This section is for the articles of Mr Neil Webster, the first student in the West to be promoted to the rank of 'Full Instructor', through the auspices of the Ch'an Dao Martial Arts Association. Academic articles: Essay Extracts: From Instructor's Examination
Self Defence
Links to external articles can be found in the Further Reading section. Although I am a martial artist of a profoundly traditional style of Kung-Fu, I am more importantly a Father. I therefore obviously wanted my two children to learn martial arts from the beginning. Both my children have grown up in a training environment from both my wife and me. In my opinion, it is important that both boys and girls are able to defend themselves as they wander through life, in this increasingly violent world. Being able to look after themselves in the face of bullies for example is unfortunately wholly necessary. This is not to condone violence but rather give children enough confidence in themselves to steer clear of it. Most bullies do not pick on other children if they have an air of confidence about them. They prefer an easier target. There are also many other important reasons they should take up such an interest: It is central to a Childs development that they learn body skills in a cognitive manner on a physical level as well as an academic one. It must also be said, that the health aspects both physical and mental are greatly enhanced whilst training in the martial arts if taught properly. A child also needs to understand what it is to have to work at any given thing to achieve realistic goals and that these goals are not always made too easy for them. Unfortunately, in my opinion, too many children are left to their own devices too often and end up lacking in discipline and drive. As with teaching any subject, on a physical level or otherwise, it is vital to understand how people learn, with children as well as adults. Some adults/children are audible learners, some visual and some have a more physical responsiveness. So you must watch closely as to how the child responds to the various directions and prompts you provide them to see whether they grasp the point in question. If not, you must change tack, by using differing imaginative techniques, applicable to the individuals favoured method of learning, until you see a positive reaction. Even a basic understanding of body language and an ability to read facial expressions is a crucial tool in any good instructors’ armoury. Elements that also need to be understood are that girls’ and boys’ also learn in different ways. A boys’ spatial awareness is frequently more expansive than girls’ and they often find it hard to concentrate on more than one thing at a time. Consequently if you do not have the boys’ full attention, i.e. if he is not looking straight at you or is otherwise occupied, chances are he will not have heard a word you said. With girls’ however due to the different synaptic responses of their brains, they see things in greater detail within a closer proximity and therefore have a narrower and shorter field of spatial awareness. They are however much more adept at multi tasking and can be listening to you even when their attention seems to be elsewhere. Another great benefit of studying martial arts from a young age is; there comes about in a relatively short space of time an assured kind of non-egotistic confidence and self- awareness. There is something deeply sad about a child with poor self confidence and this can lead to a damaging time throughout their childhood which will almost certainly progress into adult hood. Children have to be exposed to discipline and an element of hard work followed by a sense of achievement. In my judgment they must also know what it is to lose occasionally. When a child comes to understand that through diligent effort they can excel in what it is they are doing, everything else in their lives will take on a more purposeful meaning. They begin to feel good about how they move, less self-conscious of their often ungainly movement, which is frequently felt due to bones and muscles growing at a rapid rate. As they start to control their muscles and tendons confidence and self-belief grows. This physical aspect then reflects back into their studying and playing. There are possibly hundreds of highly intricate moves in a style such as Kung-Fu and the fine motor skills required are intensely developmental and beneficial when practiced with proper tuition. When teaching children it is imperative to encompass play and a sense of fun whilst learning. Kung-Fu must always have a disciplined approach and the children must know and understand this from the outset. Once discipline is firmly established, to keep a child interested it must be enjoyable and entertaining as well as structured and well-organized. It helps greatly at a subconscious level if whilst training, the young student is learning without really realising it within a fun activity. The younger the child the harder it can be to hold their attention for longer periods. Approximately ten minutes in my experience, and that’s when they are interested in what you are teaching them. If however an element of mutual amusement is incorporated the Childs attention span may lengthen quite considerably. When concentration begins to wane something else must be introduced quickly to maintain interest on the lesson in hand. Whereas when teaching adults it is necessary with a traditional style to concentrate on repetition of techniques often for extended periods, with children this is practically impossible. Furthermore, an adults mind quite often is not as readily open to learning as a Childs and adults have a better comprehension of why repetition is necessary. Long periods of reiteration can seem tedious to a child, very often because after doing something for a few minutes they think they know it all anyway. It must be said at this point that the young pupil must learn to do as they are told and have due respect for what the teacher requires of them, it is a fine line. Various and imaginative ways should be used to teach the same thing, to cut down monotony and a loss of interest. It is the required skill of an instructor to be able to maintain the discipline whilst keeping the child learning and interested. The onus of traditional martial arts when teaching children is far from replicating violence, rather it is teaching a child to be respectful to themselves and of others. That they can feel, in time, respected by their peers and confident that they can protect themselves and have no reason to harm others unless doing so. The children must be aware that they are a part of an ancient Chinese tradition and all that encompasses, spanning two thousand years or more, not just a method of learning to fight.
Neil Webster. January 2007 Essay Extracts: From Instructor's Examination How long should a beginning student train, before he/she is considered able to defend themselves adequately? This question is slightly misleading possibly even a trick question. It is impossible to say and dependent on many things as to how soon a person may be deemed able to defend his/her self adequately. Firstly, what is he/she defending themselves against? In a training hall against other students, the time it takes to become adequate in defending oneself can be quite short. The training environment is of course controlled to an extent. The objective is still to train in a realistic combative manner but, when a beginner is sparring the tendency is not to be outrageously violent, the environment is therefore controlled. Compare this to the extreme brutality of being mugged or attacked in some other way outside of the training hall. On the street, in pubs and clubs, violence can erupt instantly and ferociously. In such environments, most people are oblivious to the possible dangers that can occur. It has to be said, that most people involved in fights in these places cannot fight. Add to this, pseudo bravery fuelled by drugs, alcohol or both, also the inbuilt fear of the knowledge that they cannot fight, you have the recipe for a potentially life threatening situation. People will pick up the nearest object and attempt to hit you with it, ignorant of the deadly consequences, because they know they cannot defend themselves and are therefore scared. This makes for an extremely dangerous adversary. To be considered able to defend yourself in one of these vicious scenarios could take considerably longer. Even people who have trained in martial arts/sports styles have come un-stuck in these situations, usually due to the lack of realism in their training methods. Some people enter into martial arts training from a more subdued and conflict free life. They have no real concept of what it is to fight. Possibly, they have never personally witnessed violence of any description, in a controlled environment or otherwise. On the other hand, some people may well have been involved in one type of violence or another, for most of their lives. Therefore, some people will be more familiar with and understand the nature of such hostile incidents. Others will need to be taught these crucial aspects through training in realism. With regards to the former, to be able to accept and deal with, a good hard punch in the face with a bare knuckle, is not only totally unacceptable to some people but also terrifying. How then do you explain to people from that type of background, that it is a necessary requirement of learning to defend oneself properly? It is common for people who have trained in a martial sport, when punched with a bare fist in the face, they go to pieces. This shows that have trained only in over safe environments with too much padding etcetera. This is not to degrade other martial styles, if these same styles do not pretend that what they are teaching will work in real situation on the street, unfortunately some do. To condition someone to this can be very time consuming. It requires courage and a willingness to learn. To understand, why it is that they need to be acclimatised to this type of punishment. Once the shock of being hit has becomes familiar through sparring, most people come to accept the sensation and can progress in their chosen art. It is very often the fear of being hit that is actually worse than the blow itself. Once this bridge is crossed through familiarity a persons courage is enhanced, and they are then already well on their way to being capable of defending themselves. That said, in my own experience you can teach most people to be able to punch and kick up to a reasonable standard within a few lessons, sometimes much less. However this is dependent on a number of points. If a student has been previously taught badly for any length of time, it is necessary to undo the bad form whilst showing and instructing them in proper form and technique. This is often somewhat harder to do than teaching a person who has no knowledge at all. To undo bad technique is also time consuming, and often difficult for a pupil to accept. Poor basics have often become ingrained within them. Usually they have been brain washed into believing that what they have learnt will be effective in their own self defence. To take away that misplaced feeling of competency can have a detrimental reaction from the student. To then have to start at the beginning with them has the effect of them feeling inadequate, until such time as they begin to see the error of their ways. With proper teaching and demonstration from the instructor, the students’ previous misinterpretations can be undone in a relatively short space of time. In most traditional martial arts, simultaneousness of attack and defence is fundamental. A practitioner in these styles is taught that as they attack they must be aware of their defence as well as their offence. It’s not about relying on an undefended one shot wonder; this is often unrealistic for a novice. When a strike is thrown, either a kick or punch, it reveals a gap in the persons defence. The student must be made aware of this fact from the outset. How to cover that gap with correct placement, awareness, and positioning is imperative. These doctrines go a long way to making a person able to defend him or herself more efficiently in a shorter space of time. Many modern styles wrongly teach that one is either in a defensive position or in an offensive position never the two combined. This is wholly wrong, and furthermore dangerous. Another important issue is where to strike. A person can have hundreds of different flashy looking moves in his/her armoury, but it is often the simplest techniques that win the day. This comes from being taught good basics from the beginning. Armed with good fundamentals, most people will have a solid base with which to work from, consequently, be adequate in defending themselves. The onus here is to pin-point selective areas to aim for when striking. It is one thing to be able to execute a powerful punch or kick, entirely another to actually land it accurately. The student must be aware of the varying degrees of effect that striking different areas of the body has on that body. For example, the eyes, throat, chin and groin, with regards to self-defence are usually most effective. If a student can learn this capability quickly they will be competent in defending themselves in many circumstances. There are several other aspects that come into play when talking about proficient self defence. For instance awareness, not only of themselves and the opponent, but as importantly their environment. An understanding of the space around you, the obstacles in that space that may cause hindrance or advantage. To be aware of and read into a potentially violent situation before it erupts, can go a long way to upgrading ones self defence skills through avoidance. By avoiding dangerous circumstances and environments in the first place, which surprisingly most people give no consideration to, can save a lot of potential problems. Nevertheless violence can occur in the most unlikely places; as a result people must make it their own responsibility to arm themselves with good martial art skills, and awareness training if they wish to have any kind of edge in these environments. In my personal opinion, most people can become suitably adept enough to defend themselves within three to six months. However, some people are prone to over confidence after approximately a year, without the proper teaching and guidance they can become a danger to themselves by thinking they are better than they actually are. Although dependent on the severity of a particular situation, given the right instruction, a beginner will have some idea of how to defend his/her self, and therefore they should be able to execute a relatively sound combined offence and defence. Kicking can take a little longer to become proficient in, but effective low kicking can be taught in a very short time. Kicks to the groin are extremely effective, but can never be relied upon, as some styles that teach women’s self defence falsely claim. What must be recognised in these instances is that every man on this earth is fully aware of the vulnerability of his groin area. Therefore in many rape and sexual abuse cases, the offending man rarely leaves this area open to attack. For a woman when she is either being attacked or in fear of an impending assault, it is also imperative that she understands the effects of adrenalin on her system. Men, just as importantly, must understand this significant point as well. The effects of adrenalin can be devastating to a person, if not understood and harnessed. The good part about adrenalin is it can heighten the senses in order to aid awareness of impending threat. A cocktail of chemicals mainly glucose are released, this in turn starts the heart pumping at a greater rate. The racing heart rate moves more blood to the muscles and away from areas not needed for fight or flight. It can also anesthetise the body. Unfortunately if it is not understood what exactly is happening, ie mistaken for fear, it can have seemingly serious adverse effects. From mild shaking of the hands and body, to being absolutely frozen to the spot. The symptoms can be; tunnel vision, loss of hearing and unable to speak. One can be nauseous or actually sick and wet or mess themselves. In these circumstances, no matter what martial training he/she has had, if they are not familiar with either adrenalin or violent behaviour they will be extremely unlikely to carry out any of their techniques in order to defend themselves. To summarise, it is vitally important that people when looking to study self defence, first find a good school and a good teacher. It’s crucial to learn all the various aspects involved and not all schools concentrate on several of these. Not only must one develop a good basic fundamental structure that is proven to be effective. They must learn about self awareness and environmental awareness. They must have an understanding of simple yet efficient technique and effectual target areas. He/she must be familiar with what it is to be in a violent situation, and how it feels to have adrenalin racing through their body, and to have experienced a measure of pain. With all this in mind, we can see just what a difficult question this is to answer. A great deal is dependent on the willingness to learn from the student. With proper teaching anyone can be proficient in self defence; the time it takes to be so is another matter entirely. Neil Webster, August 2006. An instructor is expected to lead by example in all aspects of his/her life. Do you agree with this statement? Is it reasonable to expect other people to live-up to this aspiration, whilst in the modern world, outside of China? It is of the utmost importance, as with any leader of people that an instructor leads by example. A student of martial arts requires an inspirational figure to look up to. If a student cannot aspire to a certain level of greatness, or level of skill, how can they possibly see the benefits and strengths of the system they have undertaken to learn? As with any good leader, he/she must be in a position to command respect from their students from the outset. Whereas, the student must earn their own respect from the teacher. This initially sounds fine, but problems may occur later on, if the teacher does not live up to expectations. The worst examples I have personally seen of this, and I have seen it numerous times, is when a teacher will not spar. In some cases they will spar their own students, but not spar with newcomers or challengers, in front of their class. In some other cases they don’t spar at all. They use excuses such as, “it’s too dangerous, I’m too powerful” or “I need to know your mind before we can spar.” To me this is the ultimate expression of weakness, and those instructors hide behind their title, and certainly do not deserve to be at that position of the hierarchy within their style. If an instructor asks of his/her students, dedication and a high level of fitness. They must in my opinion be capable of at least twice the dedication, and be able to do double the amount of exercises they ask of the class. These are the parameters that I personally work to. It is important that the class can see the instructors’ level of fitness and skill and imperative that the teacher trains along side the class. To quote Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher, scholar and author of the Dao De Ching (the book of changes), from around 2500 years ago who said, “To lead people, walk beside them”. The students when feeling exhausted, can see with their own eyes that the level of strength and robustness required is achievable and not some exaggerated expectation. I have trained at several schools where the instructor is barking orders at the class and not actually doing anything themselves. They might well be fit, but if I were a student paying for the privelege of their instruction, I would need to know that they are at least capable of doing what they are asking of me. The importance of maintaining excellent technique is paramount for an instructor. This is not achievable if he/she does not train tenaciously and regularly in his own time away from the class environment. The teacher must be able to demonstrate techniques perfectly, every time he/she does so in front of the class. How can an instructor expect the students to believe in what is being demonstrated if it cannot be shown to work effectively? In my early days of teaching I found this out to my cost when demonstrating the nun chaku, and I nearly knocked myself out in front of the class. Although embarrassing, a valuable and painful lesson was learnt. When an instructor is showing for example, power development within a technique, he must be able to produce the goods. The student that is holding the strike pad should be able to feel and see the difference in technique and power. With regard to the Northern Long Fist style, and Tai Chi taught at the Ch’an Dao school and common to nearly all properly taught Asian traditional styles, the examples set by the teacher should go much further than just their martial art. In the ancient systems, a major element of the training was, and still is, in the expansion of the mind. A constant willingness to educate oneself and evolve. To train academically as well as physically is vital. To practice the healing arts is also relevant, and extremely useful. Unfortunately we are not able to live as the martial art monks in a Shaolin temple. To spend all of our time training and meditating, with the odd break to eat and sleep. We also have to earn money and take care of our families, and so must organise ourselves to be able to both excel in our chosen art, and pay the bills. This takes a great deal of time management, especially in the modern day where work and family responsibilities can often require precedence. It is the teachers own responsibility to plan out their life in the manner of someone highly skilled in his/her own field. In fact if they don’t they will never reach the higher echelons of martial arts. “In fact Gong-Fu means, hard work or effort, in Chinese.” If a student can see this practical use of time in his/her teacher, it gives them a sense of aspiration. Also they are less likely to fob off the teacher with excuses as to why they haven’t trained, sometimes! It is essential for an instructor to lead by example in ways other than his/her dedication to fighting arts. For instance to provide regular training times that are consistent and punctual. To not cancel classes frequently or to turn up for training distracted with other things on their mind. Their mind set should always be resolute and clear. This steadfastness reflects on to the students and makes for a consistent learning environment. To appear slightly aloof, yet still remain approachable, by his/her pupils to maintain a proper teacher/student relationship. The student then has no doubts as to what is expected of them, and this helps to keep a uniform approach to the training. This is the Confucian element that runs through traditional martial arts, a perceptible hierarchy. I feel that it is reasonable to expect people to live up to this high standard in the modern world. Unfortunately I have rarely seen it. I can understand that people are easily deterred from constant hard training, and the time it takes to do it. In my experience the vast majority of students that I have seen and taught are haphazard to say the least. They go through phases of absolute all out training for a period of time. This then dissipates with myriad excuses. However the few hardcore students make it all worthwhile. On occasion I have personally experienced apathy myself, fortunately short lived through the right mind set and guidance. It is important that when this happens, we recognise the change in our resolve and correct it. Changing our training regimen to bring into being a new spark of enthusiasm is one way. A traditional school such as Chan Dao offers a great variety of different aspects of training to allow for change in the inevitable times of boredom. A good teacher will recognise these states of uncertainty in their students and through example, provide that necessary spark to enable them to pull up and out of their malaise. Through many years of training, it is foreseeable that there will be times of little or no enthusiasm through injury or illness or simply. This also can often occur when a pupil feels he/she has hit a plateau. They feel that there is no improvement in themselves for an extended period of time. They then need to be shown that to keep on and work through the barrier of temporary non-improvement is important, here the teachers’ example is resolute. Many people do not go beyond these trying times and give up. Sometimes people just lose their way and decide that it’s not for them. A good teacher knows, that sometimes this decision cannot be changed and so when this is realised the teacher must therefore redirect his/her attentions to those who do require them. The fact is, that to become great at, or excel in anything, these times must be surpassed. Alternatively, a life of mediocrity. This is where a teacher that shows solidity, and exemplifies his/her art can encourage a student through such times. An instructor of a real traditional martial art should carry the persona of a true modern day warrior. By this I mean that they are always calm and give off an aura of strength and confidence. When one is in the company of such a person they instinctively know that this person is not to be messed with. Not through the teacher constantly bragging about how hard and tough he/she is, but from the look in their eye, the presence they emit. On the outside a true master gives nothing away as to his/ her strengths. They look unapproachable, assertive, a look of dominance about them, but when approached they are polite, intelligent and friendly. A person such as this has grown internally and is sure and confident of themselves, without ego, without the need to convince others. This is brought about through many years of hard training. Through the injuries, cuts and bruises of combat, an unpretentious manner of self-assuredness such as this is looked upon inspiringly by the students. It gives them something to aspire to. Most people want this for themselves; they can see the benefits it would bring to their lives. This confidence brings with it happiness, a contentment that most people in this modern world strive for. This is the nature and doctrines of a true traditional martial arts instructor.
Neil Webster: August 2006. With regard to martial arts, how does the term "tradition" apply? How can a "traditional" martial art be preserved in modern times, whilst being relevant to modern living? The term "tradition" applies to real martial arts in many ways. The concepts and fundamentals of varying fighting styles and systems including weaponry have been handed down from generation to generation throughout history. Sets of moves, counter moves and mastery of weaponry, initially devised for hunting and then developed later on for combat during periods of war. Times of peace still required these combative concepts in readiness for the possibility of war and were gradually developed and built upon over time. When these movements were discovered through their effectiveness on the battlefield, they would be remembered and become part of a warriors' personal armoury. They would then study these movements in greater detail off the battlefield. Breaking down the various elements, each aspect would be developed, each movement built upon, thus forging the fundamentals we see today. Through physical and cognitive study ultimately these movements progressed and became even more effective and valuable. So began what we now know as martial art forms. These arrangements have many different names depending on their origin, for example in Japanese they are known as Kata. These were sets of movements, either empty hand or with weaponry, devised to develop and enhance a deftness of movement. Anyone who has experienced a combative situation understands how easy it can be to find yourself in an uncomfortable or unbalanced position; the idea of form work is to enable a warrior to make any awkward staccato movement into efficient fluid motion. This helps to produce power as well as technique. The constant repetition of these forms (Chinese) increased warriors’ fighting skills. This repetitive type of training is very old; it has survived because it works. In the West today most people find this difficult to understand, if this or any other aspect of the traditional training methods are not adhered to it will be detrimental to the student and the school. To be more succinct, this can be the beginning of the end of tradition. The use of weapons were almost certainly first devised for hunting. Their use obviously then expanded through the need to defend oneself and ones family from predators and other humans. The key to the survival of man since time began was his ability to use his hands or weapons to protect himself. In order to protect their land, homesteads, religions and therefore their way of life. Obviously, the invaders as well needed these combat skills to enable them to conquer lands. Consequently, what we now know as traditional martial arts can be traced back many thousands of years and even to the beginning of man. Many of these styles and battle customs have been lost over time and countless combative traditions forgotten through lack of use and the progression of man and his ever changing weaponry. Arguably, although widely believed, it was the invention of gunpowder by the Chinese that brought the slow progression of the end of many fighting styles. They were no longer effective against guns and explosives and so many died out, (Literally.)
Although many different groups and individuals can be named as contributors to the invention of gun powder, some of the most important groups were the Daoist alchemists during the reign of Emperor Wu Di (156-87 B.C.) Although a great many styles died out due to the succession of more modern and increasingly changing modes of warfare, unarmed styles were still focused on and practiced fanatically. Bladed weapons were still thought of as weapons that were less likely to go wrong or malfunction in arduous conditions such as a rainy battlefield where gun powder could get damp or wet, or ammunition could run out. Not only were these hand held bladed weapons such as swords, spears and bows and arrows revered, but the "traditional" methods of training in their use, practiced and refined, to enable a warrior to use such weapons professionally. These techniques were studied habitually, even religiously. This hard won knowledge was then passed from father to son or in many cases, from family, tribe or clan member and refined even further. Even today’s modern soldier will carry a knife on them as part of their combat kit. Over 2000 years ago, classical martial arts emerged to serve the needs of war in China, and war was abundant, as in many other parts of the known world. The martial arts became a way of life for many, evolving into highly structured institutions. Records of exercises known as "hit and thrust" were practiced as far back as the Shang dynasty (17th - 16th century B.C.), while the Western world birthed Stonehenge and the Trojan War. Soldiers of these times, Spartans from Greece for example, during times of peace would do nothing else but train to fight for hours everyday, it was a failing army that did not. The Individual and group exercises with weapons and bare hands extended as far back as the Zhou dynasty (1066 - 256 B.C.). The Qin dynasty (221 - 206 B.C.) saw a form of combat known as asjiaoti introduced to the military as a major form of combat and athletic pursuit. A combat form with bare hands called shoupo, formal swordplay, emerged during the Han and Jin periods (206 - B.C. - 420 A.D.) Confucius one of the most famous people in China, a wise philosopher (circa 551 - 479 B.C.) produced cultural and political systems concentrating heavily upon education for the upper classes, but viewed technology as gadgetry unworthy of the dignity of a scholar. The martial arts in some forms had developed into an acceptable quasi-scholarly pursuit as well as a method of self defence. Many of these doctrines became and some still remain “traditional”. Many traditional schools still abide by the Confucian hierarchical values today, also the necessity of scholarly pursuits along side their martial endeavours. Due to the longevity and therefore “tradition” in the true sense of martial arts, we can see its importance in the shaping of our history and societies. The preservation of traditional martial arts is imperative, not only for the development of self defence in what seems on some levels to be an increasingly dangerous world, but for the mind expanding ways in which these arts effect us. When a Master of a little known Kung-Fu style died, if he had not either kept a written record or manual of his complete style, or passed it on successfully and completely, that style and all its history and development were lost forever. It’s as though it had become extinct. This often happened due to a lack of written information. I’m sure a great many styles and methods were lost in this way. To be a true martial artist, studying the traditional styles takes a great deal of time, due to its depth. To understand that it is a life time of study, not just of fighting techniques but also of a philosophical nature. As the body develops and with that, fighting prowess and skilful movement so must the mind develop. A traditional martial art can be preserved in modern times through realising that it is not about competition or sport, or even trying to be bigger or better than the next man can be. It is learning about the profundity and history that lies behind the traditional styles. Through this type of education and insight the ego is suppressed, self confidence and self awareness or intuition matures. You become aware of many other facets of life and begin to focus on personal growth whilst helping others to grow, another important Confucian doctrine. In today’s modern society, with the stresses and strains that can be bestowed upon us, we can certainly develop an edge to dealing with them by being calm and collective, secure in ourselves that we are progressing. As one’s advancement increases through years of traditional training, one begins to see the many layers of things still unlearnt. It begins to make one feel humble and yet insightful to the countless things still yet to be discovered. The unification of life in the training hall, with that of our personal lives and how we nurture those beneficial changes. The gratification that this kind of training can bring is totally relevant in modern times. The chances of going to war are slight for the majority but, what we can do with our skills is to constantly seek to grow on all levels. To create discipline in our lives, to strive for perfection and honour our traditions. This has the effect of spilling over into all aspects of our lives. To learn to be truly happy with ourselves, this then will radiate out to the people around us and draw them near. A traditional martial art can and should be preserved in modern times. Most importantly, the students must be educated in understanding the historic customs of that school in order that they can continue the tradition. Consideration must be given to where these traditions come from and how various aspects have been worked at, altered, and improved upon through time. To know that as you learn you become the custodian of that hard won knowledge. To not lose sight of the importance of maintaining that tradition for posterity, lest it be forgotten forever. To water down or diminish any element of a true traditional style and its methods is bordering on sacrilege. One must also be responsible when passing on that knowledge, to know whether ones students are worthy of that erudition, all these elements have a place in today's society and have a sociological relevance. The fact that anything with as much depth as a traditional martial art is not learnt easily must be accepted and that some of the ethics and doctrines can often be hard to grasp. Therefore this requires a person who can display deference, humility, and dedication to being part of a deep seated tradition and all that entails. With these qualities a person can begin to grow and expand as their knowledge of the style grows. In my opinion this has absolute relevancy in today’s society and also it is a great shame that more people do not think this way. That said, with fewer people taking up traditional styles and if they do, they don’t stick at it, there is less chance of the “tradition” slowly becoming denigrated through over popularity and then becoming watered down to cater for the masses in order to beef up a teachers bank balance. Sadly this has happened to many styles. With the advances in technology and education today, we can always help to add too and therefore expand the real traditional martial art styles because they are always accepting of improvements. They are not stuck steadfastly or rigidly in ways that more modern styles are today, they remain open to change as long as it is beneficial to the original customs. This can only happen when the indoctrinated roots are firmly set down in the first place. Not to be narrow minded or short sighted in our vision of what has developed into a true art. Neil Webster: August 2006.
All students are equal in the training hall. Irrespective of “rank”, or “time spent training”, what does this statement convey? And why is such an idea very important?
The equality of students in the training environment is important for the following reasons; firstly a traditional style is not based around ego. The premise is one of assisting one another and compliance when learning. For the more experienced student, rather than trying to intimidate a beginner and out do them at every turn, they must help bring them on. If this doesn’t happen, the less experienced student can feel overawed and inadequate. When a beginner is technique training with a more experienced pupil, that experience should be put to good use by helping the beginner. This also aids the advanced student in becoming more proficient at understanding his/her own technique. Through having to explain and correct a beginners’ technique they have to understand all the relevant details of the particular skill being practised in depth.
Although the teacher is also within the class, passing on his/her knowledge the advanced pupil is, as often or not, left to help the beginner in order to advance the more experienced student as well. I have found this is a great method of learning for myself. By having to explain a technique to an inexperienced person, you really have to know and understand what it is you are explaining. Harder still, is if the student does not seem to understand what it is your trying to explain. People learn in different ways, so to teach them well you must understand how they learn. Some people are audible learners, they only have to be told verbally and they can understand what you are trying to put across. Other people are visual learners; they need to learn from watching you demonstrate. There can be students who sometimes require you to go over and over a point many times before they comprehend what it is they are supposed to be learning. Physically moving them into the correct position is quite often necessary. All these various ways and more have to be discovered as one teaches. This has a profound effect on your own personal growth. Consequently if there is some kind of misplaced hierarchy within the school, the cooperation and willingness to share information breaks down.
However when an instructor or advanced student is sparring a beginner, it is important that they are hard, to a degree, on them. This again is not about proving that they know more or that they are better than the newer student. Far from it, it is purely to help the novice student progress. Through being put under pressure and highlighting the gaps in their defence. The more experienced student should certainly not set out to deliberately belittle the novice. This is degrading not only to the newer person, but also the more experienced pupil. This outward show of ego smacks of hidden cowardice, and is not to be tolerated. If this happens in one of my classes I personally berate that pupil myself. If it continues they would be asked to leave the school. It is obvious that the advanced student has more skills but, are they capable of controlling them?
At the other end of the scale of knowledge, are the intermediate and novice students, their place and more importantly their attitude within the school. It is necessary for the newer students to be respectful to not only their peers but also to the more advanced students. The respect is mutual, once the beginners have shown diligence for the training, shown courage, and expressed a willingness to learn through sparring for example. The beauty of this hierarchical environment is the constant free flow of communication from and to all levels of experience. Everyone understands and relates to their position within the school and yet should not feel the need to stamp their authority. This makes for a very affable training environment.
In the many non traditional systems I have personally experienced, although for only very short periods of time, fortunately, it has been blatantly obvious that quite often the so called advanced students, “the black belts!” for example, will not lower themselves to depart with their knowledge or help the lesser students. In my opinion this is probably because they are worried that they may one day become better than themselves and just as likely they wouldn’t know how to impart such knowledge anyway. “The egos have landed” and “everyone should beware!”
Very often it is the instructors that hold themselves high on some aloof pinnacle, for fear of injuring the lowly pupil. This is ridiculous in my opinion and unacceptable. An instructor should always be approachable; they should also train alongside their students and show the relative amount of respect to his/her pupils, once it has been earnt. It has to be a two way meeting of minds and it must be realised that this is highly beneficial to all parties. To develop an atmosphere where students feel respected by one another is reliant on how a teacher carries him/herself and the examples he/she sets. Many instructors of modern styles actually encourage an egotistical personality in their students. I imagine they think that it helps them to have courage and to hide fear. The experiences that I have had with this type of martial sportsman/woman are that the minute they realise defeat is imminent, the outward expression of courage dissipates very quickly then fear and weakness are exposed. This is proof enough that the outward signs of bravado are just a disguise, a mask to hide behind and certainly not effective when it comes to fighting.
With this mutual hard earned respect within a traditional martial arts school, each person grows more effectively, not only in their level of skill but as importantly within themselves. Each person cultivates knowledge about many things not just martial arts and therefore develops internally as well as externally. By this I mean their mind becomes more expansive, more excepting and open. They begin to see who is worth spending time with, to feed each other knowledge and to cooperate together. Not try and out do a person or be in competition with the world.
Many years ago whilst on a train ride through the heart of Turkey, I was speaking with an old man who had spent twenty four years of his life travelling around the world. He told me, “Only make friends with people better than you”. I didn’t really know what he meant by this but I now understand it fully. To grow you must seek knowledge of yourself and of the world around you, and to be surrounded by people with this same ethos you grow together. To not be judgemental but rather to help one another strive for excellence in your chosen art or field. This is what traditional training should be about. That is why in the training hall we are all equal. We all have something to give and anyone who is not aware of that is losing out entirely.
I have seen many people come and go through my years of training and no doubt I will see many more. What is important to me is that the people I develop a bond with have a common fascination for learning, having something to offer and in turn I have something to offer them. There is a certain cohesion that develops through hard traditional training. The mutual respect that comes from trying to beat each other to a pulp one minute and when it’s over, the joining of minds and exchange of ideas as to where one or the other went wrong, or did something right, in a motivational manner. The awareness of the reciprocal high level of profound learning is fascinating and even more interestingly, it is infinite. The growth and education never stops. How can this level of growth come about if students do not cooperate and share in their knowledge? In my opinion this is why so many people who do not have, or have not been taught this level of understanding soon become bored with their chosen style or art. The lack of depth in some styles and the people around them very often leads swiftly to monotony setting in and they give up.
Although real traditional martial arts are rare in the west today, I feel it a great shame that more people do not have the drive or tenacity to become involved in them. For I know just how beneficial they can be on so many levels. Fighting becomes just one part of the whole captivating ethos. The beneficial incentives are many but I think that equality within a traditional school has an immense part to play. It is the driving on and encouragement given to one another that is a great asset and it’s a shame that this isn’t repeated in other parts of people’s lives as well. Therefore it is incredibly important in my view that this kind of shared respect and understanding of helping one another to grow, should remain within a martial art school and moreover be replicated into ones life outside of the training hall.
By Neil Webster: August 2006.
Define the term External External power or Waijia Quan (external fist) practice is designed to increase natural human responses to incoming stimuli. Movement, speed, and force are the most essential elements that are found in all fighting skills. It is these basics, along with enhancement of reactions that must be improved upon from the beginning of ones training. By firstly developing these rudiments one will also improve power. External power can be defined as energy or force produced from the outside of the bones. By this we mean the production of force by contraction of the muscles only. The muscles, tendons, and ligaments must play a part in movement, but it is imperative that these movements are co-ordinated or they will be unbalanced and therefore weak. It is necessary then to also look at how efficiently the body is moved by the various muscle groups. For a beginner, training in the external elements of Kung-Fu is for the purpose of improving co-ordination. To achieve a high level of movement skill co-ordination is essential. Just as importantly, other elements include building strength, stamina and in conjunction with these, gaining an understanding of anatomy and physiology. When a student begins on his/her path to becoming a traditional martial artist a number of things must be systematically built into their training. In the early stages, nearly all of what they will learn will be from an external approach but with a long term view of those same movements and techniques becoming internal. A beginner will have no understanding of internal doctrines and they will not usually realise that all the external training being undertaken is aimed at the eventuality of becoming internal. This external preparation leading to internal is imperative if a student is to reach the higher echelons of skill.
Bruce Lee once famously said “be like water”. He also said “forms were unnecessary”, “that one should be free to move and react without restraint”. These statements hold a great deal of legitimacy but, he was able to say this from the standpoint that he already had the external grounding. When he wrote this he had become so advanced in his art; he had transcended to a level where external elements were deemed unnecessary for combat. However, this is not to say that he did not do external training and indeed that he continued to do so, because he understood the importance of both fundamental elements and there place in a complete martial art. He spent years learning forms and developing his musculature in order that his body would become harmonized eventually resulting in fluid movement. Without this type of well balanced, systematic training he would not have been able to reach the exceptional levels for which he was so famous.
When a beginner enters the training hall it is very often the case that they have a poor level of fitness. It is essential that this is worked on from the outset for many reasons. A student will not be proficient in combat unless their fitness is improved upon. Anyone who has been unlucky enough to be in a street fight for example, knows just how quickly the body can tire. Even in the controlled arena of a training hall it can be extremely demanding in a very short space of time. As an instructor, it is plain to see when students’ fitness levels need improving. So it is then, that external elements begin within a systematic regime to promote endurance and will power. Exercises such as press- ups and squat kicks, to name just two, toughen the body. These exercises and others like them begin to train not only the musculature but also co-ordination. It is also significant that the exercises used are specific to certain areas of the body. From a beginners standpoint this aids in pin-pointing those precise areas and how they will be used within the art. Generally speaking, the whole body will be incorporated as a matter of course, and as the student trains they can develop an understanding of how various parts of the body work at a basic level. One can expect to have to take blows to the stomach; therefore this area must be toughened in order to receive such punishment and so on throughout the body. This muscular development gives the body a means with which to absorb blows more effectively and in this can be seen the foundations for defence. The up-shot of a well developed exterior is that it also bestows a sense of protection when in combat. Northern Hakka Kuen is known for its tough practitioners who at the top levels seem to deflect powerful strikes without feeling pain; this outcome starts with external training.
As the physical aspects of the body become more harmonised a student’s power will improve. This is easily demonstrated on strike pads or a punch bag. In fact in a relatively short space of time, in some cases thirty minutes or so, a student can be shown how to improve power just by adjusting key points of stance positioning, hip and torso movement. This increase in power will quickly build confidence in a persons own ability. The next stage of development derived from external body conditioning and basic core technique training, is to then use this new found force/power and push its limitations further. This can be done in many ways, from my own experience; it was often done in combination with pad work. For example, hitting the pad with punches/ kicks as hard as possible for repetitions of perhaps100, or for three minute timed sections. As long as it pushes the body to work hard within a technique based exercise. This also helps develop cardio vascular fitness as well as technique. The trainee will find it increasingly difficult to maintain technique and therefore power as the exercise reaches its closing stages. The idea is to eventually reach a point where the power actually increases towards the end of the exercise, for it is this component that is the most important. From a beginners view point, weaknesses will be exposed as their body tires. It will then be clear just how ineffective one becomes when the musculature and respiratory systems begin to fail. Just holding up the arms in a defensive manner can become very tiring, making it increasingly difficult to maintain that protective aspect. To sustain a decent amount of power becomes impossible, and the effort required in trying to do so just adds tension and depletes energy even faster. This is why external training has so many important facets. It develops the structures for every component of a complete martial art in a way that is structured and easy to learn from the beginning.
This brings me on to another phase of external body conditioning; it is to test a student’s determination and courage. The psychological aspect of martial arts begins here. External training is also the first stage of educating the mind although it can be said that the mind is just a spectator in these early stages. The aim is to push the body to extremes, in order that the mind can begin to develop the means with which to carry the body beyond its previously known limits. For it is the mind that tells the body what it is capable of. The psychological lessons play a major part in martial arts and they begin from the outset with hard physical, therefore psychological, testing. In order to begin advancement we must first be pushed through tough physical exertion. To be taken to limits of pain and hardship previously unknown. The correlation of body and mind is then highlighted in a more profound manner. As the body tires and pain and discomfort begin to set in, it is the intrinsic link with mind and body that becomes apparent. A continuous battle ensues in the mind, looking for reasons or excuses to stop, and of these there are many. An untrained mind can become very creative when looking for excuses to stop the body when it is tired and in pain. So begins, through external application, the advancement of the mind. During these tough physical exercises the student is also being tested as to how they control their temper. I have seen many people become aggressive when pushed in this way. This must be addressed because it highlights weakness.
Kicking and punching techniques will be developed along-side all other elements. There are several ways, externally based, of improving these crucial points. With regards to pad work, each core training method can be broken down into smaller sections and studied more closely, building the layers of knowledge. Before stepping up to a strike pad it is normal to practice the relative core technique to the air. This enables the practitioner to gain a deeper understanding of the movement and also builds upon control in the execution of a set piece or combinations. These should be practiced at varying speeds to further develop control of technique and body skills. Consequently, when adapting to the pad or punch bag the student will have a more defined knowledge of the method required. It will then become apparent that there are many differences felt or experienced when striking a static object as opposed to striking just air. This further enhances understanding. It will feel different again when trying to land the same techniques on a moving body, that of an opponent or maybe a swinging punch bag.
This then is where the importance of form work becomes clear. Not only do the forms contain variants of the same static techniques already mentioned but also they take into account the importance of footwork within movement. The forms practiced in Northern Long Fist Kung-Fu have movements that are deliberately elongated; these are then shortened for combat application. By elongating these moves for practice purposes, when it comes to using them in a combative situation, thereby condensing them, they will be easier to execute. Train hard fight easy. From an external view-point, this is to continue the body conditioning aspects but also on developing smooth transition through focusing on awkward movement. This highlights the importance of correct placement of the feet, if the feet are incorrectly placed then the rest of the body will be out of position. These forms are many centuries old. They are tried and tested from actual battlefield situations, warriors have developed methods through these forms with which to enhance all aspects of combat. The forms are designed to contain all characteristics of movement, with simultaneous defensive and offensive techniques being observed. The complexity of the forms, from the three beginners’ forms through to the three advanced forms, seemingly increases. However, it can be said, that this is due to the first three being shorter in their number of movements, therefore are learnt more rapidly. The three so called beginners’ forms are no less relevant than the three advanced forms. They are strategically placed at the beginning of a students training in order that they can learn enough of a skill base with which to reasonably protect themselves, whilst gaining an understanding of the style. Once the first form is learnt it is only a matter of changing the kick to then know all three forms as it is only the kick that differs. From an external view point, they offer the in-experienced practitioner a method of gaining a semblance of skill, with many of the essential elements, within a shorter time frame.
It has often been said to me that it is more important to learn defence before offence and vice versa. Comments such as, if you attack first why would you need defence. These are quite vague and inexperienced view points. In my opinion what could be better than using these two elements simultaneously. On the battlefield a warrior had no time for defence in the strict meaning of the word, his defence had to be integral with his attack or neither would work. In many martial sports styles defence often takes second place, and it is attack and ego that is the main focus. When learning a traditional martial art, the fundamentals of both defence and offence are taught simultaneously. Many lesser styles focus purely on offence and encourage aggression. Within traditional schools it is not the instructors’ job to build a persons ego falsely, rather to develop a quiet inner-self confidence. I remember my first experiences of sparring, were with a sense of awkwardness. I felt uneasy and exposed, unsure what to do. This was not because I was not used to fighting. With regard to street fighting I had some experience. I am not proud to say this because I have seen some terrible things. I realised immediately that my unease was due to the lack of aggression. I was not fuelled by alcohol, or the want to destroy my opponent because he had looked at me for too long across a bar. Quite the opposite, I was in a calm frame of mind, tired from a hard body conditioning session, with absolutely no sense of hostility towards my opponent. In this state I failed to see how I could possibly be an effective fighter. As the sparring sessions progressed I rapidly saw just how ineffective it could be to lose your temper. With hostility and anger came tension, the by-product of this is unbalanced, slow un-coordinated movement and tired muscles, all in a matter of a few seconds. Even during these early stages of my training, external elements were teaching me to grow from a boy to a man, in both body and mind.
With the two elements of defence and attack juxtaposed it is vital to augment a fighter’s tactical requirements also. By this we mean, how many different types of kicks and punches that are available to be utilised in combat. To put these strikes into combinations and apply them with timing and accuracy dependent on what the opponent is doing. How to gain a tactical advantage with the skills you have whilst embroiled in combat. Something a lot of fighters find difficult during the early years of their training is remembering what they can do. It is easy to get stuck in the same routines or combinations, especially when faced with a more advanced student. The tendency is to stay in a comfort zone for fear of making a mistake. With correct repetitive core technique training this comfort zone becomes more expansive. Then the practitioner feels more able to execute the newer movements, even when under pressure. The more one practices, the more ones confidence grows. Then, when in combat those new techniques will become more instinctively used. It has to be said at this point that, simplicity and good basics are always a decent fighter’s stock in trade. It is important to study in depth ones weak areas. If you feel un-comfortable with your left leg forward in an orthodox stance, then you should face that and work at it until you do feel comfortable. This is the method to becoming adaptable to constantly changing scenarios, which is the reality of fighting. With external training, the student can be placed under pressure to highlight weaknesses. Through this they can understand where their limitations are and train them out. Feelings of fear and vulnerability are then slowly driven away and replaced with a quiet confidence in ones own ability. As one can see, the fundamental grounding for a solid and complete martial art lies in external training, but it must not be limited to this alone.
Written By: Neil Webster: September 2007. Define the term Internal The fundamental premise for internal martial arts has to be the training of the mind. From a calm and relaxed mind comes smooth and efficient movement. In internal martial arts one of the aims of the training is to move in such a way that at any time and from any subsequent position we can bring maximum power of the body to bear on an opponent. This force or energy is produced from within the bones, from the marrow outwards, through correct skeletal alignment. In union with this we have to be able to move freely in any direction and respond spontaneously without becoming tense or rigid. This type of power is called Internal Power (Neijia Quan, internal fist). To define internal power yet further it is said that the whole of the body must connect with every movement, with the power originating from a contraction into the centre of the body. One must be relaxed and yet paradoxically, like a coiled- spring in order to produce power in any direction. To be able to produce such power it is essential that the body is aligned and the musculature is relaxed. . Each technique must be performed within the principle known as the Six Harmonies.
Three External Harmonies:
Three Internal Harmonies:
These six rules must apply within static postures as well as in movement.
Throughout China, there are several Martial arts whose internal elements are essential such as; Baguazhang, Xingyichuan, Yichuan, Chigong and more widely known in the West, Taichichuan. The internal rudiments of martial arts have been studied for centuries by the Chinese. It is an esoteric subject which takes years of training to begin to understand and use effectively within a traditional martial art or combative situation. Through years of methodical training in form work and meditation the mind which is the major factor in body control, begins to realise just how efficiently the body can move with very little muscular effort, when it is calm. Within these styles there are many ways of training the mind. These include; methods of enhancing movement as well as calming and controlling the mind through meditation and systematic training regimes. In the Yang style of Taichichuan, which is the internal style encompassed in the Chan Dao Martial Arts School, there are two main Chigong static postures predominantly used in conjunction with three moving forms. Contained in these two postures are all the elements required. The first of these is a standing posture with the arms down. The second is a similar standing posture with the arms held out in front at chest height, as if holding a large ball. When one initially adopts the primary Chi Gong standing posture, one begins to analytically align the body. Firstly the feet are placed approximately shoulder width, with the toes turned slightly in-wards. The eyes are then closed; this is to withdraw the visual stimulus in order to focus the intuitive mind. The knees are a little bent, rounded and soft. This has the effect of concentrating the body weight through the centre of the feet and midway between them to the centre of the floor. The pelvic girdle is aligned over the ankles and heels. The posterior is relaxed as the pelvis is positioned over the ankles. Working up from the base of the spine the muscles in the lower back become stress-free. This allows the natural curvature of the lumber region of the spine to be maintained. The shoulders are now aligned over the pelvic girdle and by rounding the shoulders, without slouching, the scapulas’ are gently pulled forward to open them. This permits the energy or Chi to flow freely from the feet up the legs and through the length of the back. The arms will hang loosely by the sides of the body with the hands resting on or near the thighs. The head is then lifted gently. The chin is slightly tucked in; allowing the vertebrae to open in the neck the Chi can then reach the top of the head. After performing this stance for countless hours, these essential points become precisely arranged intuitively. This then is a correctly aligned posture. With the skeleton is aligned in such a way the rounded structure of the posture becomes self supporting. As a result the complete musculature is able to relax. If there are any areas of muscular tension this will cause the relative bones to be pulled out of alignment. In the same way, if there are areas of bone misalignment through incorrect posture, there will be consequential muscular tension.
Tension of the muscles can be instigated by a number of different things. It can sometimes be due to the type of job a person does, or the kind of life style one leads. Stress is a common cause; in men, generally speaking stress related tension is stored in the upper back and or the neck region. Where as, in women it is normally stored around the lower leg or calf muscles. The manifestation of tension in various muscle groups can be very detrimental, for example, when those that surround the internal organs are contracted for extended periods, this restricts the efficiency of those organs, and they will not function as effectively. Stress is a manifestation of an uncontrolled mind; this is why meditation is so beneficial. A good analogy of mind /self control is, when one is watching the television and sees’ something they do not like they can simply change channel or turn it off completely. The constant habitual bombardment of meaningless thoughts that enter the mind can cause stress but these can be controlled in the same manner. Anger and aggression are also manifestations of an uncontrolled mind, the outcome of which often results in illness. This is because of the constant release of adrenalin often in massive doses that occur when the body is under mental stress. Adrenalin stimulates and raises the heart rate, dilates the smaller blood vessels and air passages. The body is then too busy dealing with getting rid of these hormones to concentrate on the job of healing itself. Some of these chemicals are very difficult to remove effectively from the body, especially when one leads a sedate existence. They are corrosive in nature and eat away at the body from the inside out. It is a fact that when tension is released that energy is absorbed back into the immune system and this aids the body’s healing processes. The problem with muscular tension with regard to martial arts, internal as well as external, is that it hinders the flow of energy or Chi. It creates a slower more restrained movement of the body and limbs due to restricted flexibility and suppleness and is often responsible for injury. Reactions are slowed, and the mind cannot act intuitively.
So, with all these elements in correct order the body weight, aided by gravity, drops downwards. The stability of the stance created by the body weight dropping is greatly enhanced and yet, although one becomes extremely difficult to be moved by an opponent or oncoming force, there is a heightened manoeuvrability experienced by the exponent. The weight sinking downward is drawn through the centre of the bones, into the bone marrow. As a consequence of this dropping force, there is a resultant equal and opposite rising force. The constant rising and falling of this energy/ force massages the bones and bone marrow helping to cleanse the blood more efficiently and develops bone density. The definition of internal power is energy produced from within the bones, from the marrow outwards. It is this rising force that is harnessed, and then emitted when striking. In an advanced practitioner, this can be done whilst moving or stationary. Consequently, allowing the full power of the bodyweight to be transmitted into the strike, emanating from the ground upwards. It is this transmission of rising energy through a relaxed musculature that produces devastating penetrative power that never depletes. Due to the fact that there is little or no muscular effort involved, the muscles will not tire. The bodyweight is always present and therefore can be called upon when ever it is required; from any position the body is placed. Speed is another great asset gained from a relaxed musculature as tense muscles slow movement down as well as tiring them quickly.
Once the body is correctly aligned one can initiate the meditative aspect properly. These two components, alignment and relaxation, are juxtaposed from the beginning of a students training. However, to begin to enter a correct meditative state of mind is not easy when trying to find the correct bodily alignment and the pain that can often accompany this process distracts the mind from focusing and relaxing. To help speed up the progression to a relaxed meditative state, breathing techniques are brought into play. This begins by changing the focus of the mind to the centre of the body, known in Chinese as the Dantien, approximately two inches below the naval. This is done with the first breath. At the outset each breath is deep and full, the focus drawn to the Dantien through expansion of the abdomen. A relaxing sensation beginning at the Dantien radiates outwards in a spiralling motion out to the extremities of the body. This expansion of the abdomen also utilises the lower section of the lungs which is an area not usually used in everyday breathing by the majority of people. In babies and young children however this lower abdominal movement can be seen clearly, proper breathing seems to be lost in most people as they get older. This breathing technique encourages the full use of all sections of the lungs, the upper part of which is normally only used as a reserve for when the body is working hard under pressure. The middle section is where most people normally breathe. The diaphragm also opens with this technique allowing yet further unrestricted air flow through the respiratory system. It is important to utilise the full respiratory system by breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. By breathing in through the nose, the entering air is warmed and cleansed. To breathe out through the mouth allows the maximum amount of carbon dioxide to be released. When breathing in, it is said to be drawing in good clean energy. A charge of oxygen which energises the body. As this is happening the mind should focus on any areas of tension, be they in the body itself or in the mind. Then, with the outward breath the mind focuses on drawing those areas of tension down and out through the ground and calming the mind. Tension in the mind is caused by habitual thoughts. . The Chinese call it “The chattering monkeys.” Through proper Chi Gong training, one can learn to control their mind. The human body is only as strong as his/her mind; the body is far more capable and stronger than most people believe. It is the mind that gives in under duress very rarely the body, unless through injury. By learning to control ones own mind through meditation one can focus on the body’s inherent strengths more effectively, and an intuitive environmental awareness is also developed.
Due to the static nature of this Chi Gong stance and many others like it such as horse stance, a student of little or no experience struggles to see the relevancy of such training. Traditionally, these stances were performed for many hours sometimes for a year or more by new students, without demur or understanding. It was only when a student began to gain an understanding of these postures that the teacher may then begin to show them more about the art. In the Tong Bei and Yang styles, Chi Gong postures are customarily performed after hard external training. This is part of a systematic training routine devised traditionally in order to promote relaxation, as the body has previously been working hard. It is therefore more likely to relax when training internally due to the muscles being tired. Personally, in my early years of training whilst doing external body conditioning exercises, I could not wait for it to stop. This was partly due to my low level of fitness at that time but also from the relentless nature of the exercise format. However, when eventually it did stop I was then told to stand in a single static stance which was on many levels much harder to maintain than the rigorous external moving exercises. One finds in the early years, learning to control ones mind and body is intensely difficult. To an inexperienced on-looker, what could be simpler than standing still? To the practitioner though there are a many hardships to be considered. Firstly, trying to maintain the correctly aligned posture, this incidentally, made no sense to me at all for some months. Secondly, the task of focusing the mind on the cycle of breath for more than a few minutes, without allowing thought processes to wander off into something totally irrelevant, is very difficult.
The pay-off for this methodical internal training is an ability to strike with penetrative power from what ever position you may find yourself. This striking force by-passes the musculature and disrupts the nervous system. To anyone who has not trained internally or experienced this type of power it can be extremely difficult if not impossible to defend against. No matter how well developed a persons muscles are, this will not protect you against internal striking. An external shot spreads out over the impact area and a strong person can absorb this force. However, with an internal punch or kick, or even a push, the force feels un-stoppable. It pierces like a needle and acts upon the nervous system. It is not only painful but also very disconcerting and one is left feeling drained of energy.
When I first started training in Yang Tai Chi, not with my current teacher, I was taught to combine my breath with each movement. Generally, the rule is, when moving backwards you breathe in and when moving forwards you breathe out. I thought I understood this at the time as it had the effect of helping me relax. The whole class was told to move through the form together, at the same speed. This can often be seen even in China today. I accepted this without question, due to my lack of understanding. It was not until I started to train with my present teacher it was explained to me that everyone is different; therefore their movement and tempo will be different. This is vitally important from a combat perspective. In order to breathe correctly one must time the breath with ones own natural movement/tempo. Even though I had been studying for four years, I decided something was lacking in my progression. I left this class and went in search of a new teacher. When I found my new teacher, he told me sometime later, that he could see that I had no power or Chi. I did not understand him at the time largely due to the fact that I had previously not been taught how to use Tai Chi as the Martial Art that it is. Although I could carry out the form with a certain degree of free flowing movement, I had no comprehension of martial application and the internal power development therein. It was then a year or two before I could begin to appreciate that one of the primary reasons for practicing the form at a speed suitable only to me, was in order to find my own tempo. However, it must be noted that it is also important to practice the forms both very slowly and as quickly as possible and maintain correct technique. As this aspect became more apparent to me I could see that what I was learning was that you must always feel comfortable, especially during combat. As I searched for that feeling of ease I began to appreciate, through form work, pushing hands and sparring that it is paramount to being effective in defending yourself. To feel free in your space and utilize that space efficiently no matter how large or small. Gradually as time passed, this combination of tempo and nurturing awkward movement aided me in my ability to produce increasing amounts of power and highly evasive movement.
During sparring, in my early years, I only recognised tension and consequently tiredness when it was too late. When I had reached the point where I was rapidly running out of energy and power, breathing became laboured and I found it was also very difficult to maintain good movement. My defence then began to deteriorate rapidly as well. Through learning to focus my mind on my own body I discovered the method to recognise tension arising sooner, before reaching the point of exhaustion. It was then possible to adjust my tempo until I had recovered before my failing energy became noticeable, a weakness every opponent will look for. Whilst still moving, in a combative situation, I could remain at my chosen tempo and comfort zone. This same early recognition of tension fed back into many other aspects of my training both external and internal. When doing pad work, after a rigorous body conditioning session, I began to see the more reps I did, my power would not diminish, instead it seemed to increase. With regard to internal striking, with the proper alignment and relaxation I found that I could produce tremendous power. Two or three out of ten shots would send my training partner reeling backwards. The difficulty then was trying to upgrade this to a higher level. I should be able to create this same force, every time I struck the pad. When I could do this I had to progress further by striking with the same or more force from different positions. For example; in a more upright position, with even less effort and with a reduced amount of movement. I began to learn to shave away un-required movement and progress to a far greater level of efficiency and therefore power generation and control. As each individual aspect evolved within the internal realms of my art, the transition fed into other parts of my training. This evolutionary aspect shows clearly the depth of internal martial arts. As long as you continue to train, you continue to grow.
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Integration of External and Internal Firstly, an understanding of the integration between Internal and External martial arts, only becomes manifest at the higher levels. To recognize the amalgamation of these two elements takes many years of hard work and soul searching. This merging will result in highly effective placement and evasion techniques. Ones instinctive reactions, within a combat scenario, also become vastly superior. This is the consequence of a well developed, intuitive awareness, which can only be derived from years of study in both internal and external martial art application. The foundations of such refined movement lie in the basic structures taught from the beginning of external training. With this, comes a gradual increase of knowledge into the more insightful elements of the internal. These two aspects slowly but surely begin to blend together until they become one. It requires a great deal of patience and diligence to attain this level of understanding. During the intermediate years of ones training, a student begins to comprehend certain aspects of both internal and external, but not necessarily as a unified entity. To sense and appreciate when the body and mind become one is to perceive free flowing movement through heightened awareness, with clarity of mind. From this tension free fusion of body and mind one can also produce tremendous power without muscular effort. Instinctive reactions and free movement originate from the body moving unhindered by tension. This tension will always be present when the body is working within an external framework only. This is where the internal plays such an important role. As one grows older it becomes harder and harder to maintain a standard of fitness through purely external training. The body will not cope with the stresses placed on it, therefore the mind must adapt as the body ages. To learn to use the body in a relaxed manner requires altering the mind set, also a deeper refinement of technique, this becomes imperative as one grows with the art. From my own experience, body and mind integration became apparent gradually, and only after many years training. There were small incidents that I noticed during sparring as well as through other aspects of my training, eureka moments, which imprinted on my mind and stayed with me, once learnt never forgotten. For example, on one occasion during a sparring session I suddenly felt a calmness wash over me. I felt a harmonious sensation, my body moved effortlessly and only when movement was required. It did the absolute minimum in order to evade and strike my opponent. As I flowed freely around his attacks, there was no pre-conception of when and where to strike, no requirement for a pre-set game plan, it became absolutely instinctive. Either, I would sense a perceptual gap and then watch, as if belonging to someone else, my hand or foot arrived in that gap and struck my opponent. I countered or stopped at source everything that was thrown at me. The whole thing was bordering on an out of body experience. Not only were my strikes executed with no thought but they were accurate and controlled. From this I discovered that it is possible to always be in the right place, not only on a physical plane, but also in my mind. The ultimate goal for me then was to make this a permanent state of mind every time I trained and sparred, and to carry it through into the way I lived my life.
Another of my personal experiences during combat, when again I noticed that I had clarity of mind combined with stillness, further proved to me that changes were taking place based on integration. It was after the event whilst contemplating what had happened and how, that I realised I had changed. It was a Sunday afternoon and I was out for a drink with my wife and two of our friends, and we were celebrating my wife’s birthday. It was around 5pm and not busy, I noticed three people one female and two men, walk in and go straight to the bar. They were all drunk and one of the males was obviously feeling aggressive as he perched on his bar stool. Inflating his chest, he began staring round the bar clearly looking for a fight. Sometime later another male burst in and immediately started to shout out the woman. Although I kept the whole scenario in my peripheral vision, I did not look directly over at them thereby avoiding eye contact with the hostile one. Within a matter of seconds the couple were screaming at each other, he then grabbed a hold of the woman’s hair and pulled her off the bar stool. She sprawled across the floor screaming and crying. He grabbed her roughly by the collar and pulled her to her feet, swearing and shouting at her as he did so. The whole time I was thinking to myself that this had nothing to do with me and I was not going to get involved unless it got really serious. I would forgive anyone that thought I was being cowardly and that I should have defended this woman, but I have experienced many such situations and it does not always pay to interfere. By now the bloke had managed to drag the woman outside and was now kicking her in the ribs as she lay on the floor screaming. Just as I was thinking that maybe it was time I got involved, a girl who was sitting on a table next to us stood up and said straight to me, not anyone else in the whole pub, “are you going to sit there and let that happen?” What could I say? I stood up and went outside, my friend following behind. By the time I arrived the girl had got up and walked off but the guy was heading after her, placing my hand on his chest I intervened. He looked straight passed me but seemed to acknowledge what I was saying. I was very calm and pointed out to him that he couldn’t go kicking women in the ribs. Just as he accepted my words of wisdom and began to walk away, his mate came flying at me from the doorway of the bar, cursing at the top of his voice accusing me of attacking his pal. This is normally where I would have lost it. However I surprised my self by remaining calm and casually assessing the situation. My left hand instinctively came up in front of me as a personal barrier (the crumple zone) and I decided he was not going to come past it due to his totally hostile actions. The second he touched my hand I immediately felt his forward moving tension. Unfortunately, he kept coming towards me with violent intent, clenched fists rising as he did so. I had no choice but to pre-emptively strike him for my own safety. I hit him from about six inches with just enough controlled force to stop him. I remember feeling calm, unperturbed by his show of hostility, and watched nonchalantly as his legs buckled under him and he sank to the floor dazed but still conscious. I had the presence of mind to hit him on the cheek bone, avoiding his chin so he did not fall unconscious on to the concrete. There was a time when this would not have been satisfactory and I would have taken the fight further. I knew for sure that what I had done was sufficient; I noticed I was not even shaking from the effects of adrenalin, something I always experienced in the past. Stunned, he rose to his feet not knowing where he was, and he wobbled off in a daze, his aggression subdued. This situation was in some ways far more intense because it was outside of the training environment. On reflection, I thought about how sensitive I had become to actually feeling another persons aggression from that first contact. The second he made contact with me I knew exactly what his intentions were and how I was going to deal with him. I also stayed aware of my immediate surroundings, not just the problem directly in front of me; bearing in mind he was not alone. My strike was accurate and I placed the shot with enough internal force to be sure he did not wish to retaliate but at the same time not to injure him too badly. These points are vital because they show that I had grown as a fighter and with that growth, that integration of external and internal I felt I had become a martial artist, no longer a street brawler.
This hard won knowledge was becoming a part of my psychological make up, ingrained in my psyche as a consequence of traditional training methods. Following traditional methods sends circular ripples out beyond ones training environment and become a part of ones life. This is another certain indication of the integration between external and internal, training and private life. As one grows with a traditional art one sees that the historical doctrines of tradition are far more philosophical than to only be applicable in a martial art training hall. These doctrines have their own natural pace that must be adhered. The subject of integration runs far deeper and is more profound than the two aspects of internal and external alone. To understand fully, one must appreciate all other elements that play a part in this integration and these core elements derive from the three Chinese religions. First we need to look at the foundation for a learning structure and its origin. The learning structure is organised on an essentially Confucian basis. This structure offers a guiding principle for both teacher and student alike. We can see aspects of this hierarchical structure and the way in which it conveys to all aspects of living and training by firstly looking at the three virtues of Confucius. We also see clear similarities between Confucian sociological etiquette and the training hall, and how these principles overlap.
Filial Piety: (Xiao) Excerpt from the Analects: Few of those who are filial sons and respectful brothers will show disrespect to superiors, and there has never been a man who is respectful to superiors and yet creates disorder. A superior man is devoted to the fundamental. When the root is firmly established, the moral law will grow.
My personal view-point on this statement is that it clearly shows the effectiveness of hierarchy within any social structure large or small. Confucius also pointed out that even the people in the higher echelons of this structure, that have been shown to be worthy of their position, should be respectful to those below them therefore, respect is reciprocal. Everyone knows and understands their place within the group, it is human nature to have leaders and followers. In the Chinese character of Xiao, the top half depicts an elderly man; in the bottom half he is being supported by a younger man. Meaning, the young support the elderly, as they were supported by their parents, a reciprocal bonding arrangement. Each person relates to the necessity for fundamental grounding and a moralistic way of life. When a society believes in its moral values and understands its structure it generates harmony, emanating from a strongly established base. Within the confines of martial arts, at the higher levels, this structure will be transcended, although still required as a guiding principle it provides structure and non-structure, creating a whole. So we have filial piety, a key manifestation of which is ancestral worship. When the old die they are to be revered and remembered by the younger generations. With regard to martial arts we can see that the necessity for a chain of command is vital. Also, to believe in the historic traditions handed down by previous masters, and the synergy that is created by this.
Humaneness: (Ren) Excerpt from the Analects: The humane man, desiring to be established himself, seeks to establish others; desiring himself to succeed, he helps others to succeed. To judge others by what one knows of oneself is the method of achieving humanity, goodness, and benevolence.
I feel that what Confucius is saying in this extract, can again be seen from both the martial training hall perspective and within a social or family environment. From an understanding of the integral elements of external and internal, man becomes more humane as these intertwine. As he grows he wishes to share this knowledge and help those deemed worthy to grow. The act of helping others to develop is selfless and shows that one is secure and confident in oneself. With humaneness comes inspiration to succeed, and with this an aspiration to help others flourish. I personally get a great deal of pleasure from helping my students to improve and as I have developed myself and reaped the benefits therein, I wish to pass this on to them. More importantly as I see my children growing, that overwhelming urge to see them do well, at times consumes me. Also, the need to instil a steadfast sense of humanity in them is very strong. If society as a whole held these beliefs more strongly how much better would we all become?
Ritual Consciousness: (Li) Excerpt from the Analects: In rights at large it is better to be too simple than to be too lavish. In a more secular, humanistic context, it still retains that individuals have to defer to one another, have to show respect to one another. They have to be prepared to sacrifice for one another.
Responding to this excerpt from a personal perspective, knowing that it has many interpretations in both ancient and modern day society, I would say within martial arts, to simplify ones technique will always win over a more elaborate scenario. I feel this has connotations that can be acceptable in today’s society as well as in the training hall. Here Confucius is saying that when carrying out rituals, whatever they may be, it is the recognition of the right or tradition, the act of remembering what the ritual is about that holds importance, not how lavishly one celebrates. With too much extravagance the true meaning can be forgotten.
Secondly, we need to observe the doctrines of Daoism and its part in the integral development of mind and body within the realms of external and internal. Here we can see that integration is the principal aspect of this philosophical religion. The symbol of Daoism is that of Yin and Yang. This simple sign holds the most palpable insight for life. From the Yin and Yang symbol we can see the two seemingly opposing forces; however, they are complimentary to one another rather than conflicting. These forces are in all life, heaven, and earth. Yin represents soft, cool, feminine, dark, the internal. Yang represents hard, masculine and hot, the external. Earth is the ultimate Yin symbol. Heaven is the ultimate Yang symbol. Of the two “Chinese ways” Confucianism is the Yang or external and Daoism the Yin or internal. This is life and in all life there is Yin and Yang. We can see clearly that in martial arts these doctrines are the structure from which everything belongs. It can be instantly seen in the very prominent emblem of Yin/Yang, two forces blending and moving together as one. Each part contains a part of the other. A symbol of life, of beginnings and ends, transition through life, life’s force ebbing and flowing, to understand this flow and move with it and offer no resistance is the key to happiness. This integration is the Dao, “The Way”. As I learnt this in the training hall it affected me at first on a |
