In our “spare time” we plan to put up a few videos of products especially to encourage people to view new styles and some traditional arts. We have just loaded a segment of the well-known instructor Randy Williams demonstrating adaptations of his beloved Wing Chun style to the ground. There will of course be some [...]
Feb
21
2012
21
2012
Feb
18
2012
18
2012
The Other Thunder Style?
While staying at the TaiJi Hotel in Wen County (no joke) we were honored to see the three top teachers in China of the last formal version of Chen style entitled “Thunder Style” or Hu Lei Jia. Like most people, we thought this the exclusive attribute of the Chen family styles. But there is a [...]
Feb
13
2012
13
2012
The Kung Fu Flail
The idea of the nunchaku may bring up images of a screaming Bruce Lee wannabe devastating a half dozen overweight gangsters in shirts so ugly they deserved the beating from the moment they walked on the screen.
Feb
10
2012
10
2012
Terry Dunn Tai Chi at Plum
Even though the majority of Tai Chi instruction on Plum is oriented toward the martial, these DVDs are a welcome inclusion in our catalogue
Feb
5
2012
5
2012
Why Are the Forms on Your DVDs different …
At Plum we get this question all the time. On one level the answer is obvious as a spinning heel hook; different people teach differently. But that is not the whole story.
Jan
24
2012
24
2012
Xin Nian Kuai Le! Gong Hay Fat Choy! Happy New Year!
Monday was the first of the ten day celebration of Asian New Year. With all the firecrackers, special dumplings, parades in the streets, tributes to the Kitchen Gods, visiting of the neighbors and family…it is too much to stuff into one day, so we get ten to enter in this year’s animal, The Water Dragon. [...]
Jan
24
2012
24
2012
Sonoluminescence: The Light at the End of the Tumble
We are filled with light, never forget that. But the metaphor of light used by so many is a weak substitute for the true light inside us. Some practices encourage this recognition. But too many half-heartedly pursued, improperly understood, lackadaisically researched impressions and clichés only dim the inner experience to weakly glowing embers.
Jan
21
2012
21
2012
A Black Belt Story
I start teaching the next class but I’m really bothered; on the one hand, Dan might just be claiming what never happened; on the other hand, I guess I could have forgotten I attended a ceremony, or something like that.
Jan
18
2012
18
2012
Key Concepts from the Tao Te Ching, Part 1
The Tao Te Ching, by Lao Tzu (circa 500 BCE), is not only a foundational text of both Taoism and Chinese culture, but also key to the theories and ideas behind many Chinese martial arts. Unfortunately the text is very inscrutable, regardless as to whether one knows Chinese. This inscrutability is due to its antiquity [...]
Jan
17
2012
17
2012
The Speed of Thought
The point is not that they should try to hurry up their moves, but that they should abandon speed as something they can “control” or “will” into happening.
Jan
14
2012
14
2012
Enter the Year of the Dragon
The Chinese Year of the Water Dragon, which arrives on January 23, 2012, promises transformation and good fortune. Of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, the Dragon is the only one that is not encountered in “real” life. It is a mythical creature, considered to be the ruler of Heaven, mists, and rain, and [...]
Jan
13
2012
13
2012
My Gripes About Push Hands
I remember Adam Hsu telling me that there had recently been a big Push Hands championship in China. Then, shaking his head, he said, “…and all the students beat the instructors.” This was hardly a surprise to me. I have officiated at Push Hands competitions and can see all the problems.
Jan
5
2012
5
2012
The Knights of Kung Fu
Many of the latter came from the Wu Xia, but now they were absorbed into the “system” and lost their reputations as lone wolves.
Dec
31
2011
31
2011
Training: Arms like Banners
This may sound like I am a candidate for the Wrong Way Corrigan Award but I sort of like that about Kung Fu practice. It reinforces that very true statement that the direct route is always nice, if you can get it. But there is no guarantee.
Dec
28
2011
28
2011
QA: Tai Chi Ball
Q: I have what I hope is a quick and easy question for you. I see that you and Ted are fans of tai chi ball training. What advice would you have on the kind of ball one should use for starting out and then as one progresses as far as weight, size and material [...]
Dec
24
2011
24
2011
Yang Ban Hou style Tai Chi
The second son of Yang Lu Chan was named Ban Hou. He developed the Yang style to a high degree of fighting skill, so much so that not many people actually wanted to study from him. This is possibly a reason that it is only in the last few years that his style has started [...]
Dec
21
2011
21
2011
Midnight and Midwinter
At this time of the year I think about two things: giving and darkness.
Dec
20
2011
20
2011
Southern Kung Fu, but different
We return with five more DVDs from teacher Lin Xin. These are all in Cantonese (a requirement of the best Southern Kung Fu as far as we can see) and English subtitles. His background is a mix of somewhat non-standard Southern styles. For instance, his Wing Chun is all YING (hard) style, his Hung sets [...]
Dec
16
2011
16
2011
My Bagua Book #2: Hitting My Friends
My manuscript is nearing its finish and now is the time to fill the remainder of the designated vacant white squares with photographs.
Dec
10
2011
10
2011
Dec
9
2011
9
2011
Dec
5
2011
5
2011
50 Ways to do Things Wrong, One Right Way
There’s an old saying, “Learn from your mistakes.” And of course I see the sense of this. But some students have the slightly mistifying habit of wanting to back track for everything.
Nov
29
2011
29
2011
More Books for Less
We spend a lot of time scouring for “hurt” books because we know there are a number of you out there who would like to save a bit while building a martial arts library and, additionally, perhaps keeping your mate from showing you a move up side of your head that you NEVER want to [...]
Nov
27
2011
27
2011
Al Novak Passes
Much respected, many practitioners treated Novak as a kind of Kung Fu gandfather.
Nov
23
2011
23
2011
Nov
19
2011
19
2011
Iron Palm Training: A Word
Some people really feel this concentration of energy and find it invigorating. And, for five to ten minutes a day of training, it all seems worth it.
Nov
15
2011
15
2011
Fun Stuff: Kung Fu Learns a Few Tricks
The Chinese got some hard lessons in the latter half of the 19th century.
Nov
10
2011
10
2011
QA: Jiang Style Bagua Palms
Hi there., I recently bought the DVD, Bagua: Art of Change from you and am most happy with the quality of instructions. I understand it is Jiang Baguazhang covered in the DVD. I am wondering if there might a set of static arm postures (whilst walking the circle) associated with Jiang Baguazhang.
Nov
9
2011
9
2011
On Joseph Crandall’s Work
It was certainly not a foregone conclusion, when we started this web site, that Bagua would be as popular as it has become. We thought it would happen. Adam Hsu thought it would happen.
Nov
3
2011
3
2011
Form
When I open the door I expect the garden to be there. It would not shift in the night. That is just not the garden’s style. First I visit the olive trees which, in the morning, stand and sparkle with a.m. light next to my front door, as though they had been rehearsing to show [...]
