Why do you bother?!

Looking through the ‘tags’ section of WordPress today I came across this.

How To Manipulate Chi - A Secret To Martial Arts (martialartsecrets.wordpress.com/2008/06/10/how-to-manipulate-chi-a-secret-to-martial-arts)
Learning to manipulate Chi and have it do what you want, when you want, how you want it, is not something that happens overnight. Many people when they learn that Chi is the secret behind most martial arts and the amazing things that can be done by martial arts masters think that they can easily obtain this ability and then they too can do the amazing things done by martial arts masters.

For fuck’s sake, why do you bother. The Internet is full of enough shite already and you feel the need to add some more just to promote something only a 13 year old kid would buy, only to tell the story as a cautionary tale when they matured enough to realise that you’re a scam merchant a a few weeks later.

All the links on the page go to martialarts expert.org. advertising some McDojo propaganda, sponsored by ‘Super Affiliate Marketing Corp. of U.S.A.’ What a shower of cunts.

More from the tool

You don’t need years of the same boring training because the secret and deadly effective methods that the NO instructor wants you to know are finally revealed!

Wow! I wish I had those M4d sK1LLz!

One satisfied customer notes

My anticipation of my opponent has increased ten fold. Thank You”

Tim Stone

ahhh, the sweet anticipation of you Paypal account being a few quid/$ lighter and your body being more than a few mills of essential body fluids lighter on the way to the hospital.

So Mr. ‘Super Affiliate Marketing Corp. of U.S.A.‘ why don’t you just fuck off and leave the real training to people like us and pray that you never need the help of people with the legitimate skills that you have bastardised.

This isn’t new: (yubi - finger, waza - techniques, tricks)

A perspective on things

http://sciencehack.com/videos/view/BBsOeLcUARw

A film dealing with the relative size of things in the universe and the effect of adding another zero.

I like this. Makes me remember just how much of nothing there is within us, that we are not a solid as we are in the habit of thinking.

As above so below, or the macrocosm microcosm concept from Taoism.

A Good list of QiGong related articles

look here

Nice one Monabooks!!

Apparently the Essence of Internal Martial arts books I and II are sold out. I really shouldn’t have to repeat what I said in an earlier post about the necessity of reading these, but I really think that you need them in your life!

If you can brave the awful [sorry guys, but it's my professional opionion ] Monabooks website (don’t worry about the company behind the website, they’ve been going for years and a lot of people in the UK have them to thank for reading material over the last few years) you can get your hands on a copy or two before they disappear all together.

Go here and search for ESSENCE OF INTERNAL MARTIAL ARTS” and send them then link to this blog!

For those of you in the US, you might be able to get hold of them here

EDIT: Also try here at ryukyu books

EDIT: Table of contents for both books

Book 1

Table of Contents

---

Acknowledgements ………………………………….	v
About the Author ……………………………………..	vi
Preface …………………………………………………	xvi
Forward …………………………………………………	xvii

---

Section One:
Fighting Method and Theory

• Chapter 1. Foundation Movement and Applications
• Chapter 2. Rolling Hands: Kun Shou
• Chapter 3. Two-Man Sets
• Chapter 4. Free Form Fighting: San Shou
• Chapter 5. Internal Boxing Awareness Skills: Nei Ch’uan
• Chapter 6. The Six Combinations & Eight Methods
• Chapter 7. Establishing Realistic Training Goals

Section Two:
Eight Animal Fighting Methods and Theory

• Chapter 8. Eight Animal Fighting Characteristics of the I-Ching
• Chapter 9. The Lions & The Heaven Trigram: Ch’ien
• Chapter 10. The Unicorn & The Earth Trigram: K’um
• Chapter 11. The Snake & The Water Trigram: K’an
• Chapter 12. The Falcon & The Fire Trigram: Li
• Chapter 13. The Dragon & The Thunder Trigram: Chen
• Chapter 14. The Pheonix & The Wind Trigram: Sun
• Chapter 15. The Bear & The Mountain Trigram: Ken
• Chapter 16: The Monkey & The Lake Trigram: Tui

Section Three:
Palm Training Methods and Theory

• Chapter 17. Palm Training
• Chapter 18. Classical Palm Liniments
• Chapter 19. Stage One Palm Training
• Chapter 20. Stage Two Palm Training
• Chapter 21. Stage Three palm training
• Chapter 22. Harmful Side Effects of Incorrect Practicing

Section Four:
Death Touch Methods and Theory

• Chapter 23. Death Touch: Ssu Chu Chueh
• Chapter 24. Attacking the Nerves: T’ien Ching
• Chapter 25. Attacking the Blood Vessels: T’ien Hseuh
• Chapter 26. Attacking the Body’s Energy: T’ien Hsing Ch’i

Section Five
Healting Methods and Theory

• Chapter 27. Herbal Medicine
• Chapter 28. Tui Na: Massage and Acupressure

---

Glossary of Terms ……………………………………	300
References …………………………………………….	303
Also Available by the Author ……………………….	307
Book and Video Information ………………………..	310
Preview: Volume II Energy Theory & Cultivation……….	312
Afterword ……………………………………………….	315

Book 2

Table of Contents..	Page
Acknowledgements…	v
About the Author…	vi
Preface…………	xvi
Forward…………	xvii
Introduction…….	xviii
Section One - Metaphysical Boxing
Methods and Theory
CHAPTER 1. Metaphysical Boxing
1-1. Introduction	21
1-2. Energy Bubble	23
1-3. Projecting Energy	25
1-4. Projecting and Listening Exercises	28
1-5. Perceiving Energy Holes in your Opponent’s Energy Bubble	31
1-6. Awareness	32
1-7. Eight Direction Perception Meditation Stage One	36
1-8. Perception Meditation Stage Two	41
1-9. Perception Meditation Stage Three	42
CHAPTER 2. Increasing Psychic Awareness
2-1. Introduction	43
2-2. The Ego	46
2-3. The Psychic Opening	46
2-4. The Four Stages of Training Psychic Perception	48
2-5. Changing Emotional Energy of Ching into Building Ch’i	49
2-6. Transforming Ch’i into Shen	51
CHAPTER 3. Extending Energy
3-1. Introduction	53
3-2. Three Levels of Energy Extention	55
3-3. Ching Plane Energy Extention	56
3-4. Ch’i Plane Energy Extension	60
3-5. Shen Plane Energy Extension	65
3-6. Uprooting with Energy Extension	67
3-7. Sound Blast Resonation	68
3-8. Energy Associated with Emotion	70
3-9. The Five Emotions	72
CHAPTER 4. Transforming Emotions into Ch’i
4-1. Introduction	79
4-2. Healing Sounds and Colors	80
4-3. Fusion of Body, Emotion and Spirit	80
CHAPTER 5. Auras and Emotional Energy
5-1. Introduction	83
5-2. Shen Kung Meditation	86
5-3. Physical Body Tissue Colors	88
5-4. Energetic Body Aura Colors	88
CHAPTER 6. The Integration of Body, Mind, Emotion & Spirit
6-1. Introduction	89
6-2. Emotional Energy and Functional Applications	92
6-3. The Four Transitions of the Internal Boxer	95
6-4. The Four Transitions of Light	96
6-5. The Four Transitions of Darkness	101
CHAPTER 7. Time Displacement
7-1. Introduction	105
7-2. The Foundation is the Mind	105
7-3. The Importance of Waiting	106
7-4. Five Stages of Attack	107
7-5. Scientific Explanation	108
7-6. Time Displacement Meditations	109
Section Two - Energy Cultivations
CHAPTER 8. Hidden Truths Of Energy Training
8-1. Introduction	113
8-2. The Three Treasures of Alchemical Dimensions	116
8-3. Internal and External Development	119
8-4. Kinetic Communication	119
8-5. Heart Communication	121
8-6. Visual Communication	122
8-7. Internal Transitions - Level One	124
8-8. Internal Transitions - Level Two	127
8-9. Internal Transitions - Level Three	130
Section Three - Vibrational Training Methods and Theory
CHAPTER 9. I-Ch’uan
9-1. Introduction	133
9-2. Purpose and Goal	134
9-3. Stillness	136
9-4. Preparation and Practice	138
CHAPTER 10. I-Ch’uan Stage One: Static Postures
10-1. Introduction	139
10-2. I-Ch’uan Postures	140
CHAPTER 11. I-Ch’uan Stage Two: Imagery and Intent
11-1. Introduction	145
CHAPTER 12. Joint Opening
12-1. Tendon and Ligament Stretching	149
CHAPTER 13. Marrow Washing and Draining
13-1. Introduction	151
13-2. The Three Stages of Marrow Washing	151
13-3. Marrow Draining	153
CHAPTER 14. Bone Breathing and Squeezing
14-1. Introduction	155
14-2. Stage One - Cleaning	156
14-3. Stage Two - Rebuilding	157
14-4. Stage Three - Squeezing	159
CHAPTER 15. I-Ch’uan Stage Three: Vibration
15-1. Introduction	161
15-2. Resonant Vibrations	163
15-3. Body Vibration	164
15-4. Alignment for Level Three I-Ch’uan	167
15-5. Stage Three I-Ch’uan Exercises	168
15-6. Exercise One	170
15-6. Exercise Two	171
15-6. Exercise Three	172
15-6. Exercise Four	173
15-6. Exercise Five	174
15-6. Exercise Six	174
15-6. Exercise Seven	175
15-6. Exercise Eight	176
15-6. Exercise Nine	177
Section Four - Discharging Energy Methods and Theory CHAPTER 16. Explosive Power: Fa Chin
16-1. Introduction	179
16-2. Discharging Internal Power: “Fa Chin”	180
16-3. Bone Linkage	182
16-4. Four main Energies of Attack	183
16-5. Rippling the Spine	184
16-6. Key Points to Remember	185
16-7. Explanation of Shaking the Spine	186
16-8. Explanation of Whipping the Spine	187
16-9. Reeling the Silk: Drilling Energy	187
16-10. Pulling the Silk: Snapping Energy	187
16-11. Shaking and Releasing	188
16-12. Meteor Shatters the Earth	189
16-13. Structural Connection and Alignment	190
16-14. Martial Integrations	191
16-15. Key Points to Remember During the Transfer of Chin	193
16-16. Sixteen Steps to Transferring Chin	194
CHAPTER 17. I-Ch’uan Stage Four: Movement and Martial Application
17-1. Introducton	195
17-2. Theory of the Ball	196
17-3. Rolling and Drawing Back	197
17-4. Striking	199
17-5. The Hands	200
17-6. Stepping or Walking	201

Tai Chi reduces tension headaches apparently!

As part of the study, the researchers conducted a 15-week Tai Chi
program and found that participating patients improved on a
quality-of-life based measurement called SF-36 and also on a test
called HIT-6TM designed to capture the effect of headaches. A 15 week
intervention of Tai Chi practice was effective in reducing headaches.
The patients also reported improvement in energy levels, emotional well
being, social functioning and mental health.

More Here

Qigong Improves Concentration in School Children

Claudia Witt, MD, and associates from the Institute for Social
Epidemiology, Epidemiology and Health Economics at the University of
Berlin, did a study on 140 students to determine the result of a
six-month program of Xianggong (”fragrant qigong”), movement
instruction for the students’ health and behaviour.

More Here

Another Meditation Article

In 1985, the meditation team made a video of monks drying cold, wet sheets with body heat. They also documented monks spending a winter night on a rocky ledge 15,000 feet high in the Himalayas. The sleep-out took place in February on the night of the winter full moon when temperatures reached zero degrees F. Wearing only woolen or cotton shawls, the monks promptly fell asleep on the rocky ledge, They did not huddle together and the video shows no evidence of shivering. They slept until dawn then walked back to their monastery.
Read it here

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Furious Angels - Boondock Video

Furious Angels - Boondock

The finest MMA highlight video I have ever seen.
Blood, emotion, glory and crushing defeats; it touched me.
So much more than the uneducated and ignorant view that ‘it’s just two men fighting’

It may be, and perhaps should be, difficult to accept the notion that a prizefighter’s work merits the same kind of attention we lavish on an artist’s, but once we begin attending to and describing what he does in the ring, it becomes increasingly difficult to refuse the expenditure. The fighter creates a style in a world of risk and opportunity. His disciplined body assumes the essential postures of the mind: aggressive and defensive, elusively graceful with its shifts of direction, or struggling with all its stylistic resources against a resistant but, until the very end, alterable reality. A great fighter redefines the possible.

Meditation Books UK

A bit of an experiment in making a website of books that are relevant to this blog.
If you fancy a look at some meditation and chi kung books then have a peek at Meditation Books UK

Paralysis By Analysis and Casual Analysis Paralysis

Paralysis By Analysis and Casual Analysis Paralysis are two related concepts that I feel I need to take a firm hold of at the moment.

Paralysis By Analysis is a state where you get so overwhelmed by the amount of options available to you and the sheer amount of things to do contained by those options (the decision tree) that you just stumble around and don’t actually start anything!

Casual Analysis Paralysis occurs when you are researching a topic and get so wrapped up in the sub topics (especially the minutiae) to the point where the goal is no longer in sight and get lost; then you start stumbling around again trying to get back on track.

I really think that these are major problems in Qi Gong / Chi Kung and Martial Arts. These days there is a shed load of books and DVDs available and it’s only natural to try to sift through them to try to find the good, solid information. (and there’s a colossal amount of complete and utter bollocks out there it has to be said). This is where Casual Analysis Paralysis hits you; you get so involved in researching the qigong forms, differences between this and that movement, the instructor/master’s history, the student’s personalities and achievements etc. that you basically fuck yourself and end up under a pile of books / web pages.
After this stage, when you settle on a style/master/etc you then begin to learn about all the training methods and end points of the style This is when Paralysis By Analysis bites you: you become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of exercises, meditations, visualisations, mantras etc that are contained in the style/teachings and the belief that you need to do them all now or in some as yet unknown order, that you freeze and don’t practice / start practising until some vague point in the future when you think you might have this whole mess sorted in you head and have this magical roadmap to the final goal….

This is not all bad. Obviously researching is good and so is learning about the style you choose. If you didn’t… well… If you don’t know what you want, you end up with what someone else decides to give you… Nosce te Ipsum
But, floundering around is all too easy to do.

I think this affects us all. You cannot solve it by being closed minded and ignoring every other style/method just because it’s different to yours (see what happened when stand up fighters ignored the ground game back in the day). But you cannot solve it by being some like kind of butterfly and throwing yourself around to everything just because it catches your eye.
For me at least, I have tried to face this by having a set of criteria that I keep in mind when I’m researching other methods / systems. These criteria are pretty unbending (is it practical, is it effective, will it add to my skill set enough to justify the expense in gaining it etc). Also I have a set of goals or outcomes that I require anything I study / train in to fulfil. One caveat though; even these criteria and goals must be subject to evolution.

These are just my thoughts though. To be honest, a lot of people just put the blinders on and they seem to do ok!

Everyone knows the saying, “Jack of all trades, master of none” however, the full phrase is “Jack of all trades, master of none, though ofttimes better than master of one.”

Regardless though, all this pontificating about training will come to bugger all if you don’t actually train.

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