Flying Monk Ep 14 - Meeting Paul Rogers and Bagua Boy
Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 3:18 amhi everyone
I recently visited again with Sifu Paul Rogers in Somerset, this time to document his story, teaching, lineage and the practice of his son Coltrane, the Bagua Boy.( Many will have seen his video clips on youtube, posted here under Ashapaul.)
It was a few years ago when I first contacted Paul, simply to say I appreciated his video clips and that I also practiced Zhang Zao Dong lineage Baguazhang, under my teacher Serge Augier.
I was still recovering from the effects of serious injury back then, and Paul was very helpful and generous in offering traditional medical assistance and friendship. We kept in touch until I was able to visit him, and that first meeting left me feeling very happy to meet someone with such a genuine love for the arts and such deep skill. After meeting Paul and having hands-on contact, I asked if he would be a subject of my ongoing attempt to document the masters and methods of the traditional arts of fighting, healing and cultivation.
His generous sharing of his lifestory, knowledge, skills and recollections of his teachers and the old masters has resulted in a series of DVDs which we have produced at Line of Intent Films. They weave technical information, forms, two man work, weapons, along with plenty of deep insights into martial practice and inspiring stories about how the older generation practice.
Like many of my subjects Paul is much more of a practitioner then a self-promoter, he doesn't talk or write about what he can do but enjoys showing it for real, he doesn't want big classes just serious guys who can commit to training and approach the teaching with respect. He is not someone you will go to just to 'pick up a few things' or 'check out what he's got'.....this is a practitioner who has trained full time for 30 years and knows how skill is slowly absorbed through oral transmission and 'tasting the bitter'.
Paul has deep ability, his sticking hands/push hands skills and ability to apply the fighting techniques from that range and to change instantaneously against any pressure is very refined, he can express the various types of jing or internal powers from Taijiquan, Bagua and Xingyi with clarity, and he can move from big circle to small circle to vanishing in a fraction of a second.
Its my passion to document people with real skill - men such as Serge Augier, Eiichi Tanaka and Steven Benitez - and here is another expert whose mind and art bears the imprint of a genuine lineage. As with the teachers I have studied with for many years this man clearly had teachers of the highest level. Hope you guys all enjoy the fruit of our time together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdyvvf1 ... e=youtu.be
I recently visited again with Sifu Paul Rogers in Somerset, this time to document his story, teaching, lineage and the practice of his son Coltrane, the Bagua Boy.( Many will have seen his video clips on youtube, posted here under Ashapaul.)
It was a few years ago when I first contacted Paul, simply to say I appreciated his video clips and that I also practiced Zhang Zao Dong lineage Baguazhang, under my teacher Serge Augier.
I was still recovering from the effects of serious injury back then, and Paul was very helpful and generous in offering traditional medical assistance and friendship. We kept in touch until I was able to visit him, and that first meeting left me feeling very happy to meet someone with such a genuine love for the arts and such deep skill. After meeting Paul and having hands-on contact, I asked if he would be a subject of my ongoing attempt to document the masters and methods of the traditional arts of fighting, healing and cultivation.
His generous sharing of his lifestory, knowledge, skills and recollections of his teachers and the old masters has resulted in a series of DVDs which we have produced at Line of Intent Films. They weave technical information, forms, two man work, weapons, along with plenty of deep insights into martial practice and inspiring stories about how the older generation practice.
Like many of my subjects Paul is much more of a practitioner then a self-promoter, he doesn't talk or write about what he can do but enjoys showing it for real, he doesn't want big classes just serious guys who can commit to training and approach the teaching with respect. He is not someone you will go to just to 'pick up a few things' or 'check out what he's got'.....this is a practitioner who has trained full time for 30 years and knows how skill is slowly absorbed through oral transmission and 'tasting the bitter'.
Paul has deep ability, his sticking hands/push hands skills and ability to apply the fighting techniques from that range and to change instantaneously against any pressure is very refined, he can express the various types of jing or internal powers from Taijiquan, Bagua and Xingyi with clarity, and he can move from big circle to small circle to vanishing in a fraction of a second.
Its my passion to document people with real skill - men such as Serge Augier, Eiichi Tanaka and Steven Benitez - and here is another expert whose mind and art bears the imprint of a genuine lineage. As with the teachers I have studied with for many years this man clearly had teachers of the highest level. Hope you guys all enjoy the fruit of our time together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdyvvf1 ... e=youtu.be