Erle Montaigue's Tai Chi World
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About
The Internal Fighting & Healing Arts:
Question & Answer Section Four TOP
Erle Montaigue receives many questions by email mainly, but also by phone and letter. Those that are deemed to be of help also to others will be listed in these pages. Come back regularly as we are updating this section daily.
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Q&A General Section One
Q&A General Section Two
Q&A General Section Three
Q&A General Section Four
Please note that your name will also be given as the questioner
unless you ask otherwise.
| 1/ Trembling when threatened | 2/ Real Taijiquan? | 3/ The '7 Stars' Posture Qigong | 4/ Dim-Mak Questions | 5 Weight on Heels or Toes? | 6/ when is it time to go more advanced | 7/ High Kicks? |
| 8/ Weights on arms? | 9/ Reflex Fighting: Long Range Fighting? | 10/ Weight Training? | 11/ Qi Disruption and Fa-jing | 12/ Learning Self-Defence from Taijiquan quicker? | 13/ Reptile Brain and other automatic brain stuff | 14/ Grappling |
| 15 Small San-Sau not meant as fighting! | 16: TCM in the Martial Arts? | 17: Nausea when practicing Shortened Forms of Taiji! | 18: Bagua in Tournaments? | 19: General Bagua Questions | 20: Thinking Too Much & Blocking Qi Flow | 21: Sword/Knife form and Dim-Mak strikes: |
| 22: The 9 Keys | 23: Religion & Mar5tial Arts? | 24: Erle Montaigue's way. | 25: Throwing Your Qi! | 26 Knock Someone Down From a Distance? | 27 Different Jings and pushing etc. | 28 Being a young coward |
| 29 Weight Training | 30: Short Forms, Good or Bad | 31: Speed, how to gain it? | 32: Eyes and Balance | 33 Wing Chun, Reptile Brain, Fa-jing etc. | 34 Learning more than one system? | 35 Why lower the weight after the 2nd movement and not like everyone else does after the first raise hands? |
| 36 So many people teaching your stuff | 37: Yin and Yang & Waving Form | 38: Time Restrictions for TCC Practice? | 39: Why Modern TCC Masters seem to die young. | 40: Moving Backward & Bow Stance. | 41: Dim-Mak, Neuro Shutdown, Paralysing methods etc. | 42: Qi, Kicking, Transferring, Healing. |
| 43 Rolling Thunder Form Yang Lu-ch'an | 44 Using Weights For Self Defence? |
Dear Erle: I am still hard at work with MTG2 and enjoying it quite a bit. There's so much more to this form than the YCF. My first question is about the fajing. I see it being done on the video, I think I have 'sung' (at least to a certain extent anyway) and I have an understanding of what it is and what it should feel like but when I try to do it it is stiff and "forced" for lack of a better description. How do I go about training fajing?
My second question may actually relate to the first in terms of being 'sung'. From childhood to adulthood we all have accumulated bad habits, mentally and physically. Thankfully, I have never been physically threatened by anyone however, in similar "close-call" situations such as a potential car accident or confrontation I notice that I get a huge rush of adrenaline that leaves me with trembling hands and voice. I believe these habits to be relatively innate but also learned from our environment (coming from an overprotective family might have something to do with this). How do I reduce or eliminate these habits so that if I were to need my Taiji for self-defence I wouldn't be ineffective? I train daily and take training seriously. I am also a classical guitarist so I understand the benefits of practice and forming good habits but I'm at a lost as to changing something that seems so ingrained in my personality. Any suggestions? Kind Regards, John.
Dear John, Yes, fa-jing is one of the most difficult areas to get especially if you have been training in a hard style! Fa-jing is like a rag doll. You must make your body cause the movement and not try to use your muscles for the power, but only to direct the strike.
The trembling is a natural reaction and I have many people asking that same question. Your Taiji simply hasn't 'taken over' as yet. Remember that we must be doing Taiji not only when we train but always! And the trembling is caused by the Qi rising up to your head suddenly when it should be kept low in the tantien just the same as when we train. Whenever situations like that happen, you must breathe out greatly and imagine something sinking down from your head into your tantien. Take all the tension out of your arms and upper body and then you can see the situation for what it really is.
Kind Regards Erle. TOP
2 -----
Original Message -----
From: Robert To: <Taiji@moontagu.com>
Sent: Saturday, May 15, 1999 4:26 AM
Subject: (No Subject)
Dear Erle, Thank you for video.
It's really great. But, can you tell me why no one does Taiji like you,
I mean opening and things like separation of yin and yang etc.Why it
seams that so called great masters do things like double
weighting. thank you.
Dear Robert,
It all began at the beginning of this century when all of the great
masters had a meeting! At that meeting they decided that too many
people were getting the good oil on their family systems. So they all
(bar one) agreed to change the forms and only teach the very basic
forms. Trouble was that people found these forms quite easy and as
humans are, left their teachers before they were ready and taught the
very basics thinking that this was all there was!
Hence nowadays I only know a couple of modern masters who are
doing it correctly! most break some or all of the rules of the classics!
The one who did not change his forms was Yang Shou-hou who, for this
reason only ever took on 3 students, one of whom (thankfully)( was my
main teacher, Chang Yiu-chun.
The closest you can get to the original Yang from anyone else is from Mr
Chang in Louisiana who is now 82 and who is a student of Chen Pan-ling
who was one of the three also. However, Chen changed the system slightly
and called it his 'synthesized version where he mixed some Wu style in
with it. It is well documented in a new book and wall chart published by
Chang in the USA and is quite close to the Original Yang.
Kind Regards Erle. TOP
From Bob from Zimbabwe: Asked
about the 7 Stars posture and its meaning.
3 Dear Bob and Shaz, Thank you for your message.
Please note my new E-mail address: taiji@moontagu.com 7 Stars. Many people
believe that the 7 Stars is reference to 'protecting the 7 star points'
on the body. And we do have 7 'Star' points. however, this movement,
although it is a devastating dim-mak strike to both sides of the neck
into ST 9 and ST 10 on both sides with a groin strike, it has more of a
Qigong meaning.
7 Stars posture is used in the form near the end of the form to open up
the 7 Qi Input points in the body which are, GV 20 (the Crown or
'Bahui'), the other six are those points on the body that aren't quite
limbs or body, They are: CO 14 (all of the remaining 6 are on both sides
so we have two points for each point), SI 16 and GB 30.
In fact when you arrive at the posture in the form you can simply stand
in this posture for a few minutes before finishing off the form.
This posture opens you up to gathering Ground Qi, Heavenly Qi and the
San Jiao Qi. Which affects not only your whole body but also the spirit
(Shen) and the mind (i). TOP
4
From Bryan, USA May 26th 1999
Thank you for taking the time to answer my
questions.
I'm a Nidan in the karate style Isshin Ryu and I'm branching out to
other styles to enhance my 10 years of training. I've been reading your
books on the subject of Dim-Mak and trying to apply them to self-defence
training. Your books are very informative and explain why and how
certain moves work. Learning where all the points on the body to cause
certain things to happen is fascinating.
In class we do an exercise that goes like this: 1) Step forward
executing an isometric turning punch that will end with the forearm
pointing towards the ceiling. 2) Your partner will strike down on your
forearm with a shuto or hammer fist. 3) You take another step and
perform an isometric punch with the other arm 4) Your partner will then
strike your other forearm. the spot usually hit is in the region of TW9
& 8.
Question: Is this location(s) is one that will only cause you great pain
when struck? The teacher says this will help when blocking,
we use that area of the arm as a blocking area.
Question: Can you build up resistance to an area, so when it is struck
the result would be more dramatic on a person who does not train in the
arts? Just as an example - Can you build the area ST9 so that an
opponent could not knock you out?
Now when I'm struck during self-defence training and sparring I grab you
encyclopaedia and learn about what area I was hit and what should of, or
has, happened to me.
Question: Are the Dim-Mak points common to everyone, or are some people
immune to them?
Question: Are points mirrored on the body? What I mean is, points TW9 &
Tw11, are these points on both arms or only on the Left one? I have seen
in your books that you reference these points but had a hard time
understanding if they were common to both sides of the body. I the
answer is in one of
your books, let me know which one and I will read it more thoroughly.
Question: Is there a full body map of all the point locations?
Humbly yours,
Bryan
Dear Bryan,
TH 8 is one of the only points that you cannot protect! And yes, it will
cause YOU great pain if used as a blocking tool! When you use both the
ulna and the radius as a blocking tool, you MUST hold the arm in a P'eng
shape, i.e.., like you are holding a tree with your arm. This causes the
pressure of his attack to be spread out over the whole 'power band' area
so that the blow is not that great and damage is not done to you.
Yes, However, in a fight everything happens so quickly and without
notice not like in the dojo! So in a dojo situation, you can stop to a
certain degree from being KO'd simply using your neck muscles. In this
case the performer of such a silly act would have to strike you so hard
that even greater damage would result! This has happened for the sake of
ego in the past!
Most people have normal Dim-Mak points, others have hypersensitive
points while others have seemingly dead points! However, these people it
is even more dangerous as damage IS being done but they just do not
register at the time unless is it a very hard strike causing immediate
damage!
No-one can stop a full powered strike with intent behind it no matter
what state their points are in! So in the dojo, you will get some people
who will not seem to have an effect when struck, others will go down
straight away! There is no way of knowing as you would have to strike
them too hard to find out!
Yes, all points are mirrored on the other side of the body barring the
centreline ones of CV and GV of course.
Any good acupuncture chart will suffice for a dim-mak wall chart.
TOP
Hi Erle, Yes thanks very much, I did receive the book, which
is great; it was the book that stimulated me to order your Small San Sau
video. Got to see those steps live! I communicated to you before,
a number of years ago; (1975?) I mentioned that we had met in London at
Chu, King-hung's class; I have the distinction of having been hit in the
face by you (accidentally!). I am an Alexander teacher; I was
interested to see your references to the Alexander Technique in one of
your recent videos. I have been doing Tai Chi and Qigong for a long time
(though I claim no mastery! I did write a book, Martial Arts: the
Spiritual Dimension, which is still in print). I have to say I find your
teaching superlative; and hopefully without too much arrogance I can say
that I am in a position to judge. A colleague of mine (Alexander, Tai
Chi, Baqua) is actually upstairs at this very moment exclaiming in
amazement at the quality and depth of your info, saying it has totally
changed his view of the form. I imagine you get a lot of such
testimonials!
I have a couple of questions; I don't know if you have time , energy or
inclination to answer. Whatever! First: this issue of weight
distribution on the feet. From my earlier Tai Chi, I had learned "weight
on the heels". Also in the Alexander Technique, this was basically
the idea. However in Aikido, which I have also studied, the weight is
more on the balls of the feet (over the bubbling wells); and over time
this started to seem to me like the right thing. The following
procedure gives what I have thought of as the right weight distribution:
Come up on the balls of the Big Toe. Balance, feeling your height and
expansiveness. Then slowly lower the heels towards the ground, staying
on the ball of the big toe (not letting the weight go to the outside),
until the heels just touch the floor. Pause at this point. Now continue
to lower the heels (as if stretching them away from the head) until the
bone of the heels meets firmly with the solidity of the floor; but shift
the weight back as little as possible. At this point, it should feel as
if the weight is spread out over the whole foot, shared by the 5 toes,
the balls of the big and little toes, and the heels. The foot should
feel very big, like a gorillas foot. Another thing you should notice is
that the thighs relax (you should be standing with the legs straight,
not locked, not bent). If you shift the weight back a bit, you should
notice that the thighs suddenly tense; with the weight as I have
described, the thighs relax (and the calves tone up). To me, this is an
indication that this is correct; in normal standing, the thighs should
not be working hard, but the calves are designed for this kind of
long-term tension. Also, in this position one can almost immediately
rise up on the toes, giving a very light, mobile, quick movement. Also,
the foot is "engaged", slightly tightened; to me, this seems to give the
"scrunched under" state you talk about, but in a more natural, less
"tense" way.
Since I respect your teaching so much, I took to heart what you said
about weight, and have been re-examining my ideas. One thing I
thought was that maybe by shifting the weight, not back fully on to the
heel (which I just can't accept as correct, as it puts you so off
balance backwards), but just to the point right before the heel, maybe
the thighs can still stay relaxed. I'm not sure about this; it seems a
bit marginal to me. I still like the weight over the bubbling wells; and
I must say, in my Qigong I've never had the kind of jerky energy you
describe (but maybe my practice has not been intensive enough to cause
this). At any rate, I'd be interested in your considered response.
Another question, in reference to your self-defence application
techniques. First: quite often you seem to recommend two (or more)
successive strikes in the same direction; i.e. using a right-hand slap
to the left side of his neck, followed by a right elbow strike to the
same place. Now, I really do understand (and can do) the fa-jing shake,
and I get that the rebound from the first strike sets you up for a very
quick follow up; but it seems to me that it is even quicker to use the
rebound shake as the next strike; in other words, to follow a right slap
to the neck with an (almost instantaneous) left elbow (or whatever) to
the left side of the neck. What do you think? And another question along
similar lines; it seems that you often do repeated strikes to the same
area of the body. It seems to me that. In a realistic situation
where you may not get all the strikes perfect first time, the
opponent will instinctively start to cover up and protect the area
attacked. Would it not make more sense to chain your attacks to
different areas (right/left, high/low)? Right palm to the left side of
neck, left elbow to the right ribs, right elbow to the left temple, left
knee to Liv 13 (and so on)? Again, I would be interested in your
considered comments.
Next: do you ever do "video consultations"? In other words, if I were to
send you a video of me doing some stuff, would you be willing to look at
it and comment? And if so, how much would you charge? Fourth (or
whatever): it seems that in Fa-jing you emphasize the twisting or
rotatory shake of the waist. I know that in the form you emphasize the
opening/closing too; but I guess I haven't seen that you integrate these
two into the fa-jing. To me, the fa-jing happens in the integration of
an open/close snapping of the torso with the twisting shake of the
waist. Any comments? Maybe I just haven't understood what you were
saying in your videos; but if so, you should know this, as I am a pretty
good study, and this did not come across. Thanks a lot for your
time Erle. I hope I hear back from you, but if not, understand
that you must be very busy, and probably get a lot of this kind of
thing, of people looking for free instruction. Sorry if I'm out of line,
just ignore me! Yours Peter Payne
Dear Peter,
6 ----- Original Message -----
From: Art
To: <taiji@moontagu.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 24, 1999 8:33 AM
Subject: Taiji form
Dear Erle, I can't thank you enough for
making such high quality information available to the public. I
can see why others would be tempted to keep these things to themselves.
I simply can not say enough good things about you and your videos.
I just purchased the Taiji to the Max and Self Defence from A to Z
series, and I have to say that I was simply blown away. I am
almost overwhelmed by how much there is still to learn. I have one
question concerning the Yang Lu-Chan form. You have said that there is
four levels to doing the Taiji form, hao chuan being the
highest. I believe that I am still on level 2, moving into
level 3, since I am just beginning to understand open and closed
movement. My question is, how do know when to start trying to do
the form at its fourth level? Is just something you know? Is
there a certain time period for practicing the form in any of the given
levels? Can you move to fast, or is up to the individual? Thanks
for you time and help. Sincerely, Art.
----- Original Message -----From: JimCc: Sent: Sunday, July 25, 1999 3:26 AMSubject: Kicking above the waist
Dear Erle: Why do you say kicking above the waist is unrealistic? I read that muay thai kickboxers have very effective kicks above the waist, or what about the crescent kick,can you execute the kick without any problem? Thank You it would be a lot of help for me to know these things.
Or:Dear Erle: hello nice to meet you my name is Jimmy(15age) and I've been trying to make my own style but I don't know if I should use kicks above the waist.I read in Muay Thai Kickboxing that they have very effective kicks above the waist because of their physical condition, but you say that kicks above the waist are unrealistic. Why do you say that? Oh and what is the energy used for in Taijiquan? thank you
8 From: Sam
To: <erle@moontagu.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 1999 5:07 AM
Subject: weight training
Dear Erle, I have read your take on normal weight training, i.e. pumping
iron. But I was wondering how you feel about such things as
walking the circle with weights on the wrists or in the hands or doing
forms with weights there also. These type of methods are advocated by
Yang Jwing-ming and Liang Shao-yu who are very popular in the States and
Canada. I have tried walking the circle with weights and doing
some of the forms with them recently, and have not really noticed any
deterioration. Actually, I have noticed an increase in physical
power, especially since I'm having to move more weight with my waist.
Any way, what do you think of methods like this? Sam
Dear Sam,
They are wrong! If you place weights onto your hands or wrists while
walking the circle, you will build all the wrong muscles for fighting!!
You do not want to lift things! The only weight training if you do any
should be lying on the ground and pushing upward like as in bench press
etc. as this will cause you to develop the correct muscles for striking.
And when you place weights which is unnatural anyway onto your arms or
wrists, it places undue stresses that you would not normally have onto
your waist which MUST be totally free in order to execute fa-jing! The
waist is the most powerful part of your body and it does not need to
have more physical power put into it using unnatural weights that hang
off your arms thus causing your whole body to be out of whack! Weight
training tends to build up static muscle groups which tends to cause
stiffness and immobility which is the exact opposite to what we are
trying to achieve in Bagua! Many of the external Shaolin type martial
arts used to use these methods as they relied solely upon external
physical power! We in the internal martial arts do not!
Kind Regards
Erle. TOP
9 ----- Original Message -----
From: John Smith
To: <taiji@moontagu.com>
Sent: Wednesday, 18 August 1999 23:45
Subject: "Instinctive/Reflexive" fighting
Erle Montaigue,
This week I purchased several of your books "Ultimate Dim-Mak", "Dim
Mak", and "Encyclopaedia of Dim Mak". They are all great
works but your Encyclopaedia has probably done more for gung-fu
than any other book ever published!
I have some questions about some of the material. You advocate reflexive
approach to unarmed combat. You state that a person should not try to
apply techniques as such in a real combat situation. You also state that
if a gung-fu exponent tries to use long range techniques at long range,
then medium strikes at medium range etc. he/she will lose. I agree that
fights happen quickly and that there is a trend toward closing that
prevails in all unarmed combat situations. If I can't take out my
attacker with two or three strikes then I may end up on the ground. My
style is Northern Shaolin and I think that long range strikes are useful
if the conflict begins at long range. As long as I take the initiative I
can get in a long range strike before the guy gets too close. I can then
follow that strike with a second strike from medium range. Of course
fights happen in all places as you stated in an email to me a couple of
months ago. If the fight begins at close range then of course long range
or even medium range strikes are out of the question. Indeed the martial
art dancer who doesn't commit to the fight in accordance with the
closing trend will be stomped. It's not possible to retreat faster than
an opponent can advance. If the combat begins at long range (I choose to
attack before he gets close enough) then I am fine I think. If someone
appears aggressive or angry I don't have to leave the ball in his court.
I don't have to let him walk up to me and curse me as he puts his hand
on my chest. I can start the party before this occurs. You also
recommend a reflexive approach to combat. My idea is based on what Marc
Mac young would call negative space or continuous attack. I first
specialize in two or three combinations which work in sympathy with the
closing trend (i.e. strike 1 at long range, strike 2 at medium). I begin
my attack on an opening that is presented. If the second strike in the
combination can't be executed (there is not an appropriate opening) then
I modify the combination by attacking an area of the body that is open.
I continue on the principle of negative space. I don't really try to
block or parry, I just attack/counterattack continuously. I believe this
is very practical (with years of practice and the aforementioned
concentration on a few combinations) and I think it is the most
efficient way of fighting. I can't play catch up with my opponent (as
you point out in Ultimate Dim Mak so I simply pay attention to openings
as they present themselves. Is this a reflexive approach? My view
is that self-defence should be though of as offence in the above manner.
Please react to some of my comments and questions. John.
Dear John,
Thank you.
Against a really good street fighter, the long range stuff is useless as
it is, I
have tested this to my detriment! Fights happen in your face so that is
where you should lean to fight! Better still be in HIS face before he
even knows it!
If he is a sitting duck, with no experience in fighting at all and just
stands there allowing you to use long range stuff, the sure it will
work. However, we must always expect the worst. A good grappler will be
in your face before you blink! This is why all of the karate people are
always beaten those stupid UFC type of fighting, because they always try
to use long range stuff like kicks! And because they always train in
such methods they have no defence against someone who can be upon them
in a split second. You do not have to look for openings, you MAKE them
happen! I will send you free of charge my "Opening Methods" tape if you
leave me your address. In this tape I actually tell my 'opponent', some
seasoned and well graded martial artists exactly where and when and how
I am going to attack. And I am able to get in every time before they
have time to even move! All martial arts, well, most of them, are good
but often you have to search out the inner meaning of the movements! And
you must remember that many have only come to us in the west in their
very basic beginner forms.
Reflexive means that we fight like an animal a dog for instance does now
wait for openings as that is thinking! it simply does what it has to
sub-consciously. it goes into what is called Reptilian Brain mode.
If you are able to think about what you are about to do then you will be
defeated in a real fight. And here I do not mean in a sparring contest,
but a real fight! You actions must become reflex, that is, those moves
that happen automatically and instantly without thinking, like when you
are mowing the lawn and a piece of dirt is throw up towards your eye. No
time to think, "Oh here is a piece of dirt, so I will now close my eye"!
Your eye just closes because your sub-conscious brain has seen the dirt
long before your conscious brain has!
I have only heard good things about Marc Macyoung however, I am not
aware of his methods.
You should look inside of your ''long range'' methods and find the REAL
fighting method as the long range training methods are only there as an
initial training method to get the body working correctly. You have to
remember that Shaolin Boxing took years and years to learn with the
young Monk living and breathing boxing! And sadly nowadays, the advanced
methods of Shaolin Boxing have been lost!
Leave your address and I will send that tape out to you. I have a new
article on my site called Unarmed and Deadly which deals with reflex
actions. Kind Regards Erle. TOP
Hi Erle,
First i want to say what a great help you have been to me in the past.
Your site is the best martial arts resource on the net. I just began
learning Bagua (its the best thing that could happen to me at this stage
in my life!!!!!). You have counselled me on my diet and the results have
done wonders for my acne ( i cant begin to thank you enough!!!)Could you
give me your advice on weight training. I gather that you are against it
and take your point on a number of reasons why it is bad for "true"
martial arts. But I desperately want to bulk up with weights, can you
tell me wether it is better to work out to muscle failure, or to do less
reps for building bulk? thanks Erle, You really have changed my life for
the better!
Dear Erle, I
have just finished learning the first two Wudang Shan forms. I was
a bit sceptical about whether or not the methods would work, even with
my experience with meridian massage. But I tested them on several
people and was pleasantly surprised when they did in fact work! By
the way, the first form really works well for treating spinal injuries.
I injured my neck this weekend on a trip out of town (after learning the
first form and before learning the second), and performed only it
because it is short and I didn't want to overload the injury. Then
while looking at the Qi disruption section of Internal Gung-fu vol.1,
found out it works on the central nervous system. The pain is
already gone after only two days. Excellent stuff. I have a
few questions, though.
1.Why is it that my hands shake worse while doing the rebalancing
methods afterwards than they usually do in forms practice?
2.What are the effects of fa-jing on an unborn child? (Not related, but
seeing Fiona pregnant on the tape got me wondering.)
3.If the first 9 of these forms teach something this awesome, what do
the final 3 teach?
4.The muscles become weak because of the disruption, but is fa-jing
still possible?
5.Are the forms done on the other side as well? Do you practice
them or were you taught them in that way? I was going to ask you
something else, but it escapes my mind. Regards, Sam
12
----- Original Message -----
From: Eric
To: <taiji@moontagu.com>
Sent: Friday, 12 November 1999 2:48
Subject: Dilemma
Dear Erle, I have spoken to you in the past about Taiji and Baguazhang,
and once again I have a questions for you. I am having a
dilemma about if I should take up a martial art like Taiji or
Baguazhang . At this point in time my main purpose is
self-defence. I am very interested in the spiritual aspects of
martial arts and I hope to pursue this in the near future. But as
of now, I want to be able to protect myself and my loved ones. I
know that Taiji and Baguazhang have the potential for great
self-defence, but I am worried about how long it will take to become
proficient enough to be effective. I was reading your article "Unarmed
and Deadly: Baguazhang" and I identified with the "people who need to
defend themselves yesterday." I am not a law enforcement officer,
but I am a citizen that is concerned with the rising crime rate in
America. As of now I live is "small town America" but in the next
year I will be moving to a large city. I want to be able to defend
myself and I believe your way of training will work, but I need to know
where to start. I guess I am looking for advise on which videos I
should buy that will teach me how to defend myself in the shortest
amount of time possible. After I have reached the level where I can
protect myself, then I want to proceed with the spiritual and health
applications of martial arts. I believe that there are some
martial arts that are very street effective (e.g Arnis, Pencak Silat,
JKD, etc.) but I believe they lack important ingredients: spiritual
aspects and health. I want to do more than learn to beat people
up. I want a martial art that is well rounded. . . something that
I would want to pass onto my children (when I have them). So if
your could provide any guidance, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks,
Eric
P.S. I really enjoyed "Baguazhang: Secrets of the 8 Diagram
Palms"
Dear Eric,
Thank you.
I always advise that there is a long way and a shorter way. Both are OK.
The longer way is to get into the forms and work up from there. The
shorter way and just as effective is to work from the "Sudden Violence"
area combined with the fa-jing training. You should also get into the
basic Qigong as that will enhance the Fa-jing. The series, "Self Defence
A to Z is also good as is "Internal Gung-Fu" series. IT does not matter
what art you wish to learn, Bagua or Taijiquan, the are both at the very
top of the self-defence area. And as a beginning tool, you cannot go
past the "Small San-Sau" as this is the Taiji way of teaching about
self-defence without learning form first. This is what I teach at a
weekend workshop for instance to LEO's in conjunction with my MTG50 and
MTG55 tapes.
I hope this has been of some assistance.
Kind Regards
Erle. TOP
13
Dear Mr.Erle, Hello. I have only been studying for 6 yrs tai chi chuan. Under the guidance of Glenn Hairston. His skill is unmatched by any tai chi teacher I have met in Pittsburgh or any where else. He also has a great soul and is a genuinely good person. He does not call himself master or teacher but he has a profound understanding of tai chi chuan. he is also one of my rarest friends. Can you create a book that talks about the gland secretions and what chemicals they give off to close the gap between the physical and the spirit. We believe that everything comes from somewhere. Now granted we may not have the technology to see that small but I am sure you or one of the teachers you have studied with have some ideas or theories upon this microscopic level. If not can you at least push me in the right direction of asking? I have read some books on acupressure and acupuncture and have not found where the beginning process of thought should begin in order so that the mind can direct the chi correctly or in a more efficient way. Love and Peace, Cire.
Dear Cire,
From: Andrew
To: <montaigue@ozemail.com.au>
Sent: Friday, 7 January 2000 4:50
Subject: Dim-mak Grappling
Dear Mr. Montaigue: I have recently purchased your "Encyclopaedia of Dim-mak" books and your "Ultimate Dim-mak; How to Beat a Grappler" book. I was wondering what points work well in fighting from the guard, mount, and side mount positions as well as which points work best in attempted joint locks and chokes. I am an avid studier of Okinawan Ryu-kyu Kempo and a hybrid of Brazilian and traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu. Your professional opinion is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Andrew:
Dear Andrew,
Thank you. IF you are going to fight a grappler, do not use grappling.
That is the first rule.
2nd rule. If you get into a grappling situation where someone has
a wrist lock or is in the mount position or side mount etc., then go
study another martial art as your is not working! The non-grappling
martial arts of old were solely developed back then to defeat the great
grapplers of the day as they were the most deadly fighters, hence the
great advancement of the non-grappling arts which for years kept the
grapplers at bay. However, in modern times, people either do not know
their won arts, or they do not spend enough time learning them properly
and so the grapplers are again on the increase! Martial arts is for self
defence in deadly situations so you can never use dim-mak in friendly
sparring or in tournament situations as death would occur. Hit him in
the neck and eyes, that is rule 3!
Kind Regards
Erle. TOP
From Mark in Germany:
Dear Erle,
When I recently watched the "P'eng / Hinge" section of your MTG/26 tape,
I wondered why we have to learn defence-techniques like the ones from
"small san-sau".
As you say that we should always hit the attacker before he's able to
hit ourselves, I don't see the connection between these two methods of
fighting. Why should we defend ourselves using the techniques of the
form when we are able to use "P'eng / Hinge" in any case? Is it just for
the case that we aren't able get in in time? I guess that this question
will seem quite stupid to you. Don't get me wrong, I know that there has
to be a good reason, for I'm sure someone like Yang Lu Ch'an wouldn't
invent such a form for nothing.
I have read your article about "food for the spirit". It was very
interesting indeed, and I already stopped eating pork and beef (except
pizza salami ;-) ). However, I would like to get more information about
this kind of diet. Is there any source from which I can get more
information? Best regards and thank you, Mark
Dear Marcel, The small can-sau is
NOT techniques! It is a training method only. It is designed to teach us
how to use the waist and the connection from the ground right up through
the body. It also teaches us about what points to strike automatically
in a simple training method that two people can train. It was never
meant to be a fighting method! Most natural therapists agree that ALL
meat products are not good nor dairy! SO just search out your local
health book store and you will find many titles on this. However, the
general rule is give up all meat, dairy and sugar and that will
suffice to begin with. Kind Regards Erle. TOP
----- Original Message -----From: AaronSent: Tuesday, 29 February 2000 11:03Subject: Tai Ji and TCM
Dear ErleAaron Cross here from the Gold Coast. How are you? All is well here. Brett Taylor and I are opening a class in Benowa. If you get any enquiries for the Coast my number is (07) 55 305 376. I am writing my PhD thesis at the moment, largely philosophical on the emerging relationship between eastern and western medicine. I got to thinking, what is the significance of the relationship between the martial arts and TCM? Could you perhaps point me in some directions here? Quite a bit has been written on the use of military metaphors in western medicine, usually as criticism, but nothing on TCM. It would be great to be able use my passion for Tai Ji to the benefit of my thesis. I also think the whole 'military/martial' thing would be a good basis for analysing the relationship between TCM and western medicine - from enemy to ally. Sorry, I am rambling, but if you could give me some ideas I would be much appreciative.Look forward to seeing you, at camp etc., soon.CheersAaron
Dear Aaron,Thanks mate.The main relationship between TCM and the INTERNAL martial arts (not the external) is that the whole is based upon TCM! Every move we make is related to an organ or acupuncture meridian, every strike we make is aimed at an acupuncture point. We learn the internal martial arts so that eventually we can heal other people using the martial arts, not hurt them. We enhance our own Qi flow and thereby are able to use it to help others not hurt them!However, the pathway to this expertise is via the internal martial systems as they are designed to do just that. BY learning how to fight using Qi, we are also learning how to heal as the Qi flows that we use in the martial are exactly the same as in the healing. All of the movements of the internal systems have the 'Self Healing', the Martial, and at the highest level, the "Medical" where we are able to heal others using the same techniques that we use to fight with! Only of course, at a much less violent level.SO we learnt to build and flow the Qi better by learning the internal martial arts, then we can use that same Qi to heal others.Kind Regards
Erle. TOP
-----
Original Message -----
From: "Steve"
To: <taiji@moontagu.com>
Sent: Thursday, 16 March 2000 10:05
Subject: Qi or chi
Sifu Montaigue: I hope you don't mind answering a question or two. For
the last few months I have bee studying old eight palm ba gua, and I
have been doing the 24 form Yang style Tai chi set several times a day.
It has really added a lot to my study of Shorin Ryu Karate to the point
where I like the internal arts more and more. But, the last few times I
did Tai Chi I concentrated on relaxing, and centering my chi in the
lower dan tien, I started feeling sick, or nauseous. It wasn't
overwhelming, but it was noticeable. Is this normal? Also I don't mean
to sound indelicate, but I have noticed more blood circulation,
especially in one area. Can you offer any pointers on these phenomenon.
I am about to start some standing post meditation, as well as ma but. I
really appreciate your time. You can email me at. signed Steve
Dear Steve, Please call me Erle!
The 24 form is flawed! In fact ANY shortened form is flawed and should
never have been invented! The reason that you are feeling ill when doing
it 'properly' is that every movement is Taijiquan was designed to take
the Qi around the body in a SET ORDER! That is, the order that it would
normally route in a normal day. But when those who did not know started
leaving out whole chunks and shortening it, they did not know that they
were playing around with the Qi flow through the body. So now, the Qi
has to jump all over the place rather than taking its normal route.
These bad effects are only evident when you practice the form as it
should have been practiced, with 'sung' or relaxation! If you do it at a
very basic level and only physical, then it will not harm you, nor will
it give you any benefit! It's only when you begin to practice correctly
when doing the shortened forms that there is a problem! Hence your
situation now. You must be doing something right! but please learn the
correct full form! Stop practicing that short form now.
With regard to Ma-bu, it is a hard Shaolin type of stance that is not
good for Qi flow, only leg strength! I would not do it if you are at all
interested in Qi flow and development etc. Do the 3 Circle Standing
Qigong as that one is the mean between tension and sung, just enough
heat to cause the Qi to flow but not enough tension to cause it to be
blocked!
Kind Regards
Erle. TOP
18 From Matt: USA"
-----
Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <info@taijiworld.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2000 8:00 PM
Subject: Hsing I vs.Bagwa
Hi, I have a question for you. I will be attending a North American Tang
Shou Tao sparring seminar in July. The first day will be practice and
instruction and the second will be for sparring (full contact). I
practice Bagwa but I know I will be facing a lot of Hsing I (xingyi)
practicioners. I was wondering if you had any recommendations or
thoughts about how to use the Bagwa against Hsing I in a combat
situation. > Thanks, Matt
Dear Matt,
Thank you. Bagua is not used to fighting (sparring) it is used to
killing!
So it is useless to use either Bagua or Taijiquan in a tournament
situation!
One finger kills using Bagua, there are no fancy kicks or methods that
will get you points in a ring situation, only methods that will kill
your opponent. So I am sure that you do not wish to kill your 'opponent'
in a friendly ring situation?
Bagua is a REAL self-defence art
NOT a sparring art as sparring is one of the most damaging things to
one's self-defence training as it teaches you unrealistic practices.
Hence the reason that most 'black belts' are decked in the real street!
Kind Regards Erle. TOP
----- Original Message -----From: Wes: SIngapore:To: Moontagu BooksSent: Saturday, July 29, 2000 4:34 AMSubject: Questions
Dear Erle,When doing bagwa walking, you place the foot down both toes and heel simultaneously. What about when lifting off from the previous leg?In the bagwa qigong stance, the stance should be slightly wider than shoulder width. I interpret this to be about one or two more width of feet wide. Do the knees go vertically over the big toe or in the straight but not vertical line of nose, knee, toe?Are there more advanced versions of the bagwa qigong and on which tapes do you teach them? Are they as effective as the taiji 3 circle stance and thus is it worth practicing these (bagwa qigong)? Or can I just do 3 circle qigong and the rest of bagwa. (might not be complete)When doing qigong stances that do not require motions like the basic version of the 3 circles stance, if the weight goes down straight through the heels, does this mean that the calf muscles are not used and should not be tensed? Where should the apparent weight of appear to be centred?Training muscles causes large muscles and stiffness. What kind of training is appropriate and would not cause tension? Simply doing all the taiji training methods properly (eg. push hands and all)?A friend of mine has this pain in the feet and hands for about 3 weeks. He has been hospitalized but doctors (western trained) so far have no idea what is wrong with him. Recently the pain in his feet has gone down and increased in the hands. Something like super sensitive skin, a light touch is painful. Any ideas what's up? He also has a hole in the heart, a minor one and never surgically corrected.Wesley
Erle. TOP
Erle TOP
-----
Original Message -----
From: "Rick: USA
To: <montaigue@ozemail.com.au>
Sent: Saturday, July 29, 2000 12:45 AM
Subject: Dim Mak Sword Fighting Techniques
Hi Erle - A couple of years ago, you mentioned that there was a Chinese
fencing
school that had woven Dim Mak concepts into their striking techniques. I
assume they are targeting the meridian points, using the action of the
blade tip almost like a giant needle; striking / piercing and
gouging the acupoint itself (but not slicing though it). Is this
correct? Did they originally infuse the Dim mak concepts into their art
to achieve delayed death strikes, or were they trying to assure instant
kill strikes? Or both? Rick
Dear Rick,
The knife/sword is indeed a dim-mak art. Quite often there will be a little
flick at the end of the movement which most people do not know why. Many say
that we are trying to get the Qi out to the tip etc.,! .... hum. However,
the real reason is that quite often when a strike is make, it is then cut in
an 'L' shape over to the point, then up from the point which apparently has
the greatest and instant effect not allowing the opponent to even retaliate
as he is dying! Mean bastards weren't they!
Kind Regards
Erle.
TOP
Mr.
Montaigue,
I just received your MTG201 Compilation Tape. Thank-you so much
for sending it to me free of charge. The quality of your tapes is
not as bad as you make it sound. And the content is even better
than you make it sound. I was only watching the compilation tape and I
could tell that you went into great detail on everything you did.
Excellent! I am saving money right now to buy more of your tapes.
I also was reading one of your books in which you mentioned "9 keys"
that a teacher gives his students. Could you explain what all nine
keys are? And what each individual one is and does? Thanks again,
David
Dear David,
Thanks mate.
The 9 keys are those that are given sub-consciously when a student is
ready!
They are never actually spoken about. I just thought that I would at
least
make mention of them so that people are aware of them as not many
instructors even know about them let alone are high enough to give them!
If a student actually knows exactly what they are, when they are given
and
what they do, they will have little effect. Which is why when I give
them,
it will be in the form of a touch, or some words etc. Often I will stop
the
class and simply demonstrate certain moves from the forms a number of
times
as these are called "Internal Learning Keys" and are only given to those
who
are ready. Students think that I am only demonstrating the form etc.,
but it
is actually done for a particular student at that time in his or her
training in order to gain the next 'key'.
Kind Regards
Erle. TOP
23
----- Original Message -----
From: El: TX USA
To: <taiji@moontagu.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2000 9:27 AM
Subject: Question on Martial arts...............
Hi Erle, I am very new to the martial arts thing. Needless to say,
A lot
of my friends know some form or another. I wanted to get into
Bagwa until I found out some of the religious aspects of this fighting
style. Truthfully I do not care to learn about the religious part of it.
I just want to know a very good fighting art. But, my question is this,
I have my on religion, but I want to take some form of martial art.
With all the different kinds art fighting styles, is there one form or
kind that has nothing to do with religion but just deal with training
you how to defend yourself? And I'm not talking about some cheesy self
defense class that is not a art but more on the fast food side of
martial arts, but a true fighting style like Bagwa or something else ( I
would have added more that Bagwa as a example of a good fighting style
but I must say I dont not know very many names of the different martial
arts, sorry!!) I hope I do not offend anyone but it seems that every
style I have seen, it has something to do with thier religion. It would
be nice if someone made a fighting art that was about fighting and
nothing to do with religion. This would be great for people like me who
have there own beliefs and do not want to feel as if they must accept a
new faith just to learn a fighting art. Oh well, I just wanted to
ask this question. I
El Dallas Texas
Dear El
Thank you.
No Internal Martial Arts system has ANY religion attached to it!! I do
not
know where you got that info. Some misguided people think that the
Internal
martial arts have a Taoist background and so therefore must have some
kind
of religion attached!
This is absolutely incorrect. Both Bagua and Taijiquan are
martial/healing
systems and that's all they are. If you are Christian or Buddhist or
pagan
arts fit in very well with any religion or non-religion etc., as they
are neuter in religion.!
Baguazhang (8 diagram Palm) is one of the most deadly fighting/healing
systems and that's all it is.
Please see my site for more information on these styles.
http://www.taijiworld.com
Leave an address so that I can send you our MTG201 tape free of charge.
Kind regards
Erle. TOP
24: Mr. Montaigue,
You have absorbed a great deal of knowledge. I am
wondering what you think of yourself as a student. Do you feel
that you were better than average or a difficult learner. What
qualities do you feel allowed you to reach the level that you have.
I know you will be modest but please I am seeking your honest opinion.
Perhaps I can learn from your habits. I appreciate whatever your
willing to tell me. Also how long did it take for you to feel like
it was coming together for you. For example, was it the skill you
experienced first hand from your instructors that proved of value for
you or did you feel certain results from your training to encourage you
further. I will let you go now. Have a great day! Tony, USA:
Dear Tony,
Thank you.
To quote Einstein, (something like this) "I am who I am because I have
ridden on the shoulders of giants" However, it does take a great
willingness and great need to learn something that distinguishes someone
from being a mediocre student and consequently master and one who is
great. It's like the boxers, it's always the hungriest ones who become
great. And it's a little bit of (well a lot actually), what God wants us
to be and what he has mapped out for us. When I look back, there is only
one pathway that I could have taken.
I could have taken easier paths to get where I am, but we all of us must
make mistakes, as we are only human! I could have also gotten to where I
am now sooner, had I listened to my inner voices (or guiding angels, or
dead mother and father etc.) But that's what life-experience is. I guess
we are not meant to know too young. And it depends upon what path you
are meant to take. For instance if it is a rock musician (which I have
always been), the dilemma is that when we are young, we are too young to
appreciate it, but when we are old enough to appreciate it, the
'business' does not want you anymore as you are too old by 30 years! But
if you take another path (as I have done) in the martial/healing arts,
the older and wiser you get, the better it is. I used to train like it
was my last day on earth every day! My whole world was immersed in my
training.
Everything I did was Taijiquan or Baguazhang or Qigong or Dim-mak. I
would have things hanging all over my house so that I could train in
striking wherever I was in that house, even on the phone (before
mobiles), I had something hard hanging down so that I could whack whack
at it while on the phone. Watching TV, I would be training punching the
walls to the dismay of the other residents! I would practice push hands
with my students, for whole days at a time no break! (I mean NO BREAK).
I seemed as if I had some kind of force inside of me pushing me onward
towards a goal that I knew nothing of at that time.
Seas would part so that I could see the next brief glimpse to keep me
going then close over again giving me just enough to get me to the next
door. I was in deed a fanatic! I even stopped singing, playing,
performing and writing music for many years so that when I came back to
it, I could not even play the guitar and my vocals were all over the
place! Gave me quite a shock. The first indication that something was
different and that something was happening (and I remember this crystal
clear) was one day in England I was visiting friends in the country.
They had all gone for a walk while I stayed back to practice. I had just
learnt the whole Yang Cheng-fu Taiji form. It was the first opportunity
that I had had to train uninterrupted in a nice calming and quiet
atmosphere. I practiced the form 10 times that day and it was a
revelation to me. When my friends arrived back, they wondered what had
happened to me as they said that they saw a different person. And
indeed, I am a different person (thank God!) In fact it is my belief
that we must be re-born three times in our lives in order to get to
wherever we are supposed to get to. And I have not as yet discovered
that one! But just like my Taiji revelations, all will be revealed and I
will be able to look back and see a crooked path that could only have
ever lead me to where I am going. Kind Regards Erle. TOP
25 Dear Sir, can you tell me how I can learn to throw balls of Qi.
John Watt.
Dear John, you must be young? OK I will tell you exactly how this is done. Qi is very sneaky and has great sense of smell so when searching for it, you must sneak up on it very slowly and up wind of it. You have to get yourself a butterfly net so that you can jump it at the correct time. Balls of qi are usually purple with pink spots, a bit like purple and pink flying pigs. Once you have it, you just throw it! I am getting too old and tired of these questions mainly by younger martial artists who have not been around yet. Why is it that the older martial artists never ask these questions? The answer is that older martial artists have spent the best part of theri lives searching and have all come to the same conclusion, that there is nothing at all super-natural about the martial arts, it is just a lot of hard work! The internal martial arts are special and magical enough already without trying to put more into it than there is. And although films like Crouching Tiger are filmed beautifully and are pleasing to look at, they do nothing for the real martial arts, they just cause younger martial artists to believe in fairies!
26 Dear Mr. Montague, I have been trying to learn how to knock someone out from a distance. Do you know of any techniques that will enhance my ability to do this?
Yes, firstly, you have to eat several cans of baked beans, wait a few hours then you will be able to knock anyone out from a distance!
27 Erle I'm dying to ask you about the jin in bagua. What all types of energy projection are there? I guess in taiji peng is a very important type of energy. The type of energy where you can send your opponent flying several yards and not actually hurt him or her. Chen Fa-Ke was said to have this exceptional skill with his taiji, but what about bagua?? Does it exhibit the same type of energy? What should I be doing to develop these kinds of skills?
Erle.
-Subject: I am a cowardTo Mr Erle MontaigueI am a plain yellow belly.Today in a public toilet, this man just took all the cash from the tips plate meant for the janitor. The janitor said he couldn't do that, but the man still took all the cash, then he hit the janitor and forced the janitor to give him all his cash too. Whats worse, everyone around just pretended nothing happened and went on with their own business. Same like me. I don't know why, I am a plain coward. I just froze and whenever the thought of helping came to mind my heart just pounded and I couldn't. I went out and like everyone else, pretended to go on with my own business. But something(maybe from Taiji) just stopped me from walking without helping him. I tried to walk back to the toilet but as soon as I am about to enter, my heart pounds and I freeze, turning around again, then I repeat the same thing again. Its terrible, I was like a moron walking to and fro the toilet door. I am plain coward. Just pure coward. Coward of a Choo. After some time a big gang from nowhere went into the toilet and whacked the janitor up. I felt so terrible...so bad........anything like this ever happened to you before? Anything in the internal arts to teach you not to be a coward?
Erle
Dear Erle,
Erle. TOP
From Jose, Spain:
I have started learning the simplified Yang form, following "The Book"
by ***, although I find the book to be good, it only covers the form in
a yin manner without the short explosive movements you mention in your
articles. I am convinced I have to learn in the future some long form,
probably the Old Yang Style and learn the explosive parts, but the
advice I am looking for is the better way to evolve in this direction:
1- Should I keep doing the simplified yang form until I improve it, and
then start learning the Old Yang Style by myself, or should I look for a
qualified instructor once I feel some progress in my short form?
2- It might bring some damage to perform the form in an unbalanced yin
form (without the explosive parts) daily for a long period of time?
3- Should I try to learn the explosive movements and incorporate them in
the short form or should I learn the Old Yang Style first?
4- The explosive movements could come alone as a result of mastering the
internals through practice, or they have to be taught by somebody?
I have been doing tai-chi now for about seven months and I should say
that I feel benefits from tai-chi, even doing the short form without any
explosive movements.
Those are my main doubts, I apologize for taking your time and will be
very happy to hear from you.
Cordially,
Jose
Dear Jose,
Thank you.
Why you should NOT do any shortened or modified forms of Taijiquan!
No, you should give up the shortened form immediately as it will
eventually damage your body and mind! The masters of old were genius and
they invented a set of movements which emulated the Qi flow in a 24 hour
period. In fact during practice of an original form (not a shortened
version), we cause the Qi flow to be activated three more times,
hence it's great health giving nature. If we were to then leave out
postures or change others to different places in the form, the Qi is
being activated in all the wrong places to the flow is broken. And it is
broken and changed Qi flows in the body that allows illness to slowly
come in! The fa-jing (explosive energy) movements of the Old Yang System
provide outlets for Yang Qi that builds up during practice. This is very
important as building up too much Yang Qi (by doing all slow movements)
then goes in to its opposite of Yin, thus causing 'Yin Dullness' which
is what many of the old Chinese masters who only ever did the all slow
form died of! So we need those energy release points. However, having
said that, if for instance an older person or someone who is ill learns
the all slow moving form, this will only benefit him or her as their
body is probably too stiff to begin with. The dangers only come when we
are progressing with our form training and everything that is supposed
to happen begins to happen. This is the time to then go into the Older
Yang Style with its energy release points.
Do NOT incorporate the fa-jing into the short form, give it up
completely! Fa-jing is probably one of the most difficult things to
learn, especially if you have been doing a stiff art like karate! Most
people make the mistake of simply doing fast movement! It is not fast,
it is explosive.
Yes, as I said, you will feel some immediate benefits by doing ANY form
of Taijiquan. However, in the long run, doing short forms will
damage you. Kind regards Erle.
31 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Ji Yan
To: <montaigue@ozemail.com.au>
Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2001 2:36 PM
Subject: Speed
Dear Erle, I have a book on speed training, but it's for the hard styles
of martial arts. What kind of speed training do you teach for your
system of fighting? Especially footwork? When I watched your MTG
212 tape, your entering footwork was amazingly fast! When I
practice the entering methods and begin to step, it seems to
take SO long for my rear foot to dig in properly and for my body
to move. What kinds of methods do you use to train fast footwork
to move the whole body? HELP! Ji Yan
Dear Ji,
I always tell my students NOT to try to copy me doing that as you will
never gain the fa-jing! Just allow your body to move freely and it will
happen (like a dog has no training but he can move very quickly to
attack!)
Fa-jing is the key and what fa-jing does to your reptile brain! The
reptile brain takes over and causes this amazing speed/explosiveness
etc. It's the total training that does it for you, IF you only try for
speed, you will not succeed, but train in the whole thing and you will
succeed. Do not look for any one thing, just do the training!
Kind regards
Erle.
----- Original Message -----From: Ron, Germany.To: Erle MontaigueSent: Monday, November 05, 2001 4:44 AMSubject: practicing the form
Dear Erle,Hello. How are you adjusting to the climate?I've got a question again and hope you can guide me in the right direction.At some point some time ago I noticed that I had trouble doing my taiji form when there was little light in the room. As soon as the level of light dimmed to a level you might call "romantic" (or early dawn if you please), my one-legged stances got wobbly and even very slow steps were somewhat unsure.I've always had very good eyesight and good "nightsight", i.e. am able to see things at night which alot of people can't. This got me to thinking that maybe I depend upon my vision far too much and that is the reason that I have troubles with my balance when the lights go low.I've begun to practice parts of the form now and again with eyes shut, trying to depend only upon my inner awareness of my body's balance. It is a pretty pathetic sight. Occasionally I practice in the early mornings by candlelight and am thankful that no one can see me wobbling around in the training room. With utmost concentration I sometimes can now go through a full movement which includes a one-legged stand without tripping up, but it still has a way to go.The actual question is this: am I doing something reasonable to correct a lack of "inner balance", or am I off on a wild goose chase or putting effort into something that isn't worth attention? I mean, is it important to be able to do the form literally blindfolded? And if this lack of balance without eyesight is indeed symptomatic of an undeveloped inner balance, is there another better way to go about finding my balance than my method of painstakingly working "blind"?Oh, I do have a second question. I sometimes do my standing three-circle qigong with eyes shut, as it seems to help me "sink". Is this OK?Thanks in advance for you answers.Ron(Germany)
Erle.
Hi there Erle!
I will try to be brief as I have a few questions and I remember reading that you receive many many emails each day and I appreciate the time you take to answer in the detail that you do!
1.I was wondering about if using the striking method of fajing I have heard so much about can be used within Wing Chun as this is the style I practise. Would it be possible to learn fajing striking off of one of your video tapes as I have no access to an instructor of Taiji and am a little unsure of the possibility to learn something like fajing off of a video tape.
2.I have a theory regarding your concept of Reptile Brain and it's relevance to the world of sport. In sports psychology books I have read there is a lot of 'talk' about being in the 'zone' the optimum physical/mental state for performance. Phrases commonly occur about being completely in the moment, a weird unexplained feeling takes over where you feel completely calm and any nerves and tension leave you and your perception changes with all background noise going quiet and time slows down leaving plenty of opportunity to do the things you need to do. All these things seem to parallel what you and others have described when talking about the Reptile Brain experience, do you have any thoughts regarding this and do you have any videos that could help me learn to access this Reptile Brain for sports preparation as well as my Martial Arts?
3. I remember hearing about your concept of the 'Three Energy Systems' and how you could gain a lot of Internal and external power by practising some special chi gung exercise and you could then use this power for any type of activity. I also remember emailing you with a question regarding sports and if you considered them to be O.K. to do as they could be damaging as they require unnatural movement. You replied saying sports were O.k. as long as you keep relaxed and avoid any unnecessary tension. I was wondering if the power gained from the chigung exercise would help to protect my body from the wear and tear of sport as well as provide power as I had heard that the chi would build in the joints and that maybe this would provide protection?
4. With regard to three circle chi gung how would it be best to incorporate this practise with the more energetic practise of Wing Chun forms and techniques as I was hoping to be able to do all of this together in the same workout but in your video and on one of your articles you talk about not making any energetic movements after the chigung to allow the chi to flow unimpeded.
5. More fun question! Who's your top three in the world of Electric Blues Guitarists mines 1. Jimi Hendrix 2. Stevie Ray Vaughan 3. Eric Clapton bet you can't think of a better top three erh!
Anyway thanks for your time hope you are well.
David.
Greetings Mr.
Montaigue!
I'm enjoying the Yang Lu-Chan Tai Chi Chuan tape. It is easy to learn
from and it has very detailed instruction...good show mate! The Yang
Cheng-Fu tape is good as well.
A question I have for you is in regards to how the masters of old
actually went about learning Internal Kung-Fu. For example, if one
started learning Tai Chi (which takes some years to master), would this
person wait until he/she has completed learning Tai Chi before he/she
started learning Baguazhang or Xing-Yi Chuan? Focusing on just learning
one of the Internal arts at a time would obviously be more effective as
all of our chi would be centered on that one art and not dispersed by
trying to learn two Internal arts at once. How do they go about learning
on Wudangshan?
Curious. Thanks.
Dear Kevin,
On Wudang, they do not learn Taijiquan, Baguazhang or Xingji as the Wudang system is totally different as it was the pre-cursor to all of those. So if someone is teaching 'Wudang' Taijiquan for instance, there can be no such thing as Taijiquan was invented much later in China.
Erle
Basically, I was hoping to gain a technical explanation on why
lowering the
> body after 'Arn Left' is better than lowering it before or during (as
with
> other methods of Taiji)?
36 From George Umbasa:
Dear Mr Montague, I have been to two of your workshops, one in Norway
and the other in the UK. I found your material to be the best I have
seen and learnt. However, I also attend seminars held by others and many
times I find that what they are teaching is obviously from your videos
or that they have in the past been students of yours. I have been to
seminars in Spain and Italy and the USA and always the instructors have
some connection to you but think that they can do it better! After
having studied with many of them, I know that they cannot. IN fact many
of them who have a karate background know the movements but just cannot
do them the way you do with real fa-qing. Why is this?
Dear George, Thank you. Many thousands of instructors all over the world have my video tapes and now DVDs. Many of them secret them and do not let on that they are learning from them! Others come out here to Australia or have me over there to teach them under the guise of being one of my students when all the time they are thinking of taking my students and starting out by themselves. They give some cock and bull story about how hte information (they got from me) has been in their system for hundreds of years but they were keeping it secret! They purchase my video tapes and then begin teaching from them. Once they have enough information, they open their own schools. However, those who would use nefarious means to gain my information will NEVER gain true fa-jing or the INTERNAL part of the martial arts because a person with a nefarious mind is stopped from gaining such information. This is why they all fall short of the real thing.
37
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dale
To: <montaigue@ozemail.com.au>
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2003 2:16 AM
Aloha Erle!
Bill has shown me your latest video on the Wave
Form. I found it quite fascinating and has made me realize how far
I still have to go.
I do have a question. The master told him that correct
T’ai-chi holds yang energy in the feet, and the rest of the body is yin.
He said that the error of most practitioners is that they believe that
yang is from the waist down and yin from the waist up. I’ve been giving
this a lot of thought, and it makes sense to me. Seeing you do the
“Wave” form, it appears that the energy you are generating is coming
from the feet, and not the legs, as they sort of wave also. I
guess
my question is I am I on the right track, of going off on some
tangent?
Technically the body is indeed broken up into upper and lower and left
and
right for Yin and Yang. However, this can change depending upon what you
are
doing at any time. It is true however, that the body begins at Yang in
the
feet and then becomes lesser and lesser as it rises. However, if for
instance you are talking about the waist, then you would have to say
that it
is Yang or Yin depending upon what other part of the body it refers to
as
yin and yang cannot exist alone. For instance. In my country, Brisbane
is
Yang compared to Sydney but Sydney is Yang compared to Melbourne.
The energy is actually housed in the tantien it then goes down to the L1
point (bubbling well) where it is routed through the thighs, is directed
by
the waist and is manifest in the fingers. That is how waving form works.
A
small wave generated in the feet, is then taken to the Yang meeting
place
(Waist) where it is expanded, then as it travels out to the fingers it
is
compressed giving great power, like a whip. So you can say that it is
the
waist that is the real ruler.
Kind regards
Erle.
Hi Erle.
I have doing the Yang long form for about 18 months (courtesy of
instruction and your videos) I have been told that the form should not
be practiced between 1.00-3.00pm, is this correct ? Secondly I am doing
specific Taiji postures for healing and would like your advise on
whether these postures should be done prior to the three rings or after,
also should the mind be on the specific areas during meditation.
Finally, do you have any info on herbal tonics as I enjoy a nip of
brandy with a ginseng root soaking in it especially in the cooler
months.
regards Danny.
Thank you. There is absolutely no valid reason for not doing form at
any time! There is so much miss-information out there, who told you that
one? They could have at least chosen a tie that was indicative of a
meridian activation, like between 11 and 1 pm for the heart. No, there
is no restrictions on the time you practice. The only thing is that the
idea times are dawn, dusk, 12 midday and 12 midnight. And between 3 am
and 5 am is the time for doing the 'Stone Hands Taiji Form.
You should always practice 3 circle qigong first before anything. When
you begin a specific qigong for a specific organ, you must totally relax
into the posture (sung). The you will for a split second place your mind
upon that organ and breathe out, making like the breath is going into
that organ. Once this has been done, you will clear your mind of all
conscious thought. Herbal TOnics. We only have the Montaigue Dit Da Jow,
but that is for external use only.
A nip of brandy with some ginseng, I will try that! I would have some
real ginseng root in small pieces and would suck on a piece every now
and again.
Kind regards, Erle.
Hi Erle,
Thanks for letting me know about the T'ai Chi vs White Crane fight back
in
1954. I've searched the net and seen the footage and there was only one
winner - no question.
Yes, Wu Kungyi
definitely won and he was almost twice the age of Chagn Hak-fu. What was
that link to the fight as I have not seen it for 21 years.
Why is it that T'ai Chi masters do not live as long as Hsing-I or Bagua
masters ?
Well, they do
and would. The masters who practised the Old Style lived
to great old
ages, those who weren't killed in battles! It was only
when the Yang
Cheng-fu form was invented that the masters began to die
young!!!
So YCF Form is really only good for sick people! To have an
even balance you
MUST have the Yang Lu-ch'an form. Bagua is a balanced
art which has
not had much change as Taiji has, hence its health
benefits are
still intact!
I know a lot of the early masters were killed in battle but even the
recent
names who lived during the last century did not really live longer than
the
average person.
Even younger as
they only ever practiced the Yang Cheng-fu or all slow
moving forms!
The slow moving forms all have their place in that they are great
for a stark beginner or someone who is recovering from illness. However,
it is the Old Yang Style that will give the greatest benefits in the
long run for self defence and health.
I have grandparents who are mid eighties and have never exercised in
their
life. Is it all just genetics ?
It's great to be
very old as long as you still have your legs and
mind! I always
say in situations like this when someone tells me that
their
grandfather smoked 20 cigs a day and lived to 100, that how old
would they have
lived if they had NOT smoked! Probably 120!
If you take recent Hsing-i and Bagua masters compared to T'ai Chi, T'ai
Chi
does not come out particularly favourably.
Answers above,
that does not include Yang Lu-ch'an masters, all of
whom lived to
grand old ages, Yang Hsiung-ho was nearly 100, I don't
even know how
old Chang Yiu-chun was but he must have been approaching
his 90's. There
are many who have lived to very old ages and healthy to boot. however,
they are those who taught the Old style as it should have been taught
and who were not interested in publicity like many of the shortened or
all slow moving teachers were.
What was your training like 20 years ago ( 1984 ).
Had you met Chang Yiu
Chun ? What were you studying ? Yang Cheng Fu style ,
Bagua ?
YEs I had
already met Chang in 1980 I think. OR maybe 1979? I had only
YCF from at that
stage and wondered why it was that I could not fight!
I always relied
upon my bagua training. Howeve,r after Chang, that all
changed and also
lifted my bagua training.
I have never trained with Chang Yiu Chun or all the other great
masters you have learned from, I have you to learn from so this I see
as an
advantage in my development.
Well, all I
teach is what I have been handed down. So it is always up
to the student
to take what he needs and for whatever reasons.
I have no desire to travel to China to train
with so called great masters even though I used to correspond regularly
with
Dachengquan master Wang Xuan Jie until his death a few years ago (
another
one who died in his sixties ???? ). Why should I go to China when
all the
knowledge I'll ever need is sitting in the Brecon Beacons !!!!
Yes, I have had
many go to China to find that illusive last remaining
master and some
even think they have, but all the while they are only
taught YCF form
and not very well!
Thanks for imparting your wisdom on not only me but all the great
people I
am now beginning to meet within your system - Peter Jones , Anthony
Court ,
Paul Brecher etc. They are all great people and cannot
speak highly enough of you. I remember for years before you moved to
the UK
how Tony Court used to talk about you and him and I used to chat for
hours
sometimes on the telephone and all I'd done was called to order a
video.
I think your method of teaching appeals to a certain type of
individual. Not
the type who attends a regular class and bows to his sensei every five
minutes but to people who are disciplined to train at home which is a
discipline in itself. You are not a breeder of sheep....
Correct! I would
have been a millionaire years ago had I been able to
teach sheep, put
on the fancy black suit and charge thousands!
I hope you continue to teach for a long time yet. ( At least another 20
years to give me a chance to catch up )
Kind regards
Steve
* Your Number Rule for Fighting is
"Never Step Backwards". Is it possible that there are good reasons and
advantages in moving backwards, such as setting up a trap, or moving to
a suitable position to effect a strike? I fully agree with confusing the
switches of an attacker as you have explained, though.
If you are simply sparring with
someone, or fighting in tournaments you can get away with stepping
backward. However, I would never advise it in a real life or death
situation. REAL fighting is there for a couple of seconds only and then
it is finished with either your death or his!
So in tournament fighting, yes you
step backward. But in real fighting you never. Supposing that he knows
what he is doing of course. And when you do not know your attacker, you
must assume that he is the best street fighter ever. When confronted,
you make a mental line to either side of the attacker and lock onto that
line and no matter what he does to you, as soon as he even blinks, you
take that line with multiple attacks. If however, you have not learnt
the Montaigue way of fighting (Wudang), the awareness, the fa-jing,
themultiple attacks from one movement etc., then you will have to step
backwards.
I have also come across certain differences in the Bow-Arrow stance in
my lineage (which is the same as yours - tracing back to Yang Shaohou)
and some schools. For example, they say that the front leg must be
curved inwards and the stance should be skinny (the two feet are in a
straight line) to avoid exposing the groin. THey argue that balance is
not sacrificed because this skinny stance is actually the horse-riding
stance turned to one side. Do you have any views on this (ie, the
inwards hooking of the front knee and the skinny stance)?
I always tell my students, if you
have to protect the groin, then you ain't doing Tai Chi! You would NEVEr
be in a bow stance in real fighting anyway! It is only for the training
of the Qi that we use this stance in form only! Not even in push hands
as it is an unrealistic stance. In any case, you always have a shoulder
width stance laterally as it gives you much more stability whereas a
skinny stance you are easily knocked over by someone who kjnows how to
attack the 'Yin' places and from the 'Yin' directions. I have not heard
of anything so dangerous as standing in a skinny stance in front of an
attacker!
41: > Hello Mr. Montiague
> My name is Jimmy, and I request your expert knowledge in Dim-mak. Im
taking anatomy and doing a research paper on the human body. I'm now
doing research on why dim-mak works. My questions to you are...Is it
possible to press, rub, or pinch someone in certain points of the body
in right combinations and make the person,
passout, fall asleep, or something of that sort?
Yes, but it is definitely NOT sleeping! The whole nervous system can be shut down which one way of doing it. Then there is the physiological way of attacking, be it quite lightly, the ST 9 point at the side of the neck which is right over the carotid sinus. This is turn send a message to the cardio inhibitory centre in the brain which in turn sends a message via the vagus nerve to the heart telling it to slow down dramatically thus causing unconsciousness. There are a number of other places on the body which have the same effect because of this phenomenon. Like many points on the Gall Bladder meridian. And the pit of the stomach has the same effect because of the vagus nerve endings in the bottom of the stomach.If you take a look at my Encyclopaedia of Dim-Mak available through www.paladin-press.com you will find all of the information you require on this.
if so what would
> these points be, the combination, and the "revival" points.
Revival points are many, however, the main ways are as follows.If only unconscious, you could pinch tightly up and into GB20 points (I have done this many times with startling results). or you could sit the patient up and get in back of him, ( in the case where he has been knocked out severely and his heart has stopped. Press thumbs down hard into ST11 points at the Clavical notch down inside of the clavicals. Then you would slap on both sides of both scapulars making a dull thudding kind of sound.
If this does not work (and this next one has been proven by one of my main students, Adrian INchauspe in Argentina who is a master surgeon), take something sharp and stick it right up into KI point on either foot. Adrian used a scalpel in the case of a flat liner and brought him back to life after all else had failed! KI is the activation point for the kidneys which are a storage point for Qi or energy, a bit like those batteries on cars where you have an extra smaller battery which can be switched over when the main one has gone flat. This is what the kidneys are. The 'switch' in this case is the breaking of K1 point.
Another
> question I would like to ask is something I saw in a movie and I was
wondering if you could let me know if this is fact or myth... In a few
chinese martial arts movies I've seen in the past, sometimes I would see
the main character use Dim-mak. In one fighting scene I remember, two
opponents were fighting, and one of them happend to use Dim-mak. With a
few hits, rubbing and pinching, his opponent could not move and he was
as if he was paralized, then someone would do the revival points on the
victim to make him able to move again, is this possible?! if so and If
you do know, what would these points be, the revival, and why does this
work.
Never even go to martial arts movies mate! They are all rubbish! Total BS! Te new wave of movies like Crouching Tiger etc., are rubbish as far as real self defence are concerned and do more harm to the fighting arts than anything! I have actually had young students ask me to teach them how to fly!
You can do this, however, it requires something more than just pinching or touching points etc. it is something we call Neurological shut down. This is quite dangerous and is a strange human being only phenomenon proven by medical science. And I have proven this myself on national TV etc. However, it is quite dangerous so I have never written about it in great detail. There are 5 of these points on the face and neck. And each time, the revival points are the GB20 points at the base of the skull where the reptilian brain resides. Another way is to use Qi Disruption techniques which I have also demonstrated on complete strangers at workshops etc. however, again these are very dangerous. All of the info you require is contained in my books on Dim-Mak all available through Paladin Press in the USA.
42:
Erle Montaigue <moontagu@tiscali.co.uk>
To:
Nick <15@yahoo.com>
Thank you. I will answer below. Regards
E
On Wed, 7 Dec 2005 09:19:22 -0800 (PST), Nic wrote:
> Hi Erle,
>
> I have a few questions if you've got a moment.
>
> In an answer to a question I wrote you a few days ago, you said
> that the 5 elements theory only works for acupuncture. So that
> means the 5 element theory does not work for massage like Tui Na?
Tui-Na works with 5 element but why would you even want
to? There is a lovely old saying that negates all book learning knowledge! " If
your patient has not been cured by the time it takes for he or she to walk from
your door to your desk, then you aren't a healer"!
In healing, just the laying on of hands is the most important thing that can be
done, your hands are simply guided to where they should be. For instance, a lass
who attended one of my workshops in Wales in about 1985 was asked to come
forward so that I could demonstrate something with her. I didn't know why I
chose her but my mind was directed to her. My hands found their mark (as usual)
and I began finding places where my energy was being sucked in. Those points
were the exact ones for asthma! So I asked her about it and sure enough she was
a serious asthmatic. She got in touch with me and expressed her gratitude at not
having to use her inhaler for three weeks since that time!
The most important thing for a healer is the movements of the internal arts,
this is where we get the internal knowledge from. Not from books or lessons on
points and energy flow. The only importance for lessons in acupuncture and
tui-na etc., is to have a piece of paper to prove that you have learnt something
which is important in today's society!
You can heal someone just talking to them on the phone! I have to have a 24/7
answer machine because people have gotten onto this and phone me all the time
just to talk because the word has gone out! However, I do nothing, I have no
learning skills, no pieces of paper, only that I have learnt the most wonderful
movement therapies ever invented.
>
> Another reason we rush into someone when fighting is because as we
> rush into them at very close distance our own bodies chi is mixing
> with theirs and the the quicker and faster we rush into them, the
> chi from our body is mixing too much at once of our chi with theirs
> so it unbalances their body meridians and makes them as a person
> unbalanced so they can not fight as well right?
No mate, we just scare the shit out of them!!
>
> Is adverse chi just too much chi that would have been healing chi
> if their was less of it in a person?
Adverse Qi simply happens when it is needed! NO need to
know anything about it or why it works.
>
> Every 'step' we take in Taiji and Wudang is also a kick isn't it?
Well I wouldn't go that far, but a lot of it is.
> (like the 8 kicking methods)
>
> Thanks Erle,
>
> Nick
From:
Erle Montaigue <em@moontagu.org.uk>
To:
Nicholas Thanks Nick,
Answers in between your questions.
Kind regards,
E.
On Sun, 23 Jul 2006 22:20:34 -0700 (PDT), Nicholas wrote:
> Hi Erle, I have three questions about rolling thunder if you wish
> to answer them!
>
> Is the form done at a little quicker pace, so the centrifugal force
> from the waist makes the arms do a figure eight movement just big
> enough for the arms to roll over and under each
other?
If you ask that question, maybe you aren't ready for Rolling Thunder form
yet? The reason is that when we get to that stage, the momentum automatically
takes over and forces us to do it at the correct pace for our own body at that
particular time. However, as a general rule, it is done slower than normal. When
doing Rolling Thunder form, the arms will move by themselves. In other words,
you will not feel them moving, as if you aren't using any muscle power at all,
so you don't have to do it faster in order to get the arms to roll etc.
>
> I noticed in one of the workshop module videos regarding the
> section on dragon prawn and the willow tree method, there was
> something like an alternate version of the method where after one
> hits the arms away one steps behind the person and punches the
> attacker's head with one hand, while the other hand checks the
> attacker arm and the hands are rolling under and over each other.
> This way of attacking the head with one hand, while the other hand
> is hitting the attackers arm to control it is one of the reasons
> that rolling thunder has the arms roll over each other correct?
The reason for doing Rolling Thunder form, is not physical other than there
are some great fighting methods when doing it, but rather, it is a way of
producing real energy as the whole body is involved in moving as the internal
energy is moving etc.
>
> The activation of the heart can be anywhere on the hand when
> practicing rolling thunder because the chi from the heart meridan
> is never flowing perfectly in the same exact spot but is flows in
> generally the same spot, hence the activation is at different parts
> of the hand at different times correct?
I don't quite understand that one?
44 > Hi Erle,
>
> I hope all is well with you and the family mate, its Garry from Yau
> Kung Mun Sydney. I came across a forum talking about Taiji Ball or
> Sphere and wanted to know what you thought about this type of
> training? I know the most important thing in internal arts is Sung
> with good structure but using a ball would make the muscles tense
> up would this be bad for your health? I read articles on health
> and fitness and almost every "Western" Doctor believes weights is
> good for bones and old age i have heard from many internal masters
> that weights is not a good thing. If you have any idea could or
> would you be able to clarify this? I heard that the ball can put
> stress on the organs and tense the body up making it not suitable
> for internal arts!
>
> I've looked into many internal arts, bagua, taiji (chens and i
> think yangs) has a ball, water boxing and so does Yau Kung Mun my
> style uses a ball for strength and flexibility. I feel good and i
> feel strong physically after doing this training but reading some
> post of people they say this isn't good to do. Have you played
> around with the type training?
>
> thanks mate and i hope i didn't waste your time.
>
> Your friend
> Garry
Thanks Gary,
There is no such thing as a Tai chi ball, it is an invention from the USA!
The original Yang Lu-ch'an form has built into it ways of preventing things like
osteoporosis. We get this from the manner in which we leap and jump thus putting
percussions up through the legs and whole body. This has now been proven
scientifically to prevent osteoporosis in a 45 year study on school children as
they grew up. The only weight that you should ever train with is the weight of
another person or your own weight as in push ups etc. This way you are working
with ACTIVE weight change all the time. This is why we never use static weights
as static weight does not fight back or change all the time as humans do. So
Push Hands is the absolute most important training method that any martial
artist from any style can do as it trains the body to take weight changes from a
person and deal with them while all the time building up the correct muscles for
fighting.
Kind regards
Erle
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