Yin Yang Tai Chi Method

“There are only 5 hands in taiji, the 2 major ones are yin and yang, yin is the peng principle and yang is the aun principle, they manifest themselves in a variety of ways, but the principles are always the same.” We were practicing our taiji.  These were some of my favourite lessons, karate was exciting, but taiji had that lovely smooth, powerful flow that made me feel invigorated. We were working through ‘Part the Wild Horses Mane’ in the third section of the form most commonly known as the Yang Chen Fu 108.  It’s an ingeniously crafted vehicle for … Continue reading Yin Yang Tai Chi Method

Grading In The Martial Arts

You could tell it was grading day… The toilets stank, the toilet paper had run out within the first 30 minutes of the leisure centre opening.  The horrible smell combined with that of spray starch, ralgex and deep heat as the students strapped up their current strains, sprains and injuries hoping they would ‘hold up’ during their grading test.  Everyone was nervously ‘bustling’ about as the tables were set up in the hall with the various sensei looking totally out of place in their best ‘bib and tucker’ of grey flannel trousers, shirt, tie and blazer with association badge neatly … Continue reading Grading In The Martial Arts

Right Effort In Training

The class began with sanchin qigong.  With our feet under our shoulderline, we rotated out on the balls of the feet, releasing our ankles, knees, hips, lower back and chest, then stretched the crown of the head upwards bowing the spine from the top and pulling the pubococcygeus muscle at the base to complete the ‘bow’ and assist the energy flow, putting the tongue to the top palette to complete the circuit. We held the arms out in a ‘bow’ (or yin) formation at the front of the body, palms inwards, hollowing the chest to work with the bowing and … Continue reading Right Effort In Training

The Secret Of Internal Power

The Secret Of Internal Power The Secret Of Internal Power, Is in the spine and body core, Learn how to manipulate these, And you will have great natural power. There 4 pairs of spine and core skills, Understand them in the neigong, Learn them in the qigong, And then apply them in technique. Soften and connect, Open and close, Stretch and compress, Twist and release. One normally follows the other, But you release after every skill, A release can be fast or slow, When you release you always then soften and connect. There are a multitude of ways to pulse, … Continue reading The Secret Of Internal Power

There’s One In Every Martial Arts Club

“And the devil did grin because his darling sin Is pride that apes humility”.  – Samuel Taylor Coleridge     There’s always one in every group…………… The Dan grade that has been cutting classes and not doing enough practise – comes in to class and immediately starts correcting all the other grades.  The problem is that where they have been to all the recent classes, they actually know the technique better than him……….. But of course they are too polite to tell him that he is wrong and accept his mis – information politely and shake their heads behind his … Continue reading There’s One In Every Martial Arts Club

Chi – The Users Manual

Chi – The Users Manual “Do you think that chi is real?” “I think it is just oriental mumbo-jumbo, there is nothing there that cannot be explained by science or biomechanics.”  This argument had gone on for months.  Eddie believed in the spiritual life within karate and John was a hardened scientist.  They had argued every time they met Eddie believed that she was spiritual energy and John believed that everything could be scientifically explained.” “Can you not see that life force is magical?  Chi is the special energy that makes us alive, it’s what animates our body.” “That is … Continue reading Chi – The Users Manual

Hands Of A Clock

Hands Of A Clock Sometimes life seems hard….. Greg walked into the Dojo changing room, put his bag down and sighed. “You all right Greg? “Yeah….  you know some days life just seems harder….” “Tell me about it.” “I almost didn’t come tonight, I had a hard day at work, the wife had cooked a great meal for the family, the house was warm and it was raining outside.  I didn’t want to come here – but just knew I had to….  The changing rooms are cold and my gi is still damp, I ache from head to toe and … Continue reading Hands Of A Clock

Ignorance Of Youth

Ignorance Of Youth Youth………  the comedian Dave Allen says that it is a time when young men’s brains turn to haemorrhoids……..  The sudden rush of hormones deepens their voices and deadens their brain.  The happy, smiling children that love their Karate and train with so much enthusiasm suddenly become obstreperous and truculent spotty youths with longer bones and haircuts that look like their dad used a pair of nail scissors and a pound of gel……… Two years ago he had uprooted and gone. He had trained with Sensei since he was 5 years old, at eighteen he thought that Karatedo … Continue reading Ignorance Of Youth

Kamae In Karate

Kamae In Karate “Wanshu!” A great kata, with a long history, Wanshu is one of the most popular forms amongst Okinawan karate systems.  We were about to study the Wado Ryu version. The kata is said to have been named after a Chinese envoy to Okinawa who was a martial artist. It is believed that it originated in China around 1690, making it one of the oldest forms. Wanshu was primarily used around the village of Tomari and therefore, part of the Tomari-Te karate system. The forms other Chinese name, Empi translates as ‘flying swallow’. The quick striking, grasping and … Continue reading Kamae In Karate

Learning Friendship..

Learning Friendship.. If you want good friends, You have to learn how to be a good friend, It’s a two way street, And good friendship is life’s treasure. Martial arts training brings people together, People of a like mind, Wanting to improve themselves, Together you bleed, laugh and cry. Over the years, some will go wrong, But you cannot let one person, Make you into a twat like them, Remain true and others will take their place. Make acquaintances easily but not friends, Earning respect takes time, The better person you become, The better friends you will have. Friendship takes … Continue reading Learning Friendship..