breathing in SPM and bak mei

[Octavius]

Hello, just curious: Does anyone know how breathing is done in SPM and Bakmei? Is it done with some tension and isometrics like in HG or is it more flowing like the more internal arts? Do you hold you breath for any points in your movements or do you keep it flowing, or etc? I don't know so any info would be appreciated.

[TaoBoy]

I study SPM in Australia.

Generally, we breathe in for all expanding movements and out when compressing. So, strikes require expulsion of air and deflections may require inhalation. [Fairly standard I guess?]

The breathing is natural yet regulated. We use sound release extensively. Not the Ki-ai variety of sound though. Just a release of tension so we don't suffer any internal damage.

Hay gung breathing is more controlled. I would say that it is not as 'free' as internal arts. When sparring we breathe as naturally as possible while still carrying air to allow iron shirt function.

Hope this helps!?

[BIU JI]

Tao boy- you say you breathe out when expanding and in when compressing! Does this mean when you strike out you breathe in or is it when rising to float.
Do you use the fao chum (rise /sink) principle like pak mei . I'm curious of your terminoligy(?), expanding is rising floating or outward ? Just I'm taught expanding is striking out (TOU) so to breathe out. Though when done in my internal forms i picture expanding in all directions, energy that is not just the hands.
When compressing we breathe out as you say to sink or chum ging so that would be out as you say also !Hope I'm making sense. Think I just confused myself hmmm:D

In YKM we have a dynamic tension form that is characteristic of Hung Ga, Grand master Ha Ho Hung was a Hung ga sifu before learning pakmei and added several forms to the system that uses Some Hung ga principles but pakmei posture and stance to help develope strong body and external chi, the breathing in this form (which is early in the system) use isometric breathing. Good for control of breath as well as internal forms can control breath at a softer level, different focus (Yin/yang). It's the first of our "chi cultivation" forms .;)

[TaoBoy]

Okay, I don't think I explained myself all that well. I was trying to simplify my response and thus messed it up. The terminology I have used is the way I see it, not necessarily technically correct.

When delivering heavy strikes (eg. pounding fist) we expel a large amount of air. When delivering medium strikes (eg. palm strike) we expel less air.

The 'expanding' I was thinking of relates to Tui Sao partner training. When doing side-to-side tui sao, we breath in to expand the ribs, thus moving the opponents arm.

In hay gung (dynamic tension exercises) we breathe out when pushing away from the body and in when pulling toward the body.

When using dip gwat (rip power) our torso compresses and thus we expel a quick breath. This technique is similar to using the iron shirt when wearing a strike.

I have found that the reasons for breathing in a particular fashion change dependant on the situation. But after a few years of training this all now makes sense and comes naturally.

I hope I have adequately explained myself.

(Please excuse the fact that I do not know the Cantonese translations.) :rolleyes:

[mono68]

Greetings Taoboy:
May I ask who did you learned from. Which sifu? Your knowledge is on the money. good explanations.

[TaoBoy]

mono68,

Thank you for your kind words.

I train at The Melbourne Kung Fu & Tai Chi Academy (www.melbkungfu.com (http://www.melbkungfu.com)). My instructor is Dai Si Heng Paul Bowden. :)

[Tiger on Duty]

the pak mei and spm sound very similiar in breathing, when we expand such as with biu jee(shooting fingers strike) we inhale and contract with yut choi or heart punch we exhale short and sharp but not like hung gar or traditional shaolin, which is when we take our concave or curved back stance, however at advanced levels many techniques are used with only one breath or 2, such as in our form nine steps push or gau bo toi where only 2 breaths are used for the entire set.

[mantis-1]

We have always been taught not to breath from the ribs but to breath from your tantien, the exception is when doing excersises or in the forms (during the 8 cycle mantis washes it's wings)where you emphasis the ribs opening in order to develop your dip gwut gung.

[BIU JI]

Tiger on duty- with your comments on your breathing , do you hold your breath throughout the form or recycle your breath throughout the form ? :)

[TaoBoy]

We also train dan-tien (or abdominal) breathing. When sparring we general use abdominal and reverse abdominal breathing. Using the abdomen to breath allows greater intake of air. It also ensures greater extraction of nutrients from the air as the lower portions of your lungs are better at this the the upper portions. (Read that somewhere once.)

[Phu Le]

Mantis -1

I take it you didn't recieve my PM. Anyway, I'll say this again, this may sound rude but, who are you?

E-Mail Me....

Phu.Le@Virgin.Net

[Tiger on Duty]

i cant answer that question im only on 3rd form in our style and gau bo toi is 5th, my master believes 1 form 1 yr and im 4th yr.
Because of my work commitments and mandarin lessons im falling even further behind and i dont believe in starting a new form unless im very proficient in the first, however i do also know 2 forms of southern shaolin and 3 weapons and am part of the lion dance team, so although things can be slow going in my masters teaching of pak mei he supplements this with cross training in southern shaolin and weapons and some san shou, to keep the mind active and to give other options that say a big guy might find useful such as throws or barging techniques from nth preying mantis or easy to use and quick to learn hand techniques and kiking techniques from san shou for the smaller faster fighters.
So if u watched a self defence class of ours it would have mainly pak mei and then ots of extras that fit into the pak mei system from other soureces such as chen tai chi, san shou, judo and mongolian wrestling, although as a rule the throws are out as my master thinks they are slow and he would prefer to ko some one so our pak mei focusses on ko or incapacitating strikes and little chin na again as my master finds it very slow.( my master is a shodan in judo, has studied mongolian wrestling and has learnt chin na=had to learn it to be a san shou judge.)so his grappling and chin na skills are very high- so he hasnt formed his opinion from no experince.
However i do realise that in todays society ko ing everyone and incapacitating ppl may not be the best thing so i am looking at aikido to give me some needed ground falling skills and some chin na.