The Tai Chi Notebook

Nabil Ranné is a Chen style teacher living in Berlin who offers classes and online training at CTN Academy https://www.ctn.academy/ Nabil is a student of Chen Yu who is the only son of Chen ZhaoKui and grandson of the famous Chen Fake. Here’s what we talk about: Timestamps: 1.00: Nabil’s background in martial arts and what attracted him to Chen style Tai Chi 3.40: What is Jin in Tai Chi? 7.30: What makes Tai Chi different to other marital arts? 11.15: What is the strategy for Tai Chi? 16.00: What is the function of Tai Chi push hands? 17.55: Competition push hands vs Tai Chi push hands 22.20: The Xin Yi podcast and how do you train applications in Tai Chi 28.00: Real life self defence situations 36.00: Martial arts vs marital sports 44.02: Zhan Zhuang: Standing pillar practice 46.55: Chen style FaJin methods and their purpose 55.00: Nabil’s book and getting in touch Links: ——— Nabil’s website: https://www.ctn.academy/ Nabil’s training history: https://www.ctn.academy/blog/learning-taijiquan-with-chen-yu-nabil-ranne Nabil’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taijigongfu/ Find out more about The Tai Chi Notebook Podcast at: www.thetaichinotebook.com

This month's guest is Richard Johnson a long-time student of Joseph Chen of Chen Style Practical Method. As well as a Tai Chi practitioner and teacher, Richard is a full time movement coach working with athletes, so he brings an appreciation of athletic movement to his views on Tai Chi. In our discussion Richard delves deeply into the internal workings of the Chen Style Practical Method and we talk a lot some interesting movement principles based around rotation. We also talk about how the Practical Method is different to the Chen Village style of Tai Chi. You can get in touch with Richard using his email address trukinetix at gmail.com Find out more about this podcast at www.thetaichinotebook.com

Jess O’Brien is the author of the book Neijiaquan and co host of the Neijiaquan podcast, which he runs with Isaac Kamins. Since 1999, Jess has studied extensively under BK Frantzis. Over the years, he has also trained with other, preeminent internal martial artists like Luo De Xiu. He has been active in martial arts since his teens. In this episode we discuss what drew Jess to the internal arts and how he trained with various different teachers before becoming a student of Bruce Kumar Frantzis. Links: Neijiqaun podcast: http://www.theneijiaquanpodcast.com/ Water Tradition Internal Arts: http://www.watertradition.net/ Find out more about this podcast at: www.thetaichinotebook.com

Bruce Lee will be no stranger to anybody listening to The Tai Chi Notebook Podcast - even 50 years after his death he remains the most famous martial artist in the world. But could he actually fight? World Champions in karate competition have gone on record to point out that he never once competed in tournaments. So, were his martial abilities simply a trick of the camera? My guest for this episode is Bruce Lee authority and bestselling author John Little. John has a new book out called Wrath of the Dragon: The real fights of Bruce Lee, in which he takes a hard look at Bruce Lee’s real-life fights to definitively answer these questions To get these first hand accounts John has tracked down over 30 witnesses to the real fights of Bruce Lee as well as those who were present at his many sparring sessions. There are over 30 years of research in this book that took him thousands of miles around the globe. Find out more about Bruce Lee's fights in: WRATH OF THE DRAON The Real Fights of Bruce Lee by John Little Pub date: September 5, 2023 ISBN: 9781770417427 SPORTS & RECREATION / Martial Arts $28.95 CDN / $21.95 U.S. Paper, 8.5 x 5.5", 352 pp 22 photographs, black and white DISTRIBUTION: Baker & Taylor Publisher Services (US), Jaguar Book Group (Canada) Find out more about this podcast at www.thetaichinotebook.com

Bājíquán (八極拳) or shorter just Baji, is commonly known as “the martial art of bodyguards”. It emphasises the use of attacks that close down the distance as well as explosive close combat techniques such as combinations of elbow, knee and takedown techniques. Both Rikard Elofsson and Miika Wikberg are senior Baji students of Lü Baochun, based in Finland who has over 40 years’ experience in the training and practice of baji. He has trained under many of the famous martial artists who used the style, such as Han Longquan and Zhang Xuchun. Timestamps: 0.40: - Rikard - Introduce yourself/how did you meet your teacher Master Lü Baochun? 3.15: - Miika - Introduce yourself/how did you meet your teacher Master Lü Baochun? 7.15: What makes Baji different to other martial arts? 8.30: Old Baji and new Baji 9.20: Trademark techniques of Baji 10.15: How is Baji power different? Training methods and the 3 stepping methods. 12.40: The forms and sets in the Baji system 19.20: The history of Baji 25.15: The mixing of Baji and Pigua 26.09: Baji and body guarding 29.41: Is Baji hard to practice? 31.29: Baji and stamping/stomping 34.34: Baji and Tai Chi being taught together 36.25: How to train with Master Lü Baochun 38.00: Do you spar? 40.15: Can you add Baji to an existing skill set? 41.05 Is there a Baji Qigong? 42.18 Are there Baji conditioning exercises? 43.54 Iron Body and Baji 44.35 How do you integrate Baji with other arts? 47.24: Baji standing exercises 51.00: Wrap up and the Muhammad Ali influence Links: The Baji Association (English): https://www.baji.info/en/ Bajiquan Wasa https://www.facebook.com/bajiquanwasa/ https://www.instagram.com/bajiwasa/ Baji Kung Fu Stockholm: https://www.facebook.com/kungfusthlm/ Video: https://www.youtube.com/@Jumfer https://www.youtube.com/@bajiwasa8400

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Tai Chi Notebook podcast! My guest today is Simon Cox, who co runs the Okanagan Valley Wudang (https://www.okanaganvalleywudang.com/) with his wife Brandi in Penticton, British Columbia. Simon and Brandi spent six years living and training in China under master Yuan Xiu Gang at the Wudang Daoist Traditional Kung Fu Academy. While there they studied Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, meditation, herbal medicine, Daoist music, and ancient and modern Chinese language.  After returning to the West, they started a Kung Fu school and community group in Houston Texas, where Simon was working on his PhD in Chinese and Tibetan mysticism at Rice University. At the end of 2019, they moved up to the Okanagan Valley and began sharing Wudang teachings with the local community. What I really wanted to get at with Simon was an elucidation on his article about Zhang Sanfeng - exactly who was this mysterious Taoist immortal who is often credited as the founder of Tai Chi Chuan? I also wanted to find out more about Wudang mountain, and where its martial arts really come from. Enjoy the episode! You can find out more about The Tai Chi Notebook here: www.thetaichinotebook.com Facebook.com/taichinotebook Instagram.com/thetaichinotebook ---- Okanagan Valley Wudang www.okanaganvalleywudang.com

Episode 24: Tai Chi and Taoism on Wudang Mountain with George Thompson George Thompson is a film maker and Tai Chi teacher who studied on Wudang Mountain in China under Master Gu. His videos at https://www.youtube.com/@George-Thompson have been watched by over 15 million people and has over 200K subscribers. He runs the Wayfinder Academy at https://www.wayfinder.academy through which he teaches online courses for balanced living. In this episode I ask George what it is like to live and train Tai Chi on Wudang Mountain, what Wudang Tai Chi is like and what lessons he’s learned from Taoism. You too can learn from George’s teacher, Master Gu, 15th generation of Wudang Sanfeng Pai of Wudang mountain via his online learning site at https://www.taoistwellness.online/ Click on the 7 day trial option, then use the coupon code TAICHINOTEBOOK when you sign up and you’ll get a lifetime 8% discount. That’s equivalent to one free month a year! You can get a similar discount from George's website https://www.wayfinder.academy/ using the same discount code TAICHINOTEBOOK when you sign up. Social: https://www.instagram.com/thetaichinotebook/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taichinotebook/ Web: https://thetaichinotebook.com/

In this episode I catch up with my old Xing Yi training partner Mike Ash who has been doing marital arts for years. We talk about how we met, Mike's training history and the different martial arts he's trained in over the years as well as his latest adventures in Yang style Tai Chi and Chi Kung. We also discuss what makes a martial art popular and the current trend towards MMA, why Tai Chi is still so popular and why Xing Yi isn't in comparison. Enjoy the episode and check out thetaichinotebook.com for more articles about internal arts.

In the latest episode of the Tai Chi Notebook podcast host Graham is left all on his own without a guest, so he’s decided to pick up a book and read it to you! He’s gone for The Tai Chi Classic, one of the core works which make up a collection known as The Tai Chi Classics. Graham goes through the text a paragraph at a time and gives his interpretation of what the classic is saying. We hope you enjoy! The Tai Chi Classic In motion, the whole body should be light and agile,with all parts linked as if threaded together. The chi should be activated,The mind should be internally gathered. The postures should be rounded and without defect,without deviations from the proper alignment;in motion, your form should be continuous, without stops and starts. The jin should berooted in the feet,generated from the legs,controlled by the waist, andexpressed through the fingers.  The feet, legs, and waist should act togetheras an integrated whole,so that while advancing or withdrawingone can take the opportunity for favorable timingand good position.If correct timing and position are not achieved,the body will become disorderedand will not move as an integrated whole;the correction for this defectmust be sought in the legs and waist. The principle of adjusting the legs and waistapplies for moving in all directions;upward or downward,advancing or withdrawing,left or right. All movements are motivated by Yi,not external form. If there is up, there is down;when advancing, have regard for withdrawing;when striking left, pay attention to the right. If the yi wants to move upward,it must simultaneously have intent downward. Alternating the force of pulling and pushingsevers an opponent’s rootso that he can be defeatedquickly and certainly. Full and emptyshould be clearly differentiated.At any place where there is emptiness,there must be fullness;Every place has both emptiness and fullness. The whole body should be threaded together through every jointwithout the slightest break. Long Boxing is like a great riverrolling on unceasingly. Peng, Lu, Ji, An,Tsai, Lieh, Zhou, and Kaoare equated to the Eight Trigrams. The first four are the cardinal directions;South; Heaven, North; Earth, West; Water, and East; Fire. The second four are the four corners:Southwest; Wind, Northeast; Thunder,Southeast; Lake, and Northwest; Mountain. Advance, Withdraw,Look Left, Look Right, andCentral Equilibrium are equated to the five elements:Metal,Wood,Water,Fire, andEarth Taken together, these are termed the Thirteen Postures

Hello and welcome to the first Tai Chi Notebook podcast of 2023! Happy Year of the Rabbit!  My guest for this episode is Will Wain Williams. Will has a background in Taiji Mantis Kung Fu, which he trained in China, where he also lived for 13 years. He’s  traveled around Asia documenting ancient Kung Fu systems for his YouTube Channel Monkey Steals Peach ( https://www.youtube.com/@MonkeyStealsPeach ). I talk to Will’s about his travels documenting kung fu styles, as well as upcoming trip to Taiwan and how he’s recently started Brazilian Jiujitsu.  www.thetaichinotebook.com

Matt Hill is the owner of the Systema Academy in Wiltshire, England. Matt has a long history in martial arts, starting with Aikido, training under Morihiro Saito Sensei in Japan in the early 90s. From there he joined the Parachute Regiment leaving as a Captain in 2003. After this he started training in Systema under Vladimir Vasiliev and now teaches Systema, Bushcraft and leads groups trekking through jungles all around the world. Matt was kind enough to give me a 1-1 in Systema before we recorded this podcast at his academy, where he focused on the four pillars of Systema - breathing, relaxation, posture and movement. We discuss all these things in the podcast as well as the next destination for Matt's jungle trek. Links: Systema Academy: https://www.matthill.co.uk/

Salvatore Pace, or Salvo for short is a 3rd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu and owner of Gracie Barra Bath, the Head Quarters of Gracie Barra in the South West of the UK, Gracie Barra West Wilts and co-owner of Gracie Barra Gillingham. He is a two time NAGA European Champion and Grappler's Quest champion. Salvo grew up in Sicily and had a passion for martial arts as a young boy, practicing everything he could get his hands on, from boxing and Kung Fu to wrestling, and then MMA in the emerging combat sports scene in the UK, but it was his first encounter with Brazilian Jiujitsu and his main teacher Professor Carlos Lemos Jnr, that changed his life forever and put him on a plane to Brazil and then the USA, where he trained with some of the biggest names in the sport. Returning to the UK Salvo had a dream of teaching jiujitsu for a living and set up Gracie Barra Bath in 2007, back when most people hadn’t even heard of Brazilian jiujitsu. And that’s where our paths crossed,  I first met Salvo way back in 2011 and I’ve been with him ever since, getting all my belts from white to black from his hands and it’s been a pleasure to watch his students and academy grow and develop and expand to new locations around the South West. Jiujitsu has certainly evolved a lot since those early days, but we can let Salvo tell that story, so here he is. Links: Gracie Barra Bath (South West HQ) www.graciebarrabath.com Gracie Barra West Wilts www.graciebarrawestwilts.com Gracie Barra Gillingham www.graciebarragillingham.com

My guest for this episode is Matthew Kreuger who hails all the way from sunny Alaska where he runs a his own podcast called ‘Walking with the Tengu’, which explores classics texts and writings for the modern martial artist. Matthew is also a fellow practitioner of Brazilian jiujitsu and also practice the Japanese sword art of Iaido and the Chinese throwing art of Shuai Jiao. Today we mainly discuss the topic of warriorship, but we actually start off with the topic of the performance aspects of martial arts and finish off with a discussion of how Matthew combines his three martial arts in his personal practice.  Links: Walking with the Tengu: https://walkingtengu.wixsite.com/tengu You can support my podcast by becoming a Patron, get the podcast early and get exclusive videos and articles. Head over to www.patreon.com/taichinotebook

Today’s episode is an interview with my old friend Professor Paul Bowman of Cardiff University who is something of a mover and shaker in the academic field of martial arts studies. Paul has written several academic books on martial arts including Martial Arts Mythologies, The Invention of Martial Arts and Theorising Bruce Lee. He also co-edits the Martial Arts Studies Journal for the Martial Arts Studies Research Network. Years ago I taught Paul attended my Tai Chi class- and now we both train Brazilian jiujitsu in the same organisation so this is quite an informal chat. We talk about what Paul’s been up to since he last appeared on my podcast (that was back in episode 3 if you want to check it out), his upcoming book on self defence and the sublime, plus his unhealthy obsession with the Internet personality Master Wong.  Links: Join my Patreon! Head over to www.patreon.com/taichinotebook Martial Arts Studies Network: http://mastudiesrn.org/

My guest in this episode will need no introduction to anybody who trains in the Chinese styles of Xing Yi and Baguazhang, especially in the United States. Tim Cartmell is a lifelong martial artist who spent many years living in Asia learning the internal arts, before heading back to the US where he took up BJJ, becoming a black belt. Tim is now the head jiujitsu coach at Ace Jiujitsu Academy in Fountain Valley, California where he teaches classes and trains professional MMA fighters. https://www.acejiujitsu.com/  In this podcast I ask Tim about his training tips, especially for older martial artists, where he thinks martial arts is going in the future and his approach to combining all the arts he knows into a single principle-based, reality-driven approach. You can find out more about Tim at his website www.shenwu.com and don’t forget to check out the Shen Wu Martial Arts group on Facebook.  I hadn’t talked to Tim before this interview, but many of the people I’ve had as guests on my podcast have rated him highly, and now I know why - for somebody with so much experience of martial arts Tim is a very humble and genuine guy, as I hope you’ll discover over the next hour or so.  You can support The Tai Chi Notebook Podcast by becoming a patron. Head over to www.patreon.com/taichinotebook and become a patron today! You'll get a version of the podcast you can download, exclusive video clips and articles.