John Upshaw

Discovering The Importance of The Set Up i

by John Upshaw on 2018/12/02

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I was having a discussion with my disciple brother Brennan Toh about what I have been working on with my long term students Gerry and Emily, with specific attention to Lie , one of the 8 techniques of Taiji.  At the North American Practical Method Training Camp last year Brennan was taking me down with this same technique, except his upper/lower body separation was crazily effective….he took out significant space from below without his top moving (his top continued to match my upper body).  This lead to him suggesting the following drill: Read more

Notes for North American Practical Method Training Camp 2018 by John Upshaw 1

by John Upshaw on 2018/08/01

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Pretend to fight to find the end points. Once locked, move-in the middle point.

 

(Alignment) Rear fingers look for the front elbow. The rear kua looks for the rear elbow.

 
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John Upshaw Resume i

by John Upshaw on 2018/06/15

Personal Information
I was born in Austin, Minnesota USA in February of 1968. I moved to the neighboring state of Iowa as a child. My early experiences in life set me on my path in martial arts and a career of helping struggling children. I was a homeless orphan at the age of 15. I was fortunate enough to have been taken under the wing of someone who taught me kung fu every morning with no fees…it taught me many life lessons besides the martial aspects; such as commitment to others, commitment to the art, self-discipline, and an overall respect and awe for being a part of something that had a bountiful history, honorable tradition, and rich with culture.
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North American Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method Training Camp 2018 i

by John Upshaw on 2017/10/27

We are pleased to have Master Chen Zhonghua back for another training camp. Again, the taijiquan training, lodging and dining will be at one location with one cost at the same location as last year. This will be an intensive workshop focused on foundations, drills, form, push hands and applications. Disciples will take part in some of the instructions. Other areas of instruction may include Chen Style Jian and Cannon Fist (Erlu).

There are 32 accommodations on-site and 2 single occupancy cottages. If those slots should fill up, we will list hotels near the retreat center and allow those individuals to participate just the same as the other participants.

July 25th 2018 through July 31st 2018

Price:
4 nights 3 days is $550,
5 nights 4 days $700
6 nights 5 days $800
4pm check in and check out is following your last day breakfast.

Prairiewoods Retreat And Conference Hiawatha, Iowa

For more information please contact:

John Upshaw johnnyupshaw@yahoo.com
Levi Sowers lpsowers@gmail.com

Head and hand: 2 points in different dimensions 1

by John Upshaw on 2017/02/02

One of my corrections from Sifu during a private lesson in 2015 was on separation of hand from my head. For instance, when out with hand in Single Whip, as I placed emphasis on the stretches when my hand went out, my head would follow…this would occur at varying degrees, yet that isn’t relevant because any deviation of the head changes everything as I will get to soon.

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Midwest Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method – 2016 Year in Review i

by John Upshaw on 2017/01/06

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History and Development of the Midwest Group

Master Chen Zhonghua’s first workshops in Iowa were in 2007 and 2008, hosted by John Brown. In the summer of 2009 I organized the first Midwest Practical Method gathering, along with Tim and Levi, in the Northeast Iowa area, which was led by Tim Duehring. The group met periodically throughout the year for several years. Tim move to China to work for Master Chen, which Levi Sowers then led our gatherings. Several of our group members became disciples of Master Chen Zhonghua, which initially, Tim was the only one. The Midwest disciples, in chronological order, include: Levi Sower, John Upshaw, Erwin Ramthun, Jeff Clevenger and Christopher Dusek.

Levi Sowers and I have organized 3 Midwest Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method Workshops that was taught by Master Chen. These workshops occurred in October of 2013, September of 2015 and July of 2016. We have organized the first North American Practical Method Training Camp that will be led by Master Chen this coming July.

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