Ken Gullette's Internal Fighting Arts Blog

Connecting -- The Number One Skill in Tai Chi, Hsing-I or Bagua

connecting internal arts training martial arts training philosophy Jul 27, 2015

I was sparring a guy in 1980 and he was taking it to me. See the photo above. I am on the right. He was fast, with a great reverse punch that had nailed me a couple of times as I moved in on him. I was tensing up, trying to figure out how to beat him.

Then I connected. I relaxed and got my head out of the match. I waited with a relaxed state of readiness for him to move.

When he attacked, I was already moving. When he arrived, I was already there and planted a hook kick on the side of his face.

After connecting, I was ready for his attack and nailed him with a hook kick.

When I took my black sash test in 1997, among the many tasks I had to perform was a sparring match with wooden broadswords to show strategy, technique, and skill. My "opponent" was another black sash with a wooden broadsword. He was cocky and considered himself a lot better.

I relaxed and calmed my mind. I centered, and connected with him. We assumed the on guard stance.

The instant he moved toward me with ...

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.

Ken Gullette's Internal Fighting Arts

Connecting -- The Number One Skill in Tai Chi, Hsing-I or Bagua

Author - Instructor

Stay connected with news and updates!

Two Step