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Showing posts from June, 2008

Martial Arts Revolutionary

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If you couldn't tell by some of the articles that I have already written I am not a big fan of the pop era. Where to most people it me seem like a harmless fashion it has also indirectly affected all histories and cultures. Everything real is getting eaten away by imagery. Martial arts instructors are often more concerned about the business than the art which is the cause of incomplete or incorrect styles being taught. Thus creating an idea that some styles are ineffective, when in actuality the teacher or students are practicing the movements ineffectively. In the pass it was necessary to hide the techniques of a style and for martial artist to remain low-key in order to survive. Now even at the point of origin for many martial arts the youth is completely uninterested in learning martial arts. Causing a dilution of the styles potency as well as getting mixed together with "demonstration" and "sport" styles losing the truth in the style itself. The only way I

Master Wu Guo Zheng  吳國正師父

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  Master Wu Guo Zheng officially started his training in Bagua in 1979. At that time his father Wu Jin Yuan was already teaching Gao style Bagua and as a youth Wu Guo Zheng was surrounded by an enriched martial arts environment. For the next 30 years he trained under his father without break in order to take on the responsibility of carrying on his fathers complete teachings. Now Wu Guo Zheng is the head of the Jin Yuan Bagua Association as well as teacher of the arts. He has been teaching for over ten years to his students in both Xin Zhu as well as Xin Dian Taipei. With the responsibility of having to complete his fathers teaching on his shoulders he has taught diligently in order to spread the style of Soft Body Repeating hands Bagua . (Known in mainland China as Gao style Bagua .) When he teaches he explains the purpose of every movement in great detail and often writes articles on how to better your training. He has unselfishly taught to many students the comple

Wu Guo Zheng and Warren Fox two person set

Me and my master demonstrating the first Gua or Heaven sections applications form. These are the most basic movements of Gao that teach attacking and countering. It's especially good for footwork training and ranging.

Wu Jin Yuan 吳錦園(My masters Father)

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Wu Jin Yuan was born in 1897 in Shan Dong China and died in 1993. The country of Shan Dong was saturated with martial arts in order to combat the many bandits that were often prevalent in the area. Because of this there were many authorities or protectors of the area that were knowledged in different styles of martial arts. These created a general feel that all of the families in the area should study martial arts of some kind. The most popular at the time was Shao Lin, Bagua was not as widely known. Wu Hui Shan an elder who was familiar with the martial arts world for a long time. It is also said that he had practiced some of the martial arts in his own leisure time. Cause of this he wanted to implement this into his own children's development. He had 5 boys and 1 girl who were all involved in martial arts from a very young age. He then organized the prosperous five which was his attempt to involve his children in something different than Shao Lin and other basic martial

Master Wu Guo Zheng and Warren Fox

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吳國正師父 和孔太龍 I have had many different teachers in my years of training. Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Americans have helped to guide my understanding of the martial arts. However their is only one person that I will call master and that is Wu Guo Zheng.He has been training Bagua since before I was born and when I came to Taiwan searching for the masters he showed me the door to knowledge. I hadn't heard of him before my arrival to Taiwan, in fact I heard of other masters that I found to be "less than inspiring". The very instant that I felt him grab my arm I was willing to completely let go of everything I learned just to be able to study under him.He is not the kind of master that drags your time along because he is afraid you will surpass him, which is a common trait with many Asian teachers. He says, "I will teach you as much as you can learn." I have been very fortunate to train with him one on one for the past years here in Taiwan. I have learned things tha

Kung Fu Family

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Luckily for me I was able to see the effectiveness of martial arts from the very beginning. At four years old my fathers rule was that anyone under his roof was to begin training martial arts. (This included my mom...for a short while) Me and my two brothers had to undergoe training that most would say was unsuitable for children. Some days after school we would have to practice a thousand kicks before starting our homework. When I was put against my two older brothers I always felt that I was the weakest. I was slower, less flexable, etc. Though it was mostly due to being younger I tried to find ways to catch up to their level. I would often say I was sick so that I didn't have to go to school and then stay home to train in secret. It wasn't until a number of confrontations I had at school that made me realize that I wasn't a bad martial artist, I just wasn't as good as my brothers. Who were and still are amazing. They have also continued their training and development