Pearls of Wisdom

Studies show that people who practice Tai Chi often experience health benefits such as: improvements in balance and strength, cardiovascular and respiratory function, flexibility, reduction of arthritis symptoms, immune system enhancement and positive psychological effects.

Now a new study from the Oregon Research Institute finds that improvements in sleep patterns may be added to that list.

As reported in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, researchers recruited a group about 120 men and women, aged 60 to 92, who all reported having moderate sleep problems. The subjects were divided into two groups to participate in exercise sessions of either Tai Chi or low-impact exercise for six months. The exercise sessions for each group lasted 60 minutes, three times each week. Subjects were evaluated using two different sleep quality assessment techniques.

Both groups improved on cognitive thinking scores, underlining just one of the many benefits of regular exercise. But the Tai Chi subjects showed significant improvements in all of the sleep scores, compared to few such improvements in the low-impact group.

Sleep quality, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and sleep disturbances were all improved on by the Tai Chi subjects. Their sleep duration averaged nearly 50 minutes more each night, while the time it took to fall asleep decreased by an average of almost 20 minutes, compared to the low-impact subjects.

Researchers concluded that a low to moderate intensity Tai Chi program may be an effective way to avoid pharmaceutical sleep aids for elderly people who have trouble getting a good night’s rest.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute

To learn more about Tai Chi visit any one of White Dragon’s seven locations in San Diego or Riverside Counties by clicking here:  whitedragonmartialarts.com

Training for Life

Inside Kung Fu July 2003

by Grandmaster Doc Fai Wong

I shall never forget the day professor Hu Yuen Chou accepted me as his disciple. When fortune smiled on me that day in the 1970s and I had been deemed worthy to have the veil lifted from the secrets of kung-fu, professor Hu took me aside. “Anybody can be an ordinary martial arts instructor,” he said. “But you have what it takes to be a great teacher, if you build your career properly.”

“What do you mean?” I asked my master.

Professor Hu paused for a moment. His eyes had a far away look, as if he was remembering his own first youthful steps on the long journey to becoming a kung fu legend. Then he spoke.

“To build high, you must have a strong base, like a pyramid. A tree can be high too, but without the wide base of a pyramid it will blow down in a storm some day. However, the pyramid will survive all the storms and last an eternity.

“Your name is the same,” he continued. “You can have lots of publicity and be temporarily known. However, a great instructor always has years of hard work, proper training and a broad knowledge of Asian history, culture and geography as his strong base. Like the pyramid.”

Then professor Hu handed me a Chinese Classic to read entitled, The Journey to the West. On that day, with those words I began to build the foundation of my own “pyramid.”

He later had me read two other great classics, The Water Margin and The Three Kingdoms. Reading these venerated works taught me a great deal about kung-fu.

Sadly, great-grandmaster Hu is no longer with us. So, it is up to me to pass along this valuable path of kung-fu knowledge. I highly recommend reading these great classics, as a way of connecting with the feel of Chinese culture and the birth of kung-fu and its techniques.

Journey to the West

Many Chinese children grow up hearing the remarkable tales of the “Monkey King” from The Journey to the West. These delightful stories not only entertain, but also explain the details of the monkey staff kung-fu techniques. There are other mystical characters, such as the Tang Priest (who is based on the historical figure who went to India - hence the title “Journey to the West” - to bring the sacred Buddhist Sutras back to China), Pig, the Sand Monks and countless other demons and devils. Each character has a different weapon and the fighting skills to go with it. Naturally, there are lots of contests where these weapons are used. The reader learns a great deal about kung-fu fighting.

The Water Margin

In The Water Margin, there are 108 heroes. From this novel we learn of the origin of “drunken” kung-fu. One of the heroes is the monk Lu Zhi Shen, who thoughtlessly went out and got drunk. When he returned to the monastery to sleep it off, the other monks wouldn’t let him in. Buddhist monks, you see, are not supposed to go out and drink too much. In his efforts to get back in and go to bed, he fought more and more monks at the monastery’s gate with his surprisingly effective drunken movements.

For the famous double axes techniques, you can read about Li Kui; for the twin spear there is the story of Shi Jun, who had nine dragons tattooed on his body. There are many heroes such as Lin Chong, the military chief instructor of a million soldiers; Wu Song, the tiger fighter hero; and many others to complete your knowledge of Chinese fighting arts.

The Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms is one of the major novels in classical Chinese literature. The story is about the three states in ancient China at the end of the Han dynasty (202 B.C. - A.D. 220). This was a very unsettled period in history. One of the characters is General Kwan, also known as Guan Gong. This action-packed story tells about the general and his blood brothers. General Kwan is well-known in Chinese culture and is often seen on altars in Chinese business establishments with his unmistakable long weapon - the Kwan do.

Today, when we practice the southern style of Kwan do, the long handle broadsword, we understand the history and background of the weapon’s form from The Three Kingdoms. The traditional Kwan do form has techniques like sharpen the knife, riding on the horse, and other movements that simulate General Kwan preparing for the war.

General Kwan’s elderly blood brother was Lord Liu Bi. He eventually became king of one of the states and had his kingdom in the area of western China, which is today Si Chuan province. Lord Liu Bi’s weapon of choice was the double sword. The second blood brother was Zhang Fei, who was famous for using the snake tongue spear. The youngest blood brother, Zhao Zi Long, was the red tassel spear expert. One of General Kwan’s enemies was Lu Bu. He wrought havoc with the gik (Chinese halberd).

I highly recommend that all serious martial artists read these works. You can get them from the library or even from the Internet. After you read these books, you will truly understand Chinese culture and how it relates to traditional Chinese martial arts.

Doc Fai Wong is a columnist for Inside Kung Fu Magazine.

To learn more about Kung Fu and Tai Chi visit:  whitedragonmartialarts.com

by Jane Hallander

Inside Kung Fu Magazine Jan 2002

Traditional Chinese martial arts weapons, such as swords and spears, were almost always the property of professional fighters or armed robbers in ancient China. Monks, farmers and other workers had to rely solely on their everyday tools for self-defense. Buddhist monks used their spades and canes as powerful weapons against armed robbers, while farmers turned to their hoes, rakes, staffs and horse benches for personal protection.

Choy li fut, one of the largest martial arts in Southern China, contains as many, if not more, different weapons than any other Chinese style. Among choy li fut’s weapons’ arsenal is the horse bench and farmer’s hoe. Choy li fut grandmaster, Doc Fai Wong , views all weapons as indispensable, including the horse bench and hoe. Wong, whose Doc Fai Wong Martial Arts Center is headquartered in San Francisco, Calif., teaches those once-humble farmers’ weapons to his most promising students.

“The horse bench and hoe are just as effective as the professional martial artists sword and spear.”

“Although considered lowly farmers’ weapons, the horse bench and hoe are just as effective as the professional martial artists’ sword and spear,” explains Wong.

Horse Bench

Often considered no more than a resting place for the tired, the Chinese horse bench, or cheong kiu dang, is actually a powerful weapon that even has applications in today’s sometimes dangerous society.

The horse bench was shaped like the common sawhorse. It had a flat board on top where it was used as a seat. The bench was approximately two feet tall and four-to-five feet in length - longer than today’s sawhorse. The flat top board was between six-to-eight inches wide.

Horse benches were used in every day restaurants and homes, in place of more expensive chairs. Of course, when fights broke out at eating and drinking establishments, horse benches were among the first items used as weapons.

Although not as long as a staff or spear, the horse bench is still classified as a long weapon in Chinese martial arts, because the heavy bench is usually held with both hands. Also, most of the techniques are double-ended staff movements, caused by twisting the waist and generating striking power alternately with both ends of the bench.

There are also overhead strikes that use the bench as a downward striking or pressing weapon. Featured are low sweeping actions that instantly take the opponent off balance and down to the ground, where he falls prey to the horse bench’s downward hammer-like blow.

Working the Bench

Common bench techniques are left and right jabs made with either end. Again, the weapon is held with both hands while making these attacks to steady its weight and somewhat spread-out construction. Sometimes the leg portion of one end can be used either to trap other weapons or as an uppercut blow to an opponent.

Some horse bench techniques feature the weapon being held in only one hand. In one instance, the choy li fut practitioner holds the upper part of one of the bench’s legs and either swings the bench above his head to block other attacking weapons, or sweeps the bench low to attack an opponent’s legs in a sweeping motion.

As a defensive weapon, the horse bench could be used for overhead blocks, lower blocks and side-to-side blocking actions. There are even horse bench techniques that mimic human kicks, where the stylist holds one leg of the weapon in one hand and strikes forward with an underhand blow to the opponent’s midsection.

In today’s world, an altercation in a restaurant or bar might lead someone to defend himself with a chair using horse bench techniques. However, the horse bench’s real value is as a training weapon. Since it is a heavy weapon (15-to-20 pounds), it is often used in Wong’s schools to build strength and stamina through weight training as students practice the horse bench form. At the same time its use improves the practitioner’s balance and coordination.

Wong maintains that before attempting serious horse bench practice, you should strengthen your wrists and fingers. If they are not strong enough you can easily sprain or strain them. Lifting exercises, where you lift weights or even jars filled with sand or dirt, are excellent ways to condition your wrists and hands.

The Hoe

One of the most practical weapons among Southern China’s farmers was the hoe, a weapon that could be used double-ended, like the staff, for blocking and striking, or as a bladed weapon for chopping and slicing. And, of course, it was easily available, since every farmer had a hoe and was well-versed in its use.

The choy li fut hoe form contains more than just fighting applications. It also has drama.

“In the old days, Southern Chinese martial arts weapons’ forms displayed many flowery movements that appeared unlike practical actions,” Doc Fai Wong explains. “This was designed to draw the public’s interest to the martial art, a common method of recruiting students. Martial arts schools performed during village festivals and celebrations, often celebrating harvests and seasonal plantings in farming villages.

“Since many of the weapons taught in the old days were originally farm implements, to liven demonstrations kung-fu practitioners added some acting to the form,” he adds. “For instance, traditional hoe forms begin with the martial artist rolling up his sleeves and mimicking hoeing the field. He stops to wipe the sweat from his brow and looks at the sun’s position to check the time of day. The martial artist rubs his aching back and slings the hoe over his shoulder, as if trudging home after a long day’s work. Then the fighting action begins.”

Staff and Blade

Most traditional Chinese martial art hoe forms have a beginning similar to what Wong describes. This makes the form more interesting to watch and explains the weapon’s background.

The Chinese hoe is similar to the variety you find in today’s garden centers. The blade was a little longer (approximately ten inches} and about six inches wide. The hoe was a relatively heavy weapon, weighing about six-to-eight pounds. A sturdy tool and weapon, the handle was constructed from Chinese hardwood. As with the horse bench, the hoe form is taught today as a means of weight training to strengthen and condition a student’s forearms and wrists, as well as improve balance and power.

The farmer’s hoe was both a long staff-like weapon and a bladed weapon, using many techniques similar to the staff and long-bladed weapons, such as the kwan do. It is always held with the right hand forward, placed approximately two-thirds down the length of the handle. The hoe practitioner’s left hand grips the center of the weapon. This allows the stylist to move quickly in any direction. He can also use the center portion of the handle for blocking an attacker’s weapon. At the same time, he can quickly pull the hoe back to thrust forward or scoop upward with the bladed end.

The bladed end is used to either chop downward or thrust forward at an opponent. It is heavy and sharp, requiring little force to make an effective strike. When thrust forward, the flat side of the blade makes contact in a poking motion. The horse bench and hoe are excellent representatives of the creativity and resourcefulness of Chinese martial artists, who developed effective fighting techniques using common tools and household implements.

To learn more about Choy Li Fut Kung Fu in San Diego, Visit White Dragon Martial Arts

Training for Life

by Grandmaster Doc Fai Wong

Inside Kung Fu Sept 2005

Tai Chi’s Tui Shou or pushing hands is well known in the martial art world. There are similar techniques in other systems as well. In the Choy Li Fut system, it is called Nor Kiu or rubbing bridge hands. In Wing Chun they have Chi Sau or sticky hands. Some other systems have Pan Shou or coiling hands. Most of the internal systems like Yi Chuan, Bagua and Hsing I call it Tui Shou or pushing hands.

There are single pushing hands and double pushing hands methods. The single pushing hands training is good for fighting because it teaches the student how to redirect the opponent’s front hand to unbalance him and then use the free hand to strike him. The double pushing hands play is useful for training the student to use both hands to control the opponent, unbalance him and then push him away without striking him. From the double pushing hands training, you will develop the neutralization sensation which allows you to avoid the opponent grabbing or wrestling you with both arms.

The main Tai Chi pushing hands principle is bu diao bu ding (no leaving and no forcing) which means: do not withdraw your hands (or leave) without the opponent pushing you away and do not use your own force against the incoming force from your opponent. The bu diao bu ding has the same meaning as Choy Li Fut’s nor kiu saying: gung kei yeok sieh kei keung (attacking the weak and neutralizing the strong). In the Chi Sau of Wing Chun, they say: lai woi hui sung lat sau jik chung , that means: following the coming and going hands, once the hands disconnect you must thrust the punch forward. All of the above sayings are the same if you are truly understand the meanings. If you don’t, then lessons from a pushing hands master will give you understanding.

Many instructors have difficulty teaching pushing hands to women. Some say that they do not want to do training with women because it is not convenient to limit the physical contact. I have no problem teaching nor practicing pushing hands with female students at all. I am sure most of the well trained pushing hands masters and sifus are also having no problems. Only some Tai Chi instructors who are not well accomplished at pushing hands use this excuse to avoid practicing with an expert female player by saying “its not convenient to push with her.”

I have been teaching kung fu since 1968 and with 37 years of experience training instructors, I have always gotten the same complaints and problems from the instructors about pushing hands with women. Now I would like to share some tips for anyone who is having problems practicing with women: Firstly, you must not have any evil thoughts. If you have bad thoughts, you will get yourself into lots of legal trouble for sexual misconduct. You must truely want to train and practice the art of pushing hands. Secondly, you must understand and be able to perform the techniques in keeping with the tai chi pushing hands principles, that is “bu diao bu ding” or “no leaving and no forcing”. During the pushing hand attack, you must not push to the female opponent’s chest. You may push her arms into her mid section to push her off balance. If she is forcing, just by pushing her arm she will be thrown off balance without her arm touching her body anyway. You can also redirect her arm by turning her body sideways and the other hand can push her shoulder or the upper part of her arm to unbalance her.

There are many ways to unbalance an opponent (man or woman) without any contact to their chest or private parts. You simply have to practice more and learn how to relax your body. Most women are naturally relaxed and more sensative to touch than men, therefore sometimes its difficult to push them off balance and easy for them to push you. How can you relax? You must practice your Tai Chi form correctly. The forms teach you to know about yourself. The form teaches you to know that your energies are connected or disconnected, tense or relaxed and your footwork is empty or full. Pushing hands teaches you to know about your opponent and to feel whether your opponent is leaving or forcing, this way you will develop a high level of skill in pushing hand and you will have no problem practicing with or teaching women students anymore.

Grandmaster Doc Fai Wong is a columnist for Inside Kung Fu Magazine.

To learn more about Tai Chi or Push Hands in San Diego Visit White Dragon Martial Arts