ChiDragon

It would be interesting to see how does each style train to have internal power. When someone says I practice Neigong, what does it mean? What are they really practicing? Does one select a style of martial arts to practice or just go into something for the training? Do you think Neigong training is to strengthen the muscles? If not, then, what do you think that all your internal strength come from? How are these different styles xingyiquan(形意拳), yiquan(意拳), bajiquan(八極拳), liuhebafa(六合八法 ), baguazhang(八卦掌), wing chun(詠春) and Taiji(太極) trained to develop the internal power. Is there anyone who practice one of these styles would like to tell us about how internal force was developed? Thanks!

內丹：Neidan is a Taoist method practiced by meditation for good health to prolong life. 丹田: dantian is a location for the abdomen. 丹: dan is red color; a powder substance as in medicine. 丹的本义指朱砂，古时常用朱砂作绘画颜料，也可入药。 The original meaning of Dan is Cinnabon. In the ancient, people used it for painting. It was also used for medical purposes.

Are these concepts you had learned by the word of mouth? Okay, I know where are these concepts come from. They are from the traditional Taoist and TCM concepts. At the time, they have no scientific knowledge of biology but only physiology. People still take those traditional ideas for granted. Since I am scientifically oriented, I must deal with modern science to have more positive explanations. I don’t want to be living in a confusing world and accept things as I told. If I don't know anything about muscle contraction, I would go read something about it to be more positive.

When Dantian was not spicified, it was assumed that was referred to the lower dantian.

Okay! I found it, here is how Wing Chun develop the internal power (整勁).

Wing chun(詠春) @ 2:37 practice Fajin also. I need to find out how do they develop the Jin in the body from practice.

liuhebafa(六合八法 ) Practicing at moderate speed.

Bajiquan(八極拳 ) @3:12 The master is demonstrating the 靠 technique by using the shoulder to Fajin .

XinyiQuan 心意拳 Practice at moderate fast speed.

武當八卦掌 Practiced at moderate speed which is ok to develop Jin in the body.

So, 趙堡太極拳, it is! How long have you practiced?

So, which one of the styles that you do practice?

Okay! How do you define external physical force in your own words? Please don't just give me a video! Thank you!

Is that your final answer?

Yes! Internal force was understood as an immense force(勁) exerted by any part of the body. The maximum power was exerted in the most effective way.

I knew you will going to come up with that. The five elements are the names given for the basic moves of xingyiquan. Taji has given a name to each basic move too. The Fajin moves are incorporated in the basic moves. However, special names were given to each technique of Fajin for distinction. The taiji Fajin moves may be the same as the basic moves but each with a unique name. These are the eight unique names for Taiji Fajin 掤、捋、挤、按、采、挒、肘、靠. They may be correspond to the some basic moves with other names. We have talked about what Fajin is. Now is about time to talk how to Fajin. I think all the system do Fajin the same way. Would you like to going into that?

@forestofclaritysaid: "{Interestingly, I've been "fajined" by at least two people. One felt very physical, both to me and the person performing it. It felt like the person was using leverage and muscular elasticity to "snap" me back into the wall. Earl Grey posted a video some years ago and it was just like that. This person learned it outside of Dwai's school. The other felt very energetic, again to both giver and receiver. This one felt like a ball expanding and propelling me up and back into the air (the technique was press, which I thought was a BS move). I do think there is a muscular/physical leverage type of fajin, but there is also something completely different. This person was within Dwai's school. I imagine that a well developed practitioner would be able to do both, but it is theoretical to me since I've not really developed much in CIMA past some basic body connecting/leverage using. }" ****************************************************************************************************************************** First of all, I would like thank forestofclarity for seriously interested in the subtlety of fajin 發勁 with enthusiasm. BTW I like your nickname. I sensed the aroma of intellectual and wisdom in it. Fajin means exerting(發) an internal force(勁). It is a special technique performed by Taiji practitioners. Fajin, 發勁, is not something that can be learnt from someone or in a seminar. Jin, 勁 has to be acquired from the diligent practice of Taiji for years, in order, to develop in the muscles. The regular muscle strength is called li(力) before the Jin was developed in the body muscles. What Taiji does is to enhance the li to become jin, so to speak. Thus jin(勁) is much more immense than li(力). In western term, I think we can related as muscle tone. To fajin is not just simply raise the hands to push somebody. It takes a special technique to execute jin only understood by the experienced practitioner. I will keep it as a mystery for now. It was explained how to do it in some videos if one really pay close attention to it. I am glad to answer any question if it is needed to be asked. You are welcome! How does jin developed in the muscle can be explained scientifically. It has something to do with the cell respiration. However, most people I talked to don't care how Taiji works but only care that it works.

Another reason why Taiji Fajin is unique is because a specific name was given to each technique. However, the others do not.

Fajin, in the Taijiquan, is unique is because the practitioner do not punch the opponent with the hands. They push the opponent away only. All the others use fajin with their fist to hurt someone by punching. Hence, that is why Taiji is unique.

Have you seen the book written by Cheng Man Ching, 鄭曼青. He explained with many colorful geometry diagrams to illustrate how Taiji works with physics. It was written in English. I saw that in a store with a glance at it. I regret now that I didn't buy it at the time.

Most people misunderstood that there are eight types of Fajin. However, there are eight ways to Fajin rather than eight types. At the beginning of the video, it specified that 力(Li) is the fundamental of martial arts(武術). Without Li, then, there is no way that one can make a strike. It was understood that Li, in Taiji, is tremendous strength, immense power, or explosive power(aka Jin). The are eight basic ways to Fajin. Note: Please note that how the practitioners keeping their balance. They are always standing with a bow stance with the upper torso straight along with the center-line.

@doc benway Hmmm... Without trying, don't you think this might be a hasty assumption! PS People acquired Jin from practice don't need to understand how it was acquired or explain it.

It will work anyway regardless how were you focused on!

I do not agree with the former that fajin is not unique to Taijjquan. I believe that Fajin was greatly emphasized in Taijiquan as oppose to the other arts you had mentioned. However, I do agree the others do Fajin. By definition, Fajin is to exert the maximum force that the body can be generated. That was developed by different forms of exercise from slow to moderate speed. These forms, xingyiquan, yiquan, bajiquan, liuhebafa, baguazhang are done at moderate speed which have the same effect to develop Jin in the body. In fact, Bruce Lee, gave up Taiji and went into Wing Chun. He developed his strength by external practice (Waigong, 外功) . He used weights to train his muscles and used electrical current to stimulate his muscle. All his movements are at fast speed which consumes a lot of his body energy. To avoid wasting his energy, so, he invented his own style called 截拳道 (Jeet Kune Do) which implies with the notion of: anticipate the attack before the opponent initiate the strike. We can see that Bruce Lee always so relax by doing the cha cha moves by jumping back and forth. When he saw the opponent is about to initiate a strike, he moved so swiftly to knock out the opponent. Thu the opponent didn't even know where the strike was coming from or what hit him. The reason I said him is no offense to the ladies. It is because Bruce Lee never hit a woman. I only see that Wing Chun does not develop Jin in the group of training. Standing gives the leverage for the body to Fajin rather than developing Fajin. BTW Fajin is an execution to exert an immense fore. FYI Coiling, pushing, folding, hidden, wave, revolving, sticking-hand and so on are the techniques developed from push-hand that was practiced by Taiji practitioners. Yes, exactly same as above. Those skills are from the practice of push-hand. Yes, breathing and movements are become natural instinct that give the fast reflex of the body to move swiftly. The practitioner didn't even have to think about the next move. Yes, I agree. Beginners, especially, should not pay too much attention to it can be limiting or a distraction. The breathing will become natural for someone who is mastered of the art.