Archive for the General Info Category

Relaxation and Michael Phelps

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

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Taiwan News program on Yizong

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 »

Snake throw type arm break in competition

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 »

Luo Dexiu Laoshi on Burt Wolf’s Travel and Traditions

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 »

Ouch…

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

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Some of you might want to check this out

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/ 

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Some thoughts on directed mind/body connections

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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How do you explain Baguazhang?

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 »

Succeed in IMA - Part 3 - Being Present

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.

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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 »

There’s Chen Panling video out there!

December 27, 2007 by george.

This video was put up recently on youtube. I believe it was part of the archives of Robert Smith and I guess this guy got a hold of it and put it up on the web. LUCKY US!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb4eB3j88-s 

Even with his advanced age in this clip, you can see the precision, smoothness and familiarity with which he executes these drills. Truly inspiring!

They say “shaolin drills” but I wonder whether or not they are IMA line drills. All of these look like something out of our houtian lines. And they certainly show similarity to Taiji and Xingyi as well…?

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Sorry, one more - some of the fu hu gong

December 14, 2007 by george.

Here’s some of the Fu Hu Gong exercises as performed by Steve Cotter, who learned from Mike Patterson, who learned from Xu Hongji, who learned from Hong Yixiang (although it was Xu Hongji who codified them and gave them a name - apparently Hong just taught different things as conditioning exercises without specifying a certain amount as a specific set).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yr75_WwKAc

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Judo master Mifune

December 14, 2007 by george.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUne9Xg55og

Kyuzo Mifune was one of the most technically excellent judo masters of all time. He was the last 10th dan directly promoted to that level by the founder, Jigoro Kano.

I have always admired his technique and dedication to using skill to defeat greater force. He was known as the most technically skilled in the Kodokan. You can see in this video how he was able to continue randori (grappling practice) with his students up through old age. Every student he is grappling with in this video is far younger than him and often far larger and stronger. His dedication to life-long training, skill in technique and ability is always something to strive for.

Posted in General Info | 3 Comments »

Succeed in IMA - Part 2 - Be Present

December 7, 2007 by george.

Be Present.

One must come to class.

Its often that simple. There are always distractions; whether its work, traffic, significant others, sleep, TV, video games or whatnot, there is always something beckoning one away from what one wants to do or sometimes just should do. If you want to do it, if you want to get better at it, you have to do it. Its that simple.

I remember noticing this in my teacher’s classes in Taiwan. There were people who came through who were physically more gifted, perhaps mentally more the fighter type, had more free time, were independently wealthy, had a lot of previous martial arts experience or whatever other potential benefits a certain person might have. Greater potential does not always mean greater success and greater skills. I often saw people who came to class consistently, who did their work earnestly, eventually develop great skill sets in the martial arts above and beyond those who might have had more potential. This was often simply a matter of consistent practice.

A sparring partner and friend of mine in Taiwan who was also had a great interest in yoga told me a funny story about a thought he had one time while training yoga in India. He was in India training yoga full time for about a year and a half. He mentioned how he was doing yoga for 8 - 10 hours each day and how he was improving by leaps and bounds. Then one of his letters to me had a great line that said “damn - if only I trained Baguazhang this much I’d be awesome!”

These arts and their training process are also not constructed on a logical, linear progression of development like many systems in the western world. There is sequential training involved, some things are better learned before others. Much of the learning process is also non-linear; different parts of the whole will feed back in on each other leading to greater comprehension and understanding. One needs to be there to see the wide and the narrow, the non-linear expanse and the linear progressions of material. One needs to review old material and learn new. One needs to be available to constant correction and themselves ready constant questions. One needs training and sparring partners. These are all things that a class is an absolute necessity for.

I recall something that struck me as funny at some point. When I first started studying with my teacher, I was getting information left and right. I was elated. I listened as I could and tried to understand the principles to the best of my ability. I took notes. After a year of seeing the same stuff and hearing the same things, I thought I could understand some of it. Then after year two I thought “now I’m really getting better at this stuff.” Then in year three you finally realize you were a dipshit in year one and two and think “now I’ve got it!” It took me a while to just get to the point where I’m not thinking “I’ve got it” all the time, but come slowly to the place where I would accept that I’m continually getting it, deeper. Throughout the whole process I eventually found out that what my teacher was showing and saying were the same. He was not coming up with new information or new moves, though he might couch it in different terms or methods. The teaching was the same in year one as it was in year three, as it was in year six… The difference in understanding came from me. Being there, doing it, hearing and seeing the principles repeated in different manners over time, all of this led to improvement.

Can you learn alone without visiting a teacher? I highly doubt it. There is too much to these arts that can’t be put into words or video.

Can you learn while occasionally visiting a teacher? Theoretically yes. Will it take longer? Yes.

Do you remember while in school how teachers’ would take attendance? Do you remember how that would be part of your grade? There is a lesson in that. Sometimes just being there and following along, soaking things in, even if only passively, does have an effect. Think of it as the minimum necessary requirement.

Its funny that it even needs to be said.

luogeo_duo1.jpg

Luo Dexiu Laoshi knocking me on my butt with the houtian technique Duo.

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

Ideas on How to Succeed in IMA - Part 1

December 3, 2007 by george.

My years of teaching students the arts of Baguazhang and Xingyiquan, as well as the years I spent observing and assisting my teacher Luo Dexiu in teaching these arts, have given me a certain perspective about their training process. Although I, myself, am still undergoing this training process (still growing and learning the arts, and finding joy in doing so), I have come to the opinion that certain ways of training and attitudes towards training will help one along in the process. Although I try as often as possible to get these ideas across to my students in classes; nonetheless, I believe I should try to write some of it down and provide a more thorough treatment of the subject. As this is a big topic, I will have to tackle it in pieces.

Today we will start on How to Succeed in the Internal Martial Arts with part one of a series.

Now, before I begin, I must say a few words of caution. By writing this I am not trying to scare anyone off my school or trying to come down as a “Mr. Bad-Ass we all have to train 8 hours a day” Cobra-kai “sweep the leg” type of teacher.

A funny and very strange thing once happened to me as a teacher. I was trying to give a sort of pep talk to some students. I was trying to spur them on to train better, to train harder. I mentioned some of the examples that led me to train as hard as I did. I mentioned how one of my seniors would practice tiangan all day. Whenever he had some free time, whether between classes or at a bus stop or at many other periods during the day, he would bust out 20 good reps of a tiangan. Many often referred to him as one of the most powerful students. Another senior mentioned to a friend of mine how if you wanted to be serious as a martial artist, you needed to train full time, that means 40 hours a week. Like others have jobs that they put their time into to be masters of their craft, you need to be just as serious with your training. One senior of mine who was very influential to my development told me of a period in his training where he would get up at dawn to train for two hours, have breakfast and then train for another two to three hours, he would then train for at least an hour before and after class. Bagua class usually lasted for 2-3 hours. This would go on for six to seven days a week for nearly two years straight. And I haven’t even mentioned the incredible dedication in training that my teacher underwent. I was talking about some of this to my students, in the hope that some of the work ethic and desire of those who came before us would rub off. Before one can stand on the shoulders of giants, one must begin the climb up there.

Now, I later heard from one of my students who up until that time was training pretty seriously. He told me that he was quitting. He said that he does not feel like he can live up to my ideals of what a good student should be. This “pep talk” did not turn out how I envisioned it. I tried to talk to this student and get him to start training again, but his decision was already apparently made. I have tried to be more careful with how I talk with my students and in public, but at the same time I try not to hold back because someone might misunderstand me.

Its my feeling that students should try their hardest in training. They should put their all in to it. But each person’s all will be different. Different periods of life also might require pouring your time and dedication into other areas of life. Modern life is not always so amenable to our desire to train. But just like anything that is truly worth it, you must find the time to do it. I view these arts as life arts. If one can not make their art fit within their life in a positive way, then maybe one is going about something wrong. There is great value in practice. Although we are training the martial arts, some of the greatest benefits to me have come in the form of health, healing, balance, and mental training. For the long term, I think it is valuable to have something like this in one’s life, to provide a constant source of exercise, a constant source of balance to your mind and body, a constant source of diligence and a constant source of fun. I also find that in my life, it has sometimes been hard to forsake the demands of the moment for something that will give back to you in the long run. But then, I’ve also always found it worth it.

But please do not take this and say he expects too much. I think that any level of training these arts can bring benefit to one’s life. Whether you train once a week, or hours per day, you can get something out of the arts. Do not get discouraged because you can not do as much as another or as much as you want. Do not get discouraged for any reason really. These are wonderful arts to be enjoyed, if something gets in the way of that joy - well, you’ve got a problem and are approaching it wrong. Change your approach. There is fun in it, and there is a healthy diligence as well.

To sum up my preamble: Would I like for my students to train hard, train well, train smart and have success with their training? OF COURSE! But I don’t expect all my students to be Xingyi tanks or Bagua badasses. Everyone can get something out of these arts at every level of training. That is one of their strengths. Just have fun with it and do what you can.

Some of the most important lessons I have ever received from my teacher have to do with how to train. I hope to get some of these ideas across to people and to provide my experiences along this path as well. Please take this advice in the spirit it is given.

Since this is already becoming long, I will start with my thoughts and experiences on how to succeed in training in part two.

Be well, enjoy and circle on,

George

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Two Zong Wu Men students sweating it out while training their throwing techniques in uncooperative grappling practice.

Posted in Xingyiquan, Baguazhang, Training, General Info | 5 Comments »

Some brief thoughts on conditioning with a Bagua perspective

November 28, 2007 by george.

As I’ve started to try to write some of my thoughts down on this topic, I realize that although I have a good intuitive understanding of what I’m trying to get at in my own training, I am having a hard time conveying this understanding in writing. So as opposed to taking a concrete throw down the laws type approach to my first post on this topic, I will just try to get some general outlines, general ideas and general principles down first. I think opening it up to comment and criticism will help me to more fully form my thoughts on the matter.

I know that I’ve talked about much of this before in class. There are a few basic goals that I personally look to accomplish when I approach a conditioning type program to complement my Baguazhang practice, such as:

  • Reinforce good body methods (I have a preference for exercise that will help to reinforce the body method I train)
  • Accentuate strength along common and relevant paths of motion (jin training - tiangan for example – I want to become stronger and more aware within my common paths of motion)
  • Reinforce weak points in the body and prevent potential injury (strengthen the joints and pre-hab – I’ve had some major injuries in my days and this is now one of the most important aspects of my supplemental training)
  • Heal existing injuries and balance the body (I need to address said injuries and the effects thereof)
  • Cardio (does a body good)
  • Explosiveness / Plyo (I’ve never been a strong guy, but am always looking to improve)

I am hoping that’s a good list at what I’m personally trying to accomplish and what I believe I should help my students with. Naturally, my own interests in the arts do impact my training goals. And as I consider the Internal Martial Arts to be fighting arts, I’m looking to not only improve my abilities, but still look to be able to scrap progressively better into my 40’s, 50’s and beyond.

On a parallel track, here are some general areas of Baguazhang that I try to carry over into my conditioning:

  • Whole body movement
  • Expanding one’s range of movement, power and mind
  • Carrying one’s power and mind throughout the full range of movement
  • Spiral power (or twisting I guess, I hate that term for martial arts, I’ll have to explain why later…)
  • Balance in motion
  • Balance in one’s body and mind
  • Reinforcing good habits of motion while making attempts to not introduce bad habits of motion

Alright, enough for now on this, this is an OK outline for me.

Posted in Baguazhang, Training, General Info | 4 Comments »

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