In this video, I'm explaining the Dragonback technique of the Internal martial art of Xingyiquan. Rather than being a technique itself, this is something you can use to supercharge all your techniques. It's a way of using the entire body in a coordinated way to get develop a whipping, shocking energy in your strikes.
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DRAGONBACK!
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ANCIENT STRENGTH TRAINING
There is a misconception among many people that strength training using external equipment is a modern development in fitness. Nothing could be further from the truth. Physical culture is an ancient practice. Wars were fought and there was a need for warriors to be in top shape. Of course bodyweight exercises were used. Chin ups, pushups, Squats, etc were and continue to be very important in athletics. But they realized back then just as they do now that there are benefits to using external weights and specialized strength equipment. In ancient Greece, athletes trained using weights made of stone or metal.…
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ELBOW STRIKES IN MARTIAL ARTS
One of the most effective strikes in martial arts are elbow strikes. They're excellent for close range, they're very versatile, and they're very powerful. Another advantage is they're very safe for the person throwing them. In a bare knuckle situation, it can be very easy to break or injure your hand. This is not the case with elbows. It's a very hard bone which is both safe for you and damaging to your opponent. And one more advantage is it's great for defense. Elbows can create a sort of shell around your head sllowing you to defend yourself and at the same…
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XINGYIQUAN PART 2
Today we're looking at the final two elements of Xingyiquan. In the last post, we looked at the first three which are Chopping, Drilling, and Crushing. Today it's Exploding and Crossing. Together all of these elements make up the Five Element Fist which is the foundation upon which all of Xingyiquan is built. There are two different ways of looking at these elements in the Xingyiquan system. First there is a creative cycle. This shows you how to move from one element to the next. Then there is the destructive cycle which shows you how to use the elements to…
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XINGYIQUAN
Xingyiquan or Xingyi is one of the three main Internal Chinese Martial Arts. The other two being Taichichuan (Tai Chi) and Bagazhang (Bagua). Tai Chi and Bagua both have many circular movements while Xingyi is almost entirely straight direct attacks. And while there are defensive techniques taught, it's generally built into the offenive tehniques. Again this demonstrates the aggressive nature and directness of the system. These next two posts will cover the Five Elements of Xingyi. In fact, this art is often known as Five Element Fist. There are five personalities and each once of them corresponds with an element. Here…
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MARTIAL FITNESS CIRCUIT
This is a circuit workout I did that trains strength, fitness, endurance, as well as some martial arts specific movements. It can be done at home or at a gym or even outdoors at a playground. The only equipment needed is either a chinup bar or something you can hang onto. Even two chairs with a broomstick across can work. A ton of equipment is not needed to get a good workout. Effort is all that's needed! GIve this workout a try. And if you need to modify anything, just send me a message and I'll help you out!
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THE MOST ADVANCED THING YOU CAN DO ARE THE BASICS!
People are often fooled into believing that the basics are only for beginners. What they don't realize is that with almost every discipline, whether it's art, music, sports, martial arts, fitness, etc, you learn the most valuable skills right at the beginning. Consistent practice of the basics is THE key to mastering any discipline. For example, in the Wing Chun system of martial arts, the concepts of centreline and economy of motion are taught the first day you walk into class. And those are the guiding principles throughout your entire Wing Chun journey. That's exactly what this video is about.…
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INCH POWER IN MARTIAL ARTS
Many people in the West were first introduced to Inch Power when Bruce Lee demonstrated it at Ed Parker's Karate tournament in 1964. He famously punched a guy in the chest from only a couple of inches away and then he went flying back into chair. This is how the power could be applied in a real situation, but developing it is entirely different. To do that, you need to go through a full range of motion. Only then will you be able to feel every inch of the movement and ensure that you're using the entire body behind your…
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STAFF EXERCISES TO IMPROVE PUNCHES
One of the best ways to improve your punches is by using a wooden staff. Watch the video to learn more and see what it's all about!
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SIL LIM TAO - THE MOST IMPORTANT FORM OF WING CHUN
Wing Chun is a fantastic martial art and one which I've spent many years practicing. One of the best things about it is the fact that it's so simple. Really the concepts and principles of the system and techniques can be taught in less than an hour. Obviously that doesn't mean you'll have a deep understanding or the ability to actually pull it off, but you will know what it's all about. This is unlike some martial arts that will take forever just to learn what the techniques are. The first form which is called Sil Lim Tao (translating to "The Little…
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THE THREE HARMONIES OF MARTIAL ARTS
One of the key concepts in the Chinese internal martial arts is the Three Harmonies. This refers to the connection of the upper body to the lower body whoch will in turn allow you to use the entire body as one unit. This actually apllies to all martial arts at the advanced levels, but they're specifically taught extensively in the internal arts. The best known internal Chinese martial arts are Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, and Tai Chi Chaun. The three harmonies are as follows The Hand is connected to the Foot The Elbow is connected to the Knee The Shoulder is connected to the Hip Watch…
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BODY CONDITIONING
One of the most neglected aspects of martial arts training is body conditioning. This refers to the toughening up of the hands, arms, and body of the practitioner and not strength and fitness training. Both are needed and the majority of practitioners understand te need for cardiovascular fitness, strength, flexibility, and balance. But they don't always understand the need for the toughening up of the body. If you're going to do martial arts techniques such as punching, palm strikes, finger jabs, tiger claw strikes, etc. you must condition those parts of the body to actually be able to do these…
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LET'S TRAIN THE HEAVY BAG
LET'S TRAIN THE HEAVY BAG! The heavy bag is one of the most recognizable pieces of equipment in Boxing and other martial arts. Indeed it's one of the first things that come to mind when you think of the martial arts. It can come in many shapes, sizes, and types. However there are two major categories. One is the hanging type which can hang from a ceiling hook or from a heavy bag stand and the other is freestanding with a water or sand filled base. Top me the best is the hanging type from a ceiling hook. You can of…
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USE XINGYI TO SUPERCHARGE YOUR MARTIAL ARTS!
Out of the three best known Chinese Internal Martial Arts (Tai Chi, Bagua, and Xingyi), it is Xingyi which is by far the most applicable to Wing Chun, Boxing, and other striking arts. Xingyi (or Xingyiquan) translates to “Strength And Intent Boxing” and is based upon linear attacks from spear techniques. So the backbone of the system is aggressive linear attacks along the centreline. These are also known as The Five Element Fist, and the five elements are a fundamental part of Chinese medicine and martial arts. The system does have Twelve Animals as well, but those came later. The…
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LET'S DO SOME BAGUA!
Bagua (or Baguazhang) is one of the key internal martial arts. The other two well known ones are Tai Chi Chuan and Xingyiquan. Internal martial arts are generally referred to as such because they don't use hard blocks or force against force. Instead they tend to use angles, positioning, and deflections. Rather than doing a hard block, we yield to the force and then counter attack from a different position. It also refers to cultivation of Chi or internal energy. This is done through Qigong breathing methods combined with movements. However, when you understand this, then many martial arts can…
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DON'T BOUNCE IT, PAUSE IT!
One common problem people have when training with weights or even bodyweight exercises, is they tend to bounce the weight or somehow use momentum in the exercise. It may feel good for the ego to lift more weight, but you're not doing much to stimulate quality muscle growth. And on top of that, you're risking injury. One of the most important things I learned from Powerlifting was that you need to control the weight properly at all times. Judging is very strict at Powerlifting meets and any kind of bouncing or lack of control is grounds for a red light.…
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WOODEN DUMMY FOOTWORK
Everything in the martial arts starts with the feet. It's your foundation. Whether it's movement to get you out of the way of a punch or to add power to your own strikes, it's essential. In the Wing Chun system, the Wooden Dummy trains all the key principles, techniques, and concepts of the system. So obviously, proper training of the footwork is essential. That's the whole point of the video today. Let's take a look at it!
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MY VING TSUN (WING CHUN) FAMILY TREE
One of the most important things about learning a martial art is how valid it is. Does it actually work and is there a history? You certainly wouldn't want to learn from someone who just made it up themselves. In my case, my Ving Tsun family tree can be traced back to famous Grandmaster Ip Man. There have been many movies made about him, but of course the real man didn't do all those things on screen. He was however a great martial arts fighter and a great teacher. So Ip Man taught Moy Yat. Moy Yat taught Sunny Tang. Sunny…
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ARE TRADITIONAL MARTIAL ARTS MAKING A COMEBACK?
We see martial arts everywhere. In films, on TV, MMA, etc. Now especially, MMA or mixed martial arts is very popular and has to a large degree taken over a lot of the martial arts world. Even martial arts such as Western Boxing seem to have taken a backseat to MMA. However, even though we may see MMA gyms popping up everywhere and traditional martial arts seem to be decreasing in popularity, it doesn't need to be that way and I also don't think it will be forever. Actually the way I see it, they're one and the same. Many may…
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HOW DO YOU USE WING CHUN IN REAL FIGHTING?
Wing Chun is a very unusual martial art. It's principle based rather than technique based. This causes a lot of confusion including ridiculous arguments about what is and isn't Wing Chun. So instead of looking at and memorizing an endless list of techniques, we're seeing techniques merely as expressions of the principles. If for example, my right hand is closer to my opponent than my left, I'll use my right hand since it's more efficient. If I can avoid a fight entirely, I will since I want to always save time, movement, and energy. In any case, I hope this video…
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