taking on students
I am planning on taking on students starting in the summer of 2012 in the Saint Joseph, MO area. check out www.kingdomwarrior.org if you are interested.
I am planning on taking on students starting in the summer of 2012 in the Saint Joseph, MO area. check out www.kingdomwarrior.org if you are interested.
When people think of kung fu, the average person who even knows what kung fu is thinks of the animal styles. And why not? They are fascinating and unique systems. But people often don't recognize a clear distinction between animal styles and animal forms.
I just got off the phone with an inquiring individual who just assumed that because I teach kung fu I teach animals, and he wasn't wrong because I teach 12 of them. But he falsely assumed it to be animal styles.
I teach Xing Yi Quan, an internal style from a Biblical foundation. Xing Yi has 12 animal forms, but isn't an animal style.
"What is the difference" You ask?
An animal style is a complete system modeled after the unique movements, mannerisms, and mindsets of a one or more animals. The animal serves as the foundation of the style.
An animal form is a single choreographed set of movements (xing, or kata) that are based on a animals unique movements, mannerisms, or mindset. It's a matter of scope really. A form is a small piece of a system, not the foundation of the system.
The foundation of Xing Yi Quan is the internal principles, and the 5 elements. The 12 animals provide variety and diversity of application for the 5 elements.
ARTICLE COPIED FROM www.kingdomwarrior.org blog with permission by author -- me ;)
Any one who is familiar with fighting has had to deal with distance. It can be your worst enemy or your best friend depending on how you utilize it.
If anyone knows somebody in the st louis area looking for martial arts classes, have 'em check out www.kingdomwarrior.org
They offer classes in Xing Yi Quan kung fu, an internal style, taught from an Biblical perspective. It is a new school, small, so a lot of one on one attention.
The owner/instructor is a homeschool graduate so all y'all homeschoolers can get behind him.
形意拳 Xing Yi Quan (sying ee chwan) in Mandarin it means "form intent fist" but what does that mean? What was meant to be conveyed by that title?
Xing Yi is a chinese martial art so, the title is generally the summation of the central thesis behind the system or the name of the family or hero who popularized the system. Some examples of this are as follows:
Wing Chun is the name of the practicioner who made the art famous.
Tiger, crane, snake, etc... are the animals the style was modeled after.
Tai Ji is the philosophical term used to represent the ultimate balance and harmony that was observed in the universe - yin and yang.
Hung Gar means Hung family and is the kung fu designed and taught by the Hung family.
Jeet Kun Do means "way of the intercepting fist" which was the central concept behind the way Bruce Lee fought.
Xing Yi is not a persons name nor is it an animal; since the martial art was designed around Chinese understanding of the way of the universe it is an attempt to encapsulize a central concept that drives the art form - the harmony of the actions and the intents of the individual toward the desired goal... this is XingYi.
In this harmonious partnership between Yi (intention) and Xing (form) there is a designated order of importance or established roles in the relationship. It is understood that Yi (intent) is to lead Xing (form) if this does not happen you have mindless movement that wastes energy, time, and opportunity. A fighter who allows his Xing to lead will always be frustrated by the one who allows his Yi to lead. Yi does not dominate Xing, it simply directs where it can be most effective. It is true that Xing can respond faster than Yi, so in many cases Yi will designate a path for Xing to follow and the circumstances will change so fast that only Xing can keep up. Those times should not generate frustration, provided that the Xing was trained to respond properly.
Yi is translated as intent, and often includes the will, it is the reasoning mind or the wisdom mind, and in Xing Yi theory the Yi and the Xin (heart; not Xing for form) or the emotional mind must come into agreement. What is so interesting about this process is the roles that they play in relation to each other. Xing Yi theory teaches that the Xin (heart; emotional mind) must be brought into submission to the Yi (intent; or wisdom/volitional mind). Only when this precise relationship occurs can the Yi lead the Xing (form) effectively.
Let me share an example, often times when I spar with a new student they are nothing short of defenseless because they are intimidated to the point that they hesitate so much they do nothing. They cannot think clearly, they cannot respond appropriately and thus they are defeated with ease. It is not because they have no skill, it is because they are not able to utilize it due to disharmony between the Xin (heart) and the Yi (mind). The Xin cannot make the right decisions and lead the Xing, but it cannot be ignored, it must serve a purpose. And it does, it is brought into subjection to the Yi and when that happens it provides the intensity and energy that drives the Yi. We have all experienced those times when we were emotionally committed to a course of action, the emotion did not make the decisions our mind did, but when the heart and the mind were in unison the intensity that we have allows us to be so much more effective in the actual doing of our task. You can always tell when someone is not emotionally invested in a task they are performing. They may be doing all the right moves, but their heart just is not in it.
Where am I going with this? I would like to propose that we need to take this concept of having a clear intention and letting it lead our actions and apply it to our faith. I believe that often Christians get it backwards, or worse yet, they only get half of the equation. When a Christian does not let their intention lead their actions then all they have is a set of actions that they go through with no clear understanding of what they are trying to accomplish or worse yet they have no intention at all which leads to ineffective spirituality and/or Christians who never seem to grow at all. Growth does not just happen, we have to have a clear goal of growing. But even with a clear goal, with no clear intentions or thoughts on how to accomplish this goal we can float aimlessly through our life doing all sorts of stuff and never really growing. We need to have a clear goal and a clear path to how we need to get there and then and only then can we effectively implement the right course of actions to get us to our goal.
The process proves true in regard to the emotions verses the intention as well. The Bible tells us that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. We cannot allow our emotions to direct our steps, we must let the mind direct our steps and our mind must be set on seeking out God through the steps outlined in Scripture. When we have intentional actions then we begin to see a degree of effectiveness that will far outstrip the mindless wandering of just going through the motions.
Just a few days ago, was the 7th anniversary of one of my earliest heroes' death.
I was just a wee lil' lad when I first heard of my cousin Randy and his expertise in the Asian martial arts. Randy had a passion for the martial arts and a discipline that led to mastery. throughout his life he made choices that were not the best, but in the end God got a hold of his heart and Randy again became one of my heroes as he battled for 5 years a heart defect, leading into lung problems, leading still into kidney failure. He never gave up, and through it all he gave credit to the Lord for his strength. I didn't have a lot of time to get to know Randy, but I treasure the time I had and I continue the legacy of Godliness and involvement in the martial arts that he in part inspired.
I wish that I had the elequance to put into words something that truly conveys my thoughts on Randy and the effect that he has had upon my life. For ever and always he shall remain as one of my earliest heroes. This is for you Randy ;)
When I was 5 years old, two very important events happened in my life. The first was that I heard the call upon my life to be saved. I understood that I was a sinner and as such not able to pay the penalty for my own wrongdoings. I needed a paladin, a stand-in, to do the work for me. Jesus was that warrior, yet knowing all of this I stood fast in my stubborn resistance to act upon what I knew for two reasons: fear of being in the public eye, and fear of water. Fear ruled my life for two long years of conviction and the struggle for my soul waged heavy upon my heart. Until the day came, December 4th, 1988, the last day of an outdoor tent revival. It was a Sunday, sun shining and warm. I could tell you what I wore and exactly where I sat that morning. The pastor preached, I don't know what he preached about because I was listening to a different voice - the voice of God. He was telling me that I would someday die and go to hell if I didn't go forward right then and submit my life to Him. I didn't wait any longer, I left my seat and came forward, with my father following me and with my pastor and my father I prayed to accept Christ in my heart as Lord of my life. That day changed my life forever, and I have never regretted it.
The other important event that happened to me at 5 was of a different nature. I fell in love. Not with a person, but with a thing, an art form. I saw for the first time in my life, martial arts demonstrated and I knew that I would someday do this thing. It consumed my mind, and yet I had no avenue of pursuing it - till I was 18 years old. That didn't stop me; I practiced what I could learn on my own and read anything I could get my hands on about the martial arts. And that is where Randy came into the story. He was a black belt already at that time, and my mom would tell me about this cousin I had named Randy who was really good at what he did. I had never met him, nor would I till I was nearly 20 years old, but his exploits and his passion inspired me as a young child to pursue my dream of learning the martial arts some day.
The day came, and I was given the opportunity to learn, but not until God made it clear to me that I was not given this chance for my own passion, but for His purpose. I was to use it to glorify His Name. A task that Randy eventually came to understand as well. You see, Randy eventually came to know God in the same role as I did, as Lord and Savior. And it was the strength of that relationship that gave Randy the ability to once again inspire me to be my best for my God. I remember, the moment I had wanted to experience for my whole life finally came...an opportunity to talk with Randy as a fellow martial artist and believer about our two most important passions. It was short, for at this time Randy was in a battle for his life. But it was good, and we connected quickly because we shared the same passions, first for God and second for the martial arts.
Now I am a second degree black sash, teaching as a ministry of my church, seeking to reach a group of people who might not otherwise be reached, and I look back to how I came here and the moments that shaped my life and I see Randy. Who knew? What a legacy?! And I am proud to bear it.
What kind of heroes have shaped your life? What kind of Legacy do you carry on?
not that I am in bad shape, I just feel as though I have been very lax in my training of late. And in all honesty, I have. It's not entirely my fault, I have not had a lot of time and I have been very busy. But it's all coming to an end soon and I am determined to get back into shape soon, especially some serious sparring shape.
Strategy
Timing
Endurance
Power
Speed
these are the areas I want to work on. I am calling it Operation STEPS! It's gonna happen y'all!!! I can't be a woosy 2nd degree, I won't have it!!
I went to the kung fu xmas party tonight and was literally shocked to hear shrfu promote me to second degree.
who knew?!
I am very excited.
I did my second ever speaking engagement tonight.
I preached on Half-steps and how the enemy uses them to back us into a corner. (text was David and Bathsheba 2 Sam. 11)
I gave a brief demonstration of how I use half-steps to position people in kung fu, and then talked about the text and then challenged them all to find their unique area of ministry.
it went well. I will do this same presentation in Romania (i leave in 7 days)
Sarah, a friend of mine was captivated by what happened during my presentation. I asked for a volunteer and no one wanted to come up, so in my attempt to get someone I verbally slipped and said "can I get even a small volunteer"
and like a flash a wee little lad named Cowen took off running, and he ran up front to be my volunteer. It was cute, and he did a great job. Sarah commented to me later that it was like what Jesus said about having to be like a child. Here we had all these adults scared to be my volunteer, and here comes this little child who RAN. great thought Sarah.
challenging to me even.
EDIT: I misspelled Coen's name sorry Coen. :)
I just wanted to put down in writing some thoughts on self-control that have been on my mind.
Proverbs 25: 28 tells us this:
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
now when I read this just reading it and not taking the time to really understand it this is what I get out of it:
having no self-control is bad.
but is that enough? To just read it and glean that info, or is there really more to that verse than what is on the surface.
Let's take a closer look shall we.
When you get to looking at this verse, you realize that this is an A=B statement. That means that there is a phrase in this verse that can be replaced with the = sign. so then the verse reads like this.
He that hath no rule over his own spirit = a city that is broken down, and without walls.
The first statement, "He that hath no rule over his own spirit..." is the A statement which is equal to/same as the B statement, "... a city that is broken down, and without walls.
Now that is all well and good, but it doesn't really help me to understand this verse any better...or does it?
It begs the question, how? How is the A statement like the B statement? What is it about a city that is broken down and without walls that is the same as a man without self-control? I don't get it!
So I begin to ask myself a few questions:
1: what is a city that is broken down like? (desolate)
2: what is a city that is without walls like? (defenseless)
Ahh, now that begins to shine a little light on things for me!
So from that I can glean that a man without self-control is desolate and defenseless. But I see the light only for a brief moment before confusion once again sets in. How is a man without self-control desolate and defenseless?
So I spend some more time thinking about this, and I think about the people I work with, and I see around all the time. I work in the public and I work with a lot of people and I talk with a lot of people and I began to see a pattern emerge.
People who lack self-control are often desolate because they lack the motivation to do what must be done.
How often do we see people complain about not having when the truth is that they don't have because they didn't have the motivation to make it happen? There were things that they needed to do that they didn't do and now they do without. You are either without the "doing" or you are doing without.
The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. Prov. 13:4
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. Prov. 20:4
Scripture proves true, how interesting.
As I look deeper into human nature, I see yet another truth. People who lack self-control are defenseless because they lack the restraint that prevents them from geting into trouble.
In one of the Karate Kid movies, Mr. Miyagi tells Daniel "...Best block not to be there..." Here is where the self-control enters into our defenses. Often we find ourselves in situations that we could have avoided if we had only restrained ourselves. Maybe we went to someplace we wanted to go, when we ought not to have been there in the first place. But we wanted to go so we did. Or maybe we said something that we shouldn't have said. How many times have we heard others say, "I couldn't help it". How many times have we heard ourselves say that? How many times did we speak without thinking first?
check out the new site for my kung fu class. I built it myself so far. I know, I am shocked too. Maybe I actually have some techy in my blood too.
NAAAAHHHH!!!!!
I have often stated that if I can get control of your pinky, I have control of your whole body. How so? Simple, your body is a series of connected chains of movement, if I can control any part of it I can eventually control every part of it.
I teach this principle to my kung fu students, and as they understand it, it helps them to understand a different principle that parallels that truth. This other principle is a spiritual principle. Here is how it works:
Let us say that there is an aspect of the Bible that people question, a literal consecutive 6 day creation for example. Often people say that this isn't important in the grand scheme of things because it isn't a salvation issue. Basicly they say, "doesn't matter if it is true or not, it doesn't get you into heaven."
But I say this, "It is of vital importance because if you can undermine the authority of Scripture any where, then you have undermined it every where." Understand? It does effect salvation, because if we can't trust the history of the Bible then we can't trust anything it says, even its soteriology.
and by the way, it is a literal consecutive 6 days of creation. ;)
thanks for thinking about it!
God bless!!!
I wonder what other people think about that question. How do you respond to something that is hard?
My 9 year old niece was struggling in kung fu class this last wednesday due to severe balance problems (most of which was in her head) and kept saying "I can't do it!"
It got me thinking, how do we respond to something that is hard? Do we respond with a defeatist attitude and give up, or do we keep persisting?
That question begged this next question in my mind: Why should we persist in practice of something that is hard?
Of course the obvious answer is that if we persist then someday we will succeed. But is that all? I think that this is where a great many of people lack understanding in our society today, particularly in the young people. There is an intangible benefit to giving something the required effort to truly master it, not just get a passible ability but truly master it. I don't really think it matters what it is, as long as it is difficult and you don't quit until you have completely mastered it. There is something that we gain on a very deep level by struggling with it. Far too many people practice something only enough to get by and do not bother to stay with it until they have mastered it, and that is a sad thing really, because they are the ones that suffer from not trying. Sure it is hard, but if it is easy, then it carries very little value beyond the immediate satisfaction of being able to do it -- passibly. In times long gone, in places not here, people would spend a lifetime seeking in the study and mastery of one single thing. The discipline that they gained from the struggle, the strength of character, the wisdom, and the humility that comes from knowing that you have not yet mastered completely this one thing yet you keep trying at it is the mark of a certain type of person that has value far deeper than what we run across in most people you meet. If you know someone like that, cherish them. Study those people, and maybe you too can gain value from their struggle.
It brings to mind this Scripture,
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 1 Corinthians 9:25
puts it into perspective for me, what about you?
thanks for thinking about it!
but tonight I preached... sort of.
Tonight was presentation night for our Sunday Night Seminars at church, and I have been teaching a Bible study on Self Control and kung fu.
So tonight I presented a synopsis of what I have taught, what I will teach next time (spiritual principles that parrallel kung fu) and then did short demonstration that included having the pastor flip me.
It went extremely well, far better than I ever could have imagined. I took about 40 minutes, and I basically preached a sermon.
It touched at least one person who shared afterwards, and I had a lot of people who came up and told me I did a great job. The pastor and my father were thoroughly impressed. All the glory goes to God, for I could not have done so well without Him. I believe that He spoke through me tonight, I have never felt so relaxed and comfortable as I did speaking tonight.
This morning I gave my testemony in church, got a lot of good feedback on that.
Tomorrow marks my 18th birthday spiritually and tuesday my 25th actual birthday.
it's an exciting time in my life.
Here is a small example of how an in depth study of the Bible can help us to understand kung fu better.
James 3:3 tells us,
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
this little verse tells us several things. The first thing it tells us is the obvious thing: control the head, control the whole body. We find this to be true in kung fu, just as it tells us in Scripture.
The second thing it tells us isn't quite so obvious, but just as true: you control a powerful beast by taking control of its weekest link. Just like you control the horse by controling the mouth, you control a whole person by controling just their finger.
cool, isn't it, how God weaves this very universal truth into His Word. Makes it all come alive to me, what about you?
Tim wrote:
"Nice story, but what do you do if GOD asks you to lay down your very passion. I too am in love with Hsing-I, but I feel GOD has asked me to lay it down. I feel it is what I was made for, yet everytime I start to practice, things will be going good for a while but then I start to sense that I am disconnected from HIM.
I have been dealing with this issue for many years. I think I am going crazy sometimes. I know that there are many people who have used their talents to serve HIM. Is it possible that I am the exception and HE has something else in store for me?"
as a comment on my post on using your passion for Christ.
Here is my response:
Just in case you were wondering, I offer kung fu classes at two different locations in the central IL area.
On Wednesdays at 5:30 pm for all age groups I offer classes in Sullivan, IL.
On Fridays at 6-7 pm for children, and 7-9 pm for adults I offer classes in Findlay, IL.
Although there is no official age limits, I have found that 6-7 is the youngest children are best able to comprehend and perform in a class setting, there are exceptions however and each child is evaluated at their own level so feel free to bring them to a few free classes to see how they do.
Private lessons are available contingent upon times and locations.
my classes are affordable and fun, I think you will find them quite beneficial.
for more information about fees, style, or any other questions please email me
kingdomkf@gmail.com
The Chicken Step, Ji Bu, is one of my favorite kung fu moves.
this is how it works:
from a right side lead stance, right leg forward, you would lift your front foot (right) and put it down on the exact spot your rear foot (left) was. Now, you're thinking how can two objects occupy the same spot at the same time? They can't, and that is the next phase of the technique. You have to lift the rear foot (left) while the front foot (right) is still in the air, which means that for a split second, you are air born and actually falling into the next position. Note for correct application, you should not jump to be air born, simply lift your foot and fall into the new position. (notice the repeated statemet, this must be important: don't jump, fall!) Then place your once-rear foot (left) down in front. Congratulations, you have switched your feet!!
APPLICATION:
Every time you chicken step, you have the option of kicking with the foot before you place it back down (new front foot). Its a great thing to do when someone tries to sweep that front foot, or if they try to sweep you completely.
STORY OF APPLICATION:
I was sparring with a guy named Tom, who tried to do an aikido takedown on me that involved a leg sweep. He did a wonderful job, and took my feet right out from under me; so I chicken stepped, and instead of trying to catch my balance, just lifted my feet up and repositioned them underneath me and I fell onto my feet. The unexpected result was that he ended up on the ground, and I was standing over him.
"What happened?!" he exclaimed "This is backwards from what was supposed to happen."
"I don't know," I said "But I like it."
practice it, figure it out, see if you can master it. Its a fun way to switch your feet and has more uses than I care to list online.
Last night I watched Joshua Harris' video on purity, and he made a comment that got my mind to thinking (no jokes please ;)
He said that purity was lost by tiny little steps away from righteousness, away from holiness. He cited David and his sin with Bathsheba. That whole little episode began with this thought: that when kings went to war, David stayed home. It was not a big deal, just a little step. He wasn't were he should have been. Then he saw a woman bathing on her rooftop, and instead of looking away and praying away the sinful thoughts, he looked. He watched, he lingered, he lusted. Then he called for her, and one thing led to another until not only was he an adulterer, but a lier, and a murderer too.
All because he took a few little steps, half steps towards sin away from God's holiness.
Being the martial minded person that I am, I naturally thought of some kung fu concept that I could use to parallel this idea, and it came quite naturally. I have found that one of the best ways to close the gap with someone, or to force them back, isn't with brute force or by leaping a great distance, but by taking small steps. We call them half steps and we use them to cover, create, or keep distance between our opponents and ourselves.
It would amaze you how close I can get to you without you even knowing it by only taking half steps. Or, even force you into a corner that you don't want to be in by taking half steps. I can work my way through a very crowded room by half steps, and step someone all the way across the room and never take a big step.
sometimes we let ourselves get worked into a corner, or forced into a spot that comprimises our witness, that effects our own relationship with God without ever even realizing it because we never took a big step. Many times, as I was a beginner, I had a tendancy to get myself backed into a corner. I never could figure out how I got there. Then one day, I realized that it was because I wasn't being aware of the small steps that I was taking backwards. From that day on, I began using that to my advantage, taking small steps forward.
Just like that realization and the application of taking small steps forward, we need to spiritualize it and begin taking steps towards holiness and purity and not away from it.
thanks for reading, write at ya later.
here it is, I can't say it better than Mr. Dobson. He did Aikido, but kung fu is the same.
It's all about love.
I was 5 years old when I first had my exposure to the martail arts, the Karate Kid. Mr. Miyagi was my hero, that man was the epitome of the Warrior Philosopher. A master of martial arts, and a man full of wisdom who used his two primary skills to truly benefit someone through a mentorship relationship that was built on the martial arts but extended far beyond mere combat techniques.
I was 6 years old when I first had my exposure to kung fu, the tv show. Kwai Chang Caine, he moved so smoothly and so powerfully (I was 6, give me a break) I fell in love with this element of kung fu. This began a lifelong obsession later tempered into a passion that had me reading books, watching movies, picking the brains of everyone who had any fighting experience trying to build a regimine of techniques. I practiced my basic stances, punches, kicks, and even tried to create joint manipulation techniques.
After many years of personnal practice and very slow progress, I had still not found an opportunity to really train under a real teacher. I was picky, I wanted to train under a kung fu teacher, not just any martial art. I also wanted a Christian teacher, who would not try to fill my head with any false doctrines. I prayed, Lord I will give it up if you want me too, but if you want me to train send me a godly man to teach me. And He did. My eldest brother began training while in college under Mark Kimzey who was an instructor of Xing Yi Quan (Hsing I Chuan; pronounced Shing ee Chwan) who was teaching kung fu at the college
My elder brother also began training under him when he went to college. He made it to green sash and after much begging and pushing on my part for him to show me stuff when he came back from school, he was given permission to teach me what I needed to test for my white sash. So he would come home for a visit and show me something. I would practice everyday and then he would show me something else. Finally, my father and I drove to St. Louis and I tested for my white sash on January 4th, 2001. That July I moved to St. Louis to begin my college, also at mobap. I trained both at college and at Shifu (father teacher) Kimzey's house testing for my black sash in Kanses City, MO on October 30th 2004. I graduated from college and received my Laoshi (teacher) title on April 30th 2005. In May of 2006 I moved back to my parents and began working closely with my church and trying to teach what I have learned.
I still make regular trips to St. Louis to see my teacher and train with him. I am a member in good standing in the American Tang Shou Tao Association and a pending member of the Gospel Martial Arts Union.
I currently hold the rank of 1st degree black sash and the title of instructor (laoshi) ATSTA Shen Long Xing Yi Quan style of Kung Fu and I serve the Master building His Kingdom as best I can.
Today on my way home from work, I stopped in to check out the local Martial Arts Academy in Mt. Zion. Devore Martial Arts Academy and I introduced myself to the instructor there, Jeff Devore.
He seemed like a nice guy, and we chatted for several hours. He has a nice attitude about the whole thing, focuses a lot on the humility and family orientation of his academy. A real generous man, he offered me the opportunity to come out some night and be a guest instructor. I plan on taking him up on his offer some time.
I figured that it would be good to get my name out there in the local community as a new guy, trying to get started teaching. Couldn't hurt, and I would rather learn about someone first hand than listen to other people's rumors.
And who knows what can happen from these chance encounters.
TAYL