March April 2010

[Skip J.]

We could ship at a faster rate, but then we'd have to increase the subscription rate. I'll make it up to you with the next issue, which will have a very special treat for subscribers.

Got mine today, and no Gene, do not raise the rate for me...!!!!

No complaints here...

Lucas was right - the standing post article by Bosco Seung-Chul Baek - of the method of his Master Chen Bing is first class! I'll be back to say more after reading it several times over the next few days...

[solo1]

Ill pass on the rate increase. Looking forward to reading the issue. Have you ever noticed how that "other" Kung Fu mag is a piece of crap?

Have a great weekend, Gene!

[GeneChing]

And I meant what I said.

Subscribers will get a special treat with our next issue. That'll be our May June 2010. You're all going to want to be subscribed for this one, even if the issue comes a little later than newsstand.

[Skip J.]

you're welcome Gene...

Looking forward to it based on your recent issues

[solo1]

Gene, mine arrived yesterday . dont know if you had anything to do with it but 2 issues arrived. Now one stays at the house the other in my brief case, thanks!!

[jdhowland]

Just got mine today. Nice balance of subjects. I particularly liked "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly." Still have a couple of articles left to read, though. Dr. Yang still appears to be in denial about hair loss. Doesn't he know that bald is beautiful?

[GeneChing]

Sorry for the delay. I hope you enjoy them.

[Skip J.]

I really like the pictures in the standing post article... you know how much a picture is worth... vs. the alternative.... and the drawings of the spine are really cool. Maybe the author would allow us to show these to new students???? I remember that first year or two really struggling with the spine issues.... but after spending 2 years of all day long in the "correct" posture, including walking up to 6 miles in it, now I can just think about it anytime during the day and my hands will flush as if I was in class doing standing post!

[GeneChing]

You can share the mag with your new students, your friends, your postal worker, anyone. Better yet, get them to subscribe. The issues might come a little late, but they'll save a a few bucks on the newsstand price, plus as you know, all subscribers get a 10% discount at MartialArtsMart. And like I said, there will be a special DVD insert, free for subscribers, in our next issue.

[Skip J.]

While there are not a lot of taijiquan articles in each issue; each article is of such high quality that it becomes a "classic" instructional piece on it's own merits.

For instance - I don't watch cma vids by anybody. Sometimes I take them home from class, but a few weeks later I bring'em back without ever opening them. However, because of the Taiji 13 Postures article, I am actually considering buying Master Liang's DVD as a permanent part - and the only vid - of my cma library.

And, of course, there are many more e-zine taijiquan articles than make the print mag. That e-zine article on Master Liang's water boxing experience has me considering adding water boxing instruction to my capabilities one future day.

With your words in mind, I am thinking about removing the appropriate articles and gluing their pages up into an instructional manual for beginners. That is, folks with less than 3 years instruction. You can say the words 'til the cows come home.... but - without pictures, good pictures actually - many of the important "internal" concepts are hard for non-cma folks to absorb.... particularly those in their 70's and 80's. On the other hand, those are the same ones who need it the most.

Keep on keepin' on!!!!!!!

[GeneChing]

I try to squeeze at least one tai chi article in every issue. That's really tricky for our Shaolin Specials, but I still try to manage it. I try to put add more articles on internal too, which doesn't quite count as tai chi - water boxing is an excellent example of this.

That being said, we love it when schools showcase our articles. Thanks for that, Skip J.

[Skip J.]

I try to squeeze at least one tai chi article in every issue. That's really tricky for our Shaolin Specials, but I still try to manage it. I try to put add more articles on internal too, which doesn't quite count as tai chi - water boxing is an excellent example of this.

That being said, we love it when schools showcase our articles. Thanks for that, Skip J.

Well - my instructor might completely disagree with me, you just never know. About 1/2 the time when I bring in a cma book or article she just loves it, and wants to share with all.. but the other 1/2 of the time the subject will be too much about another style; and/or the subject will be too well advanced and she has a serious concern about showing beginners stuff they will try and hurt themselves...

After 4 plus years I still can't guess how she will react.. So I'll make up my book and take it in and see what she says.. you just never know. They are all her students, and sometimes I get a bit carried away trying to be helpful... I'm another one of those internal true believers at heart I guess.

Do you mind if I call it the KF Tai Chi Resource Book????

Beginner old folks will run from the words "Kung Fu" like they were shot out of a cannon. You have to kind of ease them into the idea that taijiquan is a martial art over the first year, and if they stick around, you can instruct them a little bit in the martial apps the second year. Soooooo, the 13 Postures and the standing post articles would definitely be good in a beginners book..... the water boxing is strictly an advanced style and articles about it would not be in a beginner's book. Hmm... maybe I need to start a more advanced book for that someday when some of the intermediates decide to stay and progress on... That's why they call it a library...

[TaichiMantis]

And I meant what I said.

Subscribers will get a special treat with our next issue. That'll be our May June 2010. You're all going to want to be subscribed for this one, even if the issue comes a little later than newsstand.

Well Gene, you finally hooked me in for 2 years + shirt + dvd (I hope)

[GeneChing]

You can call that book whatever you like, Skip J. Thanks for doing that. I hope your instructor approves.

The Kung Fu versus Tai Chi issue has always been with us. Tai Chi is more of a new age/spirituality market on the newsstands. During 2000, we made a serious effort to penetrate that market, but like you said, most were put off by Kung Fu in front of our title. We debated how to present it. There was even a lot of debate about whether our website should be KungFuMagazine.com or KungFuTaiChiMagazine.com. The latter just got to be too big of a mouthful. It's always been problematic, but what can you do?

[GeneChing]

Here's the unabridged version of our cover story, The Commitment to Preserving the Art, complete with video. The March April issue will be on the newsstand until the end of March.

And don't forget, our next issue comes with an exclusive DVD insert. Subscribe now!