Knowledge
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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
When Master asked me to write about Taiji from the point of view of a dancer, I thought it was a rather insurmountable task. I feel that I know so little about both. Yes, I have danced what is collectively known as Salsa for 18 years, but the old adage is that the more you know, the more you don’t know. I have been reluctant to put anything on paper. Read more
I have a question that I hope someone can answer. What is the correct way to stomp when training ? Are there any training exercises we can do to be able to stomp the right way when doing the form? I know that there is a wrong and a right way to stomp. I know that when it is done right it is very powerful. I just want to make sure I’m doing that right.
In a few days we will have some videos to post on our work today. Thanks to K. S. Loke of Malaysia and Michael Koh of Singapore for arranging this. I hope we will have some good teaching/learning videos of the foundations of the Practical Method out of this.
The circle, simply put, is the basis of every move in the Taijiquan Practical Method system. Every action or movement in the form is actually a part or variation of either the negative or positive circle. Therefore, common sense would suggest that one must gain a deep understanding of the circle and its mechanics in order to have any kind of understanding of Taijiquan and its practical applications. Read more
Breaking a move to separate body parts.
1) push (hand extend to make the lever long)
2) turn (waist rotate to catch)
3) drop (use leg to generate downward force to cut)
Normally punching is something we all take for granted. We all think we know how to punch. Read more
An example of one of the many methods to rotate. You will notice that this method does not “look” like you are rotating. That’s the whole idea: a real rotations is not what you think it is.
For detailed video, please purchase the original here: http://practicalmethod.com/2012/02/germany-2011-private-workshop-6-online-video-trailer/
I remember that when I was a young, I hated doing calligraphy. All my arm muscles including those of my shoulder and back would tense-up and hurt. I hated even more those lectures where teachers would spend the entire class making me take notes non-stop. But with time, my hand learned when not to involve my wrist, elbow and shoulder. And now as an adult who practiced writing for years, I can write for long periods of time without getting tired. Read more
Recently, I had the privilege—and the humbling experience—of practicing push hands with Master Chen during one of his seminars. To call the session “enlightening” would be an understatement; it was more like having reality reassembled before my eyes.
Read more
- Feb. 10, 2012 Private lessons for James Tam, Ken Huang of Toronto and Daniel Mroz of Ottawa. Read more
在国内，打太极拳的随处可见；在国外也不罕见。如果您稍微留点儿心，就会发现，绝大多数人走架的时候，手的动作多、动作大而且繁复。推手时也如是，净看见两个人用手互相推拉撕扯了。 Read more
Tai chi, the Chinese martial art involving slow and rhythmic movement, has been shown to benefit older people by maintaining balance and strength. Now, researchers have found that tai chi also helps patients who suffer from Parkinson’s disease. Read more
Quality and quantity are two issues that come up a lot during training and seem to be the cause of some debate amongst practitioners. Generally most people have strong opinions about these two ideals and normally have specific training habits which clearly show which catergory they fall into. Read more
Can people who had an organ transplant practice Hunyuan Qigong? Is it safe for a person with a transplanted kidney or liver? Read more
Learning taiji online is impossible, but not impractical. The key to getting the most benefit outside of the classroom involves understanding what can be achieved and what can not be achieved and through this understanding develop goals that are obtainable. Read more
Thanks to 鸣谢:
- Kelvin Ho 何家伟 http://ktaiji.blogspot.com/
- Frank Ding 丁建平 http://www.dynamictaichi.blogspot.com/
- All who attended the open house in Toronto.
greetings from Australia…fantastic site!…just wondering if the routines you teach are old frame or Chen Fake’s new frame?…thanx…peace
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A: I would like to avoid the confusion (becomes more and more confusing later on) by saying that what I teach is what Hong Junsheng learned from Chen Fake from 1930 to 1944. Whatever that means without a name is more accurate than putting it under a category.
**This is a short piece I wrote in the mid-90s about a way to define martial arts ** The martial arts are systems of combat developed for the purpose of either offense, defense or mass combat. However, these arts also have many goals beyond combative ones. There are countless reasons to decide to study the martial arts.
In the last few months, I have been trying to follow the rule of “elbow in, hand out”. In my practice and teaching I have observed something that needs further verification, but that seems correct. “Elbow in” means: initiate the arm rotation from the upper arm. Conversely, “hand out” means: initiate the arm rotation from the hand. There are a few possible explanations for this. First, I will say a few words about the “elbow in” part of rule, then I will suggest an explanation of the “hand out” part of the rule. Read more
For those who attended Master Chen’s workshops, we all have this experience. When Master Chen demonstrated any push hand technique, he executed it crisply clean and looked so simple. Then, everybody tried to copy the technique, but didn’t work. In my recent classes, I start to realize the techniques are only valid (or more efficient) when you have the split of Yin and Yang.
You are on the right learning path. The path is very long and at different stages you have to do different things. Usually a person goes through three stages/plateaus. Each one is longer than the previous one. Read more
有道是“学拳容易改拳难”，与其学错了再改，不如一上手就学对的。练太极，尤其是在初期，要把自己的非太极动作改掉，改就是提高。 Read more
When the body becomes accustomed to moving through the forms in a connected way, the structure of the body will naturally begin to tighten up. As a result, the over exaggerated stretching movements previously used to open up and recondition the body should be adjusted and made smaller and tighter. Read more
Twisting the towel is one of the basic foundation exercises of the Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method system. it is also called the four-cardinal yin yang split.
Sometimes you move, sometimes you don’t. Some parts of the body should move while other parts must be tranquil. The correct application of these is taiji. Read more
Body movement principle is that the upper and lower parts of the body must not be synchronized. When the upper body moves, the lower body must not move. When the left side of the body moves, the right side of the body cannot move. When the hands move, the waist cannot move.
Standing atop a mountain in China’s Shandong province, Tai Chi master SENSEI SANDEEP DESAI finds himself.
When my trip to Daqingshan, a mountain in the Shandong province of China came through, I was delirious with joy. It not only gave me an opportunity to further my development in the art but also fulfilled my ultimate fantasy to dissolve into T’ai Chi while experiencing the fresh chi of the mountain. I was seized by an overwhelming urge to realise my full potential while soaking in tranquility and serenity. Read more
Singapore, 15th Jan 2012. Lawrence Koh (16 years old) took 1 month to learn the entire form of Erlu.
1. “To occupy strategic position you must fight for the meridian”. Read more
