InMat and CMAT

Both Tournaments have come and gone..........InMat was small held at the CPAA Center in San Jose hosted by the Shaolin Monks and CPAA.  A good tournament for beginners and those who want to try out new routines.  At the end there was a demo by the monks and the judges.  The Monks performed the eight Brocades Qigong..and Tongzigong.............literally means Virgin Qigong.......used to be practiced by the youngest monks...develops your flexibility and strength.  It is interesting to note that these techniques are exactly like Yoga...and as I have told my students Yoga was brought to China during the 10th Century AD..........and the Chinese both borrowed it and in some cases transformed it into Qigong.  And if you want to improve your Wushu or Taiji.....a little Yoga Crosstraining will take you to the next level......rolling the abs in Yoga...is merely teaching you how to move your Dan Tian......essential to all internal training....both of my classmates in China, Master Chen Xiang and Yang Shi Ming can move their Dan Tian back and forth.  InMat also, brought out lots of talented kids to compete..........which is very encouraging to see..........but there is a disturbing lack of Taiji and Traditional Wushu competitors.  Tournaments are an important way to measure your progress......your focus and technique.  When students don't want to compete....you wonder does that mean they are afraid they don't measure up.....or that they have no confidence in their teacher to prepare them for competition?  Fear is something that your training is suppose to help you deal with.....but more importantly........... one should  check in your ego at the door if one truly wants to improve...with humbleness comes confidence...........if you are afraid of looking bad......you haven't left your ego behind yet.  For a teacher,  one wonders if one has created a program that will help the student to succeed........no easy task..........being a good athlete is not enough....you have to be able to translate your own abilities into something others can learn from.  Overall, InMat was a small success....everything has to start somewhere...........thanks to everyone who participated and to the judges who came to help out

InMat was held at the CPAA Headquarters.....about 95 competitors, and 15 judges were present.

Lots of young up and coming wushu athletes in the San Jose area competed.

The Shaolin Monks of San Jose performed the Eight BrocadesQigong created originally by Marshall Yueh Fei to strenghten the soldiers in his army during the Sung Dynasty.

Try this.....lift yourself up on two fingers while in a Lotus!

The one above you might be able to do...but this time your legs are wrapped around your neck. Tongzigong was derived from the Yoga practices of India was used to increase the power and flexibility of the monks.

Some of the young competitors with the judges and officials of CPAA.

Michael one of the winners in the Bagua Division, he's a student of Zhang Hung Mei...performing Cheng Style Bagua open hand and Bagua Straightsword.  Good job!

Well, after this is CMAT 17.........hard to imagine there has been 17 years of CMAT and that I have been at Cal for over 20 years....time really does fly!!

Cya, time for a snack!!