Wing Chun, Chi & Musculoskeleton

By Patrick Miller

"Chi is the "breath" or spiraling energy within our bodies. To the early learner, these spiraling pathways are not easily seen to the naked eye. This is also a feeling that must be felt through the optimal practitioner's (Sihing) or teacher's limbs. After years of practice, the spiraling/ascending, and descending energies become visible and tactile." -Karl Godwin

Let's assume that chi is energy of the internal systems of the body. Chi is still a theory and has not been directly proved (or disproven). Indirectly, physicians have a way through calorimetry and other methods to assist in the science behind the mystical "energized breath".

The internal systems of the body are:

• Nervous (brain, spinal cord, nerves)
• Cardiovascular (heart, arteries, veins)
• Musculoskeletal (muscles, tendons, bones)
• Integumentary (skin, superficial adipose tissue, special protective barriers)
• Respiratory (lungs, mouth/nose, throat/trachea)
• Organ (digestive, enzymatic, regulators of homeostasis)
• Endocryne (protective, hormonal, and regulatory also)

Focusing on the musculoskeletal, this system may directly show pathways of chi. All muscles spiral in nature. Muscles have a multitude of functions. These organs of the system do not only move in one plane of motion,  they all typically have three degrees of freedom or they move about within the three different planes of the body.

For example, the biceps do not just flex the arm. It also flexes the shoulder and acts as a synergist with the supinator muscle (tiny muscle in the deep forearm) to supinate the forearm (as Godwin states in many instances). Also, the brachioradialis muscle that runs from the lateral epicondyle of the humerus to insert on the carpal bones of the wrist, can act as an elbow flexor / (sometimes a supinator or pronator) and works synergistic with the extensor carpi radialis muscles to radial deviate and extends the wrist. This muscle is also called the college student muscle as the motion explained above is similar to drinking. The brachioradialis muscle is the "golf ball" muscle seen from the knife set wrist motions, jum sao, and the one-inch punch. From the elbow on, this is the main muscle for punching power.

These motions look spiral-like when you think about it. They follow nervous pathways. The biceps brachii is innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve and its motion follows that of the C5 nerve root. Traveling distally to the brachioradialis, this muscle is innervated by the radial nerve and mainly the C6 nerve root. Getting into Bil Jee and thrusting fingers, the middle finger is then mainly innervated by the nerve root C7 through the small muscles deep in the hand. Starting from the brain, traveling to the spinal cord, exiting the spinal cord through C5, C6, then C7 cervical nerve roots, the neural command activates the spiraling muscle patterns predicted for an attack to the throat or eyes. This is just one example of a spiraling muscle pattern resembling chi passing throught the body. A picture of dermatomes (nervous innervation of the skin) looks remarkably similar to the meridians of chi in the body.

Patrick Miller is the founder of University of Miami Wing Chun Kung Fu and a graduate assistant at the school. He is a proud student of Jesse Moon of North Florida Wing Chun. Patrick gives credit to his teacher Jesse Moon, Bill Graves and Karl Godwin for everything he knows through the eyes of Wing Chun.

© The Dragon Institute | Orange County | Wing Chun Kung Fu | 34241 Pacific Coast Highway | Dana Point, CA 92673 | ocwingchun.com

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By Patrick Miller "Chi is the "breath" or spiraling energy within our bodies. To the early learner, these spiraling pathways are not easily seen to the naked eye. This is also a feeling that must be felt through the optimal practitioner's (Sihing) or teacher's limbs. After years of practice, the spiraling/ascending, and descending energies become visible and tactile." -Karl Godwin Let's assume that chi is energy of the internal systems of the body. Chi is still a theory and has not been directly proved (or disproven). Indirectly, physicians have a way through calorimetry and other methods to assist in the science behind the mystical "energized breath". The internal systems of the body are: Nervous (brain, spinal cord, nerves) Cardiovascular (heart, arteries, veins) Musculoskeletal (muscles, tendons, bones) Integumentary (skin, superficial adipose tissue, special protective barriers) Respiratory (lungs, mouth/nose, throat/trachea) Organ (digestive, enzymatic, regulators of homeostasis) Endocryne (protective, hormonal, and regulatory also) Focusing on the musculoskeletal, this system may directly show pathways of chi. All muscles spiral in nature. Muscles have a multitude of functions. These organs of the system do not only move in one plane of motion,  they all typically have three degrees of freedom or they move about within the three different planes of the body. For example, the biceps do not just flex the arm. It also flexes the shoulder and acts as a synergist with the supinator muscle (tiny muscle in the deep forearm) to supinate the forearm (as Godwin states in many instances). Also, the brachioradialis muscle that runs from the lateral epicondyle of the humerus to insert on the carpal bones of the wrist, can act as an elbow flexor / (sometimes a supinator or pronator) and works synergistic with the extensor carpi radialis muscles to radial deviate and extends the wrist. This muscle is also called the college student muscle as the motion explained above is similar to drinking. The brachioradialis muscle is the "golf ball" muscle seen from the knife set wrist motions, jum sao, and the one-inch punch. From the elbow on, this is the main muscle for punching power. These motions look spiral-like when you think about it. They follow nervous pathways. The biceps brachii is innervated by the musculocutaneous nerve and its motion follows that of the C5 nerve root. Traveling distally to the brachioradialis, this muscle is innervated by the radial nerve and mainly the C6 nerve root. Getting into Bil Jee and thrusting fingers, the middle finger is then mainly innervated by the nerve root C7 through the small muscles deep in the hand. Starting from the brain, traveling to the spinal cord, exiting the spinal cord through C5, C6, then C7 cervical nerve roots, the neural command activates the spiraling muscle patterns predicted for an attack to the throat or eyes. This is just one example of a spiraling muscle pattern resembling chi passing throught the body. A picture of dermatomes (nervous innervation of the skin) looks remarkably similar to the meridians of chi in the body. Patrick Miller is the founder of University of Miami Wing Chun Kung Fu and a graduate assistant at the school. He is a proud student of Jesse Moon of North Florida Wing Chun. Patrick gives credit to his teacher Jesse Moon, Bill Graves and Karl Godwin for everything he knows through the eyes of Wing Chun. © The Dragon Institute | Orange County | Wing Chun Kung Fu | 34241 Pacific Coast Highway | Dana Point, CA 92673 | ocwingchun.com