Articles & Videos

Articles on Internal Martial Arts

Free Content

More Xing Yi Paradoxes

Last month we looked at some “Xing Yi paradoxes.” These can also be thought of as “aphorisms” – pithy statements that contain important truths and observations. The use of somewhat mysterious, pity statements often serves

Read More »
Free Content

Xing Yi Quan Paradoxes

Great masters of the internal arts often employ seemingly paradoxical statements to explain the principles of internal boxing. Over the years I have found some of the Xing Yi sayings very helpful, both for my

Read More »
Free Content

Ba Gua Zhang 48 Methods: Methods 13-24

Contents1 13. Application Method (Yong Fa 用法)2 14. Sealing Closing Method (Feng Bi Fa 封闭法)3 15. Fist Intercepting Method (Jie Quan Fa 接拳法)4 16. Picking and Dissolving Method (Zhai Jie Fa 摘解法)5 17. Single Connecting

Read More »
Free Content

Master Li Gui Chang’s Tai Ji Songs

Master Li Gu Chang’s instructions on Tai Ji Quan, found in his book, Tai Ji Push Hands Training Instructions (太极推手演练指导Tai Ji Tui Shou Yan Lian Zhi Dao), are deep and profound. In this post we

Read More »
Free Content

The Metal Element

Metal Element Students of Traditional Chinese medicine and internal martial arts often have questions about the Metal Element. Why is the Metal Element confusing? One problem is that the associations attributed to Metal often don’t

Read More »
Free Content

Masters of Ba Gua Zhang: Gao Ji Wu

Gao Ji Wu was born in 1942. He began learning Chang Quan (Long Fist or Long Boxing) as a child and later progressed to learning the internal martial arts under his father. Having practiced martial

Read More »
Free Content

Gathering Sun Essence Qi Gong

In the Spring, during the Waking Insects (March 5-7 to March 20-21) and Spring Equinox Seasonal Nodes (March 20-21 to April 4-6), the Yang energy in the natural world around us gains in strength and

Read More »
Free Content

Lao Ba Zhang & Kai-He (Open Close)

Kai – He 開合 (Open-Close) One way to summarize the synergy between the circular expression of the Eight Palms (Lao Ba Zhang) and their various linear expressions is to understand the meaning of Kai He.

Read More »
Free Content

Martial Art Great: Fu Shu Yun

Fu Shu Yun was born in 1916 in Tianjin, China. She began training in martial arts in junior high school. Her skill developed quickly and she was soon called upon to give demonstrations at sports

Read More »
Free Content

Xing Yi Quan Linking Forms

Presented here are the names of the movements in the Xing Yi Linking Forms as they are practiced in the Xing Yi Quan of Master Li Gui Chang. Knowing the names of the movements helps

Read More »
Student's Corner
Free Content

12 Animal Poems of Xing Yi Quan

The poems relating to the Twelve Animals of Xing Yi Quan give the practitioner insight into the internal dynamic and Jin (energy, strength and spirit) of each animal. These insights ai correct performance and application.

Read More »
Free Content

Free Video: Ba Gua Seize and Pull Drills

Seizing-Pulling Partner Exercises are part of the Foundational Training in Ba Gua Zhang. These important drills develop basic skills in leading and pulling the opponent, while simultaneously teaching one how to escape being led and

Read More »

Ba Gua Zhang in Provence

On June 8th & 9th, 2015, Internal Arts International conducted an intensive workshop in Ba Gua Nei Gong and Foundational Ba Gua Zhang in Le Beausset, France. Training outside, under the blue skies and clean

Read More »
Free Content

Wooden Dummy Arm Conditioning Liniment

Many styles of Chinese martial arts contain Wooden Dummy exercises, in which blocks and strikes are practiced using a dummy with wooden arms, and Seven Star exercises, in which two practitioners bang forearms together, in

Read More »
Free Content

Eagle Claw Hand Strengthening Liniment

Eagle Claw Hand Strengthening Liniment is a traditional formula for training the seizing power of the hands in Eagle Claw Gong Fu and Qin Na (capturing and seizing techniques). This description might lead one to

Read More »
Beyond The Tooth Program
Free Content

Vital Point Striking – Part 2

This is Part 2 of a 2-part article on Vital Point Striking. Read Part 1 HERE. Simultaneous with the development of the lethal techniques discussed in Part I of Vital Point Striking, were the creation

Read More »
Ba Gua Qin Na
Free Content

Ba Gua Qin Na

Qin Na (chin na) is variously translated as “capture methods,” “seizing and controlling,” seizing and locking.” Qin (擒) means to capture, catch, or seize. Na (拿) means to hold, grasp, or squeeze. Qin is like

Read More »
Beyond The Tooth Program
Free Content

Vital Point Striking – Part 1

Vital points are not a myth. The secret knowledge of vital points has been known for 2,500 years. Bian Que, a legendary physician from China’s Spring and Autumn Period (around 500 BC), was a traveling

Read More »
Free Content

The Double Bumping Palm

Sun Xi Kun 孫 錫 堃 (1883-1952) was one of the few disciples of Cheng You Long (also called Cheng Hai Ting), the oldest son of Cheng Ting Hua. The palms are excerpted from Sun’s

Read More »
Free Content

The Double Holding Palm

Sun Xi Kun 孫 錫 堃 (1883-1952) was one of the few disciples of Cheng You Long (also called Cheng Hai Ting), the oldest son of Cheng Ting Hua. The palms presented here are excerpted

Read More »
Free Content

Sun Xi Kun on Ba Gua Zhang

Sun Xi Kun 孫 錫 堃 (1883-1952) was one of the few disciples of Cheng You Long (also called Cheng Hai Ting), the oldest son of Cheng Ting Hua, who purportedly did not like to

Read More »