Bafa (8 methods) 6

by Richard Johnson on 2007/11/15

The eight techniques of Taiji: peng, lu, ji, an, cai, lie, zhou and kao.

1. Peng: overall expanding energy.
2. Lu: energy that catches the opponent and make it come towards you.
3. Ji: energy that gets in close to the opponent but will not act on him.
4. An: energy that pushes but mainly separates from opponent.
5. Cai: energy that severs opponent by a pull or a jerk.
6. Lie (Lieh): energy that severs opponent by a even break (power on both ends or hands).
7. Zhou: energy that twists the opponent.
8. Kao: energy that is whole body action.

Open and Close i Quotations

by Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy on 2007/11/15

Open: shun Close: ni Shun: the arms move towards own body. Ni: the arms move away from own body.

Chanfa i Quotations

by Richard Johnson on 2007/11/15

“Taijiquan is the method of Chanfa…”

If this is not understood, there will be no undersanding of Taijiquan.”
—Chen Xin, 16 generation Chen Taiji Grandmaster

Chanfa literally means twining method.

Zhuo着法 i

by webmaster on 2007/11/15

To Adhere.

This is one of the central concepts that used to be in the daily Taijiquan vocabulary. It is hardly mentioned today. Zhuo is very illusive as it encompasses several actions.

  • To adhere to the opponent and not change position or angle.
  • To catch the opponent by the above means.
  • To transfer one’s power into the opponent’s center through Zhuo.
  • Make feel sticky-like.

Don’t Move Your Hands! i

by webmaster on 2007/11/14

“Don’t Move Your Hands!” Contrary to what most believe, the hand in most cases move too much. Everybody wants to learn how to move the hand. In fact, they should learn how NOT to move it!

When the hand moves too much, the following will occur:

  1. The hand will skip off the contacting surface, resulting in loss of power on the opponent.
  2. The power leaks out to the hand which is not directed towards the opponent.
  3. Power becomes front-drive: flexibility but less power.

So it is very important to keep your hand inline (that’s a different topic) and don’t move it around too much!

Follow the Rules 1

by Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy on 2007/11/14

“When you follow the rules to the extreme, every unintentional action becomes part of the form!”
—Hong Junsheng Read more

Where SHOULD the shoulder be? i Quotations

by Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy on 2007/11/01

Thursday, 15 November 2007

The shoulder cannot move sideways on its own.

It can move downwards and rotate on its seat.  It must always staying right on top of the kua.

Wu Xing (5 Positions) i Quotations

by Richard Johnson on 2007/11/01

The five positions of Taijiquan are: Advance, Retreat, Look, Gaze and Central Equilibrium.

1.
Advance: move forward.
2.
Retreat: step backwards.
3.
Look: size up the opponent.
4.
Gaze: examine the oppnent.
5.
Central Equilibrium: keep the balance and not fall down.

Chen Zhonghua Clips at the Taiji Tradition 2007 i

by Practical Method on 2007/10/14

Some Yilu moves.

Taiji Traditions 2007 Clips i

by Practical Method on 2007/10/14

Here is a clip of the activities at the 2007 Taiji Tradition.

 

Joined at the Waist i

by Practical Method on 2007/10/08

Another way Master Chen teaches the students how to stick to your opponent. Master Chen believes that one of the most common errors in modern Taijiquan training is the use of other energies before “Squeezing” (press) energy is developed. The sequence of the primary four energies are:
Peng as a initial energy
Lu as a change of direction based on Peng
Ji as a step in (further energy) in addition to Lu, and
An as a result of the three previous energies.

Most people perform the four energies in an unrelated manner. They will not have progression in this way.

In the video clip below, Master Chen Zhonghua shows how two people are tied up with rubber cords to experience “snot” (sticking) energy. The aim is to make the lower body move and power up, while making the upper body to adapt and to adhere.

Keep the Elbow In i

by Practical Method on 2007/10/08

One of the most difficult things to do in the CTS system is to keep the elbows in. Master says “the elbow must be no more than 3 inches from the ribcage.”
While we cannot take these words literally, it does remind us just how important it is to keep the elbows in. While the hand moves outwards, the elbow must always have the orientation of moving towards the center, or the Dantian.

Here, Master Chen Zhonghua uses rubber cords to ties the students down at the elbow so that they will always keep their elbows in.

Open and close in the kua 2

by Clinton Jurke on 2007/09/20

One of the more remarkable things about studying taijiquan is how learning a new concept changes your whole approach to how one practices the form. Read more

Dots, not Surfaces i

by Practical Method on 2007/08/20

This is a photo slide show of master Chen in 2007 on Daqingshan. At the end of the show, master Chen shows the concept of “dots, not surface” with a video clip.

Circles with Rubber Cords i

by Practical Method on 2007/08/20

In this video, master Chen Zhonghua shows the positive circle and negative circle using a rubber cord. This exercise is very effective in getting the pulling energy and the pushing energy to move along the correct line.

 from http://practicalmethod.com/?p=18680

 

 

youtube version

Questions about Practical Method Book of Hong Junsheng 7

by admin on 2007/07/12

Dear Master Chen
(please forward to master Chen)
My name is David Fadjar, and I appreciate very much your effort to translate GM Hong’s book. I have a question about Bow stance as described by GM Hong’s book (page 10) Read more

Chen Zhonghua’s Cannon Fist with in Fairfield, IA, USA in 2007 i

by webmaster on 2007/04/07

Rotation and Spirals i

by Dave Dahms on 2007/04/06

… Next is rotation and spirals. In any of the stances of the circles the weight on the feet is mostly caused by the torso and if your torso moves the weight will change. Therefore if your torso is truly rotating then the centre is not moving and you don’t shift so the weight should remain the same. And if your weight never changes and you are pushing hands, the opponent’s moves must be having no effect.

Also a rotation keeps the centre intact and a true centre is just a straight line but rotation is not enough you need another direction and that movement is downward. This creates a spiral. All the spiral does is move everything in such a way so that the straight line in the centre moves and remains a straight line.

Using the torso as an example. If your torso were to be rotating and moving downward or spiraling then any force that hits it will only be moving with it. This is because when a force comes in contact with a rotation the rotation is always moving 90 degrees to that force and in physics I learned that every force is made up of component forces. These components are just forces in different directions that when you add them up they are really only in one direction.

However there is no 90 degree component in any force. And the downward movement we do is also 90 degrees so if you move down as much as you rotate then the result is you are moving at a 45 degree angle with depth to the push. And there is so much talk about 45 degrees in Practical Method taiji. So if all body parts moved this way then they would all actually moving in straight lines.

Bullets and Rockets by David Dahms 3

by Dave Dahms on 2007/04/05

Master Chen this email is my thoughts on taiji and other things you have taught me and Read more

Do What You Claim -by David Dahms 5

by admin on 2007/04/05

Another obsevation I made is that pretty much everyone who has been doing taiji for Read more

How to bring the power out i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/20

In this video, Chen Zhonghua and Gord Muir showed how a structure can bring out power in Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method.
Read more

How to match your opponent’s power 1

by Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy on 2007/03/19

In this video Gordon Muir and I demonstrated how to match your opponent’s power with your angle changes and other subtle adjustments. Read more

Pivoting on foot i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/11

You can generate power by pivoting on your foot. Here is a clip from master Chen Zhonghua’s 2005 Taiji Tradition Camp in Victoria, BC, Canada.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlFW7GjBri4]

Go here for more on this topic:
http://wujimon.com/2007/what-does-a-camera-tripod-have-to-do-with-taiji/
http://hunyuantaiji.livejournal.com/

Encounters (video) at the Black Tiger Springs Park i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/10

Note: if you get this post from your bookmark, it is because we have change the website server so there is no chinese content anymore, please update your bookmark to http://practicalmethod.com or create a new one after clicking the home button

In the summer of 2004, Chen Zhonghua took a group of students to visit the Black Tiger Springs Park, where he received his Taijiquan training from Grandmaster Hong Junsheng. This is a brief video clip Read more

Chen Zhonghua and Carl Lindberg Video on the Great Wall in 2004 i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/09

Everyone knows how dedicated master Chen Zhonghua is about his teaching. All his students all have stories to tell about being thrown into the bed in hotel rooms late at night or in his basement. When it comes to Chen Style Taijiquan, master Chen Zhonghua Read more

Chen Zhonghua on Shandong TV in 2001 i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/09

Chen Zhonghua on the Great Wall 2004 i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/09

Some Yilu and Cannon Fist moves on the Great Wall in 2004. The video was filmed in the early morning in July.

陈中华老师2004年7月一天早5点在长城。一路和炮捶部分动作。


Chen Zhonghua Taiji Punch (Video) i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/09

One of the aims of Chen Style Taijiquan training is to achieve the ability of penetrating power. Read more

Chen Zhonghua 2005 Demonstrations in Athens i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/09

These are clips of Chen Zhonghua in 2005 and 2006 demonstrating Cannon Fist and Yilu in Victoria, Push Hands and Fajin in Athens, GA, USA Read more

Chen Zhonghua Fajin Demonstration in 2003 i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/09

These are some practice shots of Chen Zhonghua during his 2003 full time training course. Watch out for the following:
Whole body integrity, flow, power does not exceed limits, stops at the right place without over extension, center line always erect and upright, center line does not sway when changing direction of movements.

Half-Step: Integration of Technique and Power i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/07

Half-step is not unique to Xing Yi. It is an integral part of Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method footwork. It serves to integrate techniques so that power is allowed to come out. Most of the “Single Whip” moves start with the previous move stepping in a half-step manner into it.

Single Whip Applications and Variations i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/07

In this brief video, you can see how “Single Whip” is used in many ways. Mainly it is the interaction betwwen the forearm and the thigh on the same side. Read more

Yilu: 36. Turn Over Body and Double Kick (Er Qi Jiao) i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/07

After “Punch to the Ground”, you turn to the right and then double kick. This is the transition to the double kick. The first turn to the right is a right elbow strike. In this case, the previous move of “Punch to the ground” actually dodges the opponent’s punch or kick to the head. You then strike your opponent’s ribs with the elbow.

Yilu 4: Single Whip i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/07

After the right arm goes out to the right with the hand as a hook, the body turns left to drive the right arm to make a strong negative circle (power). In this video, in order to get into position, the master had to compromise his central equilibrium first. Best done without this loss.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYLblJ73ECU]

Yilu 62: Elbow Strike i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/07

Right arm positive circle while the waist turns left to set up. When executing, the waist turns right and then to the right again (two beats) while the right arm is doing one beat with elbow moving to the right in a negative (bottom portion) circle. In this video, the elbow was not physically used but the actions are exactly the same.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8E8GyjHdJo]

Yilu 68. Single Whip i

by Practical Method on 2007/03/07

This is the second last Single Whip in the Yilu routine. It is different from other Single Whip moves. Before, stepping to the left, the right hand does a deep positive circle and goes way down before coming to the finished position. Hong changed it to this way through his personal experiences. Here is how it is applied. Notice that the left leg did not step forward as required in the form. Read more

Go ahead… push me over… i

by Clinton Jurke on 2007/03/07

You don’t know Taiji

After seven years of studying Yang-style, I thought that I knew Taijiquan – very well. At 6’2” and 200lbs, push-hands came easy. The Yang philosophy of relax and turn fit well with my hippie thinking. But with forms named “Cannon-fist”, Chen-style raised my curiosity. How could this be Taiji?

Read more

Taiji Applications: Chen Zhonghua with Michael Calandra i

by admin on 2007/03/04

These are some Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method push hands and applications demonstrated by master Chen Zhonghua and Sensei Michael Calandra. Michael Calandra is an outstanding NY city Read more

Power cannot change direction, structure can. 2

by admin on 2007/02/09

We constantly work with two aspects of movement: power and structure. On the body the power must be on the outer limbs: Head, finger and feet. In relation to the opponent, the power (physically the outer limbs listed above) must always stay on (point at) the opponent’s center line. Read more

What would be the benefit of training both Chen and Hunyuan, instead of focusing on one or the other? 4

by daqingshan on 2007/02/09

I teach the two systems for two reasons:

  1. Personal bias. You can also call this respect for my two masters. I am a disciple of both systems and therefore, I find in my heart that I must teach both systems. This does not mean that I always teach both Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method and Hunyuan Taiji at the same time. Read more

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →