DVD: Taiji & Shaolin Staff Fundamental Training

The Root of Long Weapons Training.

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming teaches Staff fundamental training and partner matching practice. The techniques are compiled from Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) and Shaolin White Crane Gongfu (Kung Fu), offering uniquely comprehensive instruction of Southern-style Soft and Soft-Hard Staff training. Techniques include:

Sliding
Striking
Stinging
Coil Stinging
Blocking / Bouncing
Point Striking
Chopping
Staff Sparring
Advance-Retreating Circle-Sealing
Four Corners Repel-Neutralizing
Follow-Neutralizing Entering
Four Sides of Staff Sealing
Step Forward to Seal the Staff
Sweeping Strikes in 4 Directions
Matching Fundamentals

Dr. Yang offers detailed instruction for each movement, and corrections while students demonstrate, making it easy for the viewer to refine their staff technique.

Staff training develops the fundamental skills required for all other long weapons training, and it is traditionally the first long weapon learned in Chinese martial arts.

SPECIAL FEATURES: English Subtitles • Three Complete Video Courses, including 90 Minutes of Previously Unpublished Material • Interactive YMAA Catalog with Preview Trailers for All YMAA Videos

YMAA PRODUCTION • DR. YANG, JWING-MING • “TAIJI & SHAOLIN STAFF” • WRITTEN & PERFORMED BY DR. YANG, JWING-MING, WITH BEN WARNER, AARON DAMUS, AND RICHARD KRUPP • EDITING & DVD AUTHORING BY MEDIAMANIC • PRODUCED BY DAVID SILVER • DIRECTED BY DR. YANG, JWING-MING AND DAVID SILVER

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AUTHOR(S)

Yang, Jwing-Ming Ph.D., is a renowned author and teacher of Chinese martial arts and Qigong. Born in Taiwan, he has trained and taught Taijiquan, Qigong and Chinese martial arts for over forty-five years. He is the author of over thirty books, and was elected by Inside Kung Fu magazine as one of the 10 people who has "made the greatest impact on martial arts in the past 100 years." Dr. Yang lives in Northern California.

REVIEWS

5 of 5 stars, Amazon reviewer,
October 2008

This video has multiple views of each move, with detailed explanations, and a gradual walk-through from beginning to more complex moves. Quite useful and recommended.

The staff is a logical first choice for anyone interested in weapons training, as it teaches 70% of the skills needed for the majority of long weapons, as Master Yang explains at the beginning of this DVD. This DVD is an excellent introduction to learning staff, as Master Yang does it right by teaching a very strong foundation to the student.

I have numerous tapes and DVDs that I purchased over the years that are nice to watch, as they show wonderful demonstrations of various staff and weapons forms. However, the majority of these DVDs and tapes do not include any basic training, or if they do it is very minimal. I dare say that although Master Yang is already known for providing good foundation training in all of his productions, this DVD is at the top of the list for teaching a very thorough and complete foundation prior to teaching any kind of form.

This DVD is made up of three sections, of which the first two sections were previously available on separate VHS. The first section of the DVD teaches 6 techniques, the second section 6 more techniques and the third section includes two man drills that cover numerous techniques as well as some free sparring at the end, with the participants wearing protective equipment.

Master Yang studied the staff while training in White Crane, Tiger, Long Fist and Taijiquan. He talks about how each of these styles have various techniques and training methods to offer the student, yet each of them is also missing parts of the process. Master Yang has taken the best of Shaolin and Taijiquan techniques and training methods and combined them with the soft style of White Crane staff.

The contents of the DVD are as follows:

Section One · Sliding · Sliding Stinging · Chopping · Coil Stinging · Advance-Retreating Circle Sealing · Four Corners Repel Neutralizing

Section Two · Following-Neutralizing Entering · Blocking / Bouncing · Four Sides of Staff Sealing · Step Forward to Seal the Staff · Point Striking · Sweeping Strikes in Four Directions

Section Three · Coil Stinging · Up Coiling · Side Coiling · Center Stinging · Four Corners Repel Neutralizing · Four Corners Sliding Strike · Four Corners Diagonal Strike · Bouncing · Groin Scooping Strike · Step Forward to Seal the Staff · Short Matching · Free Sparring

SECTIONS ONE AND TWO (12 TECHNIQUES)
In the first two sections of this DVD, the techniques are demonstrated by three different students. These demonstrations are done sequentially instead of simultaneously. This offers the benefit of being able to focus on one demonstrator at a time. Each of the students of Master Yang bring different skills to the demonstration, as well as different weaknesses. Master Yang can be heard giving corrections from off screen.

The techniques in the first two sections are demonstrated by each of the three students in a stationary pose, while moving, with a normal grip and with a reverse grip. At times the students make mistakes or seem to forget a move for a second or two. However, as one student might be better from a technical point of view, another brings more intent to the moves.

The moves are learned fast, so that the student can feel the move and better be able to produce power. Over time the moves can be done more slowly, while focusing on coordinating the breath and the movements. This leads to more internal power. The techniques taught are a nice blend of hard and soft, which is more effective than just using just hard techniques or just soft techniques. The use and understanding of sticking, coiling, adhering and circling are taught with the techniques and can be found in Taijiquan push hands practice as well.

SECTION THREE (2 MAN DRILLS AND SPARRING)
In section three, Master Yang is shown demonstrating all of the techniques. He then either demonstrates their usage with another student in a two person drill, or he has two students demonstrate the two person drill for that particular technique, while wearing protective head, wrist and hand gear. This section brings a better understanding of not only how the techniques actually work, but also demonstrate the effectiveness of the techniques.

At the end of section three the students take turns in having two man free sparring with the staffs. I was very happy to find this section, as in sections one and two Master Yang does not make much of an appearance, as he has his students do the majority of the demonstrations. In section three Master Yang spends a great deal of time demonstrating techniques and is much more hands-on with the process.

This DVD is valuable to all practitioners that are interested in learning weapons or enhancing their understanding of how to apply power, even without weapons usage. The techniques used in staff fighting displayed on this DVD display many of the concepts and techniques that are so integral to Taijiquan.