By Jeff Patterson 6/9/09 Like most competitive full contact fighting sports, Muay Thai Boxing has a heavy focus on body conditioning. Many coaches believe that 80 percent of a fighters success is based on his/her conditioning. Muay Thai is specifically designed to promote the level of fitness and toughness required for ring competition. Training regimens… Read more »
Muay Thai Traditions and Ceremonies
Muay Thai has a long history of traditions. These Muay Thai traditions are usually related to showing respect and paying homage to those who helped you along the way. The art of Muay Thai, although powerful and very combative, comes out of humility. With my personal training Ajarn Chai Sirisute, who has been the largest… Read more »
Portland Tai Chi training in Martial Applications
Tai chi is practiced in four main areas martial arts/ self-defense, philosophical/creative, medical/therapeutic and spiritual/religious. Many of us have seen people practicing tai chi. It seems so graceful and soft, but out of the softness comes a very effective short and middle range martial art. Using Tai chi martial applications you will learn how to… Read more »
Regulating Your Taijiquan and Qigong Training
By Jeff Patterson 8/8/09 The training procedure with a Taijiquan or Qigong practice should start with regulating the body, breath, mind, Qi and then the spirit. It is important to have a good understanding of what these are to move forward to higher levels of practice. Also, when learning Taijiquan and Qigong in this progression, one… Read more »
What is Qigong – An Overview
By Jeff Patterson 6/9/09 Qigong (or chi gong) is an internal art focusing on the study and practice of the breath and how your breath is directly correlated with the body’s over all circulation, health and well being. There are many styles of Qigong and many reasons one might start a practice. What is… Read more »
How To Build Confidence
By Jennilyn Nelson Stepping into a martial arts studio is one of my earliest memories of exercising self-confidence. I was nine, very shy, and not athletic. My mother had to coax me through the doors, reassuring me it wasn’t as scary as it seemed. Everything about the place seemed alluring and alien; shaking the instructor’s… Read more »
Grand Master Sam Tam
Tai Chi – Qigong – Yichuan – Push Hands Saturday October 9th & Sunday October 10th Grandmaster Sam Tam will be teaching a weekend seminar in Portland, hosted by Northwest Internal Arts. Sifu Tam is world renowned for his internal martial arts ability. He is famous for and highly trained in Yiquan, Tai Chi Chuan,… Read more »
Yichuan Health Posture: Embrace the Tree
This practice is excellent for anyone who holds tension in their shoulders, neck and upper back. It improves one’s posture, develops structural strength and cultivates energy, thereby enhancing one’s health. Yichuan – Embrace the tree – Posture: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, outsides of the feet parallel. Slightly bend and relax the… Read more »