Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming on the Development of the TCMA in North America
Introduction Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming generously sat down with Kung Fu Tea for a lengthy and wide ranging discussion of his martial arts experiences in both Taiwan and the United States. A major topic of…
The Top 5 Ways Fascia Matters To Athletes
You may be noticing the word “fascia” (aka connective tissue) is a hot topic right now in all body related fields. But before we get to why fascia matters to athletes, here is a brief primer …
Tai Chi Yang style
History of Yang Style Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming has a long history in Chinese Wushu going back over fifty years. During his youth, he spent thirteen years learning Taijiquan, Shao…
Train with a Partner using a Tai Chi Ball
Practice with a partner. This will allow you to focus on your sense of distancing as well as enhancing your connecting, adhering, and sticking jin skills. Whether you are practicing pushing hands or e…
Before Practicing Meridian Qigong Exercises
Before you begin practicing, there are a few points you should understand. These exercises are designed to be done in bed, and ideally, you’ll be able to memorize them so you can practice without th…
7 Proven Ways Learning Martial Arts Will Improve Your Health
The word ‘martial arts’ strikes a chord in our minds, it is an interesting mix of physical activity routines that have the primary purpose of improving self-defense. It is extremely benefici…
Mental Minefields in Taijiquan
There are many mental factors that should be considered when practicing Taijiquan (太極拳), and the way that people naturally react mentally can become traps, especially when interacting with a par…
The Meaning of Taiji in Taiji Ball Qigong
Wang, Zong-yue said: What is taiji? It is generated from wuji, and is a pivotal function of movement and stillness. It is the mother of yin and yang. When it moves it divides. At rest it reunites.R…
What You Need to Know About Your Fascia
STORY AT A GLANCE: Your fascia, the fibrous connective tissue found throughout your body, accounts for about 20 percent of your body mass Your fascia stores and moves water, and carries voltage, actin…
Muscle memory – it’s all in the mind!
Muscle memory is a common phrase associated with the martial arts as well as in other sports, playing a musical instrument, riding a bike or in the acquisition of any other psycho-motor skill for that…
Purely Offensive Jing
1. Wardoff Jing (Peng Jing) Wardoff jing is a strong yang jing that is used offensively even in defense. In principle, it behaves like a large rubber ball—when pressure is applied, it compresses, an…
About the Sword
Many martial artists, even those who have studied Chinese martial arts for many years, still have a number of questions about the structure, use, history, and geographical background of the Chinese st…
WUDE – Martial Morality
Martial morality has always been a required discipline in Chinese martial arts society. Teachers have long considered martial morality to be the most important criterion for judging students, and they…
Some Remarks About Sparring
“Taijiquan is an internal style of Chinese martial arts. All Chinese martial styles, after a thousand years of practice and experience, understand that in order to have an effective way of fight…
How Fascia Can Help Us Unravel Deeply Held Tension
The Gifts of Fascia Once you’ve experienced the aha moments that accompany practices that release the body’s fascia, there’s no going back. You know it. A subtle shift. A feeling of le…
Practicing Tai Chi helps improve respiratory function in patients with COPD
Tai Chi offers a low-cost, easily accessible alternative to pulmonary rehabilitation, according to a new study in the journal CHEST® Finding ways to help patients with COPD improve their functional s…
The real life stories behind kung fu movie legends
We dig into the lives of Wong Fei-Hung, Ip Man, San Te, Huo Yuanjia and more, as we look at the people who inspired classic kung-fu movies. While martial arts films can often be outlandish or fantasy-…
Reflections on Taijiquan—A Complex Art
One of the best decisions I ever made in my life is to learn Taijiquan. It is one thing that has always brought me great happiness. I cannot deny how much health I have gained, how balanced my mind ha…
An Introduction to Qi and Qigong
If you study the history of the human race, you will see that a large part of this history has been taken up with war, conquest, killing, and the struggle for power. We have tended to worship as heroe…
The Standing Eight Brocades Qigong: Exercises 1, 2 & 3
The standing set of the Eight Pieces of Brocade qigong is more popular than the sitting set, so there are more versions of it. You should not worry about which version is better or more accurate, beca…