During the pandemic, I joined Kelvin’s online class. I greatly enjoyed Kelvin’s teaching style; logical, well-structured, and informative. During my trip to Toronto, I was lucky to have his time, talking and practicing Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method. Here are some main points from his lesson:
1. What is ‘DON’T MOVE’, where and which part of the body that can’t move? Is it a dot or a line?
It can be anything and anywhere. It can be the foot on the floor, it can be the body part that touches your opponent.
It can be a dot, or it can be a line.
Kelvin divided into 3 types of DON’T MOVE
A. Really Not Moving
Imagine a nail on the wall
B. Relatively Not Moving
It’s like people in a car. The car is moving, the people inside keep not moving
Ex : The hand changes position to the ground but not the torso when we move our body
C. Restrictively Not Moving
It’s like a train that move only on its track.
Ex : In with elbow, out with hand
2. YIN YANG SEPARATION
It’s a STRETCH and it should be in every movement. This is the most important principle.
3. IN WITH ELBOW, OUT WITH HAND
The full term is :
IN WITH ELBOW NO HAND ; OUT WITH HAND NO ELBOW
When IN ; ONLY from the elbow ; the hand don’t interfere
When OUT ; ONLY from the hand ; the elbow don’t interfere
The elbow should aim towards the foot on the floor, or towards the sitting bone when we sit
4. INDIRECT POWER
Do the opposite action.
5. LOCKS THE TWO ENDS, MOVE THE MIDDLE
And the opposite
Lock The Middle Move The Two Ends
It’s like pulling a bow string.
6. IF YOUR OPPONENT GIVES HORIZONTAL MOVE, GIVE VERTICAL MOVE
Vertical doesn’t mean going down. Vertical is along the length.
7. EVERY MOVE IS ROTATION
It is joint movement, not muscle movement. Example: extending the elbow is rotation
At first I thought rotation is muscle rotation, so it should be external or internal rotation. Elbow extension is flexion and extension movement. Now I can see rotation there.
8. YILU CORRECTION
My movement is too loose. I need to keep the yin yang separation. Stretch in every movement as if someone is pulling my finger out, keep the resistance while putting all the principles above in form.
9. PUSH HAND PRACTICE
Three steps to do
1. Find the CENTRE OF YOUR OPPONENT
Centre is dot that doesn’t move
2. LOCK
Kelvin can aim his energy to my left shoulder, right shoulder, foot… etc
I can feel it but can not do it. Not yet, I will find out
3. GOING OVER
Going over is a stretch, keep the radius bigger
I have too many unnecessary movement especially in my shoulder. It should touch the opponent and do that 3 steps
10. BE A ROCK..!
Practice and practice until you are strong.
A rock is strong and still, so whenever we throw something, it will bounce back.
We can’t be a rock only whenever something is being thrown.
A rock is a rock, whether there is something or there isn’t something being thrown at it
So when is the best time to practice, anytime
Where is the best place to practice, anywhere
BE A ROCK…!!
Thank you Kelvin, you rock!
