SATURDAY, APRIL 13TH
MORNING WORKSHOP: FOUNDATIONAL SKILL & FENCING METHODS
SATURDAY, APRIL 13TH @ 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM (15 MIN BREAK) FOLLOWED BY OPTIONAL LUNCH
Study the foundational skills of the Wudang sword methods. In this 3.5 hour event, Swordsman Xia will run students through the foundational body preparation methods, body mechanics and drilling techniques used to make up the infamous Wu-Tang sword skill. Each skill will also include application drills, and partner work for mastering ability to utilize the sword for fencing & combat. Once completed, the drills will be the building blocks for the rest of your sword arts, no matter what style or school you attend. These universal principles of sword & body will develop practical fitness and an acute awareness of all sword postures and their application.
Included in this event, Xia will offer stories, culture, & history on the Daoist sword arts, and with the remaining time, the students will work on basic fencing methods and free-movement training to fully enjoy the practice. Our hope is that students will practice these skill going forward, and next year Xia will offer more in-depth training in a continuation of this event.
WORKSHOP FEATURES: Warmups, Standing Meditation, Drills, Mechanics, Structural Alignment, Footwork, Applications, Free Fencing, Free Movement, Blade Awareness, Demonstrations, and Q&A
Xia's 2018 Wudang Sword Dance Performance Video
SATURDAY, APRIL 13TH
AFTERNOON EVENT: TRADITIONAL WUDANG SWORD FORMSET
SATURDAY, APRIL 13TH @ 2:00 PM – 5:30 PM (15 MIN BREAK) PRECEDED BY OPTIONAL LUNCH
The foundational sword form taught publicly by Xia is the Wudang Taiyi Liangyi Jian sword form set. Offering the first section at this afternoon event, Xia will cover not only the movements of the form, but also the application, culture of the movement names, and the mechanical theories which make this form so exciting and profound. More than just copying movements, this event will hone into the benefits and uses of each technique, while giving students the opportunity to apply the techniques in partner exercises & applications.
tThose that attend will be invited form a study group for continued practice until Xia's next visit (1-2 times per year), where the group will be able to finish this formset together. Xia will also be available throughout the following week to offer private & semi-private training to those that wish to refine this skill with individual corrections.
WORKSHOP FEATURES: Form sequence, movement application, connecting posture methodology, footwork studies, cultural meanings, fencing application, demonstrations, and Q&A
Those that attend this event will be invited to video Xia demonstration at the end of the event for private use only (no online distribution).
Xia's demonstration at the 2018 Denver Zhang San Feng Festival
SUNDAY, APRIL 14TH
MORNING EVENT: WUDANG XINGYIQUAN 5 ELEMENT FISTS, FOOTWORK, FORM
SUNDAY, APRIL 14TH @ 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM (15 MIN BREAK) FOLLOWED BY AN OPTIONAL GROUP LUNCH
When one studies the internal martial arts of Wudang, often times they begin with Taijiquan or the popular Sanfeng Fist methods. But the root to understanding the traditional Taiyi arts can be found in first understanding the body's structures and methods of developing power. Although initially developed outside of the Daoist community, Xingyi was eventually adopted into the Taiyi methods as a way to hone one's ability to enter, deflect, and control the opponent's center when confronted with extreme force. Utilizing the foundational five element fist methods, Xia will provide the cornerstone to Wudang's combat methods. From here, one can insert these skills into all of the other material one practices, or isolate it as its own skill.
In this workshop, Xia will introduce each of these five fists, along with a variety of foundational footwork. With discussions on developing force and body alignment, this workshop will work to get these movements and their developmental methods to bring unity to the mind, body, and effort. This workshop will focus on the drilling and connecting aspects of the art, and touch on the basic combat ideas for correct understanding.
Completion of this morning session will give each student the first few years of foundational Xingyi training to cover with their classmates or in one of our local study groups. This workshop is an excellent starting point for new and advanced martial arts. Once each of the basic techniques and footwork methods are covered, the remaining time will be spent on linking methods and understanding the basic boxing/striking oriented methodologies.
WORKSHOP FEATURES: Warmups, Standing Meditation, Guard Posture, ~10 Stepping Methods, Linking training, 10-Posture Short Formset, Demonstration, and Q&A.
Xia will provide a demonstration of the 10-Posture Short form, for students to make a personal video. The video is not permitted to be distributed for used online for any reason.
Xia performs Wudang Xingyi Linking Fist Formset (Level II) in the streets of Guadalajara, Mexico.
SUNDAY, APRIL 14TH
AFTERNOON EVENT: XINGYIQUAN STRIKING, QINNA, & CLINCH WORK
SUNDAY, APRIL 14TH @ 2:00 PM – 5:30 PM (15 MIN BREAK) PRECEDED BY AN OPTIONAL GROUP LUNCH
After our morning session, where the five primary energies of Xingyi element-based strikes are introduced, this session will go into the function of these strikes & their power mechanics in combat & self-defense. Xia's experience in pushing hands, free sparring, sanda, & as an amateur MMA fighter will be utilized to show the real-life application of this art against non-compliant opponents. Beyond the idea of "fists" for striking, Xia will go into great detail on the body's structural alignments and the internal organization of the joints and muscle groups. This session will cover a variety of ranges, and offer the participants a chance to work with various partners to feel this art's prowess.
Striking & blocking simultaneously is the first aspect of this art. But in this workshop, we will also cover how grabbing and holding can both be functional and countered using these basic movements when applied correctly. Beyond hand-fighting (an important aspect of most Chinese martial arts), being aware of how each movement can be utilized no matter the opponent's attempts to gain superior position is one of the most beneficial and complementary skills one can take home from this workshop. The final stage of discussion for combat function will be clinch work, as Xia demonstrates and blends the principles of Taijiquan, Taiyiquan & Yiquan concepts with Xingyi's foundational movements to control the clinch and freely mix striking and grabbing to overwhelm and confuse the opponent.
This workshop will not be full-contact, but those wishing to train aggressively are encouraged to bring safety gear and work with others that are like-minded. Our drills will be presented in a controlled fashion, but everyone should aware of their own comfort zone and safety at all times. The goal of this workshop is not to try hurting people with new techniques, but to learn to control the opponent and create advantageous opportunities for ending the conflict.
WORKSHOP FEATURES: Five Element Fist Review, Footwork Functional Use, Striking-While-Blocking Training, Two-Hand Combat Method, Joint Manipulation (Qinna), Self-Defense & Combat Functions, Fighting From the Clinch, Strategies with Combat Theory, Hands on Work with Xia, and Q&A.
Xia will work hands on with everyone in attendance, but disrespectful or distasteful attitudes will be cause for dismissal from the workshop.
Xia takes Grand Championship at tournament with Wudang Taiyi Fuhuquan, "Tiger-Taming Fist," the Level III Xingyiquan formset for "pouncing & seizing."
EVENT PRICING & TUITION
- 1 SESSION – $55.00
- 1 FULL DAY or 2 MORNING SESSIONS – $90.00
- BOTH FULL DAYS – $165.00
- Afternoon sessions require morning event attendance each day to participate.
- Students of Denver Shaolin Kung Fu Taiji Institute receive a $5/session discount.
- Teachers & Supporting Schools– Ask about our incentives program and/or discounts for your students participation!
- Free attendance for instructors that bring 5 or more students to the session!
- WEEKDAY PRIVATE HOUR (new material or review) – $90.00
- WEEKDAY 2-HOUR PRIVATE TRAINING – $150.00
- CLASSROOM VISIT IN YOUR HOMESCHOOL, MID-WEEK $120/EVENING CLASS