chi

[Stormin' Norman]

Yah, I know the wave feeling that radiates out.

As for dan tien, I thought I told you, I'm a kung fu guy from way back (1994).
I switched to sport stuff coz continuous sparring wasn't doing it for me as a format to take my stuff out for test drives. I also had some teachers that either didn't give apps, or mainly taught apps i couldn't jive with. Sanshou and Muay Thai are more inline with the way I think and fight anyway.

As far as the laughing; usually it's just joking by my muay thai coach. He keeps telling me to continue doing it - saying the mixture is good, but I'm not sure if it's getting on his nerves that I'm doing outside stuff. I use the taichi stuff in the clinch a lot- I get told I'm powerful/strong, but it's really just sensitivity to know how to yank someone off balance the right way.

i dont blame you.

it aint for everybody. getting hit is part of what happens when you spar, though...it's what makes boxing what it is, unfortunately the only outcome of a good spar is some brain damage, and then secondly, boxing experience...but that's just the dark nature of the business...the truth can be a ***** sometimes, but that's just the way it is...Nothing is ****in' hunky-dory, my friend...You can have a massive **** and go down on a virgin and take her virginity and think you trust her 100%, and she'll assure you that you have her trust and there's no reason for her to **** around on you, and you can assure her that there's no reason for you to **** around on her.....But when you're both ****ing, one of you sometimes probably fantasizes about ****ing someone else. Truth is a *****.


my problem is that i dont mind getting hit, and honestly honest to god have never been hurt, i think pain is wrong in my brain or something. When I was like nine years old I slipped on a high diving board and fell all the way down to the cement on my ass, and then my head immediately popped up and I hit my nose on the cement. I was never unconscious but I think that one hit I took hardened my pain threshold, or something.....because ever since that happened, its like no big deal when I get hurt...If I were to get shot, I bet I'd just be like, '****, im shot...goddamnit give me that towel' lol... When guys hit me in the face, I feel just a slight jolt, no discombobulation...and I'm talking flush uppercuts, etc. Again, I've never sparred a full fledged professional HW known for his power though, either. But I've sparred many an amateur power puncher, however I am careful when I mix it up with those cats because I utilize my taller boxing style when they enter the ring. I'm 6'4 1/2...if a guy who can unload on me with hooks only gets in the ring with me and he's 5 '11", i dont give a **** who says wht outside the ring, im moving to my right (if hes ortho) and jabbing him to all hell and when he gets close i can duck and evade like you wouldnt believe, if that doesnt work I use the BLOB TACTIK SEKRET BLOB TAKTIK AKA RUIZIFY that mother****er with my uber clinch skills. seriously, I have pretty decent up close defensive boxing ability for a 265lb man. I know where to put my hands when I'm moving my head, either to deliver a punch, or to evade an onslaught completely (something I never do.)

I got stung by a ****ing wasp the other day and completely ignored it, if I had been sipping a cup of coffee while it happened i wouldnt have missed a beat, i felt the sting and i knew it had stung me,but just ignored it...i simply didnt give a **** because it didnt hurt me enough to care, i have this weird high pain threshold, it's not superhuman or anything, believe me I feel pain, but...its just, i feel it less than others. J knows what im talking about but thats just cuz that mother****er has a pocket full of Lori 10's. Hahaha

[j]

Yah, I know the wave feeling that radiates out.

As for dan tien, I thought I told you, I'm a kung fu guy from way back (1994).
I switched to sport stuff coz continuous sparring wasn't doing it for me as a format to take my stuff out for test drives. I also had some teachers that either didn't give apps, or mainly taught apps i couldn't jive with. Sanshou and Muay Thai are more inline with the way I think and fight anyway.

As far as the laughing; usually it's just joking by my muay thai coach. He keeps telling me to continue doing it - saying the mixture is good, but I'm not sure if it's getting on his nerves that I'm doing outside stuff. I use the taichi stuff in the clinch a lot- I get told I'm powerful/strong, but it's really just sensitivity to know how to yank someone off balance the right way.

yeah, i remember some things. but, i never really know what other people learn or are taught. it is different for everybody. each system teaches different methods of achieving the same goals. and sometimes, it varies even whithin a closed system.

[j.razor]

Has anyone ever felt it or used it in boxing?

yes sir, in football, boxing & track...

[Pork Chop]

yeah, i remember some things. but, i never really know what other people learn or are taught. it is different for everybody. each system teaches different methods of achieving the same goals. and sometimes, it varies even whithin a closed system.

Oh i definitely hear that.
I've run into a few traditional folks that can bang, but a lot more talk about how well they bang than actually do it, you know?
Quality control in tcma is not quite there.

[j]

Oh i definitely hear that.
I've run into a few traditional folks that can bang, but a lot more talk about how well they bang than actually do it, you know?
Quality control in tcma is not quite there.

u r right. quality control is something that seems a bit lost these days in most CMAs. i am happy i come from a lineage that knows no other way than to spar as an ectension of application. i have met and known, teachers of various arts even, that do not do the free style kind of sparring we do. if you find a school or club devoted to xing yi, chances are it has sparring included.

i have met more than a few traditional guys that would be more than happy to beat down somebody who challenges. and can do it. i think i am blessed to be trained in a lineage of teachers where fighting is a huge focus.

if you PM with the city you live in, maybe i can see if you have any good teachers out there you are missing out on so that you can check 'em out when you have free time.


2 major things that **** it up for us who have background in TCMA training - movies and people trying to teach without a clue on how to fight. those without a clue on actual fighting have likely never fought, sparred, and are likely to be ex-hippies who are more interested in magic tricks and an alternative lifestyle. i say, good for them, just do not claim to tech "martial" arts as it is closer to dancing.

and movies do not help either other than gaining an initial interest in chinese arts of fighting. some people need to face the facts that while you can, if dedicated enough, do **** most people can't, but you are never going to fly crouching tiger hidden dragon style. or shoot dragon ball z balls of energy at people either.

and martial arts do not make you invinceable. you are like everyone else who trains a fighting art. everything depends on the work you put into it - because that is what you will get out of it.

i am fortunate to have met many people who are pretty damn good fighters from training CMAs. i guess it depends on who you know. i think many people have tainted opinions based on something they read or saw on internet, or some dumbass person they knew once who made claims he couldn't back.

it is a shame so many people think like that. do i really have to point out that kostya tszyu is a martial artist? or that marvin hagler watched kung fu movies before every fight for inspiration? or that cung le has a background in vietnamese kung fu? or that there are full contact CMA tournaments so people actually test their skills in a complete full contact environment?

[BennyST]

Qi is an all encompassing term for ... life's energy, vitality etc. It is not in the body alone, but, everywhere and in everything. It is highly misunderstood and as seen in this thread, most people are either ignorant of it or think of it as some kind of 'power', hippy bull**** or magic voodoo stuff.

It is a pretty simple concept to grasp if you know how to think past what you immediately see and think you know. One way to describe it would be that it is the electricity that fires your body and can certainly be used to increase the efficiency of everything your body can do with proper training.

What most people don't understand is that people or athletes who are truly great at what they do have already harnessed their Qi and use it in their life/sport without realising it. If someone uses natural body movement and is completely relaxed their Qi will be moving smoothly through their body and helping keep everything running efficiently. People who are tense are not using their Qi and are in fact keeping it stagnant and interrupting the flow of it.

The more you can harness it the better, though that does not necessarily mean you need to go and do Qi Gong or anything like that. Learning to keep your body moving in it's most natural way and the deep relaxation that comes with knowing your basics and doing them so much will inevitably lead to your Qi moving smoother throughout your body and helping it to function better. As a cross training exercise it would be very helpful and is makes you healthier and allows you to better understand how your body works and what it needs or doesn't need. It can also help muscle regeneration and keep injuries from occurring.

Obviously most people here will think it stupid and ridiculous. If any of you have had massage or acupuncture, all that is doing is to help the Qi move freely throughout your body. The freer it is, the freer your body will be or move.

No doubt this post will be taken out of context, but, it must also be understood that all that Qi as something that can be used to move stuff or if you poke someone in a particular Qi spot it will kill or maim them is utter BS. Most people will dismiss it on the spot but it can be readily felt with some small training or by someone who is good at massage/acupuncture etc.

It can certainly help in boxing but not in any unusual way or even by giving you 'special Qi power' or something. It will not make you better without all the usual training etc but it can help you body to function much better and keep you healthier thereby making you a better athlete and how your body works and moves and what it needs etc. It could never replace any training but could simply help you to better how to train and also help you to compliment your training.

[BennyST]

It is not real. Study it properly. it is hocus pocus make believe bull**** and is tied in with the idolatry and superstitions of buddhism, a false relgion. Even Pacman and Injin Chi did not use that crap because it does not work! Tell me one world champion who used it?

What exactly do you mean by 'a false religion' Mr Benitez? What do you consider as a true religion? How is it any less false than any other religion? What does Pacman and Injin Chi have to do with anything?

You are a classic example of someone who has absolutely no idea whatsoever what is even being discussed here and are focusing entirely on what you want to focus on without taking the whole picture into account.

Anyway, I would love to hear why you think Buddhism is a 'false religion'. This should be great. Are you religious? Tell us all why your religion is not false if you are. Enlighten us all to the one true religion oh great messiah.

[Trrmo]

Learning to keep your body moving in it's most natural way and the deep relaxation that comes with knowing your basics and doing them so much will inevitably lead to your Qi moving smoother throughout your body and helping it to function better.

I think you can be relaxed, in tune with your body, feeling like you are firing on all cylinders, and that your body parts and breathing are working in harmony etc

But does this mean that there is a mysterious energy or electric like substance called chi running through your body that objectively exists? for me no.

Though for practical purposes if someone feels like everything is working in harmony and they want to describe it as having to do with flows of Chi thats fine by me.

[BennyST]

I think you can be relaxed, in tune with your body, feeling like you are firing on all cylinders, and that your body parts and breathing are working in harmony etc

But does this mean that there is a mysterious energy or electric like substance called chi running through your body that objectively exists? for me no.

Though for practical purposes if someone feels like everything is working in harmony and they want to describe it as having to do with flows of Chi thats fine by me.

Great. Whatever works for you mate. As I said, completely misunderstood but hey...





Edit: Would it make it feel less 'mysterious' if I told you that Qi has been measured and quantified by 'western scientists'?

[Trrmo]

Great. Whatever works for you mate. As I said, completely misunderstood but hey...





Edit: Would it make it feel less 'mysterious' if I told you that Qi has been measured and quantified by 'western scientists'?

would be good to see your sources on that, thanks