San da: what can you do?

Students are welcome to use tai chi, baguazhang, chin na, shuai jiao or any applications from our syllabus.

Skipping around, fearfulness, an unwillingness to commit or external tactics will all be considered redundant and pointless.

This is an exercise in initiative, in feinting, luring, provoking commitment, evasion and countering.

The long haul

The study of the internal arts is the work of a lifetime.
 

And so he sets off on a path to mysterious destinations. He does so in spite of observations by others that such a way is naïve, outmoded or idealistic. He goes because he knows others have gone before, because the unchanging direction of the way attracts and calls to him.

He goes because he is compelled. He sets out on a journey of a lifetime because he senses that this way is the one to lead him to a place very much worth the going.

(Dave Lowry)

Nei Jia Chuan: Internal Martial Arts Teachers of Tai Ji Chuan, Xing Yi Chuan, and Ba Gua Zhang by Jess O'Brien

 

This book asserts that internal and external are pretty much the same... an odd determination.

Conditioning the body

We can address balance and connection once the muscles soften, the joints relax and the body opens.
The psoas muscle needs to lengthen naturally; this will aid in strengthening the body without tension, as well as providing stability.

Qigong and neigong serve to internally work and support the body as you perform tai chi.
From this foundation, you learn how to move in a tai chi way.
The form and self defence training exercises explore this unique way of moving.

Each new exercise offers an opportunity for you to increase your physical awareness.
It is an inward journey of subtlety and relationship.
The conditioning and awareness training encourages your mind to soften and your body to grow in new ways.

Red (5th dan)

· Biomechanics
· Consciousness
· Eastern philosophy
· Form
· Kinaesthetic awareness
· Martial theory & practice
· Meditation
· Proprioception
· Spiritual inquiry
· Syllabus design
· Tai chi chuan principles
· Teaching methods
· Whole-body movement 

Passing this final belt demonstrates an advanced-level of skill

Baguazhang

Scientific analysis

The opposite of exploring 'natural responses' to attack is when you respond in a contrived manner. You deliberately limit yourself to a certain drill or movement and practice that.

Your partner attacks with a variety of strikes and grapples, whilst you carefully think your way through each response. Be slow and thoughtful; contemplate what you are doing and why. Do not rush this. Do not lose your whole-body response at any point.

Be aware of where you are leading your opponent and what the effect of each counter-strike will be.

This type of work helps you to practice form applications and drills against a wider range of attacks, and the results should feed into the natural responses training.

Remember that scientific analysis, form applications and partner drills are all contrived. Natural responses training is what you will use in self defence: it is the proof of where you are. What comes out, comes out.

If you are faced with a legitimate threat and take time to think, you will fail. The tendency to do this can be removed through melee training, in which the thinking time is removed by the immediacy and variety of the threat.

Small san sau - 2 ways

Small san sau is taught in two ways initially:

1. Sequence
2. Combat concerns

The 'sequence' is just the pattern of movements: the framework.
It must be performed quite well.
Small san sau is introduced in green belt and students complete the basic sequence during the blue belt syllabus.

The second learning stage takes place at purple belt.
Students learn how to use the set in actual combat.
Subtle changes and corrections enhance the set, making it much more versatile and functional in combat.

Traditional instructor

When Sifu Waller studied with Peter Southwood he was required to stand for 40 minutes a day (every day) at 5:00 AM.
Standing was followed by moving qigong, drills and then two hours of form training.

He was given very little verbal tuition.
The training was primarily learning through doing.
Every qigong exercise, partnered drill and all 8 forms had to be studied thoroughly before Peter Southwood was prepared to share any in-depth knowledge.
Neigong and application had to be earned.

Peter Southwood used the Confucian teaching method: he showed you the example once and expected the student to go away and practice it.
Only the diligent student was shown more.
There was a significant onus upon the individual figuring things out for themselves.
Corrections, tips and pointers were only offered when a pattern of committed practice had been established.

Sifu Waller used to ask students to stand for 40 minutes at the start of class.
There were many grumbles and complaints, but most people actually felt better afterwards.

Etiquette

(i) If they are your instructor

If the person is currently teaching you, then you call them Sifu (No Surname).


(i) If they are not your instructor

In Chinese martial arts you call the instructor Mr Surname or Sifu Surname if they are not your teacher.

To refuse to call an instructor Mr Surname or Sifu Surname is considered to be very arrogant and disrespectful.

Prove yourself

If a student wants to be considered for lineage, they need to approach Sifu Waller and persuade him that they are serious enough.
Sifu Waller will assess the student and determine suitability. 
Lineage is for the instructor to decide, not the student.
The instructor must be confident that the future of the art resides in capable hands.