After one of our students earns a Black Belt, there is still continuing curriculum. In fact, getting a black belt is kind of like getting your drivers license. You can drive- but now it’s time to really learn how to do it! Along with kunging and fuing, the first lesson our Black Belts learn about is Compassion.
Here is what Abir had to say about it. Please note that he chose to approach this topic from the context of comparative religion but we do not discuss religion in class. With that said, this is an excellent paper discussing the concept of compassion from different perspectives. I guess it helped him out a little bit that his mother teaches philosophy at UNCA.
Dear Master Croley,
To me compassion is the Golden Rule that is, Treat Others The Way You Want To Be
Treated. Compassion is important in the religions because each religion has the
common value of compassion. For example in Hinduism compassion stands for non-Harmfulness.
In Christianity compassion stands for loving even one’s enemies. In Buddhism
compassion stands for the ability to fully appreciate one’s own suffering and
the suffering of others. In Judaism compassion says, ‘Kindness gives to another,
Compassion knows no other.’ In Islam compassion stands for helping and
supporting everyone.
In every religion compassion requires
humility and self-control. So if you have humility, self-control, and
compassion altogether you are a good person. You learn these virtues and other
virtues in the process of becoming a black-belt.
EX AMPLES:
When I help my best-friend build
lego sets.
Helping my friends learn to swing
on the monkey bars at recess.
If somebody needs help washing the
tables at lunch I help them.
If a classmate needs help with
reading I go and help them.
If a friend has fallen down I help
them up.
Sincerely,
Abir
I really like how he looked at this topic from several different angles and then applied them to his life. Well done Abir!
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There are three beginning levels to martial arts, regardless of style. Level 1 is Physical Power. This means learning how to use the correct muscle groups and the skeleton, learning moves and techniques for coordination, and so on. Level 2 is mixed internal and physical, and level 3 is pure internal power. This means that the internal body power is greater than the physical body power.
There is a great deal of information on level 1 training, and even a lot of level 3, but there isn’t very much information about level 2. This is important because to get to level 3 you need to know how to build it. So here goes.
Level 2: Mixed internal and external power.
A. Physical Internal Power
1. Core Agility.
This means that you begin to work on core flexibility and agility. Learn to use the lower pelvic muscles, the diaphragm, and pretty much all of the muscles around the core area. The thing to remember is that we want to train agility and flexibility. We want you to get so good using the strong core muscles that they become as smart as your hand.
2. Attaching the Core and the Hand.
As you develop an intelligent core, we need the power and dexterity it has to be generated through your hands. This means that we have to attach your hand to your core body mass. To do this use the lats, the muscles in your back just under your arm. Now as you more your core around your arm should be attached to it.
3. Attaching the Core to the Foot.
This is the same thing as attaching the core to the hand, only now you do it with your legs. The big idea is to have your body be one complete unit that is controlled by the core muscle groups and the center of balance.
B. Change your focus.
1. Turn the Core to Chi.
It is best to think of chi as a different body than your physical one. Your core area becomes chi when you focus on how it changes by shrinking, expanding and spiraling it. Not the muscle and tissue, rather with your mind. When your core has become chi it should feel like an inflated basketball- empty, but pressurized. However, it must also be able to change size, spin, spiral, and change in any way you like. This quality in your core is referred to as your “Dan Tien.”
2. Enlarge the Dan Tien.
Do everything we just discussed with the lower abdomen, but now do all of that with your entire torso.
3. Continue this same quality to your arms.
4. Continue this same quality to your legs.
At this point you can enter Level 3. This means that you will begin to develop pure internal power. This is sometimes stated as your internal is larger than your external. Also, at level 3 you no longer consider your physical body- just the chi body. In level 2 there is chi, but it is still inside the confines of your skin,therefore the chi in level 2 is always behind the physical. Level 3 has no such limitation.
Here is what Steve Buser, MD had to say about our school.
Dr. Buser is a psychiatrist in private practice with Family Life and Learning Center in Asheville, NC. He trained in medicine at Duke University and served 12 years as a physician in the US Air Force.
He spent his final year in the military in the Republic of Panama and is reasonably fluent in Spanish. In 2008 he completed a 2 year clinical training program at the CG Jung Institute of Chicago and subsequently founded the Asheville Jung Center, bringing internationally known Jungian speakers to a world wide audience via internet technology.
He is active in the community and strives to integrate faith and spirituality into his treatment. He has been engaged in cutting edge research, including the use of advanced neuralstimulation technologies (Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Deep Brian Stimulation) for psychiatric conditions.
Dr. Buser and his son are, at the time of this video, Black Belt Candidates with us. This means that they are just about to take their Black Belt exam. Great job guys!
This week I was privileged to have been invited to teach a seminar at Hurricane Martial Arts Center. Here is a short clip from the show, focusing on using Internal Power in you everyday life.
The whole point is that martial arts is only a small percentage about punching and kicking and so on. At The White Oak Martial Arts Center what we really teach is how to use your mind and body with maximum efficiency for physical health and mental awareness.
This testing cycle our Thought In Action Theme of the Month is Humility! Our Students task is to do 3 hours of community service within this testing cycle, get somebody where ever you do the work to fill out the form on the lessons sheet, and get a picture of themselves doing their service!
This is very important as part of being a Black Belt Leader is to overcome your personal fears and self doubts. Another part of becoming a Black Belt Leader is to not be negatively influenced by others, be a positive example for the people around you. The first requires Humility while the second is greatly aided by community service.
Master Croley with Marcus just before doing an interview for his project.
Recently I was privileged to have the opportunity to help out Marcus Hirshbine with his Senior Project at Enka High. It’s always fun to help out the kids in our community in any way that I can. I asked him if he would share something for our blog and here is what he had to say.
I got involved with the classes that Master Derek Croley taught when I was introduced to my Senior project. My topic focused on the Samurai and using elements in understanding the Samurai, to help me better argue, that with this comprehension of such a key figure in not just Japanese history, but Asain history as well, to find a means of connecting this, divided mentality between most western people when it comes to interacting and understanding the Asian culture.
I was hoping to justify the necessity of this information in a business related stand point, or even political, if you were to do business, or make trips to an Asian country today, that knowing the samurai and the MANY influences it had, as well as analyzing and synthesizing the samurai itself to find a reflection of Asia’s own culture and to help better prepare yourself when meeting with social situations. The classes Master Derek Croley taught really taught me a lot about the samurai generally and gave many different aspects to approach the samurai and many more inclusive details with social interactions between the samurai and people of the time. Also by learning various arts that the samurai had used in combat gave me almost a first hand experience and a grasp to an extent, of what the samurai, when doing these maneuvers, might have actually done and why, which is vital in getting the overall idea of what they might do, or respond to situations and maybe connecting their methods, to today’s japan and maybe bridging that social/cultural gap between our societies.
And start telling them what is respectful. Several years ago we took my oldest daughter to visit my grand mother when she was still up and about. To make a long story short, at the dinner table I found myself telling my daughter “stop, that’s disrespectful” about a million times. That got me to thinking. I was spending so much time telling her not to be disrespectful, that I obviously hadn’t educated her on how to BE RESPECTFUL! So I changed my ways on the spot. From this thought process, Thought In Action was born!
This past testing cycle our Thought in Action theme has been respect. All of our child students were tasked with not only learning all of our punching and kicking and what not, but they also had to complete a task:
50 Respectful Acts based upon the rules of their household. Here are some of the lessons that were turned in by our students….
Here is a wonderful excerpt from a book written by my first teacher, Dave Kovar. He is directly responsible for revolutionizing the way Martial Arts are taught in America. In fact, I would dare say that almost any positive teaching method used that builds students to higher levels of self confidence and morality began with him. I am honored to have been a member of his school at the time when he was initially developing these methods.
Why Martial Arts Will Help You Raise
a Healthier and Happier Child
Excerpted from Dave Kovar’s Book
“A Dad’s Toolbox for Better Parenting”
The benefits of enrolling your child in a martial arts program extend far
beyond self-defense. Martial arts will help your child in nearly every
aspect of her life. It will improve your child’s health, fitness, athletic
abilities, confidence, concentration and behavior. Does this sound too
good to be true? It’s not. Many experts agree that martial arts is good
medicine for the escalating childhood obesity, increased violence at
school and deterioration of the family structure. There is a reason
why Dr. Phil, Jillian Michaels (expert from the television show The
Biggest Loser), Tony Robbins, pediatricians, child physiologists and
educators the world over all recommend martial arts as one of the
most valuable activities in which your child can participate.
Self-Defense
The self-defense benefits of martial arts could be described as practice the
fight so that you don’t have to. As your child trains he will become more
confident in his ability to defend himself. As this confidence increases the
need to defend himself will decrease naturally because he will begin to carry
himself in a more confident manner. He’ll project confidence to everyone
around him and will be less vulnerable to predatory behavior.
Martial arts training includes strategic or preventative self-defense as well
as physical self-defense. Your child will learn how to recognize potentially
dangerous situations and how to avoid confrontations.
Athletic Enhancement
There is a reason why every professional sports team in every major
sport supplements their training with martial arts. Martial arts training
offers several advantages. It is amazingly effective in enhancing general
coordination because it uses every part of the body in a balanced way. Upper
body, lower body, right side, left side, forward movement, lateral movement
and rotational movement are all included in martial arts training.
Fitness
Fitness has three components: strength, flexibility and endurance. Martial
arts training demands a balance between the three. Therefore, a child who
trains in martial arts will find her weakest areas greatly improved. Because of
her greater balance of strength, flexibility and endurance your child will be
less likely to injure herself while participating in other athletic activities.
Health
While martial arts training improves health for people of all ages, it is
especially effective for children. It’s great exercise and it’s fun so kids don’t
mind doing it. And part of martial arts training includes discussing diet and
lifestyle habits so children who grow up training develop healthy habits that
stick with them for life.
Concentration
Very few activities engage the mind, body and spirit more than martial
arts. Because of this a child’s ability to concentrate is greatly enhanced by
his martial arts training. He’ll bring this ability to concentrate to other
activities, too.
Respect and Courtesy
Martial arts techniques are, by nature, designed to injure others when
applied. Because of this, martial arts instructors greatly stress the importance
of respect, courtesy and restraint. It has been proven time and again that
children who are skilled in martial arts tend to be extremely respectful,
considerate and composed.
Confidence
Martial arts training always increases a child’s confidence for two specific
reasons. First, there are no bench sitters. Every child participates and
competes against her own potential rather than against the other students.
Second, martial arts training is built on the concept of setting your child
up for success by giving her a series of realistic, short-term goals that she
can attain quickly while keeping her focused on an exciting long-term goal.
Each time she experiences success her confidence improves until she begins
to believe that she can accomplish just about anything with hard work and
dedication.
Master Croley along Shifu Jim Green and several students will be attending George Xu’s China Camp from December 7-23rd, 2010. This is an exciting opportunity to train with some of the top Grand Masters in the world! Just for fun, here is a list of the Grand Masters that will be at the camp. This information is from www.GeorgeXu.com.
George Xu (Xu Guo Ming) started martial arts training in 1966 with Zhu Hong Bao, in the three Muslim styles in China: Xing Yi 6 Harmony, 10 Animal Cha Fist, and Chi Shu 7 Postures. Following that he studied with Zhang Qing Lin, a Snake Bagua Master, in this very unique system. He studied the Lan Shou System with Qing Zhong Bao; Cotton Fist with Yang Tian Gui; Chen Style Taiji with Shuong Guang Ren, a student of Chen Xiao Quai; Yang Style Taiji with Shi Wen Deu; and Xing Yi Master Yu Hua Long. His boxing teacher, Zhang Li De, was the undefeated Middleweight Boxing Champion from 1951-57. He graduated from Shanghai Normal University in Mathematics.
In 1981, he came to the United States and began a long career of teaching and bringing Chinese masters not only to the United States, but also exposing the art of high level practitioners to Kung Fu enthusiasts worldwide: Zhou Yuan Long, Chen Style; China Heavyweight Champion Liou Wan Fu (full contact); Ye Xiao Long, Lan Shou Master, Yang Style Taiji Master; Ma Hong, Chen; Wang Hao Da, Wu Style (student of Ma Yueh Liang); Lu Gui Rong, Wu Hao Style; Qian Zhao Hong, Xing Yi; Wang Zhi Qiang, Yang; Yun Yin Sen, Liu He Ba Fa; and Ji Ah Dong, Yang StyleTaiji.
Master Guo Shu Pu· Pi Gua Style, Ba Gua Palm, Chen Style Tai Ji, Tao Style, and Bagua Form
Master Guo Shu Pu is a Taoist master from Tianjing City. He was born February, 1946 and was in the Beijing army from 1964 to 1969. When he was very young he started training with Pi Gua master Guo Jin Wu, and also at the Beijing White Cloud Temple with Qu Kei Zhang Ke, a Taoist master, and practiced Taoist martial arts, taiji,and bagua Wind and Thunderstorm, White cloud palm form, and also chasing the wind palm form. Additionally, he practices Pi Gua fist, which is a chopping and uppercut fist form, Yu family style spear, Wu Dan Sword, and many other styles. He has written many articles, more than ten on Wu Dan sword, palm, and internal training. He is one of the top Wu Dan masters–famous in China–on the cover of many magazines. If you want to understand Chinese Wu Dan Style, then you must come train with this master. Many Wu Dan masters received their training with him.
Master Liu Bo Xue· Yang Style Taiji and Tong Bei (from Grandfather).
Master Liu Bo Xue specializes infamily style of Tong Bei, Gorilla Style. This style is direct from the Zhang Zhu lineage. His granfather was the Beijing Security Chief of the Nine Gates of the Forbidden City. Master Liu is a great fighter, each hit is deadly. When he does form, his palm is red like fire, his speed is like the wind, his action in and out is like a monkey, his power is like lightning, very deadly. He will share authentic, knowledgable, traditional Tong Bei with students.
Goriilla = qi through the back. His grandfather taught in Tianjing and Beijing whole lifetime, and was undefeatable. he held classes in the park with many challenges, but remained undefeatable.
Master Shi Shen Lin (from Beijing)
Master Shi Shen Lin studied Ba Ji Quan, Xin Yi 12 animals, Ba Gua form.
Master Shi Shen Lin was born in 1951 and started martial arts training with his father when he was eight years old. In 1965 he started training with his taiji and baji master along with xing-yi and bagua palm. He studied with master An Shu Bao who was China’s Taijiquan Martial Arts Association President before the revolution. He also studied with grand master An Ji Hai before the revolution. He was a China central government kung fu acadamy master learning long fist, six harmony fist, drunken fist, and monkey fist. In 1984 he studied with Taoist grand master Qu Ku Zhang Wu Dan sword and Wu Dan style. In 1986 he studied Dong Hai Chuan Bagua Palm with master Gao Zhi Ying and all the bagua weapons. His school is called Rang Fong City Bagua Kung Fu Acadamy. His many students get gold medals in national bagua competitions including 180 students winning in the first six places in national, city, and provincial competitions, 13 first place in national competitions, 8 second place, and 15 third place winners.
Master Yu Pei Kuan (from Beijing)
Master Yu Pei Kuan specializes in Xing-Yi 5 Element, Ba Gua, Shao Lin, Yang Style Tai Ji and Wu Style Taiji.
Master Yu Pei Kuan was born in 1949. He began studying martial arts at the age of 13 with master Wang Na Fa. He has practiced xing -yi and all kinds of weapons. In 1975 he began his study of Le Style Taiji with master Zhang Wan Shen. Also after 1980 he studied with master Zhu Gang Fa and Zhang Shu Chen xing-yi, bagua, tong bei, and taiji. Then in 1984 began studies with bagua master Gao Zhi Yong and Wu style master Wang Pei Shen.
Master Zhao Ya Jun (from Beijing)
Master Zhao Ya Jun specializes in 5 Element Tong Bei, and Chen Style Taiji.
Master Zhao has practiced Tong Bei and other martial arts from a very young age with master Lu Yong Che including 5 element tong bei and Yang and Chen style taiji. His teacher is in direct lineage of grandmaster Zhang Chu. He is an learned tongbei usage, fighting, and weapons from Lu Bao Xu. He is Hu Bei province Rang Fong City Wu Shu Association Vice President and Tongbei Association Vice President.
Master Zhou Hong (from Beijing)
Master Zhou Hong· Le Style
Le Style taiji comes from Ching dynasty master Le Rei Dong who was the king’s brother and royal family martial arts teacher.Le style taiji has 5 element hammer fist. He is an expert at Wu Gong taiji called 8 strategy unique fist, taiji spear, broad sword, and taiji sword. He practices Shaolin internal fighting as well as xing-yi 12 animal and taiji fighting mixed together. He is kung fu chief instructor of Le style taiji in Rang Fong city and Wu Shu Association Vice President. He is a Zhang Wang Shen indoor student, known as a very powerful explosion master.
Master Jin Qi Rong (from Beijing)
He is the chief instructor of International Yi Quan Assoication. He Studied Ba Gua Palm, Yi Quan (Da Chen Quan), weapons, push hand, fighting, and internal training.
Master Wu Ji · Shi Chuan Wumei Mountain Lan Shou Shaolin
Master Wu Ji used to be in China’s special army where he defeated all other specialists. His nickname is “Copper Skin-Iron Bone Man.” He is one of the best fighters. He will teach whole body unified power, body conditioning, Chinese 23 fighting principles, and also two man fighting training, Shaolin fundamental fighting basics, single line exercise training, six direction power, and power stretching.
Master Wang Lian Fu (from He Bei Lan Fan)
Master Wang Lian Fu studied Tong Bei, Yang style Taiji, Yang Shao Hou fast Taiji, Taiji sword, big broad sword, Chan Shi Taiji, and push hands.
Master Wang started practicing martial arts at 12 years old with his father doing tong bei. Later, he studied with older village masters tong bei, yang style taiji, taiji sword, Wu Dan, Chen and Yang Sword. His specialty is Yang Shao Ho taiji alive step, fast usage form, early traditional taiji Yang style. He is prominent at many kung fu competitions and research meetings and is a well known martial arts master.
Master Gao Fi
Wu Dan master Gao Fi is a pure internal master. He is alive like a monkey. Inside he moves like a cat. In fighting he fights like a predator.
Master Yuan Bao Hai (yello silks student
Master Yuan Bao Hai was born in 1948 in Hunan province. He has studied martial arts since 1967 with many masters. He is expert in xing-yi 12 animal, taiji Yang style, and Shaolin kung fu. He is a member of Beijing Wu Shu Association, a national judge, and President of Beijing Pao Style Martial Arts Association.
After one of our students earns a Black Belt, there is still continuing curriculum. In fact, getting a black belt is kind of like getting your drivers license. You can drive- but now it’s time to really learn how to do it! Along with kunging and fuing, the first lesson our Black Belts learn about is Compassion.
There are three beginning levels to martial arts, regardless of style. Level 1 is Physical Power. This means learning how to use the correct muscle groups and the skeleton, learning moves and techniques for coordination, and so on. Level 2 is mixed internal and physical, and level 3 is pure internal power. This means that the internal body power is greater than the physical body power.
George Xu (Xu Guo Ming) started martial arts training in 1966 with Zhu Hong Bao, in the three Muslim styles in China: Xing Yi 6 Harmony, 10 Animal Cha Fist, and Chi Shu 7 Postures. Following that he studied with Zhang Qing Lin, a Snake Bagua Master, in this very unique system. He studied the Lan Shou System with Qing Zhong Bao; Cotton Fist with Yang Tian Gui; Chen Style Taiji with Shuong Guang Ren, a student of Chen Xiao Quai; Yang Style Taiji with Shi Wen Deu; and Xing Yi Master Yu Hua Long. His boxing teacher, Zhang Li De, was the undefeated Middleweight Boxing Champion from 1951-57. He graduated from Shanghai Normal University in Mathematics.
Master Guo Shu Pu 
Master Shi Shen Lin (from Beijing)
Master Yu Pei Kuan (from Beijing)
Master Zhao Ya Jun (from Beijing)
Master Zhou Hong (from Beijing)
Master Jin Qi Rong (from Beijing)
Master Wu Ji · Shi Chuan Wumei Mountain Lan Shou Shaolin
Master Wang Lian Fu (from He Bei Lan Fan)
Master Gao Fi
Master Yuan Bao Hai (yello silks student
