What do people think about YMAA?

[Fu-Pow]

I just want to get a general idea how people feel about Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming. He has a lot of books out. I have two of them Tendon/Muscle Changing Marrow/Brain Washing Chi Gung and Advanced Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan. His books seem very authentic as they contain chinese characters and english translations. Is he full of crap? Or does he have a handle on the arts? He seems to include a lot of TCM into his explanation of Taiji. He especially focuses on breathing and the "microcosmic orbit." What do you think? :confused:

Fu-Pow
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"If you are talking about sport that is one thing. But when you are talking about combat-as it is-well then, baby, you'd better train every part of your body" - Bruce Le

[MaFuYee]

Jimmy...(Jim-may)

I've never owned a slave, or was a slave, I didn't wander forty years in the desert after getting chased out of Egypt, I haven't burned any witches or been persecuted by the Turks and neither have you, so shut-the-#$%!-up already.

[Ky-Fi]

I've taken a bunch of seminars and classes at YMAA since 1998, and that's where I've learned all my CMA. I've found Dr. Yang to be very knowledgeable, humble, skillful and an excellent teacher. A common criticism that I've heard about Dr. Yang is that his Taiji is too White Crane "flavored". I believe he started studying Taiji around the same time he started White Crane, and has been practicing them concurrently for the last 40 years. I think Dr. Yang would be the first to admit that his study of White Crane has influenced his Taiji, and vice-versa. If you have a concept that martial styles should remain pure,unmixed with knowledge form other styles and unchanging from generation to generation, then Dr. Yang would not be the teacher for you. His philosophy is that viewing how different arts approach similar problems gives you a greater perspective on the whole.
One thing Dr. Yang says often in his classes is "Whenever I tell you something, put a question mark after it in your mind. If you believe it just because I tell you--then that's brainwashing. If you test it out and do your own research, then you'll comprehend."

Without going into much detail, I would just say that Dr. Yang is very humble and friendly, and if you catch a seminar of his he will be more than happy to debate theory and give you demonstrations of where he's coming from.

Oh, one thing I would add. Books are great for reference, but as far as really understanding what somebody is talking about in regards to CMA--it's got to be shown to you, or preferably demonstrated on you :). And as far as correlating the theories of different masters who study different styles---nearly impossible unless you've spent MANY years learning at least one art in depth. Without studying under someone for years, I don't think you're ever going to get a deep understanding of where they're coming from in regards to the art

[This message was edited by Ky-Fi on 06-18-01 at 09:56 AM.

[This message was edited by Ky-Fi on 06-18-01 at 09:57 AM.]

[Rory]

In the marrow/brain washing classic or what ever it is called he tells you to do some crazy stuff. He may know northern shaolin and white crane and he may have read about chi kung and tai chi but any one with who understands the basics to internal arts will see that it is not real. I've seen an old book of his from 1984 and his Tai chi form is much diffrent from his form now. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Fu-Pow2]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>He may know northern shaolin and white crane and he may have read about chi kung and tai chi but any one with who understands the basics to internal arts will see that it is not real. [/quote]

What exactly do you mean? Can you expand on this? :confused:

[Crimson Phoenix]

If I might add a comment...if your taiji form hasn't evolved in 17 years of dedicated practice, you're worse than a fake, you're an incompetent :-)
And do not get fooled, Dr Yang doesn't teach exactly the way it's written in his books...
OK, let's say he's a fake...then why is he respected by masters like Liang Shou You, Jou Tsung Wa, Wang Bo Nian and many more? Why such names as Li Mao Ching and Chen Gin Gsao accepted to teach him for decades if he didn't show some qualities?
Anyway, your attack is pointless: Dr Yang never stated writing this book about xi sui jing and yi jin jing, he keeps reminding that he is translating and commenting the oldest document available on the topic...
But everyone's got their own opinions :-)

[The Willow Sword]

To the western mind, some of the techniques that are talked about in the book,,and i know which ones they are(regarding the essence training and the jade stem and dragon pearls) are hard to comprehend,,,remember this is a country with quaker morals,,,so all the apparent masturbation that is talked about in the book is NOT about anything sexual. i have A LOT of RESPECT for dr.yang and his knowlegde. his books i use for reference or when i need to understand something about the internal that my teachers cant or wont tell me. if you are in the bostomn area you might inquire about the things he talks about in that particular book,,i have been wanting to ask him several questions,but not in a skeptical fasion.
i think that you will find that better results are achieved when the mingd and heart are open to the asiatic ways rather than being a typical american and prejudging,,,or maybe you are asian as well(doesnt matter anyway0
many respects,,,Willow sword

Whatever you think i am or want me to be,,, i am.

[Kaitain(UK)]

I've seen his form on video and it isn't the best looking out there - but that's to be expected when he trains other styles.

His theoretical knowledge is phenomenal - even more importantly, his ability to explain it is spot on. I found the Chi cultivation stuff very helpful - he explains concepts in terms that a skeptic could stomach.

If I had any criticism it would be his clear grasp of capitalism and sales concepts - every book I read tells you about something you should know about which is only found in his other books :)

I haven't found a better current author on Yang style than him.

"If ignorance is bliss, why aren't more people happy?"

[Crimson Phoenix]

hahhah, yes, he indeed can appear commercial...I remember in one taiji seminar I was watching he said that he could tell whho learnt from books and videos and who learnt from him, because in his personal teaching he adds things ot twists some a little bit compared to his videos/books...
then one person said "then is it false what you write"?? He said "no of course, it's true, but it is the same difference between a recipe written by a chef and the way the dish really turns out when the chef does it".
He then said "gong fu is all about personal flavor...a really good exponent puts his own flavor in what he learnt...his brother in arm will have the samee gong fu, but it won't be the same flavor...if you just exactly mimic my sequence, it will be a failure for you as a student and for me as an instructor" What you see in the books is the common recipe...what he teaches is the little tricks you add to make the dish even better and personal...gong fu is a treasure and nowadays everyone is expecting to get all the teachings and secrets just because they pay it's our society...I heard a very famous master of karate say "never give anything for free...when you give, people forget, and when you give, people just take...if you teach, you have to make people retribute you somehow...if not, it's too easy, you give them a treasure and they go away with it, contempt with themselves and convinced they were entitled to that treasure...if you make them pay somehow (it doens't have to be money all the time), they will show their dedication to learn, they will show that they want to be taught and that they understand it's a priviledge that is worth some sacrifices".
dr Yang said many other things on that day (I won't say any more, I spoke for him too much already, he wouldn't like that!), all of which struck my mind from their gentleness, humility, yet implacable logic and sense...it all makes sense...
I have the utmost respect for him since that day (aside also from the way he litterally bent the heavy sand bag in our kwoon with a external knife hand starting no more than 5 inches aways...grrr, frightening!!).
Anybody can disagree, all I know is that he isn't a fake for sure...

Phoenix

[[Censored]]

I think his books are some of the finest English references available in martial arts. "Comprehensive Applications of Shaolin Chin-Na" is absolutely excellent. If you can name a better author, please do so.

[PlasticSquirrel]

dr. yang jwing-ming's books are very good. i got his book "qigong for health and martial arts" a week ago, and it is the best book i have. not that it's especially big, like his "the root of chinese qigong," but it shows a lot and explains a lot in a short book.

dr. yang may change the movements slightly, but he did not make up the forms. an example of this is the transitional movement after "embrace the tiger" in the first section of the yang ban-hou form. he doesn't know what the name of the movement is.

[lukrion]

This is only my second post.

YMAA is awesome! If I lived in the Boston area I would be training there!

For years I have worked through many of the Chin Na techinques at various schools. I'm not very big at all and I had to muscle them to get them to work. This is how it was shown, incorrectly.

Then I started at a Kung Fu school where I was shown the correct way to use these moves. Very little effort and more pain and CONTROL.

Then we had Jim Noble down to teach a seminar(one of Dr. Yangs Top instructors). This opened up a new world of hurt! He said that he was not even close to Dr Yang.

We went up to a Seminar in Boston. Dr. Yang is one of the nicest humblest teachers around. I believe he is a true scholar as well as a consumate Martial Artist. I work with him every chance I get when I get up to his seminars and usually take extra classes too.

When Dr. Yang places a move on you, he uses no effort or muscle. One second you feel that he has barely touched you, then , bang, you are in a serious painful hold, that is about 6 times worse than Jimmy's and I feel that he has so much controll that he is severely holding back!

Dr. Yangs theory is that this art must constantly change to be alive.

I could go on and on

[Crimson Phoenix]

Yeah, I remember that thing about Dr Yang: he indeed is so soft in his moves that you barely feel them...he asked me to punch him in one of his seminars to show a white crane block and I punched normally...he raised his hand and told me, smiling: "punch me like you want to hurt me"...so there I am punching him fiercely and he does that block and next thing I know, my arm is out of way...I almost didn't notice what happened (I did notice though, because I knew what the block was going to be), but what really struck me is that I felt nothing...usually when we spar like that my partner blocks me with a rather heavy contact, sometimes with a shock in the forearms...but when he blocks, it was a soft as cotton, I didn't even feel when the contact between my arm and his occured.
I punch, next second my arm is on the side, but my skin felt almost nothing...
It's very cool and at the same time very disturbing...

[Ma_Xu_Zha]

I have contemplated on going there for sometime since my friend goes sometimes. Yang Jwing Ming is very nice and has the full Yang cirriculum some teachers dont offer. somethings my teacher doesnt know he knows and some thing my teacher knows he doesnt know.

I am interested in the 88 two person taiji form, and two person taiji sword form he does.

As for chi-na and yang solo form or solo sword form I could care less, its very decent but not pure yang.

[Kumkuat]

I'm stupid what does YMAA mean? Thanks

[Fu-Pow]

Yang's Martial Arts Association

Fu-Pow
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"If you are talking about sport that is one thing. But when you are talking about combat-as it is-well then, baby, you'd better train every part of your body" - Bruce Lee

[Can-O-Bud]

Young man, there's a place you can go
I said, young man, when you're short on your dough
You can stay there, and I'm sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time.

All together now!

Y M C A

"My twa boab"

[lukrion]

Not stupid at all.

YMAA stands for Yangs Martial Arts Association.

I was also really impressed with how Tai Chi is done there.

When we were up last summer he invited us to watch his students test. It was amazing watching two person sword forms and high speed knife fighting. The level of Tai Chi is very high and we seen some examples of how the moves in the form actually work.

If your are considering it, try it for a month or so. I'm sure you will find it enriching.

Gary