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PHILOSOPHY 2 |
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From this, VOVINAM tactics and techniques were developed and based on the following basics: “When an enemy attacks, VOVINAM disciples avoid using strong power for counter-offense. For if they do, two strong forces hit together. Thus, creating a strong collision in which the side that is weaker will be the one hurt. In this case, VOVINAM disciples try to avoid the attack by using quick movements. By doing this, the enemy’s power will spread in the void. At that time, VOVINAM disciples should know how to use the power and direction of he movement of the enemy in order to pull the enemy off balance and then counter-attack. VOVINAM’S moving style is soft and attack is hard. Therefore VOVINAM techniques alter continuously – defense as a majestic dragon hiding in a cloud and attack as a brave tiger running out from the jungle. By many special characters, VOVINAM is tallied with every body; male or female of any age. In fighting, strength is not quite the main factor for victory. Actually, victory is accomplished by quickness, accuracy and remaining cool in the face of danger. Remember that if you have a body, which is as hard as iron, your eyes and your lower part of your abdomen are not hard enough to withstand a kid’s attack by a little finger or a light kick. Beside the techniques of fist (to punch and grab), foot (to kick), palm (to chop), finger (to point or throttle), elbow (to jab), knee (to knee or nip), head (to butt) etc… VOVINAM also has techniques of wrestling such as: throwing, whipping, pulling or pushing down, barring or tripping and grappling. These techniques will enable VOVINAM followers to have the capability to cope with difficulties in any situation. Before a competitor (opponent or enemy) who uses pure hard or pure soft techniques, VOVINAM disciples always have an inflexible courage. In addition to the above techniques, VOVINAM has a special scientific way of falling, which is different from JUDO. JUDO school followers’ practice falling on a mat that is soft and the body is soft too. Therefore, the falling will be light and soft by the hit of two pure soft things. The VOVINAM school applies hard-soft combination in the way of falling. VOVINAM disciples have to learn how to fall on a hard floor while the body is soft. Therefore, combining two forces with the opposite directions (or soft and hard) without sustaining injuries. VOVINAM disciples should know how to translate a vertical reaction into a horizontal one. This means to roll the body immediately following the falling direction or to slide and slip the soft body on the hard floor to eliminate the vertical reaction. Why does the VOVINAM school request his disciples to practice falling on the floor? They request of it because of the reality in life. Such as an unexpected conflict that does not allow them to choose a convenient fighting place that they would like to have. In other words, fighting could occur at any time and anywhere. If a disciple always practices Kung Fu on a mat, he will be afraid of fighting on a stone road or on a hard floor where he cannot maneuver any quicker than he did on the mat. Hence, the efficiency of their Kung Fu background will decrease and it will be difficult to have victory. On the contrary, VOVINAM disciples have to learn how to fall on a hard floor with a flexible movement before they are allowed to practice fundamental steps of self-defense. Once this is accomplished, they start to learn the attack tactics. Therefore, VOVINAM disciples easily avoid a strong attack of any kind from an opponent. In certain instances, VOVINAM disciples have to roll down to and on a hard floor where they may start to attack their enemy. This is another example of employing the application of hard-soft combination defense. The theory of hard-soft combination is also used for the moral of life of VOVINAM disciples who always live with a high mind, a will as strong as a hero and with greatness of soul as a philanthropist. “A steel hand with a gentle heart,” is a VOVINAM proverb that clearly explains the hard-soft theory (iron to gentle as hard is to soft) and describes the sublimely the bravery and humanity of a very able person who is the VOVINAM disciple. |
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