Day two began with a discussion on Hei Gung (qi gong). Sifu Hoffmann felt it was necessary to go over the foundation of hei gung training and how it is practiced in the Saam Baai Fuht set. Kung Fu is based on understanding energy circles. The Big Circle starts from the chest in the Lung Channel. The energy then flows along the three yin channels of the arms, down the inside of the arm to the fingertips. When moving energy, the chest should be opened first as in the first movement of the Fa Kyuhn set. After reaching the fingers, the energy then moves up the arm towards the head, along the outside of the arm on the three Yang Channels. From the head, the energy flows down the back to the feet along the three Yang Channels. From the feet, the energy moves up the legs on the three Yin Channels to the chest. You can think of the yin and yang channels by squatting down onto your feet and hugging your knees with the sun above you. Everywhere the sunlight touches your body is yang; the places it does not are yin.

When training the hei, you learn to move and balance the hei with the yih, or intent, with the lik, or muscles, and the movements of the body. In Chi Sim Kung Fu, training to know how to activate the muscle meridians is necessary. Hei gung training for spritiual reasons focuses more on the yih and spinal movements.

Sifu Hoffmann said, "In Chi Sim training, you can become enlightened through training the combination of yi, hei, and lik. With a foundational understanding of hei gung you will be able to use your martial skills all your life. In the Shaolin temples they knew this knowledge and were able to use their skills all their life."" Training in hei gung consists of more than just the Big Circle. To develop the hei through what is known as the Eight Secret Meridians. There is a series of training called the Small Circle (Du Mai / Ren Mai) that serves to activate and connect two of the Eight Secret Meridians. The Small Circle serves to complement and balance the Big Circle. The Small Circle travels in the opposite direction of the Big Circle along the spine. As the Big Circle moves down, the Small Circle moves up. To use this training, the spine must be erect and straight inside the Big Circle.

Hei gung is useful to activate and balance the inner organs. In the Saam Baai Fuht set of Chi Sim Weng Chun, all the circles are connected through the chest. The hands start along the belt meridian and return to it throughout the set. Of the three daan tin (energy fields), the lower one is the most important for martial arts. The idea of a flower is useful to explain the training of the lower daan tien as a flower can be open or closed. Imagine a flower is just below your navel facing up towards your heart. When you begin the Saam Baai Fuht set, the flower in the lower daan tien begins to open, meaning the heart of the flower faces up. Only when the flower is open do you begin Saam Baai Fuht. The yih must also be involved. Sifu Hoffmann explained, "With your first breath, you must let go all your wishes, thoughts, fantasies, desires, and etc. Your breath helps to concentrate and balance the energy. You must feel your breath and your movement through the head and the connection of your feet to the Earth. When you let it all go, when you feel the life energy around you, when you are connected, you are life energy. The monks of Shaolin were people strong in spirit because they trained like this. Be like a dimand, clear and bright."

The first movement of Saam Baai Fuht puts the hei gung training discussed above together. When you start, pay attention to your breathing. If you feel tight or pain, your hei is blocked somewhere in your body. The first level of training uses the Big Circle. You must breathe naturally; once you find the energy, you can expand the circle inside yourself. When breathing, Shaolin makes more use of movement of the chest while Taoist practices make more use of the movement of the belly. This first movement of Saam Baai Fuht, this breathing and feeling of connection, is the foundation of everything. In this motion are in / out and up / down.

The first motion of Saam Baai Fuht is a greeting and it is also hei gung training. Shaolin begins training with hei, with internal development. All greeting in the Shaolin sets are the same. To begin, feel the opening of the flower. In the first movement, the step/turn, feel the energy in the organs. As the hands come out, feel the energy in the legs and arms. When the hands move up into the double fist, move the energy from the hands to the head. As the hands come down, move the energy from the head, down the back, to the feet. As you stand up, the energy moves from the feet to the chest. As you settle the weight, the energy moves from your chest to your lower daan tien.

As you play these opening motions, you must feel the hei. Don't think it, you must feel it just like chi sau. In the back stance, the weight is light on the front foot, concentrating the energy to the kidneys. When someone is extremely exhausted, he will natually bend over to recover himself.

Sifu Hoffmann explained, “When you are training, you must connect with the feeling of hei; don't be separated. The first step to feel you are connected is to feel the circles. Once you feel the circles, you begin to feel the connections. Space is not a separation; it is connection and information. This is the knowledge for fighting, from the inside. With the Shaolin greeting you learn kicking, striking, locking, throwing and rooting together with the seven striking tools of the body: foot, knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, hand, and head. If you ever forget all your training, forget your sets and exercises you still have the greeting. In the greeting is all ranges and all tools. For me, this greeting is something special. In this greeting is training for the inside and outside, training for fighting and hei gung.”

Sifu Hoffmann then had the workshop participants spend 10 minutes practicing the opening of the Saam Baai Fuht set.

The next session of the workshop focused on the principles of locking using a straight arm-bar as an example. As Sifu Hoffmann began this portion of the workshop, he cautioned the participants saying, "When you come to understand locking, you become more dangerous. In the old days, the teacher did not always want to teach everything because it might make the student more dangerous. When this happens, the level of the gung fu drops. When the student is dangerous, the teacher has to be more dangerous. This constant challenge raises the level of the gung fu."

Sifu Hoffmann asked several workshop participants to demonstrate their understanding of locking on him. Offering his arm, several participants attempted and were unsuccessful. Sifu Hoffmann then explained the key points in locking. The first point is not to attempt to lock immediately. You must first attack, push or pull the person and then lock. In Chi Sim Weng Chun there is no faat sau (expelling hand). Instead this lineage focuses on using circles. As an exercise to understand the circling nature of close range combat, Sifu Hoffmann had the workshop participants partner up with one partner punching at the other. The second partner was instructed to pull or push the punch and then step into a lock.

After spending a few minutes practicing this, Sifu Hoffmann explained how to counter a lock. Using the Chi Sim concept of Heaven, Human, and Earth, he explained that when the Human is under attack, you must go to the Earth and attack there. In Chi Sim Weng Chun, the body is classified into three levels: Heaven, Human, and Earth. Each of these levels utilizes a unique set of tactics and techniques to protect it. Heaven corresponds to the upper Gate (the area of the head with the reference point of high Dan Tin), Human corresponds to the Middle Gate (the area of the torso with the reference point of middle Dan Tin) and Earth corresponds to the Lower Gate (area of the pelvis and the legs with the reference point lower of Dan Tin). In Kahm Mah (chin na) there are always circles. By changing the height of the counter you are completing the circle. The second exercise followed the same cycle as the first, only now with the punching partner acting to counter the lock by going low and affecting the locking partner's balance. Throughout these exercises, Sifu Hoffmann reminded everyone to be soft, using only enough energy to keep structure.

When countering a lock, it is never too late. The key is to go with the force fo theopponent and free yourself. You might have to use a little more power or use the hip to gain leverage. Every lock has a special foundation, a special stance and posture that supports the lock. When pushing, use the push to circle the other person. When circling, don’t circle in front of the opponent; this takes more muscle and the stronger person usually wins. The foundational footwork for throwing is the Hyuhn Bo (encircling step). The last key to locking is being close the other person's body.

The workshop then broke for lunch and the conversations about martial arts and Chi Sim Weng Chun continued.

Over lunch, Sifu Meng and Sifu Hoffmann discussed training students over long distances. Sifu Hoffmann has three training programs set up for students - coach, instructor, and master. The coach program takes two years to complete. At the end of this course, the student is qualified to teach a small group of personal students. After completion of a 4 year Instructor course, the student is qualified to teach the system of Chi Sim Weng Chun. It takes a full 7 years to complete the Master program, learning all levels of the system. 3 additional years are required to master the skills through direct training with Sifu Hoffmann. While there is no number of required days to train, Sifu Hoffmann prefers that they attend classes 3 to 4 days per week. If this is not feasible, Sifu Hoffmann also offers special training seminars on the weekend as some students live far away and can only come to training once to twice a month.

Students need constant guidance as it is very easy to get caught up in the wrong ideas and illusions the student might build up. It is a natural trait for humans make things complicated.

Sifu Hoffmann also has students that are already masters in other styles that wish to learn Chi Sim Weng Chun. These students go through a different program as the training is easier for them to understand. While they understand the new material, these students also bring other issues to the table. Their natural reflexes are trained by their old style and it takes time to change these habits. These students also compare Chi Sim Weng Chun to their old style, sometime causing a lot of confusion. On the other side, by learning a new style, these students have a great opportunity to learn to let go. They also get a great change to learn to feel what is right rather than think what is right.

Over the years, some students feel they have learned enough to create their own style and leave the training - often after only two years. Some people can let go of themselves and get farther into the system. This requires more mental and spiritual learning. Everything is always in a state of change. Living this way is very hard for some people, but it is normal. Your mind wants to say that I am coming or I am going. When you learn deeper, it challenges this. In all suffering, with every loss, is a big change to learn. Living this way is very hard. It is the opposite of normal society. This is the way of a Shaolin Monk. Sifu Hoffmann explained, “We can eat meat, drink beer, even have a wife. You are allowed to build up an existence and to identify with that existence. This is from the Tantric tradition. You can live a normal life yet also maintain a Shaolin identity. You must live like this to be a warrior in life.”

He continued, “There have been changes since the birth of my son. With a child there, it’s a great chance to feel life. Kimo has taught me much about the nature of energy. I also feel his innocence and remember. In your regular life you have no time to connect with your inner life. My son helps me to stay connected.”

After lunch, the workshop continued with the discussion on Saam Baai Fuht and hei gung training.

When you train to understand heigung you are training to protect yourself in the same way that chi sau training is to protect yourself. When you are attacked unexpectedly, you feel scared, you loose hei.

As I said before lunch, in the Saam Baai Fuht, the 1st bow with the hyuhn bo, the raise, sink and bow, this is all the foundation of throwing. To throw, you must first get the opponent off balance. You must control the balance so the opponent cannot recover. When you lean onto the opponent to shut off attacks to your body, you create the opening for the throw. Power in throwing comes from your body rather than your arms. Also remember that when you throw, you are throwing the opponent as a striker. Don't get pulled down with the opponent. So, when you throw you must get the balance, throw, and then separate. To separate you lift your head to avoid the ground game.

When fighting, Chi Sim Weng Chun makes use of a movement called Tiger (or cat) Washing Face. The hands circle from inside to outside or outside to inside. In the Chi Sim Weng Chun fighting posture, the hands are not held back or forward. The hands continue to change in a middle distance. The hands have to be free to go to the weakness of the opponent's attack, the place of power for oneself. When an opponent punches, the other side is open. Facing in Chi Sim is learned from the weapons. Don't do anything to give away your own intention or give your opponent control of one of your tools. When facing in the long range you don't want to leave a bridge for your opponent to use for his/her advantage. The horse is the kei luhng mah (riding dragon horse), allowing for mobile footwork, using the body and stepping to off-balance the opponent. When contacting the opponent's bridge, using the forearm brings the opponent into close contact. The motions to remember are to wash the face from inside to outside or outside to inside. Concentrate on finding the weakness of the opponent. Use your opponent's power rather than pushing the opponent away. Find the right angle to enter into the enemy; the enemy is your friend and you want to hug him. Going deeper, your opponent is you so you must use his power. For entering into an opponent, you need a good position not a half position. When you contact from a good position, you can break the opponent's attack while allows you to do anything. You want to take the opponent's balance off the legs by attack the centerline. This kind of attack is hard to counter. One last thing - when you push the opponent away (out of reach), you don't need to learn chi sau or training on the 3rd line. The opponent is too far away to lock or throw.

After a break, the workshop participants went through the first section of Saam Baai Faht. When you are fighting, don't try to touch the opponent. If you touch, the opponent can sense you. You give him information.

In Chi Sim Weng Chun, many strikes can have a yin shape and a yang shape. Biu Sau for an example, in the yang biu sau your hand curves down to open the yang meridians. This hand is used to attack the throat. In the yin biu sau, the fingers extend upward, like flicking your fingers to open the yin channels. This hand is used to strike to the eyes.

In the Shaolin styles, the fighting posture almost always puts the right side forward. This serves to protect your heart and your hei. It is dangerous to over stimulate the heart. Also in the traditions of Chi Sim, the greeting of the fist and hand is the symbol of sun and moon, representing yin and yang, and also the Ming Dynasty.

The fighting posture maintains harmony with qigong and also shows the political struggle of the times when the art had its beginnings.

Many of the hand positions in the Saam Baai Fuht set are mudras, positions of meditation in Buddhist traditions.

A question was asked about how high to place the hands during the Tiger Wash Face movements. The answer was not too high, you must use the Heaven reference point of the upper Dan Tin. Through practice and effort, you will learn how high is proper. Sifu Hoffmann continued his lecture by discussing how to take away an opponent's balance. When you want to disrupt an opponent's balance you must bend with the motion to control their body.

The use of the double hands in the Saam Baai Fuht set serve to protect the third line. When someone gets in close to you, such as a front cinch, you can't easily recover the centerline. This is when you must employ the idea of iron head training or change position. Your hands move to cover the opponent's elbow while supporting with the head and body. As you raise your arms, without the body, you open yourself to an armlock.

Sifu Hoffmann had workshop participants drill to learn how to grab and counter-grab. One partner would go for a hug when the other partner would go for the leg. The focus of the drill was to combine the use of the first line and the third line while having one leg in front. The goal of the exercise was to learn to think like a wrestler and with this information you can defend more easily against wrestling attacks. When you are still in training, you are trying to survive rather than playing a game. Be relaxed and young, playing like tiger cubs.

Once you learn a technique, you must learn the counter, and then experience both. Grand Master Wai Yan said that advanced Weng Chun is to understand the third line. If you don't understand the third line, you are always missing a link to understanding all about combat.

To Sifu Hoffmann's eyes, the workshop participants were all innocent on the third line. When fighting between the second and third lines, it is a good time to strike. When fighting using the third, it is good to use throwing, elbows, hooks, knees, and the head. When using the third line on the floor, the second line on the leg is good for striking. One caution: when fighting, don't roll down to the ground with the opponent. You don't know if he has a knife or some friends waiting out of sight. When you throw, you must separate yourself from your opponent.

Weng Chun training is hard-core training. Advanced students fight one to two hours each day. When training, you must go to the limit, even to the limit of your hei. By going to the limit, you learn more. Even in the fear of death you must have the ability to relax and recover. Students must train all the times. This goes for the Sifu as well. A Sifu who doesn't touch the students can say everything, explain everything with beautiful words but the student does not have the flower, the understanding. Many times the advanced students are happy to play the forms in class; this means there will be no hard training that day.

To review the Saturday's material, Sifu Hoffmann has workshop participants go through the 4 standing sections of the Saam Baai Fuht that he had covered so far. In total, there are five standing sections and six moving sections in the Saam Baai Fuht set. While watching workshop participants practice the set, Sifu Hoffmann warned that the bowing motions should come from the using the hip rather than bending the spine.

As a cool down after training the set, Sifu Hoffmann had the workshop participants do some ground fighting fundamental exercises from the Jong Kyuhn set. These movements included rolling onto the back, rolling over the shoulder, rolling over each side, rolling over while switching sides on the back, rolling and switching sides with the front kick and rolling and switching sides with the side kick.

Sifu Hoffmann finished the second day of the workshop saying, "As a teacher, I want to give my students space and support to change them into their full botential (Master / Buddha) - 100% - to let them change and imporve their thoughts, body, their hei level, their organs - all!"