Kodawari Hombu Dojo
My Neijia Story
The Missing Pieces Found
(and so much more!)
If you happen to be new to the Kodawari Hombu Dojo or just have not been keeping up, this post/article on my neijia story is the 4th in the “unofficial” My Story series1It starts with My Shotokan Karate-do Story, moves to my Goju-ryu Karate-do Story and then on to My Aikibudo Story. Links and background on all of these can be found at the end of this post/article.. If you had asked me 30 or so years ago how my search for the combative and energetic arts would end, it would NOT have been this way! Just when you least expect it, the Dao2Dao – 道 – The Way or The Path, in this case, referring to the philosophy (not religion) of Daoism. has a way of expressing itself to you. If you are not into philosophy (or don’t really know what Daoism is), just call it synchronicity.
Before really diving into this topic, I need to set the stage for you…
With Dr. Yang Jwing Ming – Houston, TX
Approximately 30 years ago, I was living in Houston, TX. At the time, I was seeing an acupuncturist and doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM3Traditional Chinese Medicine or 中药 – Zhongyao in Chinese or Dento-teki Kanpō Igaku – 伝統的漢方医学 in Japanese. Also, for anyone interested, acupuncture in Chinese is zhenjiu – 针灸 and in Japanese it is hari-jutsu – 鍼術- or needle skills/techniques/science. by the name of Dr. Wu Chengde4Dr. Wu Chengde – 吴诚德医师. Since Sifu Yang originally had a school in Houston, he and Dr. Wu were friends. Based on that, Dr. Yang was brought in to do a seminar over the weekend and the main emphasis was Yangshi Taijiquan Push Hands5 Yangshi Taijiquan Tui Shou – 揚式太极拳推手 – Yang Family Style of Grand Ultimate Fist Push Hands.
Dr. Wu Chengde – RIP
I’ll save you from the long version of the story. But, suffice it to say that it was an eye opening experience when I got the chance to push with Dr. Yang! At this point in my martial arts training, I had a fair amount of training in Chenshi Taijiquan6Chenshi Taijiquan – 陈氏太极拳 – Chen Family Style Grand Ultimate Boxing. But when pushing with Dr. Yang, it was not even funny. Immediately he found my center as was able to just bounce me across the room. Over and over again. Too the point where it appeared, to me anyway, that Dr. Yang was becoming frustrated with my lack of ability to last even a few seconds against him. Needless to say, it had been quite a while since someone was able to put me in my place so quickly and easily. I ended up with a bruise ego and a bruised butt from hitting the floor so many times! HA! But, I also ended up having a real paradigm shift.7In the simplest of terms, a paradigm shift is an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way.
This is already going to be a long post (as almost everything I write is). So, I will attempt to save a little bit of time. However, when you have a chance, learning about the Kuhn Cycle is well worth your time. His work was originally published in 1962 (title is The Structure of Scientific Revolutions).
If you’d like to learn a little bit more of the Matayoshi family system of kobudo and empty handed fighting, I would recommend having a look at the following link when you have a moment. The Ryusei-ha Ryukyu Kobudo system that we teach is based on the Matayoshi family system.
Hopefully, after 40 years or so of teaching, seminars, books and videos, everyone knows who Dr. Yang Jwing Ming is. One the off chance that you don’t, please click below or use this link: YMAA Website and Store. If you are looking to spend your money with someone, you can do much worse than “Jimmy”8There is no disrespect intended in referring to him as Jimmy. When I first met him almost 30 years ago, that was the name he instructed me to use.. If you are unsure about what may be right for you and your interests, leave a comment below or shoot me a message directly. I am more than happy to help!
[browser-shot url=”https://ymaa.com” width=”775″ height=”345″ “_blank”]
Folks have always said I had a hole in my head!
Neijia
Neijia9 neijia – 內家 – translates to internal family. Or, if you prefer, neijiaquan – 内家拳 – which translates to internal family fist or boxing is an interesting term. I believe that it is best to define the term before we get too far into this article/post. There are a few different interpretations of exactly what neijia means:
The Three Sisters
Shao Lin Si
The Shaolin Temple
And…
I am not certified as an instructor in any of the arts listed below. That might change in the future, but it is not the case at the time of this writing. My interest and studies in these arts are done as a part of increasing my own combative skills and, I believe, will also enhance the combative skills of my students. If this is of concern to you, then I would suggest looking to the practicality of what I am presenting and then making your own determinations. If you have any questions in regards to this, please (as always) feel free to reach out to me directly or leave a comment/question at the bottom of this page.
Taijiquan
Grand Ultimate Fist
Tui Shou
Pushing Hands
Wu
Baguazhang
Eight Trigram Palms
Xingyiquan
Form and Intention Fist
Yiquan
Intent Fist or Boxing
If anything on this page or on this website is of interest to you, I would very much urge you to subscribe to our Dojo Insider email newsletter. We respect your privacy and NEVER share your contact information. By subscribing, you will be among the first to know each time we publish new information or release new courses. Plus, you’ll get discounts and opportunities not made available to the general public. Subscribe now as it only takes a few seconds to do so! Just click below and you are on your way…
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- 1It starts with My Shotokan Karate-do Story, moves to my Goju-ryu Karate-do Story and then on to My Aikibudo Story. Links and background on all of these can be found at the end of this post/article.
- 2Dao – 道 – The Way or The Path, in this case, referring to the philosophy (not religion) of Daoism.
- 3Traditional Chinese Medicine or 中药 – Zhongyao in Chinese or Dento-teki Kanpō Igaku – 伝統的漢方医学 in Japanese. Also, for anyone interested, acupuncture in Chinese is zhenjiu – 针灸 and in Japanese it is hari-jutsu – 鍼術- or needle skills/techniques/science.
- 4Dr. Wu Chengde – 吴诚德医师
- 5Yangshi Taijiquan Tui Shou – 揚式太极拳推手 – Yang Family Style of Grand Ultimate Fist Push Hands
- 6Chenshi Taijiquan – 陈氏太极拳 – Chen Family Style Grand Ultimate Boxing
- 7In the simplest of terms, a paradigm shift is an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way.
- 8There is no disrespect intended in referring to him as Jimmy. When I first met him almost 30 years ago, that was the name he instructed me to use.
- 9neijia – 內家 – translates to internal family. Or, if you prefer, neijiaquan – 内家拳 – which translates to internal family fist or boxing
- 1It starts with My Shotokan Karate-do Story, moves to my Goju-ryu Karate-do Story and then on to My Aikibudo Story. Links and background on all of these can be found at the end of this post/article.
- 2Dao – 道 – The Way or The Path, in this case, referring to the philosophy (not religion) of Daoism.
- 3Traditional Chinese Medicine or 中药 – Zhongyao in Chinese or Dento-teki Kanpō Igaku – 伝統的漢方医学 in Japanese. Also, for anyone interested, acupuncture in Chinese is zhenjiu – 针灸 and in Japanese it is hari-jutsu – 鍼術- or needle skills/techniques/science.
- 4Dr. Wu Chengde – 吴诚德医师
- 5Yangshi Taijiquan Tui Shou – 揚式太极拳推手 – Yang Family Style of Grand Ultimate Fist Push Hands
- 6Chenshi Taijiquan – 陈氏太极拳 – Chen Family Style Grand Ultimate Boxing
- 7In the simplest of terms, a paradigm shift is an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way.
- 8There is no disrespect intended in referring to him as Jimmy. When I first met him almost 30 years ago, that was the name he instructed me to use.
- 9neijia – 內家 – translates to internal family. Or, if you prefer, neijiaquan – 内家拳 – which translates to internal family fist or boxing