Articles | Page 16 | YMAA

Five Regulators of Taijiquan
April 8, 2024
What is Tàijíquán? It is a martial Qìgōng study. Its training procedures are not different from those of other general Qìgōng (practice) and must follow the (same training) theory. These training procedures are nothing else but: regulating the body, regulating the breathing, regulating the mind, regulating the Qì, and regulating the spirit—five regulatings. 7 Min Read
The First Form, The Last Form of Wing Chun
March 25, 2024
“When the highest type of men hear the Way, with diligence they’re able to practice it; When average men hear the Way, some things they retain and others they lose; When the lowest type of men hear the Way, they laugh out loud at it. If they didn’t laugh at it, it couldn’t be regarded as the Way.” —Lao Tzu, Te-Tao Ching. 5 Min. Read
Necessity is the Mother of Invention - The Tiger Claw Set
March 18, 2024
The principle behind the Tiger Claw Set is simple: drop your attacker’s primary sensor system at the earliest opportunity before striking other various vulnerable targets until you can escape to safety. 5 Min. Read
From Warm Hand to Warm Hand
February 26, 2024
With the abundance of martial arts resources and the power of today’s communication technology, YMAA staff writer Gene Ching ponders what effect it might have on the traditional arts for the next generation. 5 Min. Read
Yin-Yang Theory of Movement and Stillness in Taijiquan
January 22, 2024
If you are able to understand the theory of calmness, then you can comprehend the applications of Jìng (i.e., martial power). Reading Time 6 minutes
YMAA France (French) - January 27, 2010
Notre école est née de la rencontre en octobre 1990 de quelques karatékas du fameux club de Karaté nommé le shobudo ou la montagne avec le Dr Yang Jwing Ming. Ses visites régulières et la venue pendant 6 mois de M. Ramel Rones ont permis d'ouvrir officiellement la YMAA France en Mars 1994.
The Seven Aspects of Self-defense - January 13, 2010
The following article is an excerpt from an upcoming book by Rory Miller, tentatively titled 7. It will explore the seven aspects that are critical to self defense, giving you a few hints on staying alive, or if you teach self-defense, some critical information you can pass along to your students.
Listen to the Subtle (and Not-so-Subtle) Warnings - January 6, 2010
We’ve spent much time writing about awareness on the street. It’s important in relationships too. Don’t turn your brain off when you walk into your home.
History of Shaolin Long Fist Kung Fu - December 30, 2009
The first Shaolin Buddhist Temple was built in 377 AD on Shaoshi Mountain (少室山) in Deng Feng (登封) county of Henan (河南) province, by order of Emperor Wei (魏). Bodhidharma (菩提達摩), or Da Mo, came to Shaolin from India to teach Buddhism around 527 AD.
Beyond Your Barehand Taiji Form (太極拳套) - November 4, 2009
Once you have learned a basic Taiji form, whether you study Yang, Chen, or another style, there is still a great deal that traditional Taijiquan training can offer.
YMAA Poland (Polish) - October 14, 2009
YMAA Polska powstała w 1986 roku po pierwszej wizycie dr Yang Jwing-Minga w Polsce. Była to pierwsza szkoła YMAA poza granicami USA.
Lessons from the Taijiquan Form Seminar - September 17, 2009
I had the chance last weekend to teach at the YMAA Boston Taiji Form Seminar. I was tapped to teach the Two Person Fighting Set. YMAA canon maintains that the Fighting Set is the last thing a person trains prior to free sparring.
Violence: What Everyone Needs to Know About Fighting - August 2, 2009
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, men commit about 80 percent of all violent crimes in the United States, serious stuff like homicides, rapes, robberies, and assaults. Men are twice as likely as women to become victims of those same violent crimes, except for rape.
Shaolin: the Root of Taijiquan - June 23, 2009
After Bodhidharma (Da Mo) passed down his qigong (chi kung) theory at Shaolin Temple around 550 A.D., the Shaolin monks trained the cultivation of Qi, and realized that muscular power could be enhanced to a tremendous level, which could make martial techniques more powerful and effective.
Never Surrender - June 16, 2009
The goal of self defense is not to win a fight, but rather to avoid combat in the first place. After all the only battle you are guaranteed to walk away from unscathed is the one you never engage in. Taking a beat-down can seriously mess up your life, yet winners have consequences too.
O Treino na YMAA Portugal (Portuguese) - June 1, 2009
O treino na Ymaa Portugal aborda três áreas distintas, formando classes com características peculiares e uma entidade distinta.
Taiji Chin Na - Martial Application - May 4, 2009
Taijiquan was originally developed for combat in ancient times. Its fighting theory is to use the soft against the hard, and to use the round to neutralize the straight or square.
Spotting an Adversary’s Tell - April 27, 2009
Lawrence A. Kane supervises employees who provide security and oversee fan safety during college and professional football games at a Pac-10 stadium near Seattle, Washington. This job has given him a unique opportunity to appreciate violence in all forms. Along with his crew, he has witnessed, interceded in, stopped, or prevented hundreds of fights. He has also worked closely with the campus police and state patrol officers who are assigned to the stadium. Here is what he says about aggressive behavior as well as the escalation process that precedes violence in crowd control situations.
The True Quality of Tai Chi - April 20, 2009
What is Tai Chi? How does Tai Chi improve health? People ask me these questions all the time. Some ask because they see so many people doing these exercises in the park. Others ask because they can hardly believe there can be any benefits from such slow body movements.
Taiji and Qigong - April 6, 2009
Those who practice both Taiji and Qigong as separate arts soon realize that Qigong is included among the many layers encompassed by Taiji. Knowingly doing Taiji movement as Qigong not only adds the benefits of Qigong but also improves the quality of the Taiji movements.
Trainingsprogramma YMAA België (Dutch) - April 1, 2009
Bij YMAA België worden er drie stijlen gevechtskunsten beoefend: Shaolin zuidelijke Witte Kraanvogel (Baihequan of Bai He Chuan), Shaolin Lange Vuist (Changquan of Chang Chuan) en Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan). Het zijn alle drie traditionele stijlen die al honderden jaren bestaan.
Insights into Modern Day Martial Arts Training - February 17, 2009
Training does have to be adjusted and changed for modern day, but the principles and essence should remain the same. We are constantly striving to preserve the teachings of our masters, and we should be very cautious when to modify them.
Senior Moments #2: Taiji, Happy Toes, and Piano Fingers - February 17, 2009
So how does one teach Taijiquan to seniors, rehabbers, and the generally unfit? Consult the ancients, "The best leader follows." These people are generally coming to Taiji because of a life urgency (old age, sickness, injury, etc.) which has created an opportunity for change.
Mob Violence Is An Eruption With No Warning - February 17, 2009
Gang violence gets a fair amount of copy in the media. But another form of violence is mob violence.  Mob violence rises up, explodes, and then recedes.
The Profound Art of Chinese Sword (Jian) - February 9, 2009
The Jian (Cantonese: gim), a narrow-blade, double-edged sword, has been respected as the “King of Short Weapons” in China for millennia. Wielding the Jian requires the highest of skill, and the sword user must strive to the heights of spirit and morality.