Hands of Fire

[Em MacIntosh]

Is anyone able to explain fire gong to me? I've looked around on the net but haven't really found anything. I was also wondering the differemce between iron palm and sand palm training. (assuming these aren't self explanitory). Thank you for your input.

 

[Steel Tiger]

Is anyone able to explain fire gong to me? I've looked around on the net but haven't really found anything. I was also wondering the differemce between iron palm and sand palm training. (assuming these aren't self explanitory). Thank you for your input.

Fire gong? I've got to admit I've never heard of it.

The essential difference between iron palm and sand palm is in the imparting of energy to the target. The training is very similar, but where iron palm works on hardening and strengthening to allow for a powerful, hard blow, sand palm has a more internal approach in so much as the blow's power is generated in a different way.

Please keep in mind I do not train in either of these techniques and can only pass on what I have read. The technique I practice is called Thunder palm and is similar to sand palm.

 

[Em MacIntosh]

Indeed. Thank you. Would you share more of this 'thunder palm? I understand if it's a trade secret.

 

[Steel Tiger]

Indeed. Thank you. Would you share more of this 'thunder palm? I understand if it's a trade secret.

It might be a secret, but I'll give some details anyway (I'll probably be haunted by old masters' ghosts for this). Thunder Palm is a fa jin technique. The classical concept behind it is this: in the centre of each palm is a qi portal called Lao Gong (Temple of Work) and via this portal one can 'project' qi into a target.

Like all fa jin techniques it is all about efficient and effective motion producing a potent transfer of energy. In this particular case it is like most bagua strikes in that it uses a lot of 'coiled energy'. That is to say you wind your body like a spring and then release, so strikes have a full-body motion in them.

The interesting thing about the Thunder Palm is that it makes a very effective defence against those upward ripping body shots.

 

[shifu]

* Lian huang chuang xing zhang:

The "Interlink Penetrate-Heart Palms" also known as "Double Dragons Swim Out to Sea" and "Three War Palms" is a devestating technique seen within many of the Calling Crane forms as taught within the White Crane Research Institute.

It consists of three palm strikes in succession delivered to a variety of Dim-Mak points located on the human body. A deadly and decisive technique, one application involves delivering a series of palm strikes to Conception Vessel 14 ("Juque" - "Great Palace"), or the Liver 14 ("Qimen" - "Expectations Door") point resulting in death stopping the heart. A series of strikes can also be delivered to Stomach 15 ("Wuyi"- "Room Screen) and Stomach 16 ("Ruzhong" - "Middle of Breast") with similar results. It is a Fire Hands Element strike.

Hope this helps.

 

[MaartenSFS]

Iron palm training has nothing to do with hitting iron (Though ball bearings can be used). It doesn't matter what you hit. The iron is refering to the hardening of your hands (Or other body parts) and, contrary to popular belief, is to prevent damage to yourself.

 

[Changhfy]

The Fire (Huo) Gong,

Is actually in reference to the heart. The five elements(Wu Xing) correspond to the five internal organs

The fire-heart
The metal-lung
The water-kidney
The wood-liver
The earth-spleen

Each one of these has special postures and breathing exercises associated with the Qigong practise of the five elements.

Also to note some systems such as Tong Bei (Wu Xing) have special hand methods (Kuen/Quan Faat) associated with each element.

Also to note the Emei Pai has a special fire qigong set.


hope this helps


take care