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Author Archives: Ted Mancuso
Better With Age
After class the other day my student Harvey, who has studied with me for more than 15 years, asked me a pointed question: “How and why does a longtime practitioner maintain his or her interest in studying Tai Chi?” This … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Tai Chi
Tagged beginning tai chi santa cruz, Tai Chi, Tai Chi Santa Cruz, Taijiquan
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Stretching For the Art
You’ve finished your workout and the idea comes to you: why not stretch a little? It can only help, right? But immediately your brain floods with questions: How important is it to stretch? If I have just worked out, is … Continue reading
Practiced Intent
Internal martial practice is an important step to deepening and improving your kung fu. In this video, Sifu Ted demonstrates and teaches a short exercise learned decades earlier from Sifu Wing Lam, for developing and incorporating intent into movement. Following … Continue reading
Telescoping
This guy has a huge jaw! A damned big jaw. By far, the largest jaw I’ve ever seen. At least, that’s what twirling around my brain as I face my sparring partner. Of course, the truth is that his jaw—in … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Kung Fu, Principles, Training
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Kung Fu Training: You Always Hurt the One You Love
Over my years of teaching martial arts, I’ve had quite a good time explaining some of the more obscure switches of Kung Fu’s winding pathway: the splits, front and side; gyrating and rolling children, long past their bedtimes; and the … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Kung Fu, Training
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The Simple Art of Breathing
This simple method of breathing works well for people practicing Chinese martial arts, Chinese medicine, meditation and what is commonly referred to as Qigong (Chi Kung). We call it simple, but it is also profound; as it relates the physical … Continue reading
Beng Jin: Kung Fu’s Hidden Skill
Here’s a new video on Beng Energy. If you’re one of our Tai Chi students you have probably heard me lecture on this special quality, and are undoubtedly practicing this right now! But Beng Jin exists in all styles of … Continue reading
Posted in Kung Fu, Principles, Tai Chi, Training
Tagged beng energy, jings, kung fu energy, kung fu qualities, kung fu throwing, tai chi energies, tai chi jing, tai chi throwing
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The Teacher’s Teacher
Last Sunday, I got a double-treat: my teacher, Adam Hsu, is in town for a couple of weeks and I had the opportunity to not only see and spend time with him, but to make his Long Fist Kung Fu … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Events, Kung Fu, Seminars, Training
Tagged academy of martial & internal arts, Adam Hsu, santa cruz kung fu, teaching kung fu, ted mancuso
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Fifty
Today I celebrate fifty years in the martial arts. It has been long enough now to seem natural that it became my fate or, at least, a “way of life,” as everyone calls it. People ask me what could possibly … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Profiles
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Your Lineage or, Keep Practicing That Punch
We couldn’t resist posting this clip here for a number of reasons: Here, at the biggest Baji Quan (Baji style Kung Fu) convocation in the world, your great-grand teacher, Liu Yun Chiao, is honored with everyone in the hall doing … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Kung Fu, Videos
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Seven Experiences of Martial Training
Nowadays, everyone seems to want a practice. But the fact that martial arts practice has a path all its own may result in some disappointment to those seeking a casual gym-style experience. Such deep practice can render unexpected results. The … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Philosophy, Principles
Tagged combat, Forms, Kung Fu, Martial Arts, meditation, relaxation, Tai Chi
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Slow Learner
Next October, I will celebrate my 50th year in the martial arts. When I started studying, I had no idea or plan to make this a lifetime practice. I joined up for the same reason a lot of 16 year … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Philosophy, Principles, Training
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The Passing of Rod Oka
Rod Oka, long time student here at the Academy, passed away on the third of this month. He had been fighting pancreatic cancer for about a year. During his time with us he had studied Shaolin and Tai Chi. In … Continue reading
Taiwan Tales #4
The metro that links Taipei’s diverse neighborhoods rolls and wriggles many times a day, stuffed with people. There is an old Chinese saying that, “If I don’t know you, you don’t exist.” This allows a person to maneuver through the … Continue reading
Posted in Articles
Tagged Adam Hsu, Kung Fu, Kung Fu tradition, Kung Fu training, ted mancuso
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Taiwan Tales 3
 Taiwan is a country on the precipice of its future, politically and culturally. If nothing else this makes for surprise moments. Our 9th floor room has a balcony; rather than waste space, it is overgrown with plants, Daoist rocks … Continue reading
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