what connection does YOGA have with MA's. ???

[REY MISTERIO]

?

 

[Takai]

They can be very complementary. A few brief examples would be the increase your range of motion, flexibility and core strength. All of which will be very beneficial to any art.

For an "extreme" example you can't get much better than this esteemed gentlemen...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypax7esDXGQ&list=TLTelCFhl_Dwc

 

[colemcm]

In short, they have absolutely nothing to do with each other.

Yoga was the physical aspect of a spiritual/philosophical tradition. It's original intent was never to be solely a physical discipline; which is what it has become in the West.

 

[Gnarlie]

Yoga uses the concept of Chakras and Chi. Many MA's use the concept of Danjuns / Dantiens and Chi or Ki. There are similarities between Taoist meditative principles and those of Yoga. Typically MA's with a 'Do' in their name have more than a few things in common with Yoga and its principles.

 

[colemcm]

They may share those things, but they serve an entirely different purpose. Much as a Kabar and butter knife are similar, but possess different purposes. This should not be overlooked.

 

[Xue Sheng]

what connection does YOGA have with MA's. ???

There isn't one

 

[jks9199]

what connection does YOGA have with MA's. ???

There isn't one

I disagree. Some martial arts do contain yogic systems. I think it's kalirippayattu that starts your training with a yoga system, and the Hanthawaddy Bando System as taught by Dr. Gyi includes a yoga system for healing and strengthening the body.

And, of course, there's the legend that Shaolin martial arts were developed in part because the monks lacked the strength and fitness to meditate...

So, I think a better answer is that, in many cases, there is no connection -- but there are some that do have a connection. And that practicing yoga is unlikely to harm your martial arts practice, anymore than weight training or other forms of exercise will.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I disagree. Some martial arts do contain yogic systems. I think it's kalirippayattu that starts your training with a yoga system, and the Hanthawaddy Bando System as taught by Dr. Gyi includes a yoga system for healing and strengthening the body.

And, of course, there's the legend that Shaolin martial arts were developed in part because the monks lacked the strength and fitness to meditate...

So, I think a better answer is that, in many cases, there is no connection -- but there are some that do have a connection. And that practicing yoga is unlikely to harm your martial arts practice, anymore than weight training or other forms of exercise will.

Beyond similarities there is no connection in most. There was no connection between Sir Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz and they both came up with Calculus at the same time. If some guy trains martial arts and throws in Yoga then that is alright with me, I've down that myself. But there is no actual, historical connection. Cameron Shayne's Budokon is a combination of Yoga and martial arts but again that is recent and not historical

And don't get me started on the un-provable history and the mythology that is Shaolin.

But I will agree that training yoga will likely not have a negative impact on training martial arts nor will training marital arts have a negative effect on training yoga

 

[Virtual Jim]

As a martial artist that's recently been exploring yoga, I can confirm that, while being complimentary to a point, there is no connection. At least outside of Street Fighter II. The complimentary aspects aren't even that efficient... if you want to develop better balance and flexibility (as is my goal), there's better methods. The only possible connection is that it's an increasingly-commercialized practice that combines physical activity with religious aspects.

 

[geezer]

Beyond similarities there is no connection in most. There was no connection between Sir Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz and they both came up with Calculus at the same time.

Didn't know about both Newton and Leibnitz. Sort of like both Darwin and Wallace both coming up with the idea of evolution via natural selection at the same time.

Anyway, there is a purely modern connection between yoga and martial arts in the Western imagination emerging in the 20th Century and gaining popularity in the 60s and 70s. A hippy-dippy pop-culture thing built around fantasy ideas about all things Asian. Like my first American "Kung-fu" Shifu in the mid 70s who practiced "TM" (remember that?) and taught a mishmash kenpo system with elements borrowed from Hung gar and Northern Longfist and other systems. Kung fu a la Qwai Chang Cain.

Unfortunately, this stuff is still used to exploit the gullible today. Even Asians are not immune. Look at all the Wuxia fantasy stuff used to market TCMA. My old Chinese sifu knew all about the kung fu magic tricks used by street performers. He even showed us how to do some of these tricks. Based on what he showed me I figured out how to do a bunch more. It was good for a laugh. I remember him saying that some of these tricks were not ancient, but rather borrowed from the tradition of Indian fakirs (another yoga connection?). After all, he said, most instructors make their money "selling dreams" to their students. Everyone (even Chinese) wants to dream about being a martial arts hero.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Didn't know about both Newton and Leibnitz. Sort of like both Darwin and Wallace both coming up with the idea of evolution via natural selection at the same time.

Anyway, there is a purely modern connection between yoga and martial arts in the Western imagination emerging in the 20th Century and gaining popularity in the 60s and 70s. A hippy-dippy pop-culture thing built around fantasy ideas about all things Asian. Like my first American "Kung-fu" Shifu in the mid 70s who practiced "TM" (remember that?) and taught a mishmash kenpo system with elements borrowed from Hung gar and Northern Longfist and other systems. Kung fu a la Qwai Chang Cain.

Unfortunately, this stuff is still used to exploit the gullible today. Even Asians are not immune. Look at all the Wuxia fantasy stuff used to market TCMA. My old Chinese sifu knew all about the kung fu magic tricks used by street performers. He even showed us how to do some of these tricks. Based on what he showed me I figured out how to do a bunch more. It was good for a laugh. I remember him saying that some of these tricks were not ancient, but rather borrowed from the tradition of Indian fakirs (another yoga connection?). After all, he said, most instructors make their money "selling dreams" to their students. Everyone (even Chinese) wants to dream about being a martial arts hero.

Or as my taiji shifu says about a lot of the Wuxia stuff in China...."Mostly Fake"

Which is interesting because my wife says the same thing about most qigong people in China too...not all...but a lot of those you see n Youtube