Shaolin Qi Gong Questions

[Vasquez]

It takes an element of belief to make it work for you.

[Pk_StyLeZ]

i didnt say u know everything
i said since u learn two of the chi qong*tricks* so fast
try to learn this one really fast
so u can teach me too
because this is the only one i really want to learn
beside iron palm
but i rather have irons balls first so i can **** grls off and not worried bout gettin my balls kicked =D =D hahaha jk jk

ok so why they call this qi gong?
simple..because qi is energy/air or wutever..and qong is work...they are doing work with their energy/air..so they call it qi qong
that why it is called qi qong
=)

[Becca]

allways the same story.....

you should read the beggining of the tread,i didn't say that all this performances are easy,and i didn't say i can do all the performances they do,i just ask why they call this qi gong?

because i learn qi gong before,and it was slow movements for have a better flowing of energy in the meridians,for stretch you tendons,for strengh it,but not for brake things in your head,or be able to receive kicks in the balls.

anyway,believe what you want...

You studied chi gong, you practiced it untill it becomes second nature to you, and then don't understand why physical manifestations of chi gong are called chi gong?

And, just so you know, most people do have a long learning curve for most tricks like that. But you were not new to chi gong, just to the tricks themselves.

[GeneChing]

Why Shaolin is a circus ??

Answer this we must. Seek you koan zen, young padawan (kungan chan if we must do it in Mandarin).

[kai men]

Hi everybody
Qigong is a term which represents a lot of things, not just the cultivation of life en energy.
When we say Qigong inside a Martial Art, we must adapt the term to that context. We are talking about martial qigong. Indeed, I believe that it is not the same to breack a brick using your mind and directing your wei Qi to the hand, compared with doing it using just brute force or even good technique.
Here is where it becomes Martial qigong.
I agree with Gene: you first try to do it, then, only then you can speack.
Regards
Horacio

[David Jamieson]

I think there are probably a few of us on these boards who have practiced many varieties of qigongs. Some with positive results, some with negative and some with no results or anything tangible.

Doing qigongs is a practice where you need to tune into the practice, and yourself and yourself to the practice until eventually you find gongs that are harmonious with your being and contribute to your peace and well being.

Emphasizing physics tricks, in my opinion is not qigong, it is simply entertainment will little or no redeeming value or context to martial arts or even to the path of kungfu.

Emphasizing an attempt at making better ones' energy levels, one's attitude and outlook, ones physical health and physical improvement is where qigong is at. But I think that because qigong generally requires patience and time to get any viable results from, there are many, particularly impatient people who will always scoff at these practices. Oh well, tough titty for them, they are the ones who lose out because of their impatience ultimately.

This interjection is over.
Cheerio!

[SimonM]

I stand by the veracity of Iron Shirt. Learning just part of that form did improve my resilience to strikes perceptably. Now I don't pretend it did so by manipulating a magical force but it is a very good exercise regimen for this purpose.

[GeneChing]

Emphasizing physics tricks, in my opinion is not qigong, it is simply entertainment will little or no redeeming value or context to martial arts or even to the path of kungfu.

I'd disagree with you here, KL. I think a basic understanding of physics is critical to martial arts, especially in CMA when it comes to na and shuai (but also important in basic strikes, of course). Leverage and breaking is important stuff. I know what you meant by that comment, but I'd also argue that a basic understanding of the 'tricks' is fundamental to being part of the jianghu - it's a key to penetrating CMA culture.

[David Jamieson]

I agree that understanding principles of physics in context and relation to the kinetics involved in human motion are critical to application of martial art with any efficacy.

I know, that you know, that I know that you know, however, that if one were to demonstrate gongs that were particularly healthful but didn't involve bending some inanimate object, or breaking inanimate bjects over your head or any number of other demonstrations, then people would probably not be interested in the practice as a whole.

ah well, call me dry and unengaging, but I am less interested in the fanciful and more interested in the practical even if it does take a couple of years to really achieve the practical.

[Vasquez]

Physics is only a western science there is no comparison to the east.

[David Jamieson]

Physics is only a western science there is no comparison to the east.

Ok, dude, you ever hear the phrase that "sometimes it is better to remain silent and be thought of as a fool instead of saying something and having it confirmed".

Physics are universal. Applied physics are universal. The concepts of physics are not alien to the east. Geezuz kee rist! How the f@ck do you think they build airplanes? Roads? Buildings? well, pretty much everything.

yeesh

[GeneChing]

I know, I know...

I think you have to engage all philosophies and sciences nowadays. To say

Physics is only a western science there is no comparison to the east.

is a foolish as to say the opposite. The whole notion of East and West is evaporating, especially with the web. The world is a friggin' ball. It's not flat. OK, seriously now, qigong good, physics good. It's all good.

[Jim Roselando]

Hello,


Intersting topic!

Beware of lots of stuff in MA. If someone cannot explain the benefits simply and how to achieve them simply then you need to watch out.

Chi Kung is SIMPLE!

Minimum of 20 minutes per day is required IMO for the first few years (2-3). Depends on the individual. When people ask what do you think is a good set to start training???? I always recommend Yang Sheng "Jam Jong" AKA Tree Huggin!

Thru stillness one can activate the energy flow. Thru stillness one can begin to focus the awareness and connect the mind and body. Later, when you have plenty of energy, then you can do any set you want but the hardest thing is is the central theme of any Chi Kung training:

Proper posture, Relaxation (body & mind) & Deep soft silk like breathing!

Dont worry about other stuff. Try 20 minutes a day for 3 months and see how you feel! Let mother nature take its course!

What good does it do for you as a martial artist?

Without the ability for the body and mind to work together and cultivate the Chi there can be no real mind/body connection! Once you have it then you will also be more balanced, relaxed, sensative, alert, etc.. All attributes that relate to fighting.

Priority numero uno is:

Sink the Chi to the Dan Tien!


Peace,

[SimonM]

I know, I know...

I think you have to engage all philosophies and sciences nowadays. To say is a foolish as to say the opposite. The whole notion of East and West is evaporating, especially with the web. The world is a friggin' ball. It's not flat. OK, seriously now, qigong good, physics good. It's all good.

Hey Gene! Actually this has been going on in academic circles since the seventies. I'd turn your attention to two books: "The Tao of Physics" and "The Spinning Wu Li Masters" these two books look at the interrelationship between late relativistic physics / early quantum physics and traditional "eastern" metaphysics. Of course when one reads Aurelius and compares him directly to Laotze you see that the east/west metaphysical divide is not particularly reasonable anyway but that is another matter.

What it comes down to is that to suggest that talking about physics has no place in a discussion of martial arts because Physics - as we know it today - was initially codified in rennaissance and restoration Europe is the statement of an uneducated fool.

[GeneChing]

I hear ya, SimonM. It's like there was the axis age (the time of Laozi and Aurelius and many other original great thinkers) then there was the rennaissance, the the 60's revolution (leading to that 70's fallout leading to The Tao of Physics, etc.) Now, with the internet, it looks like we're in the age of blog babble. Maybe that's the hangover of the 60's still...

But back OT, Grandmaster Tu Jin-sheng (that's right, the iron crotch master) teaches a special seminar specifically on qigong tricks and stunts. He is quick to point out that these are not 'true' expressions of qigong. They do require some skill and a little slight-of-hand knowledge of the 'tao of physics'. He teaches it partly to debunk, partly to build confidence in students, and mostly because it's fun (I think). It's amusing how many local masters have shown up to this seminar. Gigi Oh, our publisher, sat in on part of one of these, was rather excited about being able to pop the bottom of a wine bottle out by slapping the top until I told her we used to do that while drunk in college with Lucky Lager beer bottles. this being said, I maintain my position that understanding the qigong stunts is very important to the practice of martial arts. You need to know what is real and what is physics. It's also good to show off at ****tail parties