Now I know why so many people make fun of CHI. Check out the "chi demonstrations" on this web site from Master Chu.


http://itcca.org/English.htm

I'm an atheist, so Chi/Qi/whatever you want to call it has been a little hard for me to buy.

I've heard some excellent secular definitions of chi though that are entirely logical.

If all else fails, you could ask an atheist physicist who studies chi or chi gung? He could probably give a good answer.

What the **** does atheism have to do with Chi?

Yes, this is a total bogus demonstration. I've examined the footage and knowing basic application of some of the techniques you can tell that somethings not right here...take a look at the foot work on some of the techniques. I'm pretty sure some tai chi masters would laugh at this video.

Ill give you a good definition of Chi:

An ordoless, tastless, invisible and undetectable FORCE that can make the impossible possible but can never be measured by any scientific means whatsoever.

Amen.

"The only "ancient" art that's worth a damn is Wrestling.
Pretty much everything else that is called "ancient" is just masturbation without touching your genitals." -Phrost

Sounds like god or something similar to me. Probably why I only half buy into Chi.

"I don't "spar." I hurt, kill and maim" -Some guy who I wanted to spar with once, I think. Good guy.

...

Edited by - yanewbs on October 20 2002 12:42:35

In Chinese medical theory chi is one of four bodily humours, the other three being blood(xue) jing(vital essence) and jin (fluid). Breath supposedly controls chi and a chi gung "master" can move his chi to areas of the body for health etc. If one wants to find out about chi ask a qualified chinese medical doctor.
Concepts such as shooting ones chi and empty force are absurd theories that defy the basic laws of physics. The idea that chi has anything to do with fighting is beyond me.

I've heard of chi refer to breath, energy or cling (stick). Chi sao from Wing Chun means clinging or sticking arms. I've done a little soft Chi Kung (I think it means cultivation of energy). Soft Chi Kung seems be sets of exercises to relax and stretch the body like Yoga and involves abdominal breathing. I've seen mental Hard Chi Kung as well which is where you smash bricks with your head, push spears into your throat and have bamboo smashed into your nuts. That kind of thing and stuff where you knock someone down with your chi from a distance is of course BS. Unfortunately this makes the whole chi thing look silly.

If you watch Rickson Gracie's Choke, you'll see him do some weird abdominal breathing exercises. This is similar to Chi Kung breathing. He says "If you control your breath, you control yourself".

british ninja-
Yes breath control can have alot to do with fighting. For example striking when you exhale and defending when you inhale. Control of the breath is paramount to peace of mind. Relaxation of the mind and body improves coordination and fluid execution of technique(hsing yi ,bjj and judo among others). Perhaps this is how chi kung forms got mixed into systems of combat.
Once again 'chi' (a nebulous term even in China) as defined as energy in the body plays no role in being able to fight.

It's a breathing technique, nothing more.

It will not enable you to fly or fire a kamehameha.

mahamudra,
so chi is energy in the body. Like the kinetic energy of a punch? I can't think of anything that will help you in a fight more.

SLJ,
yeah its just a breathing technique. A breathing technique that also happens to be part of an old chinese health and fitness system called CHI kung.

I think the meaning of chi has become distorted by people who are in it for the money. Confidence tricksters that claim to be able to set fire to things with their hands, knock people down from across a room and have monkeys fly out of their butt (OK I made the last one up). Its like martial arts in general really. Theres always people wanting to make a quick buck off gullible people by making a mockery of the real stuff.

uh. . again the chi we are talking about is not kinetic energy. When I mentioned chi as "energy" in the body I was refering to my previous post. Chi as energy is a MEDICAL concept .

Feel the power of my mystic Chi.

British Ninja, are you real Ninja, can you run on walls and kill men with your middle finger?

mahamudra,
I'm trying to draw parallels between chi and western science rather than dismiss it as nutty chinese mysticism. This could be totally pointless, I don't know.

SLJ,
Nah, I'm not a real ninja. I just wish I was. I flip out a lot but I haven't managed to cut anyone's head off yet. My name came to me when I was thinking of the movie American Ninja. I'm british (well english) so I thought I'd call myself british ninja. Seriously though I have never studied ninpo, ninjitsu or ninjutsu and neither do I want to. What does your name mean?

SL are my initials, J was just random.

You are correct about not wanting to study Ninjitsu, it's utter ****. (and that's a polite way of putting it)

british ninja,
there is a book by the name of the body, cultivation and ki energy. I believe it was written by a japanese academic by the name of Yasuo. The book discusses the paradigm of cartesian mind body dualism and contrasts it with cultivation techniques. the book's scientific evaluation of ki is done well, and is for the most part convincing.