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Article by Yoshi G Kundagawa
Sun style T’ai Chi was developed by Sun Lu-t’ang in the late 1800s. He was already highly experience in other martial arts before he developed this style. It is the youngest of the five styles of Tai Chi and it is known for incorporating elements derived from Xing Yi and Ba Gua, two other forms of internal martial arts.
Sun tai chi uses very fluid, flowing movements with no jumping or vigorous bending as used in the other styles. It can be recognized by its ‘soft’ looking movements that can be described as graceful. Movements are short and compact and hand movements are performed in conjunction with simple stepping movements. Stance is always upright and the feet are rarely any wider than your shoulders and stepping is very soft with one foot following the other, almost rhythmically.
Using the open/close palm technique the hands are moved in gentle circular movements. The Open/close hand system helps to concentrate chi in the dan tien, which is the area of the abdomen just below the navel and in the palms of the hands for delivery of short, deadly strikes. Although Sun tai chi was not meant to be used for fighting but for health both physical and mental, it was used in combat for many years. Today, though, it has become immensely popular and people of all walks of life who find that Sun Tai Chi is an ideal form of exercise with its slow gentle moves. Even younger, fitter people are practicing it as tai chi can form a fascinating approach to self-defense as well as an exercise regimen.
There is no denying the relaxation and calmness achieved by regular practice of Tai Chi. Being so gentle on the body with no overly difficult postures, Sun style tai chi is often used as exercise for senior citizens or for people undergoing some form of physical rehabilitation. A 32 movement set of Sun style tai chi has been formed and approved by the US Arthritis Foundation and was created by Australian teacher, Dr. Paul Lam, and called “Tai Chi for Arthritis”.
Sun Style Tai Chi is practiced worldwide with many styles of classes being held from Sun Tai Chi Schools dedicated to the whole principal, classes being held within other martial arts schools, classes being held for the elderly and teachers giving private lessons. Many group classes are now being organized by health groups and in conjunction with local councils, Sun Tai Chi in the Park days are becoming common place. With no equipment necessary, other than loose comfortable clothing and soft flexible shoes, the form can be practiced anywhere. Whether you are looking at a different form of martial art for self-defense, wanting to improve your fitness with the rigors of high impact training or are looking to relieve stress and the internal calmness achieved by regular practice, Sun style Tai Chi can offer some amazing benefits.
Yoshi G Kundagawa is a freelance journalist. He covers themixed martial arts industry. For a free report on tai chi sun style visit his blog.
If you have ever wondered what it’s like to study tai chi in China, read this book. The author spent five years in China learning from some of the best tai chi practitioners in the world. As a result of his dedication, he went on to become a multiple gold medalist in Chinese tai chi competitions.
Internal Positioning to Respond Second But Hit First
“The Opponent initiates an attack first and I respond second but hit first.” – Tai Chi Classics
Position your body according to the Tai Chi principles of Sung “relaxation” and Wu Chi so that if you raise an arm it is unhindered and flows upward easily without any unnecessary physical strength. When this is truly correct you will be able to think it and the action of doing it will immediately begin. When you practice the Tai Chi set do the moves with this in mind. Also, the movements will generate from your body, up from your feet, through the Ming Men and waist area and then will express out into your hands.
If I generate movement from my hands and arms then several feet of movement is a lot. If I shift my feet, sway my body a little, move my torso position and move my arms a little all at the same time then several feet of movement is almost effortless.
With time and practice my internal response becomes much more automatic as a whole body movement instead of just a hand and arm movement response.
Internal responsiveness and positioning is every bit as important as external movement and positioning. In fact, internal responsiveness, movement and positioning can be utilized for your short and long term health. If I become aware of my body becoming tense due to mental stress and I work to make it less and less affected by stress then eventually my body will not tense as much, as often or for as long and this will eventually make a difference in stress hence wear and tear on the body which as a result will improve my longer term health. This can delay or altogether stop illnesses and maladies that range from headaches, chronic fatigue and hypertension to heart disease. So, the stress strikes at me first but I hit first by sensing the tension and stress wanting to gain a foothold. I do not allow the stress to take hold and take corrective action hence hitting first.
Proper internal positioning will even allow you to take stress off of your back and joints and move it to areas more equipped to handle the load and help you to let the tension and stress out of your body. A lot of the time people hold in stress and tension with their breath and simply becoming aware of it allows you to easily breathe in a manner that will dispel the problem. Stress is often called the silent killer because the stress gets in under people’s radar and does the damage without them being aware of it. By getting this body feel and response then you also get a better understanding of how your mind is responding to various stimuli and you can begin directing your thoughts better and learn to deal with stressors that you may not realize have been affecting you. Often, once you are consciously aware of these stressors then they are easy to deal with and eventually you recognize them before your body gets hit and then your mind deals with the problem or issue so that in the long term you are unaffected by the problem essentially preemptively striking it before it hits you.
Tai Chi master Richard Clear as studied Tai Chi & Chi Kung for over 30 years from many famous Tai Chi Masters including Ma Yeuh Liang, Wen Mei Yu, Dr Fred Wu, Ju Bong Yi, Pei Xi Rong, Willem de Thouars and Don Ethan Miller among others.
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Tai Chi is the most beneficial martial art when it comes to health reasons. This form of martial art is practices in two methods. First method is the Tai Chi Chuan which is the traditional Chinese martial art. The second one is the Tai Chi Chih which is the westernized version. Tai Chi Chih involves a total of 19 movements. Tai chi movements can help the beginners to keep their body healthy. Moreover, these movements will help you neutralize the flow of the chi inside your body. Here are the basic Tai Chi moves.
Rocking Motion
Rocking motion is the most difficult movement present in Tai Chi. In executing this movement you will have to shift the balance of your weight towards your frontal feet then downwards. Next, shift your weight backwards then towards the ground. Make sure that your body alignment remains perfect. In addition, you will have to shift your body weight using your mental concentration, not by brute force.
Principles remain the same in all Tai Chi movements.
Bird Flaps Its Wings
In this movement you will have to position your palms while facing each other. However, make sure that your palms are not in contact with each other. Your hands should be taken sideways towards your waist. While doing this, make sure to simultaneously bend your knees as you lift your heels. Next, put your hands together and slightly reduce the bending of your knees. Repeat these movements for 3 times.
Around The Platter
In this movement you will have to position your arms towards your left torso, and then shift your body weight towards your right leg. Left leg should be position forward. Next, move your arms circularly. Make sure to execute these movements simultaneously. While your body is moving forward, half of the round should be completed. The remaining half should be perform after the weight is transferred back. Use the same exercise on the right torso. Make sure to perform this exercise 6-10 times for both sides of your torso.
Bass Drum
In this exercise your palms should face each other while, a distance of 12 inches in between should be maintain. Your hands should move as you shift your weight forward. This time, slowly position your arms upwards. In addition, your arms should be back to normal position as your weight shifts backwards. Repeat these steps for 6-9 times.
The techniques involve in Tai Chi doesn’t require you to have bigger muscles. All you have to do is to concentrate on each movement and improve you mental visualization as you shift your weight in various angles.
Troy Macraft is an independent content writer who specializes in the martial arts. Troy’s passion is in the mixed martial arts as he is working for The MMA Zone as the online martial arts supplies store. Shop The MMA Zone for great prices on all your MMA Gear!
Start playing now. The greatest of the great started becoming acquainted with their guitars as soon as they could get their hands on one, although there are many great guitarists who didn’t even touch a guitar until their teens (Clapton for example) or even older (Glenn Tipton AND K.K. Downing, both of the guitarists for Judas Priest. Tom Scholz of Boston is also a good example, because he began playing at age 20) But even if you are a teen but have never held a guitar before, it’s never too late to be a guitar god, so don’t be discouraged. The point is to start playing as early as you can. Stop making excuses, stop saying you need the perfect guitar (You should always start out with a simple guitar, and move on to more complicated guitars as your skills begin to develop), stop waiting to be “inspired,” and stop wasting another minute to learn how to develop your inner guitar god. There’s no reason to wait.
There’s a very good chance that you will not be good at first. Everyone has to start out being bad, so they can improve from there. Think of it this way – babies are terrible at walking, little children struggle with talking. But they keep doing it, without feeling bad about themselves. Eventually those babies grow up to kick you in the face and insult your mother.
Can’t afford a nice guitar? For now, buy an inexpensive guitar when you first start. You only need to get comfortable with the new movements with your fingers. It’s only a temporary measure (see Warnings) but it’s better than nothing!
Practice until your fingers bleed. — Okay, maybe bleeding fingers aren’t the smartest way to go (see Tips), but you get the idea. Eddie Van Halen used to walk around his house with the guitar strapped on and unplugged, practicing incessantly; he’d sit on his bed for hours on end with a guitar while other people went to parties. Are you ready and willing to do the same? Get your priorities straight and learn to multitask. It’s all about dedication and discipline. Surround yourself with talented musicians. Ever heard the sayings, “greatness breeds greatness” or “you are who you hang around”? Both statements are true. If you want to be a guitar god, you have to play with the best guitar players you can find. You will learn more in a month playing with an accomplished guitar player than you will in a year practicing by yourself. If you don’t know any off hand, go meet some. Go to local shows and introduce yourself to the guitarists or connect with local musicians online.
Be precise. Just because you’re starting doesn’t give you an excuse to be sloppy. Like in Tai Chi, if you practice very slowly with 100 percent concentration, you’ll become five times faster and better so when you practice, do it slowly and concentrate. You’ll be amazed at the results.
If you don’t have an experienced instructor or high quality equipment, this may be difficult, but you have to be a stickler for technique. Do your homework and ask questions. Be persistent. If you know someone who’s an excellent guitar player, don’t be shy. Walk up to them with the guitar strapped on, politely request a moment of their time, and ask them if your finger placement for a particular chord or technique is correct. Most experts, when they see an error, are compelled to correct it out of their love of the art.
Study your idols. Listen to other guitarists’ riffs and solos and learn them.
Some techniques that are worth learning:
Harmonics and pinch harmonics
Palm muting
Vibrato
Hammer ons/pull offs.
Scales you should be familiar with:
Major and minor
Be able to play scales forwards as well as backwards, moving from scale to scale in a given key
Pentatonic major and minor (in all the positions, so you can easily move in your solos)
Learn how to read guitar tab. Guitar tab is the guitarist’s form of sheet music. Becoming a great guitar player means learning the ins and outs of some of music’s best guitar ballads. You can search the web for tabs. If you want to be the best, you have to learn from the best. A few to begin with: Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen, Angus Young, Joe Perry, Keith Richards, Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Johnny Greenwood, Jimmy Page, and John Mayer. Learn a few of each of their greatest songs and don’t forget to play them slowly until you get them down. Study classical music. It may seem worlds apart from the music you envision yourself playing, but practically all of the guitar geniuses that you look up to have studied classical technique at one point or another. Malmsteen, for example, was heavily influenced by 19th century violin virtuoso Niccolò Paganini. In the process of adapting Paganini concerto pieces on guitar, he fostered a prodigious technical fluency that would later make jaws drop. Additionally, Eddie Van Halen began his musical aspirations with classical piano before he discovered the freedom of guitar. Randy Rhoads was an avid player and listener of classical music.
Learn the ins and outs of reading music. Sure, Stevie Ray Vaughan was amazing and he didn’t know how to read music, but if you just sit down and learn to read and transpose music, you will be much better off. Not only will you know what sounds good, you will know how to put it into writing and you will learn deeper elements of music. Music is not just the notes you are playing, but the pause between notes and the composition of good music. Understand chord theory. Learn as many chords and inversions as you can. Become familiar with how they sound and why you use them. Even if you aren’t playing jazz, (where you would typically hear many of these chords), knowing the notes and sounds of these chords can make your soloing more interesting. Some of the greatest rock guitar solos are actually very jazz-influenced. Play with emotion. Once you’ve developed proficiency, you can use the guitar for freedom of expression. You can feel the music in your blood, and make other people feel it, too. Remember, the greatest musicians of all time, the ones who are most deeply respected, are the ones who could move others, physically or emotionally, with their music. Music is a form of communication, if you have something to express, do your best to produce what you hear or feel. Believe you can become a breath-taking guitarist — it makes such a difference if you know you will be brilliant.
Tips
Take care of your hands. Before and after you play do warm-up and cool-down sessions with your fingers. Do regular hand exercises with both hands as this helps with all situations with the guitar. Keep your fingernails as short as possible as this helps grip the strings more easily.
You may or may not find it helpful to keep the fingernails on your right hand a little long, as they produce a different tone when fingerpicking.
Take care of your guitar. Check it regularly and clean it. Get any parts fixed if broken or not working properly.
Play with a metronome – it’s much easier to play with other people if you are used to playing in time (on Windows, Media Player 10 can do this). Learn something at a slow tempo and then slowly increase the tempo setting.
Obtain some inexpensive software to slow down MP3 files without changing the pitch. You can then slow down songs (or portions of songs) on your computer as slow as you need to. This is critical in order to understand more complex ideas, and is great for ear training.
Another good tip is to learn to follow the rhythm. Many people who are starting have problems with staying on time. You can learn to follow rhythms by just making noises with your hand, for example, by tapping a book.
Don’t start with hard things. Start with easy tabs and chords. If you start with hard things, you are more likely to get frustrated and leave playing guitar soon after starting.
It is helpful to start with thinner strings and a low action to get your fingers used to fingering when its easier, then when you get better you can change these aspects to create more resonance.
A good idea is to get guitar lessons, if there are any available in your area. It is better to learn actual techniques from an actual teacher, rather then to fool around with the guitar or to learn online (the information may not always be 100% accurate)
Warnings
Playing on a cheap guitar has its own set of problems that you have to watch out for. A bad enough guitar can create bad habits, like pressing so hard you make all the notes sharp like avoiding the use of correct fingering (to favor “stronger” fingers); like avoiding some chords and notes because they sound bad on poorly dressed frets; like ruining your pitch perception with a poorly cut nut or warped neck that will never play in tune. Also, low-quality guitars make lots of people quit because what they are playing sounds bad and they assume it’s their fault when it isn’t. A dead fret is a dead fret. You can put a vise on it and it won’t matter. So consider these issues when you’re thinking about how much money you should invest into a guitar. Remember, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page once said that a beginning guitarist should buy a nice guitar because better equipment fosters better technique. But only do this if you know you can stay committed to playing guitar.
One big problem with many cheap guitars is that the action, or how far the strings are from the fingerboard, is too high. This makes it tough to fret notes and you may end up pressing too hard. However, this problem is easy to solve. Just take your guitar to a guitar shop and they will lower the action, often for free. If they charge, ask whether they do the work in-house or send it out; in the latter case, find out who the real luthier is and establish a relationship with at least
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What do you do if you are interested in the Martial Arts? Some may join a formal school and learn traditional martial arts. Some people gravitate towards the popular aerobic workout that kickboxing can give. Others may find themselves at a mixed martial arts gym. So here is the question, How do I decide?
The first thing one must know is their motivation. Many people want to learn how to fight and join a Karate or Tae Kwon Do school, and for fighting these classic arts are not the best options. The classical martial arts such as Karate, Tai Chi, Wing Chun are traditional elderly arts. When one learns these techniques it includes a way of breathing and relaxation, fixed movement and set patterns all crystallized in “one way” of doing things. The martial arts are best for exactly that, art. It is a great way to express the human body from the emotional and spiritual plane. These arts however are not without merit and can in fact be dangerous but as said before not the first choice I recommend.
What about fitness? Many people turn to cardio kickboxing classes for fitness. I’m sure the term “Tae Bo” is familiar with most people. These are fantastic for cardiovascular training as so long as the practitioner is aware of the difference in technique that is functional and technique that is oriented to produce the best workout.
The most confusing of all the options is probably the mma training. It is extremely taxing on the human body and makes a great workout, and all the techniques are functional to a limited extent. Mixed martial art training is far more time consuming then our other choices as the equal need of technique training and physical conditioning is needed. Training in a mixed martial arts gym may also lead to competition and injury and should approach with caution to those that choose this path.
This brings us to an explanation of self defense. In most cases the self defense programs are simple and direct techniques used in life threatening situations. In these cases live scenario training involving an attacker and a victim is commonly used. In self defense situations there is a lack of consent by at least one party and then the technical applications are drastically different from any sport strategy. The self defense systems also open up a world to other programs such as, home security tactics, anti carjacking programs, and military hand to hand programs. The people who choose this direction are more interested in protection of self, family, and assets than any sport or art.
The purpose of this article is not to deface any program or combative system, but to educate those people who want to explore the world of physical combat. Before any option is chosen much research must be done and many questions need be asked.
Over the past twenty years, studying the Tai-Chi has become increasingly popular in the West, yet for the vast majority of these students Tai-Chi has been reduced to a series of meaningless movements. Without a deeper understanding of the philosophy that spawned it, the Tai-Chi is incomplete, merely a series of exercises to be memorized and performed. Here you’ll find a thorough discussion of Wu Chi, the Yin or female counterpart to Tai-Chi’s male or physical energy, which together make up the T
The great gym rush has slowed down and pumping up adrenalin is too much pressure. Rani Mukherjee has moved away from the treadmill and is breathing easy with yoga. Kareena Kapoor, Tusshar Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan too are stretching to surya namaskars.
The world is embracing gentler, lifechanging exercise. As modern yoga and spiritual gurus take the body to the next level, it’s no longer about how you look but how you feel. The body is taking a backseat, emotional high is the new priority. Says Payal Gidwani, yoga teacher to Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukherjee, “The focus is on emotional rejuvenation and physical toning. Just achieving body toning isn’t enough. It’s a cleansing without punishing the body. And you can do it at home or in open spaces, rather than in a cramped air-conditioned environment. We’re trying to energise the self. It’s a feelgood way of living.”
The focus is not on attaining an asana. From Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar to Shilpa Shetty, Deepika Padukone and Neha Dhupia, all have got a new life, cleansing their mind and body with yoga. Spiritual exercising is about the mind toning the body. Hence, we’re witnessing the rise of some unique forms of yoga. Jane Fonda experimented with yoga aerobics Angelina Jolie buffed up her own version in Tomb Raider; while Charlie Sheen cleansed himself with it. Says Punebased Eefa Shroff, an expert in super yoga, “It’s not just about yoga. You could go for a super walk and come back energised. The focus is on grace and strength. In my retreats, I tell people how to practice exercise that’s practical in daily living. Hardcore gymming is exhausting for everyone. The goal is to go from understanding how to control the body and mind to a higher level of consciousness. You just have to find your personal exercise formula right there in your home. It’s fun, it can help you look marvelous or feel marvelous. You could be relaxing one minute and be dancing to Leo Sayer’s You Make Me Feel Like Dancin the next. The idea is to relax and as you relax, you heal. Being at the gym is a rat-race, you’re running fast, you don’t relax at all. You can’t heal by punishing your body, you need to surrender it to peacefulness.”
Agrees Ma Naina of Osho, “Osho always believed, ‘Learn to melt your body, mind, soul; find out ways when you can function as a unity’. Fact is, modern man is stressed out physically and mentally; hence, there is no unity. He is divided. When we practice gentle meditative exercises, we begin to see extraordinary colours, smell uncommon perfumes and hear unheard of sounds. In fact, the whole chemistry of the body undergoes a sea-change. The body begins to perceive things in a different way altogether. All the electric circuits of the body change.
The focus is on how you feel and that feeling can’t be got on a treadmill.” That’s the reason Osho’s Kundalini Meditation takes you to a higher level. Here’s how to do it: Begin with shaking, then dancing, and end with stillness and silence, first standing or sitting, then lying down. This meditation is usually done in the afternoon to let go of the accumulated stress of the day. Caring for the mind and body has inspired young trainers to innovate ways to be fit. Says Abhishek Sharma, who trains Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor, “It’s essential to look for newer ways to tone the body. I made Ranbir do a lot of skipping and toning. Even Naomi Campbell recently said that she skips a lot. We look for methods that are easy to incorporate in everyday life. Even rock climbing is fun and a body shaper. The gym is a great workout zone for a professional body builder but it can be suffocating, and you’re isolating certain muscle groups. Saina Nehwal and Leander Peas go to a gym, but only for specific exercises. They also jog, walk and do yoga.”
The ritual of relaxation comes at a cultural moment when noise is everywhere. We sit in noisy offices and work out in noisy gyms and thus, even the worked out body feels the fatigue. Says Mumbai-based Samanta Duggal of Yogasutra, “I allow every individual person to find his or her level. Even the dynamic young are bored with the gym. They want to understand their bodies. From Tai Chi to Aqua Aerobics, people are discovering alternatives to the treadmill. The fatigue also exists because there’s unhappiness over the gym body, which is exhausted due to muscle contractions with no stretching.” Spiritual healer Rohini Singh agrees, “The shift has to be about how we feel, not how we look. The focus should be on being mindful about what we do, which will energise us. Even if we walk on Mother Earth, it can be powerful. Don’t waste your energy on the treadmill tuned into the iPod, connect with the power of feeling. Look beyond the Om and the asanas too, look inward, tone your muscle and stretch that mind. You will feel powerful physically too.”
Now, exercise is about how you want it and where you want it. It’s personalised. The process isn’t automatic, like running on machines. That’s why Radhika Vachani, ȉ, founder of Yogacare Healing Arts Centre in Mumbai believes in ‘internal and external alignment’. She says, “We’re working out hard in offices, we’re working out harder in gyms — our muscles are screaming, not relaxing. We’re injuring our minds and bodies on the treadmill and not releasing the stress. There’s emptiness in the purpose of working out. I was a gym fanatic, till I was put off, I was hooked on weight training. But I was unhappy about it. We need to learn about our bodies. The focus has to be release from stress, there’s no one standalone physical therapy that works and everything is personalised for the individual body.”
Breathe easy and let your mind regain control over your body!
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Some people think that “tai chi sword” is a contradiction in terms, finding it difficult to see how a dangerous martial arts weapon can be used in a smooth, elegant art form such as tai chi. In fact the tai chi sword is used not as a weapon, but as an extension of the arm, along which the chi can be transmitted through to the tip of the blade, enhancing the projection of the chi.
A tai chi sword can be a wonderful addition to training, but it is not a decision to be taken lightly. In the past the sword forms, considered a very advanced form of training, wouldn’t be allowed by some teachers until years of training are completed. These days many teachers are more relaxed about this and may allow sword practice when a person is adept in some basic tai chi forms.
There are in fact three main weapons used in tai chi practice, the chien or ‘jian’, the dao, and the spear.
The jian is a Chinese sword commonly used for tai chi practice, it has a straight double-edged blade around 30 inches long andŁ.5 – 2 inches wide. The hilt or ‘guard’ is the crosspiece between the blade and the handle or ‘grip’ to protect the hand. At the end of the handle there is a pommel to prevent the hand from slipping off the end, which usually has a sash tied to it. The total length of the sword including the handle is around 3 to 3.5 feet, and it is used to cut, chop, stab, or slash, with great precision.
The dao has a blade which is usually much broader, slightly curved, with a single sharpened edge, which makes it suitable as a chopping or slashing type of sword. The guard which protects the hand is usually disc or domed shaped, and the handle curved in the opposite direction to the blade. They are sometimes quite exotic in appearance and can be highly decorative, including the scabbard in which the sword is kept to protect the blade. There are various shapes and sizes of dao, it is not quite as multi-purpose a sword as the jian, but very effective nevertheless.
The spear, a longer range weapon, is rarely used for training these days primarily because of the amount of room needed for practice.
Most styles of tai chi, including the four most well known, Chen, Yang, Wu, and Sun, use sword forms, and most teachers today have them in their classes.A tai chi dvd (widely available) can be useful for practising at home in between classes, enabling you to study the movements at your own pace and convenience. There are various types of practice sword available and they are pretty inexpensive to buy. To avoid injury a steel tai chi sword may have its blade ‘dulled’, there are wooden ones for beginners, and even collapsible swords for ease of transport.
Some martial artists practice cutting with their sword, known as ‘shizhan’; the cuts being terrifically clean and precise and usually carried out on a piece of upright bamboo. Great care is taken in this practice because the sword would be ‘battle ready’, and the blade extremely sharp.
It can be useful to understand a little about the martial art weapons used in tai chi, to get a flavour of the origins of this ancient art form. This can help to develop a connection between the user and the sword, and of course as in unarmed tai chi, sword forms can help to bring harmony to the mind, body, and spirit.
Tai Chi Sword: Well to me, just as with the unarmed version, basically,………. it’s all about the chi!
Pete Travis is an internet marketer, who’s passions include health & environmental issues, writing, tai chi, good food, music, and comedy.
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“Rikishi” redirects here. For the professional wrestler, see Solofa Fatu.
The following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan.
A banzuke
azukari ()
Hold. A kind of draw. After a mono-ii, the gyji or the shimpan “holds” the result if it was too close to call. In 1927, the system was abolished and a torinaoshi (rematch) now takes place instead.
banzuke ()
List of sumo wrestlers according to rank for a particular grand tournament, reflecting changes in rank due to the results of the previous tournament. It is written out in a particular calligraphy (see sum-ji) and released two weeks prior to the tournament.
banzuke-gai ()
Outsider to the list. A wrestler who is not yet ranked, or has fallen off the banzuke due to injury or other reason for non-participation.
basho ()
Venue. Any sumo tournament. Compare honbasho.
chankonabe ()
A stew commonly eaten in vast quantity by sumo wrestlers as part of a weight gain diet. It contains dashi or stock with sake or mirin to add flavor. The bulk of chankonabe is made up of large quantities of protein sources, usually chicken, fish (fried and made into balls), tofu, or sometimes beef; and vegetables (daikon, bok choy, etc).
chikara-mizu ()
Power-water. The ladleful of water with which a wrestler will ceremonially rinse out his mouth prior to a bout, handed to him by either the victorious wrestler of the previous bout if he was on the same side of the dohy, or by the wrestler who will fight in the bout following.
chonmage ()
Traditional Japanese haircut with a topknot, now only worn by rikishi and so an easy way to recognize that a man is in the sumo profession.
danpatsu-shiki ()
Retirement ceremony, held for a top wrestler in the Ryogoku Kokugikan some months after retirement, in which his chonmage, or top knot is cut off. A wrestler must have fought as a sekitori in at least 30 tournaments to qualify for a ceremony at the Kokugikan.
A dohy
dohy ()
The ring in which the sumo wrestlers hold their matches, made of a specific clay and spread with sand. A new dohy is built prior to each tournament.
dohy-iri ()
Ring-entering ceremony, performed only by jry and makuuchi divisions. The east and west sides perform their dohy-iri together, in succession; the yokozuna have their own individual dohy-iri performed separately. The main styles of yokozuna dohy-iri are Unry and Shiranui, named after Unry Kykichi and Shiranui Kemon. A yokozuna performs the ceremony with two attendants, the tachimochi (, sword carrier) and the tsuyuharai (, dew sweeper).
A dohy-iri ceremony
The 68th yokozuna, Asashryu, performing a dohy-iri
fusenpai ()
No fight loss. The loss recorded by default due to absence for a bout. If a wrestler withdraws from the tournament, one fusenpai will be recorded against him on the following day, and simple absence for the remainder.
fusensh ()
No fight win. A win by default due to absence of the opponent. The system was established for the honbasho in the May 1927 tournament. After the issue of Hitachiiwa Eitar, the system was modified to the modern form. Prior to this, an absence would simply be recorded for both wrestlers, regardless of which one had failed to show.
gunbai ()
A war fan, usually made of wood, used by the gyji to signal his instructions and final decision during a bout. Historically, it was used by samurai officers in Japan to communicate commands to their soldiers.
gyji ()
A sumo referee.
hanamichi ()
The two main east and west “paths” leading from the preparation rooms to the dohy.
haridashi ()
Overhang. If there are more than two wrestlers at any sanyaku rank, the additional wrestlers are termed haridashi. Prior to 1995, such wrestlers were listed on the banzuke in extensions or “overhangs” to the row for makuuchi wrestlers. This is now an informal designation, since presently all wrestlers are listed within the normal bounds of the row.
henka ()
A sidestep to avoid an attack. If done, it is usually at the tachi-ai to set up a slap-down technique, but this is often regarded as bad sumo and unworthy of higher ranked wrestlers. Some say it is a legitimate “outsmarting” move, and provides a necessary balance to direct force, “henka” meaning “changing; to change”.
heya ()
Room, but usually rendered stable. The establishment where a wrestler trains, and also lives while he is in the lower divisions. It is pronounced beya in compounds, such as in the name of the stable. (For example, the heya named Sadogatake is called Sadogatake-beya.)
hikiwake ()
Draw. It is very rare now.
hiwaza ()
Non-technique. A winning situation where the victorious wrestler did not initiate a kimarite. The Japan Sumo Association recognizes five hiwaza. See kimarite for descriptions.
honbasho ()
A professional sumo tournament, held 6 times a year in the modern era, where the results affect the wrestlers’ rankings.
ichimon ()
A group of related heya. There are five groups: Dewanoumi, Nishonoseki, Takasago, Tokitsukaze and Tatsunami. Until 1965, wrestlers from the same ichimon did not fight each other in tournament competition.
ji-jin ()
High rankers. A term loosely used to describe wrestlers who would expect to face a yokozuna during a tournament. In practice this normally means anyone ranked maegashira 4 or above.
jonidan ()
The second-lowest division of sumo wrestlers, below sandanme and above jonokuchi.
jonokuchi ()
An expression meaning this is only the beginning. The lowest division of sumo wrestlers.
junysh ()
An informal designation for a second place finish in a sumo championship.
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jry ()
Ten ry, for the original salary of a professional sumo wrestler. The second-highest division of sumo wrestlers, below makuuchi and above makushita, and the lowest division where the wrestlers receive a salary and full privileges.
kachi-koshi ()
More wins than losses for a wrestler in a tournament. This is 8 wins for a sekitori with 15 bouts in a tournament, and 4 wins for lower-ranked wrestlers with 7 bouts in a tournament. Gaining kachi-koshi generally results in promotion. The opposite is make-koshi.
kadoban ()
An zeki who has suffered make-koshi in his previous tournament and so will be demoted if he fails to score at least eight wins. The present rules date from July 1969 and there have been over 100 cases of kadoban ozeki since that time.
kensh-kin ()
Prize money based on sponsorship of the bout, awarded to the winner upon the gyji’s gunbai. The banners of the sponsors are paraded around the dohy prior to the bout, and their names are announced. Half the sponsorship fees go to the Japan Sumo Association, and half to the winner.
An Edo-period wrestler wearing a kesh-mawashi
kesh-mawashi ()
The loincloth fronted with a heavily decorated apron worn by sekitori wrestlers for the dohy-iri. These are very expensive, and are usually paid for by the wrestler’s organization of supporters or a commercial sponsor.
kimarite ()
Winning techniques in a sumo bout, announced by the referee on declaring the winner. The Japan Sumo Association recognizes eighty-two different kimarite.
kinboshi ()
Gold star. Awarded to a maegashira who defeats a yokozuna during a honbasho. It represents a permanent salary bonus.
kinjite ()
Forbidden hand. A foul move during a bout, which results in disqualification. Examples include punching, kicking and eye-poking. The only kinjite likely to be seen these days (usually inadvertently) is hair-pulling.
komusubi ()
Little knot. The fourth-highest rank of sumo wrestlers, and the lowest sanyaku rank.
ksh seido ()
Public Injury System. Introduced in 1972, this system allowed a wrestler who had been injured in the ring during a tournament to sit out the next tournament without any effect on his rank. It was controversially abolished at the end of 2003.
kuroboshi ()
Black star. A loss in a sumo bout, recorded with a black circle.
maegashira ()
Those ahead. The fifth-highest rank of sumo wrestlers, and the lowest makuuchi rank. This rank makes up the bulk of the makuuchi division, comprising around 30 wrestlers depending on the number in sanyaku. Only the top ranks (maegashira j’i, ) normally fight against sanyaku wrestlers.
maezum ()
Before sumo. Unranked sumo wrestlers in their first bouts. Participation in at least one maezum bout is required to enter the jonokuchi division for the following honbasho.
make-koshi ()
More losses than wins for a wrestler in a tournament. Make-koshi generally results in demotion, although there are special rules on demotion for zeki. The opposite is kachi-koshi.
makuuchi () or maku-no-uchi ()
Inside the curtain. The top division in sumo. It is named for the curtained-off waiting area once reserved for professional wrestlers during basho, and comprises 42 wrestlers.
makushita ()
Below the curtain. The third highest division of sumo wrestlers, below jry and above sandanme. Originally the division right below makuuchi, explaining its name, before jry was split off from it to become the new second highest division.
makushita tsukedashi ()
A successful amateur wrestler who is allowed to enter pro sumo at the third highest division (makushita). From 1966 until 2001 a rikishi would begin at the rank of Makushita 60, the bottom of the division. From 2001 this was raised to Makushita 15, but entry criteria were made stricter; a wrestler now has to have won one of the four major amateur titles. In
Substitute Teaching
How To Be A Successful Substitute Teacher. Substitute Teaching
Article by Keira Benson
In contrast to the harder forms of martial art, like karate, Tai Chi is often thought of as a weaker option. It doesn’t help that it is popular with older people.
However, if you study Tai Chi to its full extent, then it becomes obvious that this is not the case.
So, What is Tai Chi?
Tai Chi Chuan is a holistic martial art using internal energy (‘Chi’) for good health, self-development and self-defence.
To help realise the soft power of internal energy, the initial training concentrates on slow, relaxed, flowing movement. Its adaptability makes the study possible for people at all levels of health and fitness.
Shifting the weight constantly between the different moves helps to improve day-to-day balance and ease of bodily movement.
Tai Chi increases oxygen uptake, reduces blood pressure, slows the decline in cardiovascular power and increases bone density.
Because it develops strength and flexibility within the joints, the practise can result in greater leg and knee mobility.
Heightened mood states and improved immune function are all direct results of the reduced stress levels that are achieved both during and after a Tai Chi class.
The History
The founder of the Yang style was Yang Lu-ch’an {1799-1872}, who studied under Ch’en Chang-hsing starting in 1820. Yang became a teacher in his own right, and his subsequent expression of tai chi chuan became known as the Yang style. Yang Lu-ch’an came to prominence as a result of his being hired by the Chinese Imperial family to teach tai chi chuan to the elite Palace Battalion of the Imperial Guards, a position he held until his death.
Moving to the present day Tai Chi, of which Yang style seems to be the most popular around the world, it is the Yang Ch’eng-fu form that people practise. To emphasise the big movements of his Hand Form, Yang Ch’eng-fu took out the explosive Fa-jing and stamping.
The Study
For beginners, the class structure would normally consist of Zhan Zhuang chi kung {standing meditation} and loosening exercises, followed by the study of the traditional Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan Form.
Whilst, for many people, this basic level of study is sufficient and proves very beneficial to their health and fitness, the true worth of Tai Chi as a martial art only really becomes apparent at the more advanced levels, where studies include:
Single Push Hands, Double Push Hands and Sensitivity – utilising stepping backwards and forwards; Traditional Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan (Crane); Yin Yang Concept and Correction of Yin Yang Concept; Traditional Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan – Spiral Concept; Live step single and double; Small Circle Push Hands; Ta Lu ’2 & 3 steps and Ta Lu Form; Yang Style Sword; Yang Style Broadsword; Threading Nine Pearls System; Substantial and Insubstantial; San Sau; Energy healing.
If you can achieve competence in the advanced aspects of Tai Chi, your ability to defend yourself will be hugely improved. Learning to harness and utilise your internal energy against an aggressor can be so much more powerful than the more obvious, but more limiting use of the external physical strength of your arms and legs.
Your ability to defend yourself is vastly improved if you can combine your internal energy with your own body weight.
Tai Chi – not just for old people.
Keira Benson’s Study of Tai Chi has had a major contribution to her health and peace of mind.
You’re going to discover so many different things on yoga, workouts, stretches and more! Not only will you find new tips and tricks, but you’ll also learn *extra* bonus tips to help you lose weight, get more fit and more… Without spending hours and hours at the gym!
Here’s Just a “Sneak-Peak” At What You’ll Uncover With Yoga Basics Plus
* The most common misconception people have about Yoga and why it is completely wrong. (Hint: There’s a 99% chance you are
Tai Chi is a martial art that uses unique principles of movement to generate power for self-defense. If you watch a martial artist practicing karate or taekwondo, their movements will be very tense and muscular. They tend to scream a lot. These are called “external” arts. Watch someone practicing tai chi, however, and you’ll see someone moving softly, gracefully, with occasional bursts of speed and power. They rarely, if ever, scream. Tai Chi is known as an “internal” art.
When an attacker punches at an external martial artist, the punch may be blocked with a very muscular, hard block designed to do injury to the attacker.
When a tai chi master sees a punch coming, he takes action so the punch will not find a target. Often, the punch will be deflected by a relaxed move, causing it to miss its target and causing the attacker to go off-balance.
In tai chi, this technique is called “leading into emptiness.” In the old Kung Fu TV show that inspired me to begin studying martial arts back in the early Seventies, they said (about a Shaolin priest), “When reached for, he cannot be felt.”
As a tai chi artist, my goal is to maintain my mental and physical balance at all time, even when I’m attacked. The American Tao philosophy that I developed holds this as its primary principle.
This philosophy is useful in self-defense situations when you lead a punch into emptiness, but it can also be applied at work and at home when you find yourself being attacked emotionally, verbally, or even through nasty emails.
Controlling people say insulting and rude things for a reason. They want to push your buttons and get a reaction. They want to control your behavior.
Try leading their comments into emptiness and see what happens. Try to remain “balanced,” mentally and physically, and don’t respond to the bait.
The Internet has spawned millions of people who enjoy flaming others anonymously. When I find myself the target of these people, I lead them into emptiness. I let their emails go into the ether. They don’t find a target and they don’t get a response. This is an excellent way to maintain my mental and physical balance. Sooner or later, the attacker gets frustrated and seeks out someone else for their misguided messages.
When someone attacks me verbally or emotionally in person, I use different techniques depending upon the circumstances. Sometimes it’s best to confront them directly and let them know you aren’t going to be a target for them. Other times, leading them into emptiness works–simply not acknowledging their attack.
You can probably think of many ways that you are attacked, either verbally, emotionally, or through email. Visualize how you could lead the attacker into emptiness and try it next time. You just might find it an excellent way to maintain your mental and physical balance, while throwing your opponent for a loop.
Ken Gullette is the founder of American Tao and a tai chi and kung-fu teacher who began studying martial arts 35 years ago. His highly praised DVDs and writings can be found at his website at http://www.kungfu4u.com and his blog is at http://www.internalarts.typepad.com.
