Rick Pietila

Guitar String 1

by Rick Pietila on 2019/10/12

Master Chen showing Rick Pietila how to align the rear elbow with the front hand

Master Chen showing Rick Pietila how to align the rear elbow with the front hand

Recently at a 2019 Toronto CA workshop hosted by Kevin Ho, Master Chen Zhonghua demonstrated and taught the participants a training drill that requires the starting position to have the rear heel off the floor and both hands in a double push position, chest high. While going over this drill and teaching to the finer more precise details, he offered that we students feel his back leg starting positions with our hands. One hand was to be placed on the ankle while the other on the inside thigh to feel the active tendons and muscles. He suggested that students pull or rake across these two areas to gain a better understanding of the physical requirements for the drill.  When I took my turn, pulling across these areas, something registered with me to the feeling of the amount of tension in the leg as well as what precisely for this move was being used to generate such great power, and speed.
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Trust 9

by Rick Pietila on 2015/10/22

image1It is said that you can obtain an idea of the skill level of an instructor by the quality of his/her students. Not only by how they move and fight, but also who they are. These are all things that are a direct reflection to the lineage of a martial art with a focused and true path.

Master Chen asked me, shortly before accepting me as one of his disciples, if there was one point, or a moment where I noticed improvement in my practice. While at the time I did not recall such a defining moment, and was unable to provide an answer, I now realize it.  For me, it was the moment I decided to trust.  Simple really.  I had trained martial arts for years in the past, with instructors of different philosophies, not all of which lead me toward my goals, in fact some personal derailment was a direct result of a particular lineages philosophies, others did me a world of good. For me, I needed a system that is consistent in its teachings, as well as consistent in its people.  A system with a proven history that could also offer hope of future goals if I just followed the procedure, and truly opened myself to it.
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Rick first visit to Daqingshan i

by Rick Pietila on 2013/08/19

a4Rick is on the right with yellow shirt.I just spent 11 or so days on DQS for a short trip as a prelude to full time training in 2014.  I live in Beijing and train with the Beijing group under Master Sun Zhonghua’s direction, via Master Chen putting us together this year.  I am an international student of PM, arriving in Beijing as of May of 2013. I wanted to offer some insights and review for those thinking of coming to DQS for the first time, I write this for you. Read more