Is Wushu Effective For the Streets? Killer Instincts and Fighting Spirit

To understand the core of martial arts is to remember the creation of this earth when God created all that is in existence today. Every living creature- be it human, animal, or insect- were all created with the instinct to protect and defend. For example, when the praying mantis is being attacked by another insect, the praying mantis fights for its life. After surviving an encounter, the praying mantis learns to depend on its defensive maneuvers.

In martial arts, these survival instincts are brought into play to develop combative techniques to survive a deadly encounter. Over the decades, many systems have become popular for its combatives; such as JKD, BJJ, Akido and many others.

One system that is becoming more and more popular for its combat effectiveness is wushu.

Wushu originally was looked upon as a performing art with beautiful kata, weapons and fighting sets. One individual that has taken wushu beyond the performing side is Willie “THE BAM” Johnson. Johnson is a Maryland based wushu instructor with an extensive background in practical wushu techniques. He is America’s first male wushu triple crown champion and graduate of the Beijing Institute of Physical Fitness of China in 1985.

For the last four years, Johnson has been teaching and promoting his wushu combat skills through professional law enforcement agencies. His wushu combat skill comes from 23 years of martial arts training and numerous deadly encounters in the streets.

His techniques are taken from Kong Duk Kwon, Wing Chun, Judo Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, Street Fighting, Guji Bu, Wushu, Chin Na, boxing, and jail house combat. The techniques are simple but deadly- based on the principle of flowing in harmony with the universe. For example, if one takes you down with a hip throw you go in the open direction of the technique to make the opponent feel less in control and at his weakest point you strike out. This object of pushing when pulled and pulling when pushed.

Johnson has survived many street encounters with and without weapons with his physical and mental combat skills. In the streets, the attacker’s only goal is to set and destroy. We must be aware of this.

Johnson said “Effective techniques are important, but construction awareness of your surroundings is the first step. This day and age we are like soldiers in a war, so it’s important that we walk our post in a perfect manner always being alert. If you can’t prevent the encounter, then it’s time to have the courage and confidence to come out on top.”

Techniques are important, but inner spirit is what brings the technique alive. This is important in practice because the way you practice is the way you respond. “What I teach is effective because in my teen years I was the attacker and now I am on the other side as the defender. My wisdom gained through these experiences gives me the attackers mindset, attitude, and techniques.” – Johnson

This is what Willie “THE BAM” Johnson has brought to the wushu system, and as long as he lives by the 12 principles of his combat wushu system help book of honesty, open mindedness, willingness, patience, consistency, righteousness, unity, charity, sobriety, courage, self-denial and love he will continue to improve his martial way by controlling to prove that it is one of the most effective combat arts around today.

Many people on the streets focus on the kill or be killed mindset. They idolize violent people as role models, such as the characters from Scar Face and Rambo. “You see I was one of those kids and thanks to God for my understanding I can teach others these principles to help them survive and become a good person with strong morals. The “killer instinct” can be used to hurt others for unjust reasons or to save our own life. The survival instinct is triggered when under great stress and allows someone untrained in fighting to save their own life in whatever way necessary. Everyone has this instinct of survival, but personal experiences have a lot more to do with the display of the killer instinct.” – Johnson

We are all born with animalistic instincts, and if it wasn’t for God, we would be nothing more than animals.

I know that many people may find this hard to believe but it’s true, there are many people out there that find joy in killing. Many have no control over what is referred to as the killer instinct… But what is the “killer instinct?”

God created all human beings to have control over their lives. It is imperative to remember this. If not, they will use the killer instinct for wrong-doings.

You may say what is the killer instinct? What are they talking about?

It is an attitude and feeling of determination and confidence. A mindset that continuously feeds the words of never giving up, never give up. When being hit hard, you hit back harder. When being beat down, you stand back up.

Self defense, Defensive tactics, Wushu

Black Belt Magazine