American Kenpo Taiji Association - Lesson 1: Developing Internal Energy

LESSON 1: DEVELOPING INTERNAL ENERGY by Athos Antoniades
(Fighter April 2005)

A Legendary master in ancient China by the name of Wang Shen Zhai was renowned throughout the land for his superior fighting ability and incredible feats of strength and power. The secret of his success was based on the premise that internal energy ('chi') and external strength must work in unison for maximum results. Physical strength must combine with internal power, each directing and blending with each other.

I will now look at three particular exercises (demonstrated by my student Helen Antoniades) which will help develop internal energy.

Practicing these sets of chi kung exercises at least once a day will replenish your existing chi, enhance the chi flow in your meridians throughout the whole body thus giving perfect health. It will also enable external, or hard style martial artists, to attain the highest level of their art by enabling their external energy to work in unison with internal energy for maximum results.

Chi kung training can further enable a martial artist to 'do without doing', in other words, react at a subconscious level to an attack, as the chi of the body is refined to the level where it merges with the cosmic energy of the universe, and the mind is united with the universal mind. Regular and correct practice will achieve this.

At a subconscious level we act without forcing, by moving in accordance with the flow of natures' course. For example, you will find yourself moving as your opponent is about to throw a kick or punch but you will move without knowing why. Your attacker will throw their punch or kick and miss, because by merging with cosmic energy, and uniting with the universal mind, you have pre-empted the attack and reacted at a subconscious level.

While performing chi kung exercises, the following requirements should be adhered to:

Be relaxed both in mind and body as any tension will impede the flow of chi.

The tongue should be placed lightly on the hard palate, where you would normally place it to say the letter 'L'. This will complete the connection between the 'Governing' meridian in the centre on the back of the body and the 'Conception' meridian in the center of the front of the body. This allows the chi that has risen, up the Governing meridian and over the top of the head down the Conceptor meridian thus completing the full circle (known as the 'Microcosmic Orbit') and bathing and replenishing the internal organs with chi.

Always use abdominal breathing. The chest should remain relaxed while the abdomen expands as you inhale, and contracts as you exhale. If you watch a baby breathing you will see their abdomen expanding and contracting. However, as babies grow older they get into the bad habit of chest breathing which only enables you to take in adequate air to live, but will not strengthen our chi.

Do not panic if you should move vigorously; this is due to excess chi flow. Gently place your mind on your 'dan-tien' (situated approximately two inches below the naval) thus centering your energy and tell yourself to slow down. Always remain relaxed and calm. Apply this procedure when performing any chi kung exercise.

Choose a place where you know you will not be disturbed and which is safe for performing the exercises. The clothes you wear must be loose and comfortable. Do not wear a watch or tight fitting clothes as these will impede the flow of chi.

Wait for at least half an hour after eating before you meditate.

It is best not to mediate at times of extreme stress or anxiety or illness.

It is more beneficial to meditate outdoors or in a well ventilated place.

Avoid sex for at least 12 hours after meditating.

Do not smoke and reduce drinking alcohol to a minimum, as both will hinder chi circulation.

If chi kung practice results in any unpleasant reactions seek the guidance of a qualified instructor before continuing.

During standing meditation your weight should be 60-70% on your heels. Placing too much weight on the front part of the foot blocks the 'bubbling wellpoint' (kidney 1), thus hindering the flow of earth chi.

EXERCISE ONE:

The first exercise shown here (pictures 1 to 4) is an excellent health exercise which will help the practitioner to develop short range power (the famous 'one-inch punch' is only possible using internal energy). This chi kung exercise will not only cleanse your body of negative emotions and toxic waste, but will also aid you in developing very powerful hand strikes by training your chi to rise up your back through the arms and into the hands.

Your strikes will therefore comprise of, not only physical strength, but also the release of internal energy, primarily through the point in the centre of your palm (pericardium 8). This point is situated where your longest finger is situated as you form a fist with your hand.

Begin the exercise by placing both your hands at your sides, at chest level, with palms facing the front. With your fingers pointing up, gently push out your arms as you exhale.

Do not use any strength, but visualise chi rising up your back and down your arms. Visualise negative emotions and toxic waste being expelled from your body through pericardium 8. Next, as you inhale gently, bring your palms back to chest level whilst visualising wonderful cosmic energy flowing into your dan-tien. This is your main energy storage point. Repeat this exercise nine times.

For the next part of the exercise you will continue exhaling as your push out and inhaling as you pull your arms in. During this movement you should imagine that your chi is so powerful that you are pushing a mountain away each time you exhale. Repeat this sequence of pushing the mountain away away about 10 times initially and gradually increase it to about 100 times as your training progresses.

Once you have successfully completed this exercise, drop your arms to your sides with your palms facing backward. You will feel a tingling sensation in your hands as the energy rushes there and your whole body will feel highly energised. This particular chi kung exercise can be performed on its own, or as part of a longer sequence.

EXERCISE TWO:

The second exercise (pictures 5 and 6) is known as 'Embracing the Tree', because of its posture. It is the 'king' of all chi kung exercises and is probably the most widely used. It is also one of the most powerful exercises. This posture is such that you will simultaneously have a constant flow of earth chi through the 'bubbling well' (Kidney 1) point on the soles of the feet, and a constant flow of cosmic chi through the crown of the head (Governing Vessel 20).

Stand with your feet approximately shoulder width apart, and parallel; weight 70 percent on the heels of your feet so as not to block the bubbling well point and impede your chi flow. Claw the ground very gently with your toes as this will be instrumental in activating the bubbling well point and therefore enhance the energy flow.

The head should be straight as if looking directly in front and the tongue placed on the upper palate as described earlier. The back should be straight as its natural 'S' shape restricts the flow of chi. This may be achieved by simulating a sitting down position with the buttocks, while the coccyx is pulled under (the backside should be tucked in and shouldn't stick out). Hold your arms at chest level in front of you forming a circle, with your elbows slightly bent and lower than your hands.

There should be a fist size space under the armpits (known as the 'Arm Kwa'). Kwa means a semicircular type of bridge which enables greater chi flow in the body. The hands also form the hand kwa for greater chi flow. This is achieved by having the hand concave and stretched long and wide, and the semicircle created between the thumb and index finger ('Dragon's Mouth') must also be open.

The knees should be slightly bent with a feeling of spring pushing outwards between the knees. Claw the ground lightly, as mentioned earlier, so that the outside edges of the feet contact the ground and not the instep to form the leg kwa, further enhancing chi flow (pictures five and six).

EXERCISE THREE:

Our final exercise (picture 7) can be performed as part of a sequence, but can also be done independently. If doing this exercise on its own progressively build up to 20 minutes duration.

To begin, place the tongue lightly on the roof of the mouth as described earlier, thus creating a bridge between Yin (Conceptor Vessel) and Yang (Governing Vessel), allowing chi to circulate in a continuous path around the body. The eyes should either be closed or half open and the mind clear of all thoughts. As the mind wonders try to gently concentrate on the dan-tien, but do not force it.

As you become more advanced you will be able to concentrate your mind on the chi flow. Use abdominal breathing, expanding the abdomen as you inhale, and contracting it as you exhale, as you mediate, holding this posture. Complete this exercise by bringing your feet together as you place your hand on your abdomen (Pc. 8 point directly above the dan-tien, right hand for men; left hand for women and your other hand on top; see picture 7).

Relax as you think of happy, positive, joyful and confident thoughts of energy. Hold this position for one or two minutes. Practicing the first two exercises in this feature will allow you to develop tremendous short range power (which is where real fighting happens) and gain overall good health.