Here is something wonderful. Daniel Mroz, an associate professor in the Theater Department of the University of Ottawa and also a longtime friend, correspondent and Plum customer presented a lecture at last year’s Martial Arts Studies Conference in Wales. The subject of his engaging talk is Tao Lu, the martial art routine we call set […]
Jun
14
2017
14
2017
May
31
2017
31
2017
Mina at the Kung Fu Tournament
The noise in the Kung Fu tournament hall never lets up. The waves of brass and drumming rolled along the ceiling fabric only to crash against an opposing wave of raucous sound from the opposite direction. To me, it vibrated like someone in leather and beard revving a Harley directly between my ears, but I […]
Jan
10
2017
10
2017
Stillness & Movement: Part Three
Dynamic Balance There’s a very old martial arts saying that we should “find stillness in movement, and movement in stillness.” It’s not just an old saw. For instance, say someone punches at you. You move out of the way extremely rapidly, but not so hurried that you resemble a bad example of the startle response; […]
Mar
6
2016
6
2016
Another Modest Proposal
Through my entire martial career I have been listening to everyone’s questions and problems with traditional forms. For most people, it all centers on practicality. For some people, the answer lies in detailed analysis of the forms and what self defense and fighting treasures are hidden therein. For still others, it’s a lost cause and […]
Feb
12
2016
12
2016
Just a Handful of Books
We have SO many new texts in Chinese to offer that we are just picking some at random. Some are on rare material like Shi style Bagua, others are those classic collectibles taken at the beginning of the last century with dodgy photos and famous masters still young men. We picked a few subjects at […]
Jan
22
2016
22
2016
The Basics
Jack Yan has emerged as one of our more favored writer/translators. His exhaustive series on the teacher Chen Zheng Lei has brought a lot of attention to this branch of the art, and his own series on Tong Bei is a welcome addition to what is otherwise a very under-represented field of texts and DVDs. […]
Oct
28
2015
28
2015
Tai Chi: Wu and Hong styles
Today, we add the last installment of our selection on the Chen Tai Chi exclusive branch named Hong style. Chen style has a well-known “short fist” version. And this style, developed by teacher Hong JunSheng, presents a smaller frame, demonstrating a soft, slow elegance. This last DVD shows many throws and takedowns with high emphasis […]
Sep
20
2015
20
2015
Adam Hsu’s Basic Kung Fu Training Books
Much earlier in his career, Adam Hsu Sifu created a special series of three linking sets. Each of these were progressively designed to waste as little time as possible, getting that crucial fundamental information to the students. For instance, there are no repetitious sections. Also, each movement is a crucial basic. Two of these sets […]
Sep
7
2015
7
2015
George Xu on Power and such
Three more DVDs from the latest workshop with George Xu, who seems an almost endless source of new ways to invigorate your study while nudging you gently toward higher skills. In this case the intriguing thing is that we have three levels of practice and George Xu is able to distinguish their complexity and […]
Aug
31
2015
31
2015
Second Look: A Big Book on a Misunderstood Art
I often jokingly called YiQuan “the old martial artist’s pasture” because it seemed that only people who wanted minimal practice, yet expected super-human powers, ever ordered any related products. I have to admit that at this point I never really “got” YiQuan. Even though I’ve been in the field for a long time, this seemingly […]
Aug
25
2015
25
2015
Edgy
I have to admit that I’ve spent many years standing around just… standing around. Standing practice entered my life in the late Sixties. I experimented from that point on with sessions of continued standing and then modifications. You should know that there was not a lot of information in English on the subject and it […]
Aug
14
2015
14
2015
Legwork
Years ago I wrote an article focusing on some aspects of this undiscovered treasure.
Jul
27
2015
27
2015
The Water Styles
The class is warming up, you can hear the uniforms snapping, the floor jumping; but you are in the office with a potential student. He called your studio, set up an appointment. Now he sits across from you hoping you will answer his burning question: which style should he start with? I sit back, think […]
Jul
3
2015
3
2015
Xing Yi and Taijiquan: 2 New Items
There is such a diversity and quality of materials on all major Kung Fu styles, that we sometimes can’t keep up with the new postings. Here is a version of probably the most famous and popular of Xing Yi style two-person sets: An Shen Pao. Not only does it pair up the two players from […]
Mar
16
2015
16
2015
A Better Book Returns
The Xing Yi Boxing Manual has skipped in and out of being available for a while now. But all is forgotten with the new edition—revised and expanded—of this important Xing Yi text. As it says in our page description, this is not only a major book of instruction on the five elemental fists, but the […]
Feb
16
2015
16
2015
Adam Hsu Speaks Up
From a lifetime of teaching and writing about Martial arts, internationally known Adam Hsu has compiled many of his thoughts in this three+ hour discussion. Billed as a “debate” it would be more fitting to call this “debate points” like what you might rehearse with your own hometown debate team. His approach challenges many ideas […]
Oct
22
2014
22
2014
Chi: Straight Up
This is a lively approach … to the topic of CHI.
Sep
19
2014
19
2014
6 Harmonies 8 Methods, new
Liuhebafa seems to be growing in every direciton. This is the so-called “fourth internal style” and some people see it as having a more distinctly martial tone to its voice. We’re happy to add a nice representation to our already strong list. This is a peek directly into a lesson from a well skilled instructor […]
Aug
19
2014
19
2014
From Chen to Cheng
Two quick announcements: Long time student, teacher and enthusiast, Nigel Sutton, has just published a very interesting book particularly if you are interested in the Cheng Man Ching style of Taiji. Though Cheng’s reputation has attracted its detractors in recent years, no one can deny the effect of his teachings in the United States, other […]
Aug
12
2014
12
2014
Tradition: The Mother of Innovation
Tradition, real tradition, inspires innovation.