Interview with Adam Mizner

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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby amor on Wed Dec 21, 2016 3:58 am

GrahamB wrote:Oh my god.

Image


Graham what was that quote you had one time in your sig. .. something said by a famous philosopher, who's name I don't remember. It was a quote in relation to if a man doesn't 'change' or explore his internal body or something about power, then he has wasted his life.

Can you recall that saying you used?
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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby GrahamB on Wed Dec 21, 2016 4:05 am

1. I see nothing actually useful in exploring how the 'internal' body works posted on this thread, just a lot of mumbo jumo qi talk that could mean anything to anyone, as Charles has already pointed out. Also a very long video about how to turn from side to side, in excruciating detail.

2. I believe it was actually Socrates, who you are referencing. He was talking about what a waste of life it was for man not to explore his potential in the physical arts:

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I also like this one:

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But that might be better off in the thread about Chi running - lol ;D
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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby willie on Wed Dec 21, 2016 4:21 am

amor wrote:
GrahamB wrote:Oh my god.

Image


Graham what was that quote you had one time in your sig. .. something said by a famous philosopher, who's name I don't remember. It was a quote in relation to if a man doesn't 'change' or explore his internal body or something about power, then he has wasted his life.

Can you recall that saying you used?


now that's excruciating
Last edited by willie on Wed Dec 21, 2016 5:31 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby amor on Wed Dec 21, 2016 4:37 am

Thanks G, it was the one from Socrates about a man growing old without knowing strength/beauty of the body although in all likelihood he probably meant the athletic greek physique of the time and not the internal body physique. For some reason I thought he may have been referring to the internal body development but in all likelihood he probably didn't.
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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby GrahamB on Wed Dec 21, 2016 4:50 am

I don't think we know what exercises the ancient Greeks really did as part of their training, but my overall impression (just from looking at their art and statues and wrestling depictions) would be that they tended to view the body as a whole, so it would be more 'whole body' type of exercise. So, rather than push ups, it would be Hindu dips type things - but I'm just guessing.

I do believe there was a big crossing over of Helenistic culture and Eastern culture - between East and West - because of the conquests of Alexander. So concepts were interchanging between cultures even then.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Buddhism

If you look at the curious esoteric religion of Mithracism that was popular amongst Roman soldiers in Britain and Europe, it had its roots in Persia.
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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby Marko on Wed Dec 21, 2016 5:41 am

amor wrote:For some reason I thought he may have been referring to the internal body development but in all likelihood he probably didn't.


Well, I always loved the story of Antaeus, the half giant son of Poseidon and Gaia, who would challenge all passers by to wrestling matches and couldn't be defeated while in contact with his mother, the Earth. He was killed by Heracles as part of the demi-god's 11th quest, who crushed him in a bear hug after raising him up and thus draining his ground derived power ;D ;D ;D

Just to be sure, I don't think the Greeks had any internal training as featured in Asian martial arts, the story is just a funny tongue in cheek :)

Sorry for the thread drift.
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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby DuncanBP on Wed Dec 21, 2016 6:19 am

Marko wrote:Sorry for the thread drift.


No problem - it is all Greek to Graham. ;D
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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby Bao on Wed Dec 21, 2016 8:05 am

DuncanBP wrote:
Bao wrote:I wonder if a three week student have any "qi" to sink... How would they know how to do or what it should feel like? :-\


From my experience on the course, and I would say I was a Taiji beginner, the instruction has always been to "follow the method" if you want to sink the Qi. When you release, things start to sink. Mostly, at least at my level, this seems to be about being mindful and following the process, not really focussing on Qi itself.


He says literally "sink the qi". It's an advice. How could a beginner interprete what he says other than focus direct on feeling this blurry thing he or she has no clue about?

A quote that cropped up, which I think sums it up well, was: Use the Yi to lead the Song, to create the sinking that sinks the Qi.... don’t focus on Qi itself.


What good does that quote from you make when he speaks directly about something you should do with the qi?
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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby DuncanBP on Wed Dec 21, 2016 8:23 am

Bao, yes - he's saying "sink the Qi" but he's talking about the process that allows for it. He could have said, rather, "Sink, to sink the Qi."

As in... 'do X and Y, and then Z happens'. He's not saying what you should be trying to do, actively, with Qi, but what you should be doing to allow the Qi to doing something (sink).

That's why I referenced: "Use the Yi to lead the Song, to create the sinking that sinks the Qi.... don’t focus on Qi itself."
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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby Bao on Wed Dec 21, 2016 9:44 am

DuncanBP wrote:Bao, yes - he's saying "sink the Qi" but he's talking about the process that allows for it. He could have said, rather, "Sink, to sink the Qi."

As in... 'do X and Y, and then Z happens'. He's not saying what you should be trying to do, actively, with Qi, but what you should be doing to allow the Qi to doing something (sink)."


How would a 3 week student understand that? He says do this, do that, relax, sink the qi. It's just something you should together with the other stuff. Nowhere does he explain it like you do. What quotes you come up with or however you would like to explain it doesn't matter. We are still talking about the third week for a beginner.
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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby DuncanBP on Wed Dec 21, 2016 10:35 am

When you sign up to the course, you get access to a private Facebook group - and there you can ask questions (which is what most of us do with a teacher, no?)

If you want clarity on something, Adam is good at responding - as are his senior students. All said, any online course will have limitations - and it will be a balancing act (how much info can be shared, how much needs to be at a person's given stage of learning, etc.). People use the group to ask Qs, arrange to meet with nearby practitioners, discuss seminar materials taught/experienced, and so on.

A three-week student will/should understand, because he/she is free to ask questions that go beyond what a given lesson (pre-recorded) can give.
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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby Bao on Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:00 am

DuncanBP wrote:A three-week student will/should understand, because he/she is free to ask questions that go beyond what a given lesson (pre-recorded) can give.


...You have a much more positive view on humanity than me.... :P
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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby DuncanBP on Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:42 am

Bao wrote:...You have a much more positive view on humanity than me.... :P


;D I'm going to have to show that comment to my wife, it will crack her up. :)

But, of course, the best way to learn from a teacher (any teacher) is in person. Even then, with hands-on instruction, people will not understand something and will ask questions. With an online course, it's a one-way conversation... so the FB group is a useful way to reach out for clarification when it's needed.

The bottom line, for me, is that Adam's course is well structured, is pretty much as clear as it can be (given the said limitations of the format), has very good (and detailed) content, and doesn't offer some quick-fix/mastery-in-a-month progression. It's very clear that the method he teaches takes time, and will hurt a fair bit ;)

On the FB group students sometimes post videos of their own, and that's really nice to see, too (allowing people to see how the skills do develop over time). I find that one of the most inspiring aspects of the group.
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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby wayne hansen on Wed Dec 21, 2016 5:55 pm

Are u sending video of your progress to Adam for correction or is it all one way and Facebook chat
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Re: Interview with Adam Mizner

Postby richardg6 on Wed Dec 21, 2016 7:42 pm

DuncanBP wrote:
Bao, yes - he's saying "sink the Qi" but he's talking about the process that allows for it. He could have said, rather, "Sink, to sink the Qi."

As in... 'do X and Y, and then Z happens'. He's not saying what you should be trying to do, actively, with Qi, but what you should be doing to allow the Qi to doing something (sink)."

Duncan;

Let me encourage you to diligently follow Adam's course. Sink to sink qi displays a clear path to understanding. I used a bowling ball held on one shoulder to learn how much sink I was missing.

His current video "Song Gong" is one of best descriptions of the concept of shu/shi as not just full and empty, but the transfer of the body weight, substantial to insubstantial between 0 and 100%, sinking eccentrically while incorporating Crossing the River x leg to opposite arm, arm to opposite leg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPV1MfVyMEE
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