Quan dao training; Chi Wing Chun
Quan Dao training:
General Guan Yu is considered the patron of kung fu. In honor of General Guan, every ancient kung fu style should have a Quan dao Tao Lu (form, kata).
The video shows an exercise with a long heavy stick about 2.5 meters long. The starting weight for beginners is between 1 and 2.5 kg. The more one trains, the heavier the 'quan dao/stick'. A stick of about 4 kg is used in the video.
Why is halberd training important for any kung fu practitioner?
It teaches about respect: one is practicing in honor of Guan Yu. Guan Yu symbolizes the (inner) attitude of the kung fu practitioner. He is dignified, far above the warring parties, maintains his (spiritual) peace and harmony at all times, protects the right (good) action. How?
For example, if one trains with the halberd one is not concerned with theories about the words good or bad or with arguing the correct (good) ethical attitude, instead one is directly practizing (good or bad). After all, if there is one thing you practice it is balance, literally your balance...the balance of the weapon, the balance in the technique to direct and control it...one trains balance:
the balance in your body, your body in relation to the weapon, foot and hand, hip versus shoulder...the balance partly transitions into harmony...in rhythm etc. So in the end Guan dao training is physically about balance (good versus bad balance). One is practicing and sharpening ones physical balans... and mental balance...your mental harmony... This is the way to practice; one learns without getting being involved in, caught in words (like good and bad). Words that have been spun for thousands of years only to capture man in the web of ethics.
Therefore, think only about your own inner attitude when practizing the Tao Lu in honor of General Guan yu: the inner attitude of kung fu has its origin solely in the essence of kung fu. Kung fu is not a sport.
Kung fu is not a religion.
But however you see it, it is only an expression of your level of development...
It is my expression that it is 'mandatory' for
every traditional kung fu practitioner to eventually have practiced the halberd just like any real kung fu school must have a halberd Tao Lu.
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