the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

The term Fa Jin (simplified characters 发劲, traditional characters 發勁) means issuing or sending forth power or energy. The character Jin (勁) a combination of two characters of Jing (巠) and Li (力). Jing (巠) means streams run to the groun and Li (力) means power generated by muscles and tendons. Therefore, Jin (勁) can be interpreted as multiple channels of forces or energy and Li (力) is a simple kind of force or energy.

From classical literatures, Fa Jin has the following characteristics:

1. Store and then issue
2. Store power is like an opened bow
3. Issue power is like a released arrow
4. Coordinating the torso and limbs

Fa Jin is a combinational of stored power and the generated power to issue a greater power. Traditionally the body is descripted as the movements of 15 joints of arms, legs, and the spine. The generated strength is a combination of the movements of these joints to form a straight line of attack. This in a way fits the concept of the Chinese character of Jin (勁) with reference to the generation of power from the movement of multiple joints.

My question is: how many forum members can actually do this AND hit their opponent? Very few, I'd wager...

Why not expand it to -how many has and/or will try it with the big shots in the UFC and similar.....or just walk into an decent boxing gym to try it is probably expansion enough ?.......(I personally is not bothered if practitioners do not try it out with the tough’n rumble guys,)

I've done the latter, at least. Decent is probably a strong word, though, but better than nothing.. It's not an easy thing to do because you are essentially public enemy #1 when you walk in.

When we talk about Fa Jin, should we also talk about heavy bag training?

If you

- don't care about fighting, you won't care about Fajin.
- care about Fajin, you should also care about heavy bag training (since Fa Jin on a life human being is dangerous).

Under what condition that you only care about Fa Jin, but you don't care about heavy bag training, or fighting?

In my opinion, I think it is based on the type of fajin.

For bajiquan, xingyiquan, baguazhang, etc. - practicing fajin on bags should be fine.
For taijiquan - practicing fajin may not work as well.

edededed wrote:For taijiquan - practicing fajin may not work as well.

A Taiji guy's fist will still have to land on his opponent's body. If a Taiji guy's fist always hit into the thin air, that's not CMA, that's solo dancing.

I agree with John... There is nothing that makes Taijiquan Fajin special.. In my experience the variation in Fajin is more about individual preferences than stylistic differences.

When people talk about Fajin, do they only talk about punch and not kick? In the following training, how will you add Fajin into it?

johnwang wrote:When people talk about Fajin, do they only talk about punch and not kick?

It shouldn't be overlooked. Being able to change a step to a kick, and back again, asks the body to be whole and objective in its purpose.

I'm not sure how well it's demonstrated in the clip you posted since the intent is overtly expressed in how the pole is targeted.

If one's TJQ, for instance, is modeled on the 5-Steps, targeting is covert via peripheral, visual diffusion. Without looking directly at the target, it's tracked within the area of one's gaze.

It's easy to learn since everyone knows how to pounce.

johnwang wrote:When people talk about Fajin, do they only talk about punch and not kick? In the following training, how will you add Fajin into it?

It is definitely possible to add Fajin into kicks, especially 蹬腿，侧踹 and 刮地风.

Fajin should be learnt to be applied through any of the 7 stars.

It should be practised in the air (to get coordination) and on training targets (to develop structure). Through drills (pads & partners) and sparring then it becomes usable.

With time & practise it flows into shorter, faster and lighter strikes that are hard to read yet still can hurt. This is only understood through hitting people.

If you talk about

- Fajin to a praying mantis guy, or
- speed to a Baji guy,

he will laugh at you. If you try to

- throw 3 punches within 1 second, you don't have time to Fajin.
- Fajin by compress and release within 1 second, you don't have speed.

Only after you have cross trained both Baji (or Chen Taiji, XYLH) and PM, you then realize that power and speed are relative and not absolute. If you can land 50 lb force on your opponent's head, it's much better than to generate 100 lb force and hit into the thin air.

Don't think about power. Don't think about speed. The power that you think about is not your true power. The speed that you think about is not your true speed. Just let your body to flow.

johnwang wrote:If you talk about

- Fajin to a praying mantis guy, or
- speed to a Baji guy,

he will laugh at you. If you try to

- throw 3 punches within 1 second, you don't have time to Fajin.
- Fajin by compress and release within 1 second, you don't have speed.

At :20-:21, Praying Mantis Sifu Ip Chee Keung is not laughing and throws 4 punches within 1 second (fajin/faat geng).

Store and then issue

You would find yourself being "KO" before you can issue.

let your body to flow.

It is the flow that works. Taichi quote - "Peng Jin through out everywhere, every moment". If you store and issue, there is no Peng Jin.