Which Fajin "Breaks the laws of Physics"?

 Someone on YouTube saw this and said “Fajin broke the law of Physics” Which Fajin? The term "Fajin" is as ubiquitous in martial arts as "Chopsocky" is in TV and Movies. There is a first mentioned "ordinary" Fajin with tensed muscles and rebound because of sustained tension like a hammer in the striking limb. Then there is "non-ordinary" Fajin with a perennial relaxed body and muscles. That Fajin has the force of a whip-like wave with a "Newton can't be wrong" but seemingly in name only rebound force. Yet surprisingly because of its wave-like nature, it shows no rebound force whatsoever. So which one violated and broke it or was it really violated and broken at all? There is what Master Hwa called “Ordinary Force” and what I call "Non-Ordinary" Force. That Non-Ordinary Force is not "external" and is a skill to be learned via the internal disciplined movement of the Torso. The comment at this point might be, "but what if I take a large step forward and tilt my body forward punching Tom?" Of course, you won't careen back because the "Reaction Force" is absorbed by the back foot...but your force is still "external and ordinary". The conundrum is how to take a LEARNABLE "SMALL" step (small frame, small circle), tilt the body forward, or even stand perpendicular like Master Hwa in this photo...and not careen back from "reaction force". He used the "non-ordinary" force."

The muscles you don't know

 Yi dao qi dao qi dao shen dong 意到气到气到身动 but first 能量路径 Néngliàng lùjìn. That means I would first add "energy path," which is the difference between Classical Tai Chi and other Tai Chi. So the older gentleman waved his hands in the air, shaking his head, and yelled, "I already know how to walk," as he left our Tai Chi class with the same shuffling steps. His actions are just the iceberg tip. That is the public attitude in learning Neijin via "internal discipline ." Our body looks for the easy neuromuscular actions for using its muscles. Those actions can cause bodily harm to ourselves. You have to lift your very young child off the floor. You bend at the waist and lean forward and over. Is there anyone who can say the back muscles are not working reflexively to keep you from falling on your face? You have your child in your grip, yet their weight continues to pull, and you need more muscle to stay erect. So, whether old or young, those muscles are mainly used to keep you upright and not lift the child. Isn't it doubtful that any messages are getting through a priori to say that type of stance can harm your body? But the adage "use your legs, not your back" may occur to some people. To others, the back pain may cause them to use their legs next time.

So, you are in Karate class and throw a punch. From my experience and reports from others, the punch's force stops at the suction-laden ball and socket shoulders. The fist clenched tightly, tightening the forearm muscles and relinquishing any muscle help from the body. Giving credit where credit is due, your body can at least eventually learn how feeble and harmful the punch was.

The shuffling gentleman presumes he is in charge of it all, including the voluntary and involuntary nerves. He is mistaken, and he is not in order and is clueless with muscles. He is what the song calls, but he thinks, "I am the very model of a modern Major-General" in his motions. He can scratch his head and nose, but he is unaware of what lies between those commands and what moves the muscles to accomplish the scratching. Teaching is at the behest of this gap in all students. "Sensations"? What sensations of students can teachers count on to facilitate learning?"

Explained very well in Master Hwa's admonition to have "Yi" (intention), then you will have "Qi," but first establish an energy path from your "internal disciplined" practice of 1/4, 1/2, and upper/lower body movement. Then we can genuinely talk of command and control with awareness.

Yi dao qi dao qi dao shen dong 意到气到气到身动 but first 能量路径 Néngliàng lùjìn, "energy path," is the difference between Classical Tai Chi and other Tai Chi.

M.D. said "You did not talk about breath in Tai Chi"!

 

Grandmaster Young, Grandmaster Wu

"Why didn't you talk about how to breathe while doing Tai Chi" said the M.D. in my class. Can you imagine (of all things) the question "How do I breathe while doing Tai Chi" has to be frequently addressed by teachers? For something that really is natural, I have found that people have some pretty unnatural ideas about it. Master Hwa addressed this in explicit detail in his book "Uncovering the Treasure", but I found some information about how his "teacher's teacher" dealt with it. In so many words, old Tai Chi masters never had a doubt about the four words:
'The breathing is natural."

Wu Chien Chuan allegedly said: "While eating or drinking nobody thinks about the breathing. I also never heard, that somebody got harmed by eating or drinking. Let us suggest, that while eating and drinking you also have to think when you have to breathe in and out and how to use the qi. Then it would unavoidably become harmed. That is the easiest way to explain it." "Master Hwa has frequently addressed the perennial “How do I breathe”? What is more puzzling is that question from students of mine who have knowledge of anatomy and even kinesthesiology. Do those studies not demonstrate the incredible interdependence of the systems of the human body? How can anything happen to any part of it without echoing through the entire body?

When I teach CTC walking my students touch a wall with just one finger. It sends correct messages of good structure to the brain. In essence, one might say it balances the bones. If the bones are not balanced, muscles are used to compensate.

But isn’t breathing also a muscular activity? Then it stands to reason it suffers when the necessary muscles cannot be used fully because they are straining to make up for the structural imbalance. So how will you watch and control your breathing as you do a complicated or rapid move you have no skill with? In light of that, how will you breathe fully or deeply? Remember “interdependence”? In turn, when you cannot breathe deeply the muscles cannot relax because they do not receive sufficient oxygen. What happens to the relaxation CTC is noted for? And the tension in the muscles constricts the blood vessels so the capacity of the circulatory system is seriously diminished. What happens to health benefits? And on it goes.

Anatomy textbook for Tai Chi

 

Internal by belt buckle

I have some correspondence here about my "internal discipline" experience with an Anatomy Professor, Master Hwa, and from a student at classical-tai-chi-teachable.com. The picture/video below is an important snippet of his video recommendation:

"Master Hwa, could you please recommend an anatomy textbook that I could reference as I work on internal movements? I am fairly visual. I think that seeing which muscles are innervated would help me execute the internal movements".

Stephen Hwa

Reply

"Your first point, please see my Youtube video", https://youtu.be/5Zxxeyrt-FI It should answer your question.

James Roach

Reply

"Master Hwa, there is an Anatomy Professor with a teaching assistant at D'Youville University. My student Jason was in his class while studying for a Master's Degree in O.T. Upon introduction, a demonstration was given by Jason and me. After both teacher and assistant attempted "internal discipline" movements, they not only struggled to do it, and looked baffled but also did not proffer any questions about anatomy. Your previous statements about familiarity with its sensations have proven to be the key. As I'm sure you recall, it also took me some time and difficulty in my first year with you some 20 years ago and that was after a previous 2 decades studying with the Wu family. I also treasure the video where I hear you say "LOWER" to my other student Tom Kostusiak. His internal movement was high in the chest and not in the abdomen and back. We both would use the mirror at home and at the studio to see exactly where the movement was. Then we would take videos of ourselves to see it as well. We practice any chance that we have, sitting, watching TV, at red lights, etc., very relaxing".

Stephen Hwa

Reply

"Interesting analysis"!

Liked on YouTube: Discovery

Discovery
Master Hwa: You know, sometimes, as I recently wrote in the book about discoveries I am still discovering things. For example, we talk about rotating this arm; and your arm is up a little bit? Before I kind of said, now, because you rotate up, the elbow is down. So now you can go down like this. But really, that rotation HAS LOTS MORE MEANING TO IT. So you understand because you are nodding your head, right? You know, you try with one hand, you can see. So, with one hand, you rotate, OK, you rotate, then you start moving again. You see this move, starting with this rotation. This is a very powerful move. Right? We are starting with this rotation. Once you start to move the arm, and so again, I just, just admire this. Ohhh, these old masters, they really think about everything. This is a very powerful move for blocking, and later on, you can feel the power. Right? Very good, right, exactly. Right and also later on, when we talk about push hands, there are other uses for this move too. You know, so early on, I just followed my teacher, turning, but now I really understand why. I understand why it is so important. Two hands are actually more difficult, so both hands come down. You know most of the otherTai Chi forms when they do this, they pull the arms back like this. It is not what we do, and we really do THIS. It is more difficult than one hand to do both sides actually. Student: "At that point, it is a feeling in the back?" Master Hwa: "Yeah, the back, my back goes down. That's how the back goes down. It's easy to illustrate it using one hand, but two hands is a more difficult situation. Yes, the SHOULDER SINKS. Now, two hands can also be used for blocking, Or, when someone comes underneath you, you strike him on the back with the elbows. The shoulder goes down."
via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLfn5AF1BYo

Liked on YouTube: Internal and Mental discipline

Internal and Mental discipline

via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOQi6YAbeP0

Swap physical for "ethereal"

 "Ethereal" photo aside, I first saw Donn Draeger's "Comprehensive Asian Martial Arts" in 1975 at an Asian Garden Nursery. The word "internal" was seen 16 times on four different pages, my first hint. I had this vague feeling that the book "beat around the bush" about the "physical internal discipline." And of course, it proved true as I started my first Tai Chi "Buggy ride" in 1976. The unlisted video link is of Master Stephen Hwa and a snippet of his "Introduction" at https://classical-tai-chi.teachable.com. The physical, I will say, "internal" discipline of Tai Chi indeed is not well known. It took 20 years of "Tai Chi Buggy rides" out of the last 46 to physically find my teacher. However, what passes for the "mental" discipline of Tai Chi, unfortunately, is well known. One might juxtapose the word "mental" with this culture's tendencies for "ethereal" or even "spiritual." That might also depend on what kind of Tai Chi you believe in. Which, of course, like many other things, is one of many; each is telling you they are the right one in this country. Then there are the "martial" aspects, but those have "Yi," which is a very subtle yet powerful reason they are essential. Needless to say but I had never heard the word "Yi" before 2004.

Unlisted on Youtube and unavailable to the general public:

https://youtu.be/cOQi6YAbeP0