Part one of the Yilu correction.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 44 min. In: English Year: 2020 Difficulty:3/5 At:Edmonton Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy
Chen Zhonghua’s single person push hand drills series.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 2 min. In: English Year: 2020 Difficulty:4/5 At:Edmonton Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy
Due to Covid-19, cities are locked down and travel is restricted. Practical Method workshops by Master Chen Zhonghua have been cancelled sihce Mar 2020. When there are new problems, there are new solutions. Master Chen Zhonghua is now offering Zoom online classes, which fill a large part of the gap when workshops are not possible. In fact, I would say that we get to interact with and learn from him more often than ever. Read more
Today, Master Chen corrected the following students’ partial yilu:
- Karen Mattox
- Gerry Gebhart
- Albert Chung
Single Whip
Master Chen used the foot shovelling out in single whip as an example to talk about the concept of using a stick to pry open something. We shove the stick into a crack, then the front end of the stick cannot move anymore and stays in the same place. We can then make the crack bigger by prying with the stick. The key is that the one of the stick is not moving. As we pry, we may meet resistence, we can add a longitudinal rotation as we pry, it will allow the stick to go over the resistence. Regarding the single whip, we want to make sure that the toes do not point up as we shovel so that we can apply the longitudinal rotation on the entire left leg. As we shovel the left foot, the weight must stay on the right foot. As we shift over to half horse stance, the longitudinal rotation on the left leg occurs at the same time. Read more
When practicing the transition from white crane spreads its wings to brush the knee, I was told I have corners. Master Chen then demonstrated how to perform the technique without breaking structure (without protrusions or indentations). Following that correction, Master Chen mentioned that at the beginning, the movement will look awkward. This is because in an attempt to do the moves correctly one will move in steps, and these steps will be large. If we look at the movement of water, it seems to be continuous however when examined scientifically, even the movement of water and air is broken down into steps. If a human step is measured in feet, then water is measured in one billionth of a foot.
While explaining the transitions form posture to posture, Master Chen demonstrated how to move through stretching. This involved having all the parts involved in the appropriate gear. (Not having one part too large or too small so power would not get stuck, or be lost.) This led to a demonstration of how different body parts stretch against each other. The lesson then turned into “how to learn”.
After his previous demonstration, Master Chen asked us how we should practice the skill he just demonstrated. Everyone present gave an answer, none of them were correct. We were told that this is a common issue. There was a specific exercise Master Chen demonstrated and it needed to be copied exactly: the body posture, the movement, and even getting a partner who places their hands as reference points. One must watch, feel, and record the exercise in writing so they can try to replicate it. Master Chen added that proper notes are better than video because you can write down the feeling right after the experience, the video does not record the feeling.
— Anton
Chen Zhonghua’s Sept. 10, 2020 Online Lesson on Yilu Corrections.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 65 min. In: English Year: 2020 Difficulty:2/5 At:Edmonton Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy
In this video, Chen Zhonghua corrected John Dahms Cannon Fist form. John Dahms is a disciple of Chen Zhonghua. He started Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method with Chen Zhonghua in 2002 when he was 18 year old.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 17 min. In: English Year: 2020 Difficulty:3/5 At:Edmonton Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy
Wed Sept 9, Edmonton, Alberta; approx 8 PM local time
Impromptu training with GM…how to move…
Chen Zhonghua corrected Brennan Toh’s Cannon Fist form in this video.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 24 min. In: English Year: 2020 Difficulty:3/5 At:Edmonton Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy
Six Sealing Four Closing 六封四闭
Grandmaster Hong Junsheng studied the names of each move. He looked into the origin of these names, and how the pronounciation might have changed when the information was passed down based on the dialect of the region. The dialects in China can be so different that people from one region might not understand people from another region at all.
Read more
Master Chen Zhonghua’s Sept. 7th, 2020 Online Lesson on Foundations.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 73 min. In: English Year: 2020 Difficulty:1/5 At:Edmonton Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy
Chen Zhonghua talks and demonstrates the weight distribution of Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 2 min. In: English Year: 2020 Difficulty:1/5 At:Edmonton Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy
Master Chen demonstrated the Positive Circle today.
Monday Tai Chi at Roadrunner Park. Cannon Fist. Yilu warmup, then drills with jumps and first section. It’s quite a cardio workout. Read more
Practical Method Chen Style Taijiquan Classes around Queenstown Read more
Chen Zhonghua’s basic single person push hand drill series.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 2 min. In: English Year: 2020 Difficulty:4/5 At:Edmonton Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 27 min. In: English Year: 2020 Difficulty:2/5 At:Edmonton Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy. This is the last part of Anton’s Yilu correction.
Master Chen demonstrated the foundation exercise Moving-Step Shake the pole, which is the positive and negative circle. He held a real pole to begin with to show the idea behind the foundation exercise. He locked his fron hand, which was holding the pole as a pivot. The rear hand moved the pole. Read more
Master Chen Zhonghua’s Toronto Workshop March 2020-4
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 9 min. In: English Year: 2020 Difficulty:2/5 At: Toronto, Canada
Master Chen performed a magic trick. No one saw what he did. Once he told us, we could then see it. Would you like to see it too?
Chen Zhonghua’s online lesson on Foundations. This episode is on the Pole-shaking exercise, which is a left-hand negative circle, right hand positive circle moving step combination. The exercise is designed for training without the pole.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 73 min. In: English Year: 2020 Difficulty:2/5 At:Edmonton Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy
Chen Zhonghua’s Online Lesson on Sept. 2, 2020.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 73 min. In: English Year: 2020 Difficulty:2/5 At:Edmonton Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy
Chen Zhonghua corrected John Dahms’ first 13 moves of Yilu in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Sept. 1, 2020.
Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 13 min. In: English Year: 2020 Difficulty:3/5 At:Edmonton Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy
Master Chen corrected a few people’s partial yilu today. Each person should remember himself/herself the stopping point, and so it can be continued from that point in future lessons when it is that person’s turn for correction again.
To stretch, we need to so find anchors on the two ends.
Empty means solid, it means power.
We need to find a line in ourselves. Master Chen showed Tinh Thai a version of fetch water that line up her rear elbow with the front hand. We need to make sure that the front shoulder is not in the way.
If we want to have grip in the hands, we need to have grip in the teeth and in the toes.
Chen Zhonghua taught the important concept of the frontal vertical line in Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method. This is a must to have. Presenter: Chen Zhonghua Length: 67 min. In: English Year: 2020 Difficulty:4/5 At:Edmonton Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy
Rotation of front shoulder and front kua in positive circle.
Front shoulder and kua is the rotational vertical axis, which does not move. Read more
Rear shoulder hold on the way out (controlled release)
5 points fighting outward, everything else fights inward
Lock shoulders head, only cave in the chest to drive hand out. Put hand on chest and move it down as hand goes out to train the right intent.
Clear – locked part must be locked, moving part must be moving
Front kua needs to rotate in turn with waist. It looks like it comes up towards the shoulder.
Raise of kua up when coming in, chest pushes down when coming out
Rear shoulder must not move when turning waist. Front kua and shoulder has a large move.
Rotate your spine not your head. Don’t move your eyes. Only a rotation, no movement.
Don’t move hand backwards.
Homework, 6 sealing 4 closing, face on to mirror, don’t let rear shoulder move, but it rotates. 1000x.
Dao shou – to change the orientation of the hand. Coming in, it’s pulling from elbow. Going out, the hand pulls the arm.
Every body part has a role, but which ones are primary and which ones are secondary (only getting out of the way).
Knee up knee down. Like a physically solid structure like a bike and the pedals are the knees. Feels like a foot and a half, but it looks like no move.
6 sealing 4 closing. First one is 70 rear, 30 front. Front becomes long back becomes short. Second one switches the pivot to the rear side of body (rear shoulder/kua axis).
Recently I understood how to continue a stretch by switching to different body parts.
- For a while I had experienced tightness in the shoulder while performing Yilu. This is also apparent when practicing Basic Foundations, specifically in a three count Positive Circle right between Step 2 and Step 3.
- In a recent online lesson on 18th August 2020, an Master Chen gave an instruction on second count of the Positive Circle. Excerpt from Kelvin Ho’s notes http://practicalmethod.com/2020/08/64906/ In the 3-count positive circle: In with elbow, turn with kua, out with hand. When we do turn with (front) kua, the rear kua does not move. This action itself has already started to drive the hand out. When the front kua can’t go anymore, we open the armpit, and the rear knee while the rea kua is still not moving.
- After practicing according to this instruction by sequentially focusing on (1) opening the front kua, then (2) the rear knee and armpit. This completely changed my Basic Foundations and Yilu.
- When splitting in step (1), there is a clear ‘hit’ point where continuing the action beyond this will cause the front shoulder to get stuck, the chest will pop, and the torso will toss sideways.
- By locking in position at the ‘hit’ point and switching to open the rear knee and armpit without moving the rear kua, the split in step (1) is continued while the body itself remains stable.
Practising this throughout Yilu and all of the Basic Foundations it suddenly became clear to me today that there is a three way split occurring. Implementing this concept every move in Yilu took forty two minutes.
Example – Six Sealing Four Closing
The result is as follows:
-
Front Kua splits to
-
Rear Kua / Front Shoulder / Front Knee
-
Rear Knee / Front Elbow / Front Heel
-
Rear Heel / Front Finger / Front Toes
Keep in mind it was only necessary to follow the simple instruction to create the result.
Considerations:
-
These moves are sequential.
-
What is done must be maintained. Nothing can be undone.
-
Overall there is only one outcome of splitting on the 45 degree line.
-
In each segmented step, the action is on a specific body part. In order not to break this action, the other body parts adjust in position without themselves moving.
-
Different body parts are used to complete the one action in a sequential order.
-
In the final step, the end result is that the power is on the front finger and rear heel.
Related:
This is Master Chen Zhonghua’s official teaching version of the relationship between the two hands in all taiji moves. This mini video was taped on August 25, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Read more
Six Sealing Four Closing
- Hands don’t move. Create a line between the front hand and rear foot. Read more
Zoom lecture with Master Chen and Kelvin Ho covering six sealing four closing.
