Critique from people of all styles...

[Fudoshin_Ryu]

Here's a personal training video of my Baji Xiao Jia training...please check it out and let me know what you think about my movements...stances or strikes!

Thanks in advance!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhNbigpSM5w&feature=plcp

[MasterPain]

Hmm, maybe try to relax a bit more. That is, unless the form involves tension for exercise purposes. I don't know anything of Baji.

[SamsIAmz]

I too know nothing of baji, but pretending you do karate my advice would be the following: Try to keep aware of your posture. This probably the hardest thing to do in the martial arts and something I have the most trouble with too. Posture is really about staying centered and unified throughout movements. So for example, bending the neck to look down is a way of de-centering and de-unifying yourself. There are times that call for a dynamic stretching of the body, but bet aware it leaves you vulnerable.

Also I didn't see too much tension (which is good). I saw that one tense movement with your arm. It looked like intentional tension though? If it was intentional, then make sure you breath. The most important thing in dynamic tension is breathing deeply into it. I did however see alot of tension in your face. Relax your face while practicing and the rest of your tension will probably fade away.

It looked pretty cool though, and I really know nothing about baji lol. Forgive me if I say something completely against what you have been told.

[yamesu]

Very nice, and interesting to watch.

In Japanese martial arts there is a word: "Kime". It means focus, but moreover, it is commonly used to refer to focusing a technique to a certain point, Ie) Snapping a technique with speed and power to a decided point with focus.

This would be the only thing I would say you could work on.

Thanks for posting, and please feel free to post more, I really do love the fluidity of CMA's.

[Harkon72]

I would recomend that you have Kime too, a focus outside yourself that is within. Your only true opponent after all is yourself.

[Fudoshin_Ryu]

Hmm, maybe try to relax a bit more. That is, unless the form involves tension for exercise purposes. I don't know anything of Baji.

Yes, I do think I need to relax a bit more and 'think' less about what I'm doing! thanks again!

I too know nothing of baji, but pretending you do karate my advice would be the following: Try to keep aware of your posture. This probably the hardest thing to do in the martial arts and something I have the most trouble with too. Posture is really about staying centered and unified throughout movements. So for example, bending the neck to look down is a way of de-centering and de-unifying yourself. There are times that call for a dynamic stretching of the body, but bet aware it leaves you vulnerable.

Also I didn't see too much tension (which is good). I saw that one tense movement with your arm. It looked like intentional tension though? If it was intentional, then make sure you breath. The most important thing in dynamic tension is breathing deeply into it. I did however see alot of tension in your face. Relax your face while practicing and the rest of your tension will probably fade away.

It looked pretty cool though, and I really know nothing about baji lol. Forgive me if I say something completely against what you have been told.

Yes, my posture was weak and as a result my balance wasn't as well as it should have been either! Thanks for pointing it out for me! I don't remember if I was breathing or not during the tension, but it was indeed intentional, good eye! I will have to stop myself and check next time to see if I was holding my breath or not! Thanks for the tip!

Very nice, and interesting to watch.

In Japanese martial arts there is a word: "Kime". It means focus, but moreover, it is commonly used to refer to focusing a technique to a certain point, Ie) Snapping a technique with speed and power to a decided point with focus.

This would be the only thing I would say you could work on.

Thanks for posting, and please feel free to post more, I really do love the fluidity of CMA's.

I will work on Kime as well! I'm aware of it from the Okinawan Karate, but I never thought to try and use it in the CMA's, but I will experiment around with it thanks and I do hope to see more of your comments on my upcoming videos as well!

Here is my latest training video!

Thanks for watching in advance!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63NMHcfmLBg&feature=plcp

[SamsIAmz]

Just to emphasize the point, dynamic tension absolutely required breathing. Fortunately you are only doing one motion with dynamic tension, but those who do katas with dynamic tension and don't breath deeply can end up hurting themselves. I've heard many a story about individuals passing out by doing dynamic tension katas (such as Sanchin) without breathing deeply and ending up passing out.

Tension like that can raise blood pressure in a mechanism similar to the valsalva maneuver. The simplest (and perhaps grossest) example of the valsalva maneuver is while defecating. Its easy to feel like you get more force if you stop breathing, however this raises blood pressure greatly. That's why a number of people have died from heart attacks while on the toilet.

It's the internal energy (chi/ki/qi) that creates the movement. The movement can only be initiated by the breath since the breath moves the chi. The tension in the muscles is an outward representation of inner energy. An imagery I find useful, and at the least intriguing is that rather than trying to tense your muscles, try to tense your bones. Of course you can't do this, but it's all about what the imagery does to your body and energy.

[bushido_man96]

I think your flow looked better in the second video; memorization and repetition are the two best ingredients to help flow, and I think you've made improvements there. The only other thing I can see is perhaps getting a bit more power in the linear movements, using kime like the others above have suggested will help there. Think of relaxed but tensed muscles striking out, and then tightening upon contact with your target. Maybe just a bit more hip engagement on such moves, as well, but otherwise, it appears to be coming along nicely.

[Fudoshin_Ryu]

Just to emphasize the point, dynamic tension absolutely required breathing. Fortunately you are only doing one motion with dynamic tension, but those who do katas with dynamic tension and don't breath deeply can end up hurting themselves. I've heard many a story about individuals passing out by doing dynamic tension katas (such as Sanchin) without breathing deeply and ending up passing out.

Tension like that can raise blood pressure in a mechanism similar to the valsalva maneuver. The simplest (and perhaps grossest) example of the valsalva maneuver is while defecating. Its easy to feel like you get more force if you stop breathing, however this raises blood pressure greatly. That's why a number of people have died from heart attacks while on the toilet.

It's the internal energy (chi/ki/qi) that creates the movement. The movement can only be initiated by the breath since the breath moves the chi. The tension in the muscles is an outward representation of inner energy. An imagery I find useful, and at the least intriguing is that rather than trying to tense your muscles, try to tense your bones. Of course you can't do this, but it's all about what the imagery does to your body and energy.

Being Goju Ryu we do three Kata's with Dynamic Tension. Sanchin and Tensho, and not to mention we also dabble in Uechi Ryu Sanchin also. And the last one being Suparunpei where mostly the beginning is done dynamically and a little bit towards the end...but once while I was in Okinawa for a seminar I did witness an older sensei which I won't name. Had a small accident. It wasn't a pretty sight for all the Americans, but the rest of the Okinawan's just shrugged it off as a 'it happens to everyone once' sort of deal.

I think your flow looked better in the second video; memorization and repetition are the two best ingredients to help flow, and I think you've made improvements there. The only other thing I can see is perhaps getting a bit more power in the linear movements, using kime like the others above have suggested will help there. Think of relaxed but tensed muscles striking out, and then tightening upon contact with your target. Maybe just a bit more hip engagement on such moves, as well, but otherwise, it appears to be coming along nicely.

Thanks! I will definitely look forward to incorporating that more. It helps asking other practitioners what might be missing from a mental aspect because a lot of Chinese practitioners usually just say "add to it yourself and give it your own 'flair' " and I'm left like ><

So thanks again.

[bushido_man96]

I'm glad I could be of a little assistance. Thanks for sharing you video with us.