Shaolin Ground Boxing

The first paragraph of

Up

Action points:

Body and stands, arm drooping to the side of nature, Visual front (Figure 1).

Figure （1）

After 2, cross

Action points:

Turn 90 degrees to the right of the body back on the ground, two arms separately from side and back at the same time as the right leg above pop-up Visual right foot forward (Figure 3).

Pitfalls: body relaxation, brain.

Remedy: practice body tension, head flexor tight chest, arm hang.

4, settling on the ground

Action points:

Leaping legs released, his right leg horizontal pendulum rotates 360 ° to the right, left on the ground, Visual direction of the right foot (Figure 5).

Pitfalls: the right knee of the left leg is not posted.

Correction: potential buckles left foot to right knee.

Figure （5）

5, the independent punch

Action points:

CARP flip pop-up, swing arm single leg, left knee foot and straight right hand high and shoulders, right chest, the left hand post, visually right front (Figure 6).

Pitfalls: right leg stand instability.

Correction: right foot toe claw, the knee straight.

Figure 6

6, butterfly twist

Action points:

Left foot landed, two feet to the left to run three or four steps, circle rotating 360 ° or 540 ° floor stand. Butterfly twist after landing, on 3 consecutive step, vacated his right leg kicked out his left leg buckle on the right knee, body straight, parallel to the ground (Figure 7).

Pitfalls: air train is not accurate.

Correction: when jump kick, body, forming in the air and fell down the side.

Figure 7

7, Wu long twisted tail (left)

Action points:

Horizontal sideways left leg flexion pedestals, the hands in front of him, his right leg-bashing on the left leg forward as the right leg over the left leg sweep hangs, when his right leg sweep to the chest when the left leg to right leg legs, knees, while his right leg knee with heels hanging, left leg forward shoveled puts up his right leg forward, feet sticking to. With both hands in front of the society, Visual shovel leg direction (Figure 8).

Pitfalls: stranded when the arc is not enough.

Correction: twisted legs.

Figure 8

8, Wu long twisted columns

Action points:

Left leg flexion sitting to the left on the ground, right leg sweep hangs above the left oblique, upper body lying rear roll from left to right, when you sweep right leg hanging above the front legs clip crotch cut above the right pedal, while the shoulder support, from right to left to right reverse waist up standing (Figure 9).

Easy to make a mistake: two legs standing instability.

Correction: two legs to just above the lift.

Figure 9

9, push Palm in bow step

Action points:

Left leg back, turn around 360 ° to the left and right lunge and hit the left Palm, high shoulder, right arm of hand clasping to lumbar side flexion, visually the left front (Figure 10)

Pitfalls: the left leg, knee bent.

Correction: the left leg and knee straight.

Figure 10

The second paragraph of

10, Rob back diving

Action points:

Step forward and knees bent left leg forward, upper body leaning forward bow leaping chest, right arm stretched after the chest to the left, while the left hand hold the right shoulder, lift the left foot up, Qu Yuan to hold the body, left shoulder and lumbar roll to left waist squat in a week (Figure 11)

Pitfalls: slow landing roll.

Correction: when scrolling the body into a ball.

Figure 11

11, Cyclone feet on the ground

Action points:

On the left leg, running four vacated, leaping, on the left leg in the air, body rotation 520 ° on the ground, side, Visual front right hand (Figure 12).

Pitfalls: floor not on your side, the vulnerable.

Correction: legs in the air to control direction, floor to ceiling note buffer.

Figure 12

12, against the whip boxing

Action points:

CARP dating up, left feet left took, right leg left above classified arc into in foot up to rings, body left 180 degrees, landing two leg draw close to, two arm flexor elbow and Yu chest Qian, left feet left took, leaping left 360 degrees, while right arm wearing Palm, landing into right knelt step, right arm do anti-whip fist, right fist placed right leg Qian above, left Palm put right chest Qian, Visual right party (Figure 13).

Pitfalls: carp flip up and knelt back ground instability.

Correction: two-foot floor stand.

Figure 13

13, sweep the leg Dynamic 13, sweep the leg Dynamic

Figure 3

3, carp flip

Action points:

Abdominal flexion your legs, lifting the feet up, shoulder support, spread your legs forward radial runout, upper body belly up to the front, right hand, left hand back project, into a squat, visually right hand (Figure 4).

Easy to make a mistake: when you straighten bent from the waist.

To correct the error: whip the legs quickly, straight from the waist.

Figure 4

1 hit, swing arm punch

Action points:

Along the side taken up arms, two hand fist, top draw arcs cross to the chest, while one small step left foot to the right rear, two hand along side launched separately, right foot and step on their knees hit fist swing arm, visually the front (Figure 2).

Pitfalls: upper body bent.

To correct the error: practice note with your head held high, Arch the back.

Figure（2）

The Development of Folk Kung-fu

Chinese Kung-fu, with a long history, was mentioned by the famous works, such as "Shi Jing" (the Book of Songs), "Guanzi", "Xunzi" and so on more than two thousand years ago. Kung-fu resulted from the social situation at the ancient time. The ancient society was in disorder and low productivity with all kinds of contradictions, conflicts and wars. Then, because fist fighting was suitable for short distance fight and it was relatively easy to practice, various methods of fist fighting developed fast as well as other martial arts with weapons like broadsword, spear, sword, cudgel and so forth. From then on, there were more and more schools arising in the society. Some schools can be further divided into several branches. Spreading here and there, Chinese folk Kung-fu develops and has formed the particular system.
     Chinese folk Kung-fu has an extensive knowledge and profound scholarship. According to the statistic, there are close to 300 fist fighting methods. And different methods have their own focuses, developments and directions. Take Tai Ji Quan for example, at the foundation period, the purpose and aim were to attack with skills in order to stick up for the clan members' existence and development by protecting home from invasion. At the very beginning of learning Tai Ji Quan, trainees should practice twining, gluing and following as their core lesson to manage the special chand methods ("Da Shou"). They should foster the sensitiveness of the skin touching feeling and the inside reacting feeling, which complies with the mechanics principles. Thus, the Kung-fu skills are scientific and systematic. In the next studying process, the comprehensive skills of Ti (kicking), Da (hitting), Na (seizing) and Die (tumbling) are aggressive and hazardous, which is valuable for advancing energy, patience, speed and sensitive skills. The requirement is on the line with Tai Ji Quan's principle: hardness and softness moving in harmony; diverse things incorporating together; movements coordinating according to the enemy' s; encountering opponents and defeating them; using different methods to dissolve different movements; learning and mastering the keys are time consuming.
    When we are talking about the development of Chinese folk Kung-fu, we cannot make any judgment about Chinese folk Kung-fu, based on only some individual phenomena within one period or school only. Otherwise, the outcome cannot escape the limitation and narrowness. Instead, we should discuss the topic based on the history and districts comprehensively and objectively.
    History refers to the several thousand years from primitive time to the modem time.
    Kung-fu has experienced periods of foundation, development, climax, recession, redevelopment, another climax and another recession... District element means the different understanding and awareness of the Kung-fu held by people, resulted from the various social status, living environment and other factors at the same time. Take the feudal society for example, leaders would use their political power to assemble the skillful Kung-fu masters to strengthen their leadership in a wide scale. On the other hand, the people would make use of the Kung-fu knowledge to resist oppress and protect their lives, wealth and safety as well as their families'. On this depressing occasion, people had to manage some Kung-fu skills for survival. Otherwise, they would be in the destiny of being bullied, humiliated and even killed. Therefore, all genres of Chinese folk Kung-fu are passed on from generation to generation because of the tough social situation. However, the essence of Kung-fu is changing in accordance with the social advancement.
     Society is changing, resulting in the changes of Kung-fu. The traditional Tai Ji Quan requires heavy exercises, mass energy expenditure and difficult skills, which is outdated to the modern society. So the Kung-fu deliverers have to develop the new aims and direction of the arts and create the slogan, "What is the purpose for practicing Kung-fu? A healthy and lasting life". This is also the transition from Kung-fu for fight to that for health. And for the recent one hundred years, Tai Ji Quan has changed a lot, maintaining the traditional part and developing the creative part, and different schools have been founded to satisfy different demands of different people. As a result, Tai Ji Quan can be accepted by people all over the world.
     With the analysis on the development of Tai Ji Quan, we can get some information of developing feature and direction of Kung-fu.

Jeet Kune Do

Over the years, many people have made claims regarding the proper definition of Bruce Lee's art. Some have defined it as a process of "change;" others have labeled it as simply "modified Wing Chun;" others, with the best of intentions have stated that it is simply an eclectic jumble of various styles and arts that hopefully will, at some unspecified point in the future, gestalt into something meaningful for the individual practitioner.
With the formation of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, however, there no longer exists any need for such contradictory and confusing definitions. There is but one definition for Jun fan Jeet Kune Do and here it is:
Jun fan Jeet Kune Do is the complete body of technical (physical and scientific) and philosophical (mental, social, spiritual) knowledge that was studied and taught by Bruce Lee during his lifetime.
In other words, Jun fan Jeet Kune Do (with, as its core, the combative principles, physical techniques, training methods, and philosophical ideas synthesized by Bruce Lee during his lifetime) is concerned solely and exclusively with Bruce Lee's personal evolution and process of self-discovery through martial art as indicated and supported by the written record (Bruce Lee's personal papers and library) and oral history (recollections of those who spent time with and/or studied under Bruce Lee). That's it. Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do concerns itself with presenting Bruce Lee's ideas and opinions - and not anyone else's interpretation of them - with regard to:
  The history and development of his art
  The philosophy that supports and extends from the art
  The training and conditioning methods necessary to realize the physical (and mental/spiritual) aspects of the art
  The scientific principles underlying the foundation of the techniques Bruce Lee emphasized and held to be significant
  The life, art and career of Bruce Lee
A distinction is made between this body of work (i.e., Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do) and an individual student's own personal process of self-discovery through martial art, in that each student is free to utilize all, some or none of Bruce Lee's teachings to assist him in this respect.
Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do is not about setting up restrictions or "Ways" of doing things. It has no interest in trying to mold or shape you. It accepts you as you are. Much like when a bubbling spring flows out from the mountains, it is simply there for a thirsty traveler should he wish to partake of it. When a bird sings, it does not sing for the advancement of music, but if somebody stops to listen and is delighted, that is fine. And Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do seeks likewise to be a source of inspiration and delight solely for those who posses an interest in Bruce Lee and the martial viewpoint that he created. Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do should be considered the base that Bruce Lee established and not the ultimate goal of the individual who studies it. Individuals may, and if fact are expected to, modify, add and delete until they have transcended the need for any "way" or "system" at all - including Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do. We should welcome change, but the person changing should claim responsibility for his own innovations. Nor should Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do be called obsolete after a martial artist evokes these changes into a personal interpretation. In holding true to Bruce Lee's philosophy of personal liberation, it works on the principle of a physician rather than a patent. A physician is always trying to get rid of his patients and send them away healthy enough to stand on their own two feet. Bruce Lee's ultimate objective as a teacher was to get rid of his students so that they wouldn't need him or any other teacher.
Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do can be viewed as a guide to reach the highest peak of personal liberation through the study of martial arts. You, the individual become, through this process of self-discovery, your own best teacher. What we really need to know about ourselves and how we perform throughout our daily life should not end when graduating from school. Throughout our Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do journey, the martial arts trials and tribulations we experience result in a never-ending gain in self-knowledge and growth.
While it is true that Bruce Lee was constantly searching for a better way ("To utilize all ways be bound by none"), we must, for historical and philosophical reasons, use the term Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do only for the art that Bruce Lee taught. While it is true that he would have continued to grow and explore, we cannot know with infallible certainty what direction this exploration would have taken. Our objective with Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do is simply to remove some of the misconceptions that have arisen over the years concerning what Bruce Lee and his art were about, and to show the world a better picture of what is preserved in his legacy. For the sake of the future of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, we must also emphasize that when instructors claim to teach Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, they will only teach from the body of knowledge attributed to Bruce Lee.
Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do is concerned solely with Bruce Lee's body of work - as he taught it - and with the preservation and perpetuation of this body of work.  

Short Weapons

Short-weapon sport refers to the combating athletic sport in which two athletes holding short weapons conduct actual combat or competition to demonstrate and compete sword attacking and defending skills of Wushu in a plot of field in compliance with certain rules.Through the exercise of short-weapon sports,one may cultivate his or her competences such as witness,flexibility,courage,perseverance,etc.,and may strengthen his or her combat skills,and may also improve his or her overall health level and physical capability.

Wushu short-weapon sport is a newly established athletic event with unique traditional Chinese characteristics.The Central Martial Arts Academy set up in 1927 used to arrange Wushu short-weapon subject.Short-weapon games were twicely arranged in the national Wushu examination held in 1928 and 1933.

Since PRC was founded in 1949,the National Sports Committee has been attaching great importance to Wushu.Wushu short-weapon sports was arranged in "Tianjin Folk-style Sports Performance and Competition"in 1952 (At that time the only protection kit was a chest protector.)and in "All China Folk-style Sports Preformance and Competition" in 1953(Five-round match,cotton sports suit,and no protection kits).Later the short-weapon sport had been listed as a curriculum in sports school and institutions,but it had not been regarded as an athletic event.In 1979 combat sports were were again concerned by the national authorities during the process of discovering and finding upon Wushu.Sanda,short-weapon combat and Taiji Push-hand were specially reserched and studied.Moreover,relevant experiments were conducted in Beijing Sports University and Wuhan Institute of Physical Education.In 1979,the performance of Sanda and short-weapon combat was held openly in the Wushu Competition Zone during the 4th National Athletic Game in 1979.Then another game was held for internal exchange in 1981 in Shenyang.The Wushu Administration Centre of the General Administration of Sports of China issued in the February of 2001 an administrative document entitled as "The Reply and Approval Concerning Carrying on the Reserch and Pre-test of Wushu Short-weapon Combat Sport by Xi'an Institute of Physical Education" in Qingdao City of Shandong Province in the August of the same year.Those experts and professionals thoroughly discussed relative articles of the competition rules and reached common understanding,and they determined the initial framework for the further development  of Wushu short-weapon sport.

 

 

 

Fu Biao demonstrating short weapon:sword

 

 

Fu Biao's Pupils showing short weapons together

Study links better bone health with green tea, Taichi

Drinking green tea and practicing Taichi may promote bone health of postmenopausal women and reduce the risk of inflammation, a new study suggests.

The study, conducted by researchers at the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women's Health at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, focused on postmenopausal women and investigated the potential for green tea to work synergistically with Taichi in enhancing bone strength of postmenopausal women.

Originating as a martial art in China, Taichi is a mind-body exercise that utilizes slow, gentle movements to build strength and flexibility, as well as deep breathing and relaxation, to move qi, or vital energy, throughout the body.

The study findings were published Sunday at EurekAlert.org, the website of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Carried out as a double-blind, placebo-controlled, intervention trial (the "holy grail" of scientific studies), this experiment involved 171 postmenopausal women with the average age of 57 who had weak bones but not full-fledged osteoporosis. Subjects were divided into 4 groups -- placebo: starch pill (placebo) and no Taichi; GTP or green tea polyphenols (500 mg/day) and no Taichi; Placebo plus Taichi (starch pill and practising Taichi three times a week); and GTP plus Taichi.

The study lasted for 6 months, during which blood and urine samples were collected and muscle strength assessed.

The results show that consumption of GTP (at a level equivalent to about four-six cups of steeped green tea daily) and participation in Taichi independently enhanced markers of bone health by three and six months, respectively. A similar effect was found for muscle strength at the 6-month time point. Participants taking Taichi classes also reported significant beneficial effects in quality of life in terms of improving their emotional and mental health.

Perhaps most remarkable, however, was the substantial effect that both GTP and Taichi had on biological markers of oxidative stress. Because oxidative stress is a main precursor to inflammation, this finding suggests that green tea and Taichi may help reduce the underlying etiology of not only osteoporosis, but other inflammatory diseases as well.

In the study, the researchers developed an animal model (the ovariectomized, middle-aged female rat), with which they could effectively study the effects of green tea consumption on protection against breakdown of the bone's microarchitecture, according to the AAAS.

In humans, this can lead to osteoporosis, a condition common to older women. The researchers say what they have learned from the animal models might also be applicable to postmenopausal women.

There is a "favorable effect of modest green tea consumption on bone remodeling in this pre-osteoporotic population," said lead researcher Dr. Chwan-Li (Leslie) Shen, an associate professor at the institute.

The researchers plan to soon complete a more long-term study utilizing more technically savvy measures of bone density, according to the AAAS.  

Role-Playing For Self Defence

The concept of role-playing has become an essential part of reality self defence training. However, most trainer's idea of role-playing is to practice "yelling drills". This article offers some advice on how to get the most from role-playing and scenario training.

 

This article was inspired by a discussion on my Combative Minds Group on LinkedIn. If you are not a member yet, head over now and join the group.

Role-play has become an essential part of self defence training. It used to be that training didn't go much further than the actual physical techniques. Now, most people who train in reality self defence wrap up the physical techniques inside some kind of scenario. In the quest for ever more realism in training, instructors began to introduce the concept of role-playing, where students would "play the part" of an attacker as opposed to just being somebody’s training partner.

 

The Interview

 

We know that in most conflict scenarios there is a build-up of tension and aggression and this build-up always begins with dialogue. It therefore makes a lot of sense to introduce this build-up of aggression into self defence training.

 

A lot of assaults happen because the victim didn't handle this build-up- the “interview”-  properly. They allowed themselves to be further drawn into conflict, or they allowed the aggressor to intimidate them into submission. Either way, the fight was over before any punch was thrown. By practicing managing this interview stage in the dojo however, through roleplaying, there is a much greater chance that you will do so with more skill and with greater confidence if you had to do it for real outside the training hall. There are a few things that need to be understood about role-playing however.

 

Realistic Build-Up

 

Firstly, most scenarios in a lot of gyms are no more than what Jamie Clubb calls "yelling drills", where the attacker immediately gets aggressive, starts shouting and pushing the defendant around the mats, asking him what his fucking problem is. 

This may seem real, and it is in a way, but in actuality, most conflicts don't start that way. There is usually at least a few lines of dialogue spoken before the aggression levels get that high. 

With predators especially, there is always an interview included in their plan of attack. They always approach initially with deceptive dialogue and body language. They innocuously ask for the time or directions before they launch their full assault. 

The reason being, to take you of your guard, to distract your attention and create a window of opportunity for themselves. 

Scenario training has to reflect that. There has to be a lead up to the assault.

 

Soft Skills

 

Secondly, good role-playing allows for practice of the soft skills. 

Quite a lot of conflicts and assaults can be stopped through self-assertiveness and de-escalation. 

In relation to street predators, if you can communicate your intentions through correct body language and dialogue, you may be able to put most of them off. Your calm and assertive reaction to their threats or bad intentions will communicate to them that you are not what they are looking for, which is an easy victim. They will move on and find someone else. 

In the case of dealing with someone who is building up to violence for some other reason (if they were monkey dancing, for instance) you may be able to defuse the situation through dialogue. 

In both cases, you stand a much greater chance of reaching a non-violent conclusion if you practice such scenarios, properly, with full dialogue, in training. 

To do so requires a bit more creativity and imagination than the standard yelling drills. It requires a bit of acting.

 

Improve Your Acting Skills

 

And that's the third thing to understand about role-playing. To role-play successfully, you really have to improve your acting skills. 

All it really takes is a bit of imagination and lots of practice, plus the ability to just go for it and not be embarrassed in front of your training partners. It's easier if you try to relax and have fun with it. 

Needless to say, the more you put into these role-plays, the more you'll get out of them. You want to get to the stage where you can have whole conversations and diffuse the situation without recourse to violence. For that to happen though, the person playing the threat can't go into the scenario thinking they are going to attack straight away. They have to be willing to play things out a little before deciding whether to attack or not. If the defendant does a good enough job of dissuading them, then they don't attack. If things go sideways they will attack. 

 

Like I say, both players (or all players in the case of multiple threats) have to try and immerse themselves in their roles as much as possible. The more you immerse yourself in the role, the more naturally and realistically the scenario will play out.

 

Scenario training is an essential part of self defence training, but to get the most from it you may have to look at outside sources for information, like in the fields of acting, behavioural psychology, criminal psychology etc. in order to add more depth to your practice.

 

Playing scenarios is a skill, but one which is well worth learning.

Five Steps to Victory

The martial art of Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) is based on the "13 Postures". Despite what many believe, these "postures" are not 13 prototype fighting techniques – the term refers to 8 methods of expressing power (Jin) and 5 footwork methods and strategies. In this article, I will be looking into the 5 footwork methods, and how their strategy is to be applied against an opponent.

 

The martial art of Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) is based on the ‘13 Postures’. Despite what many believe, these ‘postures’ are not 13 prototype fighting techniques – the term refers to 8 methods of expressing power (Jin) and 5 footwork methods and strategies.
In this article, I will be looking into the 5 footwork methods, and how their strategy is to be applied against an opponent.
As an ‘internal’ martial art, the theories, strategies and concepts of Taijiquan stem from Daoist tradition. The 8 expressions of power relating to the Ba Gua (8 Trigrams), and the 5 footwork methods relate to the Wuxing (5 Elements).
According to Daoist theory, the world around us is made up of five elements: Metal, Earth, Water, Fire and Wood. The elements all relate to each other, either via a creative path:
Metal creates Water,
Water creates Wood,
Wood creates Fire,
Fire creates Earth,
Earth creates Metal,
or a destructive path:
Metal destroys Wood,
Wood destroys Earth,
Earth destroys Water,
Water destroys Fire,
Fire destroys Metal,
Also, in the creative path, each Element will destroy the Element that creates it, for example; Water will destroy Fire via the destructive path, but can also be used to destroy Metal by reversing the creative path.
Each of the 5 stepping methods is thus related to an Element, which means that for any step your opponent makes, you have two steps you can make that will put you into a superior position, or two steps that can put you into an inferior position.
We’ll start by looking at which Element relates to each step:
Metal – Forward
Wood – Backward
Water – Left
Fire – Right
Earth – Center (non-movement)

So, by relating these footwork methods to the 5 Elements, we can see that:
1) Forward Movement (Metal):
Is Strong Against – Maintaining Centre (Earth) & Backward Movement (Wood)
Is Defeated By – Left Movement (Water) & Right Movement (Fire)
2) Backward Movement (Wood):
Is Strong Against – Maintaining Center (Earth) & Left Movement (Water)
Is Defeated By – Right Movement (Fire) & Forward Movement (Metal)
3) Maintaining Centre (Earth):
Is Strong Against – Left Movement (Water) & Right Movement (Fire)
Is Defeated By – Forward Movement (Metal) & Backward Movement (Wood)
4) Right Movement (Fire):
Is Strong Against – Forward Movement (Metal) & Backward Movement (Wood)
Is Defeated By – Left Movement (Water) & Maintaining Centre (Earth)
5) Left Movement (Water):
Is Strong Against – Right Movement (Fire) & Forward Movement (Metal)
Is Defeated By – Maintaining Centre (Earth) & Backward Movement (Wood)
You see how this works, yes?
By implementing this theory, a fight can start to become less random, and begins to feel more like a fast (possibly dangerous) game of chess.
Try this out in some gentle partner drills. Have an opponent make a movement in a direction, and try moving in the various ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ movements to see how they work out. When you feel comfortable in gentle practice, begin to work it into your free-sparring practices, and see if you can keep one step ahead of your partner.
I hope this can be of interest to martial artists of any style.

Mind, Body and Qi

An article looking at the mind, body and Qi

 

In chinese culture Qi is a form of living. For many people in China Qi is a form of medicine..Qi has natural patterns in the body. In which it circulates in the body also known as meridian. Many chinese believe that illnesses are from disrupted, blocked or unbalanced Qi movements through your body's meridians, they often adjust this in people by using a variety of techniques. Those techniques would include herbology, food therapy, physical training regimens and acupuncture.

Qi is used in many martial arts. They use it as a form of breathing. when You breathe properly you are able to strike with you qi energy and cause that person not to strike back. When you breathe from your dun chin you can control your energy and flow with any speed to hurt or scare your opponent. Whether you block,strike, or kick you should always breathe from your dun chin. When you learn how to breathe through your dun chin, you must first do breathing exercises such as meditation and deep slow breathing techniques. You must concentrate on your breathing, so you can center your Qi on any application or katas!

The best way to feel the flow of Qi is to actually see or feel it. You can do this by training in Qigong or acupuncture. Some people are better at feeling and seeing Qi than others as like any other skill people do.

As we practice inner alchemy also known as Qigong people cultivate the capacity to perceive many of these different levels. As people become more use to this way, you will become aware,direct of vibratory nature. When you start to understand and feel your Qi, you will come to understand emotions and thoughts are a form of energy. This gives rise then to the potential for newly-powerful and deliciously-creative action within this world.

Martial Arts for Kids

Many people among us can remember watching Martial Arts movies on TV in our childhood and wishing we could perform like our on screen heroes. It also happens many of us never got that chance as a kid. If you want to learn more about Martial Arts for kids then this article is for you. The benefits that Martial Arts can bring to your child can never be outspoken enough. Introducing youngsters to the amazing sport should be carried out properly to provoke and maintain a healthy interest that will enable them to have the mental and physical ability to improve everyday. Read on...

 

Whether you are a Martial Artist yourself or have no knowledge of the sport whatsoever, be assured that Martial Arts is one of the best experiences you can give your child. Not only will it dramatically increase the fitness levels of your child but also develop their mental concentration, giving them a clearer mind. Most notably Martial Arts teaches students how to avoid fights and conflict rather than look for it.

Why is Martial Arts good for kids?

This sport has a huge range on benefits, being both mental and physical. It can develop the mind of any Martial Artist, giving them the ability to be disciplined, focused and have a calm mind in stressful situations. Both mental and physical benefits go hand in hand and many experts are renowned for their positive outlook in life and dedication to achieving goals - not only in the sport but academically and also in general life. Physcial benefits of Martial Arts for your children could put them in a league above their peers, giving them an excellent cardiovascular system, flexibility and strength. 

Develop the interest

We all know that a child rarely wants to follow the desires of a parent, for this reason it is advised to introduce the concept of Martial Arts in an implied manner. Suddenly telling your son or daughter that they should be going to a Martial Arts school is not recommended. Research has shown that by introducing a sport to a child slowly using the right techniques is much more effective. Try putting on a great Martial Arts movie for the kids, tailored at the younger generation, examples include The Karate Kid or Return of the Dragon. If your kid is bored and has no interest in either movie, it does not go to say Martial Arts is still not for them. By making Martial Arts fun, they are much more liekly to want to participate in the sport. For example, show how certain techniques can be used (obviously without hurting your child) and tell them they can rely on such techniques as they go through life if they ever encounter danger. Try taking them to a local Martial Arts competition and ask your child if they would enjoy doing something similar. Kids often want to be better than their peers at everything! Giving them the edge in Martial Arts could be a huge step for them. Nobody can ever question Bruce Lee's dedication to Martial Arts, he was introduced to the sport by his father who was a Tai Chi Chuan practitioner.

Which Martial Art is best for a child?

This can only ever be answered in hindsight. However it must be noted that some Martial Arts are much harder to learn the older we get. Certain Martial Arts styles such as Jiu Jitsu which involves many moves which require a perfect technique to avoid injury should be started as young as possible. Also Taekwondo which requires extreme flexibility for certain kicks is harder to develop the older we get. On the other hand, styles such as Wing Chun Kung Fu requires less flexibility and although the techniques are not easy to learn for a beginner, it can be done regardless of phyical ablity. You should also consider what your child wants out of the sport, whether it be mainly for self defence, fitness or fun (thats not to say all three can be obtained in one style).

Find a Martial Arts School

Finding a good Martial Arts school is crucial and cannot be over emphasized.

The quality in teaching ranges enormously from school to school. Finding the right school depends on the attitude of the child and even yourself as a parent. Do you want your child to be an Olympic Champion or just find an enjoyable sport that will develop them mentally and physically and see where this takes them? InterMartialArts.com provides the worlds largest Martial Arts club listing on the net. Browse our clubs in your region, some have member reviews. We strongly advise that you do not settle on the first club that you go to, as there is a huge range of levels of teaching. Most importantly, your kid has to enjoy what he/she is doing and also learning in the correct way at the same time. Discuss the clubs policies with the teacher and you will get a good feel for how the club is run. Questions to ask may include: "how many years experience do you have at teaching level", "have you ever studied Martial Arts in China/Japan?", "what line of descendant is the teaching in the club - have you been taught by someone who was also taught by someone who is well reknowned in the style". For example there are Wing Chun Kung Fu schools dotted around the western world run by teachers in a direct line from Great Grandmaster Ip Man (Bruce Lee's former teacher).

Development away from the school

Always remember the quote from Ip Man (famous Wing Chun teacher who taught Bruce Lee) - "It is difficult for a student to pick a good teacher, but it is even more difficult for a teacher to pick a good students"

 You may not find a school which is convenient to take your child often enonugh, even if you can - it is advised that your child practices the specific style(s) they are committed to outside of classes too. However be careful that they are not practicing in the wrong way and getting into bad habits. There are many DVD's on the market where simple drills can be practiced. Most gradings for belt rankings, particularly Taekwondo and Karate are based on Kata/Patterns and drills. These are extremely important especially for classical styles - getting these right will ensure your child develops faster in Martial Arts.

What is the best martial art for me?

Are you asking yourself what is the best martial art for me? ...then this article explains which of some of the most common martial arts styles you may consider best for you. If you are new to martial arts and you have little experience of what each style requires in terms of strength, flexibility or commitment then this article should help.

 

If you are asking yourself which martial art should I learn, then there are several things that you should consider.

First is to decide what type of martial art you are interested in learning. There are literaly thousands of different martial arts from almost every country around the globe. Some are practiced only in the country of origin and some have become popular around the world.

When deciding on a martial art to learn you should consider the reasons that you have in starting training. Is it to learn self defense, explore another culture, exercise or just to meet new people? Learning a martial art is a great way to satisfy all those goals.

The key styles

Often a martial art is a combination of several different styles that the founder of the art studied and welded together to form his own distinct style. Some Dojos (schools) are affiliated with national or international groups that oversee the art, some are affiliated with no one but the Sensei (teacher) who runs the school.

Here is a list of just a few of the better known styles and their country of origin.

Aikido (Japan)

Often called the way of the open hand this art is taught worldwide. Aikido teaches blending with the force of an attack and then redirecting it rather than opposing it head on. Considered one of the softer martial arts it's techniques are often taught to police because the style allows subduing with little or no harm to the attacker.

Hapkido (Korea)

Employing joint locks and borrowing techniques from a wide range of other styles and weapons. Practitioners gain advantage through movements that uses leverage, avoiding the use of strength against strength.

Jujutsu (Japan)

Often described as the art of softness or way of yielding, this art was first developed by samurai as a way of defeating armed or armored opponents when the samurai was unarmed. It specializes in pins joint locks and throws.

Karate ( Japan)

A striking art that uses hands, feet, knees elbows to render an attacker incapacitated. Some styles also include locks, throws and vital point strikes. Its immense popularity due to martial arts movies in the 60's and 70's have made Karate a generic term that includes most styles of striking arts.

Kung Fu(China)

Is a generic term covering a number of different martial art styles originating in China over many centuries. Some styles teach the use of ki (energy) and are called inner styles. Others stress strength and cardiovascular health and are labeled outer styles. The one thing that they all have in common is the attempt to learn self defense, health and personal development.

Judo (Japan)

Translated as “gentle way” this art is more competitive, where the aim is to throw ones opponent to the ground or incapacitate him through the use of joint locks or choke holds.

Jeet Kune Do (USA)

Founded by the most famous martial artist of all time, Bruce Lee, this martial arts style combines a range of methods and strategies from a number of styles including Wing Chun, JiuJitsu, Boxing and more. It is conisdered one of the most effective styles there is, as the philosphy behind it, derived by it's founder focuses on efficiency. This style is hugely recommended if you can find a capable instructor. Unfortunately many instructors who claim to teach this style are unqualified. If you decide take up this style, ensure you look carefully into your instructor and ask about their direct lineage to Bruce Lee / his students, including the legendry Dan Inosanto.

Tae Kwon Do (Korea)

One of the characteristics of this art is the high, fast and spinning kicks it teaches. Tai Kwan Do is often translated as “the art of kicking and punching. It's training includes patterns, sparring, self defense and break tests.

 Tai Chi(China)

An energy exercise that uses exacting movements to promote strength, stamina and flexibility. Often practitioners of Tai Chi seem to be in a world all their own though in reality they are acutely aware of their surroundings.

Find and visit The School

Once you have decided which martial art you are interested in it is time to visit schools. Search for martial arts schools in your area using the largest database of martial arts schools in the world. Most Dojos allow a brief observance of a class in action. Some have specific classes that they allow to be observed so make sure to call ahead for the policy. When you visit a school you can get information about schedules, costs and a general feel of the school. Make sure to ask questions.

Consider Your Strengths

After visiting a few Dojos you probably will find some where the practice seems too hard or too soft for your goals. You need to be honest about what your limits are when searching for a Dojo to call your own. But be assured though, there are schools for every age, strength and ability. There are even many schools that have special classes designed for people recovering from an injury or that have other special needs.

Set A Budget

Starting costs can vary from style to style. A Kendo armor can cost as much as $1000 while an Aikido school would only need a white uniform Keiko-Gi. Some schools require you to sign up for a package of lessons while some let you join month by month. It's your choice.

Starter Classes

Some Dojos offer starter classes that have their own schedules. These classes are generally designed as an introduction to the specific style being offered. It is pretty intimidating to walk into a class where everyone else seems to know what they are doing so a beginning class is a perfect way to try out the style and learn some of the basics. These classes are usually less strict about uniforms and other gear. This is also a great way to experience the art before deciding on the martial art in which you want to train.

The Atmosphere

When you visit a school make sure to observe the interactions between the different students and instructor. Some styles are all business and very competitive. Some are friendlier and more receptive to new students. Neither is better than the other, you just need to find the one that you will be he most comfortable in.

The Instructor

You should also check the training of the instructor(s) to make sure that you are being taught in a safe manner and that they actually know what they are doing.

Are You Moving?

There is nothing more frustrating than working hard to raise in the ranks then find out after you move that your ranking only means something in the school where you started. This doesn't mean that you should only go to a Dojo that belongs to a national accreditation group. It is just something that you should take into consideration before you join. While it is nice to know that there is always a school that you can go to if you move or even just travel a lot, most Dojos welcome new students with open arms and will accept you for your skills no matter where you learned them.

Conclusion

Learning a martial art can be a fun way to get in shape, meet new people and learn about another culture. Just remember that no matter where you are in life or what shape you are in, more than likely you can find a Dojo that you will be proud to call home.

So if you are asking - w'hich martial art is best for me?' The answer is the one where you will feel the most comfortable with considering all factors discussed above, remember to go out and enjoy the martial art you choose, it is a wonderful sport which improves all aspects of health incuding both mental and physical ability.

Wing Chun Kung Fu

Original Name: 

 

詠春, Yǒng chūn, aka Ving Tsun, Wing Tsun

 

Founded By: 

 

Ng Mui

 

Country of Origin: 

 

China

 

Introduction: 

 

The Martial Arts style on Wing Chun Kung Fu is Chinese Martial Art that is mostly based on short distance, close range combat techniques and has a few common rules that apply to all of them. The most significant which can be seen in Wing Chun are economization of motion, time and energy and the balance of competing demands.

 

Due to these principles, Wing Chun is widely considered to be one of the most 'efficient' styles of Kung Fu. Many of the techniques require little amount of energy or movement compared to other styles. For this reason it is a popular style for students with less physical strength. That is not to say that Wing Chun does not require strength, but the moves involved are designed in such a way that strength can be economized.

 

Wing Chun is pronounced in many ways around the world, which has given rise to its variety of names such as Ving Tsun, however most commonly and in line with Chinese language 'Wing Chun' is the most common classification of this style of Kung Fu.

 

More information about style: 

 

The popularity that this Martial Art enjoys today is mainly attributed to Bruce Lee. Many of his principles and theories such as "no limits as limits" are at the root of Wing Chun teachings, for example, not being bound by conventional processes and thoughts but rather find a method which is more economical. This is also why it is popular for Wing Chun instructors or high grade students have studied more than one style of Martial Arts.

 

Although finding a more economical method of carrying out a technique is encouraged in this style, it must be kept within the theories and philosophies (see link at top of page) of the style. Despite this, much of the curriculum is based around three hand forms (tan, bong, fook), one wooden dummy form, one long pole form and one butterfly knives form.

Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu

Original Name: 

螳螂拳 - tánglángquán / meaning: "praying mantis fist"

Founded By: 

Wang Lang (王朗)

Country of Origin: 

China

 

Introduction: 

 

It should firstly be noted that Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu is a completely unrelated martial arts style to Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu.

 

As the name suggests, the Praying Mantis Kung Fu Style is a school of Kung Fu that has taken inspiration from the unique fighting technique of the Praying Mantis insect. Amongst all the animal Kung Fu styles, this is the most widely followed and the most ruthless of them all. It is one of the many Kung Fu forms, which had the Shaolin Temple act as a catalyst for their origin and promotion. The founder of this innovative form of martial art was a master named Wang Lang, who invented this form, while China was under the Ming Dynasty.

 

The art of Praying Mantis Kung Fu, which was designed by Wang Lang, is known as the Seven Stars School. It remains the most popular style even in today’s times, in spite of the introduction of various other forms like Six Harmonies, Eight Step, Tai Chi and Closed Door. These new forms of Kung Fu came into existence, when a few of Lang’s disciples claimed to have formulated strategies that were better than his. These disciples were allowed to come up with their own individual versions of this style of Kung Fu, but none of them managed to get the same kind of recognition as the Seven Stars School.

 

More information about style: 

 

The Praying Mantis Kung Fu Style was developed mainly for self defense purposes. The students learning this martial art form are taught some extraordinary kicking and grabbing movements. All the hand movements that are incorporated in this style of Kung Fu resemble the tactics of a Praying Mantis, but the foot movements of the insect are slow and weak, which could pose a threat to the safety of the person practicing this style of Kung Fu. Hence, the footwork is inspired by the monkey. The swift, quick and strong movements of a monkey are ideal for self defense as well as attack. This incredible combination of the aggressiveness of the praying mantis and the monkey justify the efficiency of this martial art form.

 

The Praying Mantis form of Kung Fu constitutes of the hard as well as the soft theories of martial art accompanied by a lot of variations in trapping, throwing, locking, striking, kicking and ground techniques. Some of the common moves that are extensively used are the triple pluck, chokehold technique, spear hand and the mantis hook. The variations in the hand and foot actions involved in the Praying Mantis Kung Fu Style ensure that the student does not entirely depend on the use of power alone. The practitioners of this Kung Fu form try their level best to defend themselves from any kind of attack. In a situation that the attack does happen, they use their swift movements to take charge over their opponent and overpower him.

 

In order to be a practitioner of the Praying Mantis Kung Fu Style, one has to have extremely strong body – mind coordination. The body, mind and spirit of the student have to work in tandem with each other or the consequences could prove to be fatal. Hence, this martial art will demand a lot of exercise and discipline on the mental, spiritual as well as physical grounds.

Shaolin Kung Fu

Original Name: 

Shaolin Kung Fu 少林寺 功夫

Founded By: 

Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk from South India at the Shaolin Monastery

Country of Origin: 

China

Introduction: 

 

The credit for the formulation of the ancient art of shaolin kung fu goes to an Indian monk, Tat Moh, who was also referred to as Boddhidharma by some. Boddhidharma was a young prince till he decided to renounce all privileges and walk on the path of Buddhism. His willingness to learn everything about Buddhism took him to China, where he was appalled to see the plight of the monks in the Shaolin temple, who were weak and could not protect themselves from the attacks of the bandits. This inspired Boddhidhar.

 

The basics of shaolin kung fu are hugely inspired by Indian yoga. There were eighteen traditional yoga movements, which were taught to the Shaolin monks in order to enhance their mental and physical strength. Ever since, this style of Kung Fu has undergone tremendous expansion and diversification. With time, the monks began to incorporate various different animal styles into this school of martial art. The main five forms of the animal styles of Kung Fu are the tiger form, which represents ferocity and strength, the crane, standing for fluidity and swiftness, the snake, symbolizing accuracy and speed, the leopard, standing for intelligence and the dragon, which is the master of all the forms.

 

Thus, different forms of shaolin kung fu focus on different aspects. There is a good balance between the mind, body and the spirit. The practitioner has to know how to strike a chord between soft and hard, speed and power and calmness and aggression, depending on the situation. It is this balance that should be extended to the daily lives of the practitioners. The eight wisdoms that are crucial for learning this form of Kung Fu are perseverance, respect, tolerance, loyalty, patience, humility, dignity and honor. The feature that sets this style of martial art apart from the others is that the teachings of this form can be applied to the other aspects of life also. It not only keeps the body physically fit, but also the mind calm and composed.

 

ma to come up with a system, which would help these monks defend them in the year 540 AD.

More information about style: 

 

The credit for the formulation of the ancient art of shaolin kung fu goes to an Indian monk, Tat Moh, who was also referred to as Boddhidharma by some. Boddhidharma was a young prince till he decided to renounce all privileges and walk on the path of Buddhism. His willingness to learn everything about Buddhism took him to China, where he was appalled to see the plight of the monks in the Shaolin temple, who were weak and could not protect themselves from the attacks of the bandits. This inspired Boddhidharma to come up with a system, which would help these monks defend them in the year 540 AD.

 

Today, even after 1500 years of the invention of the shaolin kung fu style, it is said to be the greatest martial art throughout the world. This is due to its extensive reach, wonderful skills and timeless philosophy, which is responsible for enriching people’s lives and leading them towards spiritual fulfillment. It is a common belief that martial arts are designed to promote violence. On the contrary, this style of Kung Fu discourages any kind of attack on a fellow human being. 

 

The form, philosophy, power and application of the shaolin kung fu style have been formulated more for the purpose of healing than hurting. Another interesting characteristic about this martial art form is that the power used is the internal power of the individual and there is no age or physical specification for learning this innovative form of Kung Fu. The entire basis of this style is based on the two pillars of wisdom and compassion.