Sydney IMA : Ma Chuan Xu (BGZ) Lessons

Ma Chuan Xu is in Sydney and is giving lessons on the basics of BGZ(Liang Zhen Pu style) for a couple of weeks only.
Contact Kingley Fong for prices and details.
k.fong@unsw.edu.au

Here's a chance to part with a lot of money and experience what Beijing practioners reguard as the standard in BGZ training.This might convince people of the cultural differences that effect and influence training in IMA.Perceptions and attitudes that may bring light as to why there are so many misunderstandings within IMA.

Ma Chuan Xu
A link to an interveiw from Jared's site
http://www.chinafrominside.com/ma/bagua/machuanxu.html

 

Hi Kat,

I myself am actually a (fairly fresh) student of Kingsleys, and am 'parting with alot of money' (lol, nice one) to do the intensive course next week. How are you involved in all this if you don't mind my asking?

 

Az,

Are you training under Yang Mian and doing all the iron body training? I've seen this site quite a while ago and while curious I was not quite convinced. Have you any thoughts on this guy?

 

Kat,

Thanks for the information. I have emailed Kingsley Fong and if there are spaces, I'll be going to the five-hour session on the 26th.

I'm keen to see what it's all about - hopefully this'll give me a good introduction to the wider world of IMA, I'm sure it'll be an eye-opener. Azrael - it'll be good to see you there. Introduce yourself if you see me, my name's Richard and I'll be the tall one who doesn't understand Chinese.

 

Hi Syd,

Yes, I am training in the Yang Mian System directly under Master Yang Zhen Hua, and do train in the steel body aspects of this system. Do I have any thoughts on this guy (Master Yang)? Of course I do, he is my teacher, hehehe.

You know, when I was in the process of looking for a new school (and I really really looked), and heard about the system, I was pretty doubtful as well. As they say, when things sound to good to be true, they usually are. The website really does not do the style any justice. And I should know, because I myself wrote the majority of the material on there.

What can I say? Well, I could and say a whole lot about Master Yang. To me he is a father figure, and what I would consider to be one of the most amazing martial artists in the world. I've seen that man do things that I did not think were even possible, and I'd like to consider myself a very open minded kinda guy. He can do things that amaze and scare the absolute sh!t out of people at the same time.

Because I do frequent alot of forums, many people ask me about him and the style, but ultimatly anything I say can be written off as biased. The best thing anybody can do is to go over and meet him. He is more than happy to recieve people who are curious, as he himself loves the martial arts and is like a little boy in a lolly shop when it comes to dermonstrating his familys system. Even if you do not intend on training with him at all, go over and have a look anyway. He literally teaches at his home all day every day, so its not like you would be putting him out at all. Give him a call, or if you would feel more comfotable, send me an email, and I would be more than happy to arrange a metting for you.

Hope this helped you in some way. If you need more specific information, I would be more than happy to try and provide it, although I am hardly an authority on the matter.

 

nzric: You too, and yes, I will do. Hahaha, ok, well, I'll be the short one who can't understand chinese.

 

Hey Az,

The question was not mean't to be offensive I assure you, but rather I knew you must be involved as you have the site in your sig.

I would very much like to visit your teacher sometime as I'm in Sydney. What I have yet to understand is what are the formal or general techniques in training for combat or self defense in this system.

It looks like a freeform system which doesn't use forms or set routines but rather seems to teach a principle of movement similar to what I can glean from certain aspects of I Chuan.

Could you fill in any gaps?

Best, Syd

 

Hey Syd,

Yeah I know, don’t worry; I know you were not having a dig. It’s all good!

Well, to explain to you everything involved in the first stage of training would require me to write a book, so I'll give you a brief overview.

The first stage of Yang Mian training is base power development. At this initial stage, you are essentially preparing to use your body to its full potential, in such a way that is specifically suited to you. This is where you learn how to generate internal power in a natural way.

The next stage is learning various ways to express that natural, almost liquid like power. Master Yang likes to think of this stage as learning the alphabet. You learn various ways of punching, various ways of elbowing, various ways of using your entire body to attack.

Now that you know your abc's, its time to start making words. So you will learn how to turn that punch into an elbow. How to turn that elbow into a different kind of elbow. So you begin to see how to move your body, and fold it in such a way as to keep a constant barrage of high power strikes flowing out as if you were dancing. So now that you can make words, you start making sentences. Which word's flow well together? What makes sense? What suits you as an individual? How does that translate to someone you are speaking to? Make sense?

Now that you can string words together and make sentences, its time to learn how to speak. This is the freestyle component of the Yang Mian System (we do not have forms at all). This is where you get to take all that you have learnt and express yourself freely, however you wish, and experience all of the endless possibilities.

So now that you can speak, its time to learn how to have a conversation. At this level, you will be able to respond to any number of attacks, without even having to consider how. You just will. All your attacks will be instantly based on the movements of your opponent(s). If they change, you will be able to change faster, because your body knows how to from the outset, even though they may have started the 'conversation', you will be controlling it. At this level, your opponents are literally fighting a whirlwind. This may sound rather far fetched, but have no doubt it takes alot of serious, dedicated practice to reach this level. In fact, I think only a handful have gotten to this level period.

On top of all this of course, there are the steel body components, which actually start from the outset. The core base power methods are the foundation to this training. Initially you will be conditioning yourself, then when ready, with a partner, and also using a specially designed training device. As well as steel body, there is also the steel hand, which follows a very similar program.

The above is a very general overview. I'm sorry that I cannot go into more detail about specific training methods as it is not my place to do so. Master Yang would be the person to speak to regarding those matters. Hopefully I have made some sense though. It’s probably nothing that you already did not perceive.

Where abouts in Sydney are you? I'm currently in Bondi, but am moving to Penrith in the very near future.

 

Thanks AZ,

I apreciate your efforts to explain the system and yes, It pretty much sums up what I was suspecting from the outset. I downloaded some of the clips ages ago and thats pretty much what I thought at the time also.

If you move out to Penrith you'll be pretty close to me because I'm in the Blue mtns these days but I get down to Sydney twice a week sometimes. Perhaps we might do some training in future as I am always keen to learn and share training and techniques with other MA's.

my e-mail is psi_fan@yahoo.com, if you shoot me an e-mail I will set about contacting you and perhaps meeting up with Master Yang in the near future.

All the best, Syd

 

Azrael: to be honest I don't know the first thing about the Yang Mian system but it sounds good. I wouldn't mind coming along to a few classes as well and seeing what it's all about (I'll check out the website later)

See you on Monday

 

http://www.chinafrominside.com/ma/bagua/liujingru.html

I attended a similar 2 day weekend Intensive Bagua ( $180) course 4 months ago with Liu Jing Ru
( His videos are all over the internet and in Chinatown shops, Sydney)
Some 20 people from Sydney & Canberra attended.

My impression is that these intensive seminars are more suited to someone who has at least 1 year’s of Bagua ( or at least the first 4 Palm Changes)….as he rushed through the 8 palm changes in 8 hours…something that normally takes a year or more. A bit hard to learn it all and then remember it afterwards. But he encouraged us to bring our video cameras to record it all.
We were fortunate because Master Liu’s senior student was an Aussie bloke fluent in Mandarin and provided on-the-spot translations and assisted with the teaching.
(Miles Henderson from Canberra spent lots of time in Beijing with Master Liu). Later I found out Master Liu is also quite Wushu, given that his senior student was a All China Wushu Champion few years in a row.


Still, it is quite an experience to meet an authentic Master who speaks the language and comes from the culture from which the art grew.

Meantime, I’m quite happy to learn the same Bagua fighting applications from a local authentic Bagua teacher in Sydney, Sifu William Ho for $20 per lesson.

 

Arzael,
No connection,just passing on information as I know there are many Aussies on this site interested in IMA. This would give them a good introduction to a mainland BGZ style and how a mainlander approaches training.I have meet KF on serveral occasions but I practise different styles of TJQ and BGZ with different goals and attitudes. I have also had experience with the Liang Zhen Pu style while in Beijing.

Perhaps we could all come together in convenient time and display the variety of BGZ styles and apporaches.Syd's weekly get together could become an excellent trade of and exposure to different styles.

Hope you all have a good week.

 

Kat: I have only been involved in the study of bagua & taiji for a few months now, so i don't think I would be able to contribute alot to such a group, but that definatly sounds like a great plan. You can count me in on that. I was actually speaking to a few friends from different backgrounds today over lunch, and we were discussing the possibility of having a monthly meet (we thought weekly might prove difficult over a long time-frame).

We've had a number of small group meets in the past, which have proven fantastic. Just a whole bunch of like minded indivdiuals hooking up to learn and train both knowledge and technique. What do you think? I guess it all comes down to finding a central location that is suitable. I myself am currently in Bondi, but shortly moving to Penrith, but traveling does not really phase me.

 

G'day Az,

We're not picky about skill level because we are all at different levels in varying ways. Improvement on an individual level is whats important and none of us take ourselves so seriously that we'd be expecting anything from those that turn up.

Since we have a regular Sunday session it's already there and organized. All you have to do is turn up when you want to and thats it. We are
totally organic about what we practice each time so depending on who turns up, the sessions are wide open to all styles and all comers.

Your welcome to turn up and learn, contribute, teach, share or just hang out anytime. If you like you can join us this Sunday in Centennial Park from about 2pm onwards. Let me know if your interested and I'll send you details of the exact location.

Best, Syd

 

Hey Syd,

Ahhh ok, my bad. I mis-read what Kat said, and did not realise you guys already had a regular training meet going. Thats awesome! I'm really impressed by that, much credit to you. How long have you guys been doing that for?

Thank you very much for the invite. You guys have a very respectable approach, and I really appreciate the offer. I will definatly come around one Sunday, as this sounds like alot of fun, and its always nice to put a face to the name. It may not be for a while, as I am currently in the middle of a lengthy move & job transition, but I will certainly join you as soon as the opportunity arises. Thanks again!

 

Hey Az,

No worries mate, consider it a standing offer, you can rain check us at your leisure. We've only been going since just before X-mas 2003 and due to the holidays we've only had about 4 sessions so far, but each time we have a great time and we've got a bit of a rhythmn to what we are up to so like I said we just want to actually *do* the applications side of training and thats the major purpose of getting together apart from the fact that it costs us nothing.

Best, Syd

 

Hear hear - I'm one of the "taiji bandits" at Centennial park and the sessions have been excellent. As long as you're open to try anything (even mixing up taiji with bjj/bagua/wing chun/judo/interpretive dance), you'll have a good time.

I have actually been meaning to let you guys know I can't come on Sunday - I forgot we've got a friend coming from NZ so we're showing her the sights of Sydney. Let me know if it's on for next sunday and I'll do my best.

 

Hello I too an a Park dweller.
Hope you guys have a good time at the BGZ.
Emailed Kingely once but never meet him,I do know he's a lecturer at UNSW.So I should get to meet him.
Hope we get the Sunday session as big and openminded as possible,There seems to be a lot of Internal Aussies on this site.Comeon guys atleast show up and have a chat.

 

Adc - Hey dude, Good to see ur online! Hope you had a good time on Sunday