Lift Hands Magazine Volume 13 March 2020 - The Multi-Award Winning Magazine of the Year 2019

volume 13

March 2020

Wudang Hand Weapons: The Original Da Shou Part 1 The Hammer

Medical Implications of Combat T’ai Chi Ch’uan Part 1

Dr. Gregory T. Lawton The Energies of Taijiquan Part 1 The ‘Lost’ Hakka Mantis Style Longevity and much more inside

Editor Nasser Butt

British Martial Arts Awards Magazine Of The Year 2019

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Lift Hands

The Internal Arts Magazine Volume 13 March 2020

Editor

Nasser Butt

L’orso Solitario

Published by L’orso Solitario Books, Leicester, United Kingdom Lift Hands The Internal Arts Magazine Editor Nasser Butt Copyright © by Nasser Butt, 2020 & Fa-jing Ch’uan Internal Chinese Boxing Schools Nasser Butt asserts the moral right to be identified as the editor & owner of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the editor.

Waiver of Liability: The publisher assumes no liability for the use or misuse of information contained within this book. By purchasing or electronically downloading this publication, the reader hereby, waives any and all claims he or she may have now or in the future against Nasser Butt and Fa-Jing Ch’uan Internal Chinese Boxing Schools or its affiliates.

The points of view represented here are solely those of the authors’ concerned. You do not have to subscribe to them if you do not wish. Nor is their inclusion here necessarily an endorsement by Fa-jing Ch’uan Internal Chinese Boxing School or its affiliates.

Cover Photo (main): Dr Gregory T. Lawton with Mohamed Jabateh Cover Design © Nasser Butt, 2020 Cover Photography: Abass Ali Back Design: Copyright © Nasser Butt 2020; Photography: Marios Eleftheriou

lift hands

March 2020

5

contents

Editor’s Note

Page 9

The House of Mouse The Art of Amy Faulkner

Page 11

Why Study T’ai Chi Ch’uan as a Martial Art Alan R. Ludmer

Page 13

Erle Montaigue’s Mother Applications To The Small San-sau Peter Jones

Page 16

The Hammer: The Wudang Hand Weapons Part 1 Nasser Butt

Page 20

Longevity Gavin Mulholland

Page 36

The ‘Lost’ Hakka Mantis Style Yasser Bilgrami

Page 40

Women On The Rise Blog Team

Page 44

The Medical Implications of Combat T’ai Chi Ch’uan Techniques: Investigating Blunt Force Trauma - Part 1 Dr. Gregory T. Lawton

Page 47

How To Make: Legally Approved German Nunchaku Bubishi Team Austria

Page 62

20 Questions with Amanda Wilding

Page 63

Song of the Columbine Dr. Gregory T. Lawton

Page 70

‘Budo’… Rest in Peace Katherine Loukopoulos

Page 72

The Energies of Taijiquan - Part 1 Nasser Butt

Page 78

Hadjios Valley Camp 2020 Details

Page 88

Peasant Talk

Page 95

Useful Contacts

Page 97

The Art of Louiseneige Be

Page 98

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9

T

ees

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Please Note: Colour of print & text may vary depending upon the colour of the t-shirt chosen.

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W

elcome to Volume 13 of the multi-award winning Lift Hands Magazine - the first

issue of a new decade!

The world is on lockdown!

editor’s note

Nasser Butt

The beginning of 2020 has sadly seen the global population in the grip of a lethal pandemic Covid-19, aka Coronavirus.

By the time this publication will be read, I have no doubt that most of us will be sitting at home - in self-isolation - wondering how long this will last? Does it matter? The most pressing question would be: How did we get here in the first place?

Martial arts are not just about fighting. They are not about winning championships or belts.

If that is all your school is about and that is how you measure success - than, sadly, you have already failed!

It is in pressing times such as these that your true martial arts will come to the fore.

We train hard not just to protect ourselves and our loved ones, but also those who cannot help themselves. It is our sacred duty.

I do not wish to pontificate. But, I do hope that martial artists all around the globe are offering their services to the vulnerable and needy at this time.

The theme this year is the martial!

Taijiquan in particular, has suffered as a martial art. It’s fighting prowess has been decaying for almost a hundred years. It is the Taiji community itself which is guilty of this. They, themselves, are guilty of having reduced this formidable art - which once graced the imperial courts of China and the likes of Yang Lu-ch’an, who were coveted by lords, and every noble household - to a laughing stock! A dance!

It is high time that Taiji is placed back within the domain of the fighting arts. Whilst its health and rejuvenation powers are indeed worthy, we must realise that they are the result and by-product of the martial art!

Just like plants don’t photosynthesize with the intention of producing oxygen [it is their waste product] for other living organisms, so too, Taiji’s health benefits are a ‘waste’ product of its martial origins.

The clue lies in the name - Taijiquan - Supreme Ultimate Boxing!

For far too long charlatans and poor teachers have been getting away with it… hiding behind the health aspects with laughable fighting skills. Enough!

We are fortunate that we have many contributors to the magazine who still practice the fighting art and in the coming months they will share their knowledge on a variety of subjects relating to the martial.

I would like to thank each and every one of you who has once again contributed with their time, knowledge and assistance in the making of this issue.

Please stay safe. See you in June under, hopefully, better circumstances.

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Hammer

11

Why Study T’ai Chi Ch’uan as a Martial Art? Alan R. Ludmer

T

here is a major problem in the Tai Chi (Taiji) Community regarding accepting and practicing Tai Chi as a

martial art. Many Tai Chi practitioners are averse to the art’s martial aspects. They see TCC’s martial aspects as conflict, unharmonious, dangerous or just unnecessary? I believe the problem is that many have very little understanding of value of studying the martial. It is unfortunate that many current Tai Chi teachers have no or very little martial experience. We are in danger of losing an incredibly valuable component of our art and a critical vehicle that can enable us to maximize the value of Tai Chi Chuan.

I was fortunate that I came to the internal arts with years of western boxing and hard old school karate experience.

It exposed me to the most immediate value of the martial arts, self-defense. Like almost everyone else, I got into the external martial arts to resolve personal issues. The external martial arts provided me with an important measure of self-validation, but never addressed my desire for internal growth. However, over the years I began to redefine my concept of self-defense.

The marital is the key to understanding T’ai Chi Ch’uan

Prof. Huo (left) and Alan in 1970 in Chicago, IL, USA

My Tai Chi teachers always stressed the critical value of the martial in understanding the art. My first introduction to Tai Chi was in Chicago, IL in 1969 with Professor Huo Chi Kwang. Professor Huo was both a scholar and a superb martial artist. My size, strength, and years of boxing and karate meant nothing when we sparred. He could dissolve at will and touch me with enormous power. When we discussed the martial, he always stressed that Tai Chi Chuan was boxing, but boxing for physical and mental health. The selfdefense was secondary. However, one had to master the self-defense aspects in order to attain the understanding in order to access the higher level physical and mental health benefits.

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In 1975, I moved to St. Louis, Missouri and was very fortunate to become a student of Tuey Staples. Tuey had an excellent external background and became a profound internal martial artist and teacher. When I ask him why he practiced the internal martial arts, he replied, “To become one with the universe.” He teaches that the study of the martial is the key to understanding Tai Chi Chuan. He sees the internal arts as a vehicle to be in the now, to be truly present. When you are in the now, you can respond appropriately to any situation, physical, emotional, or psychological. This is what I now see as Self Defense.

Prof. Huo (right) taught Alan with Tuey looking in 1975 in Chicago, IL, USA

Tai Chi is an art of change

Tuey Staples (right) taught Alan in 1975 in St. Louis, MO, USA

One can only harvest limited value from the practice of solo form and push hands. Form tends to foster a rigidity of thought; the form is always this, never that way. Master Somebody always did it this way. So after time, form trumps function. We take an art of infinite flexibility and make it rigid. We forget the most basic premise of Tai Chi which is the ability to accept and redirect all energy, and that all art is contextual. Although, push hands is an excellent drill for helping interpret your own and your partner’s energy, it is way too limited and structured. It is now either Tai Chi Sumo or Mush Hands. To learn the internal, you must expose yourself to those with real internal martial experience. One needs to learn how to execute energetic movement within an appropriate context.

To truly grow, one needs to liberate themselves from the tyranny of form. Tai Chi is an art of change based upon the individual practitioner’s interpretation and understanding. It is an art of change and constant movement. The intent is the ability to respond to all situations. It is like music. To grow as a musician you transcend from playing other artist’s music to playing your own songs.

Why is the martial critical to mastery?

The ability to accept and redirect energy. Life is not a game of soft pitch.

Life throws all kinds of pitches, at all kinds of speeds, in every direction.

Most practitioners can accept soft slow energy. What happens when opposition is hard, fast, and focused? Unless our art prepares us to address all situations, then it is incomplete. The martial teaches the ability to respond to all types of energy and safely redirect it. This isn’t just physical energy, but also emotional and psychological assaults. See a parallel to real life?

The ability to create your own art. Form has value, but in time practitioners must learn to make their own movements. Form is like a scaffold for a construction project. At some point, the scaffold has to come down, and the entity has to exist on its own. If you would like a musical analogy; learning a form is like learning one song. However, if you learn composition, melody, timing, etc you can make your own music. There is as much opportunity for creativity in martial arts as there is in any other art form. The martial stresses creativity under fire.

Demonstrating torque against a punch [top to bottom] 1, 2 & 3 by Tuey (left)

114

Accept the unexpected. The martial teaches one to expect and accept the unexpected. Life is constant change.

Tai Chi is an art of changes. One learns to detect the energy, blend and redirect it. The unexpected can cover a universe of encounters, much more than just physical. The martial teaches us to better handle the unexpected moments of life.

Being in the moment. I have judged a number of Tai Chi tournaments and I’m always dismayed by the lack of focus during form and push hands. Life is what is happening while one is thinking about the past or the future.

We are so caught up in getting to the destination, that we lose the present. The martial teaches one to stay focused, centered, and definitely in the present. The martial is true reality therapy and woe to those who can’t stay in the now.

Fear of the martial has everything to do with our own perceptions. I am enormously grateful to my teachers who showed me the true value of the martial. I have learned that kindness, good, and mercy come from the strong, never the weak. The strong can be elderly, small in statue, any gender, and even disabled. It is not a physical attribute, but a mental one. I see myself as a warrior. Not for evil, but as a warrior for our better values. Martial arts have made me a better father, grandfather, husband, employer, and human being.

About The Author: Alan Ludmer is originally from Chicago but has lived in St. Louis since 1975.

Alan’s early training was in western boxing and then karate. He studied Shotokan for a number of years and finished with a Ni Dan rank. In 1969, he began to study Tai Chi Chuan with Professor Huo Chi Kwang - a student of Yang Shou-hou. He was a private student and primarily studied the Yang Family Form with him through 1978.

Alan R. Ludmer with his teacher Grandmaster Tuey Staples 2018

After moving to St. Louis, Alan started studying with Master Tuey Staples. He has been with Tuey for almost 35 years, studying Tai Chi Chuan (Yang Personal Family and Chen Tzu Forms) and Ba Gua Chuan, and is one of his senior students.

15

Erle Montaigue’s Mother Applications To The Small San-sau A Brief Introduction Peter Jones

W

e are going to have a brief look at numbers 7 & 8 of Erle's mother applications.

Please remember when you are practicing your small San-sau, to separate the mother applications from the small San-sau. Always learn the small San-sau as it's meant to be done! These are Erle's add-ons to the small San-sau and when you are learning the mother applications - you must learn them as they are meant to be done. These mother applications are great training methods and also a great self-defence. Once you have learned and trained in them all, you can instinctively adapt to any situation.

When we start to learn these applications, in the beginning all we see are a group of movements, one little kata at a time. But, once we practice them - over time - we begin to understand and develop the skills to be able to adapt them for all kinds of different attacks.

Also, remember to always enjoy your training and hopefully your path will be a good one.

Seventh Mother Application Some of the points used: Gallbladder 24 [GB 24] We start from the last move in the San-sau [Photo 1], You follow through with an open right palm to your partners rib area [Gb 24], [Photo 2]. This is followed by another open palm strike to the kidney area with your left palm, [Photo 3] now you strike using both left and right palms to your partners chest and rib area with your open palms and, at the same time, you kick using your left foot into the back of your partners right leg [knee area], [Photos 4 & 5 - back and front view].

Photo 1

Photo 2

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Photo 3

Photo 4 [above] & Photo 5

Eighth Mother Application

Some of the points used: Stomach [St 9/10] We start this one just after the double palm strike to the chest, [Photo 1].

Now we start the mother application.

Using your palms you strike both sides of your partner’s neck, [use open palms right then left], [Photos 2 & 3], Keeping the move going, you then carry out two further strikes to the neck, [this time you make a hook shape - like single whip - with your palms and strike both sides of the neck], [Photo 4].

As already stated in the previous articles please stay well clear of the points in question and at no time attempt to strike your partner in any of them!

Photo 1

The next two mother applications will appear in Lift Hands Volume 14.

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Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

18

Introduction

J

oining Hands, Playing Hands, or ‘Push’ Hands has never been practiced in the Wudang - at least there in no direct evidence corroborating this until the modern era, but we do have evidence that there were other two-person training methods which taught you the same skills!

According to Master Liang Shih-kan - the Keeper of the Wudang Boxing System - The Twelve Wudang Hand Weapon were the precursors to Joining Hands or Push Hands [as they are commonly called]!

In 1995, whilst teaching Erle Montaigue, in his village just outside the Wudang - from inherited oral tradition Liang further told Erle that when Yang Lu-Ch’an came to the Wudang to finish off his training after his sojourn in the Chen Village, he trained in the Twelve Wudang Hand Weapons as well as the Twelve Qi Disruptive Forms - the original forms of Wudang Boxing upon which the Internal Arts of Taijiquan, Baguazhang and Xingyiquan are based!

Yang found these Hand Weapons very brutal and injuries were common in training amongst students, so he set about developing a training method which would teach the essence of the principles involved without hurting or damaging the student. Once students had mastered the base ideas, the original forms could then be taught without danger of injury or worse - Joining Hands/Playing Hands were born! Later, as more and more people started practicing Taiji as a health art and the martial art became more diluted, Joining Hands turned into Push Hands based upon incomplete transmissions of knowledge (deliberate and otherwise) and misunderstandings of training ideas to the point of Pushing Hands competitions being developed!

Students were given one weapon per year to develop and master before they could go on to the next one. In essence, twelve years of training after which the student had developed a devastating reflexive fighting method to counter any attack. Inherent within the Hand Weapons was the deadly art of dim-mak and the skills of developing fa-jing, and understanding rolling and sealing!

All twelve of the Hand Weapons contain the essential Thirteen Dynamics [Please refer to the article, Moving With Awareness - The 13 Dynamics, The Cornerstones And Their Significance, which appeared in Volume One of Lift Hands Magazine in November 2016, for a detailed explanation] - the foundations of Taijiquan’s fighting methodology and the basis of Dǎ Shou!

So, is there any evidence for the oral traditions mentioned above which corroborate Liang’s story as told to Erle and in turn passed onto his students - myself included? Or, is this simply another made up fantasy from the mind of Erle Montaigue - as he is often accused by his many detractors?

I have already dealt with this subject in the Fourth House of Yang - entitled Dǎ Shou - published in Volume 3 of Lift Hands in 2017 and will not go into the full details here. However, I will recap a few essential points below as a reminder for the reader.

Dǎ Shou Gē is all we have in the Taiji Classics pertaining to the subject of what is commonly known as ‘Push Hands’ or Tui Shou. These are the earliest and only lines on the subject - six to be precise - author unknown!

Everything else we possess is either a commentary or an exposition on the subject matter by the Masters of old.

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Before we proceed any further, however, we first need to first clarify what exactly does Dǎ Shou Gē mean?

打 - Dǎ = to beat / to strike / to hit / to break / to mix up / to build / to fight / to fetch / to make / to tie up / to issue / to shoot / to calculate / to play (a game)

⼿ - Shou = Hand 歌 - Gē = Song/to sing The six lines in Chinese translate into the following in English: Ward-off (P’eng), Rollback (Lu), Squeeze (Ji), and Press (Arn) must be taken seriously.

Above and below coordinate, it is difficult for the opponent to find a way in.

Let him attack me with as much power as he likes, for I will tug on his movement with four ounces of force moving his of a thousand pounds.

Guiding him in to land on nothing, I then close on him and send him away.

I stick to him and go along with his movement instead of coming away or crashing in The Taiji Classics

One thing should immediately become clear from the above - we are talking about a martial art!

Dǎ appears to be a very versatile verb indeed and no matter how we look at it, it does not mean ‘to push’ - that much should be obvious to any reader! The term ‘Push Hands’ is modern, just like the name Taijiquan (T’ai Chi Ch’uan). It was certainly not used in Yang Lu-Ch’an’s time and all the evidence simply points to this training method being referred to as Dǎ Shou (Note: Dǎ Shou also translates as ‘hired thug’ - although the words are spelt similarly there is a tonal difference and the two should not be confused!) - commonly translated as ‘Playing Hands’ or as it has more recently become known as ‘Joining Hands’, from the meaning ‘to tie up’!

Whilst the terms ‘Playing Hands’ and ‘Joining Hands’ are two of several interpretations of Dǎ Shou - I believe that the correct term should be ‘Striking/Fighting Hand’ to emphasize the real nature of this very important training method!

According to the “Preface” of Chu Minyi found in Wu Tu-nan’s (a disciple of Yang Shao Hou and a historian of Taijiquan) book - A More Scientific Martial Art: Taiji Boxing, published in 1931: “Taiji Boxing is a boxing art of the internal school. “

Furthermore, Wu himself adds: “Wang Yuyang said: 'Of the boxing arts, Shaolin is the external school and Zhang Sanfeng of Wudang is the internal school.’ After Zhang Sanfeng, there was Wang Zongyue of Xi’an. Having obtained Zhang’s true teachings, he then became famous for producing many writings in which he thoroughly explains Taiji Boxing’s profound principles.”

Again, Chen Pan-ling, another student of Yang Shao Hou and a historian, in the “Introduction” to his book - Chen Pan-ling’s Original Tai Chi Chuan Textbook, states: “Tai Chi Chuan belongs to Wutang school”

And finally, Yang Cheng-fu and Dong Yingjie in their book Methods Of Applying Taiji Boxing (Taijiquan Shiyong Fa) state in their “General Remarks” section: “Taiji Boxing is fundamentally related to Wudang’s boxing of internal skill.”

All of the above confirm the Wudang Connection!

In his major work, Tai Chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmissions - compiled and translated by

22

Professor Douglas Wile - we are told the following on page vii ‘Translator’s Note’: “Ch’ang-hsing gave him the transmissions of Chang Sang-feng, Chiang Fa and Wang Tsung-yueh, and Luch’an, realizing the Taoist origins of the art, journeyed to the Wu-tang Mountains in search of a master.

It was here that he studied Taoist yoga and the soft aspect of martial arts and invented push hands.

Returning to the world as a consummate martial artist, he was introduced by Wu Yu-hsiang in Peking.”

Wile, in his ‘Notes’ sources this information to Sung Fu-t’ing, Sung Chih-chien. 1966. “T’ai-chi ch’uan Yang tsushih Lu-ch’an chuan”(Biography of Yang Lu-ch’an). In T’ai-chi ch’uan yen-chiu chuan-chi 22,pp.19-21.

If the above is an accurate account of Yang Lu-ch’an’s travels and most historians agree that he did head to the Wudang, then we have a good reason to believe the oral tradition told by Liang to Erle to be true or at the very least based in history!

If he, indeed, invented Push Hands at the Wudang then he must have had a source from which to develop them and the Wudang Hand Weapons would certainly be a prime candidate. However, before we make a definitive decision is there any further evidence?

According to Xu Long-hou (Xu Yu-sheng), a disciple of Yang Jian-hou, who also trained under Yang Cheng-fu and briefly with Yang Shao-hou himself: “Shao-hou taught according to the studies learned from his uncle, Yang Ban-Hou (1837-1892), which included bone twisting methods, techniques to injure the adversary’s muscles, grasping veins and tendons as in Shou Wei Pi-Pa (Hands Play the Lute), fast hands combined with explosive kicking methods, joint locking, and methods to affect qi and blood through striking vital points.”

Xu Long-Hou’s Taijiquan Shi, Taiji Boxing Power (Developing Power in Taiji Movement) Published in 1921.

Translated & Annotated by Bradford Tyrey, Bradford Tyrey, North China Publications, USA, 2006. Translator’s Preface, pp.4.

And furthermore, Chen Wei-Ming (1881-1958), the famous disciple of Yang Cheng-fu, also alludes to this in his book T’ai Chi Ch’uan Ta Wen, when asked, what other fighting techniques does T’ai Chi use?

“Other methods I have heard about (but for which I do not know the use) are grabbing the ligaments, attacking pressure points, and special techniques of seizing and controlling.”

Note the glaring admission being made here by one of Yang Cheng-fu’s foremost disciples in the brackets above (emphasis mine)!

Finally, in the Taiji Manual of Gu Ruzhang, circa 1936, we are told:

“They are also six kinds of drills that are to be merged together into a single flowing method: 1.

Expanding and contracting, come and go. 2. Concentrate your spirit to intimidate the opponent. 3.

Sink, roll, rub, and twist. 4. Connect, cover, push, and lift. 5. Chop, drag, shovel, and carry. 6. Draw him in to land on nothing.”

If we look at these training methods of Shao-hou and then read the descriptions of Gu’s drills and compare them to the Wudang Hand Weapons below, the similarities are far too close to be discarded! Not only that but we are being very clearly told that these techniques were not shared with everybody nor explained in detail!

The Twelve Hand Weapons consisted of: Hammer: This two person set makes use of the closed fist using the base of the fist as a hammer. It also uses the back of the forearms to mimic the handle of the hammer to devastating effect, producing powerful blows along vulnerable points of the body.

Spear: This method is dangerous and caution must be taken when training as the eyes are involved. The hand mimics the head of a spear as the fingers cut and scrape the eyes as well as soft hollows of the neck. Again, like the hammer, the forearms mimc the pole of the spear.

Sword: Again, the forearms and the edge of the hands mimc the weapon by hacking and cutting the neck, whilst

23

palm is used to attack the hollows like the temple.

Plough: This develops reflexive actions to perfection as the hands learn to roll and mimic the soil-turning movements of the implement, cutting ‘furrows’ through your opponents defences!

Axe: This teaches us chopping movements in all directions.

Nun: This is a three-section implement for thrashing wheat or rice. The arm is bent at the wrist and elbow thereby producing three segments used to attack, trap and roll around your opponents arms, as the fingers attack the throat.

Combination: This one combines many aspects of the first six methods and teaches us about instant attack and defence in any given situation.

Dart: This method teaches us about the use of very quick hands in continuous striking with different methods.

One hand strikes as the other one controls or seizes as the hands dart rapidly in and out of attacks!

Drill: Self-explanatory - This method teaches us about one of the most important methods of attack using drilling methods to penetrate through your opponents defences and strike deep into the targets.

Shovel/Spade: This method makes use of the flats of the palms for attack and defence as you would if you were using a shovel! It also teaches you to ricochet off your opponents limbs to attack using a single motion.

Double Blades: This method uses the palms as if they were two circular blades/saws in attack and defence.

Stump Puller: This method has a lot of pushing (jerking) and pulling movements, including locks, which work upon joints to dislocate them and also to loosen and shaken your opponents grounding or root!

It would appear that Shao-hou’s art is closer to the original as opposed to Yang Cheng-fu’s and far more brutal in both practice and execution! Again, the description in Liang’s oral narrative is uncanny regarding the fact that Lu - ch’an found these methods far too brutal and injurious for the student (and Shao-hou was known to injure and brutalize his students and opponents in training) - not that they shouldn’t be taught, but that another way should be found to teach the necessary skills and then the ‘raw’ training methods could be given to the ‘deserving’ students more safely!

That the training methods of the Wudang are directly connected to or are at least the inspiration behind what we today call ‘Push Hands’ should no longer be in doubt. Although Gu speaks about “six kinds of drills,” it is numbers 3, 4 and 5 - each containing four of the ideas found in the Wudang Hand weapons that are the real clue.

The counting of six is merely how that information has been transmitted to him. Indeed, when Erle taught these, he taught them as a pair of six - just as he had been taught them himself!

Before concluding, I’d like to offer one further piece of evidence which I believe is critical to our discussion.

Virtually all of the Wudang hand weapons use the back of the arms in their executions or they, at least, play a major role and I’d like to remind the reader of the House of Rolling Thunder - House 2 [Lift Hands Volume 2] where we are specifically told by Chang Yiu-chun: “It is one of the Houses of Yang where we learn about the Thunder. When you use the backs of your arms, it will make the whole body aligned and balanced and also give one much great power in attack, it is like something rolling over and over until the fighting is finished. When the arms roll over, it makes the body as the Universe which is constantly changing and moving forward…”

And Erle’s response on the matter:

"Your way of doing pushing hands is the same as the ‘Rolling Thunder’ isn’t it, I have only just now realised this."

In Lift Hands Volume 7, I wrote in detail of an encounter between Sung Shu Ming and Yang Shao-hou in Beijing, as recounted to LeRoy Clark by students of Wu Tu-nan - the famous disciple of Yang Shou-hou, who at first was a disciple of Wu Jianquan, studying with him for 8 years before the latter recommended him to Shao-hou!

24

I will only summarise the relevant portion of the article which appeared in House 10 - The Qi Development Tools below: Sung’s skill is explained through the various energies of Taijiquan culminating in the highest level “Líng Kōng Jìn” . The 5 Essences or Levels - Taiji Kong are simplified in ascending level of development as: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Bone Tendon Skin Hair Chi

Sung’s skill level is described at the fourth level - hair!

Upon hearing of his arrival in Beijing, many Taiji masters (Wu Jianquan, Gi De) - including some of the most notable Yang students (Xu Yu Sheng, Lui Wen Wei, Lui Yuen Chen, Jiang Dien Chen and Wu Tu-nan) - showed up at Sung’s residence as a group, wishing to see his Taiji and test his skill .

Whilst Sung’s Taiji was not unlike the current Taijiquan of the time, when it came to Push Hands ‘Remarkably and significantly to the man, they all lost most decisively. Right then and there they all learned that none of them were really worthy opponents of Sung since none could even begin to cope with his method.’

So, what was it about Sung’s method that made his Push Hands so decisively invincible?

We are told very clearly that: ‘Most who practice push-hands like to use the two palms to press the other’s arms. Sung was different; notably different. Sung liked to place his arms below the other's palm. He used the back of his hand and the outside of his arm as contact points... Sung represented the fourth level, the level of"hair" in competency development.’

Sung’s skill involved connecting at three points - ‘the three Yang channels’ and that, ‘since he only used one side, the hair on his skin, this is called “the hair” level. But this level, rare as it is, may be considered only the 4th level of Taiji's skill.’

Sung’s handiwork spread around Beijing like wildfire - so much so that Yang Shou-hou decided to pay him a visit accompanied by his students, including Wu Tu-nan!

Yang Shou-hou was at that time the only Yang who had trained directly with all three of the original legendary Yangs - his father, Jian-hou, his uncle Ban-hou and his grandfather, the incomparable Yang Luch’an! With the formalities over, Shou-hou immediately asked Sung if he’d like to step out and join hands.

Sung had been waiting for this moment - the honour to join hands with the great Shou-hou, the grandson of the Yang Lu-ch’an himself - he accepted immediately!

‘When Sung just barely touched Shaohou, he later reported, he felt nothing but emptiness. He immediately felt there was no place "to put it."

Immediately, Sung said later, he knew that he had met a true opponent. Shaohou also said later that he felt Sung’s body had no place with substance. All that came from merely ever so lightly touching*.

So, those two people just stood there facing one another, their arms extended in front, just barely touching; in stillness; just using very subtle, extremely slight movement on one another.

Sung said he saw Shaohou as if he were practicing qi kung - suspending the head, body straight, qi entered the body, he was totally relaxed. Then, in a moment, Sung later reported, he suddenly became very confused, nearly disoriented. He tried to lead with qi but he became nervous and over-intentioned.

Suddenly, Shaohou just raised his hands and then, just as suddenly, relaxed. At that very moment, the witnesses reported they saw Sung Shu Ming suddenly fly back, as if he had been hit by a very strong gust of wind.’

Yang Shao-hou represented the fifth level - Chi! Sung acknowledging defeat stated:

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"How terrible is Ling Kong Jin (Traversing Emptiness)! Now I have experienced it; now I have learned it; now I understand it. I deeply appreciate the lesson."

Note the images below - This is exactly how Erle taught Dǎ Shou: Image 1 shows the traditional entering or ‘break step’ method at the ‘hair’ level. Image 2 is Erle and myself demonstrating the direction of Lu with Erle using the ‘three Yang channels’ versus my four. Image 3 is the classic ‘four Yang channels’ in the ‘three line stance’!

Image 1

Image 2

Image 4

Now, the above report should raise some very serious questions amongst modern Taiji practitioners!

The two most serious observations ought to be Sung’s method and that it was unbeknown to the echelon of Taiji practitioners including Yang students. It would appear that ALL of them only understood push hands at the’Skin’ level or less and certainly were not familiar with nor had trained in Sung’s method - Why? … it should be obvious that Yang Shou-hou understood and knew Sung’s method - yet his students didn’t he simply moved into the next gear. A level which Sung, himself, had no response to!

According to Madam Sun Jian-Yun - the daughter of the legendary Master Sun Lu-T’ang - in her Traditional Sun Lu-T’ang Style Commentary, as translated by Bradford Tyrey, we are clearly told: I must first explain that Master Hao Wei-Zhen, my father’s dearest taijiquan teacher, said that the term tuishou did not exist during the previous centuries. To practice application methods with another was known by the names daji-shou (hitting striking-hands) and ji-shou (striking hands), both mean the same thing.

He also used the term zhuang-shou (colliding-hands). This refers to push-hands methods in which xingyiquan or baguazhang applications were used to strike the adversary, like a waterwheel churning, its paddles colliding with the water, producing and transforming force. My father, therefore, used different terms to teach specialized push-hands concepts.

Again, Madam Sun’s statement here is critical. There is no ambiguity! The fact that she clearly describes her father’s teacher’s terminology and Sun’s methodology in a way wholly compatible with The Wudang Hand Weapons can be no coincidence!

It is my belief in the light of the information above that Dǎ Shou, should correctly be termed as Striking or Fighting Hands in their original sense! These names aptly describe, both, the Wudang Hand Weapons and Shaohou's training methods to the letter as opposed to tui-shou!

As masters of the original ‘Taijiquan’, I should recommend the Yang brothers Shaohou and Chengfu. They are also old friends of mine, thus I know that this boxing really has some knowledge of mechanics, but out of one hundred persons not even one gains its essence, and even if one can gain it, it is still one-sided, because the basic skills of intuitive perception already died out a long time ago…

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As for dealing with an enemy in a fight, against a master-hand, please do not even consider it, if the adversary is not stiff and sluggish, even the famous masters of this boxing have no chance to apply their skills. These abuses are so big that, ’Taijiquan’ might soon become just a mere form comparable to a chess manual. For the last twenty years, most people who have studied this boxing have not been able to differentiate right and wrong, even if someone has been able to differentiate them, he has not been capable of putting it into practice. As for common students, most of them use their ears instead of their eyes.

So ruined is this boxing that it has become useless, this is really deplorable. I wish that the powerful members of this school would promptly and strictly clean it up, and attempt to develop it in the future.

When the day of success comes, they will be held as the bosom friends of all the boxing fans.

Wang Xiangzhai The founding master of Dachengquan [Yiquan]

The Hammer The modern day hammer has had an incredible evolution since its origins when man needed to hit and smash shells or bones to get food...

The basics: A hammer is a tool for striking another object or substance, whether wood, metal, stone or anything else.

The modern day hammer has many variations, looks and sizes. Creating an extremely versatile tool.

Then man created the hammer; Archaeologists have now discovered the first appearance of a tool used as a hammer was 3.3 million years ago (149 found in Lake Turkana in northern Kenya in 2015) when a “hammer stone” was used to splinter more brittle stones like flint, into cutting and killing tools. After they began to perfect their technique, they formed and shaped axes, knives, then more intricate arrow heads and spear heads. Still later these protohumans used the formed shards into carving tools for wood, to break open animal skulls, bones, shells and even make jewellery.

This embryonic hammer, was little more than a heavy elliptical stone between 300 grams to a kilo smoothly formed at the bottom of a river bed, or from the sea. The stone was used to hit an object, which was sitting on a large flat stone below it, like an anvil. If a more intricate point was needed, the stone hammer would be replaced with a smaller stone, bones, ivory and antlers using more finesse for finishing the new cutting tools.

Then around 30,000 BC, an incredible 3.27 million years later! The next stage of the hammer’s evolution came into being.The addition of a handle; the stone being tied to either a piece of wood or bone with leather, vine, sinew, hair or similar substance tying the head to the handle. Creating the more familiar modern day looking hammer, similar to those made by native americans in the 1800s.

This addition may not seem a big one, but it enabled the user to have more control over what they were hitting, and the accuracy of the strike. It meant that this new hammer could be used for more intricate work and meant the creation of a more artisan society. With the advent of the handle this meant the hammers evolution to what we know today advanced exponentially. Having a handle also allowed the user to have less accidents with the wielded tool.

The History of the Hammer From Its Prehistoric Beginnings Published June 30, 2017 | By Langs_A langs.co.uk

The hammer is the first weapon of the Wudang. There are five hammers in Taijiquan.

The hammer is not a crude weapon which you simply pick up and swing!

There is a skill involved in lifting a hammer. There is a skill involved in striking with a hammer. There is a skill involved in utilising every part of the hammer - from the handle to the head!

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The Wudang Hammer Method teaches the practitioner the basis of the four primary energies - P’eng, Lu, Ji and Arn! It teaches us about the fundamentals of fa-jing as well as the relationship between the head, legs, waist and wrists connectivity!

It teaches us about continuous striking and how to use the back of our forearms in combat - rolling, churning and pouring over/through our opponent’s defences.

Far more importantly, it teaches the skills of rolling and sealing!

The methods may appear simple, but remember, the original practitioners spent an entire year studying just one as I have already stated above.

The methods start as single-hand methods [akin to the practice of single ‘push-hands,’ before advancing to the more complex two-handed drills [akin to double ‘push-hands’].

Forms cannot be taught using books, as the transitions cannot be isolated. A fluid motion cannot be appreciated nor understood from a static image. I will simply describe the solo, followed by the two-person method below and urge those who are seeking to learn these beautiful and powerful training methods to seek out a competent teacher.

I, along with my training partner and fellow instructor, Elliot Morris [who appears with me in the images overleaf], originally learned and trained in these methods almost 18 years ago, directly from our teacher Erle Montaigue.

Already these methods have been altered by those lacking understanding, thereby diminishing that what was being taught!

The Wudang Hand Weapons are as powerful as they are beautiful!

The Solo Method 1. All the methods are done in the reverse Gōng Bù stance [see below]. This is done so as to develop the power of the waist.

2. All the methods are done in 4 ways, i.e., right leg/right hand forward, right leg/left hand, left leg/left hand and left leg/right hand.

3. All methods obey the principles of Taiji.

4. All methods should be developed on the natural side of the practitioner first!

Reverse Gōng Bù Stance front and side views with right leg forward.

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Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Stand in a reverse Gōng Bù stance with your right leg forward and your left leg back. This isolates your hips, so that your primary movement comes from your waist. Your weight distributions are 70:30 percent in favour of the left leg. The hands hold the classic ‘old man’ posture - left hand p’eng and right hand hinge [Figure 1]. The right hand is held slightly yang.

As you start to bring your weight forwards onto the front foot, your waist turns to your left, causing your right hinge to bump across your centre as it changes state from yang to yin [Figure 2]. Your waist now turns back to the right, causing your right arm to rise in an arc - level with your head - as your fingers start to close due to the centrifugal movement of the waist [Figure 3].

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

As your weight arrives forward, your waist snaps back to the left, causing your right hand to roll and hammer downwards in arc - like a boulder rolling off the bottom of a hill - [Figure 4]. This is a critical skill as it teaches us the concept of rolling and sealing!

The waist now instantly snaps back to the right once more, forcing the hammer to whip sideways throat height, towards the right {Figures 5 & 6].

The waist continues to move slightly more to the right [Figure 7] and once more turns towards the left as the hammer rolls and snaps into position around the height of your temple [Figure 8]. This is a very short motion,

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Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

almost like the cracking of a whip!

Finally, to finish, the waist continues its leftward motion as the right hand opens and you simply fold your right arm across your centre [Figure 9]. The waist turns back to right, the right hand is yin, as if hooking something across the body. The weight moves back towards the left foot as the left hand forms a hammer and delivers a single knuckle strike in a straight line [Figure 10].

The practitioners must note how the hands remain upon the centre throughout the method. It is the centre [waist] which is causing the hands to move and change shape. In order to achieve this your arms must be in a total state of soong!

The drill must be practiced until you can execute it in its entirety at a fa-jing level on the beat of one! As already mentioned above, it must be practiced four ways.

Figure 10

Pay special heed to the words that students were given one weapon per year to develop and master before they could go on to the next one. This means that there is more to this drill than meets the eye. Fools will rush with it, thinking that they have mastered it at a stroke, or worse still will think they are invincible, when in reality all they have done is wave their arms around!

Below, I will outline the two-person method of the same drill.

Practitioners are advised that this is a training method, not a competition!

Both practitioners must agree upon the purpose of their training, otherwise they will fail to learn the lessons which the drill will impart.

Both practitioners must agree to the pace of the drill. There is no point if one is going at a hundred miles per hour and the other at the pace of a snail.

All transitions must be fluid. The whole body must move as a single unit - connecting from the feet through the waist to the hands and rooted. The energy sunk into the Tan-tien!

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The Two-Person Method

A

B

To start the method B throws a straight punch at A straight down the centre.

A bumps B’s forearm with his right hinge as he shifts his weight forwards on his right leg, turning his waist to his left.

A’s waist turns back to the right causing the right arm to rise in an arc - lifting and loading the hammer.

A’s waist snaps back to the left as the hammer attacks B’s forearm just below the elbow at either Colon 10 or 12, arching and rolling.

A’s waist turns back to the right causing the hammer to roll and strike sideways across the throat into the Adam’s apple!

A’s waist instantly turns back to the left causing the hammer to roll and strike Gallbladder 3 [temple] point at the side of the head.

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A now folds his arm across B’s left forearm and whips his waist once more to the right, opening up B and strikes with a single knuckle punch to the throat at Stomach 9 as his weight shifts back to his left leg.

B borrows the energy from A’s turn to the right and bumps A’s forearm to his left as he shifts forwards.

The roles have now reversed and B continues to do the entire drill.

A Word of Caution The points and targets mentioned in this drill are for reference purposes only! They are extremely dangerous and at no point should any attempt be made to actually strike your partner!

Only the hinge component of the drill is permitted with reasonable power and the strike to Colon 10 can be executed lightly.

To develop power, each individual component of the strike can be carried out with a partner wearing strike mitts.

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2020

marks my 50th year training in the Martial Arts so I thought I would reflect a little

about what it has done for me and how it (or maybe me) has changed over the years.

When I was a child, martial arts gave me confidence, coordination, made me face fears and gave me a sense of achievement and pride.

When I was a teenager, they gave me a positive focus, discipline, and a healthy outlet for an aggressive and competitive mindset. They also gave me positive role models and a 'gang' worth belonging to.

In my twenties Karate made me strong, powerful and fast. It enabled me to reach peaks of physical fitness and endurance I never thought possible. I had a clear view of my place in the scheme of things and, at this level, I both had respect and gave respect. I learned to be respectful to all and humble(ish!)... And I reluctantly, started to teach what little I knew.

In my thirties, through discipline and hard work I learned that your twenties do not have to be your peak years at all. Better at 35 than I was at 25. I put my skills to use and made money on the doors of pubs and clubs, alongside some body-guarding and close protection work. Karate took me around the world. I met amazing people who left me in awe at their skills. I wanted to be able to do those things so the fires still burned brightly.

In my forties, I took karate into the new arena of the Cage. We did well. 16 wins from our first 20 professional cage fights - most by knockout. I learnt a lot. My students began to be my teachers as I learned as much from their wins and losses as I had from my own - probably more. I also learned that the real 'winners' in the dojo were not necessarily the best fighters. I hadn't seen this in my twenties, and it was a game changing revelation.

Now, in my fifties, I have returned to my roots (not that I ever left them) because there is still so much to learn.

And I continue to learn, none the least from my own students, day in day out and am lifted and grow from their struggles and pains. Through teaching, things become clear. I know what I know but can also see what I need to be working on.

Through karate I have fought many times and in many different formats, both sporting and for real. I have both won and lost. I have been so scared that I've thrown up before stepping up to fight. But I have also laughed so hard I thought I would pass out through lack of oxygen.

I have marched for two days and one night straight while carrying 30lb on my back. I have slept three nights above the snow line with no shelter but what I could make and no food but what I could catch. All to make me stronger.

I have hitch-hiked the length of Japan, training in a different dojo every night and, if the Sensei would allow, sleeping there before moving on the next day. Many times when the dojo wasn't available, sleeping rough. I have trained on beaches in Indonesia, in boxing gyms in Thailand, in woods in Malaysia, in parks in China, in Hong Kong docks, in car parks in the U.S., on mountains in Scotland, in the wilds of New Zealand and the outback of Australia to name but a few.

I have cornered my students in some real battles - British and World MMA titles - even as far as Bellator and the

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UFC. I have been honoured to share their joys in victory and their despairs in defeat. I have teared up on The Field of Truth as time after time normal but extraordinary people have pushed themselves beyond their limits in the 30 Man Kumite. I have travelled to the Shaolin Temple in Northern China and climbed the mountain to meditate outside Bodhidharma's cave.

I recently lost a brother. There have always been five of us and, I can't lie, his loss has hit me hard. My refuge?

Karate. Not for the first time I have buried myself in my training and although the hurt is still very raw, I feel I have turned a corner in the last few days. Martial arts once again came to my rescue. A place to be, to vent, to focus, to release, to replace emotional pain with physical pain, at least for a short while.

Karate is amazing. It isn't a static thing but means different things to different people, and different things to the same people at different times. But the one thing that has remained constant, is the people.

Through karate I have made life-long friends - some of who I hardly ever see, but that doesn't seem to matter, we remain bonded for life. I have been lucky enough to meet and spend time with some of the most incredible people on the planet. Hard people sure, but people with discipline, integrity, loyalty, camaraderie, warmth and a zest for life found in few other walks of life.

I am very grateful to what the Martial Arts have given me. Better at 57 than I was at 27. I thank everyone who has taught me, trained with me or trained under me. I owe you all. I remain as enthusiastic now as I ever was and can't wait to see where the journey takes me next.

Osu!

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“True Kung Fu is rooted in the feet, developed in the legs, is directed by the waist and functions through the fingers.”

A Maxim of K.S.Hsiung Southern Hakka Praying Mantis Kung Fu

History The K.S.Hsiung Branch of the Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu was brought to India by Sifu Chen Kiu around the turn of the early twentieth century. Sifu Chen had learnt the system from Sifu Yaap Mune who was allegedly a disguised monk working as a cook on the ship on which Sifu Chen was engaged in the profession of a merchant marine. It is speculated that Sifu Yaap Mune’s teacher may have been Wong Leng who along with Lee Siem See were the two disciples of Saam Dart (Red Eyebrow priest) who is credited with the creation of the Southern Praying Mantis system.

Sifu Chen eventually moved to India and settled in Kolkata’s Chinatown (called “Tangra”) where he started teaching students of Hakka descent only at the premises of the Chinese Press Club as well as privately.

He passed the system on to his disciple Sifu Khian Seoung Hsiung sometime in the 1950s who carried the torch forward and eventually (in his broad mindedness) opened the style to all nationalities in 1975.The class was then relocated to the premises of the Pei Moi School.

Sifu Hsiung taught till his passing in the year 2000 and was of the 4th Generation of inheritors and therefore he was the contemporary of Sifu Lum Whing Fay of Juk Lum Mantis and Sifu Ip Shuei of Chow Gar Mantis (amongst others).

Sifu Hsiung entrusted the system to three 5th Generation disciples, one of whom was my late teacher, Sifu Abhijit Mukerji (my Sihing and I are 6th Generation disciples of Sifu Mukerji).

Sifu K.S.Hsiung (background: photo of Sifu Chen Kiu)

The system is referred to as Thong Long Quet Tsot (Hakka Moiyang dialect meaning “Praying Mantis Countryside Style”) or as K.S.Hsiung Southern Praying Mantis and has been preserved virtually intact with an active history of 80 years or so of being taught(albeit secretly)in India alone.

The style has five main empty hand Sets these being:

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1. Ki Bo Jin: meaning 9 Step Arrow, this is the main training Seed of the system and is conceptually similar to the various 3 Step Arrow, Sam Chien, San Chin, Jik Bo , etc., power development Sets of other lineages.

2. Pai Sith: meaning 8 Steps, this is essentially a stance training method which is aligned to specific offensive and defensive hand forms of the system.

3. Sine Su: meaning FreeTechnique, this Set has an energy development method and teaches the meshing and expression of the derived power through various empty hand forms.

4. Fa Khian: meaning Flower Fist, this Set introduces devastating finger strikes that are aimed at the body’s vital pressure points.

5. Chaap Fu: meaning Subduing Tiger, this Set elaborates on the concepts introduced in the earlier four training Sets.

6. The weapon Sets taught are those of the Staff and Sword.

All the empty hand Sets are a pre-requisite of the training of Shiem Kung (“Spirit Kung Fu”).

The Creed of the system and the hand made metal walking stick of Sifu Chen Kiu

Concepts from the “Ki Bo Jin” Set In traditional Chinese systems the first Set that is taught is also usually the main representative Set of the system with it being the embodiment of the systems main principles and core methodologies. The Ki Bo Jin is one such Set, and it inculcates the body mechanics and the framework required for generating the systems signature Gen or ‘Shock Power.’

Precise footwork that is derived from the method that the Hakka used to pull rice with their feet is applied conceptually with the lead leg initiating the movement in a semicircular manner and culminating in relaxed feet that, ’slap’ the ground (this ‘slapping’ method is similar to the Xan Bu Step found in Internal Chinese Kung Fu).

This slap of the feet initiates the power that travels up and through a uniquely held body alignment and exits through the finger tips, it is essentially power that is derived from rooting is channeled through the legs, directed by the waist, through a curved “C” Sifu Abhijit Mukerji and Sifu K.S.Hsiung shaped back and out through the fingers. The scapular control and push the arms outwards and forwards thus relaxing and extending the shoulders for further reach. The body issues power through the interaction and exchange of two ‘Bows’ or two C’s with the first being the vertical C which is formed by the curving of the back (“weavers back”) and the next being the horizontal C which is formed by the two extended arms and a concave chest (“monkey chest”). The placing of the hands and arms throughout the system is always within the parameters of the practitioners eyesight (this trains the reflexes).

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Taiji and Southern Mantis, brief thoughts A diligent practitioner of Taiji especially the Old Yang Style Taiji as taught by the late Erle Montaigue will find conceptual structural similarities with the aforementioned description of the power generation matrix and training methodology from the Ki Bo Jin Set. The late Sifu K.S.Hsiung always mentioned that the difference between Taiji and Southern Mantis was “19/20” meaning negligible. I found this to be so.

When I first met my Southern Mantis Sifu in the summer of 2009 I found him to possess the similar attributes of power generation as the ones that I had been working on in Taiji (since 1994) and the Old Yang Taiji (since 1998), this was to our mutual astonishment. It also did not take me much time in getting to grips with the Ki Bo Jin Set or for that matter for my Sihing to learn the first third of Sifu K.S.Hsiung the Old Yang from me, the matter resided in the two of us just simply ‘switching gears’ mentally.

If ever an Old Yang Taiji practitioner who has reached or is approaching the ‘small frame’ level is put inside a phone booth and asked to perform the set with correct energy in that restrictive space, his expression of movement and energy discharge will conceptually be as the performance mechanics of the Ki Bo Jin Set. The only difference being that in Southern Mantis the switching between the Yin and Yang states is more visibly physical.

Old Hakka students

A story of Sifu K.S.Hsiung Once before class time, sometime in the early 90s, Sifu Hsiung had misplaced the key for the cast iron padlock of the class hall, in irritation he proceeded to hit the padlock with a ‘Khian Thang’ strike which forced the padlock open! This was witnessed by my late Sifu as well as a host of other people at the time.

The ‘Khian Thang’ (nicknamed ‘Khian Khan’ by my late Sifu) is a downward falling Phoenix-eye fist strike.

Sifu K.S.Hsiung with students

Conclusion The lineage teachings of the late K.S.Hsiung are kept alive by a handful of practitioners training quietly in a few locations around the world.

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W

hen Nicola Adams became the first women’s Olympic boxing champion in 2012, it not only marked

another milestone in the evolution of women’s sport when women competed for the first time in every Olympic sport, it also provided the inspiration for a new generation of female participation in sport.

This is not to say women’s boxing did not previously exist, it simply did not have the same acceptance and worldwide media platform afforded to their male counterparts. Kath Woodward, Professor of Sociology at the Open University explains in an article that the origins of women’s boxing can be traced to 18th Century England in the form of prize fighting.

The decision in 2009 to include women’s boxing as an Olympic sport was a point in a journey lasting 105 years when women’s boxing featured in the 1904 Games as a demonstration event. When the decision was announced, it resulted in the number of registered women boxers in Britain as reported in the Guardian hit an all-time high of more than 900 compared to the 70 registered in 2005 as competitors from other disciplines converted to boxing for a chance to compete at the Olympic Games in London.

Female participation in the Olympic Games continues to increase with every passing Olympiad, accounting for only 2.2% in the 1900 Paris games, women will now represent 48.8% of competitors in the 2020 Tokyo games.

This increase can be contributed to the 1991 requirement that any new sports included on the Olympic programme must include women’s events. While the number of female participants continues to increase, the same cannot be said for women coaches who remain underrepresented according to IOC statistics. The Gender Equality Review Project found that women coaches accounted for 11% of all accredited coaches at the Rio 2016 games and has highlighted the need to address this imbalance.

Although the prominence of women’s sport is not yet at the same level as men’s, statistics released by Fifa and reported by the BBC show a record breaking 1.12 billion viewers watched the 2019 Women’s World Cup. The final between The USA and The Netherlands attracted an estimated live audience of 82.18 million and the England semi-final loss to the USA attracted 11.7m, the highest live UK TV audience of 2019 at that point.

The University of Manchester acknowledges the increased popularity, participation and status of women’s football across the world, but also highlights the continued gender inequality with most players receiving salaries of less than US$1,000. Research found that 89% of women footballers cite low pay and precarious contracts being major contributors towards decisions to leave the game early. A report by The FA points out, that since the tournament, there are over 850,000 more committed participants playing football. With new programmes introduced to inspire the next generations of lionesses, such as Wildcats. This programme provides more than 30,000 girls with the opportunity to play in their community at one of the 1,200 centres. Additionally, alongside Disney, The Youth Sport Trust and the National Literacy trust, The FA launched their Shooting Stars Initiative, which is designed to encourage 1,200 primary schools to inspire girls to get active and learn the fundamentals of football during break time and after school.

There are few sporting moments that make headlines across the media spectrum than the achievements of Fallon Sherrock, one of two women to qualify for the PDC World Darts Championship and the first to win a match.

Following her first-round win over Ted Evetts, she reinforced the argument during her appearance on BBC Breakfast that women darts players need more opportunities to compete.

The PDC Chair Barry Hearn was reported to have said via the BBC Sport website that Fallon has “inspired the nation – the world, it has been everywhere, from New York to Melbourne”. Following this victory, Fallon has been granted a place at five World Series events in 2020 in addition to qualifying for the US Darts Masters. There is hope that this success can spur the next generation of female players. Like other sports, there is the acknowledgement that not enough has been done for this market and promises have been made that this will change.

Reports into closing the pay gap between women and men, reports into how there is the need for more women coaches and the creation of projects to get more young girls involved in sport are not commissioned because someone asked nicely, they are commissioned due to the fact that there is a demand for this product across the sporting spectrum.

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There is also the realisation that sport not only generates revenue, it brings communities together, creates a healthier population, has a positive impact on mental health and is a recognised tool in the fight to reduce crime, an article via Gov.uk confirmed the Government has renewed its commitment to use sport to support young people in serious violence hot spots.

‘Momentum,' ‘inspiration,' ‘breaking barriers,' ‘record breaking’ are some of the words and phrases used to describe the powerhouse that is women’s sport. By bringing women’s sport to a worldwide audience and building on these achievements there is only one direction it can go, and that is up.

The Blog Team are all on a course at University, presently studying Working with people in Sports and Fitness.

Bibliography; References; Association, T. (2020). World Cup success inspires growth in women's football participation. [online] www.thefa.com. Available at: http://www.thefa.com/news/2019/nov/05/womens-participation-growth-worldcup-051119 [Accessed 15 Jan. 2020].

BBC Sport. (2020). Fallon Sherrock wins take darts global - Barry Hearn. [online] Available at: https:// www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts/50964524 [Accessed 15 Jan. 2020].

BBC Sport. (2020). Fallon Sherrock: World Championship history-maker says women need more chances. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts/50835824 [Accessed 15 Jan. 2020].

BBC Sport. (2020). Women's World Cup 2019: Fifa reports record-breaking viewing figures. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50096999 [Accessed 15 Jan. 2020].

Dixon, R. (2020). The rise of women boxers. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/ lifeandstyle/2010/nov/12/women-boxing-live-tv-olympics [Accessed 15 Jan. 2020].

International Olympic Committee. (2019). Women in Sports Statistics - Female Athletes Participation. [online] Available at: https://www.olympic.org/women-in-sport/background/statistics [Accessed 15 Jan. 2020].

News.bbc.co.uk. (2019). BBC Sport - Women in boxing over the years. [online] Available at: http:// news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympic_games/world_olympic_dreams/8834938.stm [Accessed 15 Jan. 2020].

Women’s football may be growing in popularity, but the game is still fighting for survival. (2020). Women’s football may be growing in popularity, but the game is still fighting for survival. [online] Available at: https:// www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/womens-football1/ [Accessed 15 Jan. 2020].

Gov.uk (2019), ‘Government to harness the power of sport to help tackle youth violence’ [online]. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-to-harness-power-of-sport-to-help-tackle-youth-violence (Accessed 19th January 2019)

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Gird up your loins and place upon your fingers your burial rings! The limbs of the strong and the meek shall quake and fear and trembling shall seize them all. Now is the time of calamity. Enter then the fortress and set the torch alight.

Scent of a Forgotten Flower

I

n 1968 Mr. Bruce Tegner published a book entitled,

“SELF-DEFENSE NERVE CENTERS & PRESSURE POINTS”. Mr. Tegner described his book as a “practical guide to the most efficient use of weaponless self-defense using the least possible force.” He went on to state that.

“Modern knowledge of physiology and anatomy is applied to this subject which has long been much obscured by myth, superstition and legend. The so called “deadly" blows are evaluated. Fantasy and fact are separated.”

Although Mr. Tegner died in 1985 I want to thank him not only for promoting the martial arts worldwide, for his considerable contribution to martial arts literature, and also for writing what I will use as the introduction to this series of articles that will investigate the medical implications of Tai Chi Chuan techniques and the blunt force trauma that results from the strikes employed in Tai Chi Chuan and other martial arts. I find in Mr. Tegner’s 1968 book an excellent explanation of my intention in writing this article.

It is my intention to investigate the physiological effects of various strikes to the human body systems and their anatomical components. In writing this article I am drawing upon six decades of martial arts training, five decades as a health care provider, and five decades as a health science educator and author. As I cover the effects of, and damage caused by various strikes to the human body, I will organize this information by the anatomical region that contains the organs of the body system we are reviewing. Although I will Photograph 1 primarily examine the effects of the strikes of Tai Chi Chuan in terms of blunt force trauma, this review will include strikes that are commonly incorporated within the armamentarium of many martial arts. As was stated by Kenpo Grandmaster Will Tracey, “Before one begins..., a kick is a kick, and a punch is a punch, a block is a block. As one progresses, a kick is no longer a kick, a punch is no longer a punch, a block is no longer a block. But when he masters the system, he realizes a kick is a kick, a punch is a punch and a block is a block.”

It is my belief that every martial artist should have a solid background in human anatomy and physiology. There are eleven human body systems each comprised of anatomical parts or organs. For example, the human nervous system is organized into the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The CNS is comprised of the brain and spinal cord and the PNS includes the nerves that leave the brain (twelve cranial nerves) and the spinal cord (thirty-one pairs). Each of the eleven human body systems is comprised of organs that in one way or another are critical to the maintenance of human life. Each of these eleven human body systems is vulnerable to blunt force trauma or physical stressors.

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Dr. Gregory T. Lawton

The eleven organ systems of the human body include the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, circulatory, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems. Each of these systems and their organs perform life critical functions which includes: 1. The integumentary system (skin) supports and protects the body and its organs, regulates body temperature, manufactures biochemicals and hormones, and acts as a sense organ.

2. The skeletal system supports and protects the body and its organs, facilitates body movement via joints and muscles, stores minerals and makes blood cells in the bone marrow.

3. The muscular system facilitates body movement, maintains posture, and produces heat through work.

4. The nervous system connects a person to the environment and integrates and controls how the body responds to the environment.

5. The endocrine system secretes hormones into the blood that serve to communicate with, integrate, and control body function and homeostasis.

6. The circulatory system transports blood and other substances through the body and to the cells, tissues and organs such as the brain and lungs.

7. The major functions of the lymphatic system are the movement of fluid (lymph) from tissues and back to the circulatory system and its critical role in the defense mechanism of the body against disease.

8. The respiratory system exchanges oxygen from the air for the waste product carbon dioxide in the blood.

9. The digestive system breaks down food, absorbs nutrients, and excretes solid waste.

10. The urinary system removes waste products from blood in the form of urine and maintains electrolyte balance, water balance, and acid-base balance.

11. The reproductive system produces sperm and ovum (egg cell), allows the movement of sex cells and sexual fertilization to occur, supports the development and birth of human offspring, nourishes the embryo through its developmental stages, and produces the sex hormones.

Over the years I have seen, read, and collected many articles, books, magazines, or videos on the “physics” of the martial arts. I must admit that if the material focused strictly on the mathematical formulae that calculates pressure (force), mass, speed, or other mechanical or Newtonian physics factors, I was often left unsatisfied because I knew from personal experience and as a doctor practicing physical medicine that these equations did not adequately explain the physiological trauma and damage inflicted to cells, soft tissues, organs, and the joint complex, or the disruption that occurs to the function of the autonomic nervous system and organ systems.

In addition, I have read, attended seminars, and reviewed countless videos of “expert” martial artists who lack medical training and credentials who offer various opinions regarding the effectiveness and effects of various martial arts strikes and techniques on the human body. Frankly, I think that if you have not actually witnessed, evaluated, and treated blunt force trauma that you really do not know much about it.

Any martial arts technique, regardless of the style or system, delivered to a vulnerable area of the body or body organ with enough force can cause blunt force trauma. In blunt force trauma the cause of death is often internal bleeding into the brain, abdominal cavity, or lungs. Most blunt force trauma injuries are directed to the abdominal organs. There may be fractures, such as a broken neck, and all these forms of trauma can cause death.

Blunt force trauma is direct physical damage to a body part or organ, whether by impact, falls, injury or physical attack. Blunt force trauma is the first step in a trauma cascade, from which develops more specific types of trauma such as contusions, abrasions, lacerations, hemorrhage, joint capsule destruction, organ rupture, and/or bone fractures. A simple form of blunt force trauma would be a “black eye” and a more extreme form would be a ruptured liver from a kick, punch, knee, or elbow strike to the liver.

Blunt force trauma is graded by degrees of clinically assessed organ, soft tissue, or bone damage, and the damage is the result of the pressure (force) that a body area or organ receives. Some body areas are more prone to damage than others and this is due to the role that protective aspects of body posture, the skin, connective tissues such as fascia, muscle, ligaments, bones, and body fat play in defending the body, its tissues and organs.

Some areas of the body have a lot of protection and some areas do not have much.

In the upcoming parts of this series I will write in detail regarding specific strikes and the blunt force trauma that they can create from contusions to organ rupture, hemorrhage, or failure. The information that I provide will be based upon medical evidence and patient case histories of actual damage or death.

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In this introduction to this series I want to look at three common misconceptions regarding Tai Chi Chuan strikes by examining attacks to a bone (bone breaks), the eyes, and the throat. Also, for the purposes of this article I am writing about blunt force trauma that is caused by “empty hand” techniques and not weapons. In our training classes we teach the use of many weapons including weapons of opportunity that are part of the physical environment where an attack might occur.

To offer a further definition, in our school we teach what we call “combat” Tai Chi Chuan. Our Tai Chi Chuan is primarily based upon the lineage of the Yang family, specifically, Yang Shao Hou, and Professor Huo ChiKwang the founder of the Chinese Cultural Academy. Our curriculum in Yang Tai Chi Chuan includes the following disciplines: Yang Tai Chi Chuan forms (some Chen and Wu) Chi kung and dao yin San-sau, push hands, kumite Chin Na Shuai jiao Kempo Weapons training, sword, staff, spear Established in 1980 our martial arts curriculum includes mixed martial arts techniques, Kali, escrima, and knife.

We are a state licensed post-secondary school and all our training programs are approved by the state. We also offer an extensive array of classes in both traditional and contemporary healing arts including Asian medicine.

Photograph 2. Class held at the Academy.

Bone Breaks In our form of Tai Chi Chuan (I am not attempting to speak for all systems of Tai Chi Chuan) our objective is not to employ joint locks. Instead we attempt to execute joint “breaks’ (Cuo gu or Tsuoh guu) which means that through extreme hyperextension of a joint we seek to destroy the joint complex which is composed of tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and the joint capsule. The “intention” in executing such a technique is different in that we are not attempting to employ a joint lock or control, but we are attempting to destroy the joint complex with as much speed and force as possible. In our Tai Chi Chuan we employ strikes, throws, and Chin Na. Our Chin Na is practiced so that it can be executed to its conclusion which is the effective destruction of the joint.

Examples of this technique would be driving your forearm through an opponent’s elbow joint creating extreme

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hyperextension of the joint and a grade III sprain/strain which is a severe ligament/muscle tendon injury, this is the most serious among the three grades of ligament/muscle tendon sprains/strains. Most of the ligament/muscle tendon fibers will be torn. The ligaments and muscle tendons are completely torn or ruptured. The pain that results from such an injury is severe and incapacitating and may result in permanent disability.

Photograph 3. Normal elbow joint in flexion.

Photograph 4. Normal elbow joint in extension.

Photograph 5. Severely dislocated elbow joint.

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However, let’s look at a simple bone break. I will not write about bone fractures that I have not had direct experience with or treated in my practice as the result of a martial arts injury. It is not easy to break a bone in the human body; they are tough and designed to withstand the tremendous repetitive and concussive forces applied to them. I have treated fractures of the clavicle, ribs, radial and ulnar bones, boxers’ fractures of the bones of the hand, fractures of the bones of the foot, mandible, maxilla, zygomaticus and nasal bones, spinal vertebra, and the tibia and fibula.

Let’s clarify an important point again, soft or connective tissue trauma is much more common in all forms of martial arts than are bone fractures. I have treated hundreds of cases of soft or connective tissue trauma and I am aware of only several dozen or so bone fractures over my martial arts training history spanning six decades.

The clavicle is one of the most accidentally fractured bones in the human body, mostly as a result of falls on an outstretched arm or on the shoulder. The medical evidence supports the fact that the clavicle is one of the easiest bones in the body to break. (1) The clavicle is one of the only bones that given the opportunity I would attempt to break. If I struck the clavicle and it did not break, I would simply move on to another technique. I have direct experience with one fracture of the clavicle related to a martial an elbow strike. I have witnessed and treated many clavicle fractures due to throws and falls and these occurred mainly among practitioners of Judo, Jujitsu, and Aikido. Frankly, you are more likely to cause a clavicle fracture with a throw than with a strike.

Photograph 6. Fracture of the clavicle.

The clavicle is easily accessed due to its position and location on the anterior superior shoulder area. When the clavicle breaks it usually breaks in one location, although multiple fractures of the clavicle are not uncommon.

The clavicle is S shaped and the most common site of fracture is on the body of the clavicle in the direction of and closer to the shoulder. If you feel your own clavicle it will be the location away from the sternum at which point the clavicle is generally thicker and has a very strong arch shape and if you feel along the clavicle towards the shoulder you will find an area along the body of the clavicle that is thinner. This is the easiest breaking point of the clavicle and where most blunt force trauma clavicle fractures will occur. Like everything there are exceptions to the rule due to personal differences in anatomical structure, bone thickness and density.

One of the common criticisms of Tai Chi Chuan is due to a misconception regarding the use of palm strikes. Tai Chi Chuan critics often do not know the correct application of a Tai Chi Chuan palm strike. A palm strike might lead with a finger poke or gouge and end with the palm strike or a palm strike may involve the use of the pisiform carpal bone in the wrist. The pisiform carpal bone is commonly used to break boards, bricks, and/or concrete patio slabs. It is a sturdy bone for its size and accounts for less than one percent of all carpal bone fractures. Breaking bones or boards with a Tai Chi Chuan palm strike follows the same basic rules as any martial arts break. Breaking requires striking through the object that is to be broken with penetration (pung), force and speed.

One of the first lessons taught to beginning martial arts students is the concept of focusing pressure (force), mass, and speed into the object being struct. The analogy that one of my teachers used with me in the early 1960s was using an ice pick to break up a block of ice rather than a baseball bat. The more that the energy is

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focused down to a one-inch square point of contact the more pressure there is that is being driven into a focused point on the object or body part.

My favorite Tai Chi Chuan “bone breaking� technique is High Pat on Horse. With High Pat on Horse the arm and palm (with the pisiform carpal bone as the point of contact) is brought directly down on the point of contact on a bony surface. This technique is most effective when directed at the nasal bone and cartilage, the zygomatic bone, the maxilla, lower eye socket, and upper teeth, or the mandible. In the United States, zygomatic fractures are the second most common fracture of the facial bones following nasal bone fractures. (2) For a fracture to occur in the zygomatic bone the severity of the injury is directly proportional to kinetic force of the impact. The zygomatic bone is strong as it serves as a buttress between the skull and the maxilla. However, its projection on the anterior surface of the face makes it particularly vulnerable to injury, especially when impact occurs on either side of the face. A common cause of zygomatic fractures is a physical altercation that results in a punch to the face.

Photograph 7. Normal clavicle showing point of contact for bone break.

There are several mechanical factors at play in bone breaking, pressure (force), mass (the entire arm), speed, torque, shearing, gravity, and angle of attack. This makes the mathematical equation in terms of Newtonian physics very complicated but all that I care about is does it work.

Photograph 8. Bone break to the clavicle showing contact with the pisiform bone.

High Pat on Horse, because it comes on a vertical line from above and strikes downward, surprises attackers and fighters who have never seen the technique, especially fighters trained in boxing and MMA who expect a jab, hook, or cross on a horizontal line.

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Let’s take a pause here. At our school we teach personal self-defense and because we specialize in teaching and empowering women and teenagers who have been victims of rape, incest, and domestic abuse what we teach is violent and for the purpose of maiming or effectively stopping an opponent. We use combat Tai Chi Chuan as a vehicle for teaching effective self-defense techniques. We select our students carefully and we do not teach students who are violent or who want to hurt people, students who are emotionally unstable, students with a perverse character, students who will not work towards personal growth and self-improvement, or students who cannot learn or apply what we teach.

Here is the long list of techniques that mixed martial art fighters may not use in sport competition. This list is a list of the techniques that we teach in self-defense classes: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

Butting with the head.

Eye gouging of any kind.

Biting.

Hair pulling.

Fish hooking.

Groin attacks of any kind.

Putting a finger into any orifice or into any cut or laceration on an opponent. (Gouging) Small joint manipulation.

Striking to the spine or the back of the head. (Rabbit punch) Striking downward using the point of the elbow. (Elbow (strike)) Throat strikes of any kind, including, without limitation, grabbing the trachea.

Clawing, pinching or twisting the flesh.

Grabbing the clavicle.

Kicking the head of a grounded opponent.

Kneeing the head of a grounded opponent.

Stomping a grounded opponent.

Kicking to the kidney with the heel.

Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his head or neck. (Piledriver) Throwing an opponent out of the ring or fenced area.

Holding the shorts or gloves of an opponent.

Spitting at an opponent.

The vast majority of my students do not want to compete in sports martial arts, ring or cage fighting and because of the high injury rate in mixed martial arts, especially Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) a degenerative brain disease found in fighters who have experienced repetitive brain injury.

Eye Gouging The next technique in this article is eye gouging, I prefer the descriptive term “eye gouging” to an eye poke because a poke may just irritate an opponent but a properly executed eye gouge may result in severe contusion of the eye, traumatic enucleation of eye from the eye socket, and/or temporary or permanent blindness.

There are three types of eye gouging. One involves pushing the fingers or the thumbs into the socket which while it creates a crushing trauma to the eye(s) it does not remove the eye from the eye socket and is too easily defended against since both of the opponents hands are available to defend against the technique. The second technique is called an eye hook and an eye hook is when a finger or fingers pushes into the medial aspect of the eye and drags across the eye laterally (from the tear ducts outward). The third eye gouge is the main technique that we teach, the traumatic enucleation of the eye. To execute a traumatic enucleation of eye the forefinger is used to enter the eye socket medially (at the tear ducts) and adjacent to the nasal bone. The right forefinger is used to remove the opponent’s right eye and the left forefinger is used to remove the left eye. The finger technique that we use in eye gouging is called One Finger Zen and it is a hand form that we practice in a chi kung exercise called Golden Bridge. It is also used immediately after the Commencement of our Tai Chi Chuan form and prior to Crossing the Heavens.

The forefinger is thrust forcefully and deeply into the eye socket in the location described above then the finger is “hooked” as the hand and finger are quickly pulled laterally (towards the outside of the head) and away from the eye socket. When the forefinger is thrust into the eye socket the remaining three fingers remain curved and flexed so that they are not injured when they strike against the zygomatic and maxilla bones of the face.

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Photograph 9. This shows the location where the finger enters the eye socket.

Photograph 10. This showing the finger has penetrated the eye socket and the technique for “hooking’ the eyeball and ripping it out of the socket.

Crushing the Throat Once again when it comes to blunt force trauma to the anterior (front) throat area there is a lot of misinformation from various “expert” sources. It is true that if an opponent is careful and keeps their chin down that the lower jaw (mandible), the sternum, and the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles will protect the throat from blunt force trauma but saying that attacks against the anterior throat, larynx, and cartilage and bony structures of the neck cannot be effectively performed is not true. If this was true then neck cranks, chokes or the rear naked choke would be useless, and they are not. I am going to cover this topic in greater detail in a future article when I review blunt force trauma and direct strikes to the head and neck region and the organ systems and vessels that pass through the neck region. However, let’s look at the rear naked “choke”.

The rear naked choke is a “blood” choke (Dian Mai or Dian Xue) and it is commonly employed in several martial arts styles including MMA. In our style of combat Tai Chi Chuan we do not choke out opponents, we practice to directly crush the bones and cartilage of the throat. This technique is called a forearm throat crush or sealing the breath (Bi Qi or Bih Chi). To accomplish this action we move behind an opponent, perhaps after deflecting a punch, and immediately apply the radial bone of the forearm across the anterior throat area and then quickly and forcefully draw the forearm posteriorly (towards ourselves as we stand behind the opponent and drag them backwards to keep them off balance) and in a movement that is partly strangulation and partly a strike through the neck. Think of a fa jing movement of the forearm (radial bone) towards your own chest but moving through the opponent’s neck and you will get some idea of the force of this technique. The resulting

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damage to the throat is catastrophic and may cause death by asphyxiation. (3) The medical implications of this technique are so obvious as to defy arguments that it will not work. If you can get into a position to choke an opponent, crushing the throat with the radial bone is much faster and less likely to fail.

Photograph 11. This shows the radial bone over the anterior throat in position for a fa jing strike into the throat.

Photograph 12. This image shows the bone and cartilage damaged by strikes to the throat.
 Not seen are the soft tissue, respiratory and digestive, nerve and blood vessels that are also damaged.

Conclusion As I have mentioned, at our school, we teach martial arts and self-defense primarily to ordinary people, victims of traumatic abuse, abused junior youth and youth, and immigrants and refugees to the United States. We do not charge for self-defense instruction. We do not train people to fight professional fighters but rather to defend themselves when necessary in the street or in the home. Mostly, violence is not necessary but not everyone has been or will be that fortunate. The two primary concepts of self-defense are situational awareness and avoidance of conflict.

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In this introduction to The Medical Implications of Combat Tai Chi Chuan Techniques, Investigating Blunt Force Trauma I have briefly covered three combat Tai Chi Chuan blunt force trauma techniques; the bone break, the eye “gouge," and the throat crush. I consider bone breaks the least effective of these three techniques because they are unpredictable, and I will cover the application of extreme hyperextension to the joint complex involving traction, torque, and shearing forces directed at joints in a future article. I will also cover blunt force trauma leading to organ damage, hemorrhage, rupture, and failure in a future article as well.

The martial arts were originally created to be violent, to maim, and to kill. The techniques, movements, postures and principles of Tai Chi Chuan were designed to accomplish the same objectives and the early practice of Tai Chi Chuan was commonly associated with martial chi kung, Chin Na, and various hand, foot, and body conditioning exercises. It was later in the historical development of Tai Chi Chuan (by the third and fourth generations of the Yang system) that Tai Chi Chuan began to be practiced as a “health” exercise and became less and less an effective martial art. Our schools’ approach to combat Tai Chi Chuan is an attempt to restore the martial roots and practices of Tai Chi Chuan as was intended by its original founders.

About the author: Gregory T. Lawton, D.C., D.N., D.Ac. is a chiropractor, naprapath, and acupuncturist. He is the founder of the Blue Heron Academy of Healing Arts and Sciences where he teaches biomedicine, medical manual therapy, and Asian medicine. Dr. Lawton is nationally board certified in radiology, physiotherapy, manual medicine, and acupuncture. He was the vice president of the Physical and Athletic Rehabilitation Center which provided physical therapy for professional athletes, Olympians, and victims of closed head and spinal cord injuries.

Since the early 1960s Dr. Gregory T. Lawton has studied and trained in Asian religion, philosophy and martial arts such as Aikido, Jujitsu, Kenpo/kempo, and Tai Chi Chuan.

Dr. Lawton’s most noted Asian martial art instructor was Professor Huo Chi-Kwang who was a student of Yang Shao Hou. References: 1. Incidence and mechanism of injury of clavicle fractures in the NEISS database: Athletic and non-athletic injuries, Steven F. DeFroda, Nicholas Lemme, Justin Kleiner, Joseph Gil, Brett D. Owens Journal of Clinical Orthpaedics and Trauma, Elsevier, September–October 2019 2. Etiology and incidence of zygomatic fracture: a retrospective study related to a series of 642 patients, Ungari C, Filiaci F, Riccardi E, Rinna C, Iannetti G. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences.

2012 Oct;16(11):1559- 1562.

3. Fractured Larynx: Classification, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Reviewed By: Pramod Kerkar, M.D., FFARCSI, DA, https://www.epainassist.com/face-mouth-throat/fractured-larynx

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Legally Approved German Nunchaku Last year during our 50 Years Training Celebration Event, Jürgen Porsch Sensei (Germany) presented me with a Nunchaku that was approved by the German government authorities.

We can construct this nunchaku by ourselves.

Rope: Similar to ropes used by seamen to tie their boats on the docks.

It is also similar to the ropes one climbs for upper body strength.

Plastic Tape: This tape can be purchased as a tube and cut to size.

Black tape in use by electricians to wrap electrical wires is also acceptable.

Length: 71.1 cm (28 inches) Halves covered with plastic: 29.21 cm (11 & ½ inches) Comparison to authentic nunchaku

Free of Tape: 12.7 cm (5 inches) Width: 2.54 cm (1 inch) Circumference: 11.43 cm (4 & ½ inches) Note: Remember to burn the ends of the rope in order to prevent threads from coming apart with the usage of time.

This is a perfect assignment to do at home while we are quarantined against the Corona Virus… and, have fun!

Katherine Loukopoulos Bubishi Team Austria March 17th, 2020

Adjust the length in accordance to your preference.

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I

met Amanda Wilding a few years back at

Way of the Spiritual Warrior during one of Tony Pillage’s gathering and it has been a privilege to call her a friend ever since.

Amanda Wilding is one of the most passionate instructors I know and one whom excels in her art!

She is a rare gem who has honed her skills under some of the best instructors in the world - including the legendary Richard Bustillo - and is still hungry to learn and develop further.

I have had the privilege and honour to have been invited as a guest instructor to Warriors Within Martial Arts, and it is certainly a school I would recommend wholeheartedly!

Their commitment to teach and develop the skills of each and every student to the best of their individual abilities is a breath of fresh air. This is old school learning - where each student matters!

Lift Hands is privileged to have this talented lady warrior take time out of her busy schedule to spend some time with us.

LH: Amanda, it is great to have you here at Lift Hands, Please tell our readers a bit about yourself.

AW: I am a single parent of two kids, I have a daughter Kirsty who is 28 and my son Joshua is 21. I am presently a Carer to Joshua as he has health issues, I am also a student. I am presently in my 2nd year at University doing a B.Sc. (Honours) Degree in Sports, Fitness and Coaching. My martial arts training started when I was married, I went along to a class just to be involved in something he was doing, but wasn’t at all interested. I had my first lesson and fell in love with it, to the stage when my husband and I divorced, I kept training in the same class as him for the following 6 months even though we were not on speaking terms! In the end he left the class, I was determined I was going to carry on. This is when I found my love of JKD, and I have never looked back since.

In the years that I have trained in Jeet Kune Do, my inspiration has come from attending Sigung Richard Bustillo’s seminars. During the last seminar in November 2016, I spoke to Richard about starting my own club. He gave me his blessing and that meant the world to me. I opened Warriors Within Martial Arts in April 2017. My focus for the last few years was to get on to the IMB program, my next progression is to become a full instructor under the IMB. I received my Apprentice Instructor in November 2019, I will be regrading for my Associates in 2021. In 2019 I was also honoured to be inducted into London’s International Hall of Fame.

2019 was a good year for me as I also received the runner up award for Woman of the Year at the British Martial Arts Awards, and I was the winner of Overcoming Extraordinary Challenges within the field of Martial Arts, also at The British Martial Arts Awards. These certificates mean the world to me.

Last year was the first year I was invited to instruct at a major seminar - Kaizen, I have been invited to instruct this year too.

Last month I also started a children’s class, we are only three weeks in, but so far is proving to be a success.

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LH: Well Amanda, let’s hope that the success continues. It is much deserved. So, if you are ready for your questions, let us begin - If you could have personally witnessed anything, what would you want to have seen?

AW: If I could have personally witnessed anything it would have to be seeing Bruce Lee fight Chuck Norris.

LH: If you had to leave earth on a spaceship and take 4 people with you, who would they be?

AW: If I had to leave earth in a spaceship with 4 people it would be my daughter, son, mum and my daughters fiancé. As much as I would want to take my brothers and sister, they have kids and would not leave them - that’s a tough one!

LH: If you could be any age for a week, what age would that be?

AW: If I could be any age for a week, I would love to go back to being 30! That way, I would have still had both my kids, but would be younger and have more energy.

LH: What was your first thought when you woke up this morning?

AW: My first thought when waking up was I’m still tired and don’t want to get up! Lol, but thankful that I wake up.

LH: What is your greatest strength or weakness?

AW: My greatest strength I would like to think is my mindset. I’m stubborn when I get something into my head!

I would also say my kids, they give me so much strength. My weakness is Lindor white chocolate and maple syrup.

LH: Do you trust anyone with your life?

AW: My daughter and my mum, they are my rock.

LH: What bloopers would be on the gag reel of your life?

AW: I think my most embarrassing ordeal was a few years back. I was going out to a meal with a big group of people, I was in such a rush, that I put a set of high heals on but they were two different ones! Not noticeable to anyone else, apart from the fact that they were about half an inch different when walking!

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LH: What have you always wanted and did you ever get it?

AW: I’ve wanted to be a part of the IMB for many years, as my total inspiration to martial arts was Richard Bustillo. I passed my assessment for this in November, and can say it has been a highlight of my marital arts for me, and also receiving an International Hall of Fame award.

LH: Do you know your heritage?

AW: No, I don’t know my heritage.

LH: Are you still learning who you are?

AW: I would say yes I am still learning who I am. I have at times pushed myself to things I never thought I was ever capable of doing, finding your inner strength is a challenge.

LH: What, if anything, are you afraid of and why?

AW: I’m afraid of the future, we don’t know what it holds, it can bring good things, but also bad things that you aren’t in control of.

LH: What is the most memorable class you have ever taken?

Amanda Wilding with her inspiration - the legendary Richard Bustillo

AW: My most memorable class was teaching at Kaizen in 2019. Such a big event with big names in the martial arts world, then there was me! It was such an honour to be able to teach along side so many amazing martial artists.

LH: What’s your favourite book?

AW: My favourite book is ‘David Goggins Can’t Hurt Me’.

LH: What ridiculous thing has someone tricked you into doing or believing?

AW: Hmm… I think the worst thing was when I was younger. It was New Year’s Eve, and someone told my sister and I that the world was going to end that day! We sat up all night worrying.

LH: Who or what has been the greatest influence in your life?

AW: My martial arts has been the biggest influence in my life, with Sigung Richard Bustillo, alongside my mum who is such an amazing woman.

LH: Mountains or sea… which would you choose to be closer to?

AW: I love to be by the sea, it’s so relaxing and calming.

LH: What was the worst thing you did as a child?

AW: The worst thing I remember as a child is riding my bike down a hill and cutting my knee open and having to have stitches. I was always a good child, well that’s what my mum tells me!

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Teaching at Kaizen 2019

LH: Which is your favourite season and why?

AW: I love the summer, driving in the car on a summer’s day is awesome.

LH: If you could select one person from history and ask them one question - who would you select and what would the question be?

AW: That would have to be Bruce Lee, and the question I would ask would be‌ At what point did you think you could become the best at what you do, and why?

LH: How would you describe your art in ten words or less?

AW: Jeet Kune Do is your way, what works for you!

LH: Amanda Wilding it has been a pleasure talking to you. Thank you for engaging with our readership and I hope that we get to see you on a more regular basis in these pages, and may 2020 bring you even more success!

AW: It has been an honour and thank you.

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Song of the Columbine Dr Gregory T. Lawton

I asked the Columbine why it seemed so sad, Why it bows its flowered head in resignation.

It replied, "Prepare your heart for a time of pain For the Days of Sorrow and Separation are upon us."

(If you could understand the Columbines heart You would smell loves perfume in its deepest part.)

To the Columbine I then replied, "As if I care about the vicissitudes of this life. As if I care about its corrupt and rotten roots, Its twisted twigs and stunted shoots."

To which the Columbine gave voice these words, "I see you are just a foolish man Whose soul is trapped in a lump of clay."

Thus, did the Song of the Columbine unstop my ears And lay to rest my deepest fears.

Before my eyes the Columbine withered in the sun, And the palace of my desire fell in ruins at my feet. .... still the perfume of the sweet-scented Columbine Wraps its tendrils around my soul, And makes of my emptied heart, a beggar’s bowl.

About the author-

Kindly reprinted with permission from: Soul of the Night Sky (Draft), Copyright 2019 Dr. Gregory T. Lawton

Dr. Gregory T. Lawton is an author of many books, most of them in the area of health science, but also in the genre of Asian martial arts, philosophy, poetry, and prose. Dr. Lawton is a passionate award winning artist and photographer who finds his artistic and creative inspiration in nature, and who frequently attributes the source of his images and writing to the 19th century Persian Prophet, Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, and the 13th century Persian poet and Sufi Mystic Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī. Dr. Lawton has been a member of the Baha’i Faith since 1970 and embraces the Faith’s principles related to the promotion of world unity and peace.

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‘Budo’…

Rest in Peace

Katherine Loukopoulos

Budō is a compound of the root bu (武:ぶ), meaning "war" or "martial"; and dō (道:どう; dào in Chinese), meaning "path" or "way" (including the ancient Indic Dharmic and Buddhist conception of "path," or mārga in Sanskrit). Budō is the idea of formulating propositions, subjecting them to philosophical critique and then following a "path" to realize them. Dō signifies a "way of life". Dō in the Japanese context is an experiential term in the sense that practice (the way of life) is the norm to verify the validity of the discipline cultivated through a given art form. Modern budō has no external enemy, only the internal one: my ego that must be fought.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud%C5%8D

I

n the course of 50 years of my karate studies I could not help but notice its evolution.

Evolution is good; it provides a guarantee for the survival of the species. That which is not able to adopt, it is destined to perish. Karate Do, therefore, adapted to the demands of change, shed its cocoon the Budō, and developed into an Olympic Sport.

50 years ago, or so, we went from door to door to seek a dojo, observe a class, and hopefully, find a ‘good’ karate teacher. Nowadays, all is available to us in our own living rooms with just a push of a key on the keyboard.

Most of us search and shop via the digital highway. Don’t get me wrong, I also shop on the Internet. We can view the products on the screen, make price comparisons, place orders, pay with credit cards and arrange for deliveries; all without having to leave the comfort of our home. This convenience aided with the passage of time, has turned us into ‘lazy’ consumers. In other words, we have given up the most important part: The Selection. And, while shopping on the Internet is time saving, our shopping habits have crossed over in all other areas of our lives. On the Internet, we also shop for ‘teachers’.

Good teachers are difficult to find. Using search engines would not provide us with the names of the best teachers; rather, it would provide us with the best marketing schemes. We don’t exercise enough patience and usually do not pass the second or third page provided by the search engines.

Karate teachers are a dime a dozen. Most of them can teach us how to move our arms and legs in defensive and offensive manner. YouTube instructional videos help us learn without leaving our home.

I am not referring to the dime a dozen karate teachers. I am referring to mentors; they are teachers for life. Most of those teachers are old, and they don’t bother with the Internet and complicated phones. If they are somehow listed on the Google search engine it is because some of their student(s) mounted the information. True teachers are not concerned with publicity because they do not want to teach many people. They know that they don’t have the required time in a single day to reach many students and for whom they would have to devote many hours on each one of them. They believe that ‘less is more’. For those teachers money is not the motivating factor to teach because most of them hold full time jobs; it is only after their retirement that they devote themselves to martial arts teachings. They have gained life experience, are educated, and have the wisdom of their years. The martial arts teacher who provides the knowhow of good life skills and guides the students towards maximum success is more important than the acquisition of tournament medals and fake glory.

We tend to search for teachers who promise to make us ‘champions’. We have the need to be recognized. We have the need to be promoted, and if I may say so, to be promoted rapidly. This need is so great that we often quit if we are not promoted fast enough. Some of us change teachers as often as the seasons in the year. The deeper aspects of what a good teacher has to offer are simply ignored, or we don’t stay long enough with a teacher in order to gain some benefit.

In the past 50 years, I witnessed the increase of tournaments and competition categories. Nowadays, there are so many divisions that it is almost guarantee that participants will go home with a medal, and without exceptions, everyone does received a Certificate of Participation. Kata Divisions are separated by the various styles. This guarantees winners in all styles. But it hides the most important element:

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That is, who would have been the person who had the most magnificent kata of all the participants in that tournament that day. Emphasis is on winning at all costs.

Students are charged exuberant fees for Promotion Diplomas. Why? If the teacher considers a student to be good enough for the next step, and if the student religiously has paid his tuition in order to learn, why the student has to pay an extravagant fee in order to be promoted? “Budō” preaching teachers teach with their behaviors; not with their words. Exuberant fees are directly in conflict with the precepts of ‘Budō’. It teaches that a student is simply a client, and the teacher has excellent business knowhow.

Besides purchasing our Diplomas at all costs, we also purchase our titles. There are organizations created just for this demand. For the right price, they will recognize styles that were born just yesterday, and their founders as Great Grand Masters and/or Soke. Where is the modesty taught by the Precepts of ‘Budō’? If there is a gathering of Masters in an international event, the red and white belts wrapped around their mostly fat bellies remind us of a martial arts bazaar with grey haired people acting to be modest. There is no ‘Budō’ in that behavior because Budō etiquette teaches us that the older we become the more humble must be our behavior.

And if the years of our trainings were immersed in sweat, than our belt color should match the color of our grey hair and our failing posture.

It is wide knowledge that most people who study the martial arts do so in an effort to gain self esteem and become stronger. If teachers are lenient and they sugar feed their students (in essence they lie to them), and they promote them early, students gain false self confidence. One day, when life gives students a difficult experience, most will crack because in their quest of quick promotions, they did not have time to learn the art of patience and perseverance. And why that happened? Because they missed the most important ingredient: The Selection.

Teachers who have most Facebook ‘like’ are considered to be most successful. Organizations which have most students and stretch across several countries are thought as examples of excellence. Students who want to feel great make sure to be photographed with notable instructors, and seek to join their organizations in order to also gain some notoriety. Commercial dojo operates classes by the hour; one class finishes the next class begins.

How there can be a student-teacher relationship? Each student is unique and has strengths and weakness. How does a teacher improve upon their strengths and weaknesses if there is no time to get to know the students? In a commercial dojo how can a teacher spend time with each student if he has so many to instruct?

Our greatness is not determined by how many tournaments we won; our greatness, and therefore our value, are directly proportional to the successful students we have produced. That is, children who grew into successful and honorable members of our society. Children learn by what they see and not by what they hear. Therefore, our unspoken behavior teaches volumes. We cannot be teaching ‘Karate Do’ without the ‘Budō, and be calling ourselves karate teachers.

Perhaps, isn’t it time to resurrect ‘Budō?

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Introduction “There are one thousand jings!”

I’ve been wanting to write on the jings of Taijiquan for some time now. It is a difficult subject to write about and one which has oft caused much confusion. The subject is vast and it crisscrosses the entirety of the principles and methodology of the study of Taijiquan.

I remember my own confusion when training in Erle’s 35 Weeks. Erle had sent me some additional notes to help me [after much pestering] and I had come across the training methods for ‘crushing jing’! During our next meeting, I already had a heap of questions prepared for him: “Hey Erle, what’s this crushing jing lark? I mean, I understand crushing and the act of crushing - but there’s a crushing jing and associated training methods?”

He shook his head smiling, “You’re going to give me more work to do aren’t you? Do you know how long my to do list is already?”

I just shrugged at him, notebook and pen in hand, and smiled back.

“Crushing jing expresses a type of attacking energy, where we carry out a series of attacks with the intent of crushing whatever is put in front of us. Yes, we have many training methods which teach us this particular skill but the main source is your form itself and push hands!”

My mind started whirring through the form and he obviously sensed what I was doing.

“It’s not as obvious as you think mate,” he continued. “Remember, the form is abstract! You need to develop the language in order to speak and understand it, as well as be able to read it. This is the Chinese way, this is how they hid the so-called ‘secrets’ right under the nose of a person!”

I had caught him in his ‘talking mood’ - this was when he would elaborate willingly upon a subject when the right question was put to him. I had got to class early and there were others still arriving in dribs and drabs.

“So, are they a part of the large man’s fighting methods?” I asked.

“These particular methods are based upon the birds - the crane and phoenix - from within the form. So, you tell me how do birds crush things?”

“Well, with their beaks and talons!”

“You forget a third way, they grab the object and fly high and drop it!”

The penny suddenly dropped on me!

“They are both - the large man’s and the small man’s - and we don’t just crush with our hands and feet, and arms and legs… we also throw! This is Shuai Jiao! So, how many of these bloody jings are there and how do we differentiate and activate them?”

He seemed pleased that I had partly figured out the answer to my own question.

“Yes, we throw! We don’t push, we don’t go to the ground - we throw and crush things violently! There are a lot of them - a thousand according to the proverb.They are all found within our form and training methods and it is our intent and our opponents actions which manifest them!”

Most of the folk had arrived by this time. It was time for class. I had already got more than I had expected and saved further questions for a later date.

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‘Crane spreads its wings’ from the Old Yang Style - Crushing Jing

When the Chinese say, “There are one thousand jings,” - what they mean is that there are a lot of them. It is not something that we are meant to take literally!

Although we use the term jing - 勁 - to denote energy or power, what we are usually talking about is the dynamic of a movement or ‘posture’ in the release of the said energy or power. Sometimes, however, it is also used to refer to a concept or idea based upon the principles of Taijiquan in particular and the art of war in general! There is nothing mystical about them - no magic ‘qi-balls’ or force-like lightening! If you want that go find a Yoda and train to become a Jedi - Taiji is not the art you are looking for… move along!

It is useless, however, to talk about the various jings until we have ‘mastered’ and understood the physical movements and components of Taiji. Prior to this a student has no concept of the difference between force and power, nor the source of their origin.

The bones are the origin of force and it can become clogged or stuck in the upper back from where it cannot be issued, power on the other hand comes from the sinews - from where it can extend the length of the limb and can be issued. This can be visibly demonstrated through the application of p’eng when executed by someone with poor understanding of the principles. Often such a person will become stranded mid-action, as their upper back tightens causing their own energy to be raised! This is just one of the reasons why a beginner is given the Three Circles qigong. The essence and or ‘secrets’ of any art are always given to the novice in the beginning - it simply takes years of study to realise this simple fact!

Power is invisible and round, whereas force is square and noticeable. This is perhaps the most fundamental difference between what are referred to as ‘internal’ and ‘external’ arts for those who understand - the force of the external is visible, whereas the power of the internal is concealed - like lead wrapped in cotton! It is not seen before contact, nor does it exist after - it is only felt in-between! Again, it is the Three Circles qigong which helps develop and plant the seed of ‘roundness’ in the novice, as well as help them attain soong.

Power is smooth and quick, force is slow and coarse! The smoothness of power allows the practitioner to stick to the coarseness of force in an instant - much like velcro!

Force is scattered and floating - it is not rooted - power is concentrated and sinking in contrast, and force is blunt whilst power is sharp!

So, how do we go about achieving this? I will summarize the main points briefly below.

First and foremost, we must develop and understand the form at the foundational level. The entirety of the Thirteen Dynamics must be understood at the level of the large frame before you can proceed.

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We must develop the Six Arteries - this refers to the six unifications: mind united with intent, intent united with energy, energy united with power, hand united with foot, elbow united with knee, and shoulder united with hip... the ‘arteries’ are the imaginary lines which unite these! These will not only develop the concepts of timing and connectivity, they will also develop the relationship with above and below, or heaven and earth!

The Six Balanced Pairs - which include the corresponding acupuncture meridian points - are simply a more detailed version of the six arteries.

When heaven and earth unite, the upper and lower body can move independently yet in total harmony with the other. The head represents ‘heaven’ and the feet represent ‘earth,' with man in the middle - perfectly aligned, balanced and rooted - as if suspended from above!

Further we must understand the ways the body can transform and move [step]. These are sometimes referred to as the Seven Ingenuities and are developed through a myriad of training methods both, solo and two-person: Transform at your waist

Advancing

Transform at your wrist

Retreating

Transform at your elbow

Side-stepping

Transform at your shoulder

Continuous stepping

Transform with your torso

Zig-zagging

Transform at your hip

Spinning around

Transform with your step

Shaking

The breath plays a critical role in our development. It is not just about breathing in or out, it’s about knowing when to breathe in and when to breathe out, when to elongate the breath and when to shorten it, and when to allow the natural pause between inhalation and exhalation to come into play!

Whether it is form, training methods, or combat - the science of the breath must be developed and understood.

Coupled with the breath, sound too plays its role. However, like the energies it is not demonstrable in an article - the purpose here is simply to make the student aware of the heng, ha, pah and tssss etc, - The sound ‘Ha,’ for example, strengthens the heart but the sound must come from the lower belly!

With the coming together of the physical, the internal will start to take root too. However, the physical and internal energy systems of the body are initially separate and we must train in the higher methods of neigong to combine the two in order to give us access to the highest power system of the body.

The physical power system consists of the muscles, sinews and joints. It is the joints that connect us or lead us to the internal. We access the Tan-tien qi through the joints. The joints act like capacitors - we must link all the joints together to gain the greatest amount of energy!

We access these by doing specific qigong methods within our normal qigong training - the higher neigongs as already mentioned above. In order to get more energy we must release energy… all the joints must release energy at the same time. This is the Classics - begins in the feet, directed by the waist and expressed by the fingers - The Four Cornerstones [Crown of the Head - "Suspended from above”; Waist - ‘Ruler’; Feet and Legs; Hands (Wrists)] must be studied exhaustively for a life time!

Mind and intent must not be confused. They are not one and the same as is often thought. There is a distinction between the two - albeit small. The mind is the commander of intention, which in turn assists the mind.

Intention is sparked through the movement of the mind and energy follows intent! It is a cyclical relationship mind, intent, energy! Simply put, if your mind is distracted, your intention will be scattered, thereby causing your energy to float and not be sunk and rooted!

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The above is all useless theory if the practitioner is not willing to train hard and develop through progression.

There are no short cuts. It is as simple as that!

The diligent student must first study the solo routines and methods. At this stage visualization will play a key role in initially attempting to understand the dynamics and energies.

This is followed by the two-person methods - like Dǎ Shou, Dǎ lu and San Shou, etc.

These must be developed in a set manner in the beginning - we have to start from somewhere - before we attempt to randomize them.

At no point should the student compete with his or her fellow students. We learn, we develop, we progress - we do not compete. However, that does not mean that we do not test each other. Taiji, like all other martial arts, must test its foundations and by test, I do not mean silly ‘pushing hands’ competitions - you’re not going to win a street-fight doing those! Nor with compliant students! If you want to test your skill against a jab, go to your local boxing club or invite a boxer to your own school and ask him to throw some jabs at you - a word of advice though... never box a boxer and never grapple a grappler - practice your own art!

In order to be able to move with awareness we must develop our innateness, and only then will we be able to perceive, realise, activate and act!

The Energies Outlined below are the basic descriptions of the energies - which I’ll be serializing over the next few issues. I have not placed them in any specific order, [although, obviously some would be learned or developed before others], I have pretty much listed them as they exist in my notes. My teacher taught eclectically and my notes reflect that and our conversations - but that does not mean that there is no order!

Further, in some instances, I have added a bit of extra detail, although not in all cases, to give the practitioner food for thought with reference to their form and what it may mean. I was not spoon-fed by my teacher - I was nudged and cajoled by my teacher to work things out systematically and logically through progression.

Establishing connections between the various threads of one’s training is critical. If you are unable to establish connections and or identify common threads then you may well fall short in skill! This is not the fault of the art nor of the teacher - provided, he or she, have taught you correctly - it is the fault of the student of not having practiced or trained diligently, or progressively!

The entirety of Taiji’s Long Boxing is based upon The Thirteen Dynamics repeating themselves endlessly and ceaselessly, linked via transitions and transmutations leading to a higher understanding.

Finally, the list below is not definitive, nor exhaustive. Different schools may use different terminology to describe the same thing, or may even interpret it differently. You do not have to subscribe to it. It is simply a record of what has been passed down in our line descended from Yang Shao-hou and like all mighty rivers there will be many tributaries, and side branches!

I’ll begin with the eight energies of the Thirteen Dynamics themselves as they form the basis of everything else.

1. P’eng P'eng jing is one of the four primary jings/gates which make up the Thirteen Dynamics. In fact, it is considered the major jing, which makes up all the others. It is said in Taiji that if you learn one jing - then it should be P’eng!

It is a Yin defence and is sometimes likened to the antennae of an insect - a sensor - which can rapidly be turned into a yang attack. P’eng jing is moving qi and its practice is considered very important in joining hands [push hands]. It is most commonly translated simply as ward off, however, its more fuller description would be to ward off slantingly upwards at an angle of 45º.

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The arm is held rounded like a crescent moon, slanting upwards, however, it is the angle of the wrist which is the key to its success - lifting the energy of the attacker and causing them to feel like they are ‘floating’!

P’eng jing is always associated with the arms however, few people realise that it must be trained in the legs as well forming a part of our ‘stepping’ methods. Golden Cock Stands On One Leg is an example of a rising step in Taiji, which trains the P’eng jing of the upper thigh. Conversely, Needle At Sea Bottom, as trained in the Old Yang Style - trains the P’eng jing of the lower thigh and is a sinking step belonging to the central equilibrium in Taiji.

2. Lu Lu is the second of the four primary energies. It is also Yin, however, it is a Yin attack. Lu is considered as collecting qi. During Lu, both hands are connected to the opponents arm [or any part of the opponents body] usually one hand is turned up while the other is turned down - although not always necessarily.

You move from your centre using both your waist and legs, thereby joining with your opponents qi as one hand connects at neigwan whilst the other connects with their forearm, near the elbow, [rolling back], causing them to topple past you. At this point the yin hand [palm up] can change into a yang attack, thus using their falling energy against them. Equally, the yin hand can roll and flip into a pluck and attack the wrist, while the opposing hand strikes the neck thereby producing a rending!

The skill to execute Lu correctly must be of the highest level requiring the upper and lower body to work in complete harmony. Beginners do not have the skill to carry out Lu in a straight line, although often they will attempt it. It is safer to carry out Lu at an angle of 30º to either side.

At its higher levels, Lu introduces the elbows and forearms into the attack [rolling thunder]. The two forearms act like the rollers of a mangle, twisting and crushing limbs [and other body parts] caught in between. Lu is often likened to a boulder rolling down a hill!

3. Ji Ji means to squeeze and is often used as a counter to Lu. It is the third of the four primary energies and is a Yang attack. Ji is receiving qi.

Again, the power for this comes from the centre at lower tan-tien. The elbows are squeezed inward as the lower tan-tien also squeezes. One hand is placed inside of the wrist of the other and is yin while the other is yang. As both hands attack, they change shape and thus, state, forcing adverse Qi into the attacker's vital points. This must be a whole body movement however and not only an arm movement, i.e., the entire system must squeeze.

There has been debate over the meaning of Ji... most texts translate it as press. Whilst this is not true in terms of the energy, it is not entirely wrong either! Over the years as people have moved further and further away from the martial art and Taiji being primarily practiced as a healing art - the meaning of press has been lost in the martial sense.

Press in the martial context of the meaning of Ji means to crowd in, to cram in or to force aside! Thereby, if your opponent is performing Lu, we counter this with Ji by squeezing our energy and pressing into our opponent - in other words we are cramming or crowding them simultaneously, thus affecting their power, balance and more importantly, their timing!

The above concept of Ji - in terms of crowding/cramming/upsetting timing - is found in the third part of the Old Yang style, where we are taught Ji in context of the barging principle!

4. Àn Àn is the fourth of the for primary energies and is a Yang attack. It is striking qi. Àn is often translated as to push in the standard Taiji lexicon. This, however, is a misnomer and incorrect in terms of the martial context of this energy! There are no ‘pushes’ in Taijiquan - there are strikes! The correct term or main description for this energy is to press and its secondary description is to leave aside or shelve!

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The yang attack, once again, comes from the whole body issuing yin and yang qi into the attacker’s vital points on their chest, and there must be a rising and falling in its advance and retreat. There is a fa-jing shake of the waist causing one hand to strike just before the other. The hands are firstly yin, then yang, circling clockwise [right] and counterclockwise [left] thus releasing yang qi into the attacker.

Double weightedness is considered a major error in the Taiji classics. Most folk, however, focus on this primarily in the legs or feet and disregard or forget the hands altogether. In Taijiquan, there is never a simultaneous two-handed strike, or attack using the same power in each hand at the same time!

The error of double weightedness must be sought and eliminated from throughout the whole body. In fact, at the highest level of practice, it is said that a practitioner must not even hold a double weighted thought!

The secondary description of Àn - to leave aside or shelve - comes from the opening Àn left and right movements of the Old Yang form and are usually omitted from all of Yang Cheng-fu’s various revisions bar one!

Depending upon whether the incoming attack is in a straight line or a curve [and being applied by the right hand] the left arm comes up from the centre in a counterclockwise arc sweeping outwards to the left and the wrist rolls clockwise at the end - teaching the practitioner how to combine the power of the large circle and the small circle, whilst the right hand either pumps forwards [curved attack] with the wrist rolling counterclockwise at the end [‘seeking the curve in the straight’ as per the Classics]! In a straight attack the left hand carries out the same dynamic as the curve, only in a smaller tighter curve whilst the right arm also follows through producing a devastating strike to the eyes. Again the this is a whole body movement with co-ordination of above and below, and not a movement of the arms alone!

Finally, as martial concepts, Àn can also be understood as to control/to restrain/to keep one's hand on, where we use press to control and sense our opponents intent.

These cover all the Primary Directions and if they are defeated - due to bad technique, poor understanding or simply lack of training - then you must use one of the Four Corner Energies [below] to save yourself!

5. Cǎi/Tsai Cǎi/Tsai is the first of the secondary energies in Taijiquan. It means to pluck or to pick. It is also sometimes referred to as ‘inch energy’ - and plays a vital role in small frame Taijiquan, where all your movements must be able to display this skill!

It can be likened to picking fruit off a tree with a snap of the wrist. Often one hand will be placed right on top of the other wrist to assist in the power of this jerking motion [Needle Sea Bottom]. Plucking can be carried out on the wrist or the elbow and is a violent downward action. Its purpose is not that much dissimilar to Lu - which is to shift the centre of balance of your opponent forwards. However, with pluck, the effect is greater. It is not a pull of his wrist but rather a violent jerking fa-jing movement that can cause a knockout by its violent action upon the head jerking backwards and kinking the brain stem.

Again, the power must come from the centre and not only from the arms and hands - you must use power from your waist and legs, as well as increased intention, and a follow-up attack is also necessary. As your opponents balance shifts forwards, you are now free to issue, hence why Needle Sea Bottom is followed by Fan Through Back.

6. Liè [Lieh] This is second of the secondary energies in Taijiquan. It is translated as to split or to rend, or to divide. The interpretation, however, is based upon the action or intent which is being carried out.

Liè has a physical meaning and an internal meaning. The physical meaning is when your "Lu" has been defeated; you can turn it into (from a corner position) Liè. You break the energy between the elbow and your opponents shoulder and wrist - thus forcing their own qi back into them via their own shoulder, which is physically torn [rent] out of its socket. On an internal level, this is often called 'the small strike qi' as a strike is issued from very close to the opponent.

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Wild Horse Veers Its Mane - a combination of bumping, plucking and rending!

You split the power of your opponent into two by measuring the space taken by his body and that of between yourself and his body. This is a very advanced method and if you get the distance wrong, then you will be defeated. You can then issue great attacking force with only one hand from a very short distance.

Rending can be applied from rollback or pluck by moving your opponents centre of balance forwards and then striking with the second hand across the neck - it is essentially a combination, based upon a variation of wardoff and pluck.

Liè also divides into two versions: horizontal rending and pluck & rend [as mentioned above]. The skill for both these is trained in the Pauchui*. In either case, you must use power from your waist and legs rather than using your hands.

The skill of split is not only important in defeating an opponent - the practitioner must learn how to ‘split’ his or her own body in order to prevent defeat. This requires the utmost skill and once again, distance and stepping play a critical role, giving rise to the Taiji maxim: “Whatever I take is whatever I give…”

7. Zhǒu [Chou] This is translated as elbow energy and is the third of the secondary energies in Taijiquan.

This is where we use devastating elbow strikes. Many say that it is a second line of defence/attack in that it can only be used when you are quite close to the attacker, perhaps after your initial hand strike has been defeated by using the folding principle. However, it can be used as a primary weapon if the range has already been closed using an opening method strike!

The energy of the elbow is released in a multitude of different ways [17 to be precise] in Taiji. Again, it is not the elbow which is doing the strike - the whole body must act through the waist and legs. The elbow’s ‘secret’ lies in its co-ordination with the knee.

8. K’ào This is translated as shoulder stroke or bumping - its literal translation being ‘to lean against or on something’!

K’ào is the fourth and final of the secondary energies of Taijiquan. It is also sometimes referred to as the third line of defence/attack and can be devastatingly lethal when applied at the correct distance. It has two components - the shoulder and the back!

The power must again come from the centre using the power of the legs and waist together. The shoulder can be used from the front, side, back or even from the top, depending upon the type of attack which you are receiving.

If, for example, it is a pull down where you right shoulder is being pulled to your right, then you would use the front part of the shoulder. If however, the attack pulled you to your left and there was no time to use the front part, you would turn right around so that the scapular part of your right shoulder could then slam into his chest using fa-jing.

Both, Diagonal [Slant] Flying and Wild Horse Veers Its Mane exhibit bumping energy. However, the two are not the same! The key to shoulder stroke or bumping is its unification with the hips. Particular attention must be paid to your body maneuvering and footwork. The shouldering is to be done with the same foot forward, and you must make a step between the opponent’s legs, perpendicular to his stance, otherwise you will not be able to express the technique.

If you do not know how to hold your centre or balance, you will be defeated easily. __________________ *Forms are designed with specific skill sets in mind. There are many misguided practitioners who change forms due to a lack of understanding or skill, or both! If you change a form by adding or subtracting - you are essentially doing away with a critical skill set! It is important for the diligent student to understand and realise this. The Pauchui, as taught by Erle Montaigue has been changed by an unscrupulous ‘master’ of late and the change hinders the development of these very skills!

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Presents our industry leading 2

week (140 hour)

Executive Protection Program Miami, Florida 12th – 27th September 2020 Graduates will receive the following internationally recognised certificates: BTEC Level 3 certificate for Close Protection RQF D13 FPOSi (First Person on Scene Pre Hospital Care) Level 2 Conflict Management & Physical Intervention Action Counters Terrorism Awareness (ACT)

For details and application forms contact The Head of Training | gavin@pbagroup.com www.the-pba.com www.pbagroup.com Cell +44 7568750094

Fa-jing Ch'uan Internal Chinese Boxing Schools are pleased to announce our fifth annual T'ai Chi Ch'uan Camp on the sun-drenched island of Cyprus in November 2020 Based at the scenic Hadjios Valley Resort in Mazotos - a couple of kilometres from the pristine beaches off the Mediterranean coastline this will be a great opportunity to learn one of the most ancient Chinese martial arts, renowned for its health properties, on the island of Aphrodite over 3 days.

The camp includes: Qigong Old Yang Style T'ai Chi Practical Training Methods For Health/ Martial Arts Self-Defence Whether you are a novice or already have some experience and would simply like to brush up on the foundations, or have ever wondered how the art is used as a system of selfdefence - then this will be the perfect way to get a great insight into T'ai chi Ch’uan (Taijiquan).

You will receive a minimum of 5 hours/day of training under instruction over 3 days.

Date: Friday - Sunday 6-8 November 2020 Training will begin at 12pm Friday.

Cost of training: 210 Euros for those registering by Wednesday 1 April 2020. (The cost will rise to 250 Euros for those registering after this date.)

Cost of Accommodation: 150 Euros/Villa based upon a minimum of 3 nights (Fri/Sat/Sun) at Apollo Villas. Each additional night is 40 Euros for those wishing to extend their stay or arrive earlier. We have negotiated an exclusive special rate with Apollo Villas, allowing you to spend three days in luxury at an incredibly low price!

Please note, although partners and family are welcome, accommodation will be prioritized for those training as this is a busy time of the season!

Each villa is selfcontained and has two bedrooms and can sleep up to 4 people sharing.

All villas are fully furnished, including a functional kitchen as well as a washing machine

and fridge. Full Wi-Fi is available throughout the resort at no extra cost.

Meals: All guests will find a basic ‘Welcome Pack’ upon arrival at their villa for making their own breakfast , etc.

For lunch and supper we have negotiated a special rate at the local Mazotos Tavern - based in the centre of the village, where Bambos and his family serve up the most delicious traditional meals with a wonderful friendly service!

Alternatively, folk are free to make their own arrangements or even cook in the villa, buying produce from the local high street, if they so wish.

Participants will be expected to arrive on site by Friday (6 November) morning latest or Thursday* evening 5 November 2020) earliest and depart Monday 9 November or after the final training session on Sunday, unless they have extended** their stay in advance and are departing later depending upon flights.

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*/** These will incur additional charges.

All accommodation costs must be paid in full at the time of registration. (PLEASE NOTE THESE ARE NONREFUNDABLE.) Nearest Airport: Larnaca (15 km from resort).

Information for local carhire services is available upon request.

Please contact Nasser Butt for further information and registration: Tel: +44(0)7792242150 Email: explosivefist@gmail.com Visit our website for further information on what we teach: www.fajing-chuan.co.uk Website for Hadjios Valley: www.apollovillas.com/ hadjios-valley/

The Oldest Established School of The Erle Montaigue System In The UK

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1FUFS +POFT $IJFG *OTUSVDUPS 5BJKJ 1B ,VB *OUFSOBM 'JHIUJOH "SUT

taijipakua@gmail.com

Gaku Shi Juku Kendo Kai www.leicesterkendo.com

Falling Petals in Stillness Finding the center is difficult. It might take one student ten years, another ten months, and yet another but a moment.

We seek the quiet, the still point, the silent unity of our souls. In the Michelangelo painting a finger of God touches the hand of man, the hand of the child grasping the finger of its Father and holding tightly.

In Tai Chi take the Hand of God and allow yourself to be lead through the dance following like an obedient partner. Step by step, the dance. It is only by following, not leading, that we find the center, ourselves. No intent. No direction. No will. We follow, we relax, we yield, we soften, we comply, we find our true nature and define it in a lover’s embrace as we stand on the shoes of our Father as He foot-steps us through Eternity.

I hang my limbs, rags upon a pole, and pose a Tai Chi posture. Is the form an external shape, a bronze statue? Or is the form a mirage, formed by the heat of the soul, compressed by a fevered spirit and released, a flower unfolding in the Sun, by inspiration.

I see before me the dance of dying moths. They swirl upward like white ashes lifting on waves of heat.

As we begin with Tai Chi we stand in Wu Chi and perform the commencement. At first, we do not understand. We hurry on through it, the stable horse stubbornly returning to the stable without regard for the commands of the rider. We are eager to experience the movement of Tai Chi and so we miss the essential truth, Tai Chi is stillness, in intent it is stillness, in purpose it is stillness, in reality it is stillness.

As we age in our training, if we are persistent we will discover the Wu Chi, the not doing, the stillness is the hidden

gift, the secret, the essence of Tai Chi. The center where we become the still point upon which the world turns and everything touches us.

other. We are butterflies, eagles, moths, we are happy, sad, serious, silly, intense, frivolous, we are strong, weak, stoic, fragile, we are female and feminine, female and masculine, male and feminine and male and m a s c u l i n e . Th a t wh i ch i s s o l i d i s impermanent, immaterial, invisible. That which lives has form, life and force. Our religion is law and mystery. Our life becomes death becomes endless life. What then? Live as if life is change. Dance the Tai Chi as change.

The Seed Sower, He spreads the seeds without regard for kind and delights in the surprise as varied shoots spring up. He rejoices in the kaleidoscope of color and shape. Move from your center and delight in the dance as you would the unfolding of a spring day with wind, sunlight, flowers and the impromptu serenade of birds. Tai Chi is such a thing!

My eyes alone do not see the Tai Chi form, rather my eyes, my pores, my senses, my inner mind sees the dancing spirit celebrating life. In the highest heaven, nearest to the Throne of God the sweetest music is sung by love struck Angels in the Choir of Light. How can we not dance to the music?

I have never done my Tai Chi perfectly. In every practice, I have erred. For a time, this bothered me. No longer. When I play my Tai Chi I am always over-stepping, turning my foot a little too far, reaching too far, reaching out a little too much, never perfect. When I play my Tai Chi I often lose myself in the flow and forget what comes next, embrace tiger, grasp the sparrows tail, slant fly? I recall the story of the Zen archery master who had never hit a bull’s eye in his life. I guess like that Zen master I’m just not aiming for the center of the target. When the arrow flies it goes where it intends, when I release myself to Tai Chi I follow the arrow.

Kindly reprinted with permission from: Scent of a Forgotten Flower First Edition, Copyright 2010 Second Edition, Copyright 2017 Dr. Gregory T. Lawton

2040 Raybrook St., SE Suite 104 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546 616-464-0892

It is not the Tai Chi we dance, it is ourselves. It is not the form, it is what lies within us. What a wonderful mystery! The discovery of inner self through outer movement!

About the authorDr. Gregory T. Lawton is an author of many books, most of them in the area of health science, but also in the genre of Asian martial arts, philosophy, poetry, and prose. Dr. Lawton is a passionate award winning artist and photographer who finds his artistic and creative inspiration in nature, and who frequently attributes the source of his images and writing to the 19th century Persian Prophet, Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, and the 13th century Persian poet and Sufi Mystic Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī. Dr. Lawton has been a member of the Baha’i Faith since 1970 and embraces the Faith’s principles related to the promotion of world unity and peace.

Tai Chi should be this, Tai Chi should be that, a stance is this way, not that, your weight is here, not there, your foot turned this way, not that. Who wrote these stone tablet prescriptions? Is life so predictable?

Do we always know what comes next, the next move, the next step? Art is CREATING! Life is unpredictable. We sit before the canvas and who knows what will materialize? We sit before the blank paper and who knows what words will flow?

We breathe, and air from the Arctic, the Amazon, Australia, and Asia fills our lungs and enters our blood to infuse our cells. We seek to create and we are inspired by symbols, metaphors, similes and parables.

Matter is energy, energy forms matter, the two constantly interchange one becoming the

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Regular Contributors:

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Tony Bailey Louiseneige Be Nasser Butt Amy Faulkner Peter Jones Dr. Gregory T. Lawton Katherine Loukopoulos Alan R. Ludmer Gavin Mulholland Krish Pillay Colin Power

seful

ontacts

Editor: Nasser Butt Email: lifthandsmagazine@gmail.com Peter Jones - Chief Instructor Taiji Pa-Kua Internal Fighting Arts taijipakua@gmail.com

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The Art of Louiseneige Be

Shuai Jiao 2

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