Information
The body mechanics of the internal martial arts are significantly are significantly more sophisticated than those of the external martial arts.
(Bruce Frantzis)
Background
Here is some background information concerning kung fu:
Hard work
Kung fu literally means 'hard work'.
Anything can be considered kung fu, even a mundane task such as washing
dishes can offer the opportunity for you to be invested totally in the task,
to lose yourself.
The term 'kung fu' may have come from the name Kung Fu Tzu or Confucius.
Influence
Chinese culture, inventions and philosophies have influenced the rest of the
world, especially Asia.
Martial arts have been practiced in China since the dawn of civilisation.
The various kung fu styles have led to the creation of many different
martial arts in many countries.
Usually, the ideas and insights of kung fu were mixed with existing self
defence skills to produce a unique new system of combat.
Media
Kung fu has featured in the media since the 1960's.
Bruce Lee movies and the TV series Kung Fu led to a widespread awareness of
the martial art.
In recent years Shaolin monks have become performance artists, demonstrating
amazing feats of physical strength and coordination.
Internal arts have featured in:
Adults & realism
Kung fu performers like Jackie Chan are unbelievably fit; they can perform
movements that most people could not possibly manage.
It is necessary to remember Jackie Chan has been training professionally
from a very young age.
Most adults cannot easily perform low, elongated stances or exotic leaping
movements.
There would be a risk of injury.
Be entertained.
But be honest about your own capacity.
▲
External kung fu
Most kung fu systems are external.
Common examples: lau gar, monkey, praying mantis, white crane, white
eyebrow, wing chun.
Internal kung fu
There are several styles of internal kung fu.
The most familiar systems are xingyiquan (form/intention boxing),
baguazhang (8 trigram palm) and tai chi chuan (supreme ultimate fist).
If a teacher is incapable of spontaneously demonstrating the difference
between 'internal' and 'external' to you, then the chances are they do not
know it themselves.
Internal &
external characteristics
| Internal | External |
| Listening | Planning |
| Blending | Struggling |
| Being with what is happening | Wishing things were different |
| Being in the body and sensation-oriented | Being in your head thinking about what to do next |
| Feeling your vulnerability | Denying your vulnerability |
| Loose, fluid and relaxed musculature | Contracted, locked musculature |
| This list appears courtesy of Ron Sieh. | |
Principles
The internal arts use certain principles that govern their application:
Baguazhang
- utilises I Ching
- highly evasive footwork, circularity and evasion
- dynamic movements and quick directional changes
- specialises in dealing with multiple opponents
- chin na, shuai jiao and striking
Taijiquan/tai chi chuan
- utilises yin/yang principle
- focuses upon
yielding
and taking the opponent's centre
- subtle movements that require significant sensitivity
- simultaneous attack and defence
- chin na, shuai jiao and striking
Xingyiquan
- uses the 5 elements
- direct, linear, spontaneous attacks
- simultaneous attack and defence
- striking-based
Underlying tai chi is the exploration and
expression of taoist
principles and insights.
Neigong (internal power) is the common precept connecting all three
internal arts.
Internal kung fu systems are
sometimes referred to as 'neijia chuan' or 'neijiaquan'.
The three main internal arts
are
tai chi, xingyiquan and baguazhang.
There are only a few internal arts but countless schools within each style,
each teaching a different syllabus.
Although internal styles are quite
different from one another, they share the basic principles that define all
internal martial art styles.
Some of
the basic principles are:
Heightened awareness of your internal body posture and structure
Release of tension, both externally and internally
Letting go of physical, muscular strength to perform movement
Sinking of the qi and the development of 'root'
Linking the internal organs to assist the flow and movement of qi
The development of inner peace and a calm emotional state
Taoist or Buddhist?
Wudang kung fu employs taoist insights and principles.
To be skilled at Wudang kung fu you need to be well-versed in
taoism.
Ideally, you should also be living in a way that follows the teachings of
what is commonly called 'contemplative taoism'.
Contemplative taoism refers to the works of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu. It is
not a religion.
Shaolin kung fu has Buddhist associations rather than taoist.
▲
Avoiding extremes
Neijia training is not extreme.
Although the training is often difficult, the aim is to remain relaxed,
comfortable and at ease.
Internal work requires a great deal of physical, emotional and psychological
self-awareness.
The martial expression of the internal arts is not showy or obvious.
A truly skilful practitioner looks to do hardly anything, yet the outcome is
significant.
By following the way of things, going with the flow, being attentive and aware,
Wudang kung fu offers a natural, appropriate response to violence.
But these skills are not gained overnight.
A considerable commitment to long-term training is required.
Attitude, practice and dedication are what matter. These are what make your
training 'kung fu'.
▲
21st Century
The 21st Century has different concerns to
ancient China. We must allow for the realities of
the modern urban environment.
A self defence practitioner needs to be upright, agile, adaptive and
realistic. Your opponent will probably be armed and they will most likely
have friends.
What's most traditional, what's most authentic is to do what works.
Which means you have to keep updating things. You're not involved in
eighteenth century warfare. People aren't attacking you with eight foot
spears. Where's the relevance?
(Paul Gale)
Things change. Time moves on. Your art needs to be
a response to the needs of the present day.
If you cannot defend yourself against a knife, what are you training, and
why?
Practical skills
Your training will include:
Chin na
- cavity press
- sealing the breath
- dividing the muscle
- misplacing the bones
Conditioning exercises
- seasoning the body to combat
- strengthening joints, bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments
Countering punches, kicks and grapples
- solo attacker
- multiple attackers
Countering a knife
Energy work (qigong)
Escapes
- from a wide variety of holds, locks and situations
Floor work
Form application
Gangs/multiple opponents
Internal power
- neigong
- reeling silk
Self defence
Striking
- fa jing
- using body weight
- striking bags, target pads and people
- punch, palm, finger, elbow, shoulder, knee, kick
Weaponry
- sticks, knives, swords
- improvised weapons
- modern weaponry (rather than ancient)
The best?
(i) Emotional investment
A lot of martial arts instructors are emotionally invested in what they
teach. They are adamant that their system is the best.
Sifu Waller is not like this.
He sees the kung fu as being the best thing for him.
For Sifu Waller, the internal arts are simply vehicles for the exploration of self
defence and sophisticated body use.
(ii) Versatility
The internal arts are very versatile.
They offer a wide range of skills, including kicks, punches, grapples, floor
work, weaponry, joint manipulation, energy projection...
There is also a significant health component, and very little risk of injury
despite vigorous self defence work.
(iii) Effort-to-reward ratio
What makes this art appealing is the fact that the applications are simple,
direct, subtle and effective.
There is no struggling, sweating and straining.
No forcing.
If you are using strength, you are doing something wrong.
In fact, once you possess neigong, the less effort you use, the greater
the effect.
(iv) Aging
External martial arts favour the younger, stronger, fitter student.
The neijia require a mature mind.
Instead of retiring from combat at the age of 40, a student can look forward
to spending the rest of their life training the art.
Tai chi chuan is the gentlest of the internal arts, and works the body in a very
safe manner.
Despite this, your ability to perform the tai chi will be determined by your
physical and mental condition.
Ultimately, it is still a martial art.
(i) Defending yourself
There are very strict legal guidelines in the UK concerning self defence and
fighting.
It is necessary to show
restraint, and to exercise
reasonable force.
Whenever possible, the defender must
incapacitate
the attacker without causing injury.
Given that your assailant may well be carrying a knife, and have friends,
this is quite a tall order.
(ii) External arts
The external martial arts usually offer 'self defence' training.
This commonly involves beating a man to the floor with your fists or
applying a lock or hold.
Unfortunately, these effective methods do not necessarily adhere to the law.
Essentially you are
fighting, and fighting is not self defence.
There is a risk that you will face criminal charges if you apply your system
skilfully.
(iii) A measured response
The internal arts offer the
means to neutralise an opponent without necessarily resorting to undue
violence.
The student remains calm and composed, detached. They do not get
caught-up in the emotion of the event.
You learn an extensive
repertoire of
skills that will enable you to use the most appropriate response to
violence.
If you can get away with a deterrent, then this is preferred.
If a greater incentive is needed, you have a lot to choose from.
▲
Slow
Some of the training methods involve long-term standing or slow-motion form
training.
By moving the body in a very slow manner, the student is able to improve
balance, subtlety, timing, coordination and strength.
Slow movement works the muscles harder.
The student can focus upon the here and now to a greater extent, and optimise
their body use.
Many of the drills are practiced at full speed because it is necessary to
emulate real life attack and defence.
▲
Beyond form & pushing hands
The training must be varied.
Pushing hands and form application is not enough.
Although set patterns and drills are an acceptable training method, they
should only represent a small portion of the actual practice.
Unpredictability, surprise and disadvantage need to be addressed thoroughly
and regularly.
▲
Martial tai chi training
Tai chi martial training is not very flamboyant to watch.
It is smooth, rounded, small, and involves the whole-body for power - rather
than just the arms and legs.
Everything is circular.
The aim is to be direct, functional and effective.
▲
Tai chi for health
Tai chi for health is not kung fu.
Simplified tai chi (Beijing, 24 step, 48 step etc) are
performance art,
not martial art.
The self defence component is absent, rendering the art useless in combat.
Attitude
Your tai chi should be applied in
self defence:
Without emotion
Without being tense
Without opposing the incoming force
Without necessarily hurting the assailant
Your aim should be to incapacitate and deter, rather than injure.
Reasons why people learn kung fu
(i) Historical
Traditionally, people studied kung fu for a variety of reasons:
Health and wellbeing
Law enforcement
Military/soldier/warrior
Personal self defence
Religious/spiritual development (zen, tao)
The traditional reasons are still valid today.
(ii) Modern
The modern reasons for training kung fu tend to revolve around entertainment:
Actor
Bodyguard
Bouncer/doorman
Performance artist
Stuntman
(iii) Our school
We focus upon:
Health and wellbeing
Personal self defence
Religious/spiritual development (zen, tao)
Wushu
In contrast with kung fu, there is 'wushu'.
Wushu is
performance art kung fu - a non-martial
demonstration of acrobatic ability and gymnastic skill.
It is a sport.
Kung fu is pragmatic and serious, whereas wushu is flamboyant and exciting
to watch.
Eat bitter
The necessity of
restraint makes it difficult to learn a martial art.
Even when you want to use your tai chi, it may not be appropriate to
do so.
In tai chi
you must not use fa jing or
chin na with power unless
there is no other choice.
The internal arts were designed for self defence, not for
fighting.
Lessons
Students pay for lessons in kung fu.
Attending a lesson is not the same as buying a DVD or a magazine.
Kung fu skills cannot be purchased.
We can show you how to do kung fu, we can correct your practice, offer you
training partners and let you explore material.
But the skills will only emerge if you do the work and put in the
necessary practice between lessons.
If you want to learn any skill thoroughly and convincingly, you
need to put in the time.
Whether you are seeking to learn Spanish, cook like a gourmet chef or play the
guitar, it is just the same.
Practice.
Page created 5 August 1999