[Shanoncia]

Personally I believe in chi (it just makes sense). I'm open minded about magic and spirits and lots of people think I'm crazy.

:)

Yes there is a chi... I've both felt and used it, but do not be fooled by the wide eyed pretenders. It's completely physical... just a good flow of energy. It is not a spiritual experaince for me in any way... but as for the spiritual side of things I'm a firm beleiver in all things mystic.

[Mamb]

There's some things that just can't be explained and so I can't help believing in mystical stuff. All within reason of course :) .

[saintjon]

dude I've felt chi, too. (did breaking in karate, took tai chi bla bla)

but some of the things I've heard go beyond breaking and all that.

For instance, listened to a show on CBC radio, forget the overall theme, something about martial arts, might have been how they're becoming over-westernized but I'm not sure, that might have been a different episode...

Anyways. The guy who did the show said he was a black belt in karate (can't remember what degree). Went around to some place in Southern Asia, was talking to this master of something which sounded like the Iron Robe (from a movie I saw).

Point is, this guy doing the show hits him, dead on in the chest. Black Belt (I learned to hit pretty damn hard in yellow). Not only was the guy unaffected, but the black belt's hand started to hurt!!! If you're a black belt, you ought to be able to hit things considerably harder than someone's chest cavity, and not get hurt by it noticeably, just think of some of the breaking you have to do to reach that point! (this is one story among many that I have heard, if you want to hear more say the word :))

To be honest, I didn't know that about the irreliability of records from that period. Cheers. Read in Clavell that Chinese people are pretty serious about keeping track of their families so I assumed it would all be good. Oh well, even if it isn't true, no stress=long life still makes sense to me.

Mamb that's exactly how I feel. I do seem to have a more forgiving sense of what's reasonable than others I've talked to.

[Shanoncia]

Sorry, SaintJon, it's the secret of Sanchin that gave him such unseen armor. But I am under oath and can say no more. :rolleyes:

[saintjon]

You mockin me?
*growls like a dog*
err eep! This doesn't support my cause in the other thread at all!!

ahem. Heard a similar story about Yang lu Chan too (was a bit more dramatic, but hey, people embellish)

[Pantalimon]

Sorry, SaintJon, it's the secret of Sanchin that gave him such unseen armor. But I am under oath and can say no more.
I've just been practicing my iron shirt tonight, my iron fists are a bit worse for wear though! :(

[Shanoncia]

Tatsu shimabuki, o isshin ryu ?????????

[kahnovitch]

posted by Shan...Sorry, SaintJon, it's the secret of Sanchin that gave him such unseen armor. But I am under oath and can say no more.


Allow me to spill the beans then!

Sanchin is a high level kata of Goju-ryu which focuses on the stance "sanchin" and controlled breathing techniques and dynamic tension followed by relaxation of muscles.
The kareteka is very solid through the kata and will often be struck in the body by his sensei to test the student is doing it right.
It's a good example of the use of inner strength in karate.

[Shanoncia]

DAMN YOU KAHN! :mad:

Nah, jk. Nicely, but not so completely said. ;)

So whats with all the karate people on SFFworld? And people of high ranks at that...? Hmmm....

[saintjon]

Used to do that too.

Bit of a far cry from turning someone else's attack into a source of pain for them just by standing there though.