SabBa Lohon chi Gung

[German Bai Lung]

Hi All,

do you you train the same set of Chi Gung?
How often?
What are your experiences with it?

Instructors:
on which level do you teach the Chi Gung?

[MantisifuFW]

Bai Lung,

I teach Qigong from the beginning. The students do the Lesser/ Greater circulation from the first. But they will do this for a year or more before I give any other exercises.

Then I teach the Sup Bat Lo Han slowly over a long time. It is not necessary to do all the exercises. They do different things. And it takes time to get the "feel" of the exercises.

I teach the Sup Bat Lo Han in conjunction with Kau Da body conditioning.

Hope it helps,

Steve Cottrell

[mantis108]

Well, I do train this set ever since Tainan Mantis taught it to me when he visited me a year and half ago. The version that he has is largely similar to WHF but it is from a different source other than PM although he also learned it from his teacher who is an awesome Mantis master. The point is 18 Lohan may not be indigenous to PM. This also explain the different flavors and focuses that placed on the form.

Regardless of the true origin, there are 4 main benefits:

1. General health (non violent)
2. Functional conditioning for martial arts
3. Self defense applications
4. Qigong and Spiritual growth

Take first road "Immortal Raises Hands In An Arch Formation" (immortal raises hands for shot) for example:

General health benefits includes: relief fatigue, help focus the mind, promote blood circulations all over, massages internal organs, etc...

Functional Conditioning for martial arts includes: Increase gripping strength, Develop upper body strength, summon Qi for impact training, promote good form (re: economy of motions), etc.

Self defense applications: defense against rear bear hug.

Qigong and Spritiual growth benefits includes: clearing the Ren and Du meridians, deliever Qi to the extremeties (ie the 4 limbs). Also meditating or visualize the imagery of an immortal holding the arms up to receive the "essence" of the universe helps promote spiritual growth. Reading the text to this road has similar effect.

For novice, just the first 3 aspects of this versatile form alone is mind boggling. But the benefits really are so enormous that I believe training it early is going to help the students on their Kung Fu journey exponentially. As for myself who have training in other Qigong, I find this set share some common characteristics which helps tremendously in the learning process. To understand the form is not hard only remembering the sequences posted some difficulties in the beginning. Fortunately there are written materials and I have Tainan on tape [thank God for technology ;) ] So I show it to my students and have them practice with me (can't practice self defense applications on my own, lol...). The actual experience of having Tainan pointing out the "secrets" of the form is above all most significant IMHO. I agree with Sifu Cottrell's method in coupling the 18 Lohan with Kao Da. Perferrably, hard qigong such as PM's Pai Da would be even better to go with 18 Lohan. But that's an entirely different level of training already.

Almost forgot, I break the form down into 3 sections (I think Tainan has a similar way). I usually teach 1 - 6, 7 - 12, and 13 - 18. This makes it really much easier for the students as well since wwe do it both as one continuous form and seperate roads.

BTW, from the poster that LKW's book provided. It would seem that his version is not that different from WHF's. Only we don't know the nunace of the form in LKW's way. Those details forge Kung Fu so it is important to have those explained.

Hope this help.

Mantis108

PS there are threads on this forum and my forum concerning the 18 Lohan. You may be able to get more info by doing a search.

[German Bai Lung]

First: thank you for your answers!
They have very interesting aspects to think about.

Next Question is: do you only teach/train with your students?


I got an course for 0,5 hour where I teach only Chi Gung. Not only students take this course but also older people for their health.
In fact there are one woman with MS (Multiple Sklerosis) and a man with multiple orthopedic Problems (i.e. Shoulder, back, hip-joint ... ).
Both share after a few month lesser problems. The man is free of pain!

I divide the 18 in two routes: 1-9 are the first course and in a few month I start with 10-18.
For now I let them exercise 1-9 in half an hour.
It takes nearly 3-4 month once a week to learn them. (But maybe a lifetime to control them ... ;) )

[mantis108]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Yeah, there are lots of stuff in the 18 Lohan that take a life time of study and practice. :)

As for teaching people goes, I don't have enough time for my students as is. I don't mind working with other people. After all sharing is where the fun in Kung Fu is for me.

Warm regards

Mantis108