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Internal Power for Hsing Yi, Ba Gua or Tai Chi.

Submitted By:

John Read
East Midlands Wushu Association
Nottingham, Europe-United Kingdom

Internal Power for Hsing Yi, Ba Gua or Tai Chi. This article is intended for those who know a little of the Internal Arts (e.g. Ba Gua, Hsing Yi and Tai Chi), and would like to know how to express more internal power in application. I will use Hsing Yi as an example but these methods can be adapted to any style. Hsing Yi (Heart/Mind Boxing) uses the idea of the 5 elements: Metal, Wood, Earth, Water and Fire as methods of producing effective internal power. This article describes Metal, with an explanation of how the useful power (jing) may be issued. Metal - Pi Chuan (Chopping). Chi Gung (Breathing/Energy exercise) - Dropping the pearl into the ocean. Stand with feet shoulder width apart, left hand on Dan Tien (navel), right hand covering left. Imagine a thread supporting the top of your head and ‘hang the spine’ from it, slightly bend the knees. Turn the right palm up, as you breathe into the Dan Tien using reverse breathing (hold the tummy slightly in). Fill the Dan Tian as you raise your right hand slowly to the Sternum, continue to raise the right palm, and fill the sternum area with breath (do not stick the chest out), as your right palm nears your chin, fill the throat area. Now this is where your mind comes in more, as you feel a slight pressure due to the full lungs, condense your breath/Chi (energy), into the centre of your throat and slightly stretch the spine upwards. With chin held slightly in. Imagine that your breathe/chi is condensing into a pearl sized sphere in your throat. Suddenly drop the pearl, down to your Dan Tien - the Ocean of Chi, at the same time strike forward with the right palm (with the palm facing forward), and emit energy from the palm and fingers to the far wall, and gently curve the spine forward making a turtle back shape(coccyx tucked under, spine slightly rounded, shoulders rounded forward, chest sunk and waist sunk). This will convert the internal dropping energy into forward power, in a similar manner to a childrens slide.

Use in other martial arts. Metal, as described above, can be applied in many arts e.g. Tai Chi - Pat the Horse Up High, twist step and push, and Single Whip. Long Fist - Flash the Palm. Ba Gua - Hawk Posture (Yao) Hsing Yi - Pi Chuan Etc. My students, some of whom already had Dan grades in other styles, have dramatically increased their internal power by using these techniques.

John Read has taught Martial Arts for 40 years and is a National Judge for the BCCMA and is the Chief Instructor for the East Midlands Wushu Association. He has also judged at International level, and teaches Hsing Yi, Tai Chi, Ba Gua and other styles to private students, and at his Nottingham club. For further information see www.theuni.freeserve.co.uk or phone 0115 9223999 or email kungfu@theuni.freeserve.co.uk. John Read 08/Mar/2004