Sinew Metamorphosis, One Finger Shooting Zen and Golden Bridge

[wooden shoes]

Dear all,

Sifu explained in one of his Q&As that Sinew Metamorphosis, One Finger Shooting Zen and Golden Bridge were three very powerful ways to cultivate internal force. He wrote that all three were powerful, though slightly different.

I know that a practitioner of Golden Bridge, would slowly increase the amount of time spend in this stance to advance furter. I don't know how a practitioner, or a master, would advance in Sinew Metamorphosis and One Finger Shooting Zen.

Would anyone have any idea how a master would progress using either of these?

Also, from a post by Antonius Sihing, I got the impression that performing Golden Bridge, or any other kind of stance training, should preferably be performed under (constant) supervision of a master, as mistakes are easily made, and have cumulative side effects. Wouldn't, especially Sinew Metamorphosis, be a "safer" method if you lack constant supervision?

Of course, as you read this post, you may well guess that I have been lucky enough to have been taught "Sinew Metamorphosis" by Sifu at a course. I haven't been taught either of the other 2 Arts, though Sifu was generous enough to show us Golden Bridge at the Intensive Chi Kung course. But to me, it just seems so much easier and safer to cultivate internal force using Sinew Metamorphosis! I may well be very wrong though, which is why I would like to ask everyone for comments!

Best wishes,

Roeland

[beggarsu]

In my opinion, what really determines what makes you practice a Qigong at higher and higher levels is how long and consistently you practice that particular Qigong. Also if in your conditions you have to practice away from your Sifu a lot, or the Qigong you are taught is of a much higher level than what normal people understand to be Qigong (Like the Qigong of Shaolin Wahnam), and you later have a opportunity to learn the particular Qigong from your Master again, by all means take it! Although practicing consistently what you were taught on your own will certainly progress you to a higher level, learning the exercise again from your Master will bring you to quite a different plateau.

[Andrew]

Roeland,

For each of the exercises you mention the best way to advance in the Art is to deepen it. Lengthening the time of practice is one possibility. Improving the quality of the practice, though, is much more important. I think you know this already but it is something which can never be said enough ...

Better 1 minute of high quality practice than 1 hour of low quality practice.

Once the quality is high enough you can then increase the quantitiy. Of course in practical terms one normally would do both in parallel once a minimum of each has been reached.

....to me, it just seems so much easier and safer to cultivate internal force using Sinew Metamorphosis!

Of course. It is always easier to cultivate internal force with the method you have been personally taught by and the skills transmitted by a genuine Master.

Andrew

[wooden shoes]

Dear Andrew Sihing, dear Beggarsu,

I was actually comparing Sinew Metamorphosis and Golden Bridge, when all things are equal (so a student who had been trained for some time in either, then carried on on his own)). Even then, it seems to me that there are many advantages in practising Sinew Metamorphosis. It is powerful and you don"t seem to have the problem of making a mistake in the stance, which can lead to cumulative negative side effects. (As a bonus, it isn't heavy, so suitable for lazy people )

So why is Golden Bridge and (One Finger Shooting Zen) the main way to cultivate internal force in Shaolin Kung Fu? (I actually don't know if this is so, but I think that most Shaolin Wahnam Kung Fu practitioners use these two for internal force cultivation)

Best wishes,

Roeland

[Alberto]

From all what i have read about i agree with you in the point that it seems safer to practice sinew matamorphosis that stances moreover if you can not have a Master at your side all the time of your practice.

[Andrew]

Excellent question Roeland.

Each of the exercises you mention help to develop internal force. The force is, of course, holistic. But as with all other exercises, each also has specialities.

Golden Bridge -- solid stances and powerful bridges
One Finger Shooting Zen -- One Finger Zen, Tiger Claws
Sinew Metamorphosis -- Vitality and Spiritual Joy

Of course these classifications are really only provisional and for explanatory purposes.

Andrew

[Andrew]

I was actually comparing Sinew Metamorphosis and Golden Bridge, when all things are equal (so a student who had been trained for some time in either, then carried on on his own)). Even then, it seems to me that there are many advantages in practising Sinew Metamorphosis. It is powerful and you don"t seem to have the problem of making a mistake in the stance, which can lead to cumulative negative side effects.

And to address this bit ---- the correct posture in Sinew Metamorphosis is EXACTLY as important as with Golden Bridge. It is precisely BECAUSE they are powerful exercises and the form is reduced to a minium that the basics are of such importance.

The safest exercise is the one you are most competent in .

I would also suggest that Golden Bridge is actually safer than Sinew Metamorhposis as the former is normally followed by chi flow whereas Sinew Metamorphosis (standard mode) is not. This (chi flow) is an excellent and immediate remedy for any deviations in the stance.

The biggest advantage I would see for Sinew Metamorphosis is that it takes such little time and is "easy" --- as in not hard work.

Andrew

[Darryl]

So why is Golden Bridge and (One Finger Shooting Zen) the main way to cultivate internal force in Shaolin Kung Fu?

Because it's the exercise that it most advantagous to our needs. If it wasn't, we wouldn't do it.

[barrys]

Andrew Sifu,

the former is normally followed by chi flow whereas Sinew Metamorphosis (standard mode) is not

I am interested in this. I have done a few regional courses with Sifu on Sinew Metamorphisis. From memory chi flow followed the form at these courses. You mentioned "standard mode". Was Sifu teaching a different mode on these courses and/or have I missed something?

Thanks,

Barry

[Andrew]

Barry,

Chi flow following these exercises is the "alternative mode" used more for cleansing. The "standard mode" is followed by "flowingly still" rather than chi flow. This alternative mode may actually be unique to our school.

Andrew

[Mark Blohm]

This is getting me very excited to learn Sinew Metamorphosis. Yes!

[barrys]

Andrew,

Thanks for reminding me. When I went back to my notes I found I had noted this down.

Every time I have done sinew metamorphisis I have felt like I was about to explode with energy - flowingly still would be quite a feat. At the moment I can't imagine giving up the opportunity to burst out like a powerful loony.

Oh well, some way to go I guess.

Barry

[Babnik]

One Finger Shooting Zen or Zhang Zhuang?

Hi to all

I practice Kung Fu almost daily from April with variations in the practice sessions. In my daily routine ussualy afterwards entering in Chi Kung state of mind I practice the Form (now Fierce Tigers Speeds Through Valley), Combat Applications (or and Combat Sequences) and then after a Chi Flow (slow or vigorous,depending of the cirqumstances),then I practice the Art of One Finger Shooting Zen as is described in Sifu Wong's book of Kung Fu followed by Standing or Flowing Still and Standing Meditation.

I use this ending in my routine for 1 month now and everytime afterwards I fell fine and the energy inside me feels nice (tingling in hands,happines,freshness etc), I have been healthier and also I have developed a liitle bit of Internal Force

In the past I had tried instead of One Finger Shooting Zen to have Zhang Zhuang (Horse Stance) but because I hadn't learned from a Master I always had problems (I believe through strong cleansing or wrong practice or both of them!) after one or two weeks of practicing and I was stopping.

Now it's time for my question:
Now that I have replaced this for One Finger Shooting Zen I wonder if it will make my progress slower?

The weird thing is that I can sit in Horse Stance while doing the One Finger Shooting Zen without discomfort and tension,at least that what I believe.
Any suggestions?

I know that the best thing is to attend some regional or intesive course of Sifu Wong or to have some sessions with others qualified instructors but this period of my life I am a student so I don't have my money to do that but it will be one of my first things to do when I first get paid

[wooden shoes]

Dear Andrew Sihing, dear Darryl Sihing,

Thank you for your replies. I thought that there would be a good reason for most Kung Fu practitioners do to One Finger Shooting Zen and Golden Bridge.

the correct posture in Sinew Metamorphosis is EXACTLY as important as with Golden Bridge.

To me, Sinew Metamorphosis is much easier, posture-wise, than Golden Bridge. This must be because I went to a course in Sinew Metamorphosis; Sifu makes it all so simple when he teaches.

Dear Babnik,

Though I don't know much about One Finger Shooting Zen, I'd steer well clear of it. It is one of the most advanced exercises found in Shaolin. If you would really like to learn it, it would be a good idea to see Sifu. If I may give you some advice, why not try Lifting the Sky for the moment instead? It is one of the best exercises in Shaolin Chi Kung, and the safest. It is described in the book you mentioned.


Best wishes,

Roeland

[Andrew]

First to Babnik --- welcome to the forums.

The weird thing is that I can sit in Horse Stance while doing the One Finger Shooting Zen without discomfort and tension,at least that what I believe.

This is not at all uncommon. But you are likely just as tense (if not more) than when you attempted "just" Horse Riding Stance. The big difference you are probably feeling is because your attention with One Finger Shooting Zen is on the movements you are performing with your hands and arms. This distracts your attention from the stance itself. In itself, this is not wrong but the stance should be correct and relaxed before commencing with One Finger Shooting Zen in my opinion. The fact you do not notice the tension is often not an indicator that the tension isn't there.

Andrew