October 8, 2008 by george.

Here’s an article that I saw from the New York Times discussing relaxation and “in the zone” training. Since it is apropos to the concepts of the internal arts, I thought I’d link to it for you all:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/health/nutrition/02best.html?_r=3&nl=8hlth&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&emc=hltha4&adxnnlx=1223478830-V/6HOKV/UX6MLDim5oO5Qw

Posted in General Info | 1 Comment »

August 16, 2008 by george.

Here’s a link to a news program done on Luo Dexiu and his students, as well as the Yizong association in Taiwan. The Yizong association is a group of students from the early lineage of Zhang Zhunfeng, primarily through the Hong brothers. Luo Dexiu’s official “title” with the group is something like chief martial arts advisor or something along those lines… i.e. the guy who knows the most about these arts. A number of the older practitioners from the video were older students of Hong Yixiang, Hong Yiwen and/or Hong Yimian. In a way, this might be the only video some may ever see of these martial arts brothers of Luo Laoshi. Some of them also teach, and many have been practicing for 2, 3, 4 or 5 decades!

But still, one of the best parts about this video is that you also get to see Lin Guozheng performing and doing sanshou with Luo Laoshi. He also leads some of Luo Laoshi’s students through some Xingyi five elements practice. Lin Guozheng has been practicing martial arts since the early 70s, starting in wingchun due to the Bruce Lee craze. He eventually found Su Dongchen and studied under him for a number of years in Japan, and then for the last 20 years or so has been a disciple of Luo Dexiu Laoshi. He’s one of the early students under Luo Laoshi and his first Taiwanese student. I learned a lot from him while I was in Taiwan and owe A LOT of my skill and understanding to his ever patient and painful explanations. Its not much footage, but alas, here’s some!

 http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=fz4zF3oBg38

Posted in Xingyiquan, Baguazhang, General Info | 2 Comments »

April 13, 2008 by george.

Well, we’ve been working on ma xing - the horse form - in Xingyiquan for about 4 months now. We’ve taken it apart in many different ways and have worked on power, timing, variations on stepping, performing it with smooth and cross steps, worked with fists, elbows and shoulders, and discussed control, sticking, setting things up, distance, and much more. Its been a wonderful thing for me to explore in this depth. I understood the concept and could use it on an intuitive level, as it was in my body. But… to use a metaphor my teacher uses often, my horse form was still in the “zipped” form alike a computer file. I had not logically dissected it, broken it apart, taken each piece out and shown it clearly in teaching. So the process of teaching this form, in this amount of depth, has been a great experience for me as well. I just wanted to say thanks to all of you who have been with me on the ride. (And if you’ve been skipping out of these classes - you missed a ton!)

Yesterday (Saturday) we spent quite a bit of time working on a certain aspect of application and principle. We talked a bit about having seen this idea before in other arts and I mentioned having seen Chuck Liddell using and teaching something similar. A student also mentioned seeing Rocky Marciano using the technique as well.

Here’s a video I found on youtube with Chuck Liddell teaching his version of this concept: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqf42bsTXnY

And, for what it’s worth, you’ll also see this concept in our bagua houtian later.

Hope you all are enjoying this and getting a lot out of it!

Best, George

Posted in Xingyiquan | 2 Comments »

April 9, 2008 by george.

Here’s a video that a school brother of mine put up on youtube with Luo laoshi’s five elements.

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld3ek8i9pT4

Posted in Xingyiquan | 1 Comment »

March 29, 2008 by george.

Here’s something that is pretty sad actually. At about 2:10 or so into the following video, the one slightly smaller dude uses some quick energy to do a snake type throw to his opponent. You’ll see the result. This is another reason why I have segmented the throwing in my school the way I have. There are serious consequences to being an asshole on your partner. And although this was a competition, I’m still not sure I would say this kind of technique in a non-life/death type situation is cool.

Nonetheless, it is good to learn from other people’s mistakes, rather than having to suffer through our own. Learn the consequences of being an asshole:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXlFSXvVV7k 

Circle on and train well!

George

Posted in Training, General Info | 1 Comment »

March 25, 2008 by george.

Oh, and just in case some of you haven’t seen it yet, I put up the relevant portion of a TV travel show that came to Taiwan and did an interview of Luo Dexiu laoshi. The show is Burt Wolf’s Travel and Traditions and the narrator/interviewer/old guy who’s forced to eat all the snails and snakes in foreign countries is Burt Wolf…

Anyways, here’s Luo Laoshi, with Huang Borui, Eric Liao and Scott Hoffman in the background practicing…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogCIL0pJ1CE

Enjoy!

Posted in General Info | 3 Comments »

March 9, 2008 by george.

Check these out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH89qHE68as

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r–Y9sMVhbY

Posted in Baguazhang | 1 Comment »

February 26, 2008 by george.

 Just saw this video and thought that its relevant to our training of locks, throws and just general training sense. Some people are idiots. Some people just don’t know the range of motion of their own joints and think they can tough it out through something letting their ego’s rule and not their sense.

Don’t let this happen to your partner or to you…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkh5H02Iw2M

Posted in General Info | 3 Comments »

February 21, 2008 by george.

Here’s a video of a Yizong uncle of mine named Su Dongchen. He was a student under Hong Yixiang, along with my teacher, Luo Dexiu. Although I know that many of you have already seen this video, I thought I should put it up for show on this blog just in case others might not have seen it.

It shows Su Dongchen demonstrating fighting tactics against 3 opponents. You’ll notice the baguazhang coming out in this video as he defends, attacks, lines up and breaks down his “attackers.” It is an unscripted demo, but these are his students, so no one is getting killed or maimed.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=v1sK5zBRbec

As far as I’ve seen, it’s probably the best video I’ve seen on the Internet of fighting against multiple attackers. Check it out!

Posted in Baguazhang | 8 Comments »

January 23, 2008 by george.

One of my pet reading areas is in sports psychology. I find that especially after studying something like the internal arts, you get an even greater appreciation for what goes on in your head with regards to the various facets of training.

I recently found a blog on sports psychology and combat sports. I haven’t yet had a chance to read through the whole thing, actually I only read the first couple paragraphs so far, but I’m guessing some of you might want to check it out.

There’s a lot of good books out there on the subject. Actually, I’ve also heard that GSP recently credited his visits with a sports psychologist for preparing him so well for his latest fight with Matt Hughes.

Anyways, here’s the link:

http://combatsportpsychology.blogspot.com/ 

Posted in General Info | 1 Comment »

January 16, 2008 by george.

Josh Coutts forwarded this to me. He was reading an article on cardio machines and exercise.

“She also notes that exercising in a hunched-over position can keep you from breathing deeply, and that the improper alignment of your spine can make the workout more jarring to your shoulders and elbows.

Use a natural gait, says Danberg. And “Don’t hold the handrails because it breaks the natural biomechanics of the body. We don’t go through life holding on to something.”

If you need more stability, he says, hold with one hand and move the other arm, alternating periodically.

Saremi also discourages reading while using the cardio machines: “You’re not concentrating and getting a good workout. You’re not monitoring your progress. Exercise has to engage your head. Form is so important.”"

And then Josh C. asked: “Bagua anyone?”

Do you ever think that at some point all the Jane Fonda types, and Billy Blanks types, and Krav Maga types, and yoga types will get together and take up Baguazhang?

Posted in Baguazhang, Training | 1 Comment »

January 15, 2008 by george.

Georges St. Pierre’s snake throw at the last UFC.

Sorry Shawn, this gif file didn’t have the set up or the follow up to the throw.

Posted in Baguazhang | 1 Comment »

January 14, 2008 by george.

I was speaking with a student the other day and explaining one of the most helpful things that solo practice does for me nowadays.

Since much of my efforts these days are directed towards teaching, when I am reviewing forms and drills I am most often reviewing those that I am currently teaching or will soon teach.

When I am practicing these solo exercises, I often find that I am getting those type of deja-vu flashbacks. I will be practicing kai zhang for example, and then often these images or impressions of something that I learned years ago in class will come up for me in my mind. Much as in hypnosis where you have that watch that helps you get to the mind, kai zhang and all the other solo drills help to rekindle buried moments and memories for me.

I have found that buried thoughts, memories, and feelings will come up of their own accord during meditative type practices, whether sitting or standing. It is no longer hard to get to that mental state where these vestiges of thought buried on my mental hard drive can suddenly pop back up into my more immediate random access memory. One of the things I found interesting though is that these physical movements can help to influence what type of “memories” are recalled. When I am quiet and meditating I am not focusing on anything (other than say breathing or being aware at the start of the sessions, before my mind has calmed) and therefore it seems to me that what comes up is more random. But I don’t have the same experience when focusing on my own solo practice these days, it is not, seemingly, random.

I don’t think I quite thought of the link between how physical motions can also direct the mind in this way before. I wasn’t aware of this benefit while I was practicing in Taiwan. What I am not sure of is why. One possibility is that my mind/body connection has grown somewhat deeper and that this directed recall through physical motion is a consequence. The other possibility is that my “purpose” and mental energies are directed differently now than they were before.

Nonetheless, I found it an interesting benefit that in my case helps to preserve these physical and mental traditions.

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January 14, 2008 by george.

Just thought I would throw this out there hoping for some comments. I’ve been thinking about this a lot the last few years - how to explain Baguazhang to those with no background knowledge in martial arts.

I remember Nima came up with some composite explanation shortly before he left for med school. It was something like saying Bagua was sort of like a combination of yoga, taiji, wrestling, kickboxing, etc. Maybe he could chime in when he gets a chance between dissections or tests or whatnot.

Before I chime in, what are your thoughts?

Posted in Baguazhang, General Info | 8 Comments »

January 8, 2008 by george.

Being Present.

One must be able to fully concentrate, fully focus, be fully aware and have the ability to be fully in the moment. This is both a both a trained skill, and a prerequisite to long term success in the arts.

All of us have had the experience growing up through grade school while sitting in one’s English class, and just zoning out. Or you might spend that class time doodling, writing notes, or staring out the window. Many people continue to go through life like that.

Examples:

Coming to class and not really paying attention to what you are doing or what you should be doing. I have often seen students come to class and then proceed to “play around.” The teacher might demonstrate one technique and explain how everyone should practice it, then a student might do that once or twice, maybe not even try, then proceed to just dawdle around or do whatever it is he/she might want to practice at the time instead of what the teacher is trying to get across. Not only is this disrespectful to the teacher, it is disrespectful and causes other students to not be able to pay attention. It is also hurting the student themselves. One thing that I have noticed that often separates the experts from the masses is attention to detail, repetition, and willing mastery of the basics. Its not the ability to do “advanced” or flowery, cool techniques that defines one as having become expert, it is their mastery of the basics. There can never be too much attention and focus paid to what one is doing at that moment.

When practicing, one’s mind should be fully present on what one is doing. One should not be daydreaming of the past or future. One should not be distracted by what happened at work or on the way to class. One should concentrate. Awareness. Focus.

One should not bring baggage to class or to practice…

I refer to this in two ways, one is personal, emotional, and psychological baggage. This is one of the most difficult things to accurately access and deal with in practice. It is often a long term project. It is also often never even considered by most teachers and practitioners. It is my belief that the Internal Martial Arts should be beneficial to one’s entire being and life. The mind does not get free escape from this attention. It is often that one’s own “issues” have a deep effect on the way they train, the way they deal with their classmates, the way they carry themselves in life, the way they approach fighting and naturally the way they approach their life.

The second is one’s past experience. Although previous training and athletic ability can be a great boon to one’s success in martial arts, it can also be an impediment. Although many people treat the old maxim as cliche’, there is great wisdom in the need to recognize how one should “empty one’s cup so that it may be filled” in approach to every class and every lesson. It is often seen that a student will bring their ego to the school and approach every lesson with something akin to “Oh yeah, that’s just like this from xyz martial art” or “I like to do it this way instead.” While some people make use of a learning mechanism wherein they need to connect everything they do new, with something they have done. This can only get you so far. There will inevitably be differences, its best to take off those blinders and see the whole picture, clearly, as its presented to you.

I’m sure everyone has also had the experience of sitting in that lecture in college and then walking out of the lecture hall having taken in nothing. Your mind was somewhere else or you just couldn’t concentrate long enough to absorb what was being presented. In a college lecture you might be able to ask your friend for the class notes. In the traditional internal martial arts, as my teacher would often remind me, there are many times where you might see something or hear something just once. If you are not present, if you are not aware and focused enough to pick it up, then that is just something you might never get.

Why limit yourself by not being there, in class or in life?

Posted in Xingyiquan, Baguazhang, Training, General Info | 6 Comments »