Erle Montaigue's Tai Chi World

Dear Erle: I am still hard at work with MTG2 and enjoying it quite a bit.   There's so much more to this form than the YCF.  My first question is about the fajing.  I see it being done on the video, I think I have 'sung' (at least to a certain extent anyway) and I have an understanding of what it is and what it should feel like but when I try to do it it is stiff and "forced" for lack of a better description.  How do I go about training fajing?

My second question may actually relate to the first in terms of being 'sung'.   From childhood to adulthood we all have accumulated bad habits, mentally and physically.  Thankfully, I have never been physically threatened by anyone however, in similar "close-call" situations such as a potential car accident or confrontation I notice that I get a huge rush of adrenaline that leaves me with trembling hands and voice.  I believe these habits to be relatively innate but also learned from our environment (coming from an overprotective family might have something to do with this).  How do I reduce or eliminate these habits so that if I were to need my Taiji for self-defence I wouldn't be ineffective?  I train daily and take training seriously.  I am also a classical guitarist so I understand the benefits of practice and forming good habits but I'm at a lost as to changing something that seems so ingrained in my personality.  Any suggestions? Kind Regards, John.

Dear John, Yes, fa-jing is one of the most difficult areas to get especially if you have been training in a hard style! Fa-jing is like a rag doll. You must make your body cause the movement and not try to use your muscles for the power, but only to direct the strike. 

The trembling is a natural reaction and I have many people asking that same question. Your Taiji simply hasn't 'taken over' as yet. Remember that we must be doing Taiji not only when we train but always! And the trembling is caused by the Qi rising up to your head suddenly when it should be kept low in the tantien just the same as when we train. Whenever situations like that happen, you must breathe out greatly and imagine something sinking down from your head into your tantien. Take all the tension out of your arms and upper body and then you can see the situation for what it really is.

Kind Regards Erle. TOP

2  ----- Original Message -----
From: Robert To: <Taiji@moontagu.com>
Sent: Saturday, May 15, 1999 4:26 AM
Subject: (No Subject)


Dear Erle, Thank you for video. It's really great. But, can you tell me why no one does Taiji like you, I mean opening and things like separation of yin and yang etc.Why it seams that so called great masters do things like double weighting. thank you. 

Dear Robert,
It all began at the beginning of this century when all of the great masters had a meeting! At that meeting they  decided that too many people were getting the good oil on their family systems. So they all (bar one) agreed to change the forms and only teach the very basic forms. Trouble was that people found these forms quite easy and as humans are, left their teachers before they were ready and taught the very basics thinking that this was all there was!
Hence nowadays I only know a couple of  modern masters who are doing it correctly! most break some or all of the rules of the classics! The one who did not change his forms was Yang Shou-hou who, for this reason only ever took on 3 students, one of whom (thankfully)( was my main teacher, Chang Yiu-chun.
The closest you can get to the original Yang from anyone else is from Mr Chang in Louisiana who is now 82 and who is a student of Chen Pan-ling who was one of the three also. However, Chen changed the system slightly and called it his 'synthesized version where he mixed some Wu style in with it. It is well documented in a new book and wall chart published by Chang in the USA and is quite close to the Original Yang.
Kind Regards Erle. TOP

From Bob from Zimbabwe: Asked about the 7 Stars posture and its meaning.

3   Dear Bob and Shaz, Thank you for your message. Please note my new E-mail address: taiji@moontagu.com 7 Stars. Many people believe that the 7 Stars is reference to 'protecting the 7 star points' on the body. And we do have 7 'Star' points. however, this movement, although it is a devastating dim-mak strike to both sides of the neck into ST 9 and ST 10 on both sides with a groin strike, it has more of a Qigong meaning.
7 Stars posture is used in the form near the end of the form to open up the 7 Qi Input points in the body which are, GV 20 (the Crown or 'Bahui'), the other six are those points on the body that aren't quite limbs or body, They are: CO 14 (all of the remaining 6 are on both sides so we have two points for each point), SI 16 and GB 30.
In fact when you arrive at the posture in the form you can simply stand in this posture for a few minutes before finishing off the form.
This posture opens you up to gathering Ground Qi, Heavenly Qi and the San Jiao Qi. Which affects not only your whole body but also the spirit (Shen) and the mind (i).  TOP

4 From Bryan, USA May 26th 1999
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.
I'm a Nidan in the karate style Isshin Ryu and I'm branching out to other styles to enhance my 10 years of training. I've been reading your books on the subject of Dim-Mak and trying to apply them to self-defence training.  Your books are very informative and explain why and how certain moves work. Learning where all the points on the body to cause certain things to happen is fascinating.
In class we do an exercise that goes like this:  1) Step forward executing an isometric turning punch that will end with the forearm pointing towards the ceiling. 2) Your partner will strike down on your forearm with a shuto or hammer fist. 3) You take another step and perform an isometric punch with the other arm 4) Your partner will then strike your other forearm. the spot usually hit is in the region of TW9 & 8. 

Question: Is this location(s) is one that will only cause you great pain when struck?   The teacher says this will help when blocking, we use that area of the arm as a blocking area. 

Question: Can you build up resistance to an area, so when it is struck the result would be more dramatic on a person who does not train in the arts?  Just as an example - Can you build the area ST9 so that an opponent could not knock you out?

Now when I'm struck during self-defence training and sparring I grab you encyclopaedia and learn about what area I was hit and what should of, or has, happened to me. 

Question: Are the Dim-Mak points common to everyone, or are some people immune to them?

Question: Are points mirrored on the body? What I mean is, points TW9 & Tw11, are these points on both arms or only on the Left one? I have seen in your books that you reference these points but had a hard time understanding if they were common to both sides of the body. I the answer is in one of
your books, let me know which one and I will read it more thoroughly.
Question: Is there a full body map of all the point locations?

Humbly yours,
Bryan

Dear Bryan,
TH 8 is one of the only points that you cannot protect! And yes, it will cause YOU great pain if used as a blocking tool! When you use both the ulna and the radius as a blocking tool, you MUST hold the arm in a P'eng shape, i.e.., like you are holding a tree with your arm. This causes the pressure of his attack to be spread out over the whole 'power band' area so that the blow is not that great and damage is not done to you.
Yes, However, in a fight everything happens so quickly and without notice not like in the dojo! So in a dojo situation, you can stop to a certain degree from being KO'd simply using your neck muscles. In this case the performer of such a silly act would have to strike you so hard that even greater damage would result! This has happened for the sake of ego in the past!
Most people have normal Dim-Mak points, others have hypersensitive points while others have seemingly dead points! However, these people it is even more dangerous as damage IS being done but they just do not register at the time unless is it a very hard strike causing immediate damage!
No-one can stop a full powered strike with intent behind it no matter what state their points are in! So in the dojo, you will get some people who will not seem to have an effect when struck, others will go down straight away! There is no way of knowing as you would have to strike them too hard to find out!
Yes, all points are mirrored on the other side of the body barring the centreline ones of CV and GV of course.
Any good acupuncture chart will suffice for a dim-mak wall chart.  TOP

Hi Erle, Yes thanks very much, I did receive the book, which is great; it was the book that stimulated me to order your Small San Sau video. Got to see those steps live!  I communicated to you before, a number of years ago; (1975?) I mentioned that we had met in London at Chu, King-hung's class; I have the distinction of having been hit in the face  by you (accidentally!). I am an Alexander teacher; I was interested to see your references to the Alexander Technique in one of your recent videos. I have been doing Tai Chi and Qigong for a long time (though I claim no mastery! I did write a book, Martial Arts: the Spiritual Dimension, which is still in print). I have to say I find your teaching superlative; and hopefully without too much arrogance I can say that I am in a position to judge. A colleague of mine (Alexander, Tai Chi, Baqua) is actually upstairs at this very moment exclaiming in amazement at the quality and depth of your info, saying it has totally changed his view of the form. I imagine you get a lot of such testimonials! 
I have a couple of questions; I don't know if you have time , energy or inclination to answer. Whatever! First: this issue of weight distribution on the feet. From my earlier Tai Chi, I had learned "weight on the heels". Also in the Alexander Technique,  this was basically the idea. However in Aikido, which I have also studied, the weight is more on the balls of the feet (over the bubbling wells); and over time this started to seem to me like the right  thing. The following procedure gives what I have thought of as the right weight distribution: Come up on the balls of the Big Toe. Balance, feeling your height and expansiveness. Then slowly lower the heels towards the ground, staying on the ball of the big toe (not letting the weight go to the outside), until the heels just touch the floor. Pause at this point. Now continue to lower the heels (as if stretching them away from the head) until the bone of the heels meets firmly with the solidity of the floor; but shift the weight back as little as possible. At this point, it should feel as if the weight is spread out over the whole foot, shared by the 5 toes, the balls of the big and little toes, and the heels. The foot should feel very big, like a gorillas foot. Another thing you should notice is that the thighs relax (you should be standing with the legs straight, not locked, not bent). If you shift the weight back a bit, you should notice that the thighs suddenly tense; with the weight as I have described, the thighs relax (and the calves tone up). To me, this is an indication that this is correct; in normal standing, the thighs should not be working hard, but the calves are designed for this kind of long-term tension. Also, in this position one can almost immediately rise up on the toes, giving a very light, mobile, quick movement. Also, the foot is "engaged", slightly tightened; to me, this seems to give the "scrunched under" state you talk about, but in a more natural, less "tense" way. 
Since I respect your teaching so much, I took to heart what you said about  weight, and have been re-examining my ideas. One thing I thought was that maybe by shifting the weight, not back fully on to the heel (which I just can't accept as correct, as it puts you so off balance backwards), but just to the point right before the heel, maybe the thighs can still stay relaxed. I'm not sure about this; it seems a bit marginal to me. I still like the weight over the bubbling wells; and I must say, in my Qigong I've never had the kind of jerky energy you describe (but maybe my practice has not been intensive enough to cause this). At any rate, I'd be interested in your considered response.  Another question, in reference to your self-defence application techniques. First: quite often you seem to recommend two (or more) successive strikes in the same direction; i.e. using a right-hand slap to the left side of his neck, followed by a right elbow strike to the same place. Now, I really do understand (and can do) the fa-jing shake, and I get that the rebound from the first strike sets you up for a very quick follow up; but it seems to me that it is even quicker to use the rebound shake as the next strike; in other words, to follow a right slap to the neck with an (almost instantaneous) left elbow (or whatever) to the left side of the neck. What do you think? And another question along similar lines; it seems that you often do repeated strikes to the same area of the body. It seems to me that. In  a realistic situation where you may not get all the strikes perfect  first time, the opponent will instinctively start to cover up and protect the area attacked. Would it not make more sense to chain your attacks to different areas (right/left, high/low)? Right palm to the left side of neck, left elbow to the right ribs, right elbow to the left temple, left knee to Liv 13 (and so on)? Again, I would be interested in your considered comments. 
Next: do you ever do "video consultations"? In other words, if I were to send you a video of me doing some stuff, would you be willing to look at it and comment? And if so, how much would you charge? Fourth (or whatever): it seems that in Fa-jing you emphasize the twisting or rotatory shake of the waist. I know that in the form you emphasize the opening/closing too; but I guess I haven't seen that you integrate these two into the fa-jing. To me, the fa-jing happens in the integration of an open/close snapping of the torso with the twisting shake of the waist. Any comments? Maybe I just haven't understood what you were saying in your videos; but if so, you should know this, as I am a pretty good study, and this did not come across.  Thanks a lot for your time Erle. I hope I hear back from you, but if not,  understand that you must be very busy, and probably get a lot of this kind of thing, of people looking for free instruction. Sorry if I'm out of line, just ignore me! Yours Peter Payne 

Dear Erle, I can't thank you enough for making such high quality information available to the public.  I can see why others would be tempted to keep these things to themselves.  I simply can not say enough good things about you and your videos.  I just purchased the Taiji to the Max and Self Defence from A to Z series, and I have to say that I was simply blown away.  I am almost overwhelmed by how much there is still to learn.  I have one question concerning the Yang Lu-Chan form. You have said that there is four levels to doing the Taiji  form,  hao chuan being the highest.  I believe that I am still on  level 2, moving into level 3, since I am just beginning to understand  open and closed movement.  My question is, how do know when to start trying to do the form at its fourth level?  Is just something you know?  Is there a certain time period for practicing the form in any of the given levels?  Can you move to fast, or is up to the individual? Thanks for you time and help. Sincerely, Art.

----- Original Message -----

From: Jim 

To: montaigue@ozemail.com.au

Cc: Sent: Sunday, July 25, 1999 3:26 AM

Subject: Kicking above the waist

Dear Erle: Why do you say kicking above the waist is unrealistic? I read that muay thai kickboxers have very effective kicks above the waist, or what about the crescent kick,can you execute the kick without any problem? Thank You it would be a lot of help for me to know these things.
Or: 

Dear Erle: hello nice to meet you my name is Jimmy(15age) and I've been trying to make my own style but I don't know if I should use  kicks above the waist.I read in Muay Thai Kickboxing that they have very effective kicks above the waist because of their physical condition, but you say that kicks above the waist are unrealistic. Why do you say that? Oh and what is the energy used for in Taijiquan? thank you

8 From: Sam 
To: <erle@moontagu.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 1999 5:07 AM
Subject: weight training


Dear Erle, I have read your take on normal weight training, i.e. pumping iron.  But I was wondering how you feel about such things as walking the circle with weights on the wrists or in the hands or doing forms with weights there also. These type of methods are advocated by Yang Jwing-ming and Liang Shao-yu who are very popular in the States and Canada.  I have tried walking the circle with weights and doing some of the forms with them recently, and have not really noticed any deterioration.  Actually, I have noticed an increase in physical power, especially since I'm having to move more weight with my waist. Any way, what do you think of methods like this? Sam 

Dear Sam,
They are wrong! If you place weights onto your hands or wrists while walking the circle, you will build all the wrong muscles for fighting!! You do not want to lift things! The only weight training if you do any should be lying on the ground and pushing upward like as in bench press etc. as this will cause you to develop the correct muscles for striking. And when you place weights which is unnatural anyway onto your arms or wrists, it places undue stresses that you would not normally have onto your waist which MUST be totally free in order to execute fa-jing! The waist is the most powerful part of your body and it does not need to have more physical power put into it using unnatural weights that hang off your arms thus causing your whole body to be out of whack! Weight training tends to build up static muscle groups which tends to cause stiffness and immobility which is the exact opposite to what we are trying to achieve in Bagua! Many of the external Shaolin type martial arts used to use these methods as they relied solely upon external physical power! We in the internal martial arts do not!

Kind Regards

Erle.  TOP

9 ----- Original Message -----
From: John Smith 
To: <taiji@moontagu.com>
Sent: Wednesday, 18 August 1999 23:45
Subject: "Instinctive/Reflexive" fighting

Erle Montaigue,
This week I purchased several of your books "Ultimate Dim-Mak", "Dim Mak",  and  "Encyclopaedia of Dim Mak". They are all great works but  your Encyclopaedia has probably done more for gung-fu than any other book ever published!
I have some questions about some of the material. You advocate reflexive approach to unarmed combat. You state that a person should not try to apply techniques as such in a real combat situation. You also state that if a gung-fu exponent tries to use long range techniques at long range, then medium strikes at medium range etc. he/she will lose. I agree that fights happen quickly and that there is a trend toward closing that prevails in all unarmed combat situations. If I can't take out my attacker with two or three strikes then I may end up on the ground. My style is Northern Shaolin and I think that long range strikes are useful if the conflict begins at long range. As long as I take the initiative I can get in a long range strike before the guy gets too close. I can then follow that strike with a second strike from medium range. Of course fights happen in all places as you stated in an email to me a couple of months ago. If the fight begins at close range then of course long range or even medium range strikes are out of the question. Indeed the martial art dancer who doesn't commit to the fight in accordance with the closing trend will be stomped. It's not possible to retreat faster than an opponent can advance. If the combat begins at long range (I choose to attack before he gets close enough) then I am fine I think. If someone appears aggressive or angry I don't have to leave the ball in his court. I don't have to let him walk up to me and curse me as he puts his hand on my chest. I can start the party before this occurs. You also recommend a reflexive approach to combat. My idea is based on what Marc Mac young would call negative space or continuous attack. I first specialize in two or three combinations which work in sympathy with the closing trend (i.e. strike 1 at long range, strike 2 at medium). I begin my attack on an opening that is presented. If the second strike in the combination can't be executed (there is not an appropriate opening) then I modify the combination by attacking an area of the body that is open. I continue on the principle of negative space. I don't really try to block or parry, I just attack/counterattack continuously. I believe this is very practical (with years of practice and the aforementioned concentration on a few combinations) and I think it is the most efficient way of fighting. I can't play catch up with my opponent (as you point out in Ultimate Dim Mak so I simply pay attention to openings as they  present themselves. Is this a reflexive approach? My view is that self-defence should be though of as offence in the above manner. Please react to some of my comments and questions. John.

Dear John,
Thank you.
Against a really good street fighter, the long range stuff is useless as it is, I
have tested this to my detriment! Fights happen in your face so that is where you should lean to fight! Better still be in HIS face before he even knows it! 
If he is a sitting duck, with no experience in fighting at all and just stands there allowing you to use long range stuff, the sure it will work. However, we must always expect the worst. A good grappler will be in your face before you blink! This is why all of the karate people are always beaten those stupid UFC type of fighting, because they always try to use long range stuff like kicks! And because they always train in such methods they have no defence against someone who can be upon them in a split second. You do not have to look for openings, you MAKE them happen! I will send you free of charge my "Opening Methods" tape if you leave me your address. In this tape I actually tell my 'opponent', some seasoned and well graded martial artists exactly where and when and how I am going to attack. And I am able to get in every time before they have time to even move! All martial arts, well, most of them, are good but often you have to search out the inner meaning of the movements! And you must remember that many have only come to us in the west in their very basic beginner forms.
Reflexive means that we fight like an animal a dog for instance does now wait for openings as that is thinking! it simply does what it has to sub-consciously. it goes into what is called Reptilian Brain mode.
If you are able to think about what you are about to do then you will be defeated in a real fight. And here I do not mean in a sparring contest, but a real fight! You actions must become reflex, that is, those moves that happen automatically and instantly without thinking, like when you are mowing the lawn and a piece of dirt is throw up towards your eye. No time to think, "Oh here is a piece of dirt, so I will now close my eye"! Your eye just closes because your sub-conscious brain has seen the dirt long before your conscious brain has! 
I have only heard good things about Marc Macyoung however, I am not aware of his methods. 
You should look inside of your ''long range'' methods and find the REAL fighting method as the long range training methods are only there as an initial training method to get the body working correctly. You have to remember that Shaolin Boxing took years and years to learn with the young Monk living and breathing boxing! And sadly nowadays, the advanced methods of Shaolin Boxing have been lost!
Leave your address and I will send that tape out to you. I have a new
article on my site called Unarmed and Deadly which deals with reflex
actions.  Kind Regards  Erle.  TOP

Dear Cire,

Dear Andrew,
Thank you. IF you are going to fight a grappler, do not use grappling. That is the first rule. 
2nd rule. If  you get into a grappling situation where someone has a wrist lock or is in the mount position or side mount etc., then go study another martial art as your is not working! The non-grappling  martial arts of old were solely developed back then to defeat the great grapplers of the day as they were the most deadly fighters, hence the great advancement of the non-grappling arts which for years kept the grapplers at bay. However, in modern times, people either do not know their won arts, or they do not spend enough time learning them properly and so the grapplers are again on the increase! Martial arts is for self defence in deadly situations so you can never use dim-mak in friendly sparring or in tournament situations as death would occur. Hit him in the neck and eyes, that is rule 3! 
Kind Regards
Erle.  TOP

20  

 Dear Rick,
The knife/sword is indeed a dim-mak art. Quite often there will be a little
flick at the end of the movement which most people do not know why. Many say
that we are trying to get the Qi out to the tip etc.,! .... hum.   However,
the real reason is that quite often when a strike is make, it is then cut in
an 'L' shape over to the point, then up from the point which apparently has
the greatest and instant effect not allowing the opponent to even retaliate
as he is dying! Mean bastards weren't they!

Kind Regards

Erle.

 TOP

22 

Mr. Montaigue,
I just received your MTG201 Compilation Tape.  Thank-you so much for sending it to me free of charge.  The quality of your tapes is not as bad as you make it sound.  And the content is even better than you make it sound. I was only watching the compilation tape and I could tell that you went into great detail on everything you did.  Excellent!  I am saving money right now to buy more of your tapes. I also was reading one of your books in which you mentioned "9 keys" that a teacher gives his students.  Could you explain what all nine keys are?  And what each individual one is and does? Thanks again, David

Dear David,
Thanks mate.
The 9 keys are those that are given sub-consciously when a student is ready!
They are never actually spoken about. I just thought that I would at least
make mention of them so that people are aware of them as not many
instructors even know about them let alone are high enough to give them!
If a student actually knows exactly what they are, when they are given and
what they do, they will have little effect. Which is why when I give them,
it will be in the form of a touch, or some words etc. Often I will stop the
class and simply demonstrate certain moves from the forms a number of times
as these are called "Internal Learning Keys" and are only given to those who
are ready. Students think that I am only demonstrating the form etc., but it
is actually done for a particular student at that time in his or her
training in order to gain the next 'key'.

Kind Regards

Erle.  TOP