Nei Jia

       Nei Jia (Neijar) is the internal family of Chinese Kung Fu, consisting collectively of Chi Kung exercise, Tai Chi Chuan, Ba Kua Chang, and Hsing I Chuan. It is an in-depth, highly researched and structured program that studies the links between the internal martial arts and focuses mainly on the application thereof.

       Beginners start with Chi Kung and the Yang style Tai Chi Chuan solo form. Chi Kung or “energy work” promotes proper body structure and breathing in a static environment, while Tai Chi Chuan explores the same in a moving environment.

    Another exercise known as “Random Forms” is practiced in which one student leading the group moves from posture to posture -- either a learned posture or a movement created independently on the fly -- and the other students follow. This exercise promotes proper turning and the ability to follow or “listen” to another’s energy without being in actual physical contact, an energy known as “False Critical.”

     After learning the Tai Chi Chuan form and a basic set of “energy types”, students begin to use and apply their knowledge in an ever growing and changing two-person free form exercise called Push-Hands. Push-Hands is an important part of class, and is much more involved than application exercises such as “one-step boxing” or sparring. At the intermediate and advanced levels it is more a kind of moving meditation, in which each participant is constantly changing and allowing of the manifestation of forms and crossing barriers of system and style.

Underlying the core arts, students learn Elemental Forms that follow specific ideas such as evasion, use and manifestation of Neutral Powers, flow states, ground paths and the like. At the intermediate and advanced levels, the arts of Ba Kua Chang and Hsing I Chuan are looked at and elements of those forms are combined with the above exercises. All forms are taught to be used and applied, and can be thought of as different tools one can employ to solve problems (or create problems for an opponent) in a Push-Hands environment or what is known as Temple Boxing.

Applications and use of the Internal Family systems are practiced in our Neijar class, and an eight level ranking structure is followed with an annual testing/promotional ceremony in either the spring or fall of each year.

For information, please contact Sifu Douglas Lawrence at dlawrence@itama.org, or visit his website, The Internal Arts Association of Michigan.