Issue 57 - Tse Qigong Centre

ecause in the past, the life of the average person was morephysical, more balanced than our lives today.I have mentioned the straight sword in the past, so thistime I will introduce the skill of the broadsword to our readers.The broadsword has over 5000 years of history. Inancient times, when people needed to hunt and defendthemselves against wild animals to survive, they needed somekind of weapon. At this time the earliest swords were created.They needed a weapon which was heavy and sharpand also easy to carry. People began to tie sharp stonesto sticks and this was a very powerful weapon. Laterthey began to sharpen the stones to make theweapon even more effective.In Nanjing, China a “Seven Holes StoneBroadsword” was found which was used over 4000years ago. This tells us that the ancient Chinesepeople had broadswords very early on. After many,many years and after China had discovered howto use metal like iron and copper, they beganto make metal swords and also otherweapons like spears, axes, etc. Mostweapons were made with a woodenhandle and metal blades andthese were very powerfulweapons.China has recordsof different kinds ofweapons trainingwhich are over3000 years old.In the beginningallEvery style of martial art has its own way of moving, butwhen it comes to weapons training, we see a lot of similaritiesin the skill. It is the attitude and energy which are differentbetween each style.The broadsword technique contains many differentskills, chopping from right to left, chopping from leftto right, cut from the bottomto the top, straightchop from top to bottom, stabbing,fast chop, horizontal chop,block the above chop, pushforwards, carry theweapon along, pushupwards, circle, carry theweapon downwards, point, jerk up,press, separate, jerk down, hold,rotate, opposite rotate, etc. there are allkinds of different skills to master.However, when you practise thebroadsword, you must also concentrate onthe other hand. In most situations, the palmin open and the thumb is closed. When youpractise the broadsword, and in fact allweapons, you must consider the other emptyhand. This hand is used to balance your wholeposture. If your whole body, arms, hands, legs“ChineseMartial Artsalso considerdevelopinggood health.”the weapons trainingwas very simple and direct. Aftermany years of development and practicethe training began to mix with dancing fordemonstrations. This took place during the Spring and AutumnPeriod. From there things developed even more.Chinese Martial Arts are not just based on fighting skill.They also consider developing good health. When you trainwith a weapon, you should be even more healthy, have goodco-ordination as well as develop more physical power.So they put all these elements and skills together tocreate a form (a series of movements). Each form exercises thewhole body and covers the hands, eyes, legs, stepping etc.are correct, then your weapon will be very powerful, andthis will also help to bring you good health. If you justconcentrate on the weapon if will make your body unevenand one side will become too strong and the other side will beimbalanced. Thisis one majordifference bewteenChineseMartial Arts andthe west. ChineseMartial Artsconcentrate onthe balance of thewhole body, notonly on the strongpart. You need tomake sure the restQi Magazine 24