My first impression upon cracking open “The Complete Jianshu” was that this was professionally done…
Aug
24
2010
24
2010
Aug
23
2010
23
2010
When All About You
A quick thought, nothing more. It’s nice in times like these to take stock of things. And when the market is crumbling, the job rate rising, we Americans are embroiled in what some see as the wrong wars, and generally the world is wobbling, it is indeed time to separate the flimsy from the solid. [...]
Aug
21
2010
21
2010
Baguazhang Concepts DVD series from Tom Bisio
Look!! A whole new series of Bagua DVDs from Tom Bisio! Good explanations, oodles of applications, and Bagua usage that looks suspiciously like Bagua. We think you are going to like these…
Aug
17
2010
17
2010
A Rock and a Hard Spot
For Those Times When the Training Seems To Stop
One minute you’re Bruce Incarnate, the next you’re unable to tie your shoes without the danger of a self-inflicted eyeshot.
Aug
10
2010
10
2010
My Tai Chi Stinks
A couple of years ago I had a dream (really) where a Chinese martial arts sifu was walking towards me…
Aug
1
2010
1
2010
Both sides of the camera…
Making a DVD like our recent Blossoms in the Spring is great; that’s to say it’s great fun and a great amount of work…
Jul
28
2010
28
2010
Clicking
When it happens to you, you know it. That electric dusk-sensitive porch light clicks on…
Jul
26
2010
26
2010
Eenie Meenie Minie Fu
In the introduction to his book, Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States, Bill Bryson suggests that “nursery rhymes…are fastidiously resistant to change” and later continues:
Jul
22
2010
22
2010
The Facets of Chin Na
Two young boys engaged in grabbing one another, trying to gain a momentary upper hand, catching and locking each others joints must go back to the time before the pyramids.
Jul
18
2010
18
2010
Product: Eight Immortals Boxing
There’s just no way to say it other than straight: some styles of Kung Fu are in danger of going away
Jul
12
2010
12
2010
JinGang LiGong: Buddha Disciple Strength Method
Jin Gang is said to originate in the Song Dynasty over 1100 years ago.
Jul
10
2010
10
2010
Why is Push Hands so bad?
To explore this topic we’ll have to assume the basic premise that Push Hands is bad…
Jul
8
2010
8
2010
La Blossoms DVD
Some of you (you know who you are) have been anxiously awaiting the coming of Plum’s new DVD, Blossoms in the Spring (this is the companion disk to our most recent book). Well, the wait is almost almost over. We have been holing up in our office with our computer and all of our film-editing [...]
Jul
5
2010
5
2010
The Sash
Recently my teacher announced that he would be issuing a lineage certificate and black sash to one of his students…
Jun
29
2010
29
2010
Jun
24
2010
24
2010
College Days in Martial Arts
Martial artists have got to stop misrepresenting the very nature of the martial arts.
Jun
7
2010
7
2010
Still Circling After All these Years
One of our favorite Chinese texts on Liang Style Bagua–Bagua Palm Records–is just back in stock and, to celebrate, we are taking our other favorite english language classic on Liang Style Bagua–Liang Zhen Pu–and putting it on sale!
We’re discounting Liang Zhen Pu’s price of $17.95 to $14.25, BUT that’s not all! If you buy [...]
Jun
6
2010
6
2010
On Chin Na Practice
As I looked at the illustrations I couldn’t help but think of a few things about Chin Na which are rarely mentioned in the books but are useful for the training…
May
27
2010
27
2010
Product: 18 Circles DVD
You will note that a number of instructors are getting to an age, informed by their experience and years of practice, where they are trying to
May
23
2010
23
2010
INB: Anatomy of The True Teacher
My first taiji instructor, Lin Shih-Kuang, told me a story about a tragedy in his family…
May
22
2010
22
2010
Sifu Staff
The saying goes that the spear is the king of the weapons and the straight sword is the queen. Then what is the staff?
May
11
2010
11
2010
Reader Asks: Can Kung Fu be Solely a Personal Journey?
What Gives ? am I being too selfish by not doing demonstrations? Is competing nessesary?
May
8
2010
8
2010
Apr
27
2010
27
2010
Playing the Spear
A good spear man looks somewhat like a belly dancer, torso waving and rotating with every motion of the weapon…
Apr
10
2010
10
2010
Product: Wing Chun and The Director’s Cut
Randy Williams may be one of the most prolific DVD producers in martial arts. He also shows some really innovative ideas. We added the last, we believe, of his original Wing Chun series with two DVDs where he and his students play real-time Sitcky Hands on screen and chime in with comments, funny, critical and [...]
Mar
12
2010
12
2010
Courtyard, Camp and Village
Now, while the heat of the afternoon has not yet risen and the dust still lies there without tainting the air…
Feb
22
2010
22
2010
The Fragrance of Distance
Some ideas challenge us because they are so counter-intuitive.
Feb
20
2010
20
2010
Differences between the two Green Dragon Forms
This article briefly covers the differences between the two versions of the Green Dragon Form: That offered in my book, and that offered on the Kunlun Four Shapes VCD (VCD#1059). By the way, these VCD’s are very good, and Master Huang Shuangqing really knows his stuff. The applications sections are a little weak, but he [...]
Feb
18
2010
18
2010
Product: Six Harmony Spear, famous instructor
Some books are interesting solely on their contents…
Feb
12
2010
12
2010
You Have to See for Yourself
I’m sitting here with a pile of photographs next to my coffee thinking how stupid I was…