Igor Zilberman M.D.
I have been involved with Martial arts since the age of 14 (Man that’s long time ago). A bully was copying my homework and I said no. He insisted, and I did not have enough strength to resist. I never wanted to have that feeling again. I enrolled in Tae Kwon Do and stayed with it for 3 years. I was about as graceful as a rhino practicing ballet, and I never got the flexibility to the level I wanted, but I hit hard, and I tried not to back down from anyone in sparring.
A hip injury and a 6-month series of unsuccessful and painful attempts to come back, told me it was time to try something else. I did Shotokan for a few months. Then Judo. Neither felt right, but I am glad for the experience. There is nothing like standing one second and bouncing off the mat the next, to teach you a little humility and caution.
It was in medical school, when I started to look for something deeper when I decided to look for someone who taught Xing-Yi. I saw an article about Frank Allen teaching this. The rest was history. I loved the system, and I loved the school. There is just something about putting your intent (not to mention most of your bodyweight and whole-body power) into each punch that is just clear, defining and addictive. At the time there were not a lot of people taking Xing-Yi, so I would come in to a Bagua class, walk to the end of the old studio, find a place where I would not interfere with anyone and start doing lines. Frank told me later that people called me “The Xing-Yi wind up doll”. I still think it hilarious.
I stuck with it for a long time. I had detours and had to back up. Among those detours I picked up a bit of Ba-gua and Tai Chi. At the end of it all, I came back to Xing Yi. In many ways I am happy with that because I now appreciate dimensions of internal arts that I never knew before.
When COVID hit, I worked in the hospital, and I continued working. Keeping an N95 Mask on, wearing heavy equipment and just seeing all that sickness all around wore on me. I think my practice gave the strength to keep going.
Because in the end that’s what Xing Yi is about. Overcoming hostile power with your own power and keeping going. This is not limited to physical opponents. It applies to stress, difficulty, and your own shortcomings. Sometimes you just must gather yourself and throw yourself at the problem. You can do it, as efficiently, precisely, and intelligently as possible, but sometimes the way isn’t around, over or under. Sometimes the way is THROUGH!!!
A hip injury and a 6-month series of unsuccessful and painful attempts to come back, told me it was time to try something else. I did Shotokan for a few months. Then Judo. Neither felt right, but I am glad for the experience. There is nothing like standing one second and bouncing off the mat the next, to teach you a little humility and caution.
It was in medical school, when I started to look for something deeper when I decided to look for someone who taught Xing-Yi. I saw an article about Frank Allen teaching this. The rest was history. I loved the system, and I loved the school. There is just something about putting your intent (not to mention most of your bodyweight and whole-body power) into each punch that is just clear, defining and addictive. At the time there were not a lot of people taking Xing-Yi, so I would come in to a Bagua class, walk to the end of the old studio, find a place where I would not interfere with anyone and start doing lines. Frank told me later that people called me “The Xing-Yi wind up doll”. I still think it hilarious.
I stuck with it for a long time. I had detours and had to back up. Among those detours I picked up a bit of Ba-gua and Tai Chi. At the end of it all, I came back to Xing Yi. In many ways I am happy with that because I now appreciate dimensions of internal arts that I never knew before.
When COVID hit, I worked in the hospital, and I continued working. Keeping an N95 Mask on, wearing heavy equipment and just seeing all that sickness all around wore on me. I think my practice gave the strength to keep going.
Because in the end that’s what Xing Yi is about. Overcoming hostile power with your own power and keeping going. This is not limited to physical opponents. It applies to stress, difficulty, and your own shortcomings. Sometimes you just must gather yourself and throw yourself at the problem. You can do it, as efficiently, precisely, and intelligently as possible, but sometimes the way isn’t around, over or under. Sometimes the way is THROUGH!!!
|
|
