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Circadian Rhythm Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a daily cycle. These rhythms primarily respond to the amount of light and darkness in our environment, for example sleeping at night and
This is the ninth part of a series of posts that examine the Dao De Jing as a guide to Daoist Meditation. Although the analysis of these chapters leans heavily on He Shang Gong’s (Ho
Ryan Lybarger is a practitioner of Xing Yi Quan and a licensed practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine Structural Organization & Internal Arts “Nature does not hurry and yet everything is accomplished” – Lao Tze In
Interview with IAI Senior Instructor Joe Cool This interview was conducted by Senior Instructor Kelly McDonald at the 2026 IAI Retreat in Tuscany, Italy. IAI: Were you very young when you started training martial arts?
In the 1950s, during the Cultural Revolution, Qi Gong masters were invited by the government to work in hospitals as doctors and health care professionals, and much research was done on Qi Gong in hospitals
Last month I had the immense pleasure of finally participating in one of the IAI training retreats in Tuscany. I had heard from my training partners how amazing the setting, training and community at these
Greetings from Tuscany! Our IAI 2026 Ba Gua/Xing Yi Retreat just finished here and we’re still glowing from the shared experience. It was wonderful to spend a full week delving deep into Xing Yi and
In Internal Martial Arts & Cranial Osteopathy Part 1, we mentioned Seven “Diaphragms” that can affect the cranial rhythms and the movement of fluids through the body. From foot to head the Seven Diaphragms are:
The internal alignments and training methods of internal martial arts, Nei Gong, and Qi Gong have much overlap with osteopathic principles and treatment involving cranial rhythm, the intrinsic movements of the internal organs and the
It is not surprising that many students and prospective students are confused about what it means to be an instructor in Xing Yi Quan or Ba Gua Zhang, or even a Qi Gong instructor. Because
Grasping the Wind Grasping the Wind is both a specific acupuncture point, and a method of needling Wind points in order to extract or pull out (“grasp”) Wind that has penetrated into or lodged in
Our second visit to the Beijing Ba Gua Museum was in the summer of 2016. Tom and I returned to Beijing to train Ba Gua Zhang with Gao Ji Wu and Qin Na with Zhao
Acupuncture points are sometimes mysterious and often magical. Points that disperse and “pull out” Wind are particularly interesting and can often have powerful and immediate effects. The idea of climate in Traditional Chinese Medicine refers
In this eighth part of a series of posts that examine the Dao De Jing as a guide to Daoist Meditation, the analysis of these chapters leans heavily on He Shang Gong’s (Ho Shang Kung)
Qi Gong Exercises for the Neck These exercises maintain neck health and mobility and train the neck muscles to maintain postural integrity. Regulatory, preventative exercises protect the neck from injury and inculcate correct posture by
Picking up from last month’s article, Ba Gua Zhang Circle Walking Palm Postures – So Many More Than Eight! we look at more Liang Style postures and their variations in different styles and training methods.
Walking the circle holding various static postures is an important part of Ba Gua Zhang training. This practice, a seminal Nei Gong and power development exercise in Ba Gua, is usually referred to as a
The Neck Chinese medicine has long recognized the importance of maintaining proper neck alignment and healthy functioning. Some of the rehabilitation exercises that are commonly used for the neck, like the Cock Pecks Rice and
Tom Bisio and I first visited the Beijing Ba Gua Museum in October 2013 with Master Gao Ji Wu. Master Gao invited us to tour the museum with him and we were accompanied by our
In this seventh part of a series of posts that examine the Dao De Jing as a guide to Daoist Meditation, the analysis of these chapters leans heavily on He Shang Gong’s (Ho Shang Kung)
The previous post – Part 1 of Xing Yi Quan & the Nei Gong Classic – covered the beginning of a discussion that goes back and forth between the internal Qi and its connection to
Ru Yi You, popularly known as U-I Oil, one of my favorite liniments, has gone through various permutations over the years. When I first bought the patent pre-made version of this oil, it contained ingredients
The Ba Gua Zhang and Xing Yi Quan retreats that Internal Arts International has held at Terenzana for the past three years give people the opportunity to engage the material with ease and with rigor.
In this sixth part of a series of posts that examine the Dao De Jing as a guide to Daoist Meditation, the analysis of these chapters leans heavily on He Shang Gong’s (Ho Shang Kung)
The Nei Gong Zhen Chuan (内功真经) “Authentic Classic of Internal Energy,” or “Classic of Internal Power,” is an important text in the Nei Jia (internal schools) of martial arts. Although not, on the surface, specifically
In this fifth part of a series of posts that examine the Dao De Jing as a guide to Daoist Meditation, the analysis of these chapters leans heavily on He Shang Gong’s (Ho Shang Kung)
Lymph drainage self-massage has recently come into the limelight as an important healthcare practice. Yet for centuries Chinese physicians and Qi gong master have advocated a daily Dao Yin Self-Cultivation routine, which has many overlaps
In this fourth part of a series of posts that examine the Dao De Jing as a guide to Daoist Meditation, the analysis of these chapters leans heavily on He Shang Gong’s (Ho Shang Kung)
Two herb formulas which I have prescribed hundreds of times both in the clinic and in the context of martial arts and sports injuries are the General Die Da Decoction (General Injury Formula) and Shen
In this third part of a series of posts that examine the Dao De Jing as a guide to Daoist Meditation, the analysis of these chapters leans heavily on He Shang Gong’s (Ho Shang Kung)
In this second part of a series of posts that examine the Dao De Jing as a guide to Daoist Meditation, the analysis of these chapters leans heavily on He Shang Gong’s (Ho Shang Kung)
This interview was conducted by IAI Senior Instructor Mark Greenfield at the IAI 2024 Ba Gua Zhang retreat in Tuscany. IAI: When did you first start doing martial arts? Dobrin Vassilev: I started as a
Heng Quan (Crossing Fist or Transverse Fist) is the fifth of the Five Element Fists in Xing Yi Quan. Although Pi Quan (Splitting Fist) is usually given primacy with regard to understanding and utilizing Xing
This series of posts looks at the Dao De Jing as a guide to Daoist Meditation. The dual nature of the text often leads us to think that Lao Zi is talking about one thing,
In The Question of Strength Training In Internal Martial Arts Part 1, we looked at the use of resistance training to build physical strength and prevent loss of muscle and strength that is associated with
This interview was conducted initially by IAI instructor Skye Cooley. Tom Bisio and IAI instructor Valerie Ghent later asked Matt a few further questions over dinner. Matt teaches a monthly Xing Yi Quan in Stamford,
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