Great River Taoist Center Forums

Is this middle range at a distance where both people are still able to strike each other, or do you mean closer than that? Specifically I mean in swordsmanship, because it's much easier to get too close to strike with a sword than it is to get too close to strike with an empty hand. Michael, For we...

Michael, I’m back. I’m glad that you are enjoying our ‘conversation’ since I am as well. I think that Chinese sword practitioners may be able to learn things from those studying historic Western swordsmanship. I am also glad to have other practitioners of Chinese sword contributing. I’ll need a litt...

Michael, I wish that others with Chinese swordsmanship experience would post comments since, as I have indicated previously, I am not confident that my limited experiences are representative of Taijiquan swordsmanship (or more broadly, Chinese swordsmanship). By "linear" do you mean motions which ar...

A note to those Chinese martial artists who are fighting against those who study European styles: They won't all be good enough to do this reliably, but the ones who are will not let you enter even a wide measure recklessly. Michael, My limited experience with realistic fighting, the nature of mode...

These distances, which are classified differently by different masters, can be thought of in these terms: Out of measure > (Length of a single step) + (Length of the arm at full extension) + (Length of the blade) Wide measure = (Length of a single step) + (Length of the arm at full extension) + (Le...

Linda, Thanks for posting that very skilled child’s performance. I do not have children, and do not teach any, but I also am amazed at what some can do! At such a young age, I suspect that maintaining interest while advancing their skill level may be a teacher’s primary goal. Interested children and...

Looks like some sort of root that was trained to have a twist right below the inscription.] Some vines that wrap around branches or young trees can produce this ‘twisting’ appearance (I have found some on my ~5 acres of wooded land), thought I suppose that one could have trained the twist rather th...

It seems to me like all four videos suffer from use of too light weapons such that the movement is somewhat unrealistic. To illustrate this, for example, look at the typical pivot point for the weapons in these clips; they mostly all pivot almost at the hand guard, and the techniques seem to be init...

...There aren't xingyi forums like there are taiji forums, so I'm piggybacking this one, and from what I have practiced in taijiquan, it studies the application of force, deflection, feints and snuffs in ways similar to xingyi. The question is, "How many people are training to use forms to suit sit...

I am new to the Internal arts coming from External arts. Doing cardio, Heavyhands or Crossfit, is that contrary to the Internal martial arts? Having muscles and fit heart will that help or hinder the softer, slower martial arts? I am not certain about the specific programs that you mention since I ...

Benny, I am not certain how well defined this is in Taijiquan traditions, and I would not be surprised if other posters had views opposite mine, but this is how I think of the energy circulation. First, Qigong and martial arts sometimes have opposite methods. For example, in qigong when you inhale y...

While CCTV is very professionally done, and it originates within China so that one might think that the information may be reliable, I would caution viewers from accepting things without fact checking. This is a state run broadcast that apparently has the purpose of promoting Chinese culture, but no...

Kenny, I was hoping that perhaps someone with training in both TCM and Western medicines may respond to your question. I have neither, so about all that I can do is raise some questions regarding this topic. Since there has not been much response to your post, perhaps I could spark some discussion. ...

I had heard that T.T. Liang's stick form was adapted from dao form movements, and could be performed with a dao if desired.

Trevor, Here are some thoughts on fajing to consider, but since I am not a GRTC student you will need to determine if they are compatible with what is taught in your school. First, as you have noted, is proper structure and movement as practiced in your solo forms, since fajin is essentially sped up...