 |
Michael Calandra’s martial arts journey is defined by a rare intersection of traditional discipline and real-world application. A veteran of the NYPD, Michael retired in 2010 as a Detective in the Intelligence Division following a distinguished 22-year career. His extensive experience as both a Transit and Police Officer provided him with a gritty, realistic lens through which he views combat and self-defense, a perspective he has shared as a dojo owner for over 35 years. In 2022, he relocated from New York to Wittmann, Arizona, where he opened Seishinkan West to continue his legacy as an internationally recognized instructor who has taught seminars across China, India, Europe, South America, and the United States. |
| His formal pedigree is rooted in deep lineage, holding the rank of 10th Dan Hanshi in Isshin-Ryu Karate under Master Kichiro Shimabuku, a 6th Dan in Matayoshi Kobudo under Master Yoshiaki Gakiya, and a 1st Dan in Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-Ryu under Master Yukihiro Sugino. In addition to his mastery of Japanese arts, Michael was inducted as the 24th Indoor Disciple under Master Chen Zhonghua. He has dedicated himself to the study and promotion of Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method, hosting annual workshops to preserve the system’s mechanical integrity and technical depth.In this podcast, Michael reflects on his 25-year relationship with Master Chen Zhonghua and the nuances of the Practical Method. Drawing directly from his years of fighting experience on the streets of New York, he discusses the vital necessity of realistic training. His unique background allows him to bridge the gap between ancient tradition and modern survival, offering listeners a profound look at the “martial truth” of why practitioners must prioritize functional application over mere form. | |
|
Adapted from a Podcast Transcript:
“The Martial Truth Podcast EP2” When the Student is Ready the Teacher will Appear broadcasted Feb 11, 2023 |
|
Knowledge
View posts in sub-category:
Application Articles Body and Posture Class (Workshop) Notes Common Errors Glossary and terms Hunyuan Knowledge-Movement Explanations Learning Method Principle-Concept Principle-List Principle-Rule Principle-Technical Push Hands Quotations Routine Names Routines Videos Stories Student Evaluations (Private) Taiji Apparatus Taiji FAQ Taiji Sword Thoughts and Understanding Workshop and Class Notes
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 56 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 52 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
If you like this video, there is an even greater value in purchasing one of the packages below.
Purchase 2026 English Instructor Class Video Package
NOTE:
- Video packages are designed for the convenience of students.
- Some packages are in fact classifications of videos.
- Some videos in packages might have been published and purchased by you individually.
- Average prices of videos in packages are considerably lower than individual videos. The number of videos in the package will increase until the sum of all individual video prices equal to two times or more of the package price.
- In view of this, if you have purchased a video that are also included in a package your have purchased, or vice versa, we will not give refunds or equivalents.
- All videos in packages are paid videos. They are restricted to your personal viewing and other usage. You do not have copyright of the videos and therefore you do not have permission to give/share with others.
- Please note that as a customer/user of the website and/or student of Chen Zhonghua, you have given him and the companies/organizations he represents permission to use videos or photos with you, both personally and commercially.
- Making a paid purchase constitutes agreement to the above terms.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 57 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
If you like this video, there is an even greater value in purchasing one of the packages below.
Purchase 2025 Chen Zhonghua Australian Class Video Package
NOTE:
- Video packages are designed for the convenience of students.
- Some packages are in fact classifications of videos.
- Some videos in packages might have been published and purchased by you individually.
- Average prices of videos in packages are considerably lower than individual videos. The number of videos in the package will increase until the sum of all individual video prices equal to two times or more of the package price.
- In view of this, if you have purchased a video that are also included in a package your have purchased, or vice versa, we will not give refunds or equivalents.
- All videos in packages are paid videos. They are restricted to your personal viewing and other usage. You do not have copyright of the videos and therefore you do not have permission to give/share with others.
- Please note that as a customer/user of the website and/or student of Chen Zhonghua, you have given him and the companies/organizations he represents permission to use videos or photos with you, both personally and commercially.
- Making a paid purchase constitutes agreement to the above terms.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 57 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 56 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 62 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 31 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 53 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
If you like this video, there is an even greater value in purchasing one of the packages below.
Purchase 2026 English Instructor Class Video Package
NOTE:
- Video packages are designed for the convenience of students.
- Some packages are in fact classifications of videos.
- Some videos in packages might have been published and purchased by you individually.
- Average prices of videos in packages are considerably lower than individual videos. The number of videos in the package will increase until the sum of all individual video prices equal to two times or more of the package price.
- In view of this, if you have purchased a video that are also included in a package your have purchased, or vice versa, we will not give refunds or equivalents.
- All videos in packages are paid videos. They are restricted to your personal viewing and other usage. You do not have copyright of the videos and therefore you do not have permission to give/share with others.
- Please note that as a customer/user of the website and/or student of Chen Zhonghua, you have given him and the companies/organizations he represents permission to use videos or photos with you, both personally and commercially.
- Making a paid purchase constitutes agreement to the above terms.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 45 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
If you like this video, there is an even greater value in purchasing one of the packages below.
Purchase 2025 Chen Zhonghua Australian Class Video Package
NOTE:
- Video packages are designed for the convenience of students.
- Some packages are in fact classifications of videos.
- Some videos in packages might have been published and purchased by you individually.
- Average prices of videos in packages are considerably lower than individual videos. The number of videos in the package will increase until the sum of all individual video prices equal to two times or more of the package price.
- In view of this, if you have purchased a video that are also included in a package your have purchased, or vice versa, we will not give refunds or equivalents.
- All videos in packages are paid videos. They are restricted to your personal viewing and other usage. You do not have copyright of the videos and therefore you do not have permission to give/share with others.
- Please note that as a customer/user of the website and/or student of Chen Zhonghua, you have given him and the companies/organizations he represents permission to use videos or photos with you, both personally and commercially.
- Making a paid purchase constitutes agreement to the above terms.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 60 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
 |
Master Chen often uses the phrase, “Not using force is a magic trick” (不用力呢，是个魔术, Bùyòng lì ne, shìgè móshù), a teaching directly attributed to his teacher, Master Hong Junsheng (洪均生). This captures the wonder and mystery of Taijiquan while leading directly to the pursuit of indirect force—the core of a system defined not by mysticism, but by sophisticated applied mechanics and strategic geometry. To the spectator, the art appears effortless, yet it solves the ultimate martial conundrum: achieving superior power and speed by moving in ways diametrically opposite to instinctive human behavior. |
| The foundation of this “trick” lies in the total separation of the Place of Engagement from the Source of Power. By treating the contact point as the end of a “passive wire” that exerts zero active force, the practitioner is able to transmit power generated from distant anchors like the dantian, the kua, and the rear foot, which represent the other end of the wire. | |
| (Part II: Adapted from the video transcripts of Wang Jinyi (王金宜) for the “Indirect Force” Video Highlights “ (间接力”视频花絮) filmed in Daqingshan (大青山), China 2012.) |
|
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 47 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 22 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
If you like this video, there is an even greater value in purchasing one of the packages below.
Purchase 2025 Full Year Online Class Video Package
Purchase 202511-202610 Chen Zhonghua European Class Video Package
NOTE:
- Video packages are designed for the convenience of students.
- Some packages are in fact classifications of videos.
- Some videos in packages might have been published and purchased by you individually.
- Average prices of videos in packages are considerably lower than individual videos. The number of videos in the package will increase until the sum of all individual video prices equal to two times or more of the package price.
- In view of this, if you have purchased a video that are also included in a package your have purchased, or vice versa, we will not give refunds or equivalents.
- All videos in packages are paid videos. They are restricted to your personal viewing and other usage. You do not have copyright of the videos and therefore you do not have permission to give/share with others.
- Please note that as a customer/user of the website and/or student of Chen Zhonghua, you have given him and the companies/organizations he represents permission to use videos or photos with you, both personally and commercially.
- Making a paid purchase constitutes agreement to the above terms.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 60 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 52 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
If you like this video, there is an even greater value in purchasing one of the packages below.
Purchase 2026 English Instructor Class Video Package
NOTE:
- Video packages are designed for the convenience of students.
- Some packages are in fact classifications of videos.
- Some videos in packages might have been published and purchased by you individually.
- Average prices of videos in packages are considerably lower than individual videos. The number of videos in the package will increase until the sum of all individual video prices equal to two times or more of the package price.
- In view of this, if you have purchased a video that are also included in a package your have purchased, or vice versa, we will not give refunds or equivalents.
- All videos in packages are paid videos. They are restricted to your personal viewing and other usage. You do not have copyright of the videos and therefore you do not have permission to give/share with others.
- Please note that as a customer/user of the website and/or student of Chen Zhonghua, you have given him and the companies/organizations he represents permission to use videos or photos with you, both personally and commercially.
- Making a paid purchase constitutes agreement to the above terms.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 54 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
If you like this video, there is an even greater value in purchasing one of the packages below.
Purchase 2025 Chen Zhonghua Australian Class Video Package
NOTE:
- Video packages are designed for the convenience of students.
- Some packages are in fact classifications of videos.
- Some videos in packages might have been published and purchased by you individually.
- Average prices of videos in packages are considerably lower than individual videos. The number of videos in the package will increase until the sum of all individual video prices equal to two times or more of the package price.
- In view of this, if you have purchased a video that are also included in a package your have purchased, or vice versa, we will not give refunds or equivalents.
- All videos in packages are paid videos. They are restricted to your personal viewing and other usage. You do not have copyright of the videos and therefore you do not have permission to give/share with others.
- Please note that as a customer/user of the website and/or student of Chen Zhonghua, you have given him and the companies/organizations he represents permission to use videos or photos with you, both personally and commercially.
- Making a paid purchase constitutes agreement to the above terms.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 49 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 49 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 16 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
If you like this video, there is an even greater value in purchasing one of the packages below.
Purchase 2025 Full Year Online Class Video Package
Purchase 202511-202610 Chen Zhonghua European Class Video Package
NOTE:
- Video packages are designed for the convenience of students.
- Some packages are in fact classifications of videos.
- Some videos in packages might have been published and purchased by you individually.
- Average prices of videos in packages are considerably lower than individual videos. The number of videos in the package will increase until the sum of all individual video prices equal to two times or more of the package price.
- In view of this, if you have purchased a video that are also included in a package your have purchased, or vice versa, we will not give refunds or equivalents.
- All videos in packages are paid videos. They are restricted to your personal viewing and other usage. You do not have copyright of the videos and therefore you do not have permission to give/share with others.
- Please note that as a customer/user of the website and/or student of Chen Zhonghua, you have given him and the companies/organizations he represents permission to use videos or photos with you, both personally and commercially.
- Making a paid purchase constitutes agreement to the above terms.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 58 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 31 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
If you like this video, there is an even greater value in purchasing one of the packages below.
Purchase 202511-202610 Chen Zhonghua European Class Video Package
NOTE:
- Video packages are designed for the convenience of students.
- Some packages are in fact classifications of videos.
- Some videos in packages might have been published and purchased by you individually.
- Average prices of videos in packages are considerably lower than individual videos. The number of videos in the package will increase until the sum of all individual video prices equal to two times or more of the package price.
- In view of this, if you have purchased a video that are also included in a package your have purchased, or vice versa, we will not give refunds or equivalents.
- All videos in packages are paid videos. They are restricted to your personal viewing and other usage. You do not have copyright of the videos and therefore you do not have permission to give/share with others.
- Please note that as a customer/user of the website and/or student of Chen Zhonghua, you have given him and the companies/organizations he represents permission to use videos or photos with you, both personally and commercially.
- Making a paid purchase constitutes agreement to the above terms.
 |
In the high-level application of Taijiquan, direct force is a flaw. Master Chen teaches us that true mastery lies in the Indirect. When we meet an opponent, we do not collide; we harmonize through structural containment.
Think of a rope tying a knot. The strength isn’t in the fibers’ “effort,” but in the geometry of the wrap. By separating our power source—the Dantian or the rooting foot—from the point of contact, we achieve Hé. We become the vessel, and the opponent’s force is simply the liquid we contain. |
| To project power, we look to the principle of “length.” The further the source is from the strike, the greater the leverage. While a long lever is usually fragile, Taiji solves this through Silk Reeling. This spiral path acts as a structural reinforcement, ensuring that our alignment never bends or breaks.The result? An internal alignment that looks like stillness but feels like an incoming tide—overwhelming, piercing, and impossible to find. | |
| (Part I: Adapted from the video transcripts of Wang Jinyi (王金宜) for the “Indirect Force” Video Highlights “ (间接力”视频花絮) filmed in Daqingshan (大青山), China 2012.) |
|
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 45 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 51 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
If you like this video, there is an even greater value in purchasing one of the packages below.
Purchase 2026 English Instructor Class Video Package
NOTE:
- Video packages are designed for the convenience of students.
- Some packages are in fact classifications of videos.
- Some videos in packages might have been published and purchased by you individually.
- Average prices of videos in packages are considerably lower than individual videos. The number of videos in the package will increase until the sum of all individual video prices equal to two times or more of the package price.
- In view of this, if you have purchased a video that are also included in a package your have purchased, or vice versa, we will not give refunds or equivalents.
- All videos in packages are paid videos. They are restricted to your personal viewing and other usage. You do not have copyright of the videos and therefore you do not have permission to give/share with others.
- Please note that as a customer/user of the website and/or student of Chen Zhonghua, you have given him and the companies/organizations he represents permission to use videos or photos with you, both personally and commercially.
- Making a paid purchase constitutes agreement to the above terms.
| The Toronto Practical Method workshop will be back on Aug 29 to Sep 1, 2026. If you have not yet attended one, you will be amazed by the magical taiji skills of Master Chen Zhonghua, and his insightful guidance in your taiji journey. He has the missing piece that many people are looking for. If you have been here before, we are looking forward to training with you again. |
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 52 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 48 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 61 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 64 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 49 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
If you like this video, there is an even greater value in purchasing one of the packages below.
Purchase 202511-202610 Chen Zhonghua European Class Video Package
NOTE:
- Video packages are designed for the convenience of students.
- Some packages are in fact classifications of videos.
- Some videos in packages might have been published and purchased by you individually.
- Average prices of videos in packages are considerably lower than individual videos. The number of videos in the package will increase until the sum of all individual video prices equal to two times or more of the package price.
- In view of this, if you have purchased a video that are also included in a package your have purchased, or vice versa, we will not give refunds or equivalents.
- All videos in packages are paid videos. They are restricted to your personal viewing and other usage. You do not have copyright of the videos and therefore you do not have permission to give/share with others.
- Please note that as a customer/user of the website and/or student of Chen Zhonghua, you have given him and the companies/organizations he represents permission to use videos or photos with you, both personally and commercially.
- Making a paid purchase constitutes agreement to the above terms.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 43 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 55 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
If you like this video, there is an even greater value in purchasing one of the packages below.
Purchase 2026 English Instructor Class Video Package
NOTE:
- Video packages are designed for the convenience of students.
- Some packages are in fact classifications of videos.
- Some videos in packages might have been published and purchased by you individually.
- Average prices of videos in packages are considerably lower than individual videos. The number of videos in the package will increase until the sum of all individual video prices equal to two times or more of the package price.
- In view of this, if you have purchased a video that are also included in a package your have purchased, or vice versa, we will not give refunds or equivalents.
- All videos in packages are paid videos. They are restricted to your personal viewing and other usage. You do not have copyright of the videos and therefore you do not have permission to give/share with others.
- Please note that as a customer/user of the website and/or student of Chen Zhonghua, you have given him and the companies/organizations he represents permission to use videos or photos with you, both personally and commercially.
- Making a paid purchase constitutes agreement to the above terms.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 58 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 61 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 49 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
This class discussed about the separation of energy movement and physical movement. To understand the idea, we must lock the entire body so that there is no visual movement of our body. We used the wall pushing exercise to learn to connect the two ends (front hand and rear foot). Once we had found the connection by lowering the shoulder and compressing the dantian, we must maintain the pressure in the body and the integrity of the structure. We then added one more action using a body part that was not used to hold the current posture to push into the wall. This additional action was the "add one". Since the wall was solid, the force was bounced back to the body. We needed to add an aim towards our own dantian, which was the centre of the body. This allowed us to bounce ourselves off the wall. The key was to hold the structure throughout the entire process until the bounce was complete. If we let go prematurely, there would be no bounce. If we don't aim properly to the dantain, there would be no bounce. To bounce an opponent, the procedure would be the same. The person who would be able to hold his structure and position would act as the wall to bounce the other person. The locking of your own structure required a "bie". In order to bounce the opponent, a bie must also be created on the opponent as well as yourself. The wall pushing exercise was not about training to create a bie on the opponent, but rather training the locking of yourself and the aim on the issuing.
 |
A classic Chinese martial arts principle states: “One inch longer, one inch stronger; one inch shorter, one inch more dangerous” (一寸长，一寸强；一寸短，一寸险; Yī cùn cháng, yī cùn qiáng; yī cùn duǎn, yī cùn xiǎn.). This emphasizes the importance of tool mastery, distance control, and the contextual nature of danger.
In the Practical Method system, this principle is manifested through Indirect Power. This involves using a “handle” or a “hook” to execute pushes and pulls, rather than relying on direct limb strength. |
| The strategy is rooted in distance control: Positive Indirect Power increases the distance between an anchor and its power source, while Negative Indirect Power decreases it.Both strategies maintain the serene quality of Taijiquan while producing drastic results. Negative Indirect Power, in particular, prioritizes structural alignment and spatial manipulation over local exertion. Unlike direct force, which relies on tension at the point of contact, it utilizes a two-stage process rooted in the principle of non-movement. By mastering this dual strategy, the Practical Method creates a system engineered to lure, enter, and control the opponent within that treacherous, intimate space—achieving decisive results through leverage rather than conflict. | |
| (This is is an articles is based on the Theory and demonstration of “Indirect Power” filmed in Ottawa, Canada Dec 3, 2014.) |
|
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 64 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 43 mins Difficulty: 3/5 Language: English
Year: 2026 Location: Edmonton, Canada
If you like this video, there is an even greater value in purchasing one of the packages below.
Purchase 202511-202610 Chen Zhonghua European Class Video Package
NOTE:
- Video packages are designed for the convenience of students.
- Some packages are in fact classifications of videos.
- Some videos in packages might have been published and purchased by you individually.
- Average prices of videos in packages are considerably lower than individual videos. The number of videos in the package will increase until the sum of all individual video prices equal to two times or more of the package price.
- In view of this, if you have purchased a video that are also included in a package your have purchased, or vice versa, we will not give refunds or equivalents.
- All videos in packages are paid videos. They are restricted to your personal viewing and other usage. You do not have copyright of the videos and therefore you do not have permission to give/share with others.
- Please note that as a customer/user of the website and/or student of Chen Zhonghua, you have given him and the companies/organizations he represents permission to use videos or photos with you, both personally and commercially.
- Making a paid purchase constitutes agreement to the above terms.
