Wudan Yang Style Tai Chi with Professor Fang Ning
My Sifu Anthony Kan has been accepted as a student of Professor Fang Ning and he is having lessons in China. In the UK he imparts the teachings and knowledge to myself. I am finding that Tai Chi Chaun is a fantastic system of Martial Study which is especially beneficial for health. However, the Tai Chi Chaun that my Sifu is studying via Professor Fang Ning is also a fighting method of Tai Chi Chaun and thus I am learning the Toi Sau or Push Hands training as well as the applications for self defence. This includes transmission of Internal Energy known as Fa Jing as well as joint locking called Chin Na. To read Professor Fang Ning's Biography please see the text below. I am sure you will agree that my Sifu has found an excellent Master of this wonderful System of Martial Art:
Professor Fang Ning, 83 years old, speaks fluent English and Japanese, graduated from an Amercian Mission School, St. John University in Shanghai, China, in 1947 with degrees in Political Science and Economic. He has been practicing and researching qigong for more than 50 years. He is the 5th generation successor to Wudan Yang-Style Tai-Chi Chuen. Prof. Fang's name carved on the tombstone of Wuden Yang-Style Tai-Chi Chuan, 4th generation successor, Grand Master Cui Yishi's Grave. Prof. Fang is also the direct disciple of Grand Master Chen Yen Ning, a famousorthodox Taoist and the first president of the Taoist Society of China in 1958. Since then, Professor Fang has been studying, researching and collecting information on various qigong techniques available.
Professor Fang Ning Videos
Please see below for a range of videos by Professor Fang Ning. He performs the Yang Large Frame Form and also gives various demonstrations of his Push Hands. Many people fail to fully understand the energies involved in Tai Chi Chaun. The distances that Professor Fang Ning sends his Training Partners back can appear miraculous and for some even unbelievable. I can understand that but I can only state that after practical training in Tai Chi do I find that the internal energy or Nei Gung of good Tai Chi Chaun is very real and very powerful.
Even though a Master such as Fang Ning seems to be doing very little externally inside his body powerful internal movements are occurring and also he is utilising not only his own internal energy (Chi) but is also tuning into Univeral Energy (Cosmic Chi). He has mastered the art of going from large circle to small circle. Whether one believes this or not is immaterial, since one needs to meet a well trained exponent and experience the energies involved for oneself.
Practical experience is the best teacher. With regard to the energy cultivated and used the Chinese call it Chi, for the Japanese it is Ki and in India they call it Prana. Energy cultivation and usage is forged through correct physical practice and training. The power of Tai Chi is Soong. There is no real direct translation for Soong into English but relaxed and loose could be considered as one explanation albeit an incomplete one.
Good Tai Chi Chaun has structure and physical training which is very demanding but the essence of the System is very much Internally based.
Professor Fang Ning Article on Tai Chi Chaun
This is an excellent article on Tai Chi by Professor Fang Ning and it is translated by Vincent Chu:
Here is the Link:
http://www.gstaichi.org/english/fangNing.php
Building True Self Defence Power - Train Slower to Move Faster
Here is an excellent article which although not directly Tai Chi based looks at some of the key principles that make internal martial arts effective for self defence. This article is well worth reading, covering proprioception and balance as well as other key principles for martial arts practice:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Building-True-Self-Defense-Power---Train-Slower-To-Move-Faster&id=1092894