Chin-Na can be roughly translated to "Seize and control"...which I think is a pretty decent explanation of how it functions. Chin-Na is the element from within MOST Chinese systems that addresses grappling and anti-grapling movements, though it also addresses striking as well. Joint manipulation is what it really specializes in, torquing joints to the point that the 'chain' is pulled tight...resulting in not only your wrist or elbow being 'locked' but every joint up the line until the defender controls every joint from there to the spine itself; when they control the spine....they've GOT you.
"Fen Jin": Dividing the Muscle/Tendons
"Cuo Gu": Misplacing the Bones
"Dian Xue": Cavity Press
"Na Mai": Grabbing & Sealing Arteries/Chi Meridians
"Zhua Jin": Seizing Tendons
"Bi Qi": Sealing the Breath
Many here have talked about how "Your wrists and fingers are going to work"....
and they are
right (
START stretching the wrists & fingers NOW...and don't stop if you can help it) , but why stop there? The wrist and finger Chin-Na techniques are things the study is famous for...and they work GREAT, but it hardly stops there. There are Chin-Na of knees, ankles, shoulders, the neck....etc.
Basically: in my study of Chin-Na I've learned at least this...IF you can move it....your instructor can Grasp it, twist it, fold it and yank it from it's root. (usually all of the above) Once...when my instructor had my arms and legs immobilized with one of his legs and one of his arms (a very efficient art)...he jokingly said..."HEY..I've got one hand left....hrmmmm....what else can I grab" ((while tears were coming to my eyes))...he reached down and squeezed and turned my nose giving a Mr. Miyagi "HRRRM" honk.
nice...
Anyway. I'm not a know it all. I got my Chinese words right above by refering to my class textbook that I got from my Sifu...
"Comprehensive Applications of Shaolin Chin-Na" by Dr. Yang Jwing - Ming.
He is, in my humble opinion, the FINEST Chin-Na instructor doing seminars. If it's one of HIS seminars........PAY KEEN attention to everything...he's a master! Even if it's NOT his seminar, get this or one of MR. Yang's other books...you can't go wrong with his works!!!
www.ymaa.com
Also: there's LOTS of people out there teaching Chin-Na...yet they don't study any other TCMA!!!! I'd not trust them so much really. Not that they might not know what they are talking about, but that it starts from the very beginning being highly suspect. As one of my MORE informed brothers above already made mention... Chin-Na is a STUDY that comes from w/in the majority of the traditional Chinese Martial Arts (TCMA). Ones Chin-Na would be flavored or intimately linked to the martial art from which it was extracted. Dr. Yang's comes from a few TCMA such as Taijiquan and White Crane, and then some. There's also Hung Gar Chin-Na, Jow Ga Chin-Na, Choy Li Fut Chin-Na...etc..
My own theory is that it's an ingredient within 99.9% of TCMA, but that somewhere along the line some students either weren't taught that "THese grab & twist techniques are called something different"....or that they simply never learned it....which is possible. (but unfortunate)
I hope I've helped you understand. There's those here who know a Great deal more, but aren't as WORDY as your brother John....
Enjoy!!
Your Brother
John
I've attended a number of chin na seminars and have found them very beneficial. We include quite a bit in our system, so focusing on those type of moves have helped quite a bit.
