Kung Fu without Qi Gong: is it woth it?
Hello everybody :)
Since I'm new to the forum and to the practice of Kung Fu, I'll introduce myself with a question (more will come) that's been bothering me. The thing is: I train the Ton Long style at a school here in Brasil which doesn't teach Qi Gong (at least until one gets to the black belt).
I bought books on Qi Gong and managed to know the basics, but it's hard to go on without a master to point me some directions.
I see most people here at the forum have some kind of combined training: Qi Gong+Kung Fu - and one seems to "complete" the other.
My question(s): Is it usual to begin the Qi Gong only when you're advanced at Kung Fu? If yes, why? If no, should I urgently look for another KF school? What am I loosing by not learning Qi Gong properly (right at the begining) in my KF practice?
I'd apreciate advices!
Thanx
this may not be a complete response...
From what I see, there are two different approaches in the training of qigong (Chi Kung) and kungfu. One is the method common in Shaolin kungfu. That is, one practices the martial aspect without any qi work for some years before ever advancing to the qigong part. And when one gets that far, the qi work is incorporated within the martial training (I think).
The other approach I've seen is with the Tai Chi (along with Bagua and Xingyi--the 3 main internal martial arts schools). I think alternate spellings are used for those schools. Anyway, with Tai Chi Chuan, one starts right away or soon after the start with the qi work (I think).
Sorry, but I don't know which one of these methods is better.
Just a note regarding practice of qigong and/or kungfu (or martial arts): You can practice them in the following ways:
1) Kungfu without any qigong incorporated within the system
2) Kungfu with qigong incorporated within the system (whether the qigong aspect starts at the beginning or after years of practice)
3) Qigong without any martial aspect
4) numbers 1 and 3 combined and practiced separately
I hope this helped
...something I forgot to mention in my first post
Numbers 2 and 3 (from the above post) should not be practiced together: They are incompatible. The reason being, one should not practice 2 different types of qigong at the same time. You can damage yourself internally. Just stick to one type and definitely practice under a good teacher and you'll be safe.