Here are some series articles on specific topics:
Elbows
The Healing Power of Elbow Jin
My old friend David suffered a near-fatal stroke a year ago. His right side was paralyzed and the prognosis from his doctor was not good. It's been a year, he was told to expect a decline. But...
“Setting” Joints to Generate Power
I was recently asked to clarify what I mean when I emphasize “setting” the knee to allow the kua to release, or setting the elbow to free up the shoulder joint, or setting the ball of the...
Unlocking the Elbow Gate, Part 3
"Unlocking the Elbow Gate," Part 1 and Part 2, were written to bring attention to the most underrated of the Eight Bamen (gates, or energies) of taijiquan. The Chinese name is zhou (pronounced...
Unlocking the Elbow Gate, Part 2
I hope you had a chance to check out Unlocking the Elbow Gate, Part 1. If not, please read that now. This post will build on what we covered there. I feel a little like Nicolas Cage discovering some...
Three Pillars
An Jin: The “Push of No Push,” Part 2
In Part 1 of “An Jin: The “Push of No Push,” I broke down Jin and what makes it so powerful. I then explained the mysterious An Jin, the “push of no push,” and how it needs both Song and Fang to work. This post gets right down to how to train it.
An Jin: The “Push of No Push,” Part 1
My teacher, Grandmaster William C. C. Chen, would often speak of the “punch of no punch” and the “push of no push.” It was his ironic way of saying that the power of the punch or push didn’t come...
“Setting” Joints to Generate Power
I was recently asked to clarify what I mean when I emphasize “setting” the knee to allow the kua to release, or setting the elbow to free up the shoulder joint, or setting the ball of the...
The Three Pillars, Revised
The Three Pillars is my name for the foundational actions that I have found to be most important to establish the body-mind-spirit integration necessary for the internal martial arts and qigong....
Song Kua: Clarification
I devoted a chapter to the kua in Taijiquan: Through the Western Gate and it's time to clarify what is meant by song kua. (pronounced soong) I recently posted the steps to take to get more from your...
Knee
“Setting” Joints to Generate Power
I was recently asked to clarify what I mean when I emphasize “setting” the knee to allow the kua to release, or setting the elbow to free up the shoulder joint, or setting the ball of the...
Setting the Knee: Part Four. Medial Sesamoids
I hate to be a pest, but... I want to be really really clear about what I mean by the "ball of the foot." So, even if you are certain that you know what I mean, please read this carefully. At the...
Setting the Knee (Part 3): The Most Important Movement in the Form
I just shot this video after class last night to further illustrate the importance of "setting the knee." Even students that have been with me for decades found this enormously helpful. Don't worry...
Setting the Knee (Part Two)
"Correct Knee Position" is not a topic that exactly quickens the pulse. For most of us it sounds like a real snoozer. We don't really care. That is, until there is PAIN. For the first fifty years of...
Setting the Knee (Part One)
I have long advised taijiquan practitioners to consciously "Set the Knee" before loading the substantial leg. Meaning, you make sure that your structure is in place before you put weight on it. The...
Jade Pillow Gate
Opening the Jade Pillow Gate, Part Three: Professor Cheng Man-Ch’ing’s Insights
"When practicing the form, one should cause the yu-chen point at the base of the skull to stand out, then the spirit and ch'i will effortlessly meet at the top of the head." Cheng Man-ch'ing, in...
Opening the Jade Pillow Gate, Part 2: Niwan
In my last few posts I have been emphasizing “Opening the Jade Pillow Gate” (yu zhen) at the base of the skull. Doing so unleashes the “spirit of vitality” (jingshen) and allows for whole-brain...
Opening the Jade Pillow Gate
About twenty-five years ago I made a personal discovery that made a big change in not just my gongfu, but in every part of my life. Back then, I would occasionally get "tension headaches," where my...