Martial arts have shaped much of my life. They have taught me discipline, patience, resilience, and the value of continuous learning. In this section, I share stories, insights, and reflections from my journey through different martial arts, training methods, competitions, and the people and traditions that make this world so fascinating.
Cloud Hands Is Only the Beginning
If you’ve made it all the way here, congratulations. When we started this series, Yún Shǒu (云手) probably looked like a simple movement. A few arm circles, a few steps to the side… nothing particularly complicated. Now I hope you see why I chose this movement as our starting point. We spent six lessons on…
When Two Hands Become One Movement
If you’ve been following this series from the beginning, you might have noticed that we’re taking things quite slowly. Some of you may have even wondered why we’ve spent several videos moving just one hand. Surely we could have learned the whole movement by now. The answer is yes. We could have. I could have…
Learning to Shift Your Weight, Learning to Trust Your Body
Over the last few lessons, we’ve been slowly building Yún Shǒu (云手) one principle at a time. We began with a single arm because I wanted you to understand the quality of the movement before thinking about coordination. Then we added posture, discovering that being relaxed doesn’t mean collapsing, and that movement becomes much easier…
The Movement Doesn’t Begin in Your Hands
If you’ve been practicing the exercises from the previous lesson, you’ve probably noticed something interesting. At first, it feels as though your arm is doing all the work. You think about keeping your shoulder relaxed, your elbow soft, and your wrist alive. But after a few days, something begins to change. The movement starts feeling…
Why One Simple Movement Can Teach You the Whole of Taijiquan
When most people think of Chinese martial arts, they imagine flying kicks, acrobatic jumps, lightning-fast punches, or complex forms that seem impossible to remember. If you’ve ever watched a Taijiquan demonstration, you may have had a different impression. The movements appear slow and graceful, almost deceptively simple. Some people even wonder where the martial art…
The Way I Teach…
If you’ve ever thought about learning Taijiquan, you’ve probably realized that getting started has never been easier. Especially in Chen and Yang style, there are countless free instructional videos online guiding you through the forms step by step. That’s great. The internet has made an art that was once available only to a small group…
Rooted in Taiji: More Than a Logo
Since I was very young, I have been fascinated by Chinese philosophy, and the Taiji diagram was its most recognizable symbol. At the time, however, I understood it only as a representation of opposing forces: black and white, day and night, men and women, young and old. I didn’t truly grasp its deeper meaning. While…
How to get “song” 松
Sometimes, Chinese martial arts are made more mysterious than they actually are. … are they even mysterious? 🙂 We will talk about that some other time. Today, I’d like to circle back to our concept of song 松. We said it’s about releasing unnecessary tension while still keeping the structure and awareness. I gave you…
Why is “song” so important?
When I start working with a new student, our practice begins long before we step onto the training floor. I observe. The way they express their ideas. The way they walk and carry themselves. The way they deal with waiting for class to begin. The way they react when something doesn’t go according to plan.…
The Concept of 松
If you’ve spent some time training Chinese martial arts, especially the inner styles, you’ve definitely already heard your teacher saying: “More song.” “Your shoulders need to be song.” “Song the kua.” … … When I started with Taijiquan, it meant to me that I shouldn’t lift up the shoulders, I should get softer in my…
More Than Just a Hobby
I’ve spent most of my life around martial arts. Like many people, I started because I was curious. I wanted to learn something new, challenge myself, and maybe learn how to fight a little. What I didn’t realize at the time was that martial arts would eventually shape how I think, learn, teach, and approach…