I had the honor of getting some time in with Grandmaster Carl Totton a few months back. Recently inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame, he has been actively studying the arts with the Who’s Who of the craft for over 50 years. I personally have studied Kung Fu with him for over a decade now and was excited to get an opportunity to get some of his wisdom on film. He’s got a great way of kicking down wisdom and telling it like it is, and for anyone out there who may enjoy seeing me get my a%s kicked, well, this is your chance. Ouch.
Kung Fu is an ancient Chinese martial art that has a number of schools of thought, many of which have competed for superiority over the years. Grandmaster Totton teaches Shaolin Kung Fu, Taoist Kung Fu, and Mok Ga (monk fist) along with Chuan Fa (Kenpo), Limalama, Tai Chi, Ba Gua, and Hsing Yi. Yeah- this guy has devoted his life to the arts and he’s no joke. What I like about him the most is that he also holds a double doctorate in Psychology and Education so he’s no dummy either. Funny, articulate, and stunningly fast, he’s fun to watch and great to learn from.
So what is the essence of the martial arts? Facing our own shortcomings may be one interpretation. Watch the video and let me know what you think based on what he says…
