by Glenn Wilson

For those unfortunate people who choose to stand toe to toe with a "white dragon", the confrontation will be decided at the hands and feet of the Pai lum practitioner instructed in the utilization of brutal takedowns.

If a student is a product of his teacher, then a master's art is truly a reflection of his life. Grandmaster Daniel Kane Pai devoted his life to not only mastering the art of Pai lum (frequently referred to as the white dragon system), but proving and educating the martial arts community in its effectiveness.

Pai lum is an art renowned for its well-rounded arsenal with one of its most effective attributes being its brutal takedowns. During his heyday many practitioners found themselves at grandmaster Pai's mercy when the powerful Hawaiian rendered his opponent helpless with the execution of these brutal takedowns.

Fortunate few

These takedowns were reflected throughout his teachings and instilled in the many who chose to train in his system of martial arts. Those fortunate enough to be at the receiving end of grandmaster's flawless takedowns not only understood the rigors of being called "white dragons", but soon found of which legends are made. Only after many hours of intense training were the dragons allowed to lick their wounds and one day come to the realization of what the master was trying to teach, an art that "must work, not play".

Dr. Pai made sure that all aspects of the Pai lum system were going to work when the time came for the practitioner to call upon the skill. He often said, "If it doesn't work, its no damn good, and it isn't Pai lum." This statement does not only pertain to Pai lum's brutal takedowns, but to every aspect taught within this system.

The white dragon system is truly a product of a lifelong devotion and a love of martial arts. Dr. Pai gives credit for his art's effectiveness and applicability to his early judo and kempo training in Hawaii, as well as the vast arsenal of shuai chiao and chin na found in the various family styles within the white dragon system.

Judo gives the practitioner a strong foundation in grappling and throwing techniques, while kempo contributes rapid-fire, no-nonsense streetfighting techniques. Shuai chiao, being the mother of all grappling arts, aids the practitioner in more fine-tuned trapping and jointlock techniques developed on the principle that throwing an opponent to the ground proved to be a quick and effective way to end a confrontation.

These techniques are complemented by a pinpoint nerve manipulating system know as chin na, an art that concentrates on the more than 200 pressure points found throughout the body.

Pai lum philosophy

the merging of these various styles proved to mesh well with the Pai lum philosophy of utilizing powerful punches and kicks to immobilize an attacker and gain complete control of the confrontation with a savage takedown. Once the attacker is helpless on the ground regardless of the combination used, the practitioner would have ample time to escape, detain or take further action as needed.

The unique blend of movements within the Pai lum system ensures that there are no set offensive or defensive techniques. Once an attack is initiated, the Pai lum practitioner would react with blinding speed utilizing every block as a strike and every strike as a block, with the formula "follow the source back and you will find the target".

This allows the practitioner a no-nonsense reaction to the attack, keeping in mind that one should alleviate the problem fully. The combination of blocking, punching, kicking and takedown, then strike again proves to be a successful formula for self-defense.

Along with awesome speed and accuracy of the techniques, utilization of maximum waist whipping enables the Pai lum practitioner an efortless tackdown and weaves a pattern of magical motion. This motion is unleashed with a flurry of circular, straight, or trapping techniques which explode so rapidly that the opponent has been permanently affixed to the floor by a brutal takedown before he realizes what has taken place. Incorporating a combination of thrusts, traps, locks, pressure points, and throws gives the practitioner a loaded arsenal to achieve maximum results with minimal effort.

Art of takedowns

Because most fighters feel more comfortable rooted to the ground, which can make them an immovable force, the white dragon practitioner is schooled in the art of takedowns to ensure his command of even the most powerful and aggressive attackers. The effectiveness of takedowns, however, does not require great feats of strength; they are based on medical and scientific principles of motion which are applied to the attacker's muscles, joints, or the pressure points found throughout the body. The motion initiated by the attacker is redirected by the Pai lum practitioner resulting in two-pronged effect; the attacker losing his rooting followed immediately by impact.

Ground impact can cause a range in injury level from slight to severe and may result in fainting, paralyzation, or death. With a well-rounded arsenal of over 900 techniques to blend with hard and soft movements that can be either offensive or defensive, the Pai lum student is confident in his situation knowing that his teachings have covered all possible avenues.

This incorporates not only the physical, but the mental aspects of the system; Pai lum is a thinking art and produces intelligent martial artists. This assures that when the time comes for the Pai lum practitioner to call upon his skills, he will react without hesitation. This is a priceless attribute, as anyone who has had to put their skills to the test will confirm.

Most confrontations are decided within the first few seconds, and for those unfortunate people who choose to stand toe to toe with a "white dragon", the confrontation will be decided even quicker, at the hands and feet of the Pai lum practitioner instructed in the utilization of brutal takedowns.