Originally written by: Lyle Little
Subject: comments
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:41:17 -0600
From: Lyle & Bonnie Little Read more
webmaster3
Originally written by: Vanessa Hammond
Hi Gord,
I learned a lot and enjoyed my time.
Camp feedback:
The food was good, plentiful and nutritious.
Thanks for moving the evening meal to a later time. Thanks for accommodating for the stronger coffee for those who enjoy a stronger brew.
Rooms and bathrooms clean.
Master Chen Feedback:
I really appreciated the individual attention that Master Chen was able to give during the drills and practice time.
I am looking forward to receiving the DVD and and link to the website to follow up and consolidate the learning from the week.
Originally written by: Daniel Kahn
Hey Gord,
As I said, I had a great time. Even the weather contributed to the focus on taiji 😉
Here are four thoughts that occur to me. All are minor.
1) laundry facilities would have been welcome. Read more
Originally written by: Michael Iverson
Food good.
More ilu for beginners + applications. Could prob. Split some of the teaching up – you, Jay, Ping to give people more one on one time with Master Chen.
That’s about it. Awesome all round experience!
Originally written by: Grace Gentili
If the impressions of a complete novice can be of help, I would like to say that the one day I spent at the Taiji Traditions camp was of great benefit to me. It was an amazing learning experience on many levels.
It was an eye-opening experience to watch Master Chen as he demonstrated applications of the postures and then gave detailed explanations of the moves to clarify what could not be seen at the speed of their execution. His teaching style is very compelling. He explains the concepts with clarity, energy, and intensity and shares such a great volume of information, at a rapid pace, that it required my very focused attention, in order not to miss anything. By the end of the day, I had had as much of a mental workout as a physical one and I loved it.
Furthermore, the friendliness, warmth, encouragement and helpfulness of all the participants that I knew or had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with, made that one day at camp very special. The experience of being surrounded by a gym full of very dedicated, hard-working and focused participants was incredibly energizing. I look forward to going back next year.
As I was only one day at Camp Shawnigan, all I can say is that I very much enjoyed the two meals I had on that day. The food was delicious, the choice of items in the buffet was great and the dining area was welcoming and nicely organized.
Grace Gentili
Originally written by: Ian Macrae
Maple Ridge Workshop July 25th and 26th, 2009
(A loose transcription of notes, not an organized article)
This month our workshop was in Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall. Our regular use of Thornhill Hall was preempted by the Disabled Games. What a nice big clean beautiful hall this was, notwithstanding that the A/C wasn’t working and it was almost too hot to do YiLu. Well, actually, it was too hot, so we didn’t work quite as hard as we usually do. Read more
Originally written by: David Rivera
Dear Joseph:
I have a slight mixup with the multiple email addresses for you and the school. If its
ok with you I will continue to use this one. I located it as you can see from your first
visit to Puerto Rico. Read more
Originally written by: Paul Hutcheson
Master Chen Zhonghua conducted a two evening workshop on July 29 and 30th, in Iowa, USA. During the day he conducted several private teaching sessions. The workshops were sponsored by John Brown. Over twenty people came to the workshop and private sessions.
Originally written by: Richard Johnson
I just spent a long time posting my notes from the workshop. They disappered into cyberspace when I tried to save them. I’ll have to re-post later.
Originally written by: Jerry
It was great to come to the work shop. I am starting to really appreciate the special knowledge Master Chen has ………The special personal opportunity to study with him directly………………….to learn from such ancient traditions…………. It really is something to see him in person ………..
Jerry
The topics will include:
- Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method Advanced Foundations.
Moving step exercises. - Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method Yilu Applications.
- Taiji Free Applications: Sanshou.
- Cannon Fist 1
This year’s Hunyuan World Seminars event was relatively smaller than previous years. The highlight of the 4-day event is the special lectures on Qigong and Yiquan by Master Kenneth Cohen.
Participants to this event were quite diversified. They are seasoned Hunyuan World veterans like Charles Paoletti and David Hilburn, who have both attended all the Hunyuan World events thus far. We also have a number of new people attending for the first time, such as Hallie Bruce and Kathy Massey.
It appeared short (4 days) for people to come all the way from as far as New York or Puerto Rico. But there was something for everybody.
2007-10-14
Smith, Jay
Yilu 73.50% More coordination and more power were shown at this performance. Needs to work on more openning and stretching.
2007
2008
Kim Allbritain is a 7th Dan Black Belt in Karate. He had 35 years of experience in martial arts by 2003.
Originally written by: Ed Zolpis
Date: 11/26/2005 0:00
Title: Return to the Basics: Stepping in Chen Style Taijiquan
Reviewer: Ed Zolpis
Organizer: James Chan
Location: Ottawa
Comments: Notes: Master Joseph Chen’s Workshop –
Ottawa – November 26-27, 2005
Ed Zolpis
Points to remember re: Circle exercise-
-position of feet is so that when step to the side the feet are approximately 4.5 foot lengths apart with the back of the forward heel on the same line as the front of the toes of the back foot.
-the back foot is slightly turned out from being perpendicular while the front foot is at approximately 45 degrees outwardly
-kua is open with knees stretched out and body low
-open the body so that it feels as if the energy of the body on the inside is struggling against the form of the body
-the energy of the knees go in opposite directions to each other, i.e. front knee energy goes upward while back knee energy goes downward, without the knee actually moving
-try to keep movements inside the body not allowing them to become predominantly outward, i.e. involving body peripherals(limbs) dominating the movement – another demonstration of this is using upper limbs to hold opponent while move him with lower limbs
-to increase stability, everytime you move, drop body by 5%
-“Double Heavy” is when 2 body section lines are on the same line (parallel). This is unstable. Instead one should try to have these body lines at an angle to each other to increase stability.
-bounce energy in body from foot to foot to top of head
-when stepping use a slipping action so as to insure energy is going outwards
-3 concepts to remember are: 1)withdraw elbow, push hand
2)sink the “dang” (groin)
3)hand grinds out
-training check method – if want to check if a particular move/technique is following principles of body dynamics, multiply its force by 10 to see if it works without overstraining the body
Originally written by: Michael Zimmer
Date: 5/17/2005 0:00 Read more
Originally written by: Doug Gauld
I sometimes read reviews of workshops given by masters and always view them with a ‘grain of salt’ being a somewhat critical and sceptical martial artist. I have been involved in martial arts since the early 1970’s. I’ve studied boxing, wrestling, judo, aikido, kick-boxing receiving black belt level degrees in several arts. In 1975 I was Canadian Middle-weight mixed martial arts full contact champion. For the last twenty years I’ve been pursuing skill in the internal arts with a focus on Ba Gua Zhang. I’ve attended numerous workshops and seminars offered by so-called ‘masters’ of internal arts. I am a teacher as well, possessing over 25 years of experience as a martial arts instructor.
Recently I renewed a friendship with an old martial arts buddy who had become involved in Chen Taiji. He also had travelled a similar road for about the same time looking for a genuine transmission of the real martial root of Taiji. He told me he’d found it in the person of an old style teacher of Chen practical old frame style. He spoke about the man with reverence and awe. I know Gord and he is a tough customer. He spoke about his teacher being able to throw him around like a rag doll. He spoke to me about Joseph Chen the International Standard Bearer for the Chen Fake-Hong Junsheng Lineage Chen Practical Style of Taiji. I was intrigued and began to work out with Gord and his group of students discovering what was the most genuine form of internal martial art I had ever encountered. I was fortunate to be able to attend a workshop offered by Master Chen in Langford, Victoria, BC on Dec. 4 & 5 of this year (2004).
I was impressed with the style as Gord taught it. I was astounded by Master Chen’s teaching and demonstrating. Every other internal ‘master’ I’ve ever studied with was unwilling to actually engage physically with me. Master Chen not only engaged in contact with me but handled my every move with apparent ease. I am 215 pounds of solid muscle at 6 feet tall. Master Chen is perhaps 5 foot 2 inches tall and maybe 115 pounds soaking wet. He invited me to feel the movements in his body as he, with precision of bio-mechanics and physics, explained and de-mystified the basic principles underlying the transmission of the Gong and the Fa of internal power. His style of presentation is magnetic and highly entertaining. He paces the workshop time well, interspersing hard practice drills with stories of Taiji’s theory and history.
I learned more about internal from him in one weekend than I’d learned and intuited in over 30 years of martial arts diligent study and practice. I am a better martial artist because of his precise explanations of the mechanics of internal power. He holds nothing back. In the tradition of his teacher Master Hong he shares freely both the application (Fa) as well as the foundation (Gong) that makes the applications work internally. I felt both silly and elated. Silly that I’d spent 30 years looking for a genuine transmission of an internal art and elated that finally in my 40’s I’ve met a generous man who I experientially know is a master of internal martial arts. If you are also sceptical and looking for the ‘real deal’ check out Master Chen if you have an opportunity.
Doug Gauld Victoria, BC Canada December 8, 2004
Originally written by: Ted Truscott
Date: 12/8/2004 0:00
Title: Victoria Workshop on Self Defence
Organizer: Gordon Muir
Location: Victoria Link to pictures:
Comments: Master Chen proved to me that his tai chi was different from the tai chi I have experienced in the past. It has obvious combat applications in both the manipulation of your opponent’s balance and with the obvious creation of striking power.
He also proved that it will take a very long time for me to be able to emulate his methodology! 🙂
I found him to be very personable and friendly and very open with his teaching. An A+ for sure.
Ted Truscott Sandan Shorin-Ji Ryu Karate
Dec. 8, 2004
Originally written by: Ian Macrae
Date: 10/23/2004 0:00
Title: Victoria Workshop on Self Defence
Organizer: Gordon Muir
Location: Victoria
Comments:
Whether because it was in a karate dojo, or because quite a few of the participants had martial arts backgrounds, or for some other reason, I felt that the Victoria workshop brought home Chen style taiji’s, and CZH’s, martial roots and purpose. CZH focused on applications and the theory behind them. He presented practical drills and exercises designed to help you understand the theory so you could make the taiji applications work. One of the great things about studying with CZH is that he is very much hands on. Both days, each student got many opportunities to touch him and feel the taiji principals and applications at work. The two person drills weren’t metaphysical exercises, but were actual martial applications. CZH had a wealth of taiji information and knowledge which he shared during breaks from the physical work. A very worthwhile workshop.
Ian Macrae
Seattle
