Doc Stier wrote:Very few of the comments posted on this thread reflect a classical IMA perspective, imo, primarily because they focus almost exclusively on external physical factors, which are typically dependent upon age, athletic condition, speed and power development, and the tactical application of strategic techniques. Do you imagine that it has ever been otherwise in any era?
Thus, whenever or wherever we choose to directly contest any of the factors mentioned above, we risk losing in direct comparison to our opponent. Is this how you imagine that someone like Yang Lu-chan or Sun Lu-tang fought? Really? You think they contested external power with larger, stronger adversaries? Or direct comparisons of physical speed with smaller, more agile opponents?
The old masters knew better than that, and they typically trained more hours daily than many people nowadays do in a week, with far superior quality and efficiency of movement. To consistently train for many hours everyday in this way changes everything.
Anyone can train hard, but not all train smartly. Likewise, there's a big difference between fighting hard and fighting smart. In the end, we all fight the same as we train.
Master Wang (Wang Yongquan) once saw a picture hanging inside Yang Jianhou's bedroom, indicating the Gong Fu levels of three generations of Yang family members. The picture contained a total of 13 levels, and the highest level was the place of Nan Tian Men or the Southen Heaven Gate. The 8th level had the name of the founder Yang Luchan. Jianhou Gong (Yang Jianhou) was at the position of the 6th level, Banhou Gong was at the 5th level, and Shaohou Gong (Yang Shaohou) was at the 4th level.
At that time, Master Wang also asked Yang Jianhou about details regarding each level of Taiji Quan's shown in the picture. Jianghou Gong said, "the 1st level is understanding Jin, the 2nd level is applying Jin...until the last 13th level can achieve the level of Chu Shen Ru Hua (Superb, Perfection, Like a god)". Yang Jianhou also said that in the Yang family, no one had reached the state of the 13th level.
-Yang Shi Taiji Quan Mi Ji Chuan Cheng Yuan Liu Jian Jie-
Are you better or worse than your teacher? Are you doing more or less with your art? Developing it further or stagnating? Is innovation possible within the context of your practice?
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