Yi Jin Jing

[5_fists]

thanks gentlemen

[5_fists]

say Gene - in the book you recommend, how many movements are in the exercise set? would one do them all one after the other as a set, a bit like a kata without the punches/kicks?

forgive my ignorance on the matter ;(


i bought a book when i was 14 called "kung fu - history, philosophy, and technique" therein was a picture of a chikung master with flexibility to the extent that, from a standing position, he could bend at the waist with legs straight, put his head through his legs, and hold his arms down to his feet to sort of lock the position in... i practiced my flexibility until i could do it too, and could do it actually, until i was about 25 or 6, but that was, near 15 years ago now
i taught myself to do some other "interesting" things too - i was a weird teenager..

about a year ago, i sat down with legs straight out in front and tried stretching forward to see where i stood - it hurt like hell , but after a few days of light stretching, i was able at least to touch my head to my knees.

in any case - use it or lose it, seems to be the word

[Kellen Bassette]

Most people on this forum learn their Kung Fu katas from Doc Fai Wong's books.

[Lucas]

Most people on this forum learn their Kung Fu katas from Doc Fai Wong's books.

rofl

[GeneChing]

Below are the names of the movements

Opening
1. Wei Tuo Presenting the Pestle
2. Wei Tuo Presenting the Pestle 2
3. Wei Tuo Presenting the Pestle 3
4. Plucking Stars on Each Side
5. Pulling Nine Cows by Their Tails
6. Showing Talons and Spreading Wings
7. Nine Ghosts Drawing Sabers
8. Sinking the Three Bodily Zones
9. Black Dragon Displaying Its Claws
10. Tiger Springing on Its Prey
11. Bowing Down in Salutation
12. Swinging the Tail
Closing

It's done in a sequence, like a form, with repetitions for each movement. But there's no reason why you couldn't do them separately if you were focusing on a particular element or guarding an injury. However, the transitions between the movements are part of the training, so it is meant to be done in sequence.

Here are some other yijinjing threads on this forum:
Yi Jin Jing
Dating the Yijin Jing
Ba Duan Jin and Yi Jin Jing

[5_fists]

thanks much gentlemen

[5_fists]

just got it in the mail today, any tips?

The Muscle-Tendon Change Classic (Yijinjing) instruction manual is a straight forward treatise on the subject and it comes with a DVD. This is the CHQA version, which is a good starting point. We also published another rendition of the CHQA version in our Shaolin Special 2010 in The Muscle Tendon Change Classic: Yijinjing By William Oh.

Also, for good measure, there's this DVD: Shaolin Muscle-Tendon Change Classic

[GeneChing]

That's the way to make qigong work - daily practice.

[5_fists]

i made it fine until pulling 9 cows by the tail, thats hard to understand from the book

[5_fists]

at plucking stars, it says 'turn the body to the left and bend the knees' but it didnt explain if youre supposed to keep your back straight as you reach with the right hand to the left, i tried keeping my back straight and that put pressure on the knees, i could see how that would strengthen them, but by leaning forward i felt the stretch in my lower back, i think thats what the exercise intends

also, do you turn the body to the left but keep the knees forward facing, or also turn the knees leftwards?
thanks

[rett]

Did you get the DVD?

Big disclaimer, I'm not a teacher but maybe this can be of use:

Looks like it just means rotating the upper body. Gongbu can be forward facing or side facing without changing the lower-body part. Looks like when you reach forward you rotate into a side-facing gong bu (shoulder forward) which maximizes your reach with the forward (right) arm.

The knees and feet are pointing diagonally left but not because you turned them. It's because you took a diagonal step backwards to go into the gongbu from the readystance or mabu before it.

If you lean forward try to preserve the feeling of being centred and stable in the stance. Don't be like you're tipping forward out of balance.

And go very easy on the knees. Build them up slowly and gradually.

Just some guesses based on the video. Hope it helps, and if I've made a mistake hope someone corrects it.

Edit: this was about 9 cows by the tail, first one you asked about. Just saw your later questions were actually about plucking stars. Will look there too.

[rett]

Plucking stars, keep the knees in line with the toes. Preserve a stable lower body and have a light, mobile upper body. He leans a bit in the DVD.

[GeneChing]

Each of us have our own unique physical challenges that might prevent literal execution of any given form, so it's hard to really give sound advice without directly witnessing your practice. Eventually, you adapt the form to fit your body. At the same time, your body grows to fit the form. But that's a process, a long way off from where you are now. For now, as you don't have a teacher beyond yourself, go soft. If you experience discomfort, approach it gradually so as not to cause injury. Protect yourself. No need to get discouraged so early in the process. Ultimately you want to both strengthen you knees and stretch your back, so stay loose, go easy but regularly, and have fun.

[David Jamieson]

Most people on this forum learn their Kung Fu katas from Doc Fai Wong's books.

orly?

lol, seriously...that cannot be true.

plus "katas"? really?

take that krotty talk outta here!

They're forms, sets, kuen, taolu, roads.

Not kata.

[Kellen Bassette]

orly?

lol, seriously...that cannot be true.

plus "katas"? really?

take that krotty talk outta here!

They're forms, sets, kuen, taolu, roads.

Not kata.

LOL I was just trying to get a rise out of Frank when he was going off about his form on the Shaolin Do thread...he either didn't read it or didn't take the bait...the poster mentioned learning from a Kung Fu book and referred to the forms as katas, so I couldn't resist...