Originally written by: Ed Zolpis
Date: 11/26/2005 0:00
Title: Return to the Basics: Stepping in Chen Style Taijiquan
Reviewer: Ed Zolpis
Organizer: James Chan
Location: Ottawa
Comments: Notes: Master Joseph Chen’s Workshop –
Ottawa – November 26-27, 2005
Ed Zolpis
Points to remember re: Circle exercise-
-position of feet is so that when step to the side the feet are approximately 4.5 foot lengths apart with the back of the forward heel on the same line as the front of the toes of the back foot.
-the back foot is slightly turned out from being perpendicular while the front foot is at approximately 45 degrees outwardly
-kua is open with knees stretched out and body low
-open the body so that it feels as if the energy of the body on the inside is struggling against the form of the body
-the energy of the knees go in opposite directions to each other, i.e. front knee energy goes upward while back knee energy goes downward, without the knee actually moving
-try to keep movements inside the body not allowing them to become predominantly outward, i.e. involving body peripherals(limbs) dominating the movement – another demonstration of this is using upper limbs to hold opponent while move him with lower limbs
-to increase stability, everytime you move, drop body by 5%
-“Double Heavy” is when 2 body section lines are on the same line (parallel). This is unstable. Instead one should try to have these body lines at an angle to each other to increase stability.
-bounce energy in body from foot to foot to top of head
-when stepping use a slipping action so as to insure energy is going outwards
-3 concepts to remember are: 1)withdraw elbow, push hand
2)sink the “dang” (groin)
3)hand grinds out
-training check method – if want to check if a particular move/technique is following principles of body dynamics, multiply its force by 10 to see if it works without overstraining the body
It makes sense. The circle is the strongest form possible. Connecting circles using interlocking gears means the coordination of parts in order to support and connect the structure. Master Chen gives us yet another analogy of structure. Imagine holding a rock away from your body with a straight arm. It requires muscles and strength and this eventually weakens. Read more
Gene Hess
Date: 3/16/2005 1:00
Title: Qigong brought back my health
Reviewer: Gene Hess
Organizer: John Brown
Location: Fairfield, IA, USA
Comments: Interestingly enough, as I just finished another appointment with my chiropractor, he asked me what I have been doing differently lately. (I have been seeing him about once every three months, for about ten years, on a regular schedule, after I got stabilized from my car/train accident in 1987. He has always had the same ‘trouble’ spots that need to be realigned.) This time, he says that I am a lot more stabile and need far fewer adjustments. I tell him that I am standing every day for at least 30 minutes, focusing on keeping the curves in my spine minimized and keeping a centered posture. He says “Keep doing it. It is making a big difference!” That tells me that just 6 months of standing is some pretty powerful stuff.
There must be horizontal and vertical movements. The shape of the positive and negative “circles” is that of an egg. Not a true circle and not a 2D oval. The horizontal movement is mainly achieved by the hand, shoulder, waist, opposite kua, opposite knee, opposite foot line of the body while the vertical action is achieved by the shoulder, waist, kua, knee, foot line of the body. Read more
I’ve been involved in the martial arts for quite some time, but when I arrived in Edmonton I vowed that I’d “empty my cup” as many martial arts are told to do when they come to train with another master.
Practice taiji and doing taiji push hands is the exchange of position, time, and space. In taijiquan, this exchange is called “turning of the joint”. Time and space have five layers (dimensions). Chen style calls this spiral movement, or Peng Energy.
It is therefore East, West, North, South, and Center. In the human body, it is left hand, right hand, head, feet and huiyin. There are two feet but they only represent one direction: the lower/bottom position. They are split from the point of Dantian into two. Because they are one of the same, it is not a matter of which foot the weight should be on when we talk about double weight or double heavy.
Double heavy is a problem in the synchronization of the head, hands and foot. It takes at least ten years of practice to have a basic grasp of what this means.
The original of this was in a note form hand written by Chen Zhonghua.
The simple answer to the complex question of what the Full Time Program of Master Chen Zhonghua was like is: incredible! The practical information and skills that were presented has been voluminous and will give all the attendees enough knowledge to work with for many years. Read more
I sometimes read reviews of workshops given by masters and always view them with a ‘grain of salt’ being a somewhat critical and sceptical martial artist. I have been involved in martial arts since the early 1970’s. I’ve studied boxing, wrestling, judo, aikido, kick-boxing receiving black belt level degrees in several arts. In 1975 I was Canadian Middle-weight mixed martial arts full contact champion. For the last twenty years I’ve been pursuing skill in the internal arts with a focus on Ba Gua Zhang. I’ve attended numerous workshops and seminars offered by so-called ‘masters’ of internal arts. I am a teacher as well, possessing over 25 years of experience as a martial arts instructor.
Recently I renewed a friendship with an old martial arts buddy who had become involved in Chen Taiji. He also had travelled a similar road for about the same time looking for a genuine transmission of the real martial root of Taiji. He told me he’d found it in the person of an old style teacher of Chen practical old frame style. He spoke about the man with reverence and awe. I know Gord and he is a tough customer. He spoke about his teacher being able to throw him around like a rag doll. He spoke to me about Joseph Chen the International Standard Bearer for the Chen Fake-Hong Junsheng Lineage Chen Practical Style of Taiji. I was intrigued and began to work out with Gord and his group of students discovering what was the most genuine form of internal martial art I had ever encountered. I was fortunate to be able to attend a workshop offered by Master Chen in Langford, Victoria, BC on Dec. 4 & 5 of this year (2004).
I was impressed with the style as Gord taught it. I was astounded by Master Chen’s teaching and demonstrating. Every other internal ‘master’ I’ve ever studied with was unwilling to actually engage physically with me. Master Chen not only engaged in contact with me but handled my every move with apparent ease. I am 215 pounds of solid muscle at 6 feet tall. Master Chen is perhaps 5 foot 2 inches tall and maybe 115 pounds soaking wet. He invited me to feel the movements in his body as he, with precision of bio-mechanics and physics, explained and de-mystified the basic principles underlying the transmission of the Gong and the Fa of internal power. His style of presentation is magnetic and highly entertaining. He paces the workshop time well, interspersing hard practice drills with stories of Taiji’s theory and history.
I learned more about internal from him in one weekend than I’d learned and intuited in over 30 years of martial arts diligent study and practice. I am a better martial artist because of his precise explanations of the mechanics of internal power. He holds nothing back. In the tradition of his teacher Master Hong he shares freely both the application (Fa) as well as the foundation (Gong) that makes the applications work internally. I felt both silly and elated. Silly that I’d spent 30 years looking for a genuine transmission of an internal art and elated that finally in my 40’s I’ve met a generous man who I experientially know is a master of internal martial arts. If you are also sceptical and looking for the ‘real deal’ check out Master Chen if you have an opportunity.
Originally written by: Ted Truscott
Date: 12/8/2004 0:00
Title: Victoria Workshop on Self Defence
Organizer: Gordon Muir
Location: Victoria Link to pictures:
Comments: Master Chen proved to me that his tai chi was different from the tai chi I have experienced in the past. It has obvious combat applications in both the manipulation of your opponent’s balance and with the obvious creation of striking power.
He also proved that it will take a very long time for me to be able to emulate his methodology! 🙂
I found him to be very personable and friendly and very open with his teaching. An A+ for sure.
Ted Truscott Sandan Shorin-Ji Ryu Karate
Dec. 8, 2004
Originally written by: Ian Macrae
Date: 10/23/2004 0:00
Title: Victoria Workshop on Self Defence
Organizer: Gordon Muir
Location: Victoria
Comments:
Whether because it was in a karate dojo, or because quite a few of the participants had martial arts backgrounds, or for some other reason, I felt that the Victoria workshop brought home Chen style taiji’s, and CZH’s, martial roots and purpose. CZH focused on applications and the theory behind them. He presented practical drills and exercises designed to help you understand the theory so you could make the taiji applications work. One of the great things about studying with CZH is that he is very much hands on. Both days, each student got many opportunities to touch him and feel the taiji principals and applications at work. The two person drills weren’t metaphysical exercises, but were actual martial applications. CZH had a wealth of taiji information and knowledge which he shared during breaks from the physical work. A very worthwhile workshop.
Ian Macrae
Seattle
Written by a 2004 Sept. Edmonton Full Time student
On a drive through my neighbourhood, you pass a church which always has cheesy homilies that frequently bring on a personal gag reflex, but seem to provide inspiration for others. This time it decried “To achieve joy, one must experience it through the birth of pain.” After contemplating the usual negative thoughts about this sign it was possible to apply this platitude to Taiji. Read more
After appointing Li Enjiu as the standard bearer for Hong Junsheng’s Taijiquan in 2002, the Hong family appointed Chen Zhonghua as the international standard bearer for Hong’s Practical Method system on June 19th, 2005. The ceremony was held at the First Annual International Symposium of Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method System. Standard Bearer Li Enjiu attended and presided over the ceremony. Hong Junsheng’s senior son Hong Youren came from Cangzhou for this special occasion. He issued the official certificate to Chen Zhonghua on behalf of the Hong family. On this historical day, Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method enthusiasts from China and abroad gathered at the second floor of the Shun Geng Shan Zhang International Conference Center in Jinan. Read more
“In my 16 years as a NYC police officer, I have seen it all. As a long time Karate Sensei, I have never seen martial skill like Master Chen.”Michael Calandra, NYC, 2003|
Name: Patrick Yu
Location: EDMONTON
Workshop title: 2000 Summer Edmonton Push Hands Workshop
Date: Wednesday, August 30, 2000
Comments:
Thanks Shifu Chen. He is very generous to give the teaching, only in a short time, I know how to push-hands from hands only to use my waist and legs; from one direction to become a turning ball; from yin or yang only to line up my energy. I have the basis kung-fu for my future training, I will appreciate it all my life.
Comments
After attending Joseph’s 48-workshop, then I realize what appears to the simplest move contains the deepest philosophy. I came out with much higher respects to Taiji and Joseph.
Comments
Every moment with Joseph serves to be a learning experience, however this particular workshop has proved to be very much so in that a number of principles that have eluded me for the past two years suddenly appeared. One in particular; the transfer of energy from the hip to the heel without going through the knee was one concept I have “missed” in earlier training. Never think that any amount of training with Joseph is not productive. Even fifteen minutes can give you that understanding that you have been seeking. You just never know.
Yaron Seidman
“My own experiences in my time working with Master Chen include feeling like I’m suddenly standing on ice; The floor bounces me upward like I’m on a trampoline; A two-ton weight is pressing me down; I can’t lift my feet; My knees go weak; I’m shooting through the air as if launched by a cannon. I have also felt a tap of a punch blow right through me and a tap to the belly makes me want to vomit.” Yaron Seidman, martial artist and Chinese medical doctor, New York, 2000.
At the end of March, I attended a Chen Family Taijiquan Weekend seminar that lasted two days. The seminar was conducted by Master Chen Zhonghua. Master Chen is full of energy with eyes beaming with spirit. Read more
Peter Wu led a two-day push-hands workshop in Ottawa, November 11 and 12, 1999. It was the fifth workshop of his North American tour. Other workshops that he held were in Vancouver, Edmonton, Regina, and Winnipeg. In the United States, Atlanta and San Francisco were his other stops. Read more
The history of human conflict is dotted with the names of famous martial artists. Although each is known for his high level of skill, some became famous because of their extreme brutality and cruelty, while others became famous for their compassion, and virtuous character. One martial artist who is well known for his acts of compassion and virtuous character is the legendary Taijiquan master Chen Fake. Read more
Because there have been many educated people practicing Taijiquan many periodicals on Taijiquan have been published, even before liberation [1949]. Read more
