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Neigong
by Sifu Waller, North East Kung Fu
What is neigong?
Neigong is about internal strength. It is the very real, pragmatic cultivation of a particular type of physical strength with the express purpose of transmitting kinetic force. One of the most common forms of neigong is 'reeling silk'. Internal strength was designed to amplify the effect of your actions whilst reducing the effort involved
Qigong & neigong?
Qigong is 'energy work' and focuses upon the cultivation of qi using alignment, relaxation and breathing. The way in which the skeleton is held is very important in qigong.
Neigong is 'internal work'; adding several layers of detail to the postural parameters used in qigong. Rather than focus mainly upon the skeleton, neigong looks at the elasticity of the body. It aims to draw power from the spaces between the vertebrae and the mobility of the joints, from the twisting and stretching of the rubbery organs and connective tissue. The neigong movement may look subtle and internal, yet the tai chi exercise should be providing a considerable workout. The purpose of neigong is to change what is happening within the body; to work from the inside out. This will lead to improved health and a stronger body.
The means Neigong addresses the way in which we move the body. It is the how, the nature of the movement, not the actual movement itself. There are dozens of neigong - each representing a layer of detail and understanding. Each component increases internal strength and improves the qi flow. Neigong teaches the body to return to a natural condition of wholeness. It creates the delivery mechanism for fa jing (energy release) by developing bow tension within the body.
Neigong is internal
Initially the neigong practice is an obvious change to the way in which the internal arts are performed. In time, the neigong becomes internalised and less apparent. To an observer, the neigong may seem invisible. Neigong is part of what makes tai chi an internal martial art; all the work is going on beneath the surface. Each neigong represents a physical and energetic change in the body; a subtle quality that serves to integrate and unify the structure. These internal skills help you to attain whole body movement.
The internal arts must have neigong
Without neigong, the internal arts remain external. Neigong allows the movements to soften and relax whilst maintaining an inner substance known as 'inherent peng'. When tai chi lacks neigong, students stiffen their muscles to compensate. This blocks the flow of energy and breaks the groundpath. Unless the muscles stop contracting, force cannot be met softly. Force meeting force is external, not tai chi or baguazhang. When somebody has neigong, their body is extremely loose and springy. It is flexible, yielding yet strong - like a rubber hosepipe. There should be no tension at all and the whole body should move when touched.
Inherent
A student is required to concentrate on incorporating one neigong at a time during their internal practice. In time, this neigong will become part of how the body moves. Eventually, when the student thinks to incorporate the neigong, they will find that they are already doing it. The nature of learning neigong means that the internal skill remains. Unless the neigong becomes inherent, it cannot provide a benefit beyond the class. By re-growing the body in this way, the student has neigong in every situation.
Progress
When one neigong is inherent, the student begins to learn the next one. Eventually new neigong will occur by themselves; this is called 'tzu-jan'. These neigong emerge as a consequence of other physical parameters being in place. They are unexpected.
Many of the advanced neigong must simply be allowed to happen; they cannot be forced. If an unusual neigong occurs one day but vanishes the next, be patient.
Internal massage
Neigong restricts movement in certain ways, allowing the build-up of energy within the body. This internal build-up is created by squeezing and twisting - rather than tensing any muscles. It is like a spring, compressed and then released. The torso contains the internal organs and is the focus of this process. The organs receive a vigorous massage as a consequence. Massaging the internal organs is excellent for your health.
External strength
The conventional use of strength involves the application of force at a given, specific moment in time. If the aim is to break an arm, the individual exerts for a moment and the effect occurs. The problem with this is that it is tiring. It wears you out. Exerting the muscles is not very energy efficient because most of the effort accomplishes nothing; it feeds back into you when resistance is encountered.
'Internal strength' is altogether different. Exerting never occurs. The limbs are imbued with strength at all times, so an arm break would be performed with no more force than raising a glass of water to your mouth.
Where does the power come from?
It comes from unifying the body and projecting a wave of kinetic energy (jing) throughout the entire structure as and when necessary. It is the wave that breaks the arm, not the local muscle strength.
Qigong
Start your quest for internal strength by standing still; qigong is the foundation of the internal arts. It involves static postures and slow-motion movements that are easy to perform. The static postures are held for lengthy periods, often up to an hour. The moving sets are small groups of exercises, with about 10 repetitions each.
Energy & muscle
Qigong operate on two levels simultaneously; they encourage the healthy flow of energy and they strengthen the structure of the body. This process of building strength is seen by many people to arise from the energy flow alone but this is rather misleading. Qi does not move the bones, muscles do. Nerves direct the muscles and energy fuels the entire system. Without energy, nothing would happen, but without muscles there would be no strength. Muscles turn energy into motion. This is not to be confused with gym work or weight training. The degree of muscle usage in qigong must be minimal. The aim is to employ the tendons, ligaments and fasciae for increased strength and support. You must only use the degree of muscle strength necessary to hold the limb in place; and this is always far less than you first realise.
Tree hugging
Most students begin standing by ‘hugging a tree’/‘holding a balloon’ at chest height. Essentially, the arms are positioned in a circular shape and the fingers are lightly opened. This innocuous exercise quickly becomes a challenge. The skill is to maintain the posture without in any way ‘holding’ the posture. Muscle usage must be minimal. Psychological ease and relaxation are paramount. The posture must be natural and comfortable. Do not strain the knees by squatting.
The idea is to let go. This is not easy. A lifetime of tension will pain you and the temptation will be to hang on. Liz Koch, author of The Psoas Book maintains that you must reach a stage where the body feels safe and begins to shake. This shaking is quite disconcerting. It is not muscle fatigue. It is the product of deep relaxation. All the stored tension in the joints and vertebra is being let out. The shaking cannot be forced or contrived. It is accomplished by not-doing. By stopping the habit of tension. By letting go.
Daily standing for 15-20 minutes will produce the required outcome providing internal relaxation takes place.
Moving qigong
Moving qigong is similar to standing qigong except the onus is now upon smoothness and relaxation in movement. No extraneous muscle usage is permitted. Alignment, softness and breath are important. Each exercise can be used as a training ground for whole-body movement. Instead of just moving the arms and shoulders, every part of the structure is involved. Even the simplest movement should spiral from the toes to the fingertips.
Performed correctly, this is just as difficult as standing qigong. The body is trained to coordinate left and right, upper and lower, along with cross-patterning. The muscles serve only to move the bones and must never stiffen or tense. Tight joints prevent movement. These exercises are designed to facilitate fluidity with strength.
Qigong is not something that is trained for a while and then discarded. The student comes back to it repeatedly as they get better at Taiji. As the ability to move with internal strength increases, the exercises can be re-evaluated and trained with a new emphasis. A movement that once connected the arms to the back now becomes a means of training energy discharge. Qigong changes as you change.
From simple to complex
Moving qigong is much easier to practice than form. The coordination is simpler and the health benefits more immediate and tangible. Form takes much longer to learn and quite a long time to actually perform competently. Anyone can do qigong. There is a lot less to think about. The exercises are focussed and clear. You need not complicate matters by thinking about self defence applications or any other concerns. It is also important not to get caught up thinking about qi. Let the energy take care of itself. Keep your mind on the exercise. Intention leads the qi and the qi leads the blood. Breathe and relax. Once you are competent at qigong, take what you have learned into form. Form is essentially moving qigong with extra features. The extras include increased balance and coordination, martial application and energy emission.
Form
Form is not slow-motion kata. It is not moving yoga. Tai chi has internal content. To gain the internal, it is necessary to address how the movements are performed. A beginner is taught to move their arms and legs in a particular way. This lays the groundwork but is more about spatial orientation than anything else. The student learns which way to face, where to step and what to do with the hands.
There is no internal work occurring at this stage.
To understand form, consider a caterpillar or a snake and how they move. Every action is generated by an undulating wave that causes every part to shift in the required direction. Form is like this. Instead of moving the localised limb by itself, the framework twists and the striking tool is spun outward. The movement of the limb is in harmony with the torso and power is developed. Physics is important in Taiji. The body parts must be aligned at all times with strength in mind. Aesthetics are not the concern in real tai chi; priority is given to alignment and the way in which the body is used.
Each movement within the form offers a whole array of potential strikes and skills. The emphasis is placed upon the movement itself. The so-called posture simply serves to shape movement. It is not a static pose. It is not a fixed application. The form is not as specific as other martial arts kata. It is much more embryonic. Every movement provides angle, direction and power. The exponent finds strength in every nuance. The skills and insights learned through standing and moving qigong must be incorporated in your form practice.
Formless
Taiji form begins as a robotic sequence of movements and gradually transcends its original form. Movements become increasingly subtle and internally convoluted, and their power increases.
Instead of being limited by form, the practitioner merges with it to become formless. This journey does not happen by itself. Beginners spend ages locked in patterns of tension and external movement, never realising that the form can and should progress.
How does form move from basic to advanced? Neigong.
Neigong
Neigong is ‘internal work’; a unique process of moving the whole body as one unit. Rather than rely on tensed muscles, neigong teaches the student to remain physically relaxed and composed at all times, and move every body part together. This is not as easy as it sounds. Everything is changed by neigong. Every qigong exercise, form posture and movement is altered. The body literally re-grows from the inside out.
What is neigong?
Neigong is a focus. It is like a koan. It pays attention to how an action is performed rather than the action itself. Imagine throwing a punch? Neigong addresses what the body does in order to produce the punch. It re-trains the framework to deliver power from the whole-unit rather than the shoulder, waist and leg. Each neigong is different. It has a particular emphasis. Neigong is internal, with most of the work occurring unseen. The body looks to undulate as you move.
Effect
What is most notable is the effect. Internal strength is surprisingly powerful with the effect far outweighing the cause. Some neigong are ‘doings’, others are not. The more advanced a person becomes at tai chi, the more powerful the neigong. Each quality is built upon the preceding ones and is only possible because of what the body can already do. Clearly the first neigong are very simple.
Exercises
It is important not to mistake the menu for the food. An exercise or action designed to cultivate a neigong is not the neigong. It is only when no doing occurs and the effect is present that the neigong can be said to exist. A person with a neigong has the effect all the time. It does not come and go. It is part of their everyday movement. This is why it is considered to be internal strength. Neigong is inherent. It remains. It is a part of you.
Be discerning
The danger with internal strength is that beginners often think they are using it, but are simply using external strength instead. The ability to throw around body weight is no reflection of internal skill. Internal strength is real and tangible. It can be tested, explored and practiced. But it has to be soft. Most neigong are quite convoluted and esoteric. They are like zen koan; becoming more fascinating as your understanding deepens and you are capable of seeing more.
Be patient. Be discerning. Watch your own practice carefully and address the means, the how.
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Qigong
by Sifu Waller, North East Kung Fu
What is qigong?
Qigong is an umbrella term applied to any exercise that cultivates the flow of energy around the body.
Other spellings commonly used - qi gong or chi kung.
It is pronounced 'chee gung'.
Qigong is usually translated as 'breath work' or 'energy work'.
Qi?
The topic of 'qi' is a little controversial.
Although many exponents can demonstrate the effectiveness of qigong exercises, there is little scientific evidence to explain exactly what happens to the body when exercised in this way.
The lack of empirical research does not disprove anything. It simply means than our understanding of the phenomenon is limited.
Our school perceives qi as being the energy that fuels your body.
Health
People usually train qigong in order to improve their health.
A committed regime of ongoing qigong training usually transforms your health.
Your body becomes stronger, more mobile, balanced, flexible and supple.
Stamina and awareness improve significantly.
Energy levels are boosted.
Immune system
Your immune system grows stronger.
The common viruses, colds, flus and diseases that are making the rounds often have little effect upon you.
Instead of a week in bed you have a sore throat and a runny nose for a couple of days.
Students who train qigong every day seldom experience any of the 'bugs' that are affecting everyone around them.
Their bodies are stronger and more resilient.
Everyone is different
The effects of qigong differ from person to person.
It depends what you eat, how often you exercise, how well you perform the qigong.
If your health is bad to start with, you have a lot further to go than somebody who is already fairly healthy.
Persevere.
Different kinds of qigong
Broadly speaking, qigong can be seen as being:
Standing
Moving
Soft
Hard
There are other potential ways of considering qigong but these categories provide an overview.
Standing
The most common form of qigong is standing.
This is often referred to as 'standing post', 'standing like a tree' or 'zhan zhuang'.
Standing qigong simply involves adopting a specific posture and holding it for an extended duration.
A person usually holds for at least 15 minutes.
Some practitioners may hold for 40 minutes or longer.
There are many variations of hand and foot positions and a wide variety of stances.
The different postures are believed to affect different energy meridians within the body.
Each posture exercises different muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments.
Moving
Moving qigong exercises are straightforward movements designed to mobilise the joints and build strength.
These exercises can be exceptionally mild. Other exercises can be significantly demanding.
It is common to start gently and work towards the more powerful exercises.
A common example of moving qigong is 'ba duan jin'. This is widely practiced throughout the world.
Tai chi could be seen as a form of moving qigong.
However, tai chi is far more than just qigong. It is a martial art and it contains neigong.
How
Moving qigong utilises the body in a very different way to how we normally use the body. The larger muscles of the torso and legs do most of the work.
This way of moving was designed to amplify the effect of your actions whilst reducing the effort involved.
The network of connected body parts creates a relaxed framework of strength.
Soft
All qigong are soft in nature.
However, in this context, the word 'soft' means easy or gentle.
Gentle forms of qigong are important when a person is unaccustomed to exercise or is recovering from an operation/accident/illness.
Forcing must be avoided at all costs.
Do not seek to rush your progress or push for a result.
Be patient. Be gentle.
Hard
Hard qigong is all about strength-building.
If you are wanting to seriously improve your health, look for qigong that possess a neigong component.
Adding neigong qualities will strengthen the effect of the qigong.
These forms of qigong exercise are physically challenging and will prepare your body for vigorous self defence work.
Most of the qigong practiced in our school could be classed as being 'hard'.
Western
In the Western world we have no conception of how hard Chinese and Japanese people traditionally train.
We are soft and lazy.
Our culture is idle and pampered. We want everything doing for us.
In the martial arts, the hardship and the work is the whole point of the training.
You are not working towards a goal. You are simply working.
Mind
Qigong requires the practitioner to become 'one-pointed'.
You must remain in the present moment and pay attention to what is happening right now.
For many new starters this is extremely difficult.
It runs contrary to our TV culture, with videogames, mobile phones, the web, caffeine, sugar and power drinks.
Slowing your thoughts and being in the here and now may feel like torture.
If you struggle with a basic qigong exercise, then you are probably a bit messed up.
Qigong brings you back to a more natural condition of presence.
But it does take time.
Breath
As you become more skilled at qigong, the role of the breath becomes increasingly important.
There are a number of different breathing methods employed in qigong:
Abdominal
Reverse
Pre-natal
Turtle/tortoise
Some approaches do not advocate any specific pattern/method/way of breathing.
Yoga?
Qigong exercises are unlike yoga.
There is sometimes an element of stretching and/or holding with certain types of qigong.
However, the general approach of qigong is much gentler than yoga.
Yoga may favour awkward balancing positions or strenuous positions.
These are rare in qigong.
'Hatha' means willpower. It has a connotation of 'forcing' which is not taoist.
Qigong and tai chi encourage 'allowing', not forcing.
Care
Health and safety must come first.
If you feel ill or cannot continue, it is important to stop.
Do not stop simply because you lack motivation.
Laziness will not lead to an improvement in health.
Access to all
Typically, qigong can be performed by anyone.
You start off doing a small duration and build-up your endurance slowly and gradually.
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Meditation
by Sifu Waller, North East Kung FuThe word 'meditation' is widely used to mean a variety of things.Many people imagine that meditation means sitting in a crossed-legged position and listening to your breath.Such practices or methods are not meditation. They serve to encourage meditation.Meditation is not a method or exercise; rather, it is the condition of presence. It is important not to mistake the menu for the food.ImmediacyTai chi encourages a condition of meditation because tai chi exercise involves total immersion in what is happening.This means no dreaming of the future or worrying about the past. No conscious thought at all.We do not chant or count or use any real method to accomplish a state of meditation.Being body-centred and aware of what is going on around you is enough to begin with.The difficulty involved with learning tai chi should be sufficient to keep your mind where it needs to be.You must be completely present.PresencePresence can never be forced. You learn to become more aware of your own body. Solo work makes you more conscious of what is actually happening rather than what you think is happening. The two are often quite different.People usually have a very poor sense of their own body.This is remedied by becoming more familiar with it. How it moves. What feels comfortable. Partner work offers a whole new arena for awareness.One-to-one work and group work challenges you to be here in the moment. At first people struggle.They seek to notice all the individual details, like a juggler trying to keep several balls in the air.Then later they let go and relax. They stop trying. Their awareness expands and they see rather than look.Zen mindTao and zen are concerned with attaining a state of inner stillness and harmony with all things.To accomplish this, your sense of self must fade.You must be so immersed in living that self-consciousness vanishes. Everything is happeningIt is important to note that we are not talking about concentration. Concentration can involve exclusion.What we want is the opposite of this.Instead of being in our minds, or focussing upon one solitary thing, we want to be present and aware of the entire moment.We live in the immediate moment and this is where our mind must be.If you are washing dishes then you are not simply washing dishes.The noises outside, our thoughts, the sensory feedback we feel - these are all part of the moment - all occurring spontaneously, at the same time.This is where we are, and it is here that we need to be. Not breathing in a special way. Or chanting.In self defence, this state of mind is absolutely critical if you hope to evade a hostile situation. Fixity is blindnessSome people tell you to fix your attention on one thing and keep it there.This is not good.The human organism is all about rhythm and cycles. Attention comes in waves. Sustained concentration is not natural or healthy. It is forced and causes strain. This is not the way.Instead, we aim for the condition of meditation - an undivided awareness of the moment, the here and now. This.Everything around you and within you is part of the moment. If you fix your attention on one thing at the exclusion of all else, this is not mindfulness, it is blindness.Concentration seeks to block out the wholeness of what is.No mind Meditation is the condition of awareness, not a method or a conclusion. It is the act of removing any barrier between the thought and the act.When we lose our conscious thoughts, our stress and worries will go with them.Stillness and quietude will take their place.Stop doingYou do not need to look, listen or reach out of yourself to experience the moment.The information comes to your body unbidden. You see, hear and feel automatically. Involuntarily.It is not necessary to do anything. Instead you need to stop doing.Doing is led by the mind, whereas awareness is passive.This condition of absolute presence will emerge without effort if you allow your mind to stop seeking, forcing and straining.Just be. Let your awareness grow. Notice things. Be curious. Be alive. Be alert. Let-go.
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Is Tai Chi the Ultimate Exercise?
by Frank Petrillo Jr.No one disputes the importance of regular exercise. Unfortunately, there are so many fitness programs available today, the general public is often confused as to which are the best. Consequently, they are the willing guinea pigs of every fitness fad that comes along.The Chinese have always maintained that inactivity is the major cause of illness. Thus, they have developed numerous systems of medical gymnastics both to cure as well as prevent disease. Of the many exercises they have devised, they consider the martial art tai chi chuan to be the best.Advantages of Tai ChiTai chi chuan has many distinct advantages over other types of exercise. The biggest shortcoming of most systems of physical fitness is that they service only part of the body. They concentrate on certain muscles or muscle groups, while neglecting others entirely.For example, isometric exercises tense one set of muscles against another set or an immovable object. Because this is a one-dimensional exercise, the benefits are minimal.Another problem with isometrics is there is really no way to measure the correct amount of exercise. Unlike calisthenics or weightlifting, you cannot simply increase the number of repetitions and expect results. Recent evidence has also found that isometric exercises render joints more vulnerable to injuries.Calisthenics produce a wide range of motion and give the muscles more staying power than isometrics. Unfortunately, calisthenics also concentrate on only individual muscles and thus have little benefit on overall health. This is also true with weightlifting.Tai chi, on the other hand, brings into play every part of the body and benefits all bodily parts, not just the musculoskeletal system.Other Benefits of Tai ChiScientific research conducted at the Medical Academy of Shanghai, the Tangshan Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital in New York City has shown that tai chi chuan stimulates the central nervous system, lowers blood pressure, relieves stress and gently tones muscles without strain. It also enhances digestion, elimination of wastes and the circulation of blood. Moreover, tai chi's rhythmic movements massage the internal organs and improve their functionality.Perhaps tai chi's greatest attribute, however, is the fact it channels the flow of chi (intrinsic energy) through the body's meridians. According to traditional Chinese medicine, as long as this flow is uninhibited, a person will remain healthy. If the flow of chi becomes obstructed or unbalanced, illness will result. The correct practice of tai chi chuan guides the individual's chi through the meridians and restores its balance throughout the body. None of the aforementioned exercises offers any of these benefits.Tai Chi vs. Aerobic ExerciseMany people believe that tai chi chuan does not develop the same degree of cardiovascular fitness as high-impact exercises, such as jogging, rope-jumping, cycling or aerobic dancing. This is not true, however.In 1978, noted tai chi instructor Lawrence Galante and an associate conducted an experiment to determine whether tai chi chuan is effective in stimulating cardiovascular development. They used 25 tai chi students, ranging in age from 20 to 60 years old, as their models. The students had been studying the yang-style tai chi short form for a period of one to seven years. Galante and his assistant monitored the pulse rate, blood pressure and heart rate of all the students before and after they practiced the form. In all cases, the researchers found that if the form was practiced in a low stance, great cardiovascular stimulation occurred-between 60-80 percent of the maximum heart rate established by the American Heart Association (AHA). On the other hand, if the tai chi movements were performed in a high stance, there was very little heart stimulation (less than 60 percent of the maximum heart rate). However, for people who suffer from high blood pressure, or those recovering from heart attacks or heart surgery, the high stance is a better option. According to Galante, a person can easily meet the standards set by the AHA by practicing tai chi chuan three times a day.Dr. John Painter, a Fort Worth, Texas based teacher of internal Chinese martial arts, claims that "When the movements of tai chi chuan are performed quickly or in a lower formed stance, they have the same beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system as jogging or high-impact aerobics, but without the stress and strain."According to Painter, greater physical stimulation can be achieved by performing the movements slowly while wearing weights on the ankles, arms or body.Although some doctors claim high impact physical activities are the best health-building exercises, a growing number of medical experts believe that the hazards of their long-term practice outweigh the benefits.According to psychologist Dr. Jo Ann Hunter Farr, high-impact aerobics can produce health benefits over the short term, but the long-term implications of such exercises are irreparable damage to the joints and internal organs. Vigorous walking or tai chi practice, she claims, are much safer forms of exercise and offer the same health benefits as high-impact exercises.Dr. Wen Zee, a retired cardiologist in Shanghai, believes tai chi is "an incomparable exercise because it never accelerates the heart rate. Exercises such as running and jogging can injure the heart."Many other medical experts are warning that strenuous exercise may shorten a person's life. According to John Hall, who writes a medical column for an internal Chinese martial arts magazine, for a fitness program to be conducive to long life and health, it must take into account the balancing of body fat levels as well as the other necessary factors for proper exercise. "The ideal fitness program will provide some form of consistent, progressive, sustained movement of the legs, torso and arms to benefit and improve the flexibility, strength, stamina and aerobic potential of all [bodily] systems," Hall asserts. "At the same time, the exercise program must help to ward off obesity without exceeding the capacity for recovery. Tai chi chuan...more than adequately meets these requirements."Another problem with high-impact exercises is they are incomplete physical activities. Aside from the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal gains, they benefit none of the other bodily systems. Tai chi, however, has a salubrious effect on all bodily systems. Furthermore, aerobic exercises do not have any of the other health benefits of tai chi chuan.Finally, tai chi may be practiced by virtually anyone, regardless of age. This is not the case with high-impact exercises. In fact, doctors recommend that no one of middle or old age engage in any of these activities without first undergoing a complete physical examination.Tai Chi vs. YogaThe postures of hathe yoga provide many of the same health benefits as tai chi chuan. Unfortunately, most of the yoga positions are held for three minutes or longer, which can be very taxing on the body. Brief rest periods are therefore needed. Tai chi practice, on the other hand, does not require any rest period because the postures change too quickly to tire the body.Yogic inverted postures, such as the headstand and shoulderstand, offer two advantages not found in tai chi chuan. First, they relieve the gravitational pressure on the internal organs and glands. And second, they ease the strain on the heart caused by having to pump blood against the force of gravity. Yoga exercises, however, do little to promote cardiovascular endurance.Moreover, many people cannot perform certain yoga exercises because of health problems. Tai chi chuan, in contrast, may be practiced in virtually any state of health.The yoga breathing techniques, known as pranayama, have many health benefits. They increase energy levels within the body, strengthen the immune system as well as the internal organs and glands, reduce stress, purify the body and improve memory. They also enhance the cellular expulsion of carbon dioxide, increase arterial circulation to the brain, reduce levels of lactic acid in the muscles, and stimulate intestinal peristalsis.Unfortunately, if these exercises are practiced incorrectly, they can cause serious mental disturbances. Tai chi chuan does not present these problems. In tai chi, deep breathing is never imposed on the student; it is developed step by step. The student learns to gradually coordinate his breathing with the movements. This is perhaps the greatest advantage tai chi has over yoga.One final advantage of tai chi is that it can also be used for self-defense.
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Health First, Self-Defense Second!
by Robert W. YoungIn these days of escalating violence, it seems that many tai chi churn proponents never stop arguing how effective the internal style can be for street defense. Meanwhile, devotees of other styles often ask if tai chi chuan is really the best choice for learning how to knock out muggers and repel rapists.Despite the dissension, millions of people around the world staunchly believe in tai chi chuan, perhaps more for the art's intangible benefits than for its knockout power. They claim the way of the "grand ultimate fist" offers untold benefits for a practitioner's health, internal energy flow and general well-being. At advanced level, many claim tai chi chuan does bestow excellent self-defense abilities, but for the average practitioner, it would seem that the constructive side, not the destructive, promises the most.Before we examine these somewhat lesser-known benefits of tai chi chuan practice, we should discuss the background of our source, Daniel Lee. Born in Shanghai, China, Lee learned Shaolin kung fu and chi hung from his father. He later studied Western boxing and won the welterweight division of a national boxing championship in 1948. Lee was exposed to tai chi chuan after he moved to Taiwan, but upon relocation to the United States was unable to find a teacher. Instead, he practiced judo until he broke his shoulder, then switched to kenpo karate and eventually received a black belt under Ed Parker.In 1966 Lee met a tai chi chuan master who had just arrived from China; he immediately quit kenpo and took up the art. In 1967 he heard that Bruce Lee had opened a school in Chinatown, and the two Lees met and trained together until Bruce went to Hong Kong to make films. In 1988 Daniel Lee was named Black Belt magazine's Man of the Year. Lee, who recently retired after 38 years as an aerospace engineer for the California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory, still teaches tai chi chuan in Pasadena, California-as he has for the past 25 years.BreathingTai Chi chuan students learn how to breathe deeply from the abdomen. "During the forms, the even movement and rhythm are predominant," Lee says. "You learn to match your breathing with the movement. [There's no need to] consciously breathe in and out; there's only a general guideline. If you want to do a lower stance or do a movement more slowly, your breathing pattern changes. But you intuitively know how to breathe."Since tai chi chuan is a martial art, when you move forward and exert energy, you generally breathe out, Lee says, and when you move backward, you breathe in. "Your arm comes up, you breathe in, and your chest expands; your arm goes down, and you breathe out," he says. Lee does not advise students to immediately match their breathing with movement, because the movements themselves are already challenging enough to learn. Beginners often complain that when they move one arm, they forget the other arm, and when they master the arms, they forget the legs or their balance, he says. "There's really a lot of training. Do it slowly so you can maintain that total control and awareness."Once a tai chi chuan student masters the movement, he can think about matching the breathing more closely. But in the beginning, Lee advises: "Just breathe; let the wisdom of your body tell you when to breathe. When you run, you don't tell yourself, "Now I'm running, so I must breathe faster". The body picks it up anyway. When the body needs to breathe in, just inhale. When it needs to breathe out, just exhale."Later in a student's training, usually during the second year, breathing and movement start to work with chi (internal energy) and the mind, Lee says. "It all focuses together like a magnifying glass concentrating nice, warm sunlight into enough heat to burn paper. You can generate tremendous power."Does tai chi chuan breathing practice have any direct application to other parts of life? "Abdominal breathing is basically a relaxed breathing," Lee says. "The basic movement of tai chi is raising and lowering the arm; it's called breathing in and breathing out. When [students] get stressed during the day, they should do some deep breathing to settle down. Immediately they can regain their calmness. Even three minutes of breathing can renew the strength. Tai chi, even without the movements, can immediately be applied to daily life.ChiAlthough the "chi" in tai chi chuan does not have the same meaning or Chinese character as the "chi" that means internal energy, many practitioners claim training in the art does enhance the flow of the vital stuff in a student's body."From a Chinese medical standpoint, you have two types of chi in the body," Lee says. "One comes from your parents, and the other comes from your daily nutrition." The chi from your parents provides your body with its basic constitution; thus, some babies are born weak because their parents are weak, he says. "If you inherit good chi from your parents, you are lucky. From then on, it's your daily nutrition, the air and the water you drink that provide [post-birth] chi".Lee claims Chinese medical theory is based on the fact that chi always courses through the body's channels-even though you are totally unaware of it. To enhance the flow, tai chi chuan students should ensure their body is relaxed and their mind is quiet, and remain aware of the heaviness of the abdomen, Lee says. "The Chinese have a saying: Let the chi sink to the tan tien [area below the navel]. That does not mean breathing from the tan tien, but using diaphragmatic breathing, which changes your abdominal pressure. So if you breathe abdominally, you will sense heaviness and firmness in your body."Lee says tai chi chuan emphasizes just that-keeping the body straight and letting the chi settle to the tan tien. "If you relax it, you'll feel the firmness near the tan tien. The Chinese say the chi sinks to the tan tien, but don't use a lot of mental force to force it down. True tai chi emphasizes letting it settle down."Tai chi chuan practitioners have a maxim: Let the mind lead the chi and the chi mobilize the body. "So before you move the arm, there are three processes," Lee says. "First, you have to think about it. Tai chi involves body-mind training. If you want to raise the arm, you mentally visualize the arm rising, and with that visualization, your body begins to move. Under the direction of your mind, your body starts moving upward."Just mobilize the i [mind or intent]. A tai chi maxim says, 'If the i is there, the chi is there. If the chi is there, the jing [force] is there.' Jing is different from li, the raw force which is unfocused. [With] physical force plus mental direction, that focused raw force becomes jing. But behind that is the chi You don't want to move the chi; you move the i," Lee explains.When muscles tense, they block the flow of chi "That's why tai chi emphasizes relaxation of mind and body-so chi can flow freely," Lee says. "In that condition, the energy starts coming through. When the chi is coursing through the body, it provides equilibrium of the yin and yang energy, and health improves." When chi stops flowing or becomes unbalanced, disease results, and when chi stagnates in a certain area, you feel pain, he claims.HarmonyTai chi chuan forms practice should calm the mind, but it should not empty it. "The mind is always involved," Lee says. "The mind moves the chi, and the chi leads the movement. At the first stages, you have to learn to move your left foot, right foot, arms, etc., but eventually you become very fluid. You begin to express the movement. But you don't do it totally in a state of 'no mind.'"Lee claims the "no mind" state applies only to fighting-when you should avoid focusing your mind on a certain technique. "You come in with total openness and you respond spontaneously," he says. "That's what Bruce Lee used to talk about-using no way as way."But students should not practice tai chi chuan automatically, Lee cautions. They must be totally aware of everything. "You are aware of the situation around you, but it does not disturb you," he says. "For example, if you are doing a tai chi form and a car backfires, people around you jump, but you have an invisible shield. You hear the sound, but it does not penetrate to your consciousness."Tai chi chuan also helps develop an awareness of the "here-now" experience. During training, students must dwell upon the precise moment-which changes all the time. "You cannot plan ahead or worry about the movement that is coming, or about a mistake you just made," Lee says. "You deal with things right-now; you focus all your concentration on that point, and that point constantly changes. That teaches a lot for life experience-we plan the future, but we don't live in the future. We can't live in the past or cry over past mistakes. The secret is in the here and now."HealthLee says the health benefits of tai chi chuan stem from correctly flowing chi and balanced posture. "Tai chi creates a demand in terms of balance," he says. "It's not just balancing in one posture and the next; it's balancing throughout a whole series of postures. That's why it demands so much more in terms of placing the body in the right way and being able to move very smoothly. That smoothness provides calmness. That makes tai chi multifaceted-you learn to relax, to coordinate your body so it is balanced at any point."In addition to physical balance, tai chi chuan practice cultivates what might be termed "mental balance," both in martial arts and in life. The tai chi chuan symbol consists of a circle with a wavy line; the two resulting shapes represent yin and yang. "The original tai chi symbol used a straight line," Lee says. "But the curved line indicates dynamic interaction. Yang is not more than yin, or vice versa. You have to have both." Together, they represent being assertive and attacking, as well as being yielding and defending."Through tai chi training, I have begun to realize [the importance of] additional training in the yin aspect, which is yielding or using pliable energy to avoid being hit directly," he continues. "But in reality, yielding can provide more torque. Rather than always attack, I put a little more emphasis on the yin aspect. I also began to realize how to relax and generate power from the hip and legs. The Chinese say, 'When a person who studies a hard system gets old, he worries about getting slower and weaker; when you see a tai chi master in his advanced years, watch out. He's just as powerful; he may even invoke some magic power.' There is no magic power; he's using yielding and attacking simultaneously."Relaxing is essential in tai chi chuan practice, Lee claims. "The Chinese call it sung. It is the most important word in tai chi because of its three aspects: The body and joints have to relax, the muscles have to relax, and the mind has to relax." The tension in the forehead disappears, and the student starts breathing calmly. His internal organs are relaxed, and the relaxation penetrates more and more deeply into the whole body, he says.But relaxation does not mean a tai chi chuan stylist is not ready to fight. "From relaxation to total tension takes only a fraction of a second," Lee says. "If you tense [your muscles], then relax and go tense again, it's so slow. It's almost like mathematics-first we learn about zero and always use the positive numbers. Relaxation which is yielding, [is like the] negative numbers. The more you relax, the more you approach the negative numbers. You now have a dynamic range from minus infinity to plus infinity. If you go from negative to positive, the explosion is unbelievable."Best of Both WorldsLee says the masters of old created tai chi chuan to benefit their health and develop their combat skill. "Taoist master Chang San Feng actually had a lot of Shaolin [kung fu] training, but later converted to Taoism, which is more toward nature. So he was a fighter to begin with, but he realized that, aside from martial arts, internal development was more important. So he would journey deep into tai chi movement, which was more circular, less hostile, less blocking-but rather flow with the force." Because it is based on Taoist natural development, tai chi chuan emphasizes becoming one with nature, harmonizing oneself with the universe.Lee acknowledges that most students choose tai chi chuan for its combination of self-defense and health benefits. "I think the majority of people have heard of tai chi's ability to help them relax, and they come for that," he says. "Middle-aged and older people come for health reasons and to develop coordination. But younger people who have had martial arts training realize the internal training of tai chi gives the ability to relax under pressure, and that is very appealing." This relaxation stills the mind and body, especially in a high pressure situation, and allows them to face the problem later with renewed strength."Learning the smooth body movements of tai chi can also help people in other areas-tennis, basketball, jogging or karate-anything that involves balance and not using unneeded muscles," Lee argues. He says tai chi chuan develops a skill for using only the muscles that are necessary and leaving the others relaxed; in this way, it helps conserve energy. "I have a maxim in my classes: In tai chi practice, efficiency is intelligent laziness. Don't use any muscle that is not needed; only use the muscles that are needed and only the right amount of force-no more and no less," he says.During the first three months, Lee says his students usually begin to sense an awareness of balance and notice their legs getting stronger. They find that their aches subside and lower back pain disappears because they develop perfect body alignment and a straight, centered body. "Learning a whole form over a year provides continuous learning, and eventually the body assimilates the movements and begins to overcome the old habits and the instinct to tense up whenever something happens," Lee says. "It takes about a year to develop the idea of relaxing, centering, calming yourself, and from then on students can continue studying for the martial arts aspect." Interestingly enough, Lee says many new students are initially hostile and impatient, but a year later they are ready for tai chi chuan martial arts training because they have developed calmness and can do the movements without involvement of their ego.So is tai chi chuan primarily a martial art or exercise? "Everybody has different goals," Lee replies. "For people who are sick or weak, tai chi is great exercise. In China, people do it every day; it's part of the lifestyle. They may not care about martial arts; they just want exercise. The whole thing is, life is based on movement. Whether you think of [tai chi] as a martial art or exercise, if you do it consistently, it will be beneficial."What makes tai chi unique is that beyond the exercise there is the element of self-defense," he continues. "If you don't study that aspect of tai chi, it becomes just exercise. But if you look at how tai chi movements originated-the rationale behind them-and you practice with the proper sequence and posture and with the martial art in mind, then at a later stage, when the body is ready for it, it's right there ready to be used."Lee recites a final tai chi chuan maxim: "'What is the ultimate purpose of tai chi? To enjoy perpetual spring-a fountain of youth.' Even though you learn a martial art, later on you walk a peaceful path. You don't want to fight. You have the ability to fight, to protect yourself, but you don't go out and seek fights."
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A
An: Push
B
Baihui: Acupuncture point at the crown of the head
Bufa: The “eight energies” of Taiji
C
Cai: Pluck
Chansigong: “Silk reeling” exercises
Chansi jin: “Silk reeling” energy
D
Dao: “The way”: central tenet of daoism
Dao: Knife, or broadsword
E
F
Fajing: Expressing intrinsic energy
Fangsong: Relaxing the mind
G
Gang: Hard
Guan dao: “General Guan’s Knife”: a halbered
Gung bu: Forward stance
H
Hunyuan: Modern school of Chenstyle Taijiquan
Huiyin: Acupuncture point located between the anus and genitals
I
J
Ji: Press
Jian: Sword
Jing: Energy
K
Kao: Shoulder strike
Kua: The crease where the upper thigh joins to the hip on the front of the body
L
Laogong: Acupuncture point located inthe middle of the palm
Laojia: Old Frame
Li: Force
Lieh: Split
Lu: Roll back
M
Mingmen: Acupuncture point on the lower back
N
Neijia: The “internal” martial arts of China: taiji, xingyi, bagua, liuhobafa
Neijing: Internal energy
Ni chan: Reverse twining, or twisting, of the body
O
P
Paochui: “Cannon fist”. Also know as erh lu, the second routine in Chenstyle taiji.
Peng: Ward off energy.
Pu bu: Crouching stance
Q
Qiang: Spear
Qi: “Intrinsic energy” of the body
Qigong: Exercises to increase qi
Qinna: “Seize and control” joint locking techniques
R
Rou: Softness
S
San shou: Free fighting
Shen: Spirit
Shuang dao: Double broadsword
Shun chan: Natural twining or twisting
Song: Relaxation
T
Tai chi, taiji: Alternate spellings for “supreme ultimate”
Taolu: Solo form practice
Tu-na: Traditional breathing exercises
U
V
W
Wu de: Martial virtue, or ethics
Wuji: Initial wholeness: unity that gives rise to opposites
Wu wei: Daoist principle of passivity
X
Xia pan gong: Lower body strength training
Xiaojia: “Small frame” taiji
Xinjia: “New frame” taiji
Xu bu: Empty, or false stance
Y
Yang: Positive, masculine, light, full
Yi: Mind, or intent
Yi lu: “First road”
Yin: Negative, female, dark, empty
Yin - yang: Daoist concept of complementary opposites uniting to form a whole
Z
Zhan zhuang: “Standing post” training
Zhaobao: A village near chenjiagou, birthplace of Zhaobao style taijiquan.
Zhong ding: Central equilibrium
Zhou pan: Twist stance
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