Our method is based on the wisdom of older generation boxers that was collected by Vince Black over the course of his decades of research and formulated by him into the current Tang Shou Tao curricula. Training sessions generally follow a similar pattern divided into three parts. This format is highly adaptable according to the needs and desires of the instructor leading the workout.
The training begins with an exercise set, of which there are a number to choose from, depending on the art and the students. These sets are all forms of neigong which range from very intense to moderately intense and are designed to prepare the student for some aspect of training internal boxing skills.
Forms are practiced after the neigong exercise sets. In the association’s curriculum there are a wide variety of forms, both empty hand routines and weapon routines, with an equally wide variety of purposes and intent. The forms teach movement and breathing patterns, reflex and dexterity skills. They act as a catalogue or archive of techniques and applications. They can be used as physiotherapy in the conventional sense. They often act in very specific ways on the physiology of the practitioner in accordance with the tenants of Chinese medicine and, thus, behave as a method of medicine. Some forms cross the line into moving meditation and bring all the challenges and benefits associated with any form of mindfulness.
Finally, two person drills and applications are practiced. These can range from very gentle sensitivity drills to violent self-defense applications. There is a stress put on reactive and reciprocal drills that teach evasion and counter striking and test the correctness of the forms. There is often some form of free play at the end of class.
To be properly effective, training sessions should be three hours long with a clear ratio of 80% of time spent on exercises and forms and 20% of time spent on application. This is the formula that has been handed down to us. There is much room for adaptation to specific circumstances, but this is the template.
