Scarletmantis
01-22-2001, 10:05 PM
I'm really responding to posts made on the "Training and Health" board on this forum (What's your definition of health![sic])made by me and 8stepssifu. Unfortunatly, as there are few written resorces on our art, I was forced to quote from internal stylists concerning the use of Chi Kung to achieve health.
While 8stepssifu made some rather rude comments concerning my post (all in fun I'm sure), his opinion was both valid, and commonly held within the western Mantis community.
Chi Kung has been an extremly important part of the training I recieved, and pass on to my students today. Every class is opened with a twenty minute Standing Kung session. I have found this benificial because it gets everyone to break a sweat, without the danger of strained muscles. We then move on to stretching, forms, and sparring.
As the student progresses, s/he is encouraged to explore various Chi Kung "specialties" that our school offers such as; Iron Body, Finger Kung, Iron palm/forearm, and even the infamous Kong Jin (though we train to issue energy at touch instead of at a distance).
The greatest benifits of these various exercises has not been the "powers" that they reputedly impart, but rather, great health, a more refined knowledge of proper body mechanics, and methods for the student to push beyond thier own perceived limitations.
Sometimes when we speak of Chi Kung, we tend to exagerate the "Airy Fairy" rumors, rather than speaking from our own experience. On the other hand, we can also be too sceptical, and thus lose the opportunity to learn something new.
Train Hard,
ScarletMantis
P.S. 8steps, I hope that comment about Thai prostitutes didn't come from personal experience. :p
"The essence of life is struggle and it's goal is domination. There are higher goals and deeper meanings, but they exist only within the minds of men. The reality of life is war."
While 8stepssifu made some rather rude comments concerning my post (all in fun I'm sure), his opinion was both valid, and commonly held within the western Mantis community.
Chi Kung has been an extremly important part of the training I recieved, and pass on to my students today. Every class is opened with a twenty minute Standing Kung session. I have found this benificial because it gets everyone to break a sweat, without the danger of strained muscles. We then move on to stretching, forms, and sparring.
As the student progresses, s/he is encouraged to explore various Chi Kung "specialties" that our school offers such as; Iron Body, Finger Kung, Iron palm/forearm, and even the infamous Kong Jin (though we train to issue energy at touch instead of at a distance).
The greatest benifits of these various exercises has not been the "powers" that they reputedly impart, but rather, great health, a more refined knowledge of proper body mechanics, and methods for the student to push beyond thier own perceived limitations.
Sometimes when we speak of Chi Kung, we tend to exagerate the "Airy Fairy" rumors, rather than speaking from our own experience. On the other hand, we can also be too sceptical, and thus lose the opportunity to learn something new.
Train Hard,
ScarletMantis
P.S. 8steps, I hope that comment about Thai prostitutes didn't come from personal experience. :p
"The essence of life is struggle and it's goal is domination. There are higher goals and deeper meanings, but they exist only within the minds of men. The reality of life is war."