Clarification: In this
article shall be discussed the lower Dan Tian (丹田) area,
also commonly referred to as ‘Tan Den’ (丹田) or Hara
(Belly) in Japanese.
There is
a problem with the current discussion of the Dan Tian in martial arts
literature. The vast majority of it is ambiguous at best. People fall prey to
using metaphors borrowed from Traditional Chinese Medicine, which are not
conductive to an actual understanding of martial arts theory. Other times,
explanations are intentionally confusing, in order to make sense only to ‘those
in the know’.
This
article will not teach you how to develop the Dan Tian area. It is not an
instructional. Neither would this be an anatomy lesson. However, I will be
attempting to elucidate many things relating to the function and training of
the Dan Tian in the Internal Martial Arts in a manner more conductive and
coherent than what is commonly found elsewhere.
As you
should know, the Dan Tian area is located in the middle of our belly’s mass,
and its height is roughly three horizontally held fingers below the naval. I
gather that in actual practice, the region used as ‘Dan Tian’ encompasses most
of the abdomen’s inner contents between the middle of one’s crotch line and the
belly button.
It is
impossible not to use the Dan Tian area. The musculature in this region is
involved in most of the complex movements we make in daily life. Therefore, the
Dan Tian area is active in all martial arts. What sets the Internal Arts apart
is that they have methods for developing refined control over this area, or
that such control is gradually gained through other methods of theirs.
Dan Tian
usage is not the be-all-end-all final secret of the fighting arts. It is simply
an additional method, among many others. Dan Tian methods are more common than
most suspect in the various martial arts, but this is not apparent since in
writing they are seldom discussed as thoroughly as in this article (which
despite its length is barely an introduction to the topic at hand).
Two main
martial purposes for developing the Dan Tian
1.
A steering wheel – this
area can be used to help steer the motions of the rest of the body. Later, one
is able to connect to another’s center of gravity, and use one’s own Dan Tian
to steer the opponent as well.
2.
An engine –
movement in the Dan Tian area can initiate the movement of the whole body, and
also contribute powerful waves of momentum by either Rotation or Vibration (more
on that later).
These two
purposes are not contradictory. The Dan Tian is supposed to smoothly function
as both a steering wheel and an engine. There are several other good,
non-martial reasons to develop refined control over this region, but I shall not
be discussing them in the confines of this article.
The
basics
The onset
of Dan Tian Gong is with proper breathing, and this comes before its usage as
either a wheel or an engine. Without learning to breathe deeply and correctly
into the Dan Tian area, it cannot be ‘developed’. Lowering the breath to this
area is simple, and can be taught within less than a minute to most people.
However, maintaining such breathing for prolonged periods of time can prove
incredibly difficult to get used to, especially when moving. This is partly why
in the Internal Arts, we have repetitive semi-meditational drills such as Zhan
Zhuang (Post Standing), Circle Walking and Silk Reeling, which allow the body
to become accustomed to correct breathing and the holding of a solid and
well-connected martial structure.
Only
after Dan Tian breathing has been assimilated by the practitioner, can he or
she begin to sense the area better. The very attempt to breath correctly
creates more nerve endings in that region, and increases one’s sensitivity to
it. This takes time – in the caliber of months and years. The more advanced
stage of breathing would include the following techniques:
- Reverse
breathing: Learning to expand
the Dan Tian while exhaling, and deflate it while inhaling (the opposite of our
natural breathing pattern). And its natural follow-up:
- Dan
Tian pushing: Pushing air into the Dan Tian when issuing Fa Jin
(explosive power), to add force to the strike. This also carries the benefit of
protecting the abdomen wherein it is hit during one’s attack, and under correct
timing (something which cannot be planned in advance), it may cause an opponent
striking one’s belly to bounce back, or even break one’s hand. This mechanism
is not necessarily involved in all of one’s movements or attacks.
Unfortunately,
this is the stage past which most practitioners never endeavor – either because
they have not been patient enough, or had not the luck to find a teacher with
more knowledge.
Beyond
breathing
After
enough time has passed, the practitioner’s body would be aligned in a superior
way. As momentum passes more efficiently through such a structure, the Dan Tian
can now take control of it, and add its own specific contribution.
Two main
types of Dan Tian methods train in the Internal Arts: Rotating Dan Tian and Vibrating Dan Tian. I
shall now discuss them both.
Rotating
Dan Tian
This is
the most common Dan Tian method. It involves the moving of the Dan Tian area in
a very apparent way, and in appearance is similar (though not identical) to
Yoga Nauli Breathing. The Dan Tian, now felt as a large ball, is moved around
in a circular fashion. It can rotate left and right, up and down, and
diagonally. The circles are used as the initiators of whole-body movements, and
to add momentum to these movements – hence, an ‘engine’. At the same time, the circles made with the
Dan Tian are coordinated with the circular movements of the rest of the body –
therefore also a ‘steering wheel’, as a car’s steering wheel maneuvers from
afar the motions of the tires.
A person
touching the belly of an adept practitioner will feel his Dan Tian as a rotating
ball. As one’s skill increases, the focal point of rotation becomes smaller and
smaller. In the beginning, when this is just learned, all of the abdomen can be
felt moving in a clumsy way. Years of practice can lead to a level of control
that can shrink the size of the focal point being manipulated to that of a
medal, and eventually even the tip of a finger. This occurs as over time, the
practitioner requires less movement on behalf of this area to generate the same
amount of control and momentum.
The most
common methods to develop a rotation Dan Tian involve moving the hands in a
circular manner with the body, breathing correctly, and slowly allowing the Dan
Tian to take control. This is very apparent in exercises such as Chen Taiji
Quan’s ‘Silk Reeling’ and Dai Xin Yi’s ‘Squatting Monkey’. The Dan Tian
naturally reacts better to the circular than to the linear. Dare I say, that
methods such as a Karate Tsuki and a Boxing Uppercut are not conductive tools
for the development of the Dan Tian (which is fine, as they have other uses).
Another requirement for this process to occur is slow movement, which is
another prominent feature emphasized in the Internal Arts. Control over the Dan
Tian is a byproduct of Yi (purposeful mental intent), and Yi cannot be focused
into any are when moving too quickly.
Vibrating
Dan Tian
In
various lineages of Xing Yi Quan and Baji Quan, the training methods of
Vibrating Dan Tian are known as Tuo Tuo Gong. In Wu Zu Quan, similar methods
are part of the ‘Quivering the body and vibrating the shoulders’ form (Yáo shēn
dǒu jiǎ 摇身抖甲). The latter has many video examples available
online.
This
method is far less common than the previous one. In essence, Vibrating the Dan
Tian area is making very tight and fast circles. To make these, a prerequisite
is a prior ability to rotate the Dan Tian to an acceptable degree. Using Dan
Tian vibrations, the external sections of the abdomen do not move in a
pronounced way, as when using the first method. Instead, the insides of the Dan
Tian region are twirled.
At first,
the spinning of the Dan Tian’s insides is initiated by the legs. Then, the
practitioner learns to pick up on that initial rotation, and used small muscles
within the abdomen, as well as other muscles which envelope the spine, to keep
the rotational vibration going, and accelerate it. As the insides accelerate,
the entire body trembles as it absorbs the vibrations. As soon as the body
takes on the vibrations, it can add them to the wave of momentums hurled into a
strike, throw or joint-lock, and use it to increase the effectiveness of the
end result. Other benefits are that the opponent is less capable of absorbing
rotation, let alone as a fast vibration, and that the recyclable nature of
these vibrations can re-absorb a missed strike or a counter-attack and make
them less taxing on one’s body. As before, this is both an engine and a
steering wheel.
It is
easy to differentiate the two Dan Tian methods if we think of a ball filled
with water. The first method is more about the rotation and movement of the
actual ball, which tends to be relatively slower. The second method is about
the fast rotation (vibration) of the water inside the ball. Another very valid
metaphor would be that of a Powerball, and those who have played with such a
device should be able to draw an analogy between its workings and the
descriptions I have written of.
Another
difference which I have yet to discuss is that to vibrate the Dan Tian, one
requires not only a functional capacity to rotate the area, but also a
well-connected structure. Vibrating the insides of the Dan Tian can be taught
to beginners. However, wherein their bodies are not held together as one, the
momentum would not pass from the Dan Tian to the striking limb (inefficient
engine), and the vibrations would not sync well with the rest of the body (lame
steering wheel). Unlike the first method, the second one cannot be trained at
slow speeds, and is easier to train while holding a stationary position (as in the
practice of Zhan Zhuang) rather than while moving around.
An
additional method for training both large Dan Tian rotations and Dan Tian
vibrations is through the use of large wooden poles or spears. Drawing circles
in the air with these weapons is very useful for such practices, as the large
lever they create engages one’s core musculature and naturally arouses the Dan
Tian into action. Some specific movements, such as the spear’s Lan-Na-Zha, are
more effective than others in developing these skills. Once the practitioner
can use Dan Tian Gong, it can also be applied with other weapons.
When
properly trained, Dan Tian Gong can be embedded into most of one’s movements
(while standing, kneeling or even sitting). In terms of martial usage, the
highest level of this skill is the effective combination of both Dan Tian
methods. That is, to have the Dan Tian rotate at large whilst also vibrating on
the inside, and make all of these micro-movements lead and connect with the
rest of the body.
______________________________________________
Shifu
Jonathan Bluestein is the head of the Tianjin Martial Arts Academy, and teaches
Xing Yi Quan and Pigua Zhang in Israel. He is also a martial arts author and
researcher. His list of published articles, most available for free reading
with links (and on this blog), can be found at the following link:
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