Showing posts with label Wushu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wushu. Show all posts

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Wujifa Martial Arts Practice and New Friends

It was a warm Sunday afternoon in early August, 2011. Let me back up here a bit. Forty-Three hours earlier I received a phone call from Mike at the Internal Martial Arts Blogspot blog who asked if it was ok to bring a guest to a Sunday Wujifa class.

A couple days later on that Sunday our guests show up after hearing about our Wujifa practice they had lots of questions. A great exchange about martial arts principles and practice took place. Later we went out to dinner and continued the exchange of thoughts and we had an all around good time, of course. ;^)

The following is written by a Ph.D. student majoring in Chinese Traditional Martial Arts who was visiting the U.S. to do research for his dissertation from a well known sports university in China. Shared this with us after his recent visit to The School of Cultivation and Practice where Wujifa is trained and practiced.

This following article is shared as received. Thank goodness for Google translator, enjoy.

 
一次难忘的访谈
看似一次平常的访谈,却留下一段难忘的记忆,让我重新审视自己的观点的同时,也在思考武学的真谛。作为一名武术研究方向的博士研究生,正需要某种精神,去探索发掘武术的深层价值。
一位美国的热心朋友帮我设计调查问卷,而且,帮我介绍了一些太极拳传播者,他本人也是一位太极拳爱好者,练习太极拳已经有二十年之久,并建议我拜访一下他的师父,由于研究需要,希望更多地访谈一些美国师父,于是欣然答应。约了一个具体的时间,我们开车来到师父家里,见到一位身材健壮白人师父,就是Rick。Rick很健谈,很热心地回答了我的问题,当我问及他以后的打算时,他向我介绍了一项耳目一新的技术:“无极法”(Wujifa),立刻勾起了我的兴趣。
据Rick大师介绍“无极法”是个人(或人与之间)对微妙链接关系理解的深度实践,“无极法”的修炼和气功、站桩、武艺、瑜伽等一样,是种“健身”锻炼的独特形式,它的目标是达到人体意、气、形的统一,达到较高的个人修为。成功的无极法练习者所具有的共性:通过无极法、内功的练习,可以发现,那些获得较高技能的练习者通常会表现出来一些共同的特征,那就是能够体会到所练之术和人的实际生活存在着惊人的相似性。在长期的训练和实践中,相同的招数,可能会使出不同的效果。有很多人工作很顺利,因为他们可以有条不紊地跟踪排除生活和工作中出现的各种问题,因此,人们应该花时间找到个人进步的最佳途径。通过练习无极法在获得技术的同时,更能将其原理运用到实际生活中的方方面面,人们可以向他们的理想和目标不断迈进。
本人练习武术套路已有二十余年,对于武术哲学理论也是烂熟于心,却从没有在身上体验过,诸如在太极拳的习练中,何为无极、何为太极、何为阴阳之类,怎么做才可以体会到这一点却不得而知。经Rick 大师指点,我明白,所谓的哲理内涵,是体现在身体上的一种链接关系,人体不同结构将会影响其功能作用,我在练习过程中只是注重外形的优美与否,是否实用,却没有注意到如何将身体的内外以及身体本身的链接关系做好。回想起来,以前练习的各种套路,都是这种问题,总结起来,是因为没有找到正确的练习方式,更没有将身体与技能之间建立某种联系。
我相信,无极法是各项武术技能的基础,斯旁门甚多,其技无外乎一理而,它可以帮助我们更好地学习各种技能,能够让功夫上身,达到健身与技击的目的。但是,无极法的原理目前仅有少数人理解,习练的人甚少,发扬此项技术任重而道远,Rick大师像一个孤独的守望者,凝视远方,希望可以通过无极法帮助更多人达到人生目标。

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Video of Chen Style Taijiquan at Wushu Demo

As requested here is more video from Hunan, China this time of Chen Style Taijiquan. The students of the Yue Shan Temple (Moon Mountain) wushu gongfu demo, filmed in May of 2004. As you watch this video remember how old some of these kids are, and then think about how long many people have been practicing their forms as you watch these kids.



For those who enjoy YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh-oQtcTfVA

As many of you that read this blog know I believe internal martial arts is much more than a form or some kind of dance move and that the "way one moves" instead of the form it's self is what is most important. Now, I will say watching this video, seeing kids of this age practicing Chen Style Taiji looks pretty damn good at their age and for wushu.

Now I know these kids practice their forms a heck of a lot and after all they live there at that gongfu school. My hope is in sharing this video, that it may inspire some folks who watch these kids as they do these forms to think more about how and when they practice. After all there are lot's of blogs with Youtube videos of various masters doing forms. Yes even on this blog. Yet simply watching kids doing these kinds of forms can put things in a certain perspective.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Wushu Video

I just finished editing a wushu video I shot back in May of 2004. It was a demo done by a bunch of kids and is very inspiring to see the level of skill for their age. This is just a small bit of the afternoon long display of their wushu skills and gongfu training. I hope you will find this inspiring as well no matter what style you practice.





YouTube link to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAC3a0iHojU for those who have iPhones or enjoy YouTube formats.

The Video was filmed back in May of 2004 at the Yue Shan Temple (Moon Mountain Temple) which is in Bo Ai County, Henan Province, China. Moon Mountain Temple (a Chan or Zen Buddhist temple) was built in the 12th Century. This area of China also has a very long martial arts history.





Like I said I have a lot more footage from the time I spent there including some nice footage of a Chen Taiji form. Also there is some good video and instruction in fighting and working different movements.

The next video project is some footage of Master Di of Beijing doing a very nice Bagua Sword form in a private setting and then going over some good pointers on footwork, basic practices, and circle walking. We will have to see what ends up on the floor of the editing room. Let me know how you like these video and I'll post more of course!

Also, stay tune as I will also be posting some good pointers on Wujifa and Zhan Zhuang alignment focusing on key points to aid people with getting into a good stance, what we like to call 1, 2, 3, 4 and 1, 2, 3, 4. Until then be sure to stop by and check in.