YMAA Retreat Center Newsletter - Issue #12

September 2009

• Year 2 Begins
• Video for Year 1 Completed
• YMAA Retreat Center on Facebook
• Dr. Yang Santa Cruz, CA Seminar and Booksigning
• New Construction Project Completed
• Dr. Yang's Upcoming Seminars in Boston, February 2010
• 2010 Summer Seminars Announcement
• New Intermediate Long Fist DVD

During July and August of 2009, the Retreat Center hosted many people from around the world for its summer seminars season. At the end of August, a disciple ceremony was held to accept 3 new students into the 10-Year training program. YMAA South African school director Corlius Birkill was also formally accepted by Dr. Yang as a YMAA disciple outside of the Retreat Center. Dr. Yang and the students are now settled into training again for the second year of the program. In addition, the schedule for Dr. Yang's upcoming seminars for 2010 have been announced. Read more details below.

Year 2 Begins

The YMAA Retreat Center has completed its second annual summer seminar season. Participants from several different countries attended this year, including practitioners from Brazil, Chile, Spain, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Seminar attendees gathered together at the YMAA Retreat Center in Humdoldt County of California to listen to and learn from Dr. Yang.

New students have been accepted into the 10-year training program, after a lengthy application and interview process. Five out of a group of 12 applicants were chosen to come to the Center for testing, after which only three were selected, hailing from Florida, California, and Switzerland. There was a formal ceremony held in the Retreat Center's new outdoor training space. Many friends and neighbors were invited to the center to witness the event, including senior students Aaron Damus and Ben Warner from YMAA Boston.

Year 2 will consist of maintaining body conditioning and the addition of more technique training. This will include more in-depth training into kicking, punching, wrestling, and chin na. White Crane and Long Fist sequences, forms, and techniques will be further explored during this year. The White Crane style emphasizes more short-range fighting while Long Fist specializes in long-range fighting. Additionally, basic conditioning for weapons such as staff, saber, and sword also begin this year. This will build a firm foundation for future weapons training in the following years.

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Video for Year 1 Completed

In July 2009, the Retreat Center students completed their second video project, which shows some highlights from their first year of training. Included in the video are clips of gymnastics drills (flips, rolling, jumping), brick catching (30 lbs. concrete block), mountain running (with a 50 lbs. load), jumping over rails, arm speed training, arm/wrist conditioning, and Jin (emitting power) practice.

» Watch the Video Here

YMAA Retreat Center on Facebook

Connect with the YMAA on Facebook. It's a great way to stay in touch and communicate with the YMAA International community at large.

» YMAA on Facebook

Dr. Yang Santa Cruz, CA Seminar and Booksigning

Dr. Yang had a great turnout for his first-ever west coast bookstore appearance on September 18th at Gateways Bookstore in Santa Cruz, CA. Over 50 people came for the booksigning and to hear Dr. Yang give a free talk on Embryonic Breathing. Dr. Yang also taught a 2-day seminar at the Santa Cruz Chi Center on September 19 and 20, hosted by Lee Holden (best known as the Qigong teacher on PBS).

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