Although Plum, almost exclusively, represents books and videos on traditional Chinese martial arts, there are times when we bow or nod to important works from among our cousins; in this case, it is GM James Mitose’s classic treatise on Self-Defense techniques and theory, What Is Self Defense, that strongly influenced the development of Kenpo (often […]
Sep
4
2023
4
2023
Sep
15
2022
15
2022
Newest Excitements
Well, we won’t be able to use our “Summer of Stars” cliche much longer, so we have a mixed bag of new titles today. There is still a short but powerful stack of books yet to catalogue, so keep a close watch for those. Today’s batch mostly centers around Tai Chi, with a nod to […]
Mar
29
2019
29
2019
Two Passings
Back in February, the martial world lost two of its pillars. Vince Black died on February 26 at the age of 68. A practitioner of Chinese martial arts as well as Chinese medicine, Sifu Black had a lifelong relation with his studies, students and teachers. Among other well known instructors he studied with Li Zi […]
Dec
16
2016
16
2016
The Bible of Karate
What is the Bubishi? It is many things, but it’s most common attribution is “the Bible of Karate.” Why should Chinese stylists take an interest in a book that is fundamental to an Okinawan art? Because a closer look at this remarkable text opens up a widely different estimation, one that is both more expansive, […]
Aug
5
2016
5
2016
ON ED PARKER AND KENPO
There are now a number of videos on the market showing the teaching of Grandmaster Edmund Parker. These are no doubt historic documentaries and show Parker at his best: making jokes, expounding key points, developing analogies that force practitioners to re-think basic concepts. But we’d like to address the issues surrounding the man, not the […]
May
16
2016
16
2016
Snap of a Sleeve: Training for Martial Speed
When he was covering sports and at the top of his form, Hemingway wrote about things like the squeak of the boxer’s shoes as they rotated on the canvas. Just a poignant little detail like something Roger Angell might use in a baseball piece. The martial arts is loaded with such details. Some are so […]
Nov
7
2015
7
2015
Deep Practices
Learning Kung Fu can be a unique experience or, if you are not paying attention, it can be just another subject with the same tired educational template thrown over it. By a “unique experience” I do not mean the kind advertised on vacation posters. I mean an experience that shoots through your veins and hovers […]
Dec
8
2013
8
2013
Kung Fu in the Next Century
The problem with Shaolin is not that it will disappear but that the name will become so common as to signify nothing.
May
7
2012
7
2012
PLUM Seminar, May 12th
We know that a lot of you are not exactly in driving distance but we thought we would keep you informed on our seminars in Santa Cruz, anyway. After all, you are family.
Apr
1
2012
1
2012
The Southern Art of Ten•Wood•Rice
Southern Kung Fu styles turn, dodge and side step quickly with “rat steps.” At the same time hands flop out and haul in forming themselves into a menagerie of claws, paws, wings and edges.
Jan
21
2012
21
2012
A Black Belt Story
I start teaching the next class but I’m really bothered; on the one hand, Dan might just be claiming what never happened; on the other hand, I guess I could have forgotten I attended a ceremony, or something like that.
Aug
2
2011
2
2011
The Corner Man
We all need a corner man now and then…
Jan
29
2011
29
2011
Practice: A Suggestion
Practice. How do you do it? Year in and year out. It’s a task and a pleasure and a promise that, though broken now and then, still endures the years and the tears. Even though friends and lovers come and go there is that stubborn loyalty to something without a name (isn’t the greatest loyalty […]
Dec
7
2010
7
2010
My Upward Blog
He also had the distinction of being the only person I had ever seen actually use the upward block…
May
22
2010
22
2010
Sifu Staff
The saying goes that the spear is the king of the weapons and the straight sword is the queen. Then what is the staff?
Jul
16
2007
16
2007
Springy Training
This is nothing new to Kung Fu in general but, when you are struggling through a foundational form like this, you don’t know that. You just think it’s torturous.
