Ken Gullette's Internal Fighting Arts Blog

What Do They Mean By "Energies?"

Uncategorized Nov 21, 2006

You read and hear about different types of "energies" or "jin" in the internal arts. I read an interesting interpretation of this the other day. Something was apparently lost in the translation from Mandarin. When we talk about energies such as peng energy, we aren't talking about a "real" energy circulating through the body.

Instead, it's a cultivated energy or skill. I like to think of a baseball player who has spent many years practicing. He can swing a bat and hit a baseball out of the park, while I'd be lucky to even connect enough to hit a foul. His use of the bat represents a particular strength, or energy. Another example could be that of a carpenter. He can drive a nail with expertise, while I might hit my thumb with the hammer.

Americans, however, don't refer to the baseball player as having great "bat jin," or the carpenter as having great "hammer jin." It isn't part of our culture. When the heavyweight champion of the world knocks out an opponent, we don't say he has tre...

Two Cool Videos of Chen Xiaowang

chen family taijiquan chen xiaowang chen xiaowang demo Oct 15, 2006

Some of my favorite martial arts memories are the times I spent training with Chen Xiaowang.

His workshops are physically demanding, but just watching him and having him correct you is a great opportunity to make little steps forward in your skill.

Here are links to two great videos of Chen Tai Chi Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang.

In this one, he demonstrates a form and adds explosive fajin (issuing energy) at the end.

Here is another video showing Chen Xiaowang demonstrating ground strength and peng jin -- a good "root." I first put it on my blog in 2006. I have some new comments after the video:

In my original 2006 post, I said these are fun demonstrations to watch, and that's true. But in the 19 years since I put up the post on my old blog, I have a wiser perspective.

2025 Perspective: You cannot stand on one leg and prevent someone from pushing you off-balance. Neither can Chen Xiaowang. Sometimes, these demos are simply show business. At least the student pushing on him ...

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Ken Gullette's Internal Fighting Arts

What Do They Mean By "Energies?"

Two Cool Videos of Chen Xiaowang

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