Why isn't Hsing-I popular?
When I started to study the internals I wondered the same question. I researched and realize that Hsing-I is an kept secret. I realize because of the work an patience with it no one waits to put the effort in. We are all victims of a fast society and who wants to stand for a half hour in a Pi Chaun stance?
I also think the lack of knowledge of the style is due to a lot of myths that we as martial artists believe in when we read stories on internal arts. We sometimes forget that what was done in the past with the art was a different time with different type of fighters. For Hsing-I to get popular it will need to show its effectiveness in the real life combat. If you don't have a Hsing-I fighter fighting in tournaments and big fighting events no one will pay attention to its skill. That is why mixed martial arts and Muay Thai is popular because people show its effectiveness in real life combat.
I think that Hsing-I as well as Pa Kua are considered styles for New Age mystics and hippes...When other martial artist see this they are dont take the art seriously.
CDLee brought up a good statement
Just a curious thought, and I always forget to ask. Xingyi is 1000 years old, is battle proven, and proven to work many times in real combat. It has also been taught to military on a standard basis in recent history in China. With that said...
We have to keep in mind as well that the people that used this art were fighting the same type of people. The Chinese were fighting the Chinese. Look at their weight class! Can Hsing-I practitioners use this art against modern fighters that faster, smarter, and more technically advanced in their training? That is why I understand why that you should cross train in styles to that you can be deverse in your methods. When I read Pa Kua practitioners say you shouldn't be taken to ground is a fantasy! Because if you dont' train to fight on the ground what do you do if you do fall there?
Re: Why not MORE Xingyi???
Quote:
Originally posted by CD Lee
[...snip...]
I would think it was difficult, but look at Tai Chi. It is hard to make it work, but look at all the Tai Chi teachers?
Yeah, but those slow tai chi sets allow you to have time to fantasize about being powerful, even though you are not. But all the hsing i punching and stepping drills are done quickly, so all you have time to do is think how uncoordinated you actually are.
I think that the effort it takes to learn hsing i quickly makes you seriously consider whether you want to learn how to fight (hard work) or keep healthy (less work). It's easier to do so-called tai chi just for health.
-crumble
open your eyes and just look around
razakdigital, That was a very good post reply, I see you are understanding martial arts more on the real side. Yo, bring them two Hsing Yi books to the workshop.
crumble I like your post , your statements are conforming to the facts and truth of most todays internal practitioners.
As for my opinion on Hsing Yi Boxing. I feel that it is a very hard art to learn, it may look easy, because of the few combat sets a student may learn, But the real key to learn Hsing Yi is within the San Ti or trinity posture, many of Hsing Yi fighting applications depend on this one posture.
And many today that practice Hsing Yi most of the time just practice the five elements with no kind of standing practice what so ever. So most of the time you may see people that look very good demonstrating Hsing Yi boxing forms, but as soon as you get a opportunity to cross hands with them, you soon find out, that most of these guys have no real fighting skill. All you will see today is internal practitioners doing forms, forms, forms, No real hands on $hit.
All you have to do is look around, and you only find a few if you have luck, good Hsing Yi practitioners that are getting Hsing Yi real, But must of the time what you will find is Hsing Yi teachers that claim to study the true art of FORM -MIND-BOXING
When in fact their only doing-TALK AND FORM, FORM, FORM,FORM,BOXING. all you have to do is look around and you see just what I'm talking about.
Today what you will see, is most internal pratitioners is all theory talk and forms, but when its time to show people, these fake intenal martial art analysis warriors, always come with some kind of mendacious story to excuse themself from not crossing hands with a person.
So today what you will see is just fake internal martial art mystic practitioners, that think they become some kind of warlord with chi powers and superhuman push hands skills, all you have to do is look around and you see just what I'm talking about.
With people like that around teaching internal martial arts, this is why you never see real internal martial arts or real internal training methods, unless you have luck on your side. there are many world renowned fakes out here teaching for money. Most of the true genuine internal martial art teachers don't care about making big money and having a big world renowned name.
Most genuine Hsing Yi teachers that I know, just teach a few students and like it that way, most people find these Hsing Yi teachers by word of mouth.
The bottom line is, today all you see people do is demonstrating Hsing Yi boxing forms and talk about theory and applications like always. All of them utilizing the same combat form applications and theory reference, no Hsing Yi knowledge of their own, or do they experiment with their own ideas, But hey this is how it is in all the so called internal martial arts.
Fools that think their teaching real internal martial artists, and the dump ones that are paying these fools money to learn from them.
Today internal martial arts is sad, sad, sad. To many form palyers and no real skilled fighters in these internal methods, so thats way you never see real Hsing Yi boxing in action unless you have luck on your side.
Like I said today Hsing Yi boxing and other Internal styles is all about Good looking forms and talking you to death about theory.
All you have to do is just open up your eyes and look around......... :rolleyes:
Peace