Chan Tai San stories

[Jeffoo]

Not sure how it worked for you southern guys :P but for Northern Shaolin based systems the dummies were used more to condition the body, using actual fighting techniques rather than for teaching someone how to fight per se.

If you've ever read The Shaolin Authentic, written in 1925, you would see that most of the bag, dummy training was used to toughen parts of the body more than what you can accomplish by using a live partner. Head, fingertips, forearms, shoulders and hips were the big ones but the entire body was toughened up in this way. I think now the dummies are used more to simulate fighting because there are precious few people who want to train hard anymore. So the dummies take the place of an opponent, since dummies don't **** and whine about "illegal moves" or getting hit too hard. Even the Mui Fa poles were used to condition the body as well as to train stances, work on balance, etc. Many of the exercises on the poles were designed to train and condition the practitioner to toughen their legs and shins to the point where one could effectively use a stance to break the opponent's knee.

I've used the CLF dummy for years before I trained in mantis. I did some CLF and Pa Kua Chang prior to my mantis years. Using that spring arm to work grabs and traps was an amazing skill to develop. When I got into mantis my Kiu Sao was light years ahead of my peers as a result.

On an unrelated note, Chris, have you ever learned the Lohan Gong Qigong exercises? I have a book written by Wong Hun Fun about it that was sent to me from my kung fu uncle in Hong Kong, who has taken over mentoring me in mantis.

I have that and the Yi Chin Ching (the old way) available electronically to qualified people.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Not sure how it worked for you southern guys :P but for Northern Shaolin based systems the dummies were used more to condition the body, using actual fighting techniques rather than for teaching someone how to fight per se.

You learn to fight by fighting, just like you learn to swim by swimming, conditioning, I always assumed, was the "point" of dummy work, BUT you still should have it as realistic as possible, and spring loaded arms the smack you like a bad, bad donkey, are way cool !

[cjurakpt]

On an unrelated note, Chris, have you ever learned the Lohan Gong Qigong exercises? I have a book written by Wong Hun Fun about it that was sent to me from my kung fu uncle in Hong Kong, who has taken over mentoring me in mantis.

I have never learned that, at least not by that name - maybe some of the moves are similar to others I have learned...

I have that and the Yi Chin Ching (the old way) available electronically to qualified people.

the version of Yik Gan (yo-ga: make sense? ) Ging that I learned from my teacher is nuts: 43 moves total (I honestly forget how many I've done: upwards of 35 at least, maybe ~38? I have to check my notes, it's been a while since I've practiced it regularly ); it's also totally different than any other YGG that I have ever seen anywhere else, without exception - when you come to NYC, we can compare notes...

[cjurakpt]

spring loaded arms the smack you like a bad, bad donkey, are way cool !

more like an angry donkey; and one that hasn't had a bath in years ()...

[lkfmdc]

wow, and all this time I thought the idea was just to slap the dummy as fast as I could like a conga drum

[sanjuro_ronin]

wow, and all this time I thought the idea was just to slap the dummy as fast as I could like a conga drum

I think someone is confusing slapping the salami with dummy work.

[cjurakpt]

Yeah the family is great. The girls love their kung fu. I am teaching for the Association of Chinese Americans in Detroit and have taught my kids now since they were babies.

I will be in NYC soon too.

cool - when? I think you and my teacher would hit it off (he also has 3 girls...); later, we can go hit the strip bars with Gus & Raul!

oh - look for the Winter issue of "Qi Journal" that just came out - there's an article in it by him about taiji's relationship to Daoist Alchemical Practice

[diego]

Not sure how it worked for you southern guys :P but for Northern Shaolin based systems the dummies were used more to condition the body, using actual fighting techniques rather than for teaching someone how to fight per se.

If you've ever read The Shaolin Authentic, written in 1925, you would see that most of the bag, dummy training was used to toughen parts of the body more than what you can accomplish by using a live partner. Head, fingertips, forearms, shoulders and hips were the big ones but the entire body was toughened up in this way. I think now the dummies are used more to simulate fighting because there are precious few people who want to train hard anymore. So the dummies take the place of an opponent, since dummies don't **** and whine about "illegal moves" or getting hit too hard. Even the Mui Fa poles were used to condition the body as well as to train stances, work on balance, etc. Many of the exercises on the poles were designed to train and condition the practitioner to toughen their legs and shins to the point where one could effectively use a stance to break the opponent's knee.

I've used the CLF dummy for years before I trained in mantis. I did some CLF and Pa Kua Chang prior to my mantis years. Using that spring arm to work grabs and traps was an amazing skill to develop. When I got into mantis my Kiu Sao was light years ahead of my peers as a result.

On an unrelated note, Chris, have you ever learned the Lohan Gong Qigong exercises? I have a book written by Wong Hun Fun about it that was sent to me from my kung fu uncle in Hong Kong, who has taken over mentoring me in mantis.

I have that and the Yi Chin Ching (the old way) available electronically to qualified people.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Y72-29...eature=related

This link have anything to do with the old way?...tendon strengthening and marrow washing concepts have always intrigued me...I can't wait to meet someone who can teach me the real

[Jeffoo]

That video is interesting. That's not the old way of doing Yi Chin Ching the way I learned it. It looks like a mix of Ba Duan Jin, some of the Ba Gua Qigong I learned with Park Nam's school of Ba Gua and some other exercises. It's quite good and from the different Qigong I learned, I can see where this has a lot of similar elements in it. It's not Yi Chin Ching in the classic sense but it looks like some very good and effective drills.

The old style of Yi Chin Ching is actually quite simple to practice but done properly is pretty intense and very effective. Most of the moves are small and performed with very little movements, but since they occur when parts of your body are already slightly hyper extended, then the workout is intense. Let me see if I can get any pics of it to show maybe the 1st exercise in here and maybe if Gene is interested do an article for it.

[lkfmdc]

I learned Sifu Chiu Leun's version of the Sahp Baat Lo Han heih gung (the standing parts at least).... useful stuff, and I felt worked in well with the Lama actually

[Jeffoo]

I learned Sifu Chiu Leun's version of the Sahp Baat Lo Han heih gung (the standing parts at least).... useful stuff, and I felt worked in well with the Lama actually

Yeah it seems as if each style has its own "lohan Gong" or "Yi Chin Ching" exercises. The ones I learned are the very same that you see on the walls of Shaolin. The walls built BEFORE 1981 :P

[cjurakpt]

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Y72-29...eature=related

This link have anything to do with the old way?...tendon strengthening and marrow washing concepts have always intrigued me...I can't wait to meet someone who can teach me the real

there are some very vague similarities to how we do it, like Heaven & Earth, Hero Draws Sword, Bending Bow to Shoot Tiger and Pulling Ox's Tail, but missing a lot of details; he actually does a very neat version of "Lemur Gazing" (the thing where he brings the fingertips up to the eyes); but it's missing what we refer to as the "Three Pillars" movements of Yuet Tin Chu (Swinging the Heavenly Pivot), Dai Lihk Gung and Tit Myuhn San (Closing the Iron Gate)

[Seppukku]

I think those are derived from the Big Six-Fist, though. They're not the original movements.

[lkfmdc]

another set I am doing at "walk through" speed

Sahp Jih Kau Dah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjAZloVS024

thanks to Mike for archiving this stuff

[doug maverick]

good form. it was actually at video instruction speed. maybe it was just me but i could probably pick that form up if i watch that video five more times. but that's beside the point. you could really tell you knew what you were doing each technique was clear.