Uechi-Ryu.com

It's too bad this potentialy interesting topic of discussion has deteriorated into a clash of personalities, but frankly I'm not exactly surprised, both principles can be pretty *****ly, I would have predicted these kinds of fireworks. There are just some people I wouldn't seat next to each other ata dinner party. Too bad.

I'd just like to point out that the kind of internal strength that Mr. Sigman talks about has nothing to do with chi, (as a matter of fact, he has shown himself on the Neijia list to be both a chi skeptic and a devotee of Randi), but more to do with a specific way of generating power using (and this is my exegesis) body alignment and the power of the torso and, (and this is tricky, since it's my take on things) eschewing "local muscle". In some ways it's a lot like the technique that Kishaba sensei teaches in his version of Shorin Ryu, but Mike would probably not agree.

Like I said, it's too bad we couldn't actually talk about this.

Oh well, peace to all of you this season.

Folks

Glad to see that everyone had such a good time trashing the house while I was gone. I would have been disappointed if you had done otherwise!!!

Yes, I had a good Christmas. Yes, Virginia (and particularly the Richmond/Petersburg/Williamsburg triangle) got trashed by an ice storm and 250,000 have been out of power for 4 days. I was lucky....I waited 3 years to find the spot in Eden here that didn't have those nasty Virginia Pines. My white oak trees withstood the ice assault, and most power lines are underground in my neck of the city anyhow. Christmas was good and Santa was good to Chad and Sterling.

I am not a stranger to the pattern of a little bit of wisdom followed by scads of insults (not a unit of the metric system). I will not name any names here - it really isn't necessary. However it's clear to any objective party walking into this discussion what is going on here. Unfortunately in life most mix a little wisdom with a larger portion of arrogance combined with a chip on the shoulder and an inability to see fault with oneself. If just one piece of the arrogance-chip-blindness triad were missing, a discussion might be possible. Here we all lost. Too bad.

What I would like to do is close (figuratively only) a thread that already has pretty much burnt itself out anyway. I have constructive things to say, but let's start afresh in a new thread where we have a chance of civil discussion.

In the mean time, I learned more about many individuals. This probably wasn't the original intent of the thread, but it became the most interesting part of it past the first few intelligent comments. (Now...read personal opinion here, folks - editor's prerogative to have the last word). One might be surprised what I have gleaned from all of this. Occasionally I see the best in people when I see their worst and they stand up to claim it. Wouldn't it be nice if all would develop wisdom from that lesson.

I will leave the thread physically open for a little bit in case there are productive comments that would help closure.

Thanks to everyone - including our guest - for their efforts in keeping this as civil as it was. I've seen a lot worse.

Bill

Hey, I was just getting used to this. This blows Melrose, 90210, and all the daytime soaps out of the water.

Tom: Julie, I'm afraid I have bad news.

Julie: What is it Tom?

Tom: Johnny was struck in the head by a death touch 6 months ago and I'm afraid...

Julie: Yes Tom???

Tom: I'm afrad his chi is gone.

Julie: What are you saying?

Tom: I'm saying that Johnny can no longer practice Tai Chi.

Julie: But Tom, Johnny never practiced Tai Chi.

Tom: He didn't? Hmmmm, this may be worse than I thought.

Julie: What are you saying Tom?

Tom: I need a martini.

Julie: A martini?

Tom: Yes, and I'm having an affair with Jessica. I'm sorry Julie, it just wouldn't work out. You being a lesbian and me a Uechi karateka.

Julie: But Tom, I am NOT a lesbian.

Tom: You're not?

Julie: Of course not. Please, don't do this to us. I love you Tom.

Tom: But you practice Tae Kwan Do don't you?

Julie: Oh I see, your bigotry preceeds you Tom. GET OUT! I never want to see you again.

Tom: What are you saying Julie?

Julie: I'm saying you're just not good enough for me Tom. Now, please leave. But before you go, please finish your drink and wash out the glass. You know how I disdain unwashed dishes.

They stare - long pause - break for commercial.

Anthony,

This is the constant problem when talking to the Neijia people--their use of "internal" is different from most people's. I would just say that what they're talking about is just a more refined and subtle way of training the muscles that we all do. i know that is Kishaba sensei's practice, they don't talk about internal of external, but refer to it as 'koshi' practice, (koshi being the japanese term for the part of the body from the upper thighs to the rib cage, more or less) this avoids any misconceptions.

Anyway. back to your question. Now, this is why it's too bad Mike Sigman isn't in this conversation, and I'm just giving an outsiders exegisis of the Neijia position, but the 'internal' practice they espouse is a very specific training regime that attempts to train the body to work as one piece, utilizing the smaller 'skeletal' muscles (their term, if I recall rightly) rather than the 'external' muscles. For example a punch has very little to do with the triceps, pecs, deltoids, etc, but more to do with the smaller muscles that we usually regard as secondary).

I regret that they use the term 'internal' because it is too ambiguoous and causes all sorts of miscommunications that , in my experience, seldom get resolved.