Do secret techniques really exist?

Question

Do self-defense secrets(that most masters don't want to tell you) really exist?

Answer 1

yes.  i have learned one and am undefeated.  always will be too

Answer 2

oh yes Google Dim Mak

Answer 3

Yes and the proof they DO exist is all the MMA people who claim kata is only a tool for training.

As Pugpaws stated, the kata were developed as a way to hide the techniques. You can see the movement but you can't use it because you have not been given the interpretation.

Secrets are the unknown. If you don't know them, they're secrets!

I will teach you my kata, but it doesn't mean that I will teach you what they mean. They are a secret! :D

So YES! Secret Techniques DO Really Exist!

Answer 4

Hi there

There is a little bit of truth to this but not much. Its more to do with secret understanding rather than secret techniques.

You can show the same technique to two different people and both will see different things. So its really a case of where you are in your training as to what you can actually see.

Don't get me wrong the masters will only teach certain individuals the real deal based on their current level on understanding, their character and responsibility.

Its a shame the same doesn't apply to sports martial arts. Ive met quite a few idiots who shouldnt be shown how to tie their shoes laces never mind techniques.

Responsibility is something that's been lost in the modern era along with honour and respect.

Best wishes

idai

Answer 5

The big secret is that most karate,judo dont offer an adequate self defense on the street.I apologise to the ones that do.

Most techniques that are taught either break down or are forgotten in a tense situation.So simplify what you do so when the worst happens you react instinctively.I dont want to spam anyone but if anyone wants any further information just email [e-mail]

Answer 6

Yes.  Some people will even tell you "don't write this down" or "don't share this with everybody" if they are giving you some specific insight that has a secret or especially lethal interpretation.

And I'm with Pugpaws about interpretation.  I have tried telling some "secret" things to beginners and it goes right by them.  How are they going to know what pressure points to hit if they are too scared of being hit back or they can't even maintain good balance?

If you hang around long enough you'll more likely get it.  Now when people try to tell me they want to learn "secret" techniques without doing forms, I always find a way to be too busy to teach the person.

Answer 7

Yes !!!

I'd assume so as why would they want to tell you how to beat them,an example would be the cat taught the tiger how to fight and once the tiger challenged the cat ,the cat climbed a tree the only technique it didn't,reveal to the tiger :)***

Answer 8

I dont think they do. Imagine this you only have two arms and two legs which you can use to ounch kick or place people in a hold but in realistic terms the number of practical holds and kicks and punches are limited and you would have come across them sometime in your life intentionally or unintentionally.

Answer 9

I don't know, they are secret.  

Seriously, I think masters have developed techniques that work for them and encourage students to create techniques that will work for them.

I teach Krav Maga, and I expose students to lethality and weapons from day 1, as to how students implement this knowledge, it is up to them.  I also study both Combat SAMBO and Wu style Taiji, in Taiji I wanted to learn the Wu fast form, and sifu told me I wasn't ready.  I accept this as it takes a long time to turn out a Taiji martial artist.

I think every martial artist has pet techniques that they have created, unique to them and possibly lethal.  I have been doing Krav Maga for 36 years, in that time I have incorporated stuff from other arts and techniques that are unique to me.  I encourage my students to do the same.  

Creating is what it's all about in any art, painting or martial.

Answer 10

yes

Answer 11

Yes, of course it does.

Answer 12

Yes there sure are. That is why kata was created. It serves several purposes.

1) it acts as a catalog of techniques which can be taught generation to generation.

2) practicing the kata correctly helps to perfect proper form, timing, ...etc.

3) the movements are not what they appear to be. The real applications are not easily figured out by observation of the kata.

Understand that in ancient times paper was rare and expensive. Writing it down was not practical. Written material could be lost, stolen, or damaged.  Forms on the other hand can be practiced anywhere. Others watching will not be able to figure out the real applications.

Traditionally only a few of the older, more experienced students were ever shown the real applications. The other students would think that the moves in the kata were what they appeared to be.

Many people do not believe that there are hidden applications in the kata. That includes many high ranked masters. That is unfortunate for them, as they have only a shell of the complete martial art.  Besides if the kata were not of great value, the old masters would not have wasted time practicing them.  There are many stories of them being some of the most deadly men ever. So each person has to decide if they believe that secrets exist in the martial arts.  After 41 years of training I can say that they do. I can also say that 95% of those that claim or think that they know them are either fooling themselves or trying to fool others.

You mentioned that most masters don't want to teach you.  The truth is that most of the masters don't know them either.  I know many high ranked masters. These guys are 8th, 9th, and 10th degree black belts. Only one or two of them have a clue that there are techniques hidden in what they do.

**** For those of you that want to know more about this see my answer post in another question  

How do you interpret kata technique?

I explain two possibilities for common moves seen in many different styles****

Answer 13

If you people know about them, obviously they're not secret, so can you really and honestly say that they do, in fact, exist?

Do you really believe that, if they do exist, those who know them would run about telling everyone of their secret techniques?

Think about it.

Answer 14

Yes. Secret techniques do exist in the martial arts. Many of them get revealed to the public, but some remain secret. Other revealed techniques do not get performed properly so they only appear to be ineffective. I have read several accounts of skilled karate practitioners who have killed other fighters with a strike to the solar plexus. The death touch originated in China, then it was taught to some Okinawan karateka, who eventually passed it on to some Japanese karateka. I believe that I could be killed by a death touch strike. I would not volunteer to have the death touch performed on me.

Answer 15

that would be some bad mastering

Answer 16

Yes they do, but they cannot be taught until you reach a high level of expertise anyway - that is, it would be pointless teaching a novice or even a moderately skilled student because they would not have the ability to use it.

Answer 17

What most people think of 'secret techniques' are probably just 'very' advanced techniques/strikes directed at pressure point targets. These can allegedly do things such as paralyse or kill. Some of which has been proven scientifically, however without extreme power and precision attained over years and years of training, the average person won't be able to perform them and will be more likely to break their fingers or something trying.

Thus being the reason why they are only taught to the most experienced martial artist who will actually be able to master them. Hence 'secret' to all of us mere mortals who have day jobs.

Answer 18

No, nothing is secret because someone knows it.

Answer 19

NO!!! they dont exist, the only teqnique to tae kwon do is breath, practice with correction and driving ur power put, thats what sesai tells me

a good teacher always teaches u exaclty what they know, they cant hide it from u

Answer 20

Some old masters used to teach broken arts to their students. Particularly Asian masters that taught European or Westerners. There was some taboo about teaching The whole art to "round eyes". Much of that attitude is gone now however there are a lot of old masters from  my generation that never learned all of some of the old arts. Even an art as popular as Taekwndo has much more than is taught in the average school. It is not the masters fault, they were just not ever taught all of the techniques and applications. If you take more than one art of similar style you may discover the "hidden art" on your own or if you are fortunate enough to have a great Master who went out of his way to find the rest of the art. An example is  we teach two kicks as part of our basic Taekwando curriculum I have only seen at our school as part of a Taekwando curriculum.