David Carradine (1936–2009)

In David Carradine's Tai Chi Wrokout, the famed prectitiner of the Eastern arts and star of the television series Kung Fu presents a abeginner's guide to tai chi, the ancient Chinese fitness system for a healthier mind, body, and spirit.

Designed specifically for the novice, this volume offers a simple yet complete program for understanding and mastering this low-impact exercise. You will learn the graceful, flowing movements that focus your mind, realieve stress, and promote serenity. But do not be fooled-this is a thorough workokut involving the entire body. You will tone muscles, develop better posture, improve coordination, and enhance flexibiiltiy.

This book provides:

A brief history of this age-old health art hat is often called 'meditation in motion'.
Breathing and meditation techniques.
Step-by-step instrucitns on the bsic stancees, postuers, and footwork that combine to form the continuous movements of tai chi.
Fullly illsutrated workouts.
Advice on how to chart oyur progress and maintain your routine.
Suggestions for incorporating the priciples of tai chi into iyourlife and developing a soiund diet.
And much more.

Anyone can do the exercisesin this book, and once the program is mastered, benefits can be achieved in as little as five minutes a day. Cmplementsd by a video of the seme name, David Carradine's Tai Chi Workout makes tai chi easy to learn and ofers a lifelong way to maintain a healthy mind and body.

Contents

1 Tai chi: An ancient philosophy
2 Introduction
History
Taoism
Tao te ching by Lao Tsu
3 Breathing and meditation
Chi
Breathing
Meditation-Wu chi position; Holding the ball
Physical sensations during meditation
4 The tai chi programme
Thirteen-week programme
Training tips
5 The stances
Horse stance
Forward stance
Cat stance
Heel stance
Cross stance
Polk stance
Crane stance
Heel stance back stretch
Foot rotations
6 Chi kung
Knocking at the gate of life
Arm swings
Knee rotations
Head rotations
Chi kung front/back stretch
Hi-low stretch
Chi kung side stretch
Drawing the bow
Side arm rotations
Chi kung high low side bend
Chi kung downward stretch
Arm circles-low horse stance
Crane balance
Back crane balance
7 Individual tai chi movements
Opening move
Hold the ball
Ward off
Back palm
Rollback-double push
Rollback-press
Sweeping hands
Outer foot block
Guide in-push out
Spread the wings
Gather the leaves
Wrist rotations
Low push
Brush knee-push
Play the guitar
Outer foot and arm block
Punch
Rollback-double push
Spread the arms
Polk stance-finish
8 The complete form
The transitions
9 Tai chi and you
Chart yourself
Key to success
10 Integrate training into your life
11 Nutrition
Food is chi
Gradual change
The taoist principles
Recommended reading (bibliography)
Viewing and listening… (meer)

David Carradine, impelled by his kung fu Master to write about the true nature of the martial arts, gives us a candid account of his path toward enlightenment and his initiation into the mysteries of the spirit of Saholin. Sharing the knowledge gained form his Master Kam Yuen's thirty-five years of study and teaching in the art of kung fu and Carradine's own training and studies for the role of Kwai Chang Caine in the kung fu television series, he explores the true teachings and philosophy behind the art of kung fu and its relevance to the modern world.

Kung fu is an ancient fitness program through which humankind realizes its full potential through better understanding, learning to set higher limits and standards, transcending rigid and false values and achieving harmony with the laws of nature and the universe. The drills of Shaolin kung fu serve to put us in touch mentally with our physical selves, so that we no longer remain strangers to our own bodies.

Kung fu came into being in the 6th centruy A.D. when a wandering Hindu monk, Bodhidharma, travelling through Northern China, came to a Taoist monastery in the Shangshon mountains. There, Bodhidharma expanded the monks' knowledge about the Hindu prophet Buddha and developed eigthteen forms of ahrat-disciplined movements to be performed daily. These forms mingled with ancient Chinese survival systems to become the true beginnings of kungfu.

As the kung fu TV series became a smash hit, it created a martial arts explosion around the world. As David Carradine became a star, many others-most notabley Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris-helped shape a new genre. But the success of the series and the movies was not always reflected in success off stage. There were many obstacles, physical and emotional, in Carradine's Path toward his quest, yet he discovered that everything furthers. As each truth is revealed whether through meditation, through hardship or through discipline, the essence itself actually changes, remaining forever out of reach. Yet is is important to keep trying, and every piece of the puzzle clarifies some aspect of the mystery.

Through his twelve lessons and chapters on healing, nutrition, stance training, stretching, class, self-defense, meditation, and philsophy Carradine fulfills the goal set out for him and gives generously from the spirit of Shaolin.

David Carradine, son of the famed actor/director John Carradine, had his first great success on Broadway as Inca king Atahualpa Capac in The Royal Hunt of the Sun. However, it is for his role in the TV series kung fu that he is best known. Perhaps no one in the world was more prepared than he to assume the role of Kwai Chang Caine-his fascination with non-Western aligned philosophy mixed with his love of dance throughout his youth and his experiences while in the U.S. Army, makng him a 'lean and mean killer hoofer' spiritually seeking the One Thing without his realizing it. Yet everything he had done in life was in preparation for the role of Caine and for the start of his journey toward transcendence.

'Carradine shares not only his personal story, but also twelve lessons, including chapters on healing, nutrition, stance training, stretching, self-defense, meditation and philosophy-giving more in Spirit of Shaolin than is common in several books combined.'-Body Mind Spirit

'This book has a winning combination...entertaining and lively, anchored by the essence of Lao Tsu.'-NAPRA Journal

'To me kung fu is a metaphor-a way to examine the fabric of the universe with my fingertips.'-David Carradine

David Carradine's Spirit of Shaolin is about the philosophy behind the martial art of kung fu. Carradine relates his own transformation to kung fu devotee and provides insight and inspiration for those who want to follow. He discusses the wisdom of the ancient Chinese masters, the principles of Shaolin philosopy, and the inner meaning of the martial arts and its relevance to the modern world. Also included are his own twelve lessons, including notes on nutrition, stetching, and meditation.

David Carradine is best known for his role as Kwai Chang Caine in the popular television series kung fu. It was through this series, n fact, that he became a follower of Shaolin philosophy and devoted practitioner of kung fu. David returns to TV in Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, this time playing the grandson of Caine in modern-day Los Angeles.

Contents

The legend continues
The task
Credo
Book One The stories
The way of the dragon
Chosen
The corner stone
The flute
Changes in the way
The revolution
The writing on the wall
After the fall
The three trials
Deathsport
The fourth trial
Lone wolf
Sword and sorcery
David as the teacher
Grasshopper lives
The twelve lessons
Book Two The ancient wisdom
The essence
The history
The one thing
Spirituality
Style
Change
Self-defense
Chi
Meditation
The knowledge
Book Three The lessons
Why kung fu?
Kung fu as haling
Nutrition
Stretching
Stance training
The class
When you lose the way
Getting it back
Become who you want to be
Chien: The teacher
Kun: the healer
Chen: The warrior
Kan: the artisan
Ken: The sage
Sun: The musician
Li: The poet
Tui: The fool
Mastery
A word of caution
Gathering the power
Appendixes
Martial arts around the world
Filmography
Bibliography… (meer)

I wish that I could say that even if you didn’t like Quentin Tarantino’s movies, you would find this book a fascinating peek into the inner workings of the Hollywood machine. I would also like to say that even if you aren’t familiar with David Carradine, you will be charmed by peeking into the inner workings of his character. Unfortunately, I can’t say either. I needed the hook of being a big Tarantino fan and always considering David Carradine an enlightened and elevating presence for any movie (mostly crap) he happened to pop up in to keep me engaged in this book. Let the word DIARY being in the title alert you that quite often when something catches your interest it will suddenly evaporate into a mist of personal distractions or self-aggrandizing vapor. That Carradine considered himself a brilliant actor might have been necessary for his craft but it is a tad off putting. That everyone he meets is the most wonderful or beautiful person ever or they vanish from sight may beautify his personal world but it fails to inform me of anything useful or interesting. Since I do like Tarantino and have a soft spot for Carradine largely because I liked the TV series KUNG FU when I was a kid, I found it easier to forgive these transgressions and there were just enough tantalizing nuggets dropped my way to keep me looking for the next. I would recommend reading it in one or two sittings—the good stuff feels closer together. I wish he had talked about his famous father and brothers more and less about his girlfriend and their travel habits. If you are a Tarantino fan, there are significant portions about his approach to making KILL BILL to fascinate you. The never-ending reinvention even as the filming is underway is rather awe-inspiring. His ability to keep coming up with marvelous ideas to replace merely very good ones gives insight into why his movies turn out the way they do. So this isn’t for everyone but if it is, you know who you are.

… (meer)