Knowledge

Understanding rotation is the result of linear movements i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/11/15

Recently, I understand more about the statement:

“Rotation is the result of linear movements.”

Our actions are like on the tangent of a circle. The non-moving dot is the centre of the circle. Every linear action is very small. The direction changes all the time. The sequence of such actions along with non-moving dot cause the rotation. The actions are continued on top of each other, and they have a relationship with the non-moving dot. In the form, it is like dragging the flesh around some non-moving rod or dot. It is almost like someone pushes the arm on one side for elbow in, and someone else pushes the other side of the arm for hand out. This is related to the stretch that Master Chen Zhonghua showed on the inside or outside of the forearm. Another example is that if someone touches me in the front, I don’t move the front, but I stretch the back over or around that non-moving front.
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Use yi (intent) and not force i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/11/12

KelvinHoProfile1 Yi (intent) is not just a thought. In my current understanding, yi describes an ability for your body to do a precise action as you command it to do. In other words, your body listens to your brain. It takes training to get to that state. Master Chen Zhonghua has said before, “the real intent is no intent”. Think about riding a bike as an example. After you have learned how to ride a bike, you don’t think about how to coordinate your hands and feet, how to balance, you only think about where to want to go. You appear to be able to do it with ease. For taijiquan, we need to train long enough to make an action habitual, so that we don’t think about it when we need it, and it just comes out.
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Kelvin Ho Yilu in Toronto on Nov. 7, 2017 i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/11/08

Stretching and Switching Exercise on Oct. 28, 2017 2

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/10/29

Triangle on Oct. 28, 2017 i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/10/28

Group Yilu in Markham on Oct. 26, 2017 i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/10/28

Powerful distractions in Taiji, Part 1 i

by Michael Lamberti on 2017/10/17

In the late afternoon of the first day of my first workshop with Master Chen, a wave of remorse and sadness swelled up in me, seemingly out of nowhere. Earlier in the day, two other workshop participants talked to me about decisions they were faced with that reminded me of a difficult period in my life, but there were no other obvious reasons why these emotions would well up.

I was not exerting myself in that moment, most of us were standing in a circle watching Master Chen demonstrate something on one of the other participants. The feelings were intense, but not overwhelming. I continued to pay attention, participate, and enjoy the workshop. There was also a degree of detachment from the feelings, a sense that they were somehow taiji-related and would pass. The feelings moved from foreground to background after a few minutes, but became strong again after the workshop had ended for the day and I was on the subway alone.

They faded for good the next morning after a restful sleep. I have since been told that Master Chen recommends being unmoved by feelings that occur during training or that take us away from training. I feel I did a reasonably good job of this at the time. I find it encouraging that training remained my priority in the midst of a potentially powerful distraction.

What to Expect from Master’s Workshops i

by Nicholas Fung馮嘉傑(香港) on 2017/10/06

A potential participant of our upcoming November 28th, 29th, 30th Hong Kong workshop posed the following questions. Sifu suggested that I pose the answers here so that everyone, especially newcomers, would benefit: Read more

Equal and Opposite 2

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/09/17

This video describes in taiji what we do is equal and opposite to the result we desire.
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“Sydney 2016 Hunyuan 3/4/5” Online Video Trailer i

by Shopmaster on 2017/09/12

First five videos from Sydney 2016 series are teaching Hunyuan qigong
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 27 min. In: English Year: 2016 Difficulty:1/5

“Sydney 2016 Hunyuan 1/2” Online Video Trailer i

by Shopmaster on 2017/09/10

First five videos from Sydney 2016 series are teaching Hunyuan qigong
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 20 min. In: English Year: 2016 Difficulty:1/5

North American Taiji Training Camp 2017 Notes 3

by Clevenger on 2017/08/09

Dates:

July 28^th – July 31^st

Hiawatha Iowa

Hosts:

John Upshaw and Levi Sowers Read more

Notes for North American Practical Method Training Camp 2017 4

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/08/07

PMNATC2017_1 Read more

True Disciple 1

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/08/04

Who is a true disciple?

A true disciple is someone who follows the teacher based on the principles of the teachings. When the teacher evolves in his understanding, a true disciple will do the same. Even if the teacher and the true disciple don’t see each other for an extended period of time, their evolutions will still head in the same direction.

Taiji Trinity i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/08/04

Principle: Separation of Yin and Yang
Concept: Indirect Power
Action: In with elbow no hand, out with hand no elbow.

These are three ways of describing taiji. They are one and the same.

Master Chen Zhonghua discussed the above during a Q&A session at the North American Practical Method Training Camp from Jul 29 to Aug 2, 2017.

Beijing Workshop 2017.07.05 Trailer i

by Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy on 2017/07/26

Independent Movement i

by Brennan Toh on 2017/07/25

To link movements together is to become double heavy. Instead of moving together, each body part must complete its’ designated role to complete a function. Desynchronized synchronization – first we must learn how to take our body apart before we can put it back together. Like a machine, the power only comes from every piece doing it’s job. One thing can only do one thing. The piston in an engine only moves up and down; it does not try to turn the wheel or to move the car forward. Within taijiquan, the machine does not fight. None of the actions of the body relate to fighting the opponent, only completing its’ designated job.

Within a one dimensional movement everything is connected. For example, as the hand moves forward in a push, the torso also moves forward, typically followed by the rear knee. In this way, everything moves together in order to generate power, this power is generated by strength and expressed through speed.

A two dimensional movement compounds the power of each body part by creating a non-moving piece. Each piece is able to successively ground off the last piece by creating a ‘wall’ to push off of. To create fewer or an unstable wall is to merge pieces together, resulting in power leaking out of the body or rebounding back. Power is dependent on the stability of the last piece. While we are learning to create this separation, our power is often not consistent enough to maintain the stretch. As we encounter power we revert back to a single dimensional push. A true two dimensional stretch is to maintain the separation despite obstacles.

The creation of the non-moving part is a stretch by definition. Power is a differential; most commonly it is a differential of space by using speed. Within taiji we are creating a differential using stability, with each piece not merging. To merge powers is to create an unstable wall

In the previous example of a push, a two dimensional movement would separate the arm from the body. As the arm pulls or pushes, the torso remains unaffected. The torso not moving creates a ‘wall’ that the arm is able to push off of.

To be able to move in this manner is to move like a rotary saw. With a rotary saw the blade does not move on its’ own. The blade only rotates and spins, while the saw is pushed onto the wood. The cutting of the wood does not have to do with the blade rotating, it has to do with the wood being pushed onto the blade, or the saw being pushed onto the wood. The saw must move independent of the blade rotation – if the blade moves forward it is unable to rotate. Similarly, the torso does not move, only remains upright and rotates. The legs move the body forward/backwards, while the arms cut.

Therefore we must find a method to define the separation of our movements. Separation of the body applies on both a macro and micro scale. Not only must we separate in the cardinal directions (top/bottom, left/right, front/back), but also differentiate the role of the hand from the role of the elbow; what the purpose of the front shoulder is vs. the rear shoulder, etc.

Relevant videos:

http://practicalmethod.com/2015/01/no-tossing-separated-movements-online-video-trailer/

http://practicalmethod.com/2014/06/dimensions-5-points-online-video-trailer/

Shoulder, Kua, Shun and Ni 1

by Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy on 2017/07/17

Hello Master Chen

I have a question about kua, shoulder and shun/ni.

My question is when you are doing say, cloud hands. You show this on one of your videos here called How To Keep The Center from 3.25. You are on left leg and kua opens on left side and the left hand looks like Ni. Does this mean that the kua opening always coincides with Ni chan and closing of kua is shun chan.

Also in one of your videos I remember you say that when hip opens then same side shoulder kua closes and vice versa. What does this mean exactly with the shoulder kua closing or opening. Does opening of shouldre kua mean that shoulder is not sunk and closed shoulder kua means shoulder is not sunk?

Thanks
Becka

Practical Method AGOAC Performance on June 17, 2017 i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/06/25

Make your movements your own 1

by Brennan Toh on 2017/06/06

Brennan Toh at the Vienna Workshop 2017

Within Chen Style Taijiquan, an important aspect is that all our movements must be our own movements. We never move as a result of an external stimuli. This requires we bring extreme awareness to every body part – those which are moving and especially those which are non-moving. When we go out with the hand, we must not forget about the elbow; as the torso closes the distance, the hands can’t also be moving forward, etc. As soon as we engage with our opponent, we naturally want to fight power with power. This immediate response is something we must eliminate through our training. Learning to create a stretch within our body in the form and foundations, is to learn how to move past the point of contact.

To never lose control of our body, even when engaging with an opponent, is to change our responses from a reactionary response to an active response.

A reactionary response is to retreat back, and then move in; or to match their push directly with your own push. A push from the opponent does not result in a fight, or a retreat backwards. An active response it to decide where to move, and to go their of your own choice – not from the initiation of the opponent. If we are pushed and the shoulder moves back, we move not because we are pushed, but because we decide to move there.

Brennan Toh with Shawn Lee

We must change from following the pace of the opponent, to leading our own movements. Within the rhythm of a fight, when you are able to dictate your own moves, the opponent will then follow (fall into rhythm). Movement is not a non-pressured release, but a pressured release like a hydraulic press where it must be evenly matched and paced (led). The intent of the movement is therefore only indirectly related to the opponent, and the decided movement is not at all resultant from what the opponent chooses to do – they are only an obstacle in place to overcome. This is a change from passive control over our body to active movement.

To train this, we must train to never close, and to continue to stretch and expand in every movement of the form. As our understanding of Yilu deepens, body mechanics and details that we were previously unaware of become more and more important. But before we can focus on the small details, our understanding of positioning of the ‘big pieces’ must be precise – which is why consistent training of the full form is required. As we continue to train to open our joints, positions and movements that we were previously incapable of will allow us to improve our structure and power.

Video references:

http://practicalmethod.com/2011/07/shoulder-movements-in-positive-circle-online-video-trailer/

http://practicalmethod.com/2014/11/pressure-and-release-indirect-power-online-video-trailer/

Vienna Workshop June 3-4, 2017 i

by Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy on 2017/06/05

Vienna Workshop Group Photo 2017 Day One

Vienna, June 3-4, 2017

Host: Pawel Muller.
Assistant: Brennan Toh Read more

Fetch Water in Toronto on Apr. 1, 2017 i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/04/24

Buddha Warrior Attendant Pound Mortar First Turn i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/04/23

Get In and Stretch Hand Drill on Apr 9, 2017 i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/04/09

Basic Foundations 6

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/03/27

Twisting the towel
Fetch Water
Six Sealing Four Closing
Positive Circle
Negative Circle
Double Positive Circle
Double Negative Circle (together)
Double Negative Circle (alternate)
Positive-Negative Circle (Pole shaking)
Positive Circle – Moving Step
Negative Circle – Moving Step
Six Sealing Four Closing – Moving Step
Double Positive Circle – Moving Step
Double Negative Circle (alternate) – Moving Step
Positive-Negative Circle – Moving Step

Why the Teacher is Important 11

by Pawel Mueller on 2017/03/06

I had an interesting experience lately. I took singing classes with a professional classical singer. It was only one single event, but I learned two important things in those one and a half hours which are not only reflecting back on my Taijiquan but also on my life in general.

Western Learning Methods
Everything is about intellectually understanding things. After listening to my singing for a short time and before the teaching started I got two or three pages of text describing how the breathing organs work and how those relate to singing. Doing Practical Method for a while now and being in contact with eastern learning methods I just skipped through the pages to see if there’s something useful. I asked the teacher whether knowing this stuff is of any importance, especially in the beginning. She said, being a little puzzled, that most people want to know what they are doing, first. Intellectually. I explained, that I do PM and I trust her as a teacher to lead me through exercises which she figures are important for me at my current state. She started teaching me.

Feeling Awkward
With different exercises she tried to get me in a mode where the voice was full. She put me on a stepper on which I had to walk while singing. At some point I had to lean forward in a shoulder wide stance. Singing “dui dui dui” up and down the scale in this position felt strange and she directed me saying “try this” or “try that”. At some point my voice felt awkward. The setting of my muscles in my vocal tract was so wrong. I even got a little scared somehow. I stopped after being in this state for not even a second. Suddenly the teacher almost shouted at me: “why did you stop?! That was wonderful! Do it again!”
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find that setting during the remaining 15 minutes of the lesson.

This moment, when the awkwardness was on its peek was the moment when the door opened. I didn’t step through it, but now I know it’s there, at least. Even if I would have find this door without the teacher, I would be convinced that it’s the wrong door.

Teaching Notes for Richmond Hill Class on Mar 4, 2017 i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/03/04

We worked on a few different moves in the form today. The first 3 moves required standing on one leg.

White Ape Presents Fruit (Drilled 50 times on each side)
Kick with Right/Left Heel
Turning Flower out of the Bottom of the Sea
Punch to the Groin
Punch to the Ground
Turn Over Body and Double Kick

Kelvin Ho Yilu (First 13 Segmented Moves) Mar 2, 2017 in Toronto i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/03/04

Master Chen Zhonghua Yilu (First 13) Feb 9, 2017 in Toronto i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/03/01

Turning Flower Out of the Bottom of the Sea i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/02/25

1) Maintain a non-moving vertical rod from head to left heel throughout the action.
2) Hold the right forearm in front of the chest with a fist, while the left fist is on the side of the body.
3) Throw the right fist down to the right side as hard as possible with a raising right knee to create a scissoring effect, while throwing the left fist up to the left ear.
4) There should be no tossing or turning of the body, but there is a spiral stretch along the vertical rod.

Hong Kong – Sunday Class of Nicholas Fung – 12.2.2017 2

by Sarah on 2017/02/13

Yesterday I could attend the class of Nicholas Fung, situated in the middle of Hong Kong. We have been five students and trained for two hours, which passed by surprisingly quickly.

1) Content

– First we did fetch water with yoga blocks. We did fifty each side, break and another fifty.

– Then we focused on elbow in and used rubber cords for the feedback. We did again fifty each side, break and another fifty.
Read more

Way Of Hunyuan Ebook Online Purchase 14

by Shopmaster on 2017/02/06

This is a book on Hunyuan Qigong and Hunyuan Taiji by Master Chen Zhonghua. It is an essential book for anyone practicing Qigong.

Its contents are mainly based on the Hunyuan Qigong of Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang and the personal experiences and explorations of Master Chen Zhonghua.

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.

The Longest Part of the Body Structure i

by Tomasz Raganowicz on 2017/02/01

Short lesson by Master Chen Zhonghua:

Toronto Workshop Notes (Twist Towel) 2

by admin2 on 2017/02/01

By Patrick Hanratty

**Due to my computer crashing these notes have been recompiled using my original written notes, which are somewhat incomplete. As such there are some blank spaces, which I’ve indicated with an asterisk. I would very much appreciate anyone filling in those blanks, as I don’t feel confident enough to do so myself.

Taking notes at workshops is a useful tool for making progress, and going over them as soon as possible (at the end of the day and after the workshop) helps to internalize the most salient points. Furthermore, sharing notes, as well as potentially helping other students in their practice, can also engender a need for the note taker to test the accuracy of their personal understanding of Master Chen’s teaching. A testing strategy that I have recently adopted is to imagine that I have to explain my understanding to other students through practical demonstration. Read more

Teaching Notes for North York Class on Jan. 26, 2017 i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/01/27

Twisting the Towel, Fetch Water and Six Sealing Four Closing on Jan. 21, 2017 i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/01/22

Today, we focused on the details of 3 foundation exercises:

Twisting the Towel
Fetch Water
Six Sealing Four Closing

Group Yilu in Toronto on Jan. 15, 2017 i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/01/16

Teaching Notes for Richmond Hill Class on Jan. 14, 2017 i

by Kelvin Ho on 2017/01/16

Ken Lang joined the class for the first time. He started learning about twisting the towel. He has been doing taiji for 10 years, and went to study at Chen Village for 6 weeks. His initial impression was that the Practical Method elbow-in was similar to what he learned in Chen Village. His teacher there was Master Chen Zhaosen.
We reviewed twisting the towel, and how the hand is to be connected to the foot, and how to push the foot against the ground to squeeze out the hand.
We did an exercise with one person pushing the other person’s hand up the arm, and how to prevent the shoulder being popped up, and how to stretch through the back to the rear foot to find the connection.
We practiced taking out the space.
I told Bruce during push hands, at this point, make it a focus to simply maintain the desired posture regardless of what the opponents does to him.

S-curve is really the circle 7

by Kelvin Ho on 2016/12/31

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