Internal Fighting Arts | Learn Real-world Martial Arts Insights From Top Instructors Of Tai Chi - Xingyi - Bagua And Qiqong

Ken Gullette talks with Derryl Willis, a Seattle-based instructor of Chen Taijiquan who is a disciple of Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang. Derryl has made many trips to study in the Chen Village. In this interview, Derryl and Ken discuss the true meaning of being a disciple, the value of practicing the basics, and why Derryl caused traffic to stop the first time he walked the street in Chen Village.

Bruce Lee inspired Ken Gullette and Matthew Polly to become involved in martial arts. Now, Matthew has written the best and most detailed biography of Bruce Lee of all. Ken talks with Matthew about Bruce Lee -- his troubled childhood, the hurdles he faced in America, his true skill level, and how he died. Ken also explores two of Matthew's other outstanding books -- "Tapped Out," which was written after Matthew spent two years training in the MMA, and "American Shaolin," written after Matthew spent two years living and training with Shaolin monks in China. His books are examples of participatory journalism, not just writing about a subject, but diving deep and living it, and always with a sense of humor and a deep love for the martial arts.

What happens when a tai chi person takes up Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? Graham Barlow, the man behind the Tai Chi Notebook blog, did just that. He is a tai chi student and teacher, and a black belt in Jiu Jitsu. He has also studied Xingyi and Choy Lee Fut. In this conversation with Ken Gullette, Graham talks about the differences in the conditioning required for groundfighting, and whether any skills transfer between the two arts. They also discuss the concept of "real" self-defense and whether it requires the ability to take on an MMA fighter. It is a free-wheeling, real-world conversation between two guys who love martial arts.

What is the nature of chi? How is chi interpreted in different ways? Is there a conspiracy in Western medicine against acupuncture? Is acupuncture effective or is it junk science? These are a couple of topics tackled when Ken Gullette interviews Dr. Stephen Jackowicz, a martial artist and the Assistant Clinical Professor of Acupuncture at the Acupuncture Institute at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. Dr. Jackowicz was the first foreign graduate of the Korea Modern School of Acupuncture. He has studied Judo, TKD, Yang and Chen style Taiji and more. This is an enlightening, interesting and educational discussion that runs two hours, but is well worth the time.

Ken Gullette talks with Sam Masich, a veteran tai chi instructor who grew up in Canada and now lives and teaches in Germany. He studied with Grandmaster Shouyu Liang, Dr. Yang Jwing Ming, Brien Gallagher, Raymond Chung and others. Sam has developed the 5 Section Taijiquan Program and the Masich Internal Arts Method.

Ken Gullette with part two of an interview with Ian Sinclair, a tai chi instructor in Orrilia, Ontario. He has studied with Grandmaster Liang Shouyu and Sam Masich. In this wide-ranging discussion, Ian talks about learning fighting applications from Grandmaster Liang Shouyu and Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming; last year's controversial match between an MMA fighter and a Tai Chi "master;" and the importance of practicing the basics.

Tai Chi instructor Ian Sinclair talks with Ken Gullette about his experiences training with Grandmaster Shouyu Liang, Raymond Chung and other teachers in Canada. He began studying at the age of 12 and teaches in his hometown of Orillia, Ontario.

Ken Gullette talks with Paul Linden, chief instructor at the Columbus Center for Movement Studies/Aikido of Columbus. Paul began studying Aikido in 1969, and he developed the "Being in Movement" mindbody training. He is a specialist in mind and movement awareness education, and his work focuses on the interplay between self-exploration and effective action. Paul works with abuse survivors, among others, and you may find his approach to the arts to be enlightening and unique.

Ken Gullette talks with Dr. Ginevra Liptan, owner of the Frida Center for Fibromyalgia in Portland, Oregon . She is a doctor of internal medicine, but also believes in a holistic approach, combinine scientific medicine to a more wholistic approach that includes some "alternatie" medicines from China. Regardless, you will come away from this interview with new information on how to proect your fascia, and why it is important to do sol

Ken Gullette interviews Keith Kernspecht, perhaps the most successful martial arts teacher in the world. Kernspecht is the founder and head of the European WingTsun Organization. His passion for martial arts began in the 1950s, and he studied wrestling, karate, jiu-jitsu, kempo, Shaolin kung-fu, and other arts. He began studying Wing Chun in 1970 and later became the highest ranking student under Leung Ting, who studied with Ip Man. Currently, he is also studying with Sam Chin, teacher of his family art, I Liq Chuan, and creator of Zhong Xin Dao. In this interview, Keith talks about his martial arts journey, indlucing why he attended a class for five years even though he was not allowed to participate. He also talks about his passion for learning new things, and he answers one of the controversies in the world of Wing Chun.

Are you an interal arts teacher or school owner who believes your marketing efforts could be improved? Do you have all the students you can hande? Probably not. In this edition of the Internal Fighting Arts podcast, Ken Gullette interviews marketing expert Dave Dee -- davedee.com -- and they explore some basic concepts you need to learn and some questions you need to answer if you want your teaching practice to be more successful.

Ken Gullette talks with Jonathan Bluestein and Byron Jacobs about "Wude," pronounced "Woo-Duh" that means martial morality and ethics. All you have to do is go onto martial arts Facebook pages and you will see martial artists flaming each other, criticizing the movements and art of others, in a not-so-subtle effort to make themselves look like experts. Is this in the spirit of Wude or is it a violation of martial morality and ethics? Do martial artists throw manners and morality out the window when they are hundreds or thousands of miles from the person they are criticizing as they hide behind a keyboard? In this edition of the Internal Fighting Arts podcast, Ken explores these issues with Byron, who lives and trains in Beijing, and Jonathan, who lives and trains in Israel. Byron trains with Di Guoyong -- website is diguoyongwushu.com; Jonathan trains at the Tianjan Martial Arts Academy -- website is tianjin.co.il and Facebook page is facebook.com/tianjinacademy. The recent "fight" between MMA fighter Xu Xaod

Ken Gullette talks with Mark Chen, author of "Old Frame Chen Family Taijiquan" and a formal, rumen disciple of the late Grandmaster Chen Qingzhou. Mark Chen is a certified senior instructor in the Chen Qingzhou Martial Arts Association. He has also trained under Master Guo Lianyin, Master Bill Gee, Master Chen Youze, and Master Zhang XueXin. In this 90-minute interview, Mark talks with Ken about his martial arts journey, including the pain and benefit of studying under the strict gaze of "traditional" Chinese teachers.

Ken Gullette talks with Dan Djurdjevic, an internal martial arts instructor who teaches in Perth, Australia. Dan is a student of Chen Yun Ching, the son of Chen Pan Ling. In this wide-ranging interview, Dan describes the teaching style of Chen Yun Ching, training in the "melee range," his self-defense advice as an attorney and prosecutor, and he offers a valuable self-defense lesson in his practice of "flipping the script," a tactic that is very practical for the kinds of trouble you can experience on the streets.

Ken Gullette talks with Rory Miller, the author of an influential book, "Meditations on Violence." As a martial artist and a former corrections officer, Miller has given traditional martial arts a slap of reality by outlining the ways that real-world violence is not something that martial arts classes prepare students for, and when it really happens, most people are overwhelmed and unprepared. You'll learn the difference between "social" violence, which often begins with the "Monkey Dance," and predatory violence, when the attacker operates like a hunter, using stealth and deception to get close enough to strike.

Ken Gullette interviews Jeet Kune Do instructor Tim Tackett, a veteran martial artist who became a senior instructor under Dan Inosanto in 1973. Tim first studied martial arts in Taiwan, where he learned Hsing-I and Tai Chi. He authored two books on Hsing-I for O'Hara Publications in the late 70s and early 80s, but his main art is JKD. At age 75, he still teaches a Wedneday night class in his garage in Redlands, California. In this interview, Tim talks about studying in Taiwan, how he got into JKD, and some of his fighting philosophies.

Robert Allen Pittman is a Xingyi and Bagua teacher who has studied with Robert W. Smith, and in Taiwan Hung I-mien, and the sons of Chen Pan Ling. Allen is the author of "Walking the I Ching: The Linear Bagua of Gao Yi Sheng." He has co-authored books with his late teacher, Robert W. Smith, who was a pioneer in bringing knowledge of Chinese kung-fu to the United States due to his work in Taiwan for the Central Intelligence Agency. In this interview, Allen talks about training with his teachers, living and studying in Taiwan, and the changes that wushu has brought to traditional Chinese kung-fu.

Tai Chi is a martial art, but most people think of it as a slow-motion exercise for health and meditation. In this podcast, Ken Gullette interviews Peter Wayne, a Tai Chi instructor and author of the Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi. Peter Wayne is a researcher and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School who is involved in clinical trials of the health benefits of Tai Chi. So what do these clinical trials tell us? Is Tai Chi something special? Does it really have health benefits tied to the ancient Chinese theories of qi (chi), or are the benefits the same as you would expect from any low-impact exercise and calming, mindfulness practice?

People who believe in Traditional Chinese Medicine, including chi healing and acupuncture, say that there is a conspiracy by "Western" scientists and doctors to deny the effectiveness of TCM. But what does scientific research say about TCM? Is it science or is it nonsense? Ken Gullette interviews Dr. Harriet Hall, known as the "SkepDoc," a former family physician and Air Force flight surgeon who now researches Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). This is an interview that every internal martial artist should hear.

Ken Gullette interviews Bosco Baek, a senior disciple of Chen Bing. Bosco is the chief instructor of the Chen Bing Taiji Academy USA in Los Angeles. In this interview, Bosco talks about growing up in South Korea, how he met Chen Bing, how he arrived at Chen Taiji after first studying Yoga, and how he became the first of Chen Bing's disciples who was given permission to have his own disciples.