| HISTORY The Downward Spiral is the personal style of martial arts practiced by Kywyn Liew. Starting his training as a child of twelve, Kywyn learned martial arts from friends of family up north in his home of Fortitude Pass. As a boy, he studied the flashy techniques and forms that made use of his youthful energy and agility. From there, his style cycled through various stages. After learning from the athletic forms, Kywyn absorbed techniques emphasizing grappling and defense. And after those styles took their toll physically, he found his way into an internal style which required deeper mindfulness and self-control. A love of martial movement always pervaded Kywyn's style. Though it may seem to contrast strongly with his stoic persona, Kywyn's actions in this environment have no restraints about being flamboyant. STYLE Kywyn's style of martial art is somewhat of a hybrid system that relies on momentum, not just brute strength, for causing damage. He casually refers to the sets he practices as "The Downward Spiral." The moniker refers to the sunken state of apathy Kywyn takes in combat. While seemingly unemotional, even under attack, he releases his power at opportune moments. There is a contrast between motion and stillness created in the style. He will be kneeling unresponsively on the ground for a time, and in a blur, he will be launching into an eye-popping array of kicks, trips, and spins, before returning to a slow, methodic, calm pace. It is these flashy and intense outbursts which can dazzle an opponent. This rhythm lends itself to standoff tactics and mind games which make use of the space and cover available for defense in preference to standing toe-to-toe. The principal method for Kywyn is movement. This technique requires training to control and position the martial artist's own body - posture, stance, and reflexes. From this mode, he has learned the importance of balance, sudden changes in momentum, and footwork. Along with this footwork, this series also includes some difficult and spectacular kicks. Leg attacks form a large portion of the style's standard offense. From standing or jumping positions, the legs are used in a multitude of techniques from different angles. When Kywyn strikes, it is as likely to be with open hands as closed fists. Defensive and counter strikes especially are made with various parts of the body (wrists, forearms, elbows, knees, thighs, shoulder, back). Movement is often incorporated in attacks, shifting forwards, backwards, sideways, or in curves to add to the permutations. From movement, Kywyn learned the importance of stillness. The art of body alignment is used to emphasize the oneness of body and mind, form and thought. Flowing from stance to stance in a moving meditation, the sweeping and hypnotic motions extend one's focus outward and inward at the same time. The soft internal aspects provide a deeper connection with oneself. Another branch of the alignment techniques lies in the control of another's body through locks and trips. Verbalizations in this style consist mostly of strong breaths or hisses as coordinated power is released. PURPOSE Being a personal style, the Downward Spiral does not have a grand purpose or organization backing it. Some of its component style may have such ties, but Kywyn considers himself an independent and not bound to the individual schools. From an individual standpoint, the purpose of the art is focused on self-improvement and self-realization. At first the art provided a method for improving Kywyn's health as a child and helped him to learn to channel the dark touch and his other developing powers. As he grew more into in, the Downward Spiral became about testing and pushing the limits of one's body (often through exhibition and sparring) as well as pursuing the internal aspects. These more idealistic goals are placed above learning to fight and brawl. This may cause one to wonder about the efficiency of the styles involved, but Kywyn believes in the art of creating (a beautiful movement, a perfect stance, or a moment of no-mind) more than mindless destruction. TRAINING The training techniques Kywyn uses are very much focused on forms. A whole set of forms shifting from pose to pose, each with different intentions and visualizations. The stances help give something to focus on and aided Kywyn in projecting his dark touch and aura abilities early on. With the importance of forms comes a sort of performance aspect to the style. Feinting and intimidation become part of the showy moves contained in the forms. Some maneuvers Kywyn has learned which do not emphasize combat effectiveness are stylized versions of movements from older schools, becoming more of an athletic demonstration. There has been little weapon training at all in Kywyn's past, though he did practice simple forms with staff, and even practice swords. Those have taken a back seat to the unarmed focus however. Athletic training, stressing flexibility and balance, were part of Kywyn's earliest teachings and are a part of his nature now. Gathering other techniques, he placed this aspect in the background until he was reminded by his newly acquired familiar - a black frog named Hex. Hex reminded him of the importance of not only movement, but also free movement. This type of training involves free form shadow-boxing and athletic jumps. Reincorporating more of this into his training, Kywyn called the techniques and mindset the Lunatic's Frog Leap. Similarly, Kywyn always keeps an open mind toward new systems from which he can learn. MECHANICS Feats: Agile, Deflect Arrows, Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike, Iron Will, Simple Weapon Proficiency, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike). Skills: Balance, Concentration, Intimidate, Perform, Tumble Narrative Samples: 1 2 3 |
 |
| "Kick at the darkness, lash out at the shadows... The wall is nothing but a mirror." |
 |
| Style Composition Major Principle Method Characteristics Wushu: Changquan (Long Fist) Movement Flexibility and athleticism; spinning, running, leaping; wide stances and extensive kicks (straight, circle, snap). Wushu: Chen Taijiquan (Yin-yang Fist) Push Leverage and power based on coordination in relaxation and body alignment; smooth, flowing, low postures, open hands; contrast of hard/soft and fast/slow; internal style, health, meditation, spiral energy. Minor Principle Method Characteristics Judo Lock Variety of rolls, falls, throws, trips, pins, chokes, jointlocks; using opponent's force against him; grappling style. Kickboxing Strike Science of eight limbs; boxing punches, elbows, kicks (snap, roundhouse), knees; physical conditioning. Wushu: Nanquan (Southern Fist) Strike Vigorous, athletic movements, stable, low stances, and intricate hand movements; crane and tiger motions. Lunatic's Frog Leap Movement Jumps, kippups, cartwheels, handsprings; agility training more than acrobatics. |