Customer Reviews

Taiki-Ken: The Essence of Kung-Fu.

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This is a very good book by Sawai Sensei that explains the basics and advanced methods of Taikiken. It have helped me a lot and a strongly recommend it for all that practice taikiken.

In kung-fu it is sometimes said that you must absorb form and then transcend form. In Hsing-I Chuan, the transcendant "no-form" is sometimes called da cheng chuan, great achievement boxing. Kenichi Sawai was such a master. In motion, Taiki-Ken looks like a cross between Tai Chi Chuan and Hsing-I Chuan, though it is taught in a much more flexible way. (I don't see any Ba Gua in it.) I would recommend this book to any practitioner of Tai Chi Chuan or Hsing-I Chuan who seeks to transcend the "forms" of these arts.

As presented by this fairly rare book --

Taiki-Ken seems to be an unusual self-defense Art that is fluid Japanese interpetation and evolution of Chinese Internal styles [Tai Chi and especially Hsing-I Chuan]. There is a primary grounding in Zen and Daoist practice via standing Zen centering with a focus on Ki collection and projection. The self-defense strategy looks to be strong Hsing-I forward pressure, via a modest variety of Tai Chi tactics and methods, versus opposition. This Art has been tested [and modified] versus various other Arts, such as by Karate, Kenpo and Judo followers in full-contact challenge matches versus Taiki-ken followers -- as well as internal sparring of the Art-followers. So, Taiki-Ken seems to look quite realistic and streamlined as compared to some complex Internal Arts. The book itself is well-ordered in a natural and practical progression from Internal Zen and Ki development to self-defense usage Kata, Waza and Bunkai. One transilation of Taiki-Ken is Great Spirit Boxing +++

I purchased this book back in 1979 because it was the only martial art that seemed to be able to handle western boxing. All the other asian arts that blocked, then struck were too slow against a boxer with quick hands. This is a book of body movement principals that are to be ingrained in the nervous system. Deceptively simple, once programed into the muscle/nerve memory and combined with the still Zen mind and Chi it becomes an awesome martial art that tranforms into the indivdual who is practicing it. If ten people practice Taikiken, you will have ten different expressions of the art, on purpose. Self-Defense would therefore be created in the present moment using the principals programed into the muscles. There is no real he does specific A, I do specific B. It is easily on of the most treasured books in my martial arts library.