Yiquan practice has two aspects, health cultivation and martial arts. They are one in the same in that the foundation of martial arts practice is the health cultivation practice and a byproduct of practicing martial arts is a healthy mind and body. The two are inseparable.

Some of the basic principles involved are:

Developing profound levels of relaxation and understanding the relationship between relaxation and force. The use of the mind and imagination to coordinate the movement of the body. The balance of opposites in movement and for structural support in the body. Developing a whole body force that is equal on all sides and expresses force in all kinds of movement while maintaining flexibility and elasticity. The ability to maintain constant change while maintaing the whole body force.

The practice is simple and is very systematic. Because of this the concepts are relatively easy to grasp and progress comes easily. The training is divided into six sections.

Zhan Zhuang ( standing pole ) is the foundation of Yiquan practice and is the exercise which all else is built upon. It is a form of standing meditation and an exercise that conditions and coordinates both mind and body for building a healthy body and as conditioning for martial arts practice. Initially the focus is on gaining an understanding of relaxation and quiet with its relation to correct posture. As the whole body and mind are exercised, both mind and body relax and stimulate the nervous system, increase circulation, open the joints, and raise the energy level of the individual for a feeling of overall well being.  With further practice and an increase in the requirements for the mind and body,

Zhan Zhuang teaches the practitioner to develop a whole body strength maintained within opposing forces. This whole body strength is the basis for Yiquan’s martial arts practice and informs the complete Yiquan curriculum.

 Shi li ( testing force ) uses small movements to test the principles that have been developed through the standing postures of Zhan Zhuang. In terms of health some of the shi li movements are the same exercises you will find in Qi Gong and are useful for further opening of the joints and exercising the connective tissue. For martial arts, Shi li practice is used to develop various expressions of force and the ability to use it. Though it should be noted that if you have acquired any amount of skill with the whole body force of zhan zhuang, the previously mentioned forces will occur spontaneously within all your movements. Shi li is the first step to learning how to move while maintaining the whole body force developed in zhan zhuang.

Fa li ( releasing force ) practices the ability to express force with explosive movements.  Fa li is similar to shi li in all ways except that shi li is usually done very slowly in order to practice maintaining the requirements of the mind and body through the movement. Fa li is practiced with explosive movements.

Mocabu ( walking patterns ) is the practice of proper stepping that develops the ability to move the body in a centered and balanced way while maintaining the whole body force developed in zhan zhuang. Practicing mocabu will develop strength and control in your walking and allow for the freedom of movement while under pressure in martial arts.

 Tui Shou ( pushing hands ) is a way to practice many of the elements of self defense in a cooperative manner. Through pushing hands a practitioner learns to maintain their whole body force while learning how to neutralize, absorb, and redirect different forces placed on the body. An important aspect of push hands is learning how to change yourself without losing your balance. Push hands is the necessary first step to actual proficiency in Yiquan martial arts practice and the ability to integrate all the preceding stages of Yiquan are tested.

San Shou ( free fighting ) is a free sparring practice for those who want to develop skills associated with self defense. It is with free sparring practice that all the elements of Yiquan come together and one learns how to respond to uncooperative force using Yiquan principles.

 What is “health standing” and what benefits does it offer the practitioner?

 Health standing implies standing that is specifically used for cultivating health. It is used for building strength in the body, learning how to relax the mind, releasing the holistic creative energies of the body and to reorganize the nervous system for coordinated movement based on the principles of balance and harmony. It is the building of the mind /body connection that is the basis for martial art training.

There are five aspects of mind and body that can be exercised with Zhan Zhuang. They are based on the idea that mind and body are connected, as you exercise the mind you are also exercising the body and vis versa. In Yiquan they are categorized as Awareness (Shen), Mind / Intent (Yi), Vital Energy (Chi), Physical Forces (Li), and Form (Xing). (Dr. James Kan, personal communication)

Xing is all the functioning systems of the body and includes the nervous, lymphatic, endocrine, digestive and circulatory systems; connective tissue, bones, and muscles.  Basically all things that have to do with the physical body. Xing also implies the postural angles at which the body is held during exercise. Li is the understanding of how physical forces are directed with the mind and manifested in one’s self and between two persons.  It is an understanding of the physics and geometry of the earth forces and how they act on the body. Li directly relates to martial arts practice, but also pertains to how efficiently you carry the structure of your body. Chi is the holistic creative energies of the body and their connection to the universal. Yi is mind and is to exercise the mind with visualizations and to use mind / intent to set up the conditions for physical movement. Shen is awareness and it’s practice is to activate the rejuvenating qualities of stillness and the characteristics of the focused awareness of consciousness.

The benefits to a practitioner is a complete mind / body exercise capable of improving strength, posture, and flexibility; improving the functioning systems of the body, reducing stress through relaxation and an overall increase of energy with a feeling of well-being. Heath standing is also an efficient way of exercising the mind and increasing your capacity for sustained focus and awareness.

What role does the mind play in standing?

The first indication as to the role of the mind in Yiquan, is in the name. Yi means mind and quan is boxing. It is because Wang Xiangzhai rejected the use of elaborate forms and chose to focus on the relationship of mind and body both in martial arts and health cultivation that he named his art mind / intent boxing.

Generally speaking there are two ways to use the mind when practicing Yiquan, control/monitoring and excitation. ( Yu 177) The first is utilizing the function of awareness to quiet restless thoughts, seeking the rejuvenating qualities of tranquility and the benefits of a relaxed focused mind during physical activity. The second use of the mind is through mind activity; to use visualizations as an aid in further relaxation, with imagination to increase the quality of physical exertion and with an increase of the requirements of mind and body to acquire the whole body force of Yiquan martial arts.

The use of the mind through awareness and the activity of imagination and visualization is very important. It is the mind that monitors the required balance in movement, the connection of opposites inside and outside the body, and it is the mind that manages and guides the movement of the whole body force of Yiquan.

Why is standing better than seated meditation?

The only difference between standing and sitting meditation is that standing includes the requirement of the body, so simultaneously you are conditioning mind and body.  Standing meditation is actually more difficult since the requirements to relax the body and gain an element of comfort is more difficult in the standing position. Because the untrained body has weakness and feelings of being uncomfortable while holding a static posture it is difficult to focus your mind and acquire a state of quiet. It is in quiet that the regenerative qualities of the mind and body are united.

Can “health standing” be used as recovery from other types of external exercise?

Yes. The basic premise of health standing is built on the principle of movement and non-movement within a foundation of relaxation in order to build the body and doubly improve physiological functions. (Yu 61) This way of exercise is beneficial in reducing limitations in all physical activity.

As stated by Wang Xiangzhai in Zhan Zhuang:

“This form of exercise is different from other methods. It combines training and resting. While training, you are resting, while resting, you are training. It brings effect of harmonizing functions of nervous system, so all organs and parts of body can harmonically work under its control.” (12 )

There is actually little to no recovery time in health standing. Initially you may feel some minor fatigue as you build up the necessary strength to hold the postures, but as you make progress you are invigorated with the energy of relaxation. Plus, the exercises of zhan zhuang are not concerned with building the strength of bulky muscles or bringing oneself to failure and fatigue. With zhan zhuang you want to condition the muscles through to the connective tissue, ligaments, tendons, organs and bones connecting the whole body to develop a specific kind of balanced force. This is expressed in the saying “when one part moves, all parts move. No single point is without elasticity, while simultaneously, the whole body has elasticity and all force is equal from the center out” Add to this the power of a focused relaxed mind with intent as the driver of all movement and the positive effect on the physiological functions of the body and you have a very different way of exercising.

Part 1 of this interview –  An Introduction to Yiquan: Martial Arts, Health, and Physical Fitness

Complete Works Cited for Part 1 and 2

Related posts:

1. An Introduction to Yiquan: Martial Art, Health, and Physical Fitness
2. Yiquan Seminar Announcement
3. Fitness Requirements for Bujinkan Martial Arts Training – part 2

An Introduction to Yiquan: Part 2 is an original post on the Warrior Fitness blog. If you are not reading this on WF, please visit today to support the content's creator.

What is your background? What arts have you studied and for how long? 

I have been studying meditation for about 20 years and it is from there that my interest led me to martial arts. Naturally, I was interested in the internal arts for their meditative quality, but I also was looking for something physical and challenging. Initially I searched out Taiji but soon my interest turned to Aikido. So my first real exposure to martial arts was with Aikido which I have been practicing for 15 years. After 9 years of consistent Aikido practice I was fortunate to be introduced to my first Yiquan teacher.

For the first two years I was able to manage consistent practice in both arts, mainly because I wanted to get my black belt in Aikido before making a decision to devote more time to Yiquan. After I received Shodan I started to really get into a more focused practice in Yiquan while maintaining sporadic practice in Aikido. So that’s 15 years of Aikido with six years of Yiquan with a year and half foray into Bjj /Judo mixed in.

What is internal strength or internal power and how does Yiquan develop these qualities?

 Internal power is the result of changing the body —tendons, ligaments, bones, connective tissue, etc. and a reorganizing of how the mind interacts with the body; to develop a connected whole body force centered and balanced in opposites. It is flexible with elasticity, and capable of the sensitivity of constant soft change coupled with violent explosiveness. It is developed on a foundation of profound relaxation and driven by a focused intention of the mind and awareness. There is also a meditative aspect related to the cultivation practices of Taoism and Buddhism that connect the practitioner with the holistic creative energies of the body. The entire Yiquan curriculum revolves around building these qualities.

It is important to note that because these traditions evolved out of traditional Chinese culture that draw on the ideas of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism; the theories of both health cultivation and martial arts share the same basic language and principles. Health cultivation and martial arts come together in the internal martial arts. Though the requirements for health exercises are much easier, and they increase in difficulty and purpose with more martial arts specific exercises.  This is why internal arts are said to be meditative arts and can be used in cultivating Tao or seeking enlightenment. The cultivation of Tao includes a healthy mind and body, and this requirement for a healthy mind and body can be provided by the martial arts.

What is Yiquan?

 Yiquan is an internal martial art developed by Wang Xiangzhai (1885-1963), one of the most accomplished masters of Chinese martial arts in the 20th century. In his essay Central Pivot of the Way of Fist, Wang states that “There are three reasons for practicing martial arts: health, self defense, benefit for society”. ( 38 ) Filtered through these three categories you can begin to define Yiquan as a martial art and see what sets it apart from other martial arts.

Health: In his essay Zhan Zhuang Wang Xiangzhai originates the health practices of China with the 2000 year old Taoist medical text Huangdi Neijing and the health cultivation practices of Indian yoga and Buddhism brought to China by Damo through Shaolin Monastery. These are the source of health cultivation practices of Yiquan as well as the health practices of all traditional Chinese internal martial arts that developed out of these influences.

It is said that already 2000 years ago there existed the book “Internal canon”, the gem of chinese medicine, which even today is a guide for medical practice. Chapter “Simple questions” concentrates on cultivating health. For example we can read there: “In ancient times great masters stood on earth, supporting heaven, controlling yin and yang, breathing with essence of qi, standing alone, guarding spirit, with body being as one”. . . 

Before the eastern Han dynasty many scholars and warriors knew the methods of “tranquil cultivating”. The exercises could be done walking, standing, sitting, lying. It was popular form of cultivating health. Later, during reign of Liang dynastyís emperor Wu, Damo came to China to teach (Damo, son of India Fan king was 67 years old at that time). He transmitted methods of “washing marrow” and “changing tendons”. ( Wang 10)

The health cultivation practices of Yiquan, influenced by these sources, work to integrate a relaxed focused mind with an adequately exercised whole body. By cultivating profound relaxation with exercise ranging from the gentle to vigorous the whole body including the bones, connective tissue, organs, circulation, metabolism, and nervous system is exercised. With a balanced and integrated mind and body there is an increase of energy and a feeling of comfort that permeates the entire being. This integrated mind and body is also the foundation that Yiquan martial arts practice is based upon.

Martial Art: Yiquan is a martial art and its roots are in the Chinese fighting art of Xingyi Quan. The origins of Xing Yi are in the Li and Dai family arts of Henan Province, China. It is from Guo Yung Shen that Wang Xiang Zhai learned Xing Yi. A detailed lineage of Xingyi Quan can be found here.

From the Essence of Combat Science by Wang XiangZhai:

Xingyiquan, Xinyiba and Liuhebu of Henan province belong to one family of martial art. Li Daidong (known as old Dai) was descendant of Li Zhihe. Li Zhihe was Dai Longbangís teacher. Although system of Yuan family from Jiyuan has different name, actually it comes from Li. Although Dai changed name Xinyi to Xingyi, original meaning didnít change. The essence of this art is that each action is appropriate. ( 3 )

The internal martial arts of China that were created from the influence of the Taoist school and philosophy include Xingyi Quan, Taiji Quan, and Baguazhang. These schools of martial arts emphasized a relaxed awareness of the mind with movement that conforms to Taoist principles of balance and harmony. Applied practically as a martial art and for the purpose of self-defense this is expressed with the understanding of how physical forces conform to these principles both in yourself and in confrontation with another person.  Yiquan martial arts has as its most basic training the development and application of these principles. First within the basic standing post practice of Zhan Zhuang and later integrating these principles into free fighting. The goal is to develop an integrated and balanced whole body force capable of constant change, flexibility and explosiveness and then through further exploration, how to use it.

Society: “Benefit for society is the result of health of body and spirit. Without health there is no full, strong spirit.” ( CPWF 38 )

With Yiquan practice you learn to exercise the body with natural principles of balance and harmony, to focus the mind and maintain a state of relaxed awareness. Reflecting it’s influence from the schools of Taoist, Confucian, and Buddhist thought; Yiquan is a martial art that offers the practitioner an opportunity to discover his/her full potential as a human being. It is a martial art capable of self reflection, a way of testing ourselves mentally, physically, and socially. With practice you can temper the spirit and test your fortitude through the challenges of training.

Yiquan practice is capable of producing an amazing display of martial arts ability, but it is also concerned with health and longevity. It is this quality that makes it accessible to a variety of personalities. The practice methods are available to everyone and can be used by anyone regardless of age, sex, and physical fitness. As a benefit for society it offers the practitioner a method of cultivating health and exercise, a method of self-defense, and a chance for like-minded people to come together in their pursuit of these goals.

What is so special about Yiquan? What does it offer that other arts do not?

 As mentioned above, Yiquan practiced for physical fitness has as its foundation the thousand year old traditions of Taoism and Buddhism. Traditional Chinese Medicine is over 2000 years old and time tested by individuals who collectively have devoted years of observation to how the body and mind work together. These traditions have great value to modern society and are only beginning to make a broader influence in western culture. There are examples of modern medical and physical science, who through their own regulation of experimentation are arriving at the same conclusions as these ancient philosophies.

Wang Xiangzhai was not only skilled in martial arts, but he was also recognized for his accomplishments in qigong and chinese medicine. He recognized the difficulties in understanding the traditional theories clearly without adequate experience, so with his creation of Yiquan he sought to make these theories available to a more modern audience.  The traditional language used like the transformation of Jing, Chi, and Shen; The integration of heaven, man and earth; Yin and Yang; and the various theories of Chi were discarded for equal terms found in modern science.

So while Yiquan is rooted in traditional medical and physical sciences, it is very much a modern practice available to a modern audience.

As a martial art, Yiquan is based on principles of martial efficiency and is unique in that it does not contain any set forms or techniques for learning. Most martial arts use a set of elaborate routines that contain the essence of a systems self-defense applications, or one and two person katas with hundreds of techniques that simulate different situations one might experience in a martial encounter. Wang Xianzhai not only considered forms and techniques to be harmful to the body and nervous system, he believed that they limited the development of the natural potential in a martial artist. Therefore Yiquan has no set forms, techniques, or fixed method. What is emphasized is the connection of mind and body and its relationship to developing martial efficiency.

What type of training methods does Yiquan utilize? For what purpose?

 Yiquan practice has two aspects, health cultivation and martial arts. They are one in the same in that the foundation of martial arts practice is the health cultivation practice and a byproduct of practicing martial arts is a healthy mind and body. The two are inseparable.

Some of the basic principles involved are…  TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2!

 Works Cited for Part I

Wang, Xiangzhai. Central Pivot of the Way of Fist. Trans. Kalisz, Andrzej. Warsaw, Poland:
Yiquan Academy, 2005. e-book.
—. Essence of Combat Science.Trans. Kalisz, Andrzej. Warsaw, Poland: Yiquan Academy,       2005. e-book.
—. Zhan Zhuang. Trans. Kalisz, Andrzej. Warsaw, Poland: Yiquan Academy, 2005.
e-book.

About the Author

Jaime Morrell is a black belt in Aikido and has been teaching martial arts to adults and children for over ten years. He has had the opportunity to train under many of the original students of Aikido founder Morehei Ueshiba and has attended multiple seminars throughout the country with the foremost Aikido instructors from the U.S. and Japan.

For the past six years he has devoted himself to the internal martial art of Yiquan and his study has continued under the supervision of Dr. James Kan. It is through Yiquan that his previous study of physical fitness, qigong, meditation, and martial arts has come together into one discipline.

He has a BFA from the School of Visual Arts and is also a professional graphic designer.

Related posts:

1. An Introduction to Yiquan: Part 2
2. Yiquan Seminar Announcement
3. Is Your Workout Really Enhancing Your Martial Art Training?

An Introduction to Yiquan: Martial Art, Health, and Physical Fitness is an original post on the Warrior Fitness blog. If you are not reading this on WF, please visit today to support the content's creator.

 Jack Hoban is a former active duty U.S. Marine Corps Captain and long time practitioner of martial arts.  He is Shidoshi Senior Instructor in the Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu and Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu systems under Grand Master Masaaki Hatsumi in Japan and has authored three books on warriorship.  Mr. Hoban also holds an MBA and is an executive in the healthcare industry.    Jack’s full biography, and further information, can be found on his website here. 

1.  Can you please describe your current philosophy on physical fitness?

I have been serious about physical fitness for most of my life, first as an athlete in grammar school, high school and college, and then as a Marine, and martial artist.  That hasn’t changed, just become more refined and age-appropriate as the years have gone by.  Humans are physical beings and have been so for millions of years; I think we should acknowledge and honor that fact by maintaining a high level of physicality in our lives.  That’s my philosophy.  Until fairly recently, being physically fit, for most of us, was just a part of being human—and staying alive through hunting and gathering, farming, work, or other physical endeavors.  That has changed, and there is a greater risk of falling into a sedentary lifestyle today.  But our basic nature as physical animals has not changed.  We have to be careful not to stray too far from our nature, or certainly unhappiness and ill health may result.

2.  How has your outlook changed over the years?

It really hasn’t changed.  It has just become more refined.  I have tried some of the new fitness technologies—for example I run barefoot now using the new Vibram footwear.  I also think I use cross-training more effectively than in the past.  But I pretty much do the kinds of things I have always done.  I do have to worry more about “overdoing it,” because injuries take longer to heal.

3.  Do you have a daily fitness regimen that you follow?

Yes and no.  I have a range of things that I do, but it changes according to my schedule, the season, the weather and how I am feeling.

4.  Can you briefly tell us what it consists of?

Again, it is not a daily thing in that I don’t do the same thing every day.   But over the course of a week I typically fit in a few runs (45 minutes to an hour), I lift weights, I do a lot of core training, and I do various calisthenics.  In the winter I use the gym for the rowing machine, treadmill and elliptical.  In the summer I swim in the ocean almost every day.  I practice martial arts daily by myself, and have a class between 2 and 5 times a week.

5.  How do you think fitness and budo (martial arts) are related?

Inseparably, although martial artists might take care to explore a regimen that is complimentary to martial arts—one that increases strength and endurance, but also promotes flexibility and relaxation.

6.  How has your being in excellent physical condition enhanced your martial arts training?

Simple, it helps me to “keep going” longer and more consistently without being tired or sick.  And by the way, real fights are very physical—tiring and punishing. 

7.  How does your being in excellent physical condition help your work with the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP)?

When I first meet a new class of students, the unspoken question is “Is he one of us?  Can he do what we do?  If he can’t, why should we do what he does?”  That’s just the nature of young, competitive men.  Because I can pretty much keep up with them “for an old guy,” I gain a certain measure of respect.  That way, they are open to the other physical and ethical lessons I am there to share.

8.  Has the Marines Combat Conditioning program influenced your personal exercise program, and if so, how?

Yes, in at least two ways.  It has made me more aware of the value of cross training, and two, it has made me more creative in using training aides of opportunity.  By that I mean, you can design your own training regimens and make your own training apparatuses just by using your brain and common items and structures.  You don’t need fancy equipment; an old tire works just fine as an exercise apparatus.

9.  The last, but most important question, how do you keep going?

I enjoy it!  Find a method of physical exercise that you enjoy and pursue that.  Find other people who like it as well, and do it together.  That will help too.

Thanks Jack!

Related posts:

1. The Warrior Fitness Guide to Striking Power is Here!
2. What Does a Ninja Need?
3. RGI Conflict Resolution Course Review

Jack Hoban on Fitness is an original post on the Warrior Fitness blog. If you are not reading this on WF, please visit today to support the content's creator.