand is, with no preparation, cocking, or warning.

The Walu Gonka Kung Fu web site at: http://www.walukungfu.com/walu_gonka.htm, explains how Walu Gonka Kung Fu is different from other martial arts:

• Its emphasis the mind of the warrior. Sure, no other martial arts emphasize their mental aspects over their physical aspects. As I tell Taekwondo students who are testing for rank, if they fail, it will not be because of some physical limitation, it will be because they let their concentration slip.

• Its emphasis on the minds ability to train the body to remain in a relaxed, fluid-like state in combat. Ever heard this from your martial art instructor? Probably! The mind does not train the body, it give the body instructions. If the body repeats the same thing enough times, the movements become ingrained in the body (muscle memory). even without the use of Walu Gonka. Fighters who move around fluidly at a distance, as a gorilla does, are hard to hit—that is, if you try to hit them. If the situation is indeed—combat, then the fighter must try to attack you at some point. When the fighter moves in, you strike. With this type of fighter, you just wait patiently for your opportunity, conserving your energy, while the opponent burns his energy with wild, useless movements. You are only at a disadvantage if you rush in with attacks.

• Its 44 energy mastery movements that totally reprograms your brains’ neurological energy pathways to allow for uninhibited, maximum energy projection. So that is is why Taekwondo techniques are so weak, we only have 43 mastery movements.

• Walu Gonka in not technique based; everything Walu Gonka teaches can be subsumed under 10 overarching, energy mastery principles. Our goal is not to see how many techniques we can learn, but to study and perfect the principles of energy mastery that form a unified comprehensive system of combat. This is not new, plus the wording is more mumbo-jumbo since, once a mastery principle is used, it becomes a technique. Many martial arts teach principles rather than specific techniques. The Koga Method of police tactics only uses one technique that is applied from every conceivable angle and under all types of circumstances. Principle based fighting systems are useful, but you must spar a lot since you must experience using the principles in every type of situation so you will be ready when a particular situation arises. Technique based fighting systems are also useful, but you must learn a lot of techniques so you will have one ready for every type of situation.

• Its emphasis on creating fajing i.e. shock force power vs. push force power. You don’t feel Walu energy on the surface of your body; you feel the energy go through your body in a shock wave. Nothing new here! Most martial arts use snapping shock force power. Push force power is only used in martial arts that deemphasize strikes and use deflection, such as Aikido, or in arts that use gloves where a punch must push through the padding before it does any damage.

• Its emphasis on vital-point attacks i.e. Tien Hsueh the death touch. Here we go again with the death touch. I would not want to be an assistant in a class when this is taught. How do you practice the death touch, and, if you do not practice using the death touch, how do you know it will actually work when you need it. There is nothing new in attacking vital areas, in fact, it is a waste of energy to attack non-vital area.

• Its bone density development. We also have our special herb formulas for bone density training. All types of impact training increase bone density; see Wolf's Law about how this works. You do not need any special equipment, special training, or special herbs. Walu Gonka probably also has a herb that will grow hair and make breasts larger.

• Its Dog Boxing curriculum. This is an advanced ground fighting system which includes grappling and Chin-na joint manipulation. The special gripping development exercises in this section turn the ligaments and muscles in your hand power into bone-crushing, steel bear traps. UFC fighters have got to order this CD set; they could make a fortune in the ring using these revolutionary techniques. Actually, I wonder why they are not already using them?

• Its comprehensive self-defense system. This is a vicious takeout self-defense combat system. Walu is not a sport. Yet another "not a sport" martial art. If you were on an airplane and five terrorist with box cutters were killing people in front of you, you would thank God that you were flying with a Walu master who was trained to take out the bad guys in seconds. I guess we are all screwed then, since there are so few Walu masters in the world! So far the odds of terrorists taking over aircrafts using only held held weapons have been 4 in millions of flights. Therefore, the odds of it happening again are slim, and since the odds of there being a Walu master on the flight when it does happen are even slimmer, I do not think Walu will be of much assistance.

• Its emphasis on Hsun Kwan, imperceptible speed development. The Walu Gonka student trains to throw 5 vital-point strikes in one second through non-telegraphic, blinding speed. If this really works, why does not a professional boxer use it to become world champion. Anyone care to guess how long a Walu Gonka student using five strikes in one second would last in the ring. Oh! I forgot, since this is not a sport, you will not ever see a Walu Gonka student in the ring. Anyone care to guess how long a Walu Gonka student using five strikes in one second would last in the street. Does "about one second" sound right?

• Its code of ethics. It imparts a belief in the exalted worth and dignity of every human being. Wow! This is new. I have never heard of this in a martial art before.

• Its relentless pursuit to express Walu through the life philosophy of truth in all things, wisdom in all things, and excellence in all things. In 2006 we wish to make the art better than what it is at this time in its development. It is truly a thinking mans art. This unique combat art of Walu Gonka is not for the intellectually dull but for those special minds that have a deep desire to grow, to be mentally stretched, and to be challenged like never before in the highly specialized science of lethal energy mastery. Now we get into the metaphysical BS. Fighting is not rocket science folks, children learn to fight on their own without the assistance of a "master" who imparts the secrets of the universe. All a "master" can teach you is how to perform the martial art he or she has founded.

Is the Earth Punch something new and exciting or is it simply a repackaging of the same old thing?  As I always say, "If it really worked, professional fighters would use it and win all their matches!" Woops! I forgot, the Earth Punch another one of those "too deadly for the ring" techniques.