TECHNIQUE WORKSHOPGary, what’s the
secret to longevity
in your martial
art? How have you
kept going so long
in martial arts,
physically, and what advice
would you give to others
hoping to do the same?
The secret of longevity
in our martial art lies in its
curriculum. Tai chi chuan and
pa qua (bagua) are as much
about health and fitness as
they are about fighting. Self-
defence doesn’t just mean
being attacked by another
person, it also means defending
yourself internally from illness
and injury. Traditional Chinese
medicine is a part of our training,
so being conscious of the
foods we eat, our daily water
intake and managing mental
stress levels all contribute to
the ability to keep training and
progressing throughout your
life. Our school has a large
number of members who have
been training now for 10, 20
and over 30 years without any
injuries that would stop them.
Training management plays
an important role in your ability
to keep on going as well. Make
sure your training is balanced
and isn’t placing demands
unevenly on parts of your body
that could lead to joint problems,
one of the main injuries
found in martial arts. Weights
are great, but be careful.
Above all, though, passion
is the driver of excellence.
Everyone owes it to themselves
to stay fit and healthy, and
I don’t believe there is any
activity more stimulating and
interesting than the martial
arts. It’s like a bottomless pit
of knowledge and skill. Martial
arts, when done correctly, is a
positive and healthy lifestyle.GARY MARTIN // Defence against an upward groin kick
Hsing-I, Tai Chi & Pa Qua
1 2
STARTQ
&
A
The verbal confrontation: Gary keeps a safe
distance so he can see all of his opponent’s
weapons — hands and legs....before
Gary delivers
a rising knee
to the face
to stop the
attack. As
his opponent
reels back...As the opponent tries a ‘sucker’ kick, Gary reacts by
immediately retracting away from the force (evasion is pa qua’s
primary defence)......and, to stop the opponent
from moving away and opening
a gap, Gary sweeps his foe’s
front leg, destabilising him.This has put the
opponent in a horizontal
position, which sets
up one or multiple
downward hammer-fist
blows...FINISH...then, while his opponent is still
off balance from the kick, Gary goes
straight back on the offensive with a
rear-hand punch to the head...6
7
4
...Gary
assesses his
surroundings
for further
threats from
the attacker,
or from others
joining in.3
5
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