Northern Systems - Dynamic Tension ?

Wai Jia: The Kung Fu Forum Shaolin Kung Fu
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Hi Everyone,
I just have to ask this question :-)))

As we all know, in the martial arts practiced in the South we find dynamic tension practiced regularly. Obvious examples lay in Hung Gar, Wing Chun, Southern Mantis, (and Bak Mei, Dragon, Hung Fut and Choy Lee Fut… I think).

These Southern styles are reputed to have originated in the Southern Shaolin Temple/s. They all utilize hard tension/breathing exercises to develop hard ging. It can also be seen in the Okinowan offshoots.

My question is this. Do any Northern Shaolin Temple styles utilize this strength training method ?

I know that the major theory of Northern style is speed, relaxation, elusive leaping footwork, kicks, swinging strikes and general usage of the six harmony theory, ie using the whole body (and mind) at once in delivering power. Tension at the end.

My question does not ask so much about the differences in power usage, but I would like to ask my Northern brothers, do you know of any dynamic tension training methods from the Northern Shaolin styles ?

(I know that Wan Lai Shen practiced some exotic training methods in his Ziranmen style, but I believe that it is a Taoist rooted style, not Shaolin.)

So my question specifically covers dynamic tension training methods of :

  • LohanQuan
  • MizongQuan
  • Liu HeQuan
  • Cha Quan
  • Hua Quan
  • Bei Shaolin Men
  • All Northern Mantis systems
  • Tung Bei ( I dont know if it is a Shaolin rooted system:- )))
  • Cannon Fist
  • Tai Zhu Quan
  • Mei Hua Zhang
  • Duan Da Quan (if there is still an independent system these days)

Please forgive any mis-understandings on my part, and I look forward to your answers.

Cheers

Buddhapalm

2

“The twelve Ta Mo hands is a dynamic tension qigong”

Yes we use this set. It can also be done without the tension depending on the focus. My sifu learned it from Kwan Saihung who has a largely Daoist background, so I am not realy sure about the origin of this set.

I think the Yin Jin Jing at shaolin has dynamic tension in it.

I always wondered if the southern systems just incorperated this form of qigong directly into their fighting sets based on these exercises. Just one theroy of mine

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Da Mo Hands

Thanks for your replies Guohuen and Shaolindynasty,

I have heard of the “Damo 18 Hands” (Da Mo Sup Bak Sau) and I have heard of the “Eighteen Hands of Lohan” (Lohan Sup Bak Sau), but not the Twelve Hands version.

Is this a common Northern routine, or specifically comes from the Kwan Saihung line, who was described in the book “Seven tablets in the cloudy satchel” by Deng Ming Dao.

Do you know where I could see this routine ? I am curious as to how it looks and which Northern Style practice it.

I was also wondering if the original Da Mo excercises (whatever they were really called) featured dynamic tension. I have seen a version of the “Eighteen Hands of the Lohan” and it looked relaxed like Tai Chi and Dao Yin combined.

Either the original Da Mo’s hands’ were a dynamic tension routine or a type of Zhan Zhang perhaps, or even a combination of both.

Due to the fame of Da Mo it is highly likely that there are numerous routines with his name on them, the true question that nags at us is what did Da Mo really teach to the monks at Shaolin. Was it Yoga, standing meditation, dynamic tension or some other calisthenics or inner workings. Also was it Da Mo who introduced the inner workings to Shaolin. We do not know for sure, but by piecing clues together from Shaolin offshoot styles, maybe we can come up with some educated guesses. That is, unless we find some old manuscript in a cave near Shaolin Temple. Without such a manuscript, finding the truth in this matter depends on trust and if ten people tell us ten different versions, then we must use all the clues at our disposal and investigate in a most scientific manner.

The fact that there may have been more than one Shaolin Temple at different points in time, make it all the more confusing.

But getting back to my main question, how many Northern Shaolin stylists feature dynamic tension training from their lineage ?

I guess we could include holding heavy objects for extended periods as a kind of dynamic tension, ie holding out stone locks while in the horse stance for an hour etc.

I would love to hear all your thoughts on this.

Cheers

Buddhapalm
teleka@pacbell.net

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I can’t speak for other styles, but Tai Tzu’s northern division does not use dynamic tension. our Southern division has quite abit of it in the base sets though. The Southern is useually taught as a foundation to total beginners before learning the Northern though, so most Northern practitioners have dynamc tension from their fundational training in the Southern Tai Tzu.

It should be noted, that the Chao family (Tai tzu’s founding family) generally sent their children to Shaolin for training in Shaolin arts before teaching them the family’s tai tzu system. Because of this, as far as I’m concerned, ANY Shaolin training method is fair game for a Tai tzu player, this includes the Shaolin Yi Jin Jing done with dynamic tension.

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My Sifu learned the 12 hands from Kwan Saihung but it isn’t restricted to his line. That said my sifu only learned qigong from Kwan, his longfist comes from another person.

I have seen the set in a few of Yang Jwing Ming’s books includeing his “muscle tendon change and marrow washing book”. Yang also has an open hand version of this set.

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The 12 basic exercises of the Buddhist