The Jade Fist Style

The Jade Fist is a spiritual style of Hjen martial arts known by outsiders primarily for its intense training and heavy restrictions. It was developed by the Yichen family, but it is rumored to have lost much of its former glory with the passing of the last Grandmaster.

# Martial Technique

## Foundation

The very basis of the Jade Fist, as with many Hjen martial arts, is its foundation. This includes the basic stances - base stance, front stance, and back stance - which serve as the starting point for most techniques and training exercises. However, it also includes proper fist form, an understanding of tension and release, and the keyap.

**Keyap -** A short yell which is performed during the release of a technique.

## Counter Fist

The Counter Fist is the basic hand technique of Jade Fist. It includes the low block, middle block, high block, jab, and punch. Also learned during this section of teaching is proper chambering technique with the hands, in which one crosses their arms in preparation for a technique, then releases one hand while drawing the other to their hip. Chambering is not performed with every hand technique, but it is important for the low block and middle block as well as strikes learned in Open Hand. Other things introduced in this section and continued throughout the art are full body focus, the importance of form, and patterns.

**Patterns -** A series of techniques and stances every student must learn and be able to demonstrate to show their ability to progress to the next stage of training.

## Release Kick

Release Kick is the basic leg technique of Jade Fist. It includes the side kick, front kick, round kick, leg check, and knee strike. Also learned during this section of teaching is proper chambering like with Counter Fist, however kicking techniques typically each have a unique chamber style. Another essential part of Release Kick technique is the pivot of the base foot, which allows one to full open up their technique and perform each kick to its fullest extent. Finally, it is during this section of students' learning that sparring is introduced.

**Sparring -** A practice fight between two students, judged by the teacher, in which full contact is prohibited.

## Open Hand

Open Hand is the advanced hand technique of Jade Fist, and it includes the outside block, square block, palm heel strike, knife hand, spear hand, and ridge hand. Also learned during this section is proper open hand technique as well as board breaking.

## Flowing Kick

Flowing Kick is the advanced leg technique of the Jade Fist. It includes the hook kick, crescent kick, axe kick, and heel kick. During this section, students are also introduced to spinning kicks in which one spins in order to add momentum and misdirection to a kick. Spins work best with Flowing Kick techniques, but can also be used with some Release Kicks.

## Chain Strikes

Chain Strikes is the final combat technique of the Jade Fist. No new blocks, kicks, or punches are added, but rather, new combinations are formed. During this section of training, students are introduced to full contact sparring as well as combat flows.

**Combat Flows -** A training exercise in which one student performs a predetermined move or combination toward another student, and the other student must effectively block and counter.

## Hidden Technique: Floating Strike Art

Floating Strike Art is the hidden leg technique of Jade Fist. It is the practice of jumping with kicks and includes the jump kick, jump spin kick, and butterfly kick. The skill is hidden because it is not included anywhere in a student's natural progression in the learning of Jade Fist. Rather, the teacher must identify students who are ready to learn Floating Strike Art and teach them independently.

# Spiritual Technique

## Developing the Spirit

The Jade Fist Style includes several methods of developing one's spirit. The main element is following the seven tenets of the Jade Fist: Community, Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self Control, Knowledge, and the Indomitable Spirit. Along with this, practitioners also practice meditation, specific breathing techniques, and fasting in order to focus their eyes, their mind, and their body.

## Restricting the Self

Another way Jade Fist practitioners attempt to develop their spirit is by restricting themselves. This has led to the development of several strict rules regarding the lifestyle of those who hope to learn the Jade Fist: They may not use weapons other than their own hands and feet for combat, they may not indulge in unnecessary luxuries unless for the purpose of their craft, they must work a craft outside of martial arts, they must not have a home but rather live in the halls of the training grounds, and they cannot drink alcohol.

## Goals of Spiritual Training

Spiritual training is said to allow a person to control the energy within themselves in order to achieve several effects and benefits. Those who have mastered the flow of their internal energy are supposedly able to focus all this energy into specific parts of their body during a technique. For example, they might store energy in their fist which they release as they punch, causing the technique to have many times more power than normal, or they may gather energy in a spear hand strike and rather than release it during the strike, they keep it stored to protect their hand from damage. However, legend tells that true Jade Fist Grandmasters were able to focus and control energy not only internally, but also externally, thus causing visible energy to collect around their strikes. It is said the name of the style comes from the jade color of this visible energy, though it has been long since the passing of the last Grandmaster, so these stories are now just that, stories.