the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

I figured that I would just throw this one out there, It' just something that I have always wondered.

With all motion related to any and all activities, Why is it only CMA and "especially" Taijiquan movements that create qi?

Perhaps members of this board could share what they think of this phenomenon.
Thanks

Everyday one drop added to the bucket.

Huh? What about Qigong, baguazhang, etc., etc.? But a lot of taijiquan styles are done at a certain calm, smooth pace. Maybe that is one key.

willie wrote:I figured that I would just throw this one out there, It' just something that I have always wondered.

With all motion related to any and all activities, Why is it only CMA and "especially" Taijiquan movements that create qi?

Perhaps members of this board could share what they think of this phenomenon.
Thanks

Everyday one drop added to the bucket.

All CMA use qi and express qi in what ever they do.
The distinction is in the expression of it and how its used.

For some styles the "qi" is used to reinforce the body, for others the body
is used to facilitate and use the "qi" directly. Some might use the words internal and external
to describe the distinctions.

Your question might be more related as to why or how the Chinese
came up with the idea of "qi" a very culturally oriented concept.

everything wrote:Huh? What about Qigong, baguazhang, etc., etc.? But a lot of taijiquan styles are done at a certain calm, smooth pace. Maybe that is one key.

The Baguazhang guys that I have met didn't have good qi cultivation and were floaters. In my opinion the art itself seems very
good, But more attention to actual qi cultivation is necessary to reach higher level skills. Also, I did say in my post "CMA", which includes Bagua.

So why doesn't any kind of motion create qi Perhaps this is a question that will answer some of the other questions
regarding some of the mysticism associated with these ancient arts?

Is it the Dao?
Does the art really have some sort of connection with gods?
What is it and why?

Thanks

willie wrote:I figured that I would just throw this one out there, It' just something that I have always wondered.

With all motion related to any and all activities, Why is it only CMA and "especially" Taijiquan movements that create qi?

Perhaps members of this board could share what they think of this phenomenon.
Thanks

Everyday one drop added to the bucket.

I don't think any excercise "create Qi" . When you fill your body with fuel(food) the body make use of the "food Qi" and transform it so becomes useful Qi for your body

Trick wrote:I don't think any excercise "create Qi" . When you fill your body with fuel(food) the body make use of the "food Qi" and transform it so becomes useful Qi for your body

Yes it's true what you say about energy coming from food. At least that's what some people say. But I have found that the chi is actually coming directly from the forms themselves. So the question remains, why is it that only certain movements from certain Chinese martial arts that are creating Chi energy and no other motions?

windwalker wrote:

All CMA use qi and express qi in what ever they do.
The distinction is in the expression of it and how its used.

For some styles the "qi" is used to reinforce the body, for others the body
is used to facilitate and use the "qi" directly. Some might use the words internal and external
to describe the distinctions.

Your question might be more related as to why or how the Chinese
came up with the idea of "qi" a very culturally oriented concept.

Okay I don't really believe that is just a cultural thing. Qi is actually a substance like a liquid or mist that moves around in the body. This is the heaviness and not just relaxation. It is also shown in the super flowing movements. it is impossible to move like that without unobstructed Chi within the body. however I do believe that people are working with Chi directly it's more in Healing Arts. Any other ideas and I would love to hear them thank you

willie wrote:

Trick wrote:I don't think any excercise "create Qi" . When you fill your body with fuel(food) the body make use of the "food Qi" and transform it so becomes useful Qi for your body

Yes it's true what you say about energy coming from food. At least that's what some people say. But I have found that the chi is actually coming directly from the forms themselves. So the question remains, why is it that only certain movements from certain Chinese martial arts that are creating Chi energy and no other motions?

If I remember right from yours previous posts, you're a weight lifter? Then of course you know much about the importance of healthy nutritious food and the importance of getting good quality rest to get the maximum result from the weight training. Now this is my very crude and highly unrefined take on for example Taiji practice, the practice may be so designed so it's supposed to give the practitioner a "high quality" training and at the same time give a "good quality" rest. Get two in one package, kind of.

willie wrote:Okay I don't really believe that is just a cultural thing.

One would have to show where this idea is presented in other cultures
or a similar idea producing the same results.

The word "qi" is Chinese no?

windwalker wrote:

willie wrote:Okay I don't really believe that is just a cultural thing.

One would have to show where this idea is presented in other cultures
or a similar idea producing the same results.

The word "qi" is Chinese no?

Well the Indian Yogis have the concept of "prana", the Greek "Aether". I would also dare to say "the Holy Spirit" in Christianity is similar to the concept of Qi.

The intention of movement without the thought of movement

Back on topic a little, I think perhaps in tai chi, there may be more emphasis on "sink", "relax", and sinking qi to the dantian. For crying out loud the "classics" say the first thing you should do is sink qi to your dantian. They say to let the tea leaves slowly settle at the bottom of your cup or pot without forcing them down, and slowly you can sink qi to your dantian. Once you can feel and circulate and sink qi to dantian, you can try to store qi in your dantian, which reinforces this flow and this feeling of having "created" qi. I don't know if other IMA try to work on it as much, or if it is more incidental, or influenced by tai chi or what. It seems like taijiquan has quite a bit more qi hugging. Nowadays that's mainly what it is: the world's most popular form of qigong (and nothing to do with martial arts). Of course for most people they are doing more of a form of external yoga (including yogis who aren't really working on qi or prana).

Wait, wait, wait,

Isn't it for CMA its called "chi or Qi"
In Yoga, they say "prana"
And in JMA it's "ki
?

qi and ki are the same word/character.

willie wrote:Okay I don't really believe that is just a cultural thing. Qi is actually a substance like a liquid or mist that moves around in the body.

If you can identify something of substance that is qi you should get together with a physicist or physiologist or some one into bio-mechanics at a local university and publish the information. You'll be historical.