thaddeus

It's all cooperation because it's an exercise--meaning you need to make your body 'stiff' if you don't know anything or produce peng if you know something. I've seen him pushing hands with an experienced taiji practioner--nothing. Another time my friend went to see him and Gim tried to push him, he yielded and Gim told him not to do that so he could push him. But I don't think this is a bad thing. Gim will not say he can do this to anyone or an unwilling participant--don't connect your body and he can't push you--in fact he'll say the better your peng the more 'fantastic' will be the show. This is just a training exercise, it's not fighting. I think you can learn something from him. Unfortunately, he's a victim of the propaganda of his lineage. They teach some excellent solo drills, if you pay attention, you'll learn something. The dynamic push hands exercise is also a decent training device if you're careful. Have fun! T

If you imagine your body structure released and expanded (Peng Jing)..it is not unlike a basketball full of air. So if you 'hit' it, it will bounce away. That's really all it is. It won't work on an unwilling participant. In fact, students there are encourage to 'go with it'. It's certainly cool, but to make a big deal of it kind of says something about the school. T

If you buy the standard chinese stuff, do you rinse before eating? I imagine the expensive stuff in the health food stores is already pre-washed..i'm wondering about the cheaper chinatown versions..it must have pesticides and junk on it don't you think? T

I came across a bit of knowledge that I want to meditate on because I somehow feel it's true, just having trouble understanding it... The idea is that your relationships mirror what is going on inside you. For example, if you feel someone you care for is ignoring you, it means you are ignoring some aspect of yourself. If you feel someone is mean to you, you are doing that to some aspect of yourself. This idea that your relationship dynamics are mirroring your internal dynamics is very interesting. Being lazy, I was wondering if this rings true for anyone else and if you can give an example of how you understand that to be. I'm having trouble thinking of specific examples of this principle...and I feel somehow it's significant.. T

I haven't had the pleasure to dream lucidly for awhile..mostly because of work and life demands. But I wonder if my lucid self somehow longs to awaken and if so, can I apply that knowledge to wakeup/return right now...hmmm food for thought.. Thanks sean, T

Ultimately the only reason to learn anything is to ensure a longer and superior life so that one could produce more offspring. We can come up with all kinds of reasons that sound great including spiritual ones, but it usually boils down to that. Look how most of the 'spiritual' leaders are using spirituality as a means to become the alpha monkey who is banging all the followers. Not just spiritual..look at the martial arts instructors, teachers, religious leaders, etc. etc. that are using ploys to get more 'action'. My hat comes off to any true spiritual person who practices earnestly who is not competing for sex or favor in some way. In the case of iron shirt, of course it won't protect you against an assailant. What it does is produce a superior state of health and increases sexual ability. This translates to more action. Lol..now you can 'release the hounds' after that statement... T

Would be interesting to read your ideas. T

I'm sure most of you know that the Goji berry that is being bandied about right now is the lycii berry...however i did read some marketing stuff indicating the tibetan lycii had special powers above the chinese version, but i'm skeptical..

Here's another one from Jamaica (btw, Jamaican culture is worth studying for 'stamina'--almost everything they eat is an aphrodisiac).. Put one or two raw eggs in glass of guiness (condensed milk is optional) top with nutmeg and cinnamon... then watch out.. T

Dude! did your 'friends' tell you what this drink is traditionally used for??? hint...natural viagra....alot of caribbean cultures add a seaweed called Irish Moss aka carageenan for an extra boost... Yah Man! T

Where did you get this info? This is very interesting..i know a guy in his mid 40s who looks very young and I asked him if he does anything..he said the only thing he can think that's different about him is that he eats soy everyday. So his hair and skin is very youthful looking but he's become pretty docile--no real sex drive and is appearing 'fragile'. There is also indications that eating soy and chile peppers reverses and prevent Male Pattern Baldness..so it must be powerful stuff.. T

Depends on what your goals are. I think generally you are on the right track with your thinking. It would be a mistake to learn the iron shirt stuff just to absorb blows. To use it to strengthen your sinews overall, is the right thing to do. I think once you get the gist of what the training is all about, then incorporate it into your taiji practice. Not using 'li' means don't use ordinary strength when pushing (or yielding), this only serves to disconnect your body and break the connection to the ground. Using 'jing' means you are using your sinews and using the ground force. Using jing is a whole body movement, using li is a disjointed local movement. You can do everything you need to do only with form *if* you know what to do. Until then you need to work with heavy weapons, partners, and other solo exercises to get it...i think that's why some masters say the form is all you need..which is true once you get there. So I think you are on the right track based on what I've seen and experienced myself..Good luck! T

THere is a mudra done in aikido..sort of like the the 'here's the church..here's the steeple.." I can't find a good reference but maybe you know about it or can find it...anyway, if you do that mudra with arms extended and try different heights while rotating your palms away from you, you might find that area opening..the ki aikido guys recommend doing this 15 minutes a day.. T

There is a version of XiaoJia that has a mule kick in the form. Almost like a hand stand. But philosophically, I don't think we can say there are no extremes in taoism--that in itself is extreme. A thunderstorm is an extreme..but it's a movement back to balance. Fajing is extreme, but it too is a natural part of the store/release cycle. Not to pick on you and I'm not saying you are saying this, but I think too many people think taiji is about staying rooted and immoveable in one spot. If that were true, then it wouldn't have survived hundreds of years in China. The other qualities of nimbleness and lightness are just as highly prized as being grounded. Also, I learned this from a rolfer--he evaluates people regarding whether they tended toward the ground or the sky and does the bodywork and suggested exercises to help the person balance. anyway, just some jumbled thoughts.. T

How is the caldo gallego? My family is from there...

ok..just to be a pain in the butt devil's advocate..i was friends with a russian wrestling champ and heard this same advice from my judo instructors..they said you pick one or two techniques that suit your body and you learn to do them in any situation. Judo guys will usually ask each other what's the favorite technique. So yeah, I do think serious battle fighters go in with one or two techniques designed to kill their opponents...no time to listen, just go in and do damage..which btw, is the philosophy of many martial likes like Baji. T

I was picturing a gym class with people doing the first part of the form and holding the end posture and breathing--like a standing form of ashtangha yoga. How much you open your kwa would determine the level you worked on in the class. There would be small breaks to discuss the silk reeling during the transitions and throughout class you would be adjusted on your posture much like a yoga class. Maybe I'm a freak, but I would love a class like this. Only draw back would be no upper body workout unless a medicine ball was thrown to work some repetitive movements, but even there the focus is really core and legs. Maybe I'll pitch this idea at my gym and see what happens.. T

Cool..i've been looking for a training partner like you! In all my years of training I haven't met anyone who understands that concept. But there is a way to practice flow while still drilling the same technique. You just put in your mind that your end result will be kotagaeshi. Then no matter how uke attacks, you listen to his power and blend/follow, redirect it and then position yourself into the technique you want. You mentioned in another thread about doing the techniques against friends and familiy and it not working. Combine the concepts you're learning in that flow stuff and figure out how to get friends and family into the locks. Ultimately it really shouldn't be any different than the new stuff you're studying. I personally don't see why this idea is hard to grasp, but even in classes dedicated to just this concept (because it's basic taiji theory), people don't get it. So if you are ever in NYC, I would love to work on these ideas. T

ok. i see where you're coming from. completely agree with everything you say except the part about aikido being technique driven. That's where the disconnect is. I don't believe there is such a thing as transcending technique as per the article. Who has observed this after 20 years? It's a silly thing to say as it can't be proven, it's just an opinion. Any martial art that is technique based just won't work, but that's stating the obvious. There's a lot of bad aikido, just like alot of bad taiji and alot of bad judo and BJJ, etc. For example, whenever I see an 'applications' class for taiji, I shudder. I've even seen a video where someone does a throw and performs single whip after it where it didn't even make sense to do it, they were just trying to match the taiji movements with techniques. Completely missing the point. Anyway, if you think about what aikido is..which is blending with forces and manipulating weak points, then it can't by definition be a technique based art. Anyway, my two cents.. But you are definately on the right track with everything you say. T

Yes, I see your point. I think Aikido and BJJ start out the same. You learn a move for a given situation. Even in BJJ, your partner is not resisting right off the bat, you still have to learn the move. Then you usually say 'hey joe start to resist a little'..so far aikido and bjj are the same. I think where they probably diverge is in the area of, like you said, competition where the 'uke' or partner not only is resisting but is intent on kicking your ass. But something to consider, at that point, the resistance isn't 'natural', it's a type of resistance you won't find in live situations. Other BJJ fighters resisting your technique are doing it at complicated and sophisticated levels. The only thing that can be done is to constantly train with very strong newbies. So it might not be so divergent from aikido. I just remembered another thought that bolsters the bjj argument..when i was training heavily in bjj and judo i had this invincible feeling..not from having great abilities with techniques, but just that the training was so hard, i felt i could take punishment and give punishment--so i wasn't afraid of anyone no matter what size..as long as they didn't have a weapon. I don't think with Aikido you can get that level of hard training without getting really injured. T

Yeah, yoga is watered down, but people are getting results. And I don't necessarily believe it's natural selection, I actually see people progressing and looking healthier from taking yoga at the gym. Compare it to your typical taichi group and it's amazing. For all the hoopla about internal martial arts and helalth benefits, it's hard to see it. But I'm thinking as a practice, taichi wouldn't necessarily have any inverted poses like downward dog for instance but it should have almost everything else. And the moving component should please all the vinyasa lovers. Lozen, it is boring..but how come people don't find yoga boring in the same way.. T

Why would yoga be so overwhelmingly popular at a gym whereas taichi's track record is dismal at best...thoughts anyone? T

Hi Neimand, interesting comments. I have Ralston's books, but I haven't studied with him personally. Do you feel it takes 20 years to master cheng shin before you can use it? Since you have the background in Aikido, what is fundamentally different about his stuff? At least from looking at the book, I saw no difference between what he does and standard aikido minus some of the taichi ideas he got from william chen. To anyone really.. Freesparring aside, which aikido does have btw, what is it about aikido techniques that would take it 20 years to master over a BJJ technique? What would be an example of that? For me it's interesting to read that people have this 'airy fairy' concept of aikido training--much like the general perception of taichi training. T

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