The Secret of Martial Power — Jin Training
Jin training is a very important part of the Chinese martial arts, but there is very little written on the subject in English. Theoretically, Jin can be defined as "using the concentrated mind to lead the Qi to energize the muscles and thus manifest the power to its maximum level." From this, you can see that Jin is related to the training of the mind and Qi. That means Qigong.
Traditionally, many masters have viewed the higher levels of Jin as a secret which should only be passed down to a few trusted students. Almost all Oriental martial styles train Jin. The differences lie in the depth to which Jin is understood, in the different kinds of Jin trained, and in the range and characteristics of the emphasized Jins. For example, Tiger Claw style emphasizes hard and strong Jin, imitating the tiger's muscular strength; muscles predominate in most of the techniques. White Crane, Dragon, and Snake are softer styles, and the muscles are used relatively less. In Taijiquan and Liu He Ba Fa, the softest styles, Soft Jin is especially emphasized and muscle usage is cut down to a minimum.
The application of Jin brings us to a major difference between the Oriental martial arts and those of the West. Oriental martial arts traditionally emphasize the training of Jin, whereas this concept and training approach is relatively unknown in other parts of the world. In China, martial styles and martial artists are judged by their Jin. How deeply is Jin understood and how well is it applied How strong and effective is it, and how is it coordinated with martial techniques When a martial artist performs his art without Jin it is called "Flower fist and brocade leg." This is to scoff at the martial artist without Jin who is weak like a flower and soft like brocade. Like dancing, his art is beautiful but not useful.
It is also said "Train Quan and not Gong, when you get old, all emptiness." This means that if a martial artist emphasizes only the beauty and smoothness of the forms and doesn't train Gong, then when he gets old, he will have nothing. The "Gong" here means "Qigong," and refers to the cultivation of Qi and its coordination with Jin to develop the latter to its maximum, and to make the techniques effective and alive. Therefore, if a martial artist learns his art without training his "Qigong" and "Jin Gong," once he gets old the techniques he has learned will be useless, because he will have lost his muscular strength.
Often Jin has been considered a secret transmission in Chinese martial arts society. This is so not only because it was not revealed to most students, but also because it cannot be passed down with words alone. Jin must be experienced. It is said that the master "passes down Jin." Once you feel Jin There are general principles and training methods which an experienced martial artist can use to grasp the keys of this practice. If you practice patiently and with perseverance, and remember to remain humble, to question and ponder, you will no doubt be able to learn Jin and become a real master.
Dr. Yang has been involved in Chinese Gongfu since 1961 and has more than thirty years of instructional experience. Dr. Yang has published twenty-four books and twenty-eight videotapes on the martial arts and Qigong. Currently he is president of Yang's Oriental Arts Association, Boston, MA.