Iron
Vest also called Iron Shirt/Jacket or the Copper Body shows up across a
wide cross section of Chinese martial arts systems. It
appears in
two distinct forms with some schools performing external exercises
combined with some internal exercises; mostly Pai Da Gung the hitting
of the body with sticks and canvas tubes filled with various things
like beans, gravel and steel shot very similar to what one would find
inside an Iron Palm bag, as well as using a serious amount of Dit Da
Jow on their bodies to heal the trauma of striking it with hard
objects. This is a Wai Gong practice. Wai Gong means external
practice.
Many Shaolin based schools call this form of specialized training Iron
Body or Small/Big Golden Bell Cover.
The internal version of this training is the Iron Vest set. There
is no hitting of the body with sticks or bags. It is a series
of
exercises that are designed to stretch and strengthen the bodys fascia.
It is combined with a serious amount of standing meditation
that
is built into the set. Your fascia will thicken and strengthen over time. The stretching and the standing added together
create a stronger body able to absorb more punishment.
The first 100 days sees the student avoiding sexual intercourse as well
as not ingesting any fried food, nor alcohol. There is an herbal
medicine that is used to help the student start his foundation in this
program. This herbal medicine is specifically used in the Iron Vest set to
help cool down the rather hot energy that the set can build during
practice. The student will ingest this medicine for the 100 day period.
To order this herbal medicine visit: CDIA Supplies
It is considered a high level Nei Gong set. Nei Gong meaning "internal
work/practice". This lengthy set is performed with little or
no
residual body tension except for holding yourself upright in
many
of the postures that are held for varied amounts of time.
Compared to Iron Palm training this type of training is a little more
sedate, some would say even boring. The benefits that are
accrued
from dedicated training on the Iron Vest material are not to be ignored
by those who are serious in their training. Many find that
not
only the amount of abuse and punishment they can accept is much greater
after working on this set for a year, but their health as well as
energy levels are affected in a truly positive manner.
The Combat Iron Palm Iron Vest Association© (CIPIVA) will be releasing our new Iron Vest training
DVD
in late 2007. Sign up for our newsletter and
receive updates on this DVD as well as Combat Iron
Palm© training and others.
I thank you.
Dale Dugas
Founder Head Instructor
Zhandou Tieh Sha Zhang Tieh Bu Gung Xie Hui
Combat Iron Palm Iron Vest Association
Pan Lung Neijia Yi Xie Hui
Coiling Dragon Internal Arts Association
Co-Founder New England Jiulong Baguazhang Wu Guan