In the 'Erle Montaigue System', the very first prerequisite
to be graded is to be able to do four attacking methods.
When you perform these fa-jing movements, there must
be heard a cracking sound as the fist or palm whips
forward. This is true fa-jing or what I call 'the sound of
one hand'. Punching is obviously an important part of
one's martial arts training. However, I have had very
highly ranked people come to Australia to train with me
and none have been able to punch! Sure they can generate
power by pulling their fist or palm right back, but when
asked to strike for instance the hard hand held mitt from a
distance of only one inch or with their fingers already
touching the mitt, they cannot do this. The reason is that
they do not have fa-jing.
There are only three punches and one palm technique that
must be learnt before one can go on in my system and they
are all inherent in small San-Sau. A sound must be heard
when the hand or fist whips forward by the action of the
body and not by the action of the arm only. They are:
Penetration Palm, Taiji Snap Punch, Taiji Back Fist and
Taiji Penetration Fist. On each of these, the movement
that causes the fist or palm to be thrust forward must be so
violent or 'fa-jing' that a sound is heard just like the
cracking of a whip. Within each fist or palm, there are a
number of other attacking methods but these are only
off-spring of the main four. So to learn the main four, you
learn about every kind of attacking method. It is beyond
the scope of this book to teach how to gain the sound of
one hand as it really needs to be taught personally or in the
least by video as you must see the total body movement
and photos just cannot show this. However, I can show
you the finished movements in photo form. At the end of
each movement, the hand or fist whips together or the
wrist cracks upward causing the sound. The fist in never
held as a fist! The palm is always open to begin and end,
the fist is only a fist upon impact. The thumb is always
held in the peculiar Taiji fist configuration. (Photo No.
39). This is said to bring yin and yang right into the fist as
the thumb is held tightly (yang) while the lower fingers
are held loosely, (yin). Once you can punch in this manner
(it does take some time especially if you are used to the
more normal hard style fist where the thumb is wrapped
tightly around the fingers), you will notice an increase in
your punching power.
The Taiji Snap Punch. (Photo No. 40). The Taiji Back
Fist. (Photo No. 41). The Taiji Penetration Punch. (Photo
No.42).
The Penetration palm is the first attacking movement we
make in Small San-Sau, so I will show that when I begin
showing the form. I have taught all four of the above
attacking methods on my tape, MTG 172,
Internal Gung-Fu, Volume Six.
The Small San-Sau Form
This form follows the movements of the Taijiquan form
up to the posture known as 'Single Whip'.
I will show the exercise in its two-person manner as you
will understand how to do the solo exercise by doing it in
this way. However, I will show the first few movements
both in solo and in partner form to get you started. It is an
easy task to simply remove your partner from the exercise
in order to learn it solo.
'Arn' Left, Right & Left.
Stand with both feet parallel, shoulders relaxed at your
sides. Swivel on both heels to your left moving the weight
onto your right foot. As you do this, your left arm will
move with a centrifugal motion, swinging out to your left
in a 'yinshape'. Your right palm will also move .However,
the motion for this movement is not centrifugal, but rather
it is pushed outward. Both of the movements for the two
arms is correct for the type of body movement and side of
the body that is moving. Notice the position of both palms
at this point. Remember that this is not the finished
movement. It is an interim photo of the movement half
way there. (Photo No. 43).
See how the left wrist is in my center line while my right
palm is pumped outward to where my center was
pointing. The right palm now makes the sound of one
hand as it snaps over to strike with its knife-edge as your
weight and movement finishes. Notice the position of my
right palm. It is slanted upward slightly. The left palm also
snaps into position by snapping outward upon impact.
(Photo No. 44).
