The art of Taiji Quan is intricate and sublime. Practice is governed by many principles, which for a beginner can be overwhelming. Having a place to start from, where you can build your foundation and increase your understanding will help keep you interested in Taiji practice. Following are Four Key Words that will build your…
There are many types of Qigong, also written as Qi Gong or Chi Kung. Some types require bodily movements and others are static. Regardless of method, all Qigong practice incorporates breathing techniques. What are Breathing Methods in Qigong? There are three types of breathing methods in Qigong: Natural Breathing, Abdominal Breathing, and Reverse Breathing. Since…
Chinese martial arts have had a strong influence on the development of other Asian fighting arts. Ancient China was the cradle of Asian culture, and many of its neighbors either paid tribute or were vassal states. Daoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, the various arts and crafts, calligraphy, sword making, and martial arts all found their way to…
When choosing a martial arts school, you should begin by writing down your objectives and asking yourself the following questions. Are you choosing a martial arts school for convenience? Unfortunately many people make the selection because the school is close by, and they find it convenient. This is fine if you are looking for a…
I have been practicing martial arts for more than 50 years, and since December of 1981 I have been teaching Chinese martial arts on a full-time basis to a multitude of people from different walks of life. During my teaching career I have continued to expand, enhance and refine my own knowledge by learning from…
Chinese martial arts have a history that spans four millennia. They originated as rudimentary fighting skills for survival and evolved into highly sophisticated methods of combat. These methods developed in an outdoor environment, either for use on the battlefield in mass warfare or for individual combat. In both cases, some sort of footwear was necessary….
The term Kung Fu is made up of two Chinese characters: the first, kung, can mean skillful work, hard training, or endeavor. The second, fu, means time spent. The two together mean time spent at skillful work or hard training. In no way does this term express Chinese martial arts, but because training in Chinese martial arts requires a lot of time…
More than 30 years ago I conducted an interview for the Wu Gong Journal with Grandmaster Leung Shum. I asked him many questions pertaining to martial arts training and in particular Ying Jow Fanzi (鷹爪翻子) – Eagle Claw Kung Fu During the interview GM Shum spoke about the relationship between student and teacher in Chinese…
