Pearls of Wisdom

As a fitness tool, tai chi packs a wallop

The sight of someone standing alone on a beach or a patch of grass performing what looks like slow-motion kung fu has become a familiar one in recent years as the health-conscious public has come to discover an ancient Chinese secret. All over San Diego County, the martial arts have gone mainstream, thanks to the widely popular tai chi chuan.

“Tai chi is (one of) the oldest forms of martial arts, dating back 1,500 years,” says Ben Stanley, Sifu – or lead instructor – at White Dragon Martial Arts Schools, “but its benefits have withstood the test of time.”

Rich Nye (center) led a tai chi chuan class at the White Dragon Martial Arts School in Clairemont. Tai chi, one of the oldest forms of martial arts, dates back 1,500 years.

Practiced in a slow, controlled manner, tai chi may appear more relaxing than invigorating, but its appearance easily can be deceiving.

“An hour of tai chi three to four days per week is a great amount of exercise,” Stanley adds. “It is a good, mild form of cardio that puts your heart rate in the best range to burn fat and lose weight.”

It may seem mild, but when it comes down to it, tai chi is a martial art that can still pack a powerful punch.

“Tai chi is slow and relaxed, but for self-defense, it is sped up,” Stanley says. “Each of the movements has real-world applications in combat, based on the principle that ‘one technique beats many.’ You never fight force against force, but you use principles to maximize your power. That’s tai chi in a nutshell.”

EXERCISE YOUR OPTIONS  JUNE 6, 2006

– CHRISTINA ORLOVSKY

WHAT TO EXPECT: Students of varying ages, from young children to senior citizens, and a range of skill levels. White Dragon ranks tai chi students in a belt system similar to kung fu or karate, and tailors classes and private lessons to rank and experience level. Private lessons include instruction on formalities, stances, rules and history, while group classes give students the opportunity to practice “push hands,” or the tai chi form of sparring. Students also can expect an atmosphere of respect: Students and instructors bow to one another in salutation.

WHAT IT BENEFITS: The list of body and mind benefits is almost endless for this ancient sport. Sifu Stanley explains that tai chi is a way of improving health and longevity, as well as practicing self-defense, because, as he relays, “It’s bad for your health to let someone punch you in the nose!” Tai chi has been found to relieve stress and stress-related illness, reduce blood pressure and stimulate the immune system. It can also improve circulation, flexibility and mobility, making it popular with the baby boomer set. It has even been suggested that the athletic art’s complex patterns can stimulate mind function for elderly adults experiencing dementia.

WHAT IT COSTS: White Dragon invites first-timers to take a free one-on-one introductory lesson by registering through the Web site. Class packages vary, but include private lessons as well as unlimited group classes six days a week. Outdoor classes are also offered, and tournaments are held throughout the year.

Read the original article at Sign On San Diego by the San Diego Union Tribune www.signonsandiego.com

Training for Life September 1988

By Grandmaster Doc Fai Wong

It’s long, straight, sharp on both sides, and exclusively Chinese. You won’t find any other country’s martial art using a straight bladed sword that draws its energy primarily from wrist action and flexibility.

Chinese call it “Gim” in Cantonese and “Jian” in Mandarin. It’s a far different weapon than the more popular broadsword. Unlike the brute force broadsword, fighting Gim techniques are practically unknown today. Most people learn only fancy performing techniques that turn the weapon into a blur of flashy figure-eight circles and ground-hugging stationary postures. However, in traditional Chinese martial arts the Gim was an advanced weapon that required top-notch teachers and years of correct practice before it became an effective fighting tool.

In the days when combat with a straight sword was practiced, most students had over ten years of martial art training before they were exposed to the Gim. The average student learned only broadsword and staff techniques. Those two, one long and the other short, were Chinese martial art’s major weapons. Occasionally, different implements found their way into a fighter’s arsenal because they were more convenient than swords or staffs. Horse bench, fan, smoking pipe, and hoe were all routinely pressed into service as kung fu weapons, using basic techniques from those popular long and short weapons - the staff and the broadsword.

Even in those times, those who routinely carried straight swords were high-ranking military officials who used the weapon for punctuating command or military ceremonies and Confucian scholars, who practiced intricate sword forms for daily exercise. During the height of Chinese Confucianism, all Confucian scholars wore Gims as decorations and signs of their scholarly office, not for self defense. Those scholars and officers gave rise to the Gim being strictly a gentleman’s weapon. The real swordsmen of ancient China were Taoist Priests of Wu-Dang Mountain. They practiced straight sword-fighting techniques as part of their daily martial art training.

A famous Taoist priest-fighter named Lu Dong Bin made the sword popular among other Taoist martial artist. His trademark was the way he carried the weapon – on his back over his right shoulder, where it was easy to pull from its scabbard. He was so famous that all later-day Taoist Priests wore their swords the same way.

Buddhist monks favored the Chinese broadsword, calling it the “precept knife”. They made personal vows that if they broke any Buddhist Priest or vows, they would cut off a limb with their broadsword. Shaolin monks practiced broadsword form for exercise. Their daily broadsword practice made them experts with the broadsword.

What were the Gim techniques that distinguished the difference between combat and dance?

First, understand that the Chinese straight sword was fragile, lightweight weapon. It isn’t strong enough for contact against the much sturdier broad sword. However, the Gim has two cutting edges, one on each side of the blade. Those two cutting surfaces give it the versatility of slicing left and right, as well as poking straight.

Fighting Gim experts took advantage of the two-edge blade by using only three-to-four inches near the tip for cutting. That’s the only truly sharp area, besides the tip itself, of an authentic Gim. The rest of the blade was kept dull and slightly thicker for any emergency blocking techniques. I say “emergency”, because sword technicians did not want to use their weapon for blocking. The sword is thin and long and not very strong. Speedy dodging actions and small circles angular cuts aimed at the enemy’s wrist better suited its size and shape.

Wu-Dang sword experts taught special basic training techniques that trained Gim students to put their force out into the last three inches of the blade. These were waist and wrist loosing exercises, similar to Western fencing. Some, still taught today, include a variety of movements. The tip of the sword is circled clockwise or counter-clockwise. The blade’s tip is snapped up and down. The cutting section slices from side to side. These basics are done thousands of times in front of a knowledgeable teacher who will direct the student along the right path. Of course they also had a special way to hold the sword. It wasn’t a five-finger grab.

True Wu-Dang swordsman used only three fingers, the thumb and two center fingers. The three-finger grip gave them more wrist and hand flexibility for the small slices and pokes that characterize straight-sword techniques. The index finger was pointed forward, guiding the blade along its path to the target.

The unused hand was called the “sword finger” hand. Its first two fingers formed a miniature sword, which was used to help balance the uneven weight of the other hand. Pressure point strikes also were made with the free hand.

Among China’s best-known teachers in recent history are General Lee Jing-Lin and Guo Chi-Feng, both members of the fabled seven swordsmen of China. Of the seven, they are the only ones known to have living students. The famous seven were trained by a Taoist priest called Fung Tao-Zi, who was said to have been 100 years old when he taught the techniques.

My own teacher, Woo Van-Cheuk, now 84 years old, was a disciple of both General Lee and Guo. To the best of my knowledge, Woo Van-Cheuk is the lone remaining student outside China.

Training for Life

by Grandmaster Doc Fai Wong

Guess what?  Everybody’s getting older.  So far no one’s invented a fountain of youth or elixir of life.  We all have to realize age is steadily creeping up on us.  When you reach 40, your tendons and ligaments start losing their elasticity.  With this comes an increased risk of strained muscles and tendons.  Your stamina and speed are less than a 20 year old’s, and you’ll probably tire a lot quicker.

For those who are overweight, out of shape and have high blood pressure, you’re running a serious risk when you practice martial arts based on hard active force.  The risk is of shortening your life by putting undue strain on your heart and blood vessels each time you work out using hard, forceful power.

As a student you must work out to learn your marital art.  However, once you complete your learning and become a teacher or master, what do you do?  To keep in shape, most martial artists do stretching exercises.  Some do push ups and sit ups.  Most workout with kata or forms.  While some people over 40 can still practice hard, forceful kata , many tire easily and develop physical problems with elbows, knees or muscles.  At that age many have high blood pressure and stressful everyday lives.  If they don’t know how to take care of themselves, their martial arts practice will shorten their lives.

If you’re reaching middle age, you do have a choice.  If you are a beginner in martial arts, you can take up a softer, more internal style such as tai chi.  If you’ve been training for awhile and are noticing yourself slowing down or feeling easily fatigued, you can modify your training with the addition of a softer style.

Why is it bad for older martial artists to practice nothing but hard styles?  Most so called hard styles are based on tense, stiff muscle action.  When you do nothing but tense, stiff muscular workouts, your muscles and tendons quickly lose their elasticity, making it easier to injure yourself.  That type of workout is bad for people with high blood pressure.  Tense muscles slow the circulation and prohibit normal relaxed breathing.  There are multitudes of health problems that face an aging person who constantly emits tense force.  Tai chi or chi kung (qigong) are both good supplements to the aging martial artist’s workout.  They’ll help you understand relaxation.

How can you tell if your style uses too much tense force for the over 40 person?  First, your shoulders should be down and relaxed when you punch.  If they are raised, you’re too tense.  Next, your chest should not stick out.  When your chest sticks out, your chest muscles are tight, restricting your breathing and lung capacity.  Third, all kicks and punches should be smooth and flowing.  Broken, jerky movements are bad for aging joints.  Finally, when you strike, your upper body muscles should stay loose and relaxed, rather than firm or tense.

For you beginners who decide to join the nearest tai chi class on your block, be aware of one thing:
Not every tai chi instructor is teaching a martial art.  Over 90 percent of tai chi teachers don’t know the martial art applications of what they teach.  Even if you just want tai chi for health, you’ll still need a teacher who knows the martial art aspect of tai chi.  If your instructor doesn’t understand tai chi the martial art, it’s just a slow dance, and is no different from doing a hard style kata slowly and without intention.

Focus and intention, along with the right timing and balance are essentials for any martial art, including tai chi.  Learn from a tai chi instructor who comes from authentic martial art lineage and background.  Then you’ll get a good, safe workout along with self-defense training.

For those at an advanced level in most kung fu, karate, and other martial art styles, keep doing your martial art.  However, when you practice, relax and slow your speed so your heart doesn’t work too hard.  Don’t put too much emphasis on high kicks and low stances.  When you release power, use intention instead of raw force.  Use your mind to put forth plenty of power.  Keep your body relaxed before the moment of impact, adding power at the last instant.  Your form or kata then becomes slower, between the power sections.  But when you need power, it will still be there.

Dynamic tension exercises are not good for those over 40.  Keep your breathing even.  Don’t do techniques that require you to hold your breath too long.  Of  course, it doesn’t hurt for those in the advanced category to add some tai chi or comparable internal martial art to your daily workouts.

Learn more about the benefits of internal martial arts, click here: whitedragonmartialarts.com

A 2004 study of middle agers showed that participants in a martial arts program showed an overall higher level of fitness than those who were sedentary.  The study conducted by the New York Institute of Technology measured the effects of a martial arts program on eighteen volunteers aged 40-60.  The group made up of 14 men and 4 women had an average age of 47 years.  Nine of the participants were actively engaged in a martial arts program while the other nine remained sedentary.

After a one day battery of tests the study found that body composition (body fat %) was 18.9% for the martial arts group and 30.8% for the sedentary group.  The martial arts group was able to balance for 61.8 seconds compared to 26.2 seconds for the sedentary.  The average number of push ups performed was 47 vs 19, and the number of sit ups was 66 vs 37.  The participants also had flexibility and leg strength measured and you guessed it, the martial arts group showed higher levels of flexibility and quadriceps strength.  Perhaps the biggest difference showed that the martial arts group had a 25% higher level of aerobic capacity.

The study concluded that there were significant differences in between the two groups on all of the physical fitness tests.  The martial arts group showed better strength, flexibility, balance and aerobic capacity.  The martial arts group also had a significantly lower body fat %.  However, the study did not point out how long the participants were engaged in their martial arts program or whether diet was a consideration.

Martial arts is an excellent form of physical exercise for adults and can be a great alternative to a gym membership or expensive home equipment.  The combination of physical and mental exercise creates a perfect method of training for the baby boomer set.  Studies have shown that martial arts is not only a way to improve overall fitness levels, but it can be an effective way of maintaining cognitive function and memory as well.

White Dragon Martial Arts, Train Hard-Live Better!

THE BIOMECHANICS OF THE MEASURED, FLOWING MOVEMENTS OF TAI CHI DEMONSTRATE THAT SLOWER SPEEDS LEAD TO GREATER MUSCLE ACTIVATION IN THE LOWER BODY.

by Yun Shi | August 27, 2009

If you’re familiar with exercise, you know that speed is an important factor to control. For common exercises like running and weight lifting, volumes of research has shown that it’s generally necessary to move faster for a more intense cardio workout and to make measured, controlled movements for building muscles. Other workouts, like mind-body exercises (e.g., yoga and tai chi), are somewhat harder to pin down. They aren’t cardio exercises, nor are they strictly muscle building.

The slow, flowing movements of mind-body exercises have been around for centuries, and they have been shown to help people develop balance, flexibility, and muscle function. Consequently, they’ve been increasing in popularity, both for physical therapy and personal enjoyment. While these exercises are widely practiced around the world, the biomechanical basis for their effects is not well known. To gain further insight, Ge Wu and Xiaolin Ren, biomedical engineers from the University of Vermont, chose to study how the unhurried steps of tai chi benefit its practitioners.

Experienced tai chi instructors like Ben Stanley and Leslie Edwards often remind their students that slower is better. Stanley says that “it’s about breathing and being attuned to the muscles as you’re moving. It’s important not to rush it, or you could miss the full benefits of the exercise.” In fact, Edwards pointed out that “the slower you go, the harder it is, and you definitely feel it in your legs.”

Tai chi can certainly be a test of patience for the inexperienced, as it is normally performed about 10 times slower than an average walk (2 mph), but it has a similar intensity to a moderate aerobic workout. Much of its direct benefits have been reported in the legs. To determine if and how the deliberate, gradual transitions in tai chi were responsible for these benefits, Wu and Ren employed a combination of biomechanical force plates, a camera-based motion analysis system, and EMG (electromyography) electrodes.

The 12 subjects, grouped as young (22-34 years) and old (64-80 years), performed a fundamental tai chi movement, “part wild horse’s mane,” at various speeds. Besides marking the participant’s motion from shoulder to toe, Wu and Ren measured the duration and magnitude of activation for six muscles that are key to ankle, knee, and hip mobility.

They found, as expected, that the duration of muscle activation was longer during slower motions in all six muscles. The effect was most significant for the rectus femoris (one of the quadriceps muscles) and semitendinosus (one of the hamstrings). When the participants sped up, these muscles lost this activation duration, while two muscles, the soleus (part of the calf) and semitendinosus, showed an increased activation. Thus, speeding up created an overall loss in muscle activation.

Age was also a factor in muscle activation. At slower speeds, younger subjects showed more muscle activation than older participants. This could be the result of older practitioners having a more limited range of movement. Stanley has often observed that it’s “difficult for older people to really sink down and fully extend in some of the postures compared to younger students,” but he has “seen posture, balance, and overall well being improve through time.”

Overall, Wu and Ren observed that speed had a greater impact on lower body muscles than other factors, like age or depth of movement. Their work demonstrate that slow, controlled movements can activate muscles more than rapid motion. The approach can also be used to study additional movements in tai chi and other exercises like yoga—a thorough understanding of exercise biomechanics should allow people to make more informed choices about what activities to pursue.

Training For Life April 1989

By Grandmaster Doc Fai Wong

One of the biggest selling points of internal Chinese martial arts are their health and longevity benefits. You know, practice Tai Chi and life becomes better for you.

Well, that’s true. However, people question why several famous Tai Chi and Hsing-I masters have died at relatively young ages. If we who teach tai chi tell the public that internal martial arts promote longevity and health, why did these well-known masters die so soon?

Those people’s early deaths resulted from the lifestyles, not their martial art. Actually, if they didn’t know Tai Chi or another internal martial art, they probably would have died much sooner.

Well-known martial arts masters around the turn of this century had far different lifestyles than the ordinary martial teacher. They often worked for rich families, who exposed them to all of the excesses available to the wealthy – opium, women, alcohol, and gambling. Before long their social habits cut into their Tai Chi practice time. They spent more time gambling, drinking and carousing, and less time practicing Tai Chi. They ate more of the wrong foods, increasing their cholesterol levels and overtaxing their digestive tracts. The best tasting food was not always the healthiest food, especially when they didn’t get enough exercise to digest their extra fat.

They slept fewer hours, stressing themselves with addictive habits. In China, before the People’s Republic, the upper-class fashion was to smoke opium. Of course, only those who could afford it smoked it. Many great masters, whom I will not name, with respect for their martial arts fame and leadership, became wealthy from teaching government officials and rich families. Unfortunately, their opulent lifestyles outweighed their internal training, and they died young.

Not all famous internal martial arts teachers fell prey to temptation. Wu Tu-Nan, a Wu and Yang style Tai Chi expert, lives in Beijing. Wu is almost 105 years old, and he still practices tai chi every day. The author of many outstanding Chinese Tai Chi books, Wu is very healthy. He emphasizes three things for a long life – good nutrition, enough rest, and daily Tai Chi practice.

A well-known Tai Chi master is San Francisco and Taiwan, Kuo Lien-Yin lived into his late 80’s. Kuo also practiced Tai Chi every day, outliving several wives.

Professor Yu Peng-Si, one of the most renown Hsing-I (I-Chuan) masters of modern times, died in 1983 at age 83. He would probably be alive today, except that he suffered from acute diabetes. His demise came from complications caused by restaurant food that triggered a diabetic attack.

Professor Yu was once quoted as saying “If you want a long life get eight hours sleep every night, don’t eat a large meal right before you go to sleep, and don’t let yourself become emotionally upset.”

Professor Yu, also a distinguished medical doctor and full professor at the University of Shanghai, practiced his I-Chuan internal martial art every day until his final illness.

My own teacher, Hu Yuen-Chou (Woo Van-Cheuk in Cantonese), is 85 years old. He is famous in Hong Kong and Taiwan, having been a direct disciple of Yang tai chi’s leader, Yang Cheng-Fu. Hu practices and teaches tai chi every day. He is also a doctor, believing that daily exercise is a must for a long healthy life. Hu refrains from eating greasy foods. They are hard to digest and raise blood cholesterol levels.

These are just a few examples. There are many Tai Chi and other internal masters who have lived well into their 90s. I have observed many external martial arts teachers, younger than them, in the Orient who must use canes to walk and can no longer practice their martial arts.

I believe that the benefits of internal practice, living a long, healthy life, means that you should practice certain principles. Practice your martial art every day, staying relaxed and calm. Don’t overdo your workouts, but do enough. Stay away from other excesses, such as drugs, alcohol, and the wrong kinds of food. Get enough rest every night. Do these things, and you too may be teaching Tai Chi, Hsing-I, or paqua well into your 90s.

Discover the many health benefits of Kung Fu & Tai Chi: whitedragonmartialarts.com