2x 3 min. speed intensity pad work:
drilling: 1 and 1
1. front kick catch:
a. catch and yank, take back, lift and dump (expends a lot of energy).
b. catch and yank, take back, lift and sweep foot (less energy).
c. catch leg and lift.
d. pull in, slam shoulder to body for double leg take down.

2. Round kick catch:
a. catch, punch chest/sweep leg
b. palm block catch and yank/sweep.

3. Four hooks clinch drill-
-cover 4 punches/hooks into clinch, wrap arm and knee tap.

Strength condition: Pyramid 10. abs and push ups.

Tai Chi Class:

warm up of joints and basic stretches
Long form 2x
Straight sword 2x
Sword Basics:
-figure 8
-uppercut
-combined figure 8 and uppercut
-walk forward upper cuts (step log to gain distance)
-walk backward upper cuts.
2 sword form details- cut to knee, back step cut to neck.

Saber form 2x

1 hour push hands:
-Lead/follow circles: wrist, elbow, shoulder partner work.
-Waist loosening: brush knee and wave hands partner work.
-Fixed step freestyle
-moving step freestyle.

1/12/2012 San shou with Edward Lawrence
Running drills- side, back, and karoke.
Hopping drill- front/back, switch lunges, forward check kicks, backward check kicks.
Jump knee
Sprints
Shadow box: punch, kick, throws.

2 three minute fast and hard pad work:
Hooks,jab-cross, uppercuts, low hooks, low kicks, high kicks, double body kick, push kick-round kick. Take down: double and single leg variations.

4 three minute rounds of technique sparring.
what worked: punch and body lift, sweep leg. punch or kick and single/double leg.
what didnt work as well: knee taps and major hip throws were less successful.

Shuai jiao: review what worked or failed in technique sparring-
1. Knee taps.
2. Step back head control and under arm throw vs. a double leg.
3. Neck throw.
4. Snake down throw. Sweep leg and single leg turn variation.
5. Weave under arm throw.

Burn out: 20 each-
Squats,
V ups,
T push up,
Squat kicks,
Leg lift,
Hindu push up,
Burpies,
Russian twist,
Plank variations: elbow to push up planks.

Saturday Jan. 14
Warm ups:
Head circles
Stretch up over head fingers clasped
Alternate direction waist/arm circles
Wing arm stretch to open chest and arms.
Circle arm backward- single arm.
Circle waist
Swing arms Body hitting- dantien, kidnets, chest, back, deltoid, shoulder, legs,arms.
Circle knees
Circle ankles
Circle wrists for anti-qina
Bow stance
Drop stance

Form training

Tui shou:
4 corner= two joints control.
Two joints and 3 lesson:
3 joints of fingers.
3 hand joints: fingers, hand, wrist.
3 of arm: wrist, elbow, shoulder.
3 of leg: ankle, knee, hip.
3 section of body: foot, hip, head.
Control any 2 joints, it is the martial essence to 4 corners tui shou.

Tui shou stance/stepping-
1. small stance: self defense and moving step push hands.
2. large stance: good for fixed step push hands.
3. Stepping: when opponent comes in and attacks (yang) step back (yin) and then counter attack (yang).

Walking forward and back ward:
Two attacks and two defense.
Small circle and big circle.
Attacks are small circle and square.
Defense is big circle and angular.

12 planes and coiling: 2 and 3 dimensional: forward, back, left, right, up, down, centered, coil clockwise, coil counterclockwise, high, middle, low.
Front back stepping with coiling.
Defense is small, offense is big to make opponent big.
Up and down- countering big circle. when caught in a high positing press opponent elbow and shoulder (Fair maiden plays shuttles)

Fixed step:
Small circle big circle 4 corners.

Plans are nothing, planning is everything.- Eisenhower

for 4 corners applications:
1.when you have opponents hands high- step behind and apply ward off left or right.
2. Qi-na opponents hand in tui shou with Tigers mouth and step behind/shoulder pung.

Jan. 17 and Jan. 19:USWA- Dave, Marty, Alan, Matt, Lawrence, etc.
usual running warm up- running, high knees, ankle kicks, sideways, backwards, karoke step, jump knees, quick sprints, quick sprint timed punches.
1. in out step drill into 4 lunges, into forward step punching.
2. shadow box, kick, and shuai chiao. works kicks into punches, punches into kicks.

2 rounds each of pad work: speed theme. 4 punches in-out.

kick drills- up and down floor over and over on kick shield (20 minutes)
1. forward front push kick
2. chinese round kick
3. chinese side kick
4. combine them: push kick,round kick. round kick, side kick. etc.

shuai chiao combat drills:switch partners.
1. kick catch- yank and turn with back step.
2. add jab cross (to gloves) kick- other guy kick catches and throws.
change legs, rhythm, speed. etc.
3. round kick catch, push chest and sweep.

strength:
95# barbell: deadlifts, Bear complex, squats.

Kettlebells: 2 x 35#
squats, swings, push ups, sumo dip high pulls, thrusters, over hed press.

Body:
back bends
neck bridges
push ups
pistols

*Jujitsu rolling with alan to work on ground skills and grappling.

11/8:
Last night class: warm-up running and linear shadow box/throws.
Review level 1 basic pad holding:
1. 1-2 combo
2. Slip jab counter cross (can later add left hook).
3. Slip cross counter left hook (can later add cross).
4. Cover left hook-counter w/ left hook, cross, left hook (3).
5. Cover right hook- counter w/right hook, left hook, cross (3).
6. 6 punch combo training: jab-cross-hook-hook-uppercut-uppercut.
7. Low round kicks left and right.
8. Kick counters: low kick w/ kick check.
9. Kick counter: side kick to body w/hold ball catch.
10. Kick counter: round kick to body w/catch or hold at side and counter punch/sweep.
11. Takedown of the day: Chen lazy tie coat throw: jab-cross enter for throw (lift leg high).

Ideas:
1. Practice for points- punches=1, kicks=2, throws=3. Create more punch-kick combos, search for throws/takedowns.
2. Practice smart- Beijing team trains all day, we only have 1.5 hours 2x a week.
3. Think more creatively.
-stretching closing

Nov. 10:
running, linear drills/shadow box.
2x 3 min. rounds with thai pad work.
2 x 3 min. drill sparring with take downs
2 x 3 min. punch and counter punch partner training.
shuai chiao- single leg shoulder bump.
strength training: push up, plank drills.

Nov. 17. San Shou
warm-up: running, high knees, butt kicks, karoke, up knee jumps, backwards, 5x fast sprints.
line drills:
1. hopping: 2x forward, 2x backward, 2x switch stance, 2x 180 jump, 6x forward with jab.
2. jab cross 2 kicks
3. round kick, jab cross hook.
4. hook cross hook knee seize.
5. front kick, jab cross, neck throw.
6. jab, uppercut hook, full hip throw.

4 x 3 min.
-defense vs aggressive pad holder-striking and takedown counters.

shuai chiao- lu variation of knee seize.
strength training: 10 pyramid situp/push up.

Taijiquan: 11/22.
discussion on coach vs sifu.
1x Long form
Training:
Taiji- yin and yang discussion.
yin first then yang. wu ji standing.
Taiji stances: taiji horse with feet aligned with L1 points.
taiji gong bu: knee perpendicular for structure integrity. push drill.
taiji empty- appear empty but something there- 3 stances. knee bend/kua drill.
raise hands: curved wrist and elbow (yin) raise to yang. Yin to yang. Partner push and pull testing drill.
grasp bird tail- elbow bend to wrist curved (hold ball) as qi-na for shoulder bump.

11/29/11

-Warm ups
-[i]Grasp bird tail qi-na drill[/i]: pair off in stagard stance, opponent will punch- ward off, circle and wrist control, Into:
Ward off to control shoulder and elbow
Roll back horizontally when opponent works to coil escape,
Press attack to chest,
Opponent wards off and palm strikes,
Roll back and push- step and repeat as flow drill.

Cover the application in depth:
Qi-na of ward off: two joint control of shoulder and wrist.
Horizontal lu to counter elbow. Hands close lu, not down and not with hands separated.
Press to chest.

[i]Long form with emphasis:[/i] grasp bird tail with above technique knowledge.
Correct Stance: not locking leg and knee/lower leg perpendicular.

Form correction: yin and yang: principal: cant have two yangs- after push (yang) contract (yin) when turning into single whip. Test with yanking in tie-up.

Body Principle: square up/close on extending arm with opposite arm and leg. angle diagonal open body on Same hand same leg. Test with rooting exercise.
-Diagonal fly- test with body theory. Dont square up!
-Single whip- diagonal open body. Front: test root. From hook hand test root. From both test root.

Dec. 3:
-warm-up with brush knees and repulse monkeys across room.
-24 form
-Long form
-push hands: 4 square (pung ,lu,ji, an: flow push hands drill)

Dec. 6:
Tonight there was many lessons. First was about the learning in stages:
learning everything (quantity) to forms, later: slowing down and refining (quality), asking questions, judging for self, and later letting go and just doing.

Reviewing 10 essence of taiji. House analogy (blueprint- foundation- frame, walls and wiring. Inside and outside).
10 essence in this way: 1st half is of body and second of mind.
Body:
1. Raise spirit and lift head up.
2. Relax shoulders and elbows (opposite of head)
3. Sink chest and round back (sink breath).
4. Relax the waist.
5. Understand substantial and insubstantial in legs.
6. Coordinate upper and lower in body.
Mind:
7. Continuity of movement
8. Use soft inner force not hard external force
9. Coordinate inner with outer
10. Use stillness in movement and movement in stillness.

Training: Long form with that 10 essence principles.

Form detail and testing structure and applications:
1. Cloud hands- anti-qina, fingers and lower arm vs. grab.
2. 3 level punching in turn and chop: head, chest press, body punch.
3. Punch to rib counter: lift hand-catch punch and elbow break, roll back, slide into qi-na elbow, step and white crane shoulder throw.
4. Cross hands never cross, fingers dive anti-qi na.
5. Repulse monkey- coordinated step back wrist qi-na.

Partner stretching:
leg raise, knee to chest, side/round kick, back leg kick.

Bag work- 2 min. each
1. speed bag:
straight punch- hammer fist left, right, alternate arms.

2. Heavy bag- hard hitting

Partner work: theme- lead push kick, rear round kick, lead hook, rear cross.
2 minute round-
kick shield/focus mitt: lead push kick, rear round kick, lead hook, rear cross.

Thai pads: 2X 2 minutes.
1.)lead push kick, rear round kick, lead hook, rear cross., 4 punches, 4 knees-push and head kick, side control-double knees.

2x 2 minutes: clinch/glove work.
1) front knee drilling- switching.
2) pummeling drill
3) lead push kick, rear round kick, lead hook, rear cross- 4 knees-push high round kick. 3 for 3.
4) knee drilling with side knees.
5) clinch sparring drill with resistance, body condition with knees.

San shou throws:
1. parry the jab- shoulder grab- step to side and chop/sweep the leg.
2. duck the jab-cross: counter with double leg or leg/body grab and lift.
3. fire the jab and single leg take down- move forward and sweep/lift.

2 rounds of mexican sparring.

finish with warm -down.
partner and solo neck drills
stretching,
cobra
leg stretches.
spinal twists
floor stretches.
body patting and hitting skin.
deep breathing exercise.

I met Natalia Hill at the US Koushu tournament last year in 2010. Having had lost to her team mate Robert Beaver in an elimination bout, I had joined the Peaceful Dragon school in some post-tournament drinks at the bar to celebrate Natalia’s and other team mates successful competing. Natalia had won first place in Women heavy weight Lei Tai in 2010. I was interested in that the school was a martial arts school that embraces the Chinese “internal” styles of Taijiquan, Baguazhang, and Xingyiquan as well as Chang Tung Shen’s style of Shuai Chiao. In 2011, Natalia not only won first place in defending her heavy weight Lei Tai title, she also got first place in women’s fixed and moving step push hands.

Q: welcome Natalia, what other competition awards have you been able to attain in which I may have missed?

I also compete at our local CACMA (Carolinas Association of Chinese Martial Arts) tournaments. I’ve won several push-hands medals, and a couple of forms and sparring medals. I also had a single Lei Tai match at the 2011 spring CACMA tournament, which I won. I’ve done a lot more Tai Chi competitions than anything else.

Q: how many total Lei Tai fights have you done? What is your current fight record?

I’ve had four Lei Tai fights, three at the USKSF tournament in Baltimore, one at our local CACMA tournament. My current record is 4-0, 3 wins by TKO. I’m just a beginner in this area of the arts.

Q: Can you discuss some of the training you and your team do in preparation for competing in Full contact fighting?

I train a little bit with Robert and Carrie from The Peaceful Dragon, and a few other people here and there, but mostly I train on my own. I work out for 30-60 minutes in the morning either in my neighborhood or at the gym, depending on my work schedule. This is a mix of cardio, strength training and stretching. Then in the evenings I work on bag rounds and fighting drills while my daughter is in her kung fu class. After her class, I will either take a class or go do more training on my own. I try to get in at least two sparring sessions a week until the couple of weeks before the tournament. Then I spar less and work on power more. We try not to tear each other up too much in our sparring sessions, so I need time to focus on hitting things as hard as I can. I also mix in some bag throwing and working target strikes on our head-torso bag. I do a lot bag rounds, sometimes cycling between hitting the hanging heavy bag and throwing another heavy bag.

Q: What style of Taijiquan do you practice?
I study Ch’ang-Shih Tai Chi Ch’uan, created by Great Grandmaster Ch’ang Deng Sheng.

Q: what parts of taijiquan do you think have helped you in fighting?
The basic principles of having a relaxed body, good root, and sensitivity to your opponent’s movements provide the foundation of my practice. I’ve learned how to stay relaxed while fighting and have a high degree of flexibility, allowing me to be fairly agile for my size. I also have pretty good root, which helps me deliver really strong punches and keeps me up on my feet in a clench. By staying aware of my opponent’s movements and positioning, I’m able to avoid taking a lot of hits and will often see the weakness in their guard, allowing me to deliver more effective strikes.

Q: Do you think Tui Shou (Push hands) practice has helped you in Lei Tai fighting? If yes can you explain?
It definitely helps me fight. I use my push hands training to help me move my opponent around on the platform. The attention to root really helps me keep my feet planted on the ground when someone tries to throw me or pull me down when they fall. When they get too close, I’ll find an opening and shove them back out into range of my more powerful strikes. I also use my push hands competition experience to help me remain aware of our position on the Lai Tai platform, and then shove my opponent off of the platform when the edge is near. I’ve won two fights in the first round this way, and almost a third. The rule is that if someone gets pushed cleanly off the platform three times in a round, the fight is over.

Q: Can you discuss your thought on competition in push hands though many Tai chi people may put down push hands as competition?
It’s just a fun way of practicing the Tai Chi principles, whether you want to learn to use them in fighting or just for enjoyment and good health. In competition, people all too often get consumed by their ego and it loses many of the Tai Chi qualities as they try to use just force to dominate their opponent. When both people really are trying to stay light and aware and only apply force when there is an opening for it, then it’s ideal and you can see some good Tai Chi principles in action. I’ve had several really good push-hands matches and a few ridiculous shoving matches at various tournaments.

Q: Your teacher Sifu Sbarge and I have chatted on Facebook several times, and I discovered he and I both trained with Bagua master Sifu Park Bok Nam. Is there any Bagua or Xingyi training that has helped you in fighting?
I’m still working on learning our Pa Kua system, so I wouldn’t say that I use a lot of it in the ring. I’ve spent a bit more time with our Xing Yi system. It becomes useful when my opponent is in close to me, giving me short powerful strikes against them before I go back to push hands and shove them out into kicking range.

Q: How do you mentally prepare for a fight?
I do a lot of visualization, picturing myself knocking my opponent out with a variety of strikes, seeing myself get hit and just shrugging it off, imagining the final call of the ref declaring me the winner. When I’m in the final moments before the fight, I just try to clear my mind of doubts and remember my basic plan of attack. Once I’m on the platform, I push all of that out and just try to be in the moment. At that point, it’s all instinct and muscle memory, conscious thought only slows you down. I just want to see my targets and hit them as hard and often as possible, while not taking any bad hits.

Q: I assume since you’re a mother and hold a full time job, you have to have to create a balance of training and regular life. Like myself, we are not getting younger and nearing retirement to fighting age. How do you manage it? What is your day job?

I’m a security/software engineer in IT for a large corporation. My team is scattered all over the country, so we all work from home. This saves me a lot of time that I can put into my training. It also allows me to spend small amounts of time exercising and practicing when work is slow that I wouldn’t be able to do at the office. My daughter has been taking classes through the children’s program at The Peaceful Dragon for the past seven years, so she feels right at home at our kwoon. The layout of the school is such that we have a large area in the center of the school with tables and chairs, often referred to as the “tea-house”, with training studios, locker rooms and offices exiting into this area. While I’m in class or a training session, she’ll usually hang out with her friends in the tea-house, practice in an empty studio, read, or use the wi-fi on her laptop. When there are tournaments or school activities, she’s always involved in some way, since I’m always involved. She really likes to compete in tournaments and go to the various activities. The school is the center of our social lives, and it’s a lifestyle that works well for us.

Q: how many fights did you end up doing over the span of your fight career and what was your fight record?
A: As far as my full contact fight career goes, which I count as kickboxing, sanda and lei tai my record is 20-2. I have also competed in some boxing and grappling events which were fun as well as a few light contact events which I didn’t like so much.
I also received gold and silver medals in push hand events and trained students who have also received gold and silver in push hands.

Q: Name any championship titles you might have:
A: I was the 2002,2003,2004,2005,and 2007 USCKF International champion for full contact lei tai which we know includes punches, kicks, knees , elbows and throws/takedowns as well as the added factor of fighting on the lei tai platform itself which has no ropes. In addition I was the 2003 USCKF world champion for the first USCKF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP which was held in Sao Paulo Brazil.

Q: How much had tai chi and push hands help lei tai?
Push hands helped me tremendously on the lei tai. When you’re dealing with big guys who are trying to knock you unconscious it’s great to be able to move them off balance so they can’t launch their potentially devastating attacks. Someone who is off balance needs to first regain balance before they can think about hurting you. Also there is no way I would have been able to move any of those guys who were always heavier than me if I didn’t practice push hands. Ever try pushing an over 200 lb weight that has arms and legs and doesn’t want you to move it an inch as it’s trying to knock you out while you do so?

Q: What was your strategy for push hands events?
A: In push hands events I always used to focus on remaining calm and keeping my root. I love how the two person training in tai chi helps you to retrain your nervous system to remain calm with another person all up in your space. I knew if I kept a good structure and root and could absorb some of their force then eventually I could redirect it and move them off balance.

Q: What is your current training like these days now as a retired fighter? What kinds of training are you currently doing?
Actually I am planning with a coach and possibly a local fight team to come out of retirement. I am getting the itch to compete again. I love how it pushes us artists to constantly improve ourselves and enjoy taking a lot of the theory out of books and minds and putting it to use in the actual field so to speak which I believe is the ring. I think competition is one of the only ways for the martial aspect of these arts to effectively survive in today’s age. Without the need to defend our lives with our bare hands like times past, we need to search out people and events that allow us to keep the martial side of these arts alive and not always just talk about theory. Win or lose I believe its good for the artist and the art and I look at my fights as just another part of my training.

Q: How did you mentally prepare for fighting on the Lei Tai? I believe the strong mind body connection provided by the internal martial arts really help one to develop focus and intention that carries over into a fight, whether real-world or full contact competition. The same way our forms and standing meditations like I-chuan help us develop a calm and focused mind and body during the most stressful positions, so too can we does this during the stressful and sometimes chaotic experience of a fight with another person.

Q: With the explosion of the UFC and MMA, what do you think might be lacking with the amount of fighters rushing in to fighting in the cage? I believe a lot of these guys are to be respected for their heart and dedication to training in preparation for these events. Not to mention the fact that they are willing to do something that the majority of martial art “experts” and “masters” would never dare do, which is try to test their techniques in an as close to real situation as you can get legally, with everyone watching, with no excuses. That being said I know for a fact that a lot of the guys who succeed for as long periods of time are the ones who have that extra unseen, unmeasured dimension to them. Possibly they gained it through some form of classical martial arts or even yoga, but the fact remains that it separates them and puts them on another level that just going to an mma gym and doing some cookie cutter sytle training will never put you on no matter how many hours you spend or how fast or hard you train it. That’s what I like to call the unseen, immeasurable factor that a fighter can use the internal martial arts to develop, allowing him to gain an advantage in a world being flooded with a lot of new and excellent mma talents.

Q: Do you see any advantages that MMA guys are doing in their training these days (like kettle bells, conditioning circuits, cross training) that might have helped you in your fight events?
Definitely, I respect the MMA guys for their dedication and training ethics as I said before, but the other thing I love about them is their approach to training. They train what works and what has been proven effective. They also take their theories into the ring through competition and sparring very frequently to “test” it out and return back to the lab with the results. This provides them and their coaches with all the data needed to constantly improve their training programs and find which techniques the fighter can actually find success with in a real situation. That’s what I always tried to do and am still doing to develop as a martial artist. No doubt I wish I knew some things back then that I know now with regards to training. Actually there is a video floating around of my first full contact fight in which I remember not even training with a heavy bag or knowing the first thing about preparing for a fight.

Somehow I won but all I really did at in those times were empty hand forms, hold stances and play with push hands. I would have really brought myself to a higher level of performance had I cross trained more. Focusing on the internal doesn’t mean neglecting the physical body which is an important tool in a fighter’s arsenal. Think about a grade a sniper with a broken, rusty bent up rifle. I don’t care what he has as far as skills or knowledge, you’re not going to see it because his tool would be holding him back. That being said I sometimes wonder how I had so much success with such little science behind my training programs. It just goes to show you that you can always improve.

Q: What were some of the techniques you used on injuries when you trained for Lei Tai or after fighting? I would always spend an insane amount of time on stretching and would do I-chuan and different breathing techniques as well as tendon exchange.

Q: Are you currently coaching any fighters? If yes, what are you doing differently than how you were taught? Actually as of now I have no fighters to train. I just started focusing on myself and improving my fighting to be able to compete at a higher level. I have a coach and am looking to maybe settle in at a gym with some guys who don’t mind rolling around or sparring.

Q: any final thoughts on the 3 internals (tai chi, pakua, hsingyi) as effective martial arts in modern times, any additional things you would like to share or add?
I think that the internal arts can be very effective in any full contact forum. People need to just take it as serious as most mma fighters take their training. This means preparing the body for what it will face in the ring, finding strong partners to practice with in tough sparring, similar to your fight, and last but not least we should take some of the techniques from our styles and actually practice them on the pads for many repetitions, round after round if we expect them to work. You see the muay thai and boxing guys do it, as well as the mma guys and it gives results. So how can we expect something to work if we don’t take it as serious as everyone else?
Sorry it took so long, been busy getting back into training. Maybe I will look to fight again soon.

Q: Alex, how many fights did you end up doing over the span of your fight career and what was your fight record?

A: I fought in 7 tournaments, one of those being the world championships. I don’t remember exactly because these tournaments started with a group of fighters in the same weight and they were paired off against each other until the 2 remaining fighters were matched against each other in the last round. If I remember correctly, I had around 13 or 14 fights. I stopped fighting in 2000 with an un-defeated record.

Q: Name any championship titles you might have:

A:I was the 1995 west coast champ, 1995 and 1999 nationals champ, 1996/1998/2000 International champ and 1996 world champ.

Q: what was it like doing Lei Tai in Taiwan?

A: It was pretty amazing to go to Taiwan and represent the US. It was a bit different than before because it was not only my school brothers but also everyone from the US and the camaraderie was great. I met a lot of really good and talented people and was lucky to be able to compete along side them. It was in a stadium, so much different than the hotel hall in Maryland with a bigger crowd. What I still remember were guys from other countries I had fought before who were not there send their wishes through other fighters and judges who came from their country. It was a bit intimidating being in another country but once the fights started, all that went out the window. A major difference was that here in the US, all the fights were in one day so the injuries and aches really didn’t have time to set in. In Taiwan, the fights were spread over 4 days so getting up every morning was a challenge.

Q: How were you able to balance training as a fighter and going to Pacific College for TCM?

A: It was an easy mix. My teacher Mike Patterson was a great tui na practitioner, his teacher Hsu Hung-Chi (from what I have heard and read) was an amazing tui na practitioner and herbalist and his teacher Hung I-Hsiang was an acupuncturist, herbalist and tui na practitioner. So the combination of being a martial artist and healer has a long tradition. I would train in the morning, then go to class and clinic, then come back to school to either teach classes or train again, then finish up my day with studying. The problem was not as much balancing the two but staying awake in some of the classes and trying not to have a visible injury so I don’t have to explain to my clinic patients why their acupuncturist has a swollen nose or shiner.

Q: You were featured with Mike Patterson in Inside Kung Fu magazine on “Mike Patterson’s winning secrets”, where he mentioned some of the training of the Hsingyi team. In the article, Mike Patterson mentioned he had his fighters working on a steady amount of Tui shou (push hands), Rou shou (Pakua push hands), and An Shen Pao (Hsingyi partner drills). How much did the Internal arts play in developing your strategies as a fighter?

A: The Internal Arts were the only training I had ever had to that point so that was the only strategy I had. Our team consistently made a strong showing, even the new fighters, so the Internal arts played a key role to our success.

Q: What is your current training like these days now as a retired fighter? What kinds of training are you currently doing?

A: I still keep up my training, although not nearly at the level as during my fighting days. Training for a fight is one thing, but training for knowledge and longevity is another. The great thing about the Internal Arts is they are not only for fighting or their martial aspect but if you look into them, it is a way of life. The discipline and confidence will transfer into every aspect of life. The forms keep your body supple and the qi gung keeps your body healthy. I teach class here in San Diego a few days a week to a good group of students and do my own practice including forms, meditation and qi gung on a regular basis.

Q: How did you mentally prepare for fighting on the Lei Tai?

A: Everybody had his or her own way. I had my music, movies (Conan was always a favorite), and visualizations of getting up on the Lei Tai and finishing up with having my hand lifted.

Q: With the explosion of the UFC and MMA, what do you think might be lacking with the amount of fighters rushing in to fighting in the cage?

A: Although I really enjoy watching these competitions, the skill and endurance is amazing. However, what I think is lacking is the art. I can only speak for the students at my school and myself, but today there is very little art and tradition taught at these schools. They put out great fighters, grapplers, kick boxers but there is no substance to the actual art. Obviously from my time on the Lei Tai, I really enjoy that aspect of the martial arts but it was more of my own way to test the system that I had learned and apply the combat part of it. But now that my fighting on the platform is over, I still enjoy training for health and longevity. I know quite a bit of MMA fighters that are in their mid 20’s-30’s and are constantly injured and in pain. I treat guys in their 20s for torn ACL’s, dislocated shoulders, hyper-extended elbows. The training might be fun but not the best for the long term on the body. They are missing the yin aspect of training, that part that you keep training after your fighting and young days are over.

Q: Do you see any advantages that MMA guys are doing in their training these days (like kettlebells, conditioning circuits, cross training) that might have helped you in your fight events?

A: Absolutely!! The kettlebells would have been a great compliment to our training. I add kettlebells to my workout regimen now and see an increase in connection and power. This is like a martial art, a full body workout and can only improve your training. As for conditioning and cross training, that is something we always incorporated into our workouts.

Q: On Facebook, you share many articles on western medicine and recent studies, what kinds of western research have you found relevant to your eastern TCM training?

A: More research is going into herbs, vitamins and supplements. Also, much study is going into trying to figure out how acupuncture actually works, whether its cell, nerve, blood vessel mediated or a combination. I think looking at acupuncture through this model can be a bit dangerous though. The use of acupuncture this way and westernizing it too much so that its fundamentally a therapy used adopted to western medicine might loose the basic principles and functions of how the medicine was developed.

Q: What were some of the techniques you used on injuries when you trained for Lei Tai or after fighting?

A: EPSOM salt was a staple in my house. I would soak almost every night. I did some self massage and Shrfu Patterson was a very good tui na practitioner so he kept us pretty healthy. Also, we had different jiao’s (hit medicine) and medicated oils to help heal up quicker.

Q: Are you currently coaching any fighters? If yes, what are you doing differently than how you were taught?

A: No, between my clinic and teaching I don’t have time to coach or train any fighters.

Q: Did you have any special TCM herbal formulas, diet, or receipts in the weeks training for a fight?

A: We had several jiao’s and herbal recipes for various injuries. These were always used after training on injury’s either old or new. Yunan Pao is a great formula to take internally after any full contact to help speed up healing. As for diet…well, I was young and more resilient. I usually walk around 210 and fought at 180 so the months and weeks before the fights were pretty much salad/vegetables, chicken, rice and whey protein with water and protein bars and can I say that the protein supplements have come a LONG way in taste since then.

Q: any final thoughts on the 3 internals (tai chi, pakua, hsingyi) as effective martial arts in modern times, any additional things you would like to share or add?

A: I think the Internal arts are very effective fighting arts. Hsing-I has a 800-900 year history of fighting, Pa Kua and Tai Chi about 400 years I believe. It might take a little longer to learn the fundamentals, but once learned they are very effective. But for modern times of weapons and stress, I think these arts will prove to be more important in terms of health and longevity than self-defense. As I am sure you know very well, we learn the arts so we have control and not have to fight. As my teacher said many times about his skills “it is better to have and not need than need and not have”. That is what I think about these martial arts. We don’t want to fight, nobody wins…even the “winner” might walk away with the worry of injuring someone. So from this aspect, since we are training not to fight, it is the deeper and “Internal” aspects of these arts that makes them important and valuable today.

Alex Shpigel, L.Ac.
ShpigelAcupuncture.com

7/26
warm up circuit:
1.weighted belt- whip: part horse mane/single whip
2.weighted bag catching for grip strength
bricks: 4 postures:
1. feet shoulder width aprts arms out twist arms with brick.
2. feet together with half squat- arms in front and up/down wrist with brick
3. feet on line in lunge- hook hands to face/hook hand to back up/down with brick.
4. feet together arms in front twist brick.
Staff/pole-
1.body rotate and twist with sampson stretch up abd opening shoulders.

Kick shield 2x rounds: jab, cross, jab-cross, 4 punches, push kicks, round kick combos.

Focus mitts 2 x rounds: counter the attack.
1. mitt striking +single leg take down/ankle pick.
2. mitt striking with double leg or leg/waist throw.

Technique training from under over pummel/tie-up
1. elbow raise- steal step- hip throw
2. elbow raise- steal step- hip raise
3. elbow raise- steal step- single leg sweep
4. elbow raise- steal step- double leg sweep
5. elbow raise- -reverse steal step- chest press/lower hip press- step across leg sweep
6. elbow raise- -reverse steal step- chest press/lower hip press- lead leg reap ( pakua dragon)

burn out:
2x rounds: bag round/techniques shadow box.

7/17
shadow box warm up 2x
pummeling drills

solo line drills- technique review
1. jab counter sweep
2. jab cross- double leg shoot
3. kick catch sweep
4. single leg- steal step sweep
5. major hip throw feet together
6. major hip throw with leg stretch (one leg)

techniques from resisting opponent in clinch:
1. leg sweeps with using shoulder as leverage
2. leg sweep to fall on opponent
3. move opponent and belt crack throw
4. neck throw variation.

padwork and practice throws with mitt holder resisting.

bag work and body exercise/throw shadow box:
single leg, double leg, sweeps, neck throws, etc.

Shuai chiao nick masi

Jab counters-
Jab- parry , arm on should, step sweep
Both sides, jab or cross.

Jab parry- double leg, scoop knees, shoulder in hip.

Jab parry- double leg with dump

Jab parry- arm around body and leg, over shoulder dump.

Counter to dump is press foot below knee.

Jab parry- back knee tap (hsingyi knee split)

Stealing step version of last.

5/5
Warm up running etc. Striking and circling- level change/shoot drill.
Add:
1. Single leg turn and bow off circling and striking

2. Ankle pick/ forearm to hip throw off circling and striking

3. Kick catch w/neck mop- shuffle step sweep leg off circling and
punching.

4. From punching – catch both arms and neck/ body control turn 180
bend knees lift opponet from back throw.

Technique drilling rounds:

gloves as focus mitt: moving around for a round. Switch off 3 each.
Sample:

#1 from last week: dealing with jab counter attack
Jab- cross- jab: mitt holder jabs: counter jab w/parry/slip , arm on
shoulder, step sweep.

#2 – off a kick, counter
Kick cover-cross-hook cross, mitt guy: counter cross. parry strike-
level change/shoot,double leg.

#3- cover a swarm of hooks and counter
Cover 3 hooks- counter jab-cross, nitt holder jabs. parry strike-
double leg with dump.

other than that i liked the intensity of the drills we did. i want to
continue the heavy bag/dummy circuit at the end try to work 2 or 3 at
2 minutes each. I’ll bring my mouth piece, i should start getting used
to head gear too.

we can start adding focus mitt work. basically have me hit pads, and
you hitting me back with pads and kicks (use 70% power), and working
on some of the counters from week #1 and #2.
make me cover and move, but tag me if I’m dropping my guard!

5/15
Training with Nick and Seth

single leg off jab theme:

Jab counters- vs. regular or south paw stance guy.

1. a. parry strike- level change/single leg, scoop knees, shoulder in
hip, bring leg high and turn opponent.

b. other variation: parry strike press on hip and ankle pick,
(similar to gao bagua houtien #1- using a low forward bow step).

2. a. parry strike- outside step (similar to taiji- ‘part horse mane’
low outside step) lift from knee and waist.- dump

b. variation from above: single leg the lead leg and inner grab
rear leg (taiji similar: snake creep down shoulder bump)

3. a. parry strike- grab lead leg and waist, lift and heel cut/reap
opponent outer foot.
b. variation of above but as a kick catch
c. variation from above but instead do a inner reap/cut off
opponent foot.

4. parry strike- arm around body and leg, over waist dump.

5. counter to a neck throw- single leg and body grab -lift and dump.

5/22
Nick and jeff
Mitt work
Take down single leg
-2nd back knee tap
-3rd single leg ankle pick

Jab cross round kick – knee seize
Leg check variation

1.Knee seize pummel
2. Steal step pulling

Pummeling
Pummeling- off 1 and 2.

5/29
Warm-up:
Shadow box w/ burpies
Stretches- shoulder, tricepts, toe touch, twist spine , arm swings.

Review:
-Single leg Bowing off straight punch
Pad work:
1. Pad work – shoot single leg bowing off jab.

Lesson:
1. Front kick catch #1
2. Front kick catch off situational sparring
3. Steal step pulling leg catch #2

Review:
-Pummeling- hand blocking throw
-Pummeling- pulling (lock arms) throw
-3-5 second clinch spar to get throw. 1n 1.

Lesson:
1.Around waist hip throw
2. Under arm hip throw

Condition out:
2 two minute: bag and heavy man.

6/7
Warmup with running stretches, push ups, sit ups

Cover best throws:
1. Single leg
2. Double leg- waist dump
3. Kick catch
4. Ankle pick
5. Neck throw

3 rounds mitt sparring with take downs

3 rpunds conditioning: heavy bag /. Heavy throw bag

6/19: tyson and nick
Warm up running and rolling.
Belt cracking
1. Twist left and right
2. Down and up
3. Lunge left and right
4. Stepping forward
5. 3 cracking stepping forward
6. 3 cracking forward, steal step, and twist

Jacket throws:
1. From grip: across the face control and sweep heel.
2. When countered, elbow control and side toss.
3. Work off jab with parry jab/ shoulder control and sweep.
4. Parry jab and ankle pick.

Conditioning: 3 rounds.
Throw dummy/heavy bag

round 1- blast out at end of minute
1. air squat
2. iso squat (horse stance)
3. hands off push ups
4. back extensions
5. pop-ups- kneelin sit to stand.

round 2 – one minute each blast out toward end of minute.
1. air squat
2. squat thrust
3. push ups
4. burpee
5. lateral plank

round 3- x2 30 sec each with weight
1. lateral lunge
2. rotate overhead press
3. rotate bend over row
4. alternate upright row
5. rotating curl

round 4- 30 sec each x2 both left and right sides.w/weight.
1. dumbbell around the world
2. single arm swing
3. dumb bell high pull
4. one leg single arm row
5. diagonal press

round 5- weight
2 min.: twisting floor press l. side, rt. side
2 min. half get up l. and rt.
1 min. prone alternate dumbbell row

5 x 5 min. rounds (both regular and south paw stance work)
Round 1: footwork
1. stepping: forward- back-side -side repeat
2. forward-back -side-side- w/level change
3. forward-back -side-side- shoot and pivot.
4. forward-back -side-side-sprawl
5. circling and switch
4 squat kicks and 4 knuckle push ups

Round 2: striking
1. jab cross hook, level change
2. uppecut hook, rear knee, level change
3. hook cross hook, rear kick, sprawl
4. jab cross hook, rear kick, check leg kick
5. jab, round kick, side kick, pivot back to stance.
4 squat kicks and 4 knuckle push ups.

Round 3: striking to take down
1. jab, cross, level change
2. jab cross shoot pivot
3. cross hook, shoot, slam, pivot
4. rear up elbow, horizonal elbow, uchimata
5. upercut hook sprawl
4 squat kicks and 4 knuckle push ups

Round 4: takedown to finish/groundwork bjj
1. hip escape (shrimp)
2. arm bar abs
3. kimura sit up
4. triangle abs
5. sit up hip heist
4 squat kicks and 4 knuckle push ups

Round 5: everything
1. jab cross, step off, front kick
2. standing guard pass with 2 punches
3. elbow, elbow, knee, level change
4. jab, front kick, sprawl, knee
5. scramble- full and half rotations
4 squat kicks and 4 knuckle push ups

warm down-
1. hip flexor
2. straddle
3. front bend
4. pigeon
5. baby pose
6. kneeling with shoulder stretch (grasp fingers behind back)

mornings: been able to go through 5 element Xingyiquan, Baguazhang’s 8 mother palms, single and double palm changes. Yang Taijiquan- repetitions of Grasp bird tail, Brush knee, Repulse monkey, wave hands like clouds,and separate kick left and right. Along with standing of postures in all 3 systems: Xingyi’s San ti, Bagua’s Mother palms, Taiji’s Ward off and pipa.

evenings: 7/6/2011-
2 mile walk, 2 mile jog.
10 lb. dumbbell 3 sets of:
20 military press
20 punches
20 double punches
20 flys
20 lifts

Boxing drill: medicine ball punches 3 x 2 min. rounds.
1. punches with timing and footwork
2. punches with ball holder advancing and retreat on puncher.
3. 4 punch combinations.

Mittology
Building reflex for fighters to building muscle memory.
I. Basic pattern:
1. Double jab –cross-hook cross-roll/weave counter cross-hook-cross.
2. Add touch shoulder/cover face- counter cross-hook-cross
3. Add roll/weave left- counter cross hook cross.
Add either Variations:
a. Step around with counter hook cross roll/weave under rt. Hook
b. Step around with stretched jab-cross- roll/weave under.
c. Jab out
Catch four: (similar to counter punch system):
After variation that ends with roll/weave under, counter again with cross hook cross.
1. Lead Shoulder touch- counter cross hook cross.
2. Body touch- counter uppercut cross hook.
3. Lead shoulder touch- cross hook cross.
4. Rear shoulder touch- cross hook cross.
Roll under left and repeat entire set.

Basic looks like this: (32 punches)
Basic (30 punches)

jab (or double jab),cross, hook, cross,
-weave/roll-cross hook cross,
-shoulder cover -cross hook cross,
-weave roll-cross hook cross,
–step around- long jab cross-roll cross-hook-cross,
-shoulder cover right-cross hook cross,
-cover left body uppercut cross hook,
-cover rt. –cross hook cross,
-cover left cross hook cross, roll and repeat!

II. Base Pattern drill (meat and potatoes)

1. double l. hook(shovel/horizontal)- cross
Add rt. Upper cut – cross-hook-cross.

Triple jab/cross and counter with Base pattern
1. slip 3 jabs
2. Base pattern
3. Weave 2 hooks
4. Base pattern
5. Repeat.

III. Footwork:
a. Establishing balance and proper stance.
b. Moving forward, back, left to right.
c. Pivots- inside, outside, changing range.

1. Balance: Stance like about to run.
2. Stepping in directions drill.
3. Pivots- left, right with mini duck.
4. Cuban angle-cross, hook, cross.
5. Being pressed: sandeep step drill and 3 counters.
Center ball drill: Cuban small circle.
1. Jab out stepping (left) sandeep stepping right.
2. Skedaddle- forward, back, left, right step hopping.
3. Crawl: Mayweather technique-crawl forward and back. Left right.
4. Walk off/shake: walk off line of attack- small step back and angle off hop.
5. Cuban pivot and small circle: moving up and back (in-out) and pivot then small circle.

IV. Progressive:
R/L Body shot- Defend and counter: uppercut/double left hook-cross-hook-cross
1. Cross- cover 2 body shots- counter rt. Uppercut- 2 left hook cross hook cross roll/weave-repeat.
2. Cross- rt. Hook-left hook-add base pattern.
3. “high low” : cross- cover rt.hook and body shot- cross hook cross. Both Covers will be with left hand.
4. “Triple left hook right hand roll”- cross- 3 left hooks- cross- roll/weave.