https://www.martialmachines.com/post/structural-strength-vs-muscular-strength

I'd been thinking about my years in manual labour and coming across guys that were "farmer" strong. I combined it with my engineering background and traditional arts training to come up with this take on the topic.

Hey fam! Just wondering if anyone's got any opinions about Liu Xiaoling in the DC area, or his students--Alexander King, Paul Ramos, etc. Thanks!

I've recently come across independent researcher and Chen Taijiquan disciple C.P. Ong, Ph.D and his extensive work on the biomechanics of Taijiquan. He goes to great lengths to explain the complex ideas and concepts surrounding Taijiquan (neijia, fangsong, Qi, rou & gang, dantien, etc.) from a scientific perspective. I find his work fascinating and I'm currently going through his research papers and his book should be here via Amazon later this week. Here are some links to his papers to get an idea of the type of research he's doing:

https://medcraveonline.com/IJCAM/IJCAM-05-00155.pdf

https://www.avensonline.org/public/images/Spinal_Engine_Revised.pdf

Does anyone know if there are other independent researchers like C.P. Ong doing this type of research for Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, or other internal arts?

Hi, I’m going to put it simply. I believe that we can do muscle building for the vessel. While doing internal arts. It’s different age from the past. With different external training. I believe that in the past the training of martial arts were very reliant on moderate weight and repetition. Which induced a higher growth of slow twitch to fast twitch muscle. Creating a highly tough and dense and heavy build with low mass. However with the change of exercise to focus on creating fast twitch muscle fibers. They are actually higher in mass and less denser, thus softer when relaxed compared to slow twitch muscle fibers. With my own experience and trials. I have found that fast twitch muscle fiber training (high weights, low repetition) with fascia based exercises (yoga, palates) actually induce more mobility and higher mass in the body, more space for the vessel to contain the qi and the Huang. Is supports the yi jin jing principles of being loose. I would like to hear opinions and discuss.

Does anyone have experience with xingyi and sport fencing?

I was watching this video https://youtu.be/1nF0CsxGo0E?si=5totyk12L6b25GJw and the bagua guy mentions xingyi and fencing, but I haven't met anyone who really does both.

I've trained xingyi, and I take my kids to fencing and I find that i understand a lot of what the coach is trying to teach.

Does anyone here have experience with both?

I am really enjoying the videos uploaded by Monkey Steals Peach: https://www.youtube.com/@MonkeyStealsPeach

And Mu Shin Martial Culture:
https://www.youtube.com/@MuShinMartialCulture

If there are other Youtube channels that you would recommend to learn more about the history, practice, etc. of Internal Martial Arts I would appreciate it very much.

I just bought the Kindle edition of volume 2, is there a difference between the 12 animals chapters between volume 1 and volume 2? I checked Dragon briefly and things looked the same, am I missing something?

I’d like to find some people to practice with. I live on Cape Cod but would drive just to practice once in a while with some other people to meet new people and practice better. Is anyone out there?

I’m forming a group in Sacramento/placer county area. All skill levels welcome. We train bagua, hsing-I, and tai chi. Would love to meet new people with a passion for the internal arts. I can teach beginners free of charge. I’m also interested in collaborating with other experienced practitioners. We train once a week right now but we can do more.

Hello, I'm just some guy who is seeking answers to various questions before I begin training in anything. I'll probably be making a thread to ask specifically about this one later (in the appropriate sub-forum where it will get the most views) but I guess I'll mention my first question here anyways (it's a two part question):

[1.] Which is the better and more complete Nei Gong training between these two?

Ling Bao Tong Zhi Neng Nei Gong Shu by Wang LiPing

OR

Daoist Alchemy: Nei Gong & Wei Gong Training by Jerry Alan Johnson

The book by Wang LiPing seems to have a more secure and known lineage (I know there is a 2nd edition of the book, but I'm going with the 1st edition). But the book by Jerry Alan Johnson looks a lot more detailed. So I'm kinda stuck.

[2.] If there is a better and more complete training (in the form of a book), what is it?

Here are some observations:

The benefits/effects/sensations from standing practice seem to come more quickly on a trampoline. I was surprised how tiring it was after a while.

After a few days, I started feeling pain around my ankles where I have had repeated injuries, after a few more days it went away.

I managed to improve my Zhan Zhuang structure by slightly bouncing while holding a relaxed but stretched and solid stance with my awareness set in the six directions.

The springiness of the surface really allowed me to focus on the feeling of momentum or energy moving through my body from my feet to my hands.

I also found it was possible to try and 'dig' into the trampoline, trying to cause the indent caused by my weight to increase by 'contracting' and then rapidly shifting momentum/energy upward and outward or 'expanding'. I managed to time this in such a way where I was able to bounce, it really wore out my core. It is also possible to do this from the dantien.

It's easy to bounce with your legs, I had to lock them out to keep from subconsciously using them at first.

All in all I feel a lot more comfortable in the stance. I haven't tested against anyone so I don't know if my ability to generate power has increased but it feels like it may have. I have more awareness of how momentum/energy moves through my body and how I can accelerate/decelerate it. Need more practice with transmission but that's the next step I guess.

Would recommend.

Bought a little trampoline to practice YiQuan on.

So far I like the feedback it provides, the exaggerated springiness allows for a wider range of motion and it's a little more exciting than normal standing practice.

Will report back if anything interesting or catastrophic happens

Does anyone know why Cheng Man Ching does 5 cloud hands in his form as opposed to 3?

Master YC Chiang who is best know for teaching Guang Ping Yang Taichi in San Francisco was also an accomplished White Crane practitioner. This is footage from 1979. https://youtu.be/1s0MoYbs720