Practicing “Cloud Hands” develops waist flexibility, energy flow and internal force. It is also an effective counter against many different attacks, or if one is skillful against all attacks! The participants are in a chi kung state of mind, which is an important aspect in Taijiquan practice.

Participants enjoy a chi flow and standing meditation after practicing “Cloud Hands”. As both Taijiquan and Shaolin Kungfu are always practiced as chi kung in our school, Shaolin Wahnam, chi flow and meditation are integral parts of all kungfu training. In other words, Shaolin Wahnam students do not need to practice separate exercises to induce chi flow or enter into meditation; their kungfu training itself will enable them to do so.

While “fa-jing” or “Explode Force” is taught at an advanced level in many Taijiquan schools, in Wahnam Taijiquan it is taught at the beginning as it is regarded in our school as a basic exercise, meaning one that forms the foundation for future progress. “Single Whip” is an effective pattern to train “fa-jing”. The exponent acting as a model for other participants to follow, is Sifu Piti Parra Duque, a Shaolin Wahnam instructor of Colombia.

The ability in “fa-jing” is put into practice in Pushing Hands, which by itself is a very important method to develop various combat skills. There are many kinds of Pushing Hands. Here participants practice pushing from the side. Appropriate footwork is required for successful application of Pushing Hands.

Skills, such as correct spacing, timing and footwork, and not muscular strength, are required for successful Pushing Hands. Dainty ladies can effectively push hefty men around.

Participants learn how to move to the back of an opponent. They also learn how to avoid being attacked from the back. It is evident that these leaders of commerce and industries and their wives are having fun in their Taijiquan training.

While Pushing Hands develops combat skills, Striking Hands provides techniques for attack and defence. All the four categories of attacks and their counters are practiced in this four-day VIP Taijiquan Course. It is impressive that although the participant shown in this video, the wife of a corporate president, did not have any prior martial art experience, she has progressed so well that she could effectively defend against the fast attacks of Sifu Rama.

This video clip shows participants learn Taijiquan felling techniques. With proper skills women could easily throw men around. Most of the participants, who are corporate presidents and their wives, had no previous Taijiquan or martial art experience. Being able to throw hefty opponents after just four days of lessons is quite a remarkable achievement.

How would you counter a backward throw? It is very simple if you have the necessary skills — so simple that many people may not believe it works, and may think what is shown in the video clip is choreographed. Here are Sifu Jose Antonio and Sifu Diego Parra, Shaolin Wahnam instructors of Ecuador and Colombia respectively. Sifu Rama also demonstrates the counter-technique to a senior surgeon and a corporate president.

Isn't it interesting that when an opponent attempts to throw you, at a time when he expects you to fall, he is fallen instead! It is even more interesting to see otherwise serious corporate presidents throwing one another and having fun.

After a lot of movements and a lot of laughter throwing one another, the participants enter Tao to experience inner peace and spiritual joy. On a professional note, entering Tao enable corporate presidents not only to manage stress but also to attain peak performance.