The basic stance is a way of standing that keeps your body aligned with gravity, improves your posture and promotes relaxation. For most people, the way they stand is unbalanced. Tension in the muscles pulls their body in different directions 24 hours a day. Relearning how to stand has so many benefits considering what a simple change it can be. Stand more securely on stronger legs Take the stress off […]
Generate extraordinary power effortlessly Loosen your hips and spine Remain relaxed in mind and body There are only two main movements you can make that involve the entire body. These movements are the only ones that generate any real power. So every move in tai chi and kung fu that requires power uses one of these. The first is transferring your weight from one leg to the other. The second […]
Invalid rule and here are a few more. Remember the success of any move depends on maintaining the right principles. Don’t panic or tense upStay ‘on your legs’Don’t hold your breath If the person comes back to attack you again you’ll have to resort to joint locks or, if they fail, strikes…. Sorry but to access this course or article you will need a relevant subscription. CLICK HERE to get […]
Release tension in your shoulders Learn to carry them so that tension doesn’t build up Connect your arms to your structure for maximum power One of the most common and debilitating places to hold onto pain and tension is in the neck and shoulders. Shoulder pain and tension is often associated with responsibility – literally carrying the world on your shoulders. It is so common that I can state with […]
Train hard, breathe easy I teach several kung fu classes per week. At the beginning of each is a warm-up and series of conditioning exercises which I lead. The students then follow me and listen to my instructions. Therefore it’s essential that I am not only able to perform these exercises – which can be hard and fast – but that I also have enough breath left over to be […]
The world is full of competing forces – work pressures, family life, desires to conform yet stand out – yins and yangs that pull us this way and that. These create energy, and often turmoil in our lives. Taoists have spent many centuries exploring the interplay of forces, the yin and yang throughout human life and nature and they always strive to find the middle path. Only through finding equilibrium can […]
Drain the tension out of your posture Stay relaxed even under stressful conditions Gain a stable root to protect you from physical or emotional pressure Everybody carries far too much tension around with them. This tension drains them ofenergy, pulls their body apart and resists every move they make. We are so often told to relax but not many people realise that relaxation is a skill that needs to be […]
Virtually all negative emotions are based on fear. Fear is our most primal emotion and one that a great many people feel, to a greater or lesser extent, every single day. We have around 30 names for different types of fear, and many more slang words: anxiety, dread, panic, alarm, terror, dismay and so on. Two types of fear However, there really are only two types of fear you need […]
Learn to relax every part of your body more and more deeply Discover a faster version you can do anytime to keep tensions at bay As mentioned in my book ‘Stress Proof Your Body’, one of the most popular relaxation exercises is called progressive muscle relaxation. A more efficient and powerful way to achieve the same level of relaxation, is not to tense then relax the muscles but to send a […]
Discover why most movements we make are inherently weak and unbalanced Understand how to move your body with power and purpose Generate real power from the inside out In kung fu and tai chi, we always aim to make our movements balanced, efficient and powerful. A balanced movement is one where the forces involved are balanced throughout the body. At no point is the individual out of balance and vulnerable […]
Learn to move with the fluid power of an animal Relax your body and keep it relaxed as you move Use this power in a wide range of movement skills In the Jade Dragon tradition we separate yin training and yang training. Yin training teaches you to develop power inside the body through stillness or very slow movements combined with a focused mind and breath. Yang training teaches you to […]
Understand why leg strength is so important for your overall physical and mental health Discover different ways to train your legs As anyone who comes to my classes will know I talk a lot about leg strength. Basically, without strong legs you have no real support so your upper body will be full of tension to keep your weight off your weak legs. Strengthen your legs and your upper body […]