Leigongneiquan - Inneres Boxen founded by Torsten Kanzmeier

from Jan P. F. Hintelmann
  
Torsten Kanzmeiers Leigong Neiquan is not a IMA hybrid but a unique and independent internal Style (Neijia) in the tradition of Tan Tien Tschuan (founded in the 70ies by Helmut Barthel)

This system is not only suitable for students of soft or internal fighting arts but almost for everybody who is interested in martial arts. Leigong Neiquan imparts very specific knowledge and ideas that are originally  propagandized in many martial arts systems, but realised only theoretically.

I try to point out this fact by some examples:

In David Petersons book “Look beyond the pointing finger - The combat  philosophy of Wong Shun Leung” (Melbourne 2001) you can read:

“In summary, the concept of “using no form to win any form” is the core  theory of the “science of Ving Tsun Gung-fu”, while “Double-sticking  hands” is the basis and key to this dialectical theory” (S. 89).
In his Book “CHEN - Lebendiges TaiJiQuan im klassischen Stil” (München 2003) well known Tai Ji Master Jan Silberstorff mentions:

“pressure produces counterpressure. Do I act without pressure Iam without “intention”, so my opponent has nothing to react to“.

The double sticking hands (also known as Chi Sao) of the modern Ving Tsun as well as the Push Hand concept (Tui Shou) of the modern TaiJi both work with “focussing pressure” (=Intention!) In Ving Tsun this concept is the key for understanding the free concept “Using no form to win any form”. In TaiJi the Push Hands Or “Tui Shou” concept also archieves a free (intention-less) movement. [...]

Hallo Torsten !

Ich möchte dir kurz schreiben wie ich dein System erlebe, da es für mich eine vollkommen neue Dimension darstellt.

Ich denke dass es ein wichtiger neuer Betrag zum Kampfsport ist.

Ein bisschen zu meinem Hintergrund. Betreibe nun seit 25 Jahren Kampfsport, davon acht Jahre wettkampfmäßig Thaiboxen, in denen ich mit mehren deutschen und europäischen Meistern gekämpft habe. Meinen größten Erfolg war der deutsche Vizemeistertitel im koreanischen Vollkontaktboxen. Aufgrund einer Verletzung trainierte ich auch zwei Jahre klassisches Boxen. In den letzten Jahren lag mein Schwerpunkt hauptsächlich in den israelischen militärischen Selbstverteidigungskünsten. Mein Beweggrund war immer möglichst realistisch zu trainieren. [...]

by gasmaster from emptyFlower Forum
     
Well, I guess it’s my turn to join the torsten admiration society… there’s not much more to say though. The main thing that I took away from meeting him was his enthusiasm for sharing. In todays world it’s refreshing to find someone who is more interested in being a nice person, and a friend, instead of using teaching as a way to stroke his ego.  I really liked what he was doing for the simple fact that it is principles that can be used to improve any martial art. I particularly liked the shamanic elements of his style for the simple fact that they are not some esoteric set of strict rules. Instead, they are a playful set of thoughts that can be used in day to day experience. If anyone is interested in attending one of his seminars I would highly recommend it. 

by JessOBrien

Author of

Nei Jia Quan: Internal Martial Arts Teachers of Tai Ji Quan, Xing Yi Quan, and Ba Gua Zhang

from emptyFlower Forum

Hi I just wanted to chime in.  Torsten invited me to check out what he does yesterday when he was passing through town.  So I took him up on it.
 
Fun stuff.  As everyone says he’s an exceedingly nice guy who is eager to share his art.  I can see why he makes friends easily because he is a gentle person.
 
As far as his art, I got to spend an hour with him, so I don’t have a really comprehensive view of what he does.  What stuck with me are two big principles that he is into.
 
1.  Let gravity guide you.  His goal is to harmonize with gravity so that you don’t need to use any force or resistance when you fight.   Similar to IMA ideals, he feels that if you put a bunch of strength in your torso and shoulders you are telegraphing too much and taking too long.  He wants to hook into the power of gravity and somehow use his feet  in coordination with his hands.  The result is a series of very swift strikes, with very little notice that it’s coming.  He’s very into the idea that dropping one’s weight internally can provide you with a lot of power.  And I enjoyed some really powerful strikes to the body that had all the tell tale knock your wind out, tingly, feeling of a good Beng Quan.  Nice. [...]

by Andrew from emptyFlower Forum 

I had the pleasure of meeting Torsten Kanzmeir this last Sunday and wanted to share my impressions. 
 
Torsten practices a very interesting and idiosyncratic art clearly related to taiji, though differing in mechanics and approach from other neijia lines I have encountered. In this difference, he seems to have found something very subtle.
 
My take home points-
 
1). Mind-intent- look at the world with an open heart and joy. In day to day life this is a more pleasant way to live, in a combat context, this allows you to join with the other person, and be more sensitive to
them, without triggering the sort of automatic defensive responses that an overtly predatory intent will. 
 
Use your intent to drive your motion and feel what’s going on inside the other person. 
 
2). Work with gravity- rather than drive up out of the ground or use a ground vector. Torsten advocates surrendering to gravity as his primary move of motion, attempting constantly fall, bonelessly and smoothly.
He trains this using a medium length and weight stick (4ft or so), allowing it to simply drop and twirl, [...]

Many seminar participants tried to write about what they saw, felt and learned. Here are some examples from emptyflower forum:

by dimitri + 8gua from emptyFlower Forum
  
Hi all,
 
Just wanted to report on the seminar, FWIW and strictly from my personal POV…  Others’ mileage may of course vary.
I think it belongs in the main forum, because it is not a seminar announcement, but the admins will of course move it if they deem it necessary.
 
(Started writing a very long post but deleted it, as it was turning into a book…  I realized that I can’t express how it *felt* in an online post — and how it *felt* is the key.  So I’ve re-written it to hopefully be more concise and make it more of a summary instead of a detailed description.) [...]

The Tai Chi Chuan of the legend?

In 1976 a new internal boxing system was founded by Helmut Barthel. And until today it still remains like a secret where his enourmos skills come from. Barthel never learned TaiJi or any other so called “internal Martial Arts”. Believing Barthel, his knowledge comes from a shamanic enlightment after he met a north-lapland shamanic master who introduced him in different techniques.Whatever the truth is, everybody who met Barthel can and did approve, that nobody ever was able to hit or beat him. His skills are unbelievable and he is true master of non-physical-contact-fighting. Many Masters of any kind of Kung Fu-, Karate-, or Tai Chi-Schools met Barthel to experience his skills. Al Dacascos and many of his black-belt-top students, Wong Shung Leung, Jan Silberstorff (European Representive 21th generation of Chen Style TaiJi), Manfred Steiner (Jeet Kune Do & Chinese Boxing master, direct student Christopher G. Casey) [...]

Leigongneiquan - Inneres Boxen nach Torsten Kanzmeier

von Jan P. F. Hintelmann

Das ‘Leigongneiquan’ oder ‘Innere Boxen nach Torsten Kanzmeier’ versteht sich als eigenständiger Stil der ‘Neijia’ (=inneren) Schule in der Tradition des Tan Tien Tschüan. Dieses System ist nicht nur für Anhänger der weichen oder inneren Schule der Kampfkunst interessant, sondern vielmehr für jeden Kampfkunstinteressierten, weil es spezifische Inhalte vermittelt, die theoretisch in vielen östlichen Stilen propagiert werden, praktisch aber nicht konsequent umgesetzt werden. Einige Beispiele sollen dies verdeutlichen.

In dem Buch von David Peterson: Look beyond the pointing finger-The combat philosophy of Wong Shun Leung (Melbourne 2001) ist nachzulesen:

“In summary, the concept of “using no form to win any form” is the core theory of the “science of Ving Tsun Gung-fu”, while “Double-sticking hands” is the basis and key to this dialectical theory” (S. 89). [...]

Von Helmut Barthel

Übernommen aus den TTT News 15 + 17
 
Geschichte eines älteren Tan Tien Tschüan-Schülers

Ein Tan Tien Tschüan-Schüler der Pionierzeit, 16 Jahre mit Haut und Haaren und vollem Engagement als direkter Schüler von H. Barthel dem Tan Tien Tschüan zutiefst verbunden, hat vor etwa zehn Jahren begonnen, sich mit Vorrang zunächst einmal eine eigene Familie und ein unabhängiges Leben aufzubauen, verbunden mit der Zeit und der Mühe, sein Erfahrungs- und Interessenspektrum aufs umfassendste zu erweitern. Weder hat ihn dabei sein Kung Fu jemals losgelassen, noch wurde seine Begeisterung für das, was er gelernt hatte, getrübt. [...]

Ergänzendes Trainigssystem für den Boxsport

Durch eine von mir speziell entwickelte Trainingsmethode,  deren Prinzipien auf der konsequenten Nutzung der Schwerkraftwirkung der menschlichen Bewegung beruht, werden ungekannte Resourcen aktiviert. Unter anderem wird nicht nur eine Verbesserung der bewussten Balance  erreicht, sondern auch, was noch viel entscheidender ist, eine Verbesserung der
Aktiv- Unbewusten- Stress- Balance.

Der Körperbewegungsaktiv- und Schwerpunkt wird noch deutlicher nach unten, in die Füße verlagert.

• ökonomischere Grundbewegung (kräfteschonender)
• Erhöhung der Raumkontrolle durch aktivirendere Fußarbeit
• effektivere Distanzüberbrückung 
• höhere Schlagkraft durch erhöhte Einbringung des Gesamtkörpers 
• Verringerung der sichtbaren Schlagschwünge
• lockere Schultern beim Schlag 
• Verbesserung des Körperbewußtseins
• Verbesserung der Wahrnehmung - schnellere Aktionsreflexe
• relaxtere mentale Grundhaltung
• und mehr

Ich bin davon überzeugt, im ergänzenden Training die Fähigkeiten eines Boxers in entscheidenden Punkten erweitern zu können. [...]