November 2007 Newsletter
Return to Blighty
So here I am back in the UK. As I write it is a sunny day in Manchester, although the temperature is slightly lower than I am used to. This month’s newsletter is primarily going to focus on seminar course notes.
December, of course, sees the Master Liang He Qing Memorial Championships and preparations for the event are now well under way. Please can I remind all those of you who are interested in participating to pre-register (forms and details are available on the website). Remember too that as well as the Party on the evening of December 1st, there is also what promises to be a very interesting and informative course on December 2nd, featuring Guru Zainal Abidin, Don Harradine and myself. So make a weekend of it, meet old friends and make new ones – I’m certainly looking forward to it.
Next year as many of you will know is the 20th Anniversary of the Association and we have a series of events planned. In September we will be holding the Anniversary celebrations in Penang and have invited a wide range of world-renowned masters to participate. This means that in addition to the usual in-depth training in taijiquan there will also be the opportunity to train in Malay Silat, Filipino Eskrima and Chinese Baguazhang and Xingyiquan. Such an opportunity to train with such a range of world-class teachers is rare and the price which includes training, accommodation in a luxury four star beach hotel, deluxe breakfast and admission to the Celebration Banquet is the same as that charged for the 15th Anniversary. Truly a bargain! So book now and ensure your place.
In the UK we will be holding a series of events including an Intensive Training Camp. So I am looking forward to seeing you all on my travels and at the Master Liang Memorial Event. Until next month – train hard and have fun!
Seminar Notes
Key Skills of the Taijiquan Form
Song
Structure
Centre
Footwork
Song
Looseness - swinging
Connection – standing post
Flesh hanging off skeleton
Whole body connection – lying/sitting/standing
Sensitive skin
Inside to outside
Blending with environment
Individual rhythm blending with group
Structure
Heaven Earth Man
Attain structure
Break structure
Constant return like elastic
Identifying and controlling the X within the I
The above solo and pushing hands
Use of circle and straight lines
Centre
Dantian tendency towards one leg or the other
Moving centre
Centre leads hands
Hands lead centre
There are no hands
Footwork
Five Directions
Taking the side H
Circles in straight lines
Straight lines in circles
All of the above in the context of the constant cycle of Gong>Quan>Yong
Ling Yai Krabi Krabong
Agile Monkey School of Sword and Shield
Module 1
8 Krabong blocks
8 Krabi attacks
3 Attack/defence set
Module 2
12 Krabi attacks
Krabi defences
Krabi attack and defence set
5 and 7 Attack/defence sets
Breathing set 1-3
Knife
Part One
Handling – becoming familiar with the blade
The learn through play concept
Fundamental Skills – drilling the slashing and stabbing movements
Diagonal cross up and down leading to figure 8
Horizontal cross
Stab
Practice all of the above on a hanging cloth target and then on a human target, at first static then moving
Use of empty hand
Part Two
The Elements of Knife Movement - heaviness, lightness, penetration
Using these three feelings with the above drills
Interception with lightness
Striking with combinations of the above
Use of the empty hand – the natural shield
Movement – THE Key
Tapak Two – working the H
Circling
Freeform
Part Three
Lintar- the flow
Pushing hands with knives – using lightness and heaviness
General Issues
Mindset - receiving damage, inflicting damage
Finishing
Power
Copyright N Sutton 2007