the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

This is a medley of the Simplified form, family form, and fajin form by Master Alex Dong during his recent trip to Thailand.

Feb 1, 2024
Slow, Fast and Fajin Form combined. Huachiew University in Bangkok Thailand on Jan. 20, 2024.
By Master Alex Dong

Even so many generations removed, it is easy to see the influence of Li Baoyu of Hao style in the Dong family sets....I recently had the chance to see the 'fajin' set passed down by Li Baoyu's grandstudents here in China, several of the movements + the general body method / flavour are v similar to this video of Alex!

nicklinjm wrote:Even so many generations removed, it is easy to see the influence of Li Baoyu of Hao style in the Dong family sets....I recently had the chance to see the 'fajin' set passed down by Li Baoyu's grandstudents here in China, several of the movements + the general body method / flavour are v similar to this video of Alex!

True, Dong's fajin movements look more influenced by Li Baiyu than by his father.

Bao wrote:

nicklinjm wrote:Even so many generations removed, it is easy to see the influence of Li Baoyu of Hao style in the Dong family sets....I recently had the chance to see the 'fajin' set passed down by Li Baoyu's grandstudents here in China, several of the movements + the general body method / flavour are v similar to this video of Alex!

True, Dong's fajin movements look more influenced by Li Baiyu than by his father.

For comparison, here's his dad doing the fast form:

Nick
Is there any film of Li or his students doing the form you saw

origami_itto wrote:For comparison, here's his dad doing the fast form:

Yes I know, I've watched it. You can clearly see that this is clearly NOT just a speed up Yang form with Chen-style fajin infused. That is why I said the son doesn’t look like his father. His father has calmness, rhythm, and the movements have their own purposes. Much, much better.

wayne hansen wrote:Nick
Is there any film of Li or his students doing the form you saw

Don't know if it's the same. Should be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnvjD8VS4zE

Thanks for that
I thought it might be more like Tungs in sequence
I don’t like the words fast fajing or combat
Don’t know what I would call them
I learnt both of Tungs forms We have 3 in our school and I also learnt Huangs Quick Fist
Huangs is the only one I stopped practicing
I have not passed on Tungs because I always thought there was more to them than I was shown
That’s why I like to see anything that pertains to them
I love doing them but just think there is more to them

Bao wrote:

origami_itto wrote:For comparison, here's his dad doing the fast form:

Yes I know, I've watched it. You can clearly see that this is clearly NOT just a speed up Yang form with Chen-style fajin infused. That is why I said the son doesn’t look like his father. His father has calmness, rhythm, and the movements have their own purposes. Much, much better.

Ah, Alex was doing three different forms that may be confusing you.

One is his simplified, that's what he started with, up to the turn to his right,
Two was this one, the Dong Ying Jie family form which is Dong Ying Jie's own invention based on his art.
Three is the fajin form which is part of the family practice and is, quite literally, just the yang form with some fajin.

I'm sure he would appreciate any notes you'd like to share with him on his form. Don't we all strive to do as well as or better than our fathers?

I think they're both much better than my own so when I get to a place I feel fit to criticize them I'll start sharing criticisms.

origami_itto wrote:Ah, Alex was doing three different forms that may be confusing you.

Maybe that was what was confusing him?

Ok, I admit there's a difference, thank you for pointing that out.

I don't know the guy, I know you like him and you see him as your teacher. I have nothing against him, I just didn't like this particular performance. But maybe that is the problem, it's a performance. I don't believe Tai Chi was created for performance, it should be something personal. I assume that you would need to meet him in person... Now I will stfu, thank you.

I think he looks great, but maybe I'm biased lol, still learning those forms. I know that this was in the afternoon in Thailand and the flight from New York landed in the morning so he was pretty jet lagged.

Just wanted to point out what felt like a misunderstanding about what he was doing is all.

I have not passed on Tungs because I always thought there was more to them than I was shown

I'll be certified to teach soon, you're welcome to pay up and learn what you're lacking. ;P

Capable and certified two different animals
So how many hours have you spent face to face with him
Not on zoom and just you alone
Good to know seeing you mentioned certification

Three forms in one ? Beginners, intermediate and advanced in one ? Perfect for the fast phased internet world ?

Trick wrote:Three forms in one ? Beginners, intermediate and advanced in one ? Perfect for the fast phased internet world ?

Must add- the levelsare found in the long authentic Yang-family form, although the advancement takes a longer time it correctly root to the core

But it’s not fajin. Moving fast, or snapping the hands at the end of a strike are not fajin.

To fajin a person has to use their Transverse Abdominal Muscles (TVA) to quickly spring or flex, move the lumbar spine from one isometrically held position into a different isometrically held position. This fast movement generates an omnidirectional movement of the flesh. This wave of flesh, through arduous and dedicated practice can then be harnessed to move in perfect synchronous movement with strikes of the arms, in order to have the wave of flesh arriving at the same time as the bones of the striking implement is hitting the target.

In a normal strike or punch the bones are pulling away from your own flesh and when the wave of flesh finally catches up to the bones hitting the target, it’s too late, the wave dissipates into the air, but it still has momentum that carries the striking arm and hinders the speed when trying to change that strike into something different.

In a fajin the bones and flesh are in sync, which allows strikes that hit, or miss, to be easily changed into something else becomes they are stopping at the same time.

The TVA are arguably the strongest muscles in our body as they are constantly flexing in an isometric manner to hold your spine upright whenever we’re standing up. They aren’t hindered by the Krebs cycle. They only rest at night. In Standing Exercises and Circle Turning we hold the lumbar in a different position and over time we develop a second isometric posture that the TVA can find strength in. This then allows one to instantly spring from one shape to another, with great speed and strength. Like other muscles of our body the TVA can increase the size of its muscle fibers through practice and specialized strength exercises. It is this thickening of the TVA that can cause growth of the abdomen, which has been dubbed growing a Dantian.

.