Title: Refining Jin
Author: Phillip Starr
Publisher: Blue Snake Books
Publish Date: August 27th, 2019
Format: Paperback, ebook
Pages: 176
Cover Price: $18.95
Where to get it: Amazon, Barnes&Noble
More information on this book can be found on the Good Reads page.
Content
Phillip Starr’s latest book, Refining Jin, goes deeper into the principles and ideas presented in his previous work, Developing Jin. As with his previous work, the focus is on the power generation methods often associated with the classical internal martial arts, also known as Neijia (Taijiquan/Tai Chi, Bagua, and Xingyi).
Refining Jin shows how to develop this internal power via body structure, tendon stretching and twisting, proper yi (intention), and more. As somebody who has trained with, and even sparred with, Neijia practitioners, this book greatly captured my attention. Not only have I felt firsthand how powerful the concepts presented can be, I know how difficult it can be to teach and build these high-level skills. Though basic, the practice can be tough to elaborate on, all the more if you are teaching it via a book.
The last handful of pages in the book are the martial artist’s version of a troubleshooting guide. Phillip Starr lists some of the common errors that typically pop into a student’s Neijia training and gives you a brief look into diagnosing the problem. Fix these common culprits and you fix many of the problems preventing you from leveling up your martial art skills.
With less than two hundred pages, Refining Jin is a quick yet potent read. It is made even more accessible due to being broken into twenty-one chapters and carrying numerous images showcases the movements described.
Pro
It is an absolute delight to see quality instruction on the internal martial arts written for the public. Phillip Starr has an engaging style of writing that communicates his high level of knowledge in a fun manner. Few people attempt to write professionally on the details mentioned in Refining Jin and much fewer can do it successfully.
Refining Jin takes the smart approach to imparting skills; Phillip Starr gives you a few basic movements and builds on them each chapter. This method allows for tacking on many details of how to move your body without seeming overwhelming.
Refining Jin finishes by showing common places within the three popular Neijia where you can apply the ideas mentioned. That’s not to say that you can’t apply these ideas in any other martial art styles, however. Act like a scientist and explore your style. After reading the book, I’m sure you will be able to look back at your martial art and find places to incorporate what was written.
Keep in mind that this is a companion book to Phillip Starr’s previous work, Developing Jin. I agree with the author in that you will greatly benefit from having both in your reading library, however, don’t sweat if they both are not in your collection yet. You can still glean important knowledge and follow along easily.
Cons
Begin reading with patience on your side. You can expect to read the same advice to help perfect a movement copied multiple times throughout the book. It can feel repetitive in the beginning as there is little else mentioned, however, as Refining Jin progresses, the basic reminders prove helpful.
A similar issue of repetition came up elsewhere in the form of images. There are a few instances of images that closely mirror another similar image. These do little to further the reader’s understanding of what is written and instead simply add a little extra volume to the book. I’m happier to have too many helpful pictures than too few, however.
Overall, these are minor complaints.
Conclusion
Open Refining Jin and you can expect to read about concepts and skills that few other martial artist share in book format, much less successfully. Though some of the repetition can feel excessive in the beginning, it becomes helpful later on in the book.
Refining Jin is another case of Phillip Starr doing what he does best: write about refining quality skills in the most engaging way possible!
Overall Score: 4.5 out of 5 Ninja Stars!
Do you meditate or train a “soft” style of martial arts? Let us know in the comments section below what is your favorite thing about training an internal style!
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