Martial Arts – Page 43

November 18, 2014November 18, 2014 Dave Kelly Culture & Fun, Health & Fitness, Martial Arts, Master & Schools, Thailand

Kung Fu in Thailand Day 3: A Day of Rest

Greetings everyone,

Yesterday, Wednesday, was a rest day, as is Saturday. We bundled up in Sifu’s truck and drove north to Mae Hong Son close to Burma. We visited some hill tribe markets and two principal Temples, one in front of a small lake and another on a hill overlooking the town. The hill tribes women’s hand weaving is exceptional and they sell the most delicious wild honey by the side of road. One of the highlights of the day was when we picked up four Buddhist monks walking up the winding mountain road who piled in the truck with us. Not only is Sifu Iain extremely knowledgeable in Kung Fu and martial arts in general, he has also a deep knowledge and experience of the local area and its peoples. Thus, our journey was one through the historical, cultural and philosophical landscapes of the region. Being so close to Burma there is a very strong influence from the Shan people. Indeed, the whole area has been flooded with various ethnic groups, in particular hill tribes fleeing conflict in Burma. I finally had the current political situation in Thailand explained effectively over lunch by Sifu Iain and the day ended at the Temple on the Hill in Mae Hong Son, Wat Phra That Mae Yen. It is hard to describe how extraordinary are these temples. The view from the mountain top on which the temple sits was spectacular as the jungle stretched out below with its forested hills and mountains, limestone spires and the blazing sun setting behind.

Today we followed the same training schedule from 6 am to a little after 9 a.m., and 3:30 p.m. to about 6:15 p.m. Along with my extra 2 hours in the middle I also received a real Thai Massage. It was as much ordeal as it was massage but the lady hired for the massage was very good natured. She is a strong and gifted traditional massage therapist. She laughed at the noises I made with her elbows in my back and foot in my leg and told me to say, “Sooo, sooo!”. She tweaked my nose and invited me to the discotheque tonight in Pai but I told her I couldn’t go. I learned later from Sifu that men with big noses are considered extremely handsome in this part of Thailand; I’ve finally found somewhere that values my natural good looks and charm! We did a lot of Chi Kung, stretching and meditation today. We also continued with the Tigre-Crane Sum Chien and another sequence I have not yet described called Shuan Yang, which in English is called Sun Frost White Crane. Shuan Yang is a kind soft or gentle martial art that looks a lot like Tai Chi, but more martial. Indeed, some believe it to be the origins of Tai Chi. We did some great punching drills with the suspended sand filled cloth sacks and had a marvellously vigorous kicking session. Today on weapons I got to take up the actual bladed sabre, the Tan Dao or Chinese Broadsword. Wow, that was a gas training with sword in the open outdoor training ground my traditional black and gold Kung Fu pants billowing wet chest bared to northern Thailand’s blazing afternoon sun.

At tea Sifu spoke of the history of Nam Yang’s Tigre-Crane lineage. His Master’s Master, Master Ang, was the one I mentioned earlier who brought the art out of China and passed it eventually to Master Tan Soh Tin who then passed it to Iain Armstrong, the man I call Sifu. What an amazing history. Master Ang started Kung Fu as a boy and had three different masters. His first master was known as “the secretive old man” who introduced him to Tigre-Crane at 8 years old. His second master was an herbal medicine peddler who specialized in the Shaolin weapons system and Tiger form. The third was a Shaolin monk. I was amazed to learn that Master Ang eventually fought in Sun Yat-Sen’s army with the Koumintang, which was subsequently taken up by Chian Kai-Shek. As the Communists became victorious and began executing the Shaolin Kung Fu martial artists Master Ang emigrated to Singapore and later started Nam Yang in 1957. He ran the club until his death in the mid 1980s and the leadership passed to Master Tan who trained Sifu Iain. Iain now has schools here in Thailand, in the UK, in Russia and another about to open in Italy. It is very special to be a part of this lineage and I hope to bring home some foundational skills I can practice on my own. I’ve taken to playing flute under the stars while the others arrive to the outdoor training area for the morning session. Thus, I must sign off as 5 a.m. comes early!

by David Lertzman

David Lertzman Ph.D. is the Assistant Professor of Environmental Management and Sustainable Development PI: Energy Indigenous Environment Interface Research Program, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary.

This blog entry is part of a series of blogs David Lertzman wrote for StudyMartialArts.Org detailing his experiences training at Nam Yang Shaolin Kung Fu Retreat. If you’re interested in visiting this school book your place here and get an exclusive discount Nam Yang Shaolin Kung Fu Retreat.

November 11, 2014November 15, 2014 Dave Kelly Martial Arts

DAILY PHOTO: Thai Boxing

Thai boxing at the Rangsit International Boxing Stadium

Tiger Riding for Beginners

Taken in August of 2014 in Rangsit, Thailand.

This photo was taken at the Rangsit International Boxing Stadium, which is located in a Bangkok suburb to the north, during the August 31, 2014 fights.

BONUS DAILY PHOTO:

Taken at the August 31, 2014 fights.

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November 11, 2014November 15, 2014 Dave Kelly Martial Arts

Chinese martial arts history PART FOUR

The Boxer Rebellion

Sifu David Ross

The Boxer Rebellion

One of the most famous branch sects was the Yihequan (Fists of Righteousness and Harmony), popularly known as the Boxers. The Boxer Rebellion began in North China in 1898 as a popular peasant protest movement. Unlike the Taiping, the Boxer Uprising was opposed to Christian activity within China, particularly missionary evangelism in the countryside.

Joseph W. Esherick has argued, rather successfully, that the “boxers” were not in fact martial artists, but rather followers of a variety of protection rituals; they took part in certain rituals, believing spirits would possess them making them impervious to foreigners’ bullets. These rituals were easily learned by the young, uneducated peasants of the Yellow River floodplain, and transmitted from village to village.

“The two elements, martial arts and heterodox beliefs, are clearly alternatives, not linked elements of a single tradition.”
– Joseph W. Esherick, The Origins of the Boxer Uprising

Members of…

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November 10, 2014 Dave Kelly Health & Fitness, Martial Arts, Master & Schools, Thailand, Travel & Training

Kung Fu in Thailand Day Two: The Training Begins!

Today was an awesome day! I was up about 5:30 a.m. and we started a little before sunrise with Chi Kung and Sam Chien, crescent moon shining with mist hanging off the jungle. We trained with the group this morning from 6-9 am and in the afternoon session from 3:30 until a little after 6 p.m. I did 2 hours of solo instruction focussing on Chi Kung and Sum Chien. Sum Chien is a series of moves that forms a basis for the Southern Shaolin Tigre-Crane form we are learning. I also got to begin weapons training with staff and starting on Chinese Sabre using a stick. I thought staff would come more easily to me than sword but I probably did better with the sword technique. I worked on weapons with the head student who is also an instructor. The hardest part is probably the footwork. All in all I would say we spent about 2.5 hours today in stretching and conditioning, lots of stretching.

In the evening we focused on special breathing techniques that apply to Chi Kung and Sum Chien, which Sifu said were actually quite advanced. I did well with my prior yoga and Chi Kung training. Then we worked on punching drills into heavy cloth sacks filled with sand hung from the rafters. It makes your knuckles pretty red but is very instructive on technique and really fun!! The idea is not to swing the sack but to be able to dent it by sending your chi into the target. One of my favourite times of day is the break in training when Sifu call us up to the veranda where we sit on teak stools and he pours special tea in all our cups on a table shaped like a dragon. He then delivers teachings about technique principles, tells stories and dispenses wisdom. Like I said, you can tell a lot about Sifu by how his chief students treat him: with utmost respect and admiration, hanging off every word with the rest of us. Sifu spoke about Kung Fu as a way of life; the martial aspect is part of a bigger picture and no one part is more or less than the other. Kung Fu prepares us for meditation and the pathway to enlightenment.

At afternoon tea Sifu spoke about the tendons. I had mentioned that I felt where an injury in my shoulder was really being stretched when being corrected in some technique for practicing one of the slow punch forms early in the morning. At first it hurt but I stayed with it and then it started to open. Sifu said that such body awareness is the first step to Kung Fu. He said one’s tendons have a grain like wood. When you get injured it forms a pattern in the tendon, like a knot. As you develop your awareness you can use the Kung Fu forms to go into the tendon and open it up taking out some of the scar tissue and re-patterning the tendon. He said something else that was very profound which reminded me of Sequoyah. Speaking about training and repetition, for example of a simple movement like a step or the most basic punch over and over again, Sifu said that you could never get board of anything that is done with deep intention and full awareness.

Life here has a rather monastic feeling. We train before sunrise and retire a little after sunset. Two meals a day are wholesome yet simple, rice with vegetables and a clear, tangy vegetable soup, prepared by our cook who is mostly blind and comes from one the tribes originally on the Burmese side. Accommodations are comfortable yet spartan, the bed being a heavy, handcut bamboo cot. It is surprisingly quite chilly in the morning and I really missed my fleece pants for the first couple hours but had to put on a good showing as a Canadian while everyone else was quite bundled up.

There are several people training, all male from young to old: two other Canadians, a Dutch fellow, a Belgian and a Brit. The Belgian and Brit are senior students. One is already a teacher and the other well on his way, very dedicated, lovely young men. Tomorrow we have a rest day and are going to see some remote hill tribes with whom Sifu is connected. I’m pretty sore in many places with a nice, large bruise on my arm from yesterday’s push-hands activity, and very happy.

Love and Blessings
David

November 9, 2014November 9, 2014 Dave Kelly Martial Arts

A Brief History of Some Walls: The Great Wall of China

Learning about the great wall, a brief history.

Yelhispressing

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Many describe The Great Wall as the longest structure built on earth. According to legend it is so magnificent that one can see it from space. It travels for 4, 500 miles in the North, touches the East Coast and the North Central of China, meandering through mountains, lower lands and the Gobi Desert. It is interesting to note that the translation for the wall was not always ‘Great’ but ‘Long Wall.’ As Julia Lovell puts it, the Great Wall is a collection of walls. The Chinese are known for their love of walls based on their early construction [from the 1^st millennium BC], around the fields of farms, temples, houses and palaces. Furthermore, in the spiritual realm the Chinese paid homage to their God of Wall and Moat. According to Louise Chipley Slavicek, the Chinese believed that the God of Wall and Moat informed a person of their death…

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November 6, 2014 sifustarryilisifu Martial Arts

THE TRUTH ABOUT QIGONG EXERCISES

by Phillip Starr

In the wee hours of most mornings, millions of Chinese people flock to the local parks to practice various and sundry forms of qigong, which are exercises intended to gather, store, and/or manipulate what is known as “qi” (life force, internal energy). Dozens of books on the subject are readily available in many bookstores and on the internet and for those who prefer a more “hands-on” approach, there are many qigong instructors who will provide direct, detailed instruction. To say that there’s some considerable interest in this subject would be a serious understatement. However, the fact is that most of the available instruction in the subject is…flawed. I realize that this statement isn’t going to make me a slew of new friends but it’s true, so listen up.

To begin with, the are three main types of qigong. In a nutshell they are:

*Qigong for Health

Many millions of people around the world practice qigong as a form of health maintenance, which is intended to strengthen the body’s immune system and prevent illness. They also look to it as a way of slowing down the aging process and staying fit.

Additionally, many people also practice it as a form of medical therapy. Suffering from various injuries and/or illnesses, they look to qigong as a healing technique.

*Spiritual Qigong

Qigong has long been popular with many Buddhist and Taoist sects that believe that regular practice will promote spiritual awakening.

*Qigong for Martial Arts

Practitioners of numerous martial arts, especially the Chinese “internal” schools of taijiquan, xingyiquan, and baguazhang practice assorted qigong routines, believing that it will enhance their martial arts skills. They assert that regular qigong practice will augment their striking power while also protecting their bodies against an opponent’s powerful attacks.

Martial arts enthusiasts often get confused as to which exercises are best employed to complement their martial skills. For instance, practicing qigong exercises that are intended to maintain good health will not necessarily have any impact on one’s combative skills. Qigong can be divided into four types:

Breathing Exercises

There are four main breathing exercises, which are usually practiced in a seated position. The first three (Long Breath, Microcosmic Orbit, and Macrocosmic Orbit) are used by martial arts devotees. The first two (Long Breath and Microcosmic Orbit) are used for health and healing, and all four (the last one is known as Imminent Breathing) are used by Taoists who seek spiritual development.

Solo Postures

In this form of qigong, certain breathing and visualization techniques are combined

with a static position that is held for a given period of time. This is done to circulate the

life force through the body. How long the posture is maintained varies from one teacher to

another.

Solo Exercise

In this type of qigong, breathing and visualization techniques are combined with

various movements to circulate the life-energy. Some of these exercises are really very

simple; just one or two movements are repeated several times. Others are considerably

more complicated.

Two-Person Qigong

This form of qigong requires the assistance of a partner. It is an excellent training

method as it acts as a barometer for students and proves to them that there is indeed more

to them that what their eyes perceive. Moreover, it bridges the gap between qigong

exercises and the actual application of internal power through one’s martial arts

techniques. Oddly enough, this form of qigong practice is not found in Chinese qigong

training, which likely accounts for their frequent inability to effectively emit qi (known as

“fajing”).

In most of the Solo Exercise and Solo Movement routines, the method of breathing AND INTERNAL “MOVEMENT” is crucial. By “internal movement”, I mean the contraction, “twisting”, and relaxation of various internal tissues, which include small muscles, fascia, and tendons. These unseen actions must be properly coordinated with the breath and physical movements (in the case of Solo Movement exercises) to assist in gathering and manipulating qi and to “massage” certain internal organs/tissues. Simply standing in a particular posture or making a certain movement is not enough and results will be minimal.

Body alignment must also be considered. If the body’s structure isn’t correctly aligned, you’ll experience considerable discomfort after a short time. Many qigong teachers simply tell the student that the pain they experience is due to misalignment and they should learn to relax. This kind of instruction really isn’t very helpful; the student needs to be shown how to stand and move correctly.

Moreover, your intention (known as “yi” in Chinese) must be brought into play. One of the fundamentals principles of all qigong is this:

“Where your yi goes, your qi also goes.”

Without the special ingredient of yi, your qigong is worthless and you’d be better off taking up knitting.

So, there you have it. The principles of utilization of yi, body alignment, and internal movement/breathing are largely identical to those that are outlined in detail in my upcoming book, “Developing Jin” (released in April of 2014). I will provide additional articles in the future on the basic principles of qigong.

November 6, 2014November 6, 2014 Dave Kelly Martial Arts

New Excerpt from “Zhan Zhuang Breathing – The Breath of Life”

An excellent book that has got a bucket load of information for all those standing tall.

Inside Zhan Zhuang

Aloha from Maui, here’s a new excerpt in which I discuss allowing the breath to become round and then spherical…

THE DEPTH ASPECT – FULL MOON/SPHERICAL BREATHING

The Full Moon breathing method adds three additional points on the back to the five Half-Moon points already mentioned. These are Mingmen, GV-4 and two points roughly equidistant between Mingmen and the two Jingmen points. These are located in the vicinity of Zhishi point BL-52, on either side. In combination, these eight points create a complete circle, and when the inhale is generated from the body’s centerpoint, they form the basis of Spherical Breathing. That is, an equal expansion in all eight directions from the tiny sphere of our centerpoint to an energetic sphere that eventually encompasses the entire torso and later the whole body, including the extremities. As this technique becomes comfortable, the practitioner finds that the vertical elements also come into…

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November 4, 2014November 4, 2014 Dave Kelly Culture & Fun, Martial Arts, Master & Schools, Thailand, Travel & Training

Kung Fu in Thailand Day One: Arrival

I have arrived in Pai, Mae Hong Son Province for two weeks of traditional Shaolin Kung Fu training in northern Thailand. After a flight delayed by fog we flew a short but spectacular journey over forested mountains and I’m now at Nam Yang Mountain Retreat, International Martial Arts Kung Fu and Meditation Training Centre. Although my work contract allows for 6 weeks of holiday, this is the first real vacation I’ve had since our honeymoon 8 years ago. I really need it.

It is very special here. Nam Yang was created by Sifu Iain Armstrong and his wonderful Thai wife under the guidance of Grandmaster Tan Soh Tin with whom he has studied 30 years. Grandmaster Tan’s master brought southern Shaolin (Tigre-Crane) Kung Fu out of China after Mao’s ascendancy when the Shaolin martial artists were being executed. Nam Yang is near the town of Pai in northern Thailand about 30 km from the Burmese border. They grow most of their own food, including the rice, pineapples and bananas. The architecture is beautiful in the local traditional style giving the whole place a Shaolin Temple like quality. It is an extraordinary achievement! They have a large kitchen and open eating area, an office, Buddha House for meditation with two great Nagas (Dragons) descending the stairs, two training octagons, one which is covered and one open-area, plus the living quarters. Accommodations are simple, almost spartan, but we have what we need to get by and it is lovely!

I had a great sit with Sifu Iain over a special tea to review my training goals surrounded by the beautiful landscape and sprawling grounds of Nam Yang Retreat Centre. Afterwards I joined in the evening’s training. We did about 1.5 hours stretching and prep before doing push-hands and some basic drills. Sifu Iain is so authentic. You can tell a lot about Sifu by how his chief students treat him; that says it all. There are several people training, all male from young to old. Two other Canadians, a Dutch fellow, a Belgian and a Brit. The Belgian and Brit are senior students. One is already a teacher and the other well on his way, lovely dedicated young men. We went to Pai for supper tonight as one is leaving tomorrow after having been here some months. The other pretty much lives here training every day all day and sometimes teaching. Tomorrow we start at 6:00 am with Chi Kung for the sunrise. Wednesday is a rest day and we will go to town of Mae Hong Son on the Burmese border visiting remote hill tribes with whom Sifu is connected.

Kap Kuhn Kap (Thank you in Thai),
David

October 2, 2014November 15, 2015 cyaolong Culture & Fun, Korea, Martial Arts, Master & Schools, Travel & Training

Taekkyon: the Original Martial Art of Korea

Almost everybody has heard of Taekwondo and Hapkido these days, but Taekkyon, the original indigenous martial art of Korea, is almost unheard of. Almost wiped out during the Japanese colonisation of Korea, the art is now making a revival, and is listed both as a national treasure of Korea, and is the first martial art on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list.

The history of Taekkyon goes back to the mid Joseon Dynasty, around the 1700s, where it was practiced as a competitive sport with a winner-stays-on type rule set. It is believed Taekkyon evolved out of an even older, but now lost art called Subak. Little is known about Subak, but it is believed that it may have been the martial art of the Hwarang warriors of the Silla Dynasty (57BC-935AD). During this time martial arts were reserved for the ruling class, but after the fall of the Silla became popular among common folk. During the Joseon Dynasty it fell out of popularity among the Yangban elite, who thought that educated people should stay away from martial arts and focus on scholarly pursuits. It was probably around this time that the competitive “game” version evolved as a game for the farmers and peasant classes.

During the Japanese occupation, the art almost died out, but one man kept the art alive; Song Duk Ki. He is credited with reviving the art in modern times. Song Duk Ki was born in 1893 in Seoul. He began training at a young age, under Master Lim Ho, of the Widae style. During that time many young people practiced Taekkyon, and there were two main styles: Widae, which was practiced by people in the city centre, and Ahratdae, which was practiced by people on the outskirts of the city. Big competitions were held between the two styles and rivalry was fierce. Then, after the 1910 Japanese invasion of Korea, Song Duk Ki changed his focus to Gung-do (Korean archery), one of the few arts not shunned by the colonisers. He continued his Taekkyon practice in secret, and after the surrender of Japan, he began to promote the art, gaining the rank of a “national living treasure” by the South Korean government.

Taekkyon has both a competitive, game-like version, and a combat version. The game, which is called Kyulyun, was played where two teams gathered, with a winner stays on format, until one team was completely wiped out. This game had a dance like feel, as players stepped around each other while drums were played. Players had to either throw the opponent, or kick them in the head. Like modern day sports martial arts, a player could tap out to surrender. The ring was often made by laying down straw mats, but could also be on dirt or grass. The largest competition would typically be held on the 15th day of the 5th lunar month, which was called Tano, which also held Ssireum, Korean wrestling, tournaments. There was no prize, but the winner would be treated as a hero by both sides. It is said the focus on kicking techniques in Korea is due to the mountainous terrain; people had naturally strong legs from spending so much time climbing hills.

As far as combat, similar techniques are applied as in the game. The main difference however is the target areas and the power used. Pressure point techniques, eye gauges and locks are also common. The rhythmic steps and constant motions of the hands distract the opponent, setting up for a kick or sweep. Unlike taekwondo, flying or spinning kicks aren’t often used, rather, low kicks to the shins or knees, sweeps and trips, and direct push kicks to the body are more common.

A typical Taekkyon class is very different to conventional martial arts: there is no warm up or stretching as such, rather, the class begins by practicing stepping patterns in a dance-like rhythm to traditional Korean music. The stepping is done in a triangular pattern, based on the Chinese character 品. Strikes and kicks are added in, as well as patting of the body and clapping to stimulate blood flow. This is all done in time with the music. Sparring is taught within the context of the stepping patterns. Opponents square off and step in time with each other, constantly changing feet and seeking an opportunity to sweep or trip their partner.

I have just began my training in Taekkyon, here in Seoul, South Korea. I will be regularly updating my website about my training here, as well as continuing my writing about Chinese martial arts. http://www.monkeystealspeach.co.uk

September 15, 2014January 18, 2015 Dave Kelly China, Martial Arts, Master & Schools, Travel & Training, Workshops

Training with Master Zhou

SMA – Baji Zhandao UK training camp visit to Tianjin to train with Master Zhou.

Master Zhou Jingxuan teaches in Xi Gu park in Hong Qiao District. Historically this park continues to attract many of Tianjin’s famous martial arts masters and students. The park is a hive of activity throughout the day.

Master Zhou teaches the rare inner courtyard Shaolin martial art of Jin Gang Ba Shi. In addition to that he also teaches Piguazhang, Xingyi quan, Baji quan, Li style Taichi and Chou Jiao. As our trip to visit with Master Zhou was relatively short we focused our learning on the basics of two specific styles Piguazhang and Bajiquan.

After a warm welcome in Tainjin and some photos we enjoyed two hours of great training in Xi Gu park with Master Zhou. After the training we were invited for dinner with Master Zhou his senior students and a number of representatives from the Tianjin Martial Arts Association.

The following is an assortment of clips from the two day seminar as well as a short clip from a discussion on the evolvement of Bajiquan in Tainjin.

All the training you see in the video took place in Xigu Park where Master Zhou regularly teaches.

For further information on studying with Master Zhou, the Shang Wu Zhai Academy as well as a host of other masters in China and Thailand check out the http://www.StudyMartialArts.Org website.