02/22/2026
To Chi or not to Chi? That is the question. I have been training a long time and I have come across just about every position on Chi from it's not real to no touch knock outs. But I think before you can have any kind of position on Chi, we must first define what it is and it is real? What is Chi? Chi is energy, from a more specific martial context Chi is referring to the Bio electro magnetic energy of the body. Since "Science" has already shown that your heart runs on electricity and it is electrical impulses that make your muscles moves. And the thought's you generate are energy, we can safely say Chi is real and it is not some supernatural mystical woo woo from the dark side. But if you don't take the time to understand it, it will appear so.
What can energy training do for the average martial artist? Well more than most people think, but not as much as much as George Lucas would have you believe. The first and most important benefit in my opinion is, energy training teaches one how to relax. Relaxing is not a passive activity and must be taught. The benefits of Relaxing are vast and I could spend a whole article on that alone. Energy training teaches body awareness and environmental awareness. Energy training teaches sensitivity to both the internal and external environments. I could go on and I haven't actually talked about how energy is used in fighting or healing.
Who do I teach this training to? No, I do not teach this to everyone, Why? well, some don't want it, and some are not ready for it. I have heard rumors that I gain a student's trust then I spring the dark side of Chi training on them. Quite honestly it is just the opposite, If I don't trust you, I am not going to share what I consider the treasure of my art with you and I don't make anyone do any kind of training they are not comfortable with. To me internal training is just like full contact training, I think every martial artist should experience it but I am not going to make any one do it who does not want it.
So why do people think it's fake or fraud? Short answer there are a lot of fakes and frauds out there. All the folks that I know who are good at the internal do not boast or brag about it. It's just part of the training. When they put hands on you there is a difference in their power. Most of the fakes and frauds that I know of are on the internet boasting and bragging about what they can do. I am not going to name names because I am sure you have a list. Just because there are fakes does not mean there are not real ones.
How do you know the difference between the real and fake? There are couple of things to look for, First the school will not talk about Chi or energy at first, they will show you martial technique first. Because you need technique first to use energy. Secondly, energy training is work just like physical training, and like physical strength, internal strength does not happen over night. But like strength training when you pick up a weight you should feel something.
I share this because I want folks to understand Internal Energy training is as natural and normal as physical strength training. It does not come from the kingdom of the supernatural. But with that said, if you don't want to do it , don't do it, and at the same time I would appreciate it if you keep your stakes and flames on your side.
