Japanese Nei Gong

  • Japanese Nei Gong

    Posted by Thomas Riinstain on 26th December 2020 at 8:12 pm

    What are the training exercises used to develop Jin and Qi in the Japanese internal arts? Do the Japanese masters have something similar to Nei Gong that is typically taught in the Chinese arts?

    Sebastien Ribac replied 3 years, 3 months ago 3 Members · 6 Replies
  • 6 Replies
  • Sebastien Ribac

    Member
    26th December 2020 at 11:25 pm

    Hi Thomas, I am not familiar enough with Nei Gong and Jin and Qi are Chinese concepts that are linked to some specific Chinese Martial arts I do not fully understand.

    Also, I cannot answer for the many Ryūha (Japanese schools) as among the one I have experienced, they all have different specific drills to develop internal qualities fit for their way of fighting, weapons etc. (Like the floating step, etc.).

    To answer for Aunkai, there are a limited number of Tanren (exercises to forge the body) with many variations depending on what internal aspect we want to focus on and Kunren (pair training).

    Below, 3 links with Sensei explaining tanren (this is only the tip of the iceberg and the internal part is not really addressed) but it can give you an idea of the solo (and very bitter) tanren we do.

    https://youtu.be/dmJ54LFjPtw

    https://youtu.be/2Xq-QzX8CMs

    https://youtu.be/LCVderq0BiY

  • Dan

    Member
    27th December 2020 at 7:28 am

    Hi Thomas

    The main gendai JMAs (the modern ones ending in -do) do not have any equivalent concept of nei gong / internal power at all. The exception is aunkai, which is based around it.

    However, if you look into the old style schools / koryu, there are hints to be found, but they tend not to talk about it too much in the open.

    You can find it in:

    Yagyu Shingan Ryu
    Takemura-ha Shindo Yoshin Ryu (check out Toby Threadgill)
    the schools of Kuroda Tetsuzan
    Daito Ryu, especially the Sagawa (quite secretive) and Kodo lines (check out Roy Goldburg)

    I was told about other koryu that have some internal stuff too, so the above is not exhaustive.

    Internal power in the Japanese arts came from China hundreds of years ago, so there isn’t a huge variation in the tools used to train it. One key difference is that for some reason the Japanese arts, in my experience, have more limited vocabulary: you can’t easy discern between the hips and the waist, which is key to separate for IP, and alo the Chinese concept of kua, again it’s taught as movement, but I don’t know of any Japanese word for it.

    Hope that helps

    Dan

     

     

  • Thomas Riinstain

    Member
    27th December 2020 at 1:18 pm

    Thank you Sebastien and Dan for such a detailed reply. I vaguely remember watching a video circulating on Youtube a few years back of Roy Goldberg teaching a seminar and openly sharing the excises used to develop the Japanese arts’ internal power/energy. Now the video seems to have disappeared, and I can’t find it. It appears that the Japanese masters highly guard the internal methods to develop these skills.

  • Sebastien Ribac

    Member
    27th December 2020 at 3:57 pm

    Thank you Dan,

    I will check out those names. I intend to post on Kuroda Tetsuzan, Mifune Sensei, Kono Yoshinori but also some Karate masters and from other arts who have decided to unveil some aspects of their work for power generation Not based on muscle contraction.

    Thanks for sharing your knowledge

  • Dan

    Member
    28th December 2020 at 8:49 pm

    Bonjour Sebastien

    Since you have a French name, and you have connected Kuroda, Kono, Hino and Akuzawa, I am guessing you might know Leo Tamaki, who brought them all to France?I trained under him when I lived there in 2013 🙂

    I look forward to your posts on them all!

    Dan

  • Sebastien Ribac

    Member
    29th December 2020 at 3:27 pm

    Hi Dan,

    Yes I am French 🙂

    I have never met Leo personally but yes he did a great job by inviting them in France and I like his website and posts.

    I am learning Aunkai with Akuzawa Sensei and Manabu Watanabe who lives in France now.

    Kishinkai aikido seems interesting. I would love to read your view on it.

    Seb

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