Ireland's Valentine Iron Wire Set 2012

[Mark CH]

Pity you cant make it Frederick, maybe next time.

Best wishes
Mark

[John O Riordan]

Dear Shaolin Family,

I am looking forward to this course, I am also looking forward to seeing more of my Shaolin Wahnam family in Ireland. If the Iron Wire Set is not enough of a draw then I encourage you all to come here and experience your chi flowing in the beautiful surroundings of Killarney in the south of Ireland.

I also had the opportunity to learn this set from Sifu Anthony on two separate occasions in Malaysia. I was blown away on both occasions and cannot wait for this next opportunity to experience the Iron Wires Set in Ireland. My experiences apply not only to the Iron Wire set but all training and the internal force generated from it. For most people work is demanding both physically and mentally. Often this causes some people to become irritated, frustrated even angry. Stress can consume them. Not only does internal force ensure that I remain calm, relaxed and alert I am also happy(something that surprises most of my co-workers). I can efficiently deal with co workers who have become irritated, frustrated and angry and generally resolve a situation to the benefit of all parties. All of this and I leave work every day happy, healthy and free to enjoy the rest of my day. This is all due to our training and the internal force we generate form it.

How could I say no to attending ‘Probably the most powerful internal force training method found in all Kung Fu’

I too have a question. I have heard that the Iron Wire training generates so much force in your arms that it feels like there is Iron Wire wound around your arms. Why is the force focused in the arms and, as chi flows around our entire body, is the force generated in the arms proportional to the rest of our body but we feel it focused in our arms?



Regards,


John.

[Mark CH]

Good question John. This is the answer from Sifu's website.


The main principle in the internal force training of “Iron Wire Set” is to “consolidate” energy into essence. As a rough analogy it is like converting a stream into a glacier. The force developed is “hard” and internal, in contrast to “soft” and internal as in Taijiquan.

In channeling chi or energy, appropriate sounds are used, such as “herit”, “ho” and “ya”. These sounds also help to strengthen various internal organs.

A common mistake some practitioners make is to perform the qi channeling and jing consolidating exercise in “Iron Wire Set” as isometric exercise. They are quite different. In qi channeling and jing consolidating, the muscles are relaxed. What is involved is the training of energy, essence and mind.

In isometric exercise, the muscles are tensed, and the energy and mind are usually blocked. What is involved is physical exertion. Performing “Iron Wire Set” as isometric exercise can be harmful, whereas performing the set as an energy management exercise brings good health and vitality.


It is a common mis-conception, even among some advanced practitioners, that internal force is necessarily soft. Just as external force can be soft, internal force can also be very hard.

"Hard" and "soft" here, which are poor translations of "gang" and "rou" in Chinese, are different from what many Westerners regard as hard and soft. "Soft" here can be very powerful. An empty hose is limp. We can make it taut by lining its interior with strong iron wires. This is a rough analogy of a person's arm made taut by tensing his muscles. If we support the hose and chop it with an axe, we may break it into two.

Instead of using strong iron wires to make the hose taut, we may do so by filling it with running water. This is a rough analogy of a person's arm made taut by powerful flowing energy. If we support the hose and chop it with an axe, the axe would be bounced away. This water hose full of running water is a good illustration of hard internal force. If we smash the hose onto some bricks, it can easily break the bricks.

Now we have a live wire connected to a power point. When we switch on the power, it examplies soft internal force. If we hit the wire onto some bricks we cannot break the bricks even when the power is on. But if we connect it to an opponent, we can cause tremendous damage.
"

by Grandmaster Wong

We will be doing a lot of consolidating in February

Best wishes
Mark

[Peter Clayton]

Dear Mark Sisook and John,

Thank you for providing some more information on the 'inner workings' of Iron Wire.

I personally am looking forward to discovering how Iron Wire can work along side my Tai Chi Chuan.

WSS,

[John O Riordan]

Thank you Mark SiHeng.

Sifu has given us a gift by answering my question directly by private message. He has asked me to share this with you, on his behalf, so more students can benifet from his knowledge.

"Here is my answer to your following question:

I have heard that the Iron Wire training generates so much force in your arms that it feels like there is Iron Wire wound around your arms. Why is the force focused in the arms and, as chi flows around our entire body, is the force generated in the arms proportional to the rest of our body but we feel it focused in our arms?

Yes, the practitioner’s arms become very powerful and he feels like iron-wire wound round them. And in our case our students practicing Iron-Wire also find their arms smooth like silk. It symbolizes the expression of silk wound round iron. It also manifests that the two methods at the extreme ends of internal force training arrive at the same goal.

These two methods are Iron-Wire which is extremely “hard”, and Taijiquan which is extremely “soft”. The approach of Iron-Wire is from hard to soft, and that of Taijiquan is from soft to hard. The same goal is yin-yang harmony, symbolized as silk wound round iron. Masters would take at least 15 years to arrive at this goal. It is incredible but our students can take much shorter time, about 1 to 3 years. As usual, other people may not believe this, but that is their problem. Our job in Shaolin Wahnam is to make this opportunity available to deserving students.

Why can we achieve similar result in so much shorter time? There are various reasons, like being clears about our aims and objectives, being generous in teaching, understanding the philosophy, acquiring the necessary skills, choosing the most appropriate techniques, and having the benefit of accumulated effect.

In Iron-Wire the force is focused at the arms because the training method makes it so. Not only chi (or flowing energy) if focused st the arms, but also it is consolidated into jin (or consolidated energy).

Whether the force in the arms is proportionate to the rest of the body as chi flows round the entire body depends on two main factors, namely time and effectiveness of chi flow. The effectiveness of chi flow in different individuals varies but we shall use as an example a typical person who practices Iron-Wire as isometric exercise whom we shall call P, a typical person outside of ShaolinWahanm who practices Iron-Wire as chi kung whom we shall call Q, and a typical Shaolin Wahnam student who practices Iron-Wire whom we shall call R.

A comparison of the proportion of force as a result of a session of Iron-Wire training in their arms to the same force in the rest of their body of P, Q and R immediately, an hour, and a year after the practice session is respectively as follows.

P -- 100-0, 100-0, 100-0.
Q – 90-10, 85-15, 70-30.
R – 70-30, 50-50, 20-80.

Please note that in the above example, we are talking about the proportion of force, not the amount of force. And we refer to the force obtained in one training session immediately, an hour and a year after that session, not the total amount of force immediately, an hour and a year of daily practice.


In other words, for P who practices Iron-Wire as isometric exercise, all his force obtained from the training session is locked up as muscles, without benefiting other parts of his body, After an hour or a year, all the force is still locked up in the muscles, though the muscles after a year will be smaller and the force less.

For Q who practices Iron-Wire as chi kung but without the advantage of chi flow that our Shaolin Wahnam students have, the longer after the training session, the more chi flows to other parts of his body.

For R, our typical Shaolin Wahnam student who practices Iron-Wire, the longer after the training session the more chi flows to other parts of his body like in the case of Q, but unlike Q the difference in proportion is bigger as R has the advantage of chi flow.

As mentioned before, please note that the figures above refer to proportions, not to the amount of force.

You may like a comparison of the amount of force generated by P, Q and R immediately after a training session, an hour after the training session, the amount of original force left after a year from the first training session, and the total amount of force gained in a year of daily training. A rough estimate is as follows. The figures refer to the units of force in the arms compared to the units of force in the rest of the body.

P – 50-1,000.000, 45-1,000,000, 5-1,000,000, 150-1,000,000.
Q – 65-1,000,010, 55-1,000.020, 10-1,000,030, 200-2,000.000
R – 70-1,000,030, 50-1.000.050. 20-1,000.080, 500-3,000,000

Please note that the estimation is not based on strict multiplication. For example, if a student gains 20 units of energy per training session, it does not necessarily mean that after 300 sessions his total energy gained is 6000 units because much of the energy is needed for other purposes like maintaining life processes and repairing wear and tear. The estimate is based on my understanding and experience.

We can draw a number of conclusions which can benefit us.

Those who practices Iron-Wire as isometric exercise can develop big muscles and become powerful but unlike those who practice Iron-Wire as chi kung, the isometric exercisers do not develop internal force which can bring benefits in daily life what you have elegantly described.

Amongst those who practice Iron-Wire as chi kung, those who enjoy chi flow like we do obtain the benefits in shorter time. This is also confirmed in daily life. Genuine chi kung practitioners are not only healthy and peaceful as well as powerful, the internal force that give them these benefits are not limited by age, size and gender. But most of them need to practice for many years, whereas for us in Shaolin Wahnam who have the benefit of chi flow can have similar benefits in a year or two."

There is nothing else to say but thank you Sifu

It will be an amazing course.

Regards,

John.

[Mark CH]

There is nothing else to say but thank you Sifu

It will be an amazing course.

Well said brother.

Thank you Sifu for taking the time to answer all these questions in great detail. We are all so blessed to be students in Shaolin Wahnam.

Best wishes to all.
Mark

[Jani]

Thanks for this thread and all the questions and answers! As an Iron Wire practioner, very interesting to read and follow

Now back to work, thank you!

Best regards,
Jani

[Mark CH]

Thanks for this thread and all the questions and answers! As an Iron Wire practioner, very interesting to read and follow

Now back to work, thank you!

Best regards,
Jani

Glad you are enjoying it.

Best wishes
Mark

[Mark CH]

Last day of January.

ONLY 10 MORE DAYS

[Nick Jones]

Hey,

I'm pleased to say I will be coming to Ireland for some Iron Wire. I've been hoping for an opportunity to learn it directly from Sigung a long while and I'm confident that no matter how high I let my expectations of the course go, they will be well surpassed, and then some.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon.

[Mark CH]

Wonderful Nick, looking forward to seeing you again very soon.

Best wishes
Mark

[Anthony S]

I'm very happy for everyone. Have a wonderful time.

[Kevin_B]

Dear Family,

I will be there!

Its happening this weekend!

Yipee!!!!!!!!

See you all very soon,

Best Wishes,

Kevin

[Dominic Roche]

Dear Shaolin Wahnam Family and Virtual Kwoon readers,

What an amazing course we are having here in Ireland. The beauty and force of Sigungs demonstrations are incredible.

Learning the Iron Wire set has shown me a new aspect of force training as the force we have generated is all over the body giving an incredible feeling of strength both physically and mentally and a beautiful sence of peace.

We are learning how to apply this force for sparring with a partner posing as a boxer. I have found my confidence and ability has improved incredibally since this morning. I am looking forward to using these skills for the 30 man opponent training and I have no doubt that this course will incredibally enhance my experience.

Can't wait to get back for the afternoon session.

Shaolin Salute,
Dominic.

[sancrica]

What an amazing course

Hi Shaolin Wahnam Family,

This is the best course that I have ever done in Shaolin Wahnam by far. We were able to do the Iron Wire Set in only 2 days, which is amazing! Sifu surprised us all with lot of sparring practice. I have learned more about fighting in these 2 days than in my whole life (and I mean it).

I am going to prepare a post later on. I have some important points that I want to share with all of you. It will take some time to write it but I will do it very soon. :-)

Shaolin Salute,

Santiago