My Training of Martial Arts Students

All schools of Chinese martial arts cover self defense, physical fitness, peace of mind and art, but interpret them in different ways. Usually the training starts with self defense and ends with art. I teach both the internal and external schools of Chinese martial arts and encourage students to find out which one they like the most. In my teaching, I emphasize health, physical fitness and peace of mind.

I haven't taught students the technique of breaking although some of my students have demonstrated board or concrete breaking to show their strength. I have known some people who demonstrated breaking and then got arthritis later in life when their energy started to decline. Therefore, in my classes I encourage my students to study different forms and select the one they liked the most as their specialty for performance or for competition. For internal strength training, my teaching includes different Ch'i Kung (Qigong) exercises and the soft forms of the internal schools that could provide the most beneficial exercises for life in the modern world.

The need to use martial arts techniques for self-defense is rare, but exercise for health and physical fitness is beneficial in everyday life. There are three soft internal schools of martial arts, T'ai Chi Ch'uan (Taijiquan), Pa Kua Chang (Baguazhang) and Hsing Yi Ch'uan (Xingyiquan) that combine self-defense and Ch'i Kung exercises, and have been gaining popularity recently. I have taught these three styles and individual Ch'i Kung exercises to students who had various health problems and tracked their records, and found indications of marvelous results. I also tried to use the principles of Chinese accupuncture to explain how the exercises are related to the movement of Ch'i.

The exercise of T'ai Chi has a good record in improving physical fitness. A student who suffered from degeneration of the spine practiced for six months, improved significantly and and was able to work as a nurse. Another student, who was unable to extend one finger for several years due to a previous injury, could move it freely after six months of T'ai Chi. Another had a terminal brain tumor and lost his ability to walk, but was able to practice T'ai Chi as his regular exercise. After eight months of training, his condition improved sufficiently that he was able walk and travel extensively around the world for three years before finally succumbing to his illness.

The practice of Pa Kua seems to be extremely good for diabetes. One practitioner checked his blood glucose level, then practiced Pa Kua Circle Walking, and checked his blood levels again. He found that the glucose was reduced significantly. Pa Kua's exercise of the lower limbs, combined with the Pa Kua technique of constricting the anal sphincter during training, also strengthens the muscles used to control bladder and bowel functions. The circle walking also effectively reduces prolapse of the muscles around the spine and waist.

Hsing Yi Ch'uan has proven to be very effective in improving asthma in at least one case in my experience, and I am still waiting for some other students with this kind of problem to relate their experiences. That one student suffered from asthma attacks whenever the weather changed. He practiced Hsing Yi for one year and was then able to adapt to weather changes without a problem. Two other students could not breathe through their noses in the Spring, most likely due to an allergic reaction to the pollens and spores in the air at that time. After six months of Hsing Yi training, they had recovered from this problem.

The above mentioned cases make me deeply interested in teaching and researching these three internal schools. All Ching Yi Kung Fu Association (CYKFA) Black Belt certificate holders are required to learn the T'ai Chi, Pa Kua and Hsing Yi forms and provide feedback on any experiences in applying the exercises to improve health. I am also trying to identify any single movements that, when practiced regularly, may contribute to alleviating a certain kind of physical problem. If my research produces any verifiable results, I will disclose my findings on the CYKFA website in hopes of providing a useful contribution to the public.

Her Yue Wong, Ph.D.

Houston, Texas

Founder-Director

Ching Yi Kung Fu Association