Xing Yi is one of the oldest Chinese martial arts that is still practised today, and so naturally it has attracted a large variety of writings over the hundreds of years of its existence. These various writings can be found scattered about in different lineages and books, but now Byron Jacobs has collected them together … Continue reading REVIEW: Dragon Body, Tiger Spirit: A translation and explanation of the classic texts of Xingyi Quan, by Byron Jacobs
Classics commentary
New podcast! Richard Johnson on Chen Style Practical Method
This month's podcast guest is Richard Johnson a long-time student of Joseph Chen of Chen Style Practical Method. As well as a Tai Chi practitioner and teacher, Richard is a full time movement coach working with athletes, so he brings an appreciation of athletic movement to his views on Tai Chi. In our discussion Richard … Continue reading New podcast! Richard Johnson on Chen Style Practical Method
The number 1 mistake people make in Tai Chi push hands and how to fix it
I got to meet up with a local Tai Chi instructor recently, and it was a good chance for me to do some hands-on work in push hands. One of the things working with somebody else at Tai Chi, as opposed to the endless solo practice that mainly makes up the art, brings up is … Continue reading The number 1 mistake people make in Tai Chi push hands and how to fix it
REVIEW Martial Art Essays from Beijing, 1760
By Michael A. DeMarco, MA Amazon link (UK) Amazon link (US) Martial Art Essays from Beijing, 1760, presents 64 essays written by Yang Mingbin, a painter in the Royal court of the Ching dynasty. Or does it? As well as being a painter, Yang was also a martial artist and the papers are his thoughts … Continue reading REVIEW Martial Art Essays from Beijing, 1760
NEW PODCAST Simon Cox on Zhang Sanfeng and the Wudang connection to Tai Chi
New podcast! My guest today is Simon Cox, who co runs the Okanagan Valley Wudang with his wife Brandi in Penticton, British Columbia. Simon and Brandi spent six years living and training in China under master Yuan Xiu Gang at the Wudang Daoist Traditional Kung Fu Academy. While there they studied Kung Fu, Tai Chi, … Continue reading NEW PODCAST Simon Cox on Zhang Sanfeng and the Wudang connection to Tai Chi
More thoughts on elbows and the classics of Tai Chi and Xing Yi
From http://chentaijiquanworld.blogspot.com/ we find this nice quote about Chen Taijiquan: “The, at first sight, seemingly humorous Chenjiagou saying to “always keep an egg under your armpit” reflects the importance of not allowing the upper arms to become stuck to the side of the body. This idea of always keeping a space under the armpit is … Continue reading More thoughts on elbows and the classics of Tai Chi and Xing Yi
Are all Chinese martial arts really ex-military arts?
I think this post is perhaps a little half formed, but I want to get on to writing up my last lesson with Bear, so I’m going to put it out as is. Let the pieces fall where they may… An interesting new video has been released by Will (a recent guest on my Tai … Continue reading Are all Chinese martial arts really ex-military arts?
4oz deflects 1000lbs
The Yang Family Secret Transmissions book contains a number of writings that are seen as additions to the main Tai Chi Classics documents. Amongst the documents is “The Song of Pull down”. "Pull down" is the name of one of the '8 energies of Tai Chi', there’s a song, meaning verse, for each of the … Continue reading 4oz deflects 1000lbs
Alan Watts – The Principle of Not Forcing
Alan Watts - what a guy! As the public philosopher entertainer de jour he spearheaded the Eastern spirituality movement of the 60s that took America by storm and forever gave Tai Ch its hippy associations. The lectures on Eastern religions, particularly Zen, he did for a local radio station in California have provided endless motivational … Continue reading Alan Watts – The Principle of Not Forcing
Tai Chi Notebook Podcast Episode 15 – Centre the Dragon: Tai Chi Talk with Ken Gullette and Graham Barlow
In this episode of the Tai Chi Notebook podcast I’m teaming up with Ken Gullette, to answer the kind of questions that Tai Chi teachers get asked all the time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaIJIzJTxFU&t=19s YouTube version for people who, er, like YouTube? Ken is an all-round good guy and owner of the Internal Fighting Arts website where he … Continue reading Tai Chi Notebook Podcast Episode 15 – Centre the Dragon: Tai Chi Talk with Ken Gullette and Graham Barlow
The Tai Chi Notebook 