What do you study and why?

Discussion in 'Internal Martial Arts' started by Casado, Sep 21, 2005.

  1. Casado

    Casado Valued Member

    What Internal MA do you study and why? Do you study anything else? What are your experiences of IMAs.

    As for me, I haven't studied ant IMAs yet, but hope to as soon as I move with a new job.

    Cheers,
    Casado
     
  2. zac_duncan

    zac_duncan New Member

    Xinyiquan. Why? I don't know, honestly, I was kinda looking for another point of view besides my hapkido studies and xingyi's tactics and methods had always interested me.

    So far my experience in IMAs is very possitive. My teacher loves xingyi and has studied it for 30 years and is a kind and capable instructor. In the sparring I've done since starting xingyi, I've had a fair amount of success using it. It fits my body, my personality and my existing skillset pretty well. I'm happy.

    Hopefully, I can continue to get better.
     
  3. tcgohan

    tcgohan New Member

    I study Taiji Quan, I started because I was overfat, started lifting weights and I would not go often enough. Then I tried Karate, It was not for me. My dad mentioned Tai Chi and I remembered an old guy who I had worked with, got his number and he became my instructor. At 62 this guy was in better shape than I was at 19. Then I found I had a passion for it and progressed rapidly. I started for my health and continue now because I enjoy it.
     
  4. piratebrido

    piratebrido internet tough guy

    Wudang Tai Chi Chuan.

    I like it because I get to hit people. It's very practical and isn't filled with people talking about Chi and such. I find it really suits me.

    Also do Judo and JuJitsu, but Tai Chi is my martial art.
     
  5. Jekyll

    Jekyll Valued Member

    Ah ha. I thought so, after your comment on Barbara's book.

    Fellow wudanger and judoka here.
     
  6. Taiji Butterfly

    Taiji Butterfly Banned Banned

    Taijiquan - I get to hit people AND talk about qi :woo: :cool: :bang: lol
    :D :Angel: :D
     
  7. onyomi

    onyomi 差不多先生

    If you don't like talking about qi then why are you studying Taiji? Qi is an important part of nearly all CMAs and very important in Taiji. If you want your art to be "internal" then you have to have qi (and that goes not only for Taiji, Xingyi and Bagua, but also for Praying Mantis, Baji, and many others.)
     
  8. Jekyll

    Jekyll Valued Member

    See sig.
     
  9. stillness

    stillness New Member

    I study Chen Shi Xinyi Hunyuan Taijiquan. We commonly refer to it as Chen style Taiji, though it does have some differences than "normal" chen style.

    I study it because . . . . well, I feel good when I do. Originally, I took it to help with martial arts. Then I stayed with it because it helped my physical health. Now I do it because it helps my mental health, gives me a better outlook on life, and makes me a better person. The physical health is an added benefit, and the increase in martial abilities is a distant third at this point, to be honest.
     
  10. bcullen

    bcullen They are all perfect.

    I have done:
    Yang Tai Chi Chuan (short form)
    E-mei Dragon Baguazhaung

    I am currently doing:
    Hsing-I

    I started Baguazhang after sparring with someone very profiecient in it (read as: I got owned). I have practiced and have seen quite a few different styles but I've never seen anything like Bagua before.

    For a few months the Tai Chi class would meet before the Baguazhang class, so I'd come in early and join in.

    I'm now doing Hsing-I because that is what my school has decided to teach at the momment (read as: not enough qualified Bagua instructors; all locations need uniform curriculum and such). They are progressing Hsing-I five element, twelve animal then going to Baguazhaung. I'm seeing some familiar things and I'm starting to really get into it.

    For the most part, if someone is willing to teach a MA, then I'm ready to learn it ;) .
     
  11. moononthewater

    moononthewater Valued Member

    Actually we do Tai Chi aswell and i go into little depth about Qi. Thats not to say i ignore it as i believe it exists.My Teacher who lives in Malaysia also says its discussed very little in Malaysia because its considered as being part of the culture so if your doing the form properly it just flows naturally. Its only as important as you want it to be.
     
  12. onyomi

    onyomi 差不多先生

    Those who don't esteem qi don't understand it. Obviously yi is very important both for the guidance of the qi and for general fighting psychology, but yi and qi are two different things, both of which the serious CMA student must train.
     
  13. Jekyll

    Jekyll Valued Member

    This is so embarrassing. I clearly had a brain fart when entering my sig and wrote yi(intent)instead of li(strength).
    Damn.
    :bang: :bang: :bang: :bang:
     
  14. piratebrido

    piratebrido internet tough guy

    I was being just a bit tongue in cheek. I have bought a book called A Brief History of Qi by Zhang Yu Huan & Ken Rose in an attempt to understand what the hell it is. How can I claim to have it if I don't know what it is? Then how can I train and cultivate it? Perhaps good Taiji training naturally promotes good Qi? Even Cheng Tin-Hung named our 24 Kung exercises Nei Kung and not Qi Kung as we are not trying to move the Qi around the body. The 12 Yin exercises develop health and physique, and the 12 Yang exercises develop power and physical strength.

    Dan Docherty does teach some Qi Kung exercises I believe was shown to Cheng Tin-Hung's uncle by a traveling Daoist, and my teacher has mentioned being shown them, or some of them at least.

    Perhaps it is because I am a very unspiritual person, always have been, that I have a hard time with Qi and such. I don't believe in Gods, heaven or hell, Karma, and I am having a hard time with Qi. No one can give me a straight answer, and I think it is for one or two reasons:

    1. People telling me aren't quite sure what it is, but obviously don't think it is there place to challenge it, thus go along with it.

    2. Those who know deliberately confuse and deceive people on the subject, maybe to make themselves feel part of an exclusive club, or perhaps if more people knew people would be a threat to them, financially I mean.

    Either way, I don't go for it. I do consider the idea that it being such a culturally significant thing to the Chinese, I don't understand their culture thus Qi. That is a possibility. I am a very open minded person, and I will hear out anything anyone has to say, I am, you could say, a bit of a Qi Agnostic. Perhaps one day I will sing the praises of Qi, just not today.
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2005
  15. piratebrido

    piratebrido internet tough guy


    :D
     
  16. cloudz

    cloudz Valued Member

    what no qi!

    I think what onyomi said is still valid, just replace yi for li.
    li is used differently in IMA - deeper rooted -hence neigong. this leaves a space filled by qi..
    In IMA li is condensced in and qi is manifested/recognised and used to a greater degree.

    A different way of playing if you will..

    careful now, you don't want to use too much strength..or outer muscle strength.. what would become of your cotton.

    the yi , li, qi thing is a balancing act - the quality of your taiji quan relies on this. Once you have control of them and dial them around you can .. play?

    I wrote much more on qi but I've said enough I think, ultimately we have to discover energy work and qi for ourselves.

    Careful not to close your minds off to qi, or you may miss all its heavenly glory :D
     
  17. piratebrido

    piratebrido internet tough guy

    Force isn't to be confused with brute strength. If I intend to hit someone then I am going to do so with all the force I can muster. This does not mean I am going to use brute strength, nor am I going to tense up, grind my teeth, stomp my feet and scream whilst doing so. I think the confusion arises when people start interchanging force and physical strength, which normally can be connected, but not in Taiji.

    I use Jin/Jing, which I like to think as trained force. I believe I know what Jing is, and I train to that.

    As for qi? I mentioned that in my last post. I am however not only alive, but in better health than I have ever been, so I must have qi by the bucket load ;)
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2005
  18. zac_duncan

    zac_duncan New Member

    Jekyll, I liked your "mistake" sig better. I've seen it said before Yi > Li > Qi. Attitude.

    Regardless, qi is a part of the traditional chinese understanding of the body. Any old chinese work that talks about the arts we study will probably mention qi in some way or another. I don't really understand qi, so I don't talk about it much. However, that doesn't mean I ignore it.

    My question isn't ever, "does it exist?". My question is "Will acting like it exists provide benefit to me?".

    A good example, in xingyi, you're told to keep your toungue on the roof of your mouth. The classsical explanation of this is that it connects two major meridans allowing your qi to flow smoothly. That might or might not be true, but keeping your toungue on the roof of your mouth will do a lot to prevent you biting it off when you get hit.

    Again, I don't care if qi is real, I care if I get results from acting like it is.


    Oh, and I think most energy work is crap.
     
  19. cloudz

    cloudz Valued Member

    It' an interesting area for sure.

    It is said that qi is present in everything.

    so when you say jin you are still reffering to some extent to qi.
    It's all transformational imo.

    This is were the philosophical aspects come in..

    I can talk about this till the cows come home as you may have noticed.
    Some people can dig it and others don't.

    Many masters put a lot of faith in qi; others don't.

    It is all in the experiencing. If you'd like me to chat about my experience of it more in depth I will - I don't mind sounding like a fruitcake..

    qi gong is good; it reinforces(helps recognition) the feeling of qi you should (imo) experience in the form. Breath is important - it is a source of sustaining(at the least) energy after all. Stop breathing and see what happens.

    imo yi transforms qi into jin(s)
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2005
  20. piratebrido

    piratebrido internet tough guy

    Please do share your experiences with qi, would be interesting to read.

    If you stop breathing you don't die from a lack of qi, you die because you have stopped oxygen entering your system and your brain requires oxygen to function.
     

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