Dear Tim:

I was wondering why you wrote that standing post training was isometric type of exercises as per my limited knowlege i thought it was designed for learning to relax (apart for unifying the body and springy power development). Isometric should be a static force/contraction against an immmovible object or part of your arms,etc.

Could you give your insights, here?

Also i have read there 4 types of Fajing. Is it more than proper applied bodymechanics?

Thanks for your time.

Yours,

Jagdish

Jagdish,

When you use force against resistance without movement, it is isometric exercise.

When you stand in a position, bend your legs and raise your arms, your muscles hold the position in a static (isometric "equal measure") contraction that matches the weight of your body parts against gravity.

Learning to relax is much better trained by lying down, so there is no need to contract any muscles.

What are the four types of "fa jing?"

Tim:

Thanks for your response. One thing i forgot to mention in the isometric part was that an isometric exercise was activ in the sense you have to put a preassure.Your definition was clear.

The types of fajing: Please read below:

"The best place that I know of to develop the internal principles to make fa-jin possible is in Yang Lu chans Old Yang Style Tai Chi Long Form. Beginners do the whole form slowly, intermediates make certain moves big fa-jins.Then the big fa-jings are done with slap steps. At the most advanced level all the moves are small fa-jins. Then the small fa-jins are done with shuffle steps, apart from the big fa-jins which are still slap steps. At its highest level the Old Yang Style becomes Hao Chuan Loose Boxing and it is at this stage where every movement in the form is some type of fa-jin, that the most advanced type of fa-jin is attainable, which I call The Vibrating Palm Fa-jin.

The first set of internal principles to be put into the form to create the right environment for fa-jin could be called Internal Principles of Posture. For this the feet claw the ground , to help develop rooting and activate acupoint kidney 1.The knees are slightly bent , to activate the lower Tan Tien and strengthen the legs.The first point on the conception meridian is pulled up in rhythm with the reverse abdominal breathing, to help pump the chi up into the body.

The spine is stretched in to first a vertical straight spine (this activates the governing meridian) and then at a more advanced level a C back (this releases Yang survival chi). The tongue is on the roof of the mouth,to connect the governing and conception meridians together so that the chi can circulate.The shoulders are relaxed and down,this lets us let go of tension and is also part of the C back.

The elbows are lower than the shoulders, again this helps there be less tension , it also makes it easier for the Hip Power to connect to the elbows.The armpits have a space under them, this keeps the shoulder joint open to the chi flow and keeps the Kwa (bridge) open. The arms maintain a circular shape,this is part of the Kwa and also by not having the elbows bent the chi flow is not restricted.The hands are slightly flexed and concave, this brings the chi to the hands for making the Dim Mak Claw effective.

The next set of internal principles to be added on top of this could be called Internal Principles of Movement.Starting with Circular/Spiralling/Smooth movement,to aid the chi flow.Sung, to increase the chi flow, develop a lower centre of gravity and bring about Loose Heavy Power.Rooting from the legs pushing against each other and the ground,to develop stability and Earth Power.

Waist Rotation to generate Centrifugal and Centripetal Power.Lower and Upper Body Integrated Movement, for Whole Body Power and Counter Toque Power. Sinew and Tendon Activation, for Jing Elastic Resilient Power.Connection as a result of each part of the body being moved by the pervious part, this develops Flowing Power.Opening and Closing of the arm and spine bows, to have whole body breathing integrate the C Back Power with the Squeezing Chi Power.Avoiding Double Weightedness in the hands, to keep the chi dynamo turning and to develop the Yin Yang Palm Power.

So we have three levels of fa-jin, the first is the basic shake the waist, shift the weight and shout type of Big fa-jin for which we need to have all the Internal Principles of Posture operating smoothly.This Big fa-jin is like a tiger impacting with its prey and can be made to happen, you can do this fa-jin, it comes from you.

The second more advanced and more internal type is the Small fa-jin which is only possible when we have the Internal Principles of Movement all operating simultaneously in an integrated way.This Small fa-jin is like a snake striking and cannot be made to happen, this fa-jin does you, it comes through you.

Getting to this stage in my fa-jin journey took me ten years, it was a very long way to go to get something that cant be seen.I got there because I met Erle back in 1987 just by the beach near byron bay in eastern Oz and he showed me the whole of Yang Lu chans Old Yang Style Tai Chi Long Form with the Fa-jin. It was like a treasure map with the route clearly marked out on it. So its now ten years later, Ive followed Erles foot steps in the sand and now Im walking into the third most advanced type of fa-jin that happens at the Hao Chuan level, I call this the Vibrating Palm Fa-jin.

To get to this third level of fa-jin one needs to have the third set of internal principles that I have decided to call Internal Principles of Intention. At this level I have found that a certain type of energetic momentum has accumulated over the years and this last set of principles although very small have a very big effect. They tip the balance and cause the Vibrating Palm fa-jin to occur.

There are only two of them,the first one is just like one tiny pebble added to an overhang that is enough to start an avalanche. This internal principles I call the Chi Wave, it flows through the hips and causes the hands to move in a wavy way. As the top end of the big leg bone (the femur ?) pushes into the hip it feels like a wall of chi pushing the body forward.The hips move like a wave, you are not moving them, they are being moved by the chi flowing through you.This causes the hands to move like a wave, if you have it you can just see it in others, if you dont have it you cant see it.

The second internal principle I call Being Dangerously Mad this is like with a forest of dried wood one tiny match is enough to start an inferno.With this internal principle the body behaves like a shark in a feeding frenzy and the eyes burn very brightly. I showed this level of the Form to an old martial arts friend of mine who I hadnt seen for many many years, he said he thought I looked Bloody Mad.

To me it seems that the Big fa-jin can be made to happen and the Small fa-jing cannot because it comes through you rather than from you. And The Vibrating Palm fa-jin is the biggest mystery of all, the few times it has manifested itself to me have been amazing and exciting. With out a doubt its appearance is encouraged by having the Internal Principles of Intention activated but it is something above and beyond them.

There is a very slight visible shaking of the hand but you are not shaking the hand, it feels like all the bones in the hand are vibrating. When you have finished the form and the vibrating palm is no longer visible on the outside you can still feel it for a while on the inside. "

Yours,

Jagdish

Paul Brecher is a very good writer but he isn't regarded as one of the top internal stylists in the UK.Don't get me wrong,he has some very interesting ideas and his work may well be good for health but you don't need that lot to apply explosive power.

One of the best explanations I have read of the energies of Taichi is on Tim's website(Taichi article).It explains things in a down to earth manner and uses everyday examples to show people what these forces really are.The subject is hard enough without getting bogged down in difficult concepts from another culture.If we are to understand these forces and energies its best to learn it in a language we can understand.

As for bringing chi to the hands to make the "devils claw" effective I would suggest grip training would achieve far better results in a shorter period of time.Chi wave through the hips to make the hands move in a wavy type of way is just pure showmanship.I can do the same using the maltose form mixed with the wave and rotate form from Yiquan.Add to that a strong intention and you have the ideal training method for developing explosive power and it has nothing to do with chi.Whats more you can become competent in it in a matter of months rather than years.

Tony:

Thanks for you post.

I forgot how to describe the types of fajing in few words so i had to write all words of the author. I didn't want to bring in the name's author as someone could interpret it wrongly.

Just wanted to know if there were different types of F.J. as i undertand long and short range of power.


Yes, i believe in pragmatic training methods to improve your level in short terms rather than very long terms.

I hope Tim will consider to answer my question.

Thanks.

Yours,

Jagdish

P.S: also i am surprised Steve Morris knows well about power transfer and related stuff.

Jagdish,

Steve Morris worked much of it out for himself.He got a lot of his ideas from observing animals and the explosive way in which they strike.He transferred the image he had into his mind and used it during striking.Whilst Morris's method is easy to learn I still feel it lacks the whole body power of Taiquiquan and Yiquan.But Morris aims his work at NHB fighters and most wouldn't have the right mental attitude or time to practice zhan zhuang for three hours a day.

Yes, but still he has experience in KungFu and he seems to understand the principles behind it.

The only thing i am not sure is which part is more marketing than other.

Great to hear you are practicing Yi Quan. Great system.

Yours,

Jagdish