無極而太極。太極動而生陽，動極而靜，靜而生陰。靜極復動。一動一靜，互為其根；分陰分陽，兩儀立焉。 Wuji becomes Taiji. Taiji moves & gives birth to Yang, movement at its extremity becomes stillness, & stillness gives … Continue reading 太極圖說/Taiji Tu Shuo – Taiji Diagram Explanation
•踏掌/Ta Zhang – Compressing Palm 三角步法走四面,八方八打不滯慢。 迎招踏它頭面胸,坐身踏其腰胯肚。 Triangle Footwork Walks the Four Sides, the Eight Directions & Eight Strikes aren’t … Continue reading 八卦掌八大掌法練藝歌/Baguazhang Ba Da Zhang Fa Lian Yi Ge – Baguazhang’s Eight Big Palms Method Training Skill Song
太極者，無極而生；動靜之機，陰陽之母也，動之則分，靜之則合。無過不及，隨曲就伸。人剛我柔謂之走，我順人背謂之黏。動急則急應，動緩則緩隨。雖變化萬端，而理惟一貫。由著熟而漸悟懂勁，由懂勁而階及神明。然非用功之久，不能豁然貫通焉。虛靈頂勁，氣沉丹田。不偏不倚，忽隱忽現。左重則左虛，右重則右杳。仰之則彌高，俯之則彌深。進之則愈長，退之則愈促。一羽不能加，蠅虫不能落。人不知我，我獨知人。英雄所向無敵，蓋皆由此而及也。斯技旁門甚多，雖勢有區別，概不外乎壯欺弱，慢讓快耳。有力打無力，手慢讓手快，是皆先天自然之能，非關學力而有所為也。察四兩撥千斤之句，顯非力勝。視耄耋能禦眾之形，快何能為？立如平準，活似車輪。偏沉則隨，雙重則滯。每見數年純功不能運化者，皆自為人制，卒不能制人，則雙重之病未悟耳。欲避此病，須知陰陽。黏即是走，走即是黏。陽不離陰，陰不離陽，陰陽相濟，方為懂勁。懂勁後，愈練愈精，默識揣摩，漸至從心所欲。本是舍己從人、多誤捨近求遠。所謂差之毫釐，謬之千里，學者不可不詳辨焉。 Taiji is given birth by Wuji; it is the Pivot of Movement & Stillness, as well as the Mother … Continue reading 孫氏太極拳參考資料: 王宗岳太極拳論/Sun Shi Taijiquan Can Kao Zi Liao: Wang Zongyue Taijiquan Lun – Sun Style Taijiquan Reference Material: Wang Zongyue’s Taijiquan Theory
第二節: 變化/Di Er Jie: Bianhua -Section Two: Variations 拳雖有五而寔有神妙之功用自其變化言之則。劈拳有六, 鑽炮横各有七, 崩拳有九, 共三十六套。以下分述之凡前所有者皆列每段之首。 Although there are only Five Fists, it is … Continue reading An Excerpt from Li Cunyi’s Five Phases Manual: 第二節: 變化/Di Er Jie: Bianhua – Section Two: Variations
武當劍法。大別為十三勢。以十三字名之。即抽帶提格。擊刺點崩。攪壓劈截洗。亦似太極拳之掤捋擠按。采挒肘靠。前進後退。左顧右盼。中定也。此外另有舞劍。未有定式。非到劍術純妙不能學習。非口授面傳。不能領會。 In the Wudang Sword Method, the most important set is the Thirteen Patterns. They’re named according to Thirteen Characters, … Continue reading Excerpt From Huang Yuanxiu’s Wudang Sword Method Essentials: 武當劍法十三勢/Wudang Jian Fa Shisan Shi – Wudang Sword Method’s Thirteen Patterns
一、王宗岳：太極拳論 1. Wang Zongyue’s Taijiquan Theory 二、武禹襄：太極拳論 2. Wu Yuxiang’s Taijiquan Theory 三、十三勢行功心解 3. Thirteen Patterns Practice Explained 四、十三勢歌訣 4. … Continue reading 孫氏太極拳參考資料/Sun Shi Taijiquan Can Kao Zi Liao – Sun Style Taijiquan Reference Material
八卦奧妙要學真,走穿擰翻人難進。 Bagua’s marvelous wonder requires genuine study, people find Walking, Penetrating, Twisting, & Overturning difficult to Enter. 任他巨力來打我,旋轉變化到彼身。 Even if … Continue reading 八卦掌交手訣/Baguazhang Jiao Shou Jue – Baguazhang’s Crossing Hands Secret
形意拳/Xingyiquan It’s very common for beginners to be confused about the name “Xingyiquan,” these days. Unfortunately, it’s nearly as common … Continue reading The Significance of the Name “形意/Xingyi”
•Here’s the other text I used as reference for my piece on the Meaning of “Xingyi.” Broaden your understanding to … Continue reading 形意玄義/Xingyi Xuan Yi – The Profound Meaning of “Xingyi”
•While working on an upcoming piece about the meaning of the name “Xingyi,” I found myself retranslating this text on … Continue reading Translation Update: 形意說/Xingyi Shuo – Xingyi Theory
Lessons Learned in the World of Martial Arts 