As I explained in Defining The Internal Martial Arts, there is no consistent definition of what constitutes a neijia style. In fact, you might be a neijia artist yourself, and not even realize it! Here are a few of the classic warning signs.
If you are constantly looking inward, yet still cannot stand the sight of blood,
you might be a neijia artist.
If you never merely hit your opponent, but instead utilize Five Element Theory to fa jin from your wu ji stance,
you might be a neijia artist.
Wang Shujin and
Robert W. Smith
If you wear a silk frog-button jacket to the mall,
you might be a neijia artist.
If you know all about the 1960 fight between Wang Shujin and Chiba Kazuo, yet have never heard of the Thrilla in Manila,
you might be a neijia artist.
If you postpone practice when the weather is too hot, too cold, or too windy, before or after eating a meal, or when you feel too excited or too depressed,
you might be a neijia artist.
If your sifu is a deadly fighter, and built like a professional bowler,
you might be a neijia artist.
If you think every other school in town is “more external” than your own—”not that there is anything wrong with that”—
you are definitely a neijia artist!
My kung fu is so powerful that if I so much as warm up, my OWN head will explode!
Great post! If I read the whole thing am I a neijia martial artist?
-Darryl
riposte.org
If you read this entire post with your third eye,
you might be a neijia artist.
If you move slowly, you might be a Nei Jia artist. You might also be old, have Parkinsons, or be the U.S. Postal Service.
I am a Nei Jia artist and by reading this your will explode three days from now. Sorry.
If you can’t laugh at this, you might be a neijia artist!