A recent discussion with the grandmaster Jiang Yu Shan about building the proper body frame, opening the energy channels and developing Qi flow. And more.

The Grand Circle has been out for a while now and many have already joined the course. So far the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive – The Grand Circle is something special.

But so are the previous courses. Here are answers to many frequently asked questions we have received over the past two weeks.

Here we go:

Is there overlap between the courses?

Very little, we would say less than 5% depending on the course. Each course is very unique and covers different areas of Qigong and/or Kung Fu.

If anything, the courses support each other and give you a more complete understanding when combined together.

What is the difference between "Monkey Qigong 64 Breathings" and "Monkey Fist Door 24 Warrior Set"?

Monkey Qigong 64 Breathings is Health Qigong which is practiced with the meditative Microcosmic Orbit. The benefits are dominantly related to health, vitality and spirituality.

Monkey Fist Door 24 Warrior Set is Fighting Qigong, it's Qigong that is primarily designed for fighting purposes or for increasing performance of the body. It's intense and increases testosterone, vitality and fighting spirit.

The Warrior Set is similar to Lohan Gong but a lot more advanced and complex, many times longer and covers more advanced techniques.

I haven't joined any course yet – which course should I start with?

It depends on your background but Health & Fighting Qigong course is the perfect course to start with because it covers many of Jiang Yu Shan's fundamentals that will be beneficial in the other courses.

For example, the breathing techniques will be useful in every other course and will support and enhance your overall progress and development.

As a general rule, Health & Fighting Qigong and Internal & External Kung Fu are great courses to start with. The Grand Circle and Monkey Fist Door 24 Warrior Set are more advanced.

However, in the end each course is a very unique entity with unique content and there is no absolute progression between them. If you have no prior knowledge or experience in Qigong, then Health & Fighting Qigong is a good course to start with.

How are Jiang Yu Shan's teachings different from everyone else's?

First, Jiang Yu Shan comes from the Taiwanese lineages. These lineages are very rare and unknown to most of the world. Yu Shan has said that the "original Kung Fu is well preserved in Taiwan". This alone makes his methods very unique.

We can say that the master's version of various Qigong forms can be totally different from the standard forms you can learn all over the world. The same with Lohan Gong and many others. And not just the outer form but also the depth.

A lot of the stuff you find on YouTube sometimes look nearly ridiculous compared to the real thing. Jiang Yu Shan's knowledge and what you find online are often two different things. The name can be the same but the actual technique or form is often totally different.

Second, Jiang Yu Shan has also added his own personal experience and input which adds another unique layer to the methods. This is especially true in The Grand Circle.

Third, there is a massive gap between the skill/expertise of Jiang Yu Shan and most Kung Fu teachers you can find online on YouTube or other platforms. Very few Kung Fu masters in the world have developed the methods and skills to the level Jiang Yu Shan has.

PhD from Shanghai University of Sport Wushu Department, Dr. Antonio Graceffo, has said that there are only a few individuals in the entire Asia who have gone as far in many Kung Fu practices as Jiang Yu Shan has.

(Recommended reading: Monkey Master Becomes World Champion Fighter by Dr. Antonio Graceffo.)

Especially in the field of Fighting Qigong and hard Kung Fu, almost no one has the knowledge or the skill at this level. Like how many people do you know who has the diamond fist, The Golden Bell etc.? Almost no one.

Jiang Yu Shan has not only developed the methods the furthest but also tested the methods in practical real life situations in competitions and in his work as a special forces instructor.

Jiang Yu Shan is at a level where a lot of other masters and teachers are learning from him. The monks from Shaolin temples around the world are interested in his methods.

It was not a surprise that we initially wanted to learn from the master as well. We wanted to learn from him because he was a master of human movement but with a different background and a different set of skills.

As health & fitness professionals who have been in this game for a long time, it's not easy to find mentors who have something to teach once you have personally reached a higher level.

We wanted something deeper. We didn't need the surface level stuff because we already knew how to move the body. We wanted universal principles and methods that could be used outside of Qigong as well.

In fact, our methodology as a whole got significantly more complete after we learned how to implement many Qigong methods and principles in the context of fitness and body development. 

WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THE GRAND CIRCLE?

Below you can find recent feedback from the people who have joined The Grand Circle. More testimonials (videos and text) from the other courses you can find at WarriorNeigong.com.

What we accomplished together with Jiang Yu Shan is not a joke. We made waves in the fitness world and shook the martial arts world. 

Like Jiang Yu Shan said: "We have made history."