There are times when the only way to advance is to back up…
22
2013
15
2013
Precision and Poetry
If you are the kind of person who believes that what is said in poetry could be said a lot simpler and more to the point, then you are not going to like this article. Because my contention is the opposite: that there are analogies, similes, metaphors and other devices of communications that are actually [...]
13
2013
6
2013
Featured Schools: Yau Kung Moon
Foster City: May 5, 2013 One day, Debbie and I decided to raid our collection of old Kung Fu Theater VHS tapes and convert them to digital so we could share on Youtube. One of these in particular, a demonstration of Yao Kung Moon style, has brought a surprising number of views. We even heard from Sifu David Louie, [...]
3
2013
KW040: A new White Eyebrow book
… Bak Mei is known for its tight, serious and fast hands, its sticky hands and its point attacks…
21
2013
Single Change Palm: from Pa Kua Chang Journal
With the gracious permission of its publisher, Dan Miller, we reprint an article from one of our favorite Bagua resources: The Pa Kua Journal. This CD, available here, contains the entire run of this breakthrough magazine- over 1000 pages of interviews, source material, training tips, historical notes and a wealth of photographs of Bagua masters, [...]
3
2013
Indirect Thinking
Yang Taiji The Untold Story by Jason Tsou and Arthur Schonfeld is not the easiest of Plum’s offerings. It is an in-depth breakdown on just exactly what is occurring in the martial art of Taiji. I believe that many of the principles explained are known—or should be—to most advanced martial practitioners. Seeing these ideas formulated [...]
14
2013
Practice Your Perspectives
A grand-teacher of mine, Ed Parker, used to say that you had to look at each technique from three perspectives: your own; the opponent’s; and then someone watching the fight from some distance, like across the street.
21
2013
INB: Slapping Your Foot
To the student this is often just a neat effect, not to mention a little test of timing. But to the instructor it has more meaning, and therein may lie a lesson.
11
2013
Why I Like the Staff
As I am beginning this product I thought a lot about the staff, my first weapon in the martial arts.
31
2013
Surviving a Seminar
… have you ever attended those seminars where the “secret, special, high level information to be released!” turns out to be how to perform the step punch or a simple combination kick?
29
2013
2013, Year of the Water Snake
This from our resident Chinese medical doctor and ZiWei astrologer: Narrye Caldwell L.Ac. This year’s Chinese Lunar New Year arrives on February 10 and ushers in the year of the Water Snake. In Chinese astrology Snakes are introverted, mystical, sensual, cautious, observant, quietly ambitious, and don’t like to be in the limelight. They are masters of transformation, [...]
26
2013
A Few Observations on Shoulder Training
From a martial perspective some people can generate far more power than others. The reverse side is that, because of this, they may use the shoulders too much, the old hammer and nail response.
21
2013
An Historical Event: The Cang County Record
In 1992 an historical event in Chinese martial arts took place…
14
2013
The Other Side of the Martial Story
There is another side of martial practice, a very good and important side, which might be called the “Yin” portion.
6
2013
Terrible Terrain
“Under everything is the land” may sound like the slogan of a professional real estate organization but it is also the truth of martial practice. Thousands 0f years ago it was pointed out by one of the first major military writers, Sun Zi: “The natural formation of the country is the soldier’s best ally…”
25
2012
Martial Arts: How Good Can You Get?
Of course children rarely wonder. When you are nine just about anything is possible…
18
2012
The Real Power of Martial Arts
There are many histories to the world, different from the “official” story. One history might be written about non-scientists who have made major breakthroughs. Another might be about the importance of popular media and its effect on the dreams and ambitions of people. Martial arts also has a history much larger and more influential than [...]
6
2012
Q & A: Feng Shui and Martial Arts
Question: Is there a relation between Bagua Zhang and Feng Shui?
15
2012
That Deadly Double Weighting
But I find the “double weight problem” to be considerably more interesting and definitively more useful than most people make it out to be
1
2012
Sticky Telepathy
This is one of those things that veteran martial artists know; once in a while we mention it but we don’t talk about it…
29
2012
A Word To Our East Coast Friends
Sitting here in the relative safety of a California mid-autumn morning, we can only look at the pictures and videos and try to imagine what it is like for so many of our friends and customers in the eastern part of the country. Please know that our thoughts are with you. Be safe. Ted, Debbie, [...]
21
2012
Yin and Yang, Water and Fire
Fire and Water are the Yin and Yang of the real world…
12
2012
Why My Knees Still Work
I am superstitious; I have two records which I assume will instantly break (literally) once I mention them…
5
2012
When is a punch…?
One of our DVD authors and a darn good self defense instructor, likes to ask the following question. “When is a punch a punch?”
11
2012
Stance Training
I am now going to tell you things about stance training you have probably never heard…
31
2012
The Passing of a Great One
It is with regret that I have to announce the passing of Joe Lewis
22
2012
A Guide to Chinese Martial Arts
Here is a book, written in 1991, that was one of the first guides officially issued by Beijing. It is a general book about the history of Kung Fu with three forms illustrated: Long Fist, Simplified Tai Chi and Shaolin TianGang. The best thing about this is its section on Kung Fu through the dynasties [...]
13
2012
Training: 8 Tips on Memory
There is probably not a martial arts teacher on the planet who has not had a thousand students complain about the difficulty of memorizing “all those moves.” It’s to be expected…
8
2012
Qigong: Shutting Out the Noise
It’s a noisy world, and getting noisier. The gal next to you in the restaurant is almost yelling into her mobile phone, making you wonder why the phone is even necessary…