On April 24th, 2021, we celebrate World Tai Chi Qigong Day. In honor of it this year, I sat down for a chat with fellow martial arts writer David Grantham. David wrote for Kung Fu Tai Chi six years ago. His article “Rekindling the Lost Art of Tai Chi Ball” appeared in our November+December 2015. That was in conjunction with the publication of his first book, Tai Chi Ball Qigong - For Health and Martial Arts, which he wrote with his master, Dr. Yang, Jwing Ming. Late last year, he co-authored his second book with Dr. Yang, Tai Chi Push Hands: The Martial Foundation of Tai Chi Chuan, and notably was granted first author.

As many of our readers know, the folding of Kung Fu Tai Chi shifted my job description dramatically. I’m still completely dedicated to publishing online here on KungFuMagazine.com, but without the magazine, it’s now only a part time job, so I’ve taken a full-time position with YMAA. I’m comforted by the fact that Kung Fu Tai Chi and YMAA have enjoyed a long and mutually beneficial relationship. YMAA was one of our magazine’s most stalwart advertisers and MartialArtSmart carries many YMAA products. It’s not like I’ve gone over to a rival magazine. Quite the opposite.

The job shift has also afforded me the opportunity to know David a little better. As a fellow martial arts writer, I can relate to his experience of writing for his master. That’s how I started. That’s how almost every martial arts writer starts. There’s nothing like the intellectual intimacy that emerges when you write a book with someone and when it’s your Kung Fu master, it opens an opportunity to learn so much more than you might ever learn in class.

So, for this year’s World Tai Chi Qigong Day, I’m sharing a conversation with fellow writer, David Grantham.

GC: Are you doing anything for World Tai Chi Qigong Day this year?

DG: As far as World Tai Chi Qigong Day is concerned, I will not be doing anything specific for that day. I actually am flying that day [Grantham is a professional airline pilot]. To be honest, I understand the relevance of it and the importance, but I believe we should be like this every day. I practice some form of Qigong every day and I try to expose the world in my classes, etc so for me it is no different.

GC: How has the pandemic affected your practice? As an airline pilot, I imagine it has affected your work too, yes?

DG: Yes, the pandemic has affected my practice in many ways. In some cases, I have not been able to practice certain things such as push hands with another individual. Classes which I previous had no longer are active and as such my training of certain things have faded.

There is though the other side or shall we say the yang to the yin? And that is my Qigong practice has increased due to the pandemic. I have focused on certain Qigong practices such as White Crane, Tai Chi, and Tai Chi ball all to increase the immunity in the body to ward off the virus. In fact, I was exposed to it in January and had covid during that period. As a result, I increased my practice and I believe I was able beat the covid19 in a short period of time. Which brings me to another shocker and that is I have no intention of getting the vaccine. I truly believe in the positivity of Qigong training and my immune system. Now let me say I am not an antivaccine person. My children have their vaccines and I have mine from childhood. I just don't believe in the necessity of a flu vaccine or this one. Now that I got that out, the fact is I may be forced to get it by my company, especially if various governments require it to travel into their country.

Things have changed for flying too. The pandemic brought quite a stop for my flying back in March, April, and May. Upon the return, hours were reduced quite a bit which in turn reduced my pay extensively. Now I don't really live outside my means but there were definitely major cuts being made in the family.

This has lasted for the year and now things are slowly picking up again. I am doing far more training on the 757-767 fleet and this year I will be changing aircraft to the 787. As such I will have to reapply for an instructor position. My schedule will change extensively as well. I will become a reserve pilot (on call) and it will remain that way until my seniority is once again risen to the ranks of a line holder.

GC: Since you travel so much as a pilot, do you bring a Tai Chi ball around with you everywhere you go?

DG: Funny you should mention bringing a Tai Chi ball on my travels. Why yes, I do! I always bring my small ball with me for training in the hotel rooms. In fact, I on occasion take pictures of the balls in my hotel room and post them on my Tai Chi Ball Qigong, and Evolutionary Qigong facebook pages.

GC: Now that you’ve written two Tai Chi books, has it affected your practice in any way?

DG: As for practice now that I have 2 books? My Tai Chi ball practice is a bit more. I want to be sure that I can provide a great value to students when I teach them. I also want to be sure my training is accurate for the videos I have posted on my YouTube channels (Tai Chi Ball Qigong, and Evolutionary Qigong). As a Virgo, it is important to me to provide the best material for people to be able to practice and better themselves.

And lastly let’s face it, Tai Chi ball is just plain fun which is why I love practicing it in the first place.

As for the Tai Chi pushing hands, I have done a few videos but practicing it involves engaging other people and up until now covid has really gotten people scared so practice is almost nil. I am planning more videos for solo practice (once I have my other projects such as my getting my hardwood floor installed in the same area where I shoot videos). Overall practice becomes a must once you have a book out. Afterall you should be able to back up your statements with action, no?

GC: What made you want to write about Tai Chi?

DG: First and foremost, it was a decision made by Master Yang. I wanted to write about White Crane, but he said someone else was going to do that.

GC: What drew you to Tai Chi and Chinese martial arts?

DG: Truthfully? David Carradine and my mom. Growing up I used to love to watch the Kung Fu series – not just for the Kung Fu but the mystery of it. The history and culture intrigued me. Who didn't love Master Po and his sayings?  Being a Virgo and born in the Year of the Snake, I always want to get deeper into things. I didn't want just to learn to fight or compete in tournaments. When I became a pilot for an airline, I wanted something to help me with the stress of the job. I grew up in Boston and my mom was always into different studies like Native American, and eastern medicine. She mentioned to me that on her way to work she would pass people doing these slow meditative movements called Tai Chi in the park and perhaps my answers lie there. One day I found a flyer for Tai Chi classes with a demo by David Zucker offered at the Adult Education Center. I witnessed his demonstration and was hooked. That fall I began learning from him with privates at my house.

GC: What drew you to Dr. Yang?

DG: Oh boy here goes...

After learning from David Zucker for a year I decided I wanted to do some external training to compliment my internal training. I told David about it and mentioned a Karate school in my town. He told me about a school in Jamaica Plain called YMAA that a Tai Chi colleague of his had been taking classes at. He said the master was well known, they just built a new section to the studio, and I should check it out.  About a week later I drove by to check it out and went into the office to ask for info. Talked to one of the students (Ravi) and grabbed a flyer.

Months went by and one day I was coming out of a bookstore in Cambridge Massachusetts. and there were these flyers on a table. One stuck out among them and it was for a seminar on Chin Na at the YMAA school. It was Wednesday and was for that Saturday. Turned out I had that day off and decided to take it. The rest is history. Walking into the new studio and meeting the students felt like home to me. Listening to Master Yang speak, I just knew I found what I was looking for. It was my destiny!

Here's a side story: Years later, like 28 plus years, I was helping out another student with a project for his school. He was doing interviews of YMAA students for his media course at college. The person before me was Roger Whidden. I was listening to his interview and it was that moment I learned he was the colleague of David Zucker. They had trained Liuhebafa quan (also known at that time as Hua Yu Tai Chi) together under Master John Chung Li.

GC: When you wrote Tai Chi Ball Qigong was Tai Chi Push Hands already in the works?

DG: No Tai Chi Push Hands was later. When I do a book, I want all my energy focused on that one task. I have many ideas and studies to which I like to explore. Being a husband, father, an airline pilot, and Instructor doesn't always allow a lot of time to do all that I want. So I have to find the time to work on these things outside of my primary environment so to speak.

Looking further into it I thought about how no one has really written anything about it. There are so many misconceptions about Tai Chi, Qigong, and pushing hands I wanted to try to clear the air so to speak. There is so much depth to Tai Chi that I felt the need to explore it. Teaching and writing about it actually helps me learn on a deeper level. I need that in my studies after all I am a Virgo...lol.

GC: How does it feel to be first author for Tai Chi Push Hands? Dr. Yang has never been second author to one of his students, you know.  

DG: First? I can’t imagine no-one else has done that! It feels amazing and now scary…lol. I have spent countless hours, some in the most interesting places where people wouldn't imagine, thinking, creating, rewriting, and restructuring. My goal was to provide the best information to the public based on what the previous masters of Tai Chi have spoken or written. It wasn't just about producing a book to compliment DVDs on pushing hands. It was to try to get the Tai Chi world to learn more about pushing hands and expose the depth of understanding of what pushing hands represents.

GC: Ever feel upstaged by Dr. Yang? Perhaps it’s hard to explain to people who’ve never written, but you put all this work in and then people only talk about that master. I know I felt that way with some of the masters I worked with, but I never wrote a book with any of my masters.

DG: As frustrating as it is, Master Yang is internationally famous and as my master, let’s just say it is what it is. I have spent quite a bit of time correcting errors in advertising, etc and in the end I find myself flowing like water and letting it go. It is very nice to read such pleasant reviews even if they don't mention my name at all. Perhaps one day but not for now.

GC: Are you planning your next book?

DG: Many do not know that I also have certifications in speed and agility as well as high school strength and conditioning, assistant coach of youth football for 12 years. I am also working on F.M.S. [Functional Movement Systems] and kettlebell certifications for the near future in addition to reading a few books on breath and body mechanics, etc. These are all part of my research that I use in teaching the YMAA material and will be used in my future books...Stay tuned.

GC: What do you foresee as the future for Tai Chi in the USA?

DG: The future of Tai Chi I believe will continue to flourish just as yoga has. The health benefits are undeniable. And I believe there will always those who wish to discover the deeper theories of Tai Chi. It is still up to people like me to be able to provide the knowledge. Once again a balance of yin and yang...

By the way, I was very sad to hear of the magazine no longer being published. I found it such a great source of knowledge for us all. I enjoyed holding the magazine in my hands and looked forward to every issue. What can I say? I am 55 and old school.

I have always had the greatest respect for you and your magazine. I still have all my copies stored in my basement (drives my wife nuts…lol) and love running thru old articles when I can. So much valuable knowledge, so many great masters, and so many wonderful journeys you have experienced. What an honor.

GC: Thanks for that. I miss working in print too. But we’re still going strong here on KungFuMagazine.com. As long as our readers keep supporting MartialArtSmart, I’ll work to keep the lights on around here.