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Tantui practitioners use picture-perfect form in continuous chi flow to generate internal force

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Tantui practitioners use picture-perfect form in continuous chi flow to generate internal force

Tantui is a complete art. Not only it has sufficient material without the need to borrow from outside sources to meet all combat situations, it also has sufficient material to develop internal force for combat as well as for health, vitality, longevity, mind expansion and spiritual cultivation.

How does a Tantui practitioner have power for combat if he does not hit sandbags or lift weights, or practice chi kung exercises like Iron Palm and Abdominal Breathing? As in Taijiquan, he derives internal force from stance training as well as from performing his sequences as chi kung and meditation. Indeed, Sifu Robin Gamble rightly commented that he beleived Taijiquan in the past resembled more of Tantui from which it probably evolved, than of Southern Shaolin Kungfu, or on the other hand than of modern Taiji dance.

The video series here, amongst other lessons, records the experience of participants at the Toronto course developing and exploding internal force by means of a three-step approach using Tantui sequences. First they performed the sequences in picture-perfect form. Next they performed the picture-perfect form in flowing chi without any muscular and mental tension. Then they increased the volume of chi flow and exploded force at appropriate places. As Sifu Marcus Santer later said at the UK Summer Camp Tantui Course where this method was also used, it was the “3 Fs Approach”, i.e. from Form to Flow to Force.

Note

You may notice a difference between the approach here, which is “form – flow – force” and the approach we use when you first learned “Lohan Asks the Way”, which is “form – force – flow (or speed)”. There is no contradiction; it is a matter of using the most appropriate approach, and it indicates that kungfu training is not rigid but flexible.

The approach is different because the situation is different. In the Tantui situation where the student can perform in picture-perfect form, the focus is the sequence, whereas in the Lohan situation where the student is learning patterns in a set, the focus is the pattern. When he can perform the Lohan set fluently in picture-perfect form, he also applies “form – flow – force”. In other words, he performs every pattern in the set in picture-perfect form not as individual patterns but as a continuous flowing sequence, and he explodes force wherever is appropriate.

Please note that you can download the video clips onto your own computer and view them at your leisure. Place your computer pointer at the picture or one of the links, and right click. Choose “Save Target As”. Select the directory or sub-directory where you wish to keep the video clip. Click “Save”.

Performing Sequence in One Breath

Participants perform all the patterns in the sequence in one continuous flow as if all the patterns were just one long pattern. There is no pause after each pattern, and the whole sequence is completed in one breath.
The size of the video clip is 0.90 mb.
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Correcting Mistakes to Improve Form

Grandmaster Wong points out some mistakes made by the class. The elbow, for example, should not be too close to the body, and the fist should be hanging down instead of being pulled back when kicking.
The size of the video clip is 2.19 mb.
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Chi Flow in Sequence Performance

First we perform the patterns in picture-perform form. Then we perform the patterns in a smooth sequence. Do not you use muscular strength. Just let the chi flow.
The size of the video clip is 1.32 mb.
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From Form to Flow to Force

When the form of your patterns is picture-perfect and the performance of the patterns flows smoothly without muscular tension, the next step is to explode force in appropriate patterns. This three-step approach enables you to perform your sequence flowingly with speed and power yet you will not be tired or panting for breath. Here Grandmaster Wong demonstrates such a performance.
The size of the video clip is 0.87 mb.
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For Combat as well as for Health and Vitality

Using the three-step approach of form-flow-force, participants perform Tantui Sequence 1 with speed and force, and are not tired or panting at the end of the performance. This is not only excellent for combat but also for health and vitality.
The size of the video clip is 1.56 mb.
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Offer Wine to Explode Force

Grandmaster Wong demonstrates how to explode force using the pattern “Big Boss Offers Wine”. When you have developed the skill of exploding force with this pattern, you can use the same skills to explode force with other patterns.
The size of the video clip is 1.28 mb.
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Exploding Force with Horses, Tigers and Dragons

Grandmaster Wong now demonstrates exploding force in other patterns, “White Horse Returns Head”, “Black Tiger Steals Heart” and “Rising Dragon Galloping Tiger”. Notice that the force comes from the dan tian.
The size of the video clip is 1.65 mb.
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Rising Dragon Galloping Tiger

Grandmaster Wong leads the class in performing the three patterns, “White Horse Returns Head”, “Black Tiger Steals Heart” and “Rising Dragon Galloping Tiger”. They constitute Sequence 2, which is traditionally called “Kicking Attack”, but we prefer a more poetic name, “Rising Dragon Galloping Tiger”. Please take note that this name is different from that of Combat Sequence 2, which is “White Horse Returns Head”.
The size of the video clip is 0.72 mb.
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Exploding Force in Rising Dragon and Galloping Tiger

The class performs solo Sequence 2, “Rising Dragon Galloping Tiger”, with exploding force at appropriate points. The whole sequence is performed in one breath.
The size of the video clip is 1.64 mb.
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Explode Force a Few Times in One Breath

Grandmaster Wong explains that since we use one breath for the whole sequence and if there are more than once when we explode force in that sequence, we need not explode the :”herit” sound each time we explode force. It is sufficient that we open our mouth when we explode force, and explode the “herit: sound to complete the breath at the end of the sequence. We must reserve about 30 percent of our breath at our dan tian.
The size of the video clip is 1.40 mb.
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Building up the Twelve Sequences

The class performs solo Sequence 1 and solo Sequence 2 one after the other. Gradually they add more solo sequences. Eventually they perform all the twelve solo sequences with force and speed, and not tired or panting at the end of the performance.
The size of the video clip is 1.40 mb.
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1. The Twelve Sequences of Shaolin Tantui
2. The Combat Sequences of Tantui
3. Tantui Combat-Application Sets
4. Tantui against Boxing and Kick-Boxing
5. The Technical Advantages of Shaolin Kungfu
6. The Wonders of Tantui Sequence 1
7. Making Kungfu Alive
8. Two Combat Sequences Adequate to Handle Most Ordinary Opponents
9. A Counter against Any Kicks!
10. The Formidable Three Rings Around the Moon
11. Penetrating the Impenetrable
12. Countering Elbow and Knee Strikes from Muay Thai Fighters
13. The Fascinating Combat Applications of Tantui in Striking, Kicking, Felling and Gripping
14. Spotting Secrets Hidden in the Open
15. Helping One Another and Having Fun in Sparring
16. Laying Foundation Before Training Combat
17. From Form to Flow to Force
18. Linking Sequences to Form Sets
19. The Profundity of the Twelve Tantui Combat Sequences

• Intensive Chi Kung Course
• Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course
• Intensive Taijiquan Course

• List of Certified Shaolin Wahnam Instructors

This page has been visited times since 15th October 2007