Divide and Conquer - the Taiji "Split Energy" of Lie Jin
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Let's continue to explore the "energies" with Lie Jin, also known as "Split Energy." Lie is pronounced like the name "Leah." Since I'm from Kentucky, I generally just say "Split energy." :) Remember, an energy is more accurately described as a “refined method of dealing with an opponent’s force.” It's easy to think that Lie Jin means you take one part of the opponent one way and another part of his body a different way to disrupt his structure. That is correct, but that is the result, not the engine that drives Split energy. So let’s get under the hood. “Lie” is usually translated as "split, rend, or tear apart." That doesn’t mean you’re ripping something apart, though. Lie Jin is rotational force applied asymmetrically. It’s spiral vs. structure. When you use Lie Jin, the opponent is broken because his body can’t rotate as a single unit anymore. Lie happens when: ** One segment of his body is invited into one spiral, ** Another segment is quietly led into a differen... |
Cai Jin Explained: The Plucking Method in Taijiquan
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Kao Jin - Bump - Is Great for Close-Up Self-Defense
Kao Jin is often called "Shoulder" energy.
It's more accurate to call it "Bump."
Kao Jin is a whole-body force expressed through body-to-body contact at very close range.
It's a structural takeover of someone's space.
If you "shoulder" someone, the shoulder is just the delivery point. The engine behind it is the ground connection and aligned structure.
Kao Jin can be performed with many parts of the body, including the shoulder, the chest, torso, hips, and legs.
Kao is whole-body force that enters and displaces an opponent by using body contact to take their line, break their balance, and move their mass without relying on arm extension.
You get your body where his body doesn't want you to be by entering his space. There is no wind-up and no visible effort. A good Kao steals your opponent's vertical integrity.
Chen Ziqiang is very good at Kao. He uses it -- often with his chest -- to unbalance his opponent long enough to take him down another way.
One of my favorite uses ...
Tai Chi Energies Part 5 - Zhou Jin is Not Just An Elbow Strike
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Tai Chi "Energies" Part 4 - A Deeper Dive Into Tai Chi's An Jin - "Push Energy"
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Tai Chi Energies Part 3 - Pressing Forward with Ji Jin - Press Energy
Three days ago I turned 73 years old. That's kind of a shocking number, then I realized that I still feel the same as I did when I was 72, and in my head I still feel like I'm 20. So we carry on.
The last couple of blog posts have focused on the first two Taiji "energies," Peng Jin and Liu Jin.
In this post, I'm looking at Ji Jin, or "Press" energy.
These Tai Chi energies are actually "methods" of dealing with force.
A lot of people believe Press is just like it's shown in the Yang style form -- you are pressing on someone with your hands pressed together. I Googled "Tai Chi Press" and got this picture. This is from a Yang form such as the Yang 24.
But that isn't really Ji Jin. That is simply a posture. The actual Jin is more complex, but the application of it is an excellent self-defense technique.
Ji means "to crowd, press together, squeeze into."
A good summary of Press energy would be: "The art of entering and narrowing space, crowding until your opponent has no room to d...
Tai Chi Energies Part 2 - A Deeper Look at Lu Jin - Roll Back Energy
When people talk about the "energies" of Taijiquan, they often list Lu Jin second. First there is Peng Jin -- "Ward Off Energy," then there is Lu Jin -- "Roll Back Energy."
Remember, an "energy" is simply a refined, skillful method for dealing with an opponent's force.
With Lu Jin (sometimes spelled Liu Jin), you don't stop force, you don't block it, and you don't "beat" it.
It is not "yielding," either. With Lu Jin, when someone uses force you redirect it so it continues, just not to the locatioan the opponent thought it was going.Â
Lu Jin steals the opponent's angle, timing, balance, and expectation. He believes he is in control until suddenly he isn't. He punches or pushes or kicks and his mind says he will find support or a target, but reality says, "The target is not here."
Lu means you allow the opponent's force to continue, while quietly removing the structure that would let it succeed.Â
"Roll Back" is often shown as two hands redirecting a punch or push, but many parts of...
Tai Chi Energies Part 1 - A Deep Dive into Peng Jin
I’m putting together new videos for my website on the “Energies” of Taijiquan. The word energy is often misunderstood, in my opinion. A lot of mystical nonsense is often triggered by the word "energy" in the world of Tai Chi. A better word, in my opinion, is "method." Each “energy” is a method of dealing with force.
The first—and most important—is Peng Jin (often translated as Ward-Off Energy).
Peng is required for all the other energies/methods to work, and Peng relies on the ground path at all times. Without those two things—Peng Jin and the ground—you don’t really have Taijiquan. Without them, movements are empty.
They are working at all times and in all movements, even in what people sometimes call “transitions”—though we know there really are no transitions. No matter what you are doing in a Taiji form, a self-defense application is present.
Peng Jin is not necessarily a force you apply; it is a structural state you maintain. It gives you an expansive feeling inside. You are o...
Does Tai Chi, Xingyi and Bagua Really Help the Flow of Lymphatic Fluid? The Real Science Behind Internal Movement and Your Body's Natural Plumbing
Sometimes, I read articles or books about Taiji, Bagua and Xingyi, and health claims are made that sound scientific, but if you look a bit deeper, you find the claims aren't supported by medical science or physiology. Sometimes, there is some truth to the claim, but the wording is misleading.
One of those claims that might misdirect you a bit is this one: the movements of the internal arts "stimulate the flow of lymphatic fluid" (or "drainage of lymphatic fluid").
If you know me, you know that I am a critical thinker who is open to evidence, but when a martial artist makes medical statements, I want them grounded in good science and accurate wording.
Let's look at this claim -- that if you do the internal arts you are stimulating the flow of lymphatic fluid.
The lymphatic system collects excess fluid from tissues and returns it to the bloodstream. Lymph nodes act as filters to stop pathogens, debris, and abnormal cells, while the liver and kidneys handle most of the chemical detoxi...
A Tribute to My Friend John Morrow - A Dedicated Martial Artist
I first met John Morrow in 1990 at a tournament in Omaha, Nebraska. He came from the Quad Cities to compete. I was not yet a black sash. so I was very interested in watching the black belt division.
Watching him compete in black belt sparring was like watching the Tasmanian Devil. John was spinning and jumping and backfisting and kicking and laughing -- he displayed skill and real joy at competing. We were both in our thirties. I thought, "Who the heck IS this guy?" It was clear he loved martial arts and I enjoyed watching him compete. Because we had the same teacher, Phillip Starr (author of several martial arts books), I introduced myself to him.
Flash forward three years and I moved to the Quad Cities. His school was in Moline, Illinois. I remembered him from the tournament, so I stopped in to the school and we became friends. I studied with him a bit, but then I earned a black sash in the system I had been studying, so we became mutual supporters. I attended some of his classes ...
Author - Instructor
Ken Gullette
I have practiced martial arts since 1973 and began studying the internal arts in 1987. My goal is to cut years off your development time by coaching you in the real skills for high-quality Tai Chi, Xingyi, Bagua. To see more about my bio, click the "About Ken" link on the menu at the top of this page.
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