Is there any greater joy for an author and teacher?

Recently I also heard that someone considered the last two books to be particularly valuable because e.g. in "Essence", I also include the view of my late mentor, Prof. Dr. Horst Tiwald, when it contradicts my own.

Where are – or were – Horst Tiwald's views different from mine?

In simplified terms, I took what might be called the modern position of American experts, which with respect to military, police and also civilian close combat advocates instilling conditioned reflexes, "operant conditioning", training of automatic responses and blind aggression.

This is supported by current scientific findings, and I found it impressive and logical – it still makes a lot of sense now. This was not merely theoretical, parroted book-knowledge. Looking at myself, I found that all these factors were present in myself and my top students.

Horst Tiwald always tried to go one better with the psycho-training method of Chan-Buddhism, which entered into a marriage with Taoism and is demonstrably able to develop cold-bloodedness* and correct action.

Chan and Taoism are the mental attitudes that underlie our WingTsun. But in Hong Kong too, the prophet remains unheard in his own country, and its more intelligent WingTsun people prefer to place their trust in American "reality-based martial arts" authors rather than in their own heritage.

So most WingTsun followers rely on drills by instilling certain training movements as a habitual response or reflex. Because they do this by means of a ChiSao drill, they believe that this is the right approach and do not critically examine it further.

They are now able to fight unconsciously, without thinking.
I also still shared this view when I wrote "Fightlogic 3", the practical volume.

However, an animal can do this too …

Recently, on 10.6., a "TG" asked me the following question on Twitter:

"@GM_Kernpecht, isn’t the greatest human potential the ability to tap into our animal instincts?"

I answered with four tweets:

"No, it is using your mind in the proper way, so that it does not disturb but enhance your fighting. (1)
It would be terrible if the greatest human potential were to become an animal again! Don’t believe the so-called experts who are in fashion. (2)
You are right in a way: For persons who cannot think without phantasizing it is better to avoid thinking altogether (3), let them become conditioned fighting robots. (4)"

The old, genuine Chinese masters and probably also the best Japanese sword-fighters – who followed the Japanese variant of Chan, namely Zen – did not want to be guided by instinct and habit. They wanted to do everything consciously and with attentiveness, and shared Horst Tiwald's view that there can be no faster action. It is not for nothing that we use the term "presence of mind".

This means joining the flow in the present, immediately connecting with what is really happening, seeing or listening precisely, feeling with the entire body, right down to the soles of the feet.

Experiencing everything afresh, and not acting out of habit or pre-judgements stemming from the past or from fears of the ego.

To achieve this one must first combine with oneself (harmonious unity) and know oneself, and as a second stage learn to combine with the opponent and know the opponent.

This learning process can take a very long time.

And it may be that when one can do it, one no longer wants to fight or has to.

But should we be compelled to defend ourselves beforehand, the ability to tap into animal instincts, to revert to blind chain-punching aggression, might save our life and that of others.

In this respect this teaching stage, namely first to develop life-saving reflexes and automatic responses (as in my BlitzDefence programme with trigger-word), continues to be indispensable.

I too travelled this road for decades, like all masters before me.

However, we must always keep it in the back of our minds that this short-cut (just like power training, which is in reality unnecessary for WT (!)) is something of a blind alley.

But only a blind alley for those who wish to develop further. Further in WingTsun and further as a conscious individual.

The true goal is not only to be found beyond the application of strength and techniques, but also beyond conditioned reflexes and animal aggression.

With best regards,

Your SiFu/SiGung
Keith R. Kernspecht

PS: Could it be that in the end, Horst Tiwald was indeed able to make me alter my view?
PPS: I am using the word cold-bloodedness* intentionally, with no moral valuation.