Iron Shirt Chi Kung I

by Mantak Chia

Book Overview

An introduction to the ancient Kung Fu practice designed to unify physical, mental, and spiritual health - Describes the unique Iron Shirt air-packing techniques that protect vital organs from... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0935621024
• ISBN13: 9780935621020
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: Healing Tao Center
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.23 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

An advanced book with lots of goodies

An advanced book on Chi-Kung and Chinese internal martial art. The main part (iron-shirt chi-kung postures) has been explained in great details, some of the postures (like Golden Turtle) are regarded as among the most important postures of advanced Wu style Tai Chi, and Iron Bar is an advanced practice in many Chinese MA systems - all explained in good details. The practice of rooting and chi-packing are elements not to be missed, again all explained in good details. "Bonus" materials include exercises to enhance structural alignment and microcosmic circulation are also included, though I think the latter can be practiced more safely with crossed legs postures as in meditation (I mean unless one's sacrum can be aligned medially, a classic requirement of sound tai-chi practice, then one can safely practice microcosmic orbit circulation in standing position). This book is an essential reference for advanced practice, and I recommend every advanced Chinese internal MA practitioners should get a copy. However, it is definitely not a book for beginners. Say for junior practitioners of Tai-Chi (say within one year of guided practice), I would recommend to supplement their practice with Zhen Zhuang (stand-like-a-tree) as taught by Grandmaster Wang of Yi-style (check up books like,The Way of Energy: Mastering the Chinese Art of Internal Strength with Chi Kung Exercise (A Gaia Original)). Easier and safer.

good introduction to structural chi kung

still going thru this book; takes a while to get the principles down; learn something every time i read it.

Excellent intro to subject

As a practitioner of old style Yang tai chi I found this book invaluable in extending my knowledge of iron shirt chi gung. Technically, tai chi can be considered a combination of medium and small circle martial chi gung, but it also includes a lot of iron shirt practices as well. Essentially a form of Taoist yoga, it is finally being discovered and is receiving the attention it deserves in the west. Whether you ascribe to the more esoteric aspects of chi theory or not, the physical and and health benefits of iron shirt chi kung are substantial and can be enjoyed by anyone willing to put some effort into it. Overall, a fine book and worth your time and money.

difficult to follow

this book is difficult to follow unless you have been learning and practing standing meditation and energy arts for some time. when i first came across this book some two years ago i could not use the information on this book properly. there was a sea of information in the book with much attention to details. Soon it became frustrating and i left the book on my book shelf and followed some other chi kung books that were much easer to follow. now after two years i find myself coming to this book over and over again. now that i have been doing standing meditation for some time it is easer for me to incoporate more of these informations in to my practice.

Good detailed book on iron shirt

This is a very detailed instruction book on Iron Shirt Chi Gung Part 1. Iron Shirt Chi Gung has 3 levels, and this covers level 1 which must be mastered before going to level 2 and 3. The aim of level 1 is to correct and improve your posture, strenghten your internal organs by packing 'chi' around them, strenghten tendons, muscle etc. Also, it teaches you the types of energizing breaths. Master Chia has written a very detailed book that's clear and easy to undetstand. However, to master this, you may have to get the video as well. You should read this book (which has a lot of pictures and illustrations), understand the principles, then look at the video to model his postures etc correctly. The bottom line is, this is really a good book on Iron SHirt that deserves a read and study by anyone interested.