Chen Yu Vid Clip

Chen Yu Vid Clip

I found this video clip of Chen Yu. I really admire his performance. Hope you all enjoy. Please click on the link above, embedding was disabled.

Expressions of Power

Watched this vid clip with great interest. There is no question he expresses fajin very well and very strongly. Different than what we do. I believe he is truly skilled at what he does. I was impressed.

Chen Tai Chi and "Talking"

Many years ago, I studied with William CC Chen, his tai chi form. I chose him as an instructor because I respected his history as a teacher and promoter of Tai Chi as a fighting art. His explanations were based on biomechanics and he could demonstrate power, practicality and application. My current teacher, Master Yu Guo Shun, also is a great teacher and able to demonstrate practical application, and explains things in simple and concise terms. More importantly, he demystifies and demonstrates with ease and in such a way, that the student can apply motion from the form quickly with a minimum of fuss.

In over 30 years of personal study and examination into teaching media going over Tai Chi principles, one thing becomes abundantly clear, some people will just show and do, and other teachers will talk, and talk. In my own opinion, those people that talk and talk do so to confuse and misguide, as opposed to actually passing on anything of practical use. Why the need to say so much and show yet so little?

Shifu will always tell us, that every motion we need to have ward off. Hence, we understand that whatever motion we are doing, we need to be aware of how our elbow is positioned relative to our own bodies. Then Shifu will say something like, in this move, we can circle around an arm, or we are coming under an arm to do "this" or "that." Now the students have an understanding of what we are trying to do with a given motion. Compare that to a vid clip I was just looking at, where a fellow is describing a pivot point about the middle of the forearm, and how if the elbow goes down, the hand comes up... and that as the elbow moves inward, the energy goes out towards the fingertips... uh, okay....are you guys getting the picture?

Shifu is a very humble man and he truly wants all of his students to learn properly. I say, don't be fooled by a big name or someone who just talks a lot. Instead find a teacher that will spend his time TEACHING, instead of passing on some nonsense.

I do believe there are some amazing practitioners out there, but I seriously wonder how many of them really are about passing on the art, or are they dangling something in front of an audience to make them feel they need to pay and pay and pay, and not understand what they are receiving.

I think i'm in love...

This competitor is Fan Yun, unfortunately i'm wayyyy too old for her, but she has me infatuated, lol. On a serious note, it's not Chen but it is tai chi, so you'll all allow me a brief moment of going 'outside' the usual topic here... hope you all enjoy.
This set brought tears to my eyes! I'm a fan!

Jian in Competition

This clip is of my senior and friend, Andres. He is competing here with a sword form modified for exhibition and tournament. IMO, he looks terrific here. Andres is a great example of Shifu's teaching.

Our Thursday and Sunday Training Location

The picture above shows the address and entrance to where we are having class on Sunday morning and Thursday evening. I like the location a lot! The areas we train in are well-lit, it's warm and there is space to move. It was my first class back after several weeks and it was truly wonderful to see my friends and Shifu again.
More later!

Interesting Vid Clip

I enjoyed this clip. I don't agree necessarily with all that was stated here, but I do like the focus on martial application. I also was very curious about the form shown at the end.

Here in NYC, we are so fortunate to have Shifu (Master Yu Guo Shun) teaching us, because of his skill level, his desire to pass onto us skill and ability, and his emphasis on martial application. I personally feel that Shifu makes it unneccesary for me personally, to travel to china in search of Chen Taiji.

Cutting with A Broadsword

This is an example of cutting with a chinese broadsword. I think it is a neat thing that all students who train with weapons should do eventually.

The Many Talents of Shifu - Yu Guo Shun

Here is a new vid clip of Shifu performing Tai Chi praying mantis.
Shifu is available to teach this art as well as Chen Tai Chi.

Wu Jing - Tai Chi Master Movie

Even though I have trained in martial arts for quite a few decades, it is always fun to find a neat kung-fu movie that wakes up the imagination and can inspire us to train harder, whether in class or outside class.

The clip above is from a movie that is difficult to find here in the US. But it is clearly one of my favorite ones that represent Tai Chi in a good way.



The main actor is Wu Jing. Sometimes he is also known as Jacky Wu. If you find this movie, it's a captivating couple of hours in my opinion!

Cloud Water

This is one of my favorite video clips of Shifu. I absolutely love the song that accompanies the clip. It is called, "Cloud Water."

Our Sunday Training Location Has Changed

Our new location for training on Sundays. Same time, different spot.
Same awesome training by Master Yu Guo Shun! Will update after Sunday's sessions with a better pic of the location! Hope to see you all there Sunday! We will be at:
M.S. 131. The address is: 100 Hester Street.

Another Clip of Chen Yu teaching...

Found this clip, watch the action of the waist/hip with this motion!

Join our public facebook group about Chen Tai Chi!

Hi!
I just started a public facebook group for everyone interested in Chen Tai Chi.
I sure hope you all join up and participate. Let's share news, events, pics, vid clips, thoughts and discussion about Chen Tai Chi in a friendly and welcome environment!
hope to see you there.
Public Chen Tai Chi Group on Facebook

Low Stance May Equal Low Kicks... of course, can be more, too...

This is one of my favorite moves, and also difficult for me. One of my classmates, practices this cool move that drops into a hurdler's split then pops back up into the next motion. I asked Shifu what was the rationale for the low stance and he proceeded to show me a bunch of different low line kicks and attacks that would impact upon the ankle and support limb of an opponent. I'd never considered or thought of attacking like that in such a manner before. To me, it was very much an eye opener and gives me more ambition to stretch and try to develop the skill to hit that low stance better and maybe even try that hurdler's stretch position one day.

Addition of a Step... Maybe Helps in Understanding Application

I asked Shifu about the motion leading into this position in class for clarification. Shifu explained the sometimes the way we practice the form, a given motion my be just to focus on the intention of a movement; however, if we break it down and then perhaps add in a step, as we conclude into a given position the meaning may become more clear.

Shifu always tells us that as we practice the form, first we focus on our bodies, making sure we know how to get into a given movement correctly and that we have good alignment making our stances strong, and the body strong and healthy without stressing any of our joints. THEN the next step would be to begin examining more closely the meaning of a given motion. If the motion isn't clear, then sometimes having a meaning to a given motion helps us into the sequence a bit better.

One of the ways in which we can practice our basics is to repeat a given motion over and over. One way is to practice a step into a motion, over and over. Sometimes we can practice a motion without a step. This way we can use component pieces of the skills we have learned in a different fashion depending upon the variables of fighting.

The Push

The push in the form is generally done about chest height. Shifu explained that we should have the hands in front of our bodies, now, we can rotate the position of our bodies, and our hands will be generally chest height and in front of our chest; however we want to make sure our flow of energy is not uneven or our hands in an awkward position. In application, the direction of the push can be in any direction and any angle, however we still follow the principle of keeping the hands in front of our bodies.

Stepping and Striking

The strike shown above is a two step sequence, the way we do it in class. At the completion of the step, the strike can be a punch, it could be a push, it could be a palm attack. The step used is an interesting motion, and many students get confused by it.

One student asked if the footwork shown was advocating a particular type of attack or entry we could use with push hands. Shifu explained to us that the step interpretation is dependent upon the situation we are caught in at the time. How is our opponent different from us? Is he bigger, taller, shorter, stronger, etc, and what have we done to him or her as we go to apply this motion here. Hence application is always dependent upon relative things in regards to an opponent.

Some students have a prior bias and inclination towards push hands practice. Shifu always encourages us to learn pushhands, but feels that on occasion, it may be unrealistic if the practitioners are pushing and pushing too long, whereas in actual fighting the contact time is generally much shorter; hence, we don't have that 'listening' time before we try to apply a given counter.

A Change in a Year - A Bigger Family

We had an impromptu Saturday lunch/dinner and many of the students of Shifu showed up the other day. There were over 20 of us all together, and smiles and laughter were abound and people were sharing stories, singing was taking place, and we were a large group of people united in common love of Chen Tai Chi and our teacher, Yu Guo Shun.

I remembered last year, we had a similar gathering, but it was a much smaller crowd that was there. It sure pleases me to see all the happy faces that were present. It was neat to meet others we hadn't known before, and it was super cool, to exchange stories, ideas, jokes and a happy time outside of training. I am very grateful to see that Shifu is steadily building up his family of students I am amazed at how very nice and very friendly, without egos affecting the flow of energy in the room.

Is it Chen Tai Chi or is it Shifu that has resulted in such a fine mix of people there? I think it is both, for sure, Shifu is a masterful teacher, and works very hard at sharing his art with us. And it is such a wonderful art, with throws, locks, strikes, kicks, ideals and beautiful effectiveness, and I believe it fills all of us with a greater appreciation of our lives and the potential we all have to grow, improve and be happy.

We have a really awesome group of people in our Kung Fu group that spans ages of kids on up, and everyone there yesterday, I believe is a reflection of Shifu and his devoted teaching. I believe we are all proud of Shifu, and proud to be a part of his Kung Fu family. I feel so blessed to have these friends in my life. Thank you to all of you who attended yesterday. Thank you to all who will come and join us in the future. May Shifu live a super long time, and may we all grow happier and be stronger and better every day, every chance we have a chance to train and get to see one another.

The Thighs of Chen Tai Chi!

A bunch of us were gathered around a table, and we were bemoaning the various aches pains we had gotten over the months we had been training, when one of the guys said, "y'know my thighs have definitely gotten MUCH bigger." Laughing, we all began talking about the sizes of our thighs...

"Well, my right thigh is definitely bigger than my left thigh..."
"Ha! Do you end up walking around in circles?"
"Maybe you should practice sometimes the opposite way, to achieve a better balance?"

There's no question that training in Chen Tai Chi, we have all gotten much stronger, and I think many of us take a perverse delight in the gains we have achieved from our training. I think that is a good thing. For too long the world has gotten the impression that tai chi is but flowery movements meant for health and moving meditation, but when we gather in a group, hopefully the outside world sees a bunch of smiling guys and ladies, with powerful thighs... and hopefully, for just a brief moment they take pause... and just maybe, one or two of them may think to themselves..."wow! Those people look strong, and they look like they are doing tai chi, and they are sweating, and they sure look like they are having an awesome time!"

Usually folks think about smaller guts, rounder butts, a bigger chest when they work out. I know my friends and I, we're proud of our Chen Tai Chi thighs! : )

Knee Strikes and Applications

It was a funny moment. I was trying to ask my senior in class to show me something, and Shifu overheard me. "What is the problem?" "Nothing, Shifu, I just wanted to see something." "What did you want to see?" lol... well, I got a whole explanation again, lol, not that I ever did get a chance to see what I was originally looking for... ; )

Shifu chastised me for forgetting that our intention would dictate how we were moving or aligning our hands in preparation for the knee strike. He demonstrated to me, how if I were applying a technique off of the L side, or the L arm, how we would move, and how it would look... then, he should me a different technique on the R side of the opponent. He explained... if you understand a technique from the Left, you should understand a technique from the Right.

As we were working the technique, I found myself quickly fatiguing and unable to move my knee as I wanted to without a lot of effort. This clearly goes to point out my lack of core strength and need to practice more raising my knee up to more easily execute the technique. For this week, that will be my assignment.

Funny how our head position can change everything else...

I was asking Shifu yesterday about the above positioning as I was not sure of the intention and correct alignment. Shifu explained that the Left side shoulder/elbow, knee and foot form one straight line, in order that we are in the best optimal position. Our gaze is immediately to the front of the left foot. In this way, the right upper back/lower right shoulder position has correct energy and stability in the position. IF we were to raise our head up, or turn towards the R elbow, that energy in the upper back/lower right shoulder is lost.

For application, we did a pulling action with the R hand, as the L elbow would apply a greater force to torque or strike an opponent's limb.

Advice for Practice

As we were practicing in class yesterday, Shifu suggested the following: As you get tired, it is ok for your stance to go a little higher; however, your arms and body shoule not get tired so, try to make sure that your upper body and hands are in the correct position. Shifu strongly recommends that in class, when the mirrors are available to be sure to check one's positioning during the forms.

Shifu made a point of going over the correct foot positioning and explained that: "imagine your feet as grabbing or gripping the floor. This way you will have a firm foundation with your legs/knees/ ankles correctly positioned so you are strong and not likely to injure yourself while training."

As always, Shifu was full of useful advice for us trying to improve.

Shifu Demonstrating at Tournament

It's a shame that there is an idiot camera man floating around like that, but still we can get the flavor of Shifu's Chen forms in the demo. I know for sure that was an impromptu kind of thing.

Shifu is so precise, his movements are all accurate and detailed like no one else's i've seen.

Hope you all enjoy.

Try Not to Forget the Forms

In class today, one of my seniors asked if I remembered the Jian (straight sword) form.
Embarrassingly I was lost at different parts of the form. Also, while practicing, I felt awkward and out of balance; clearly, I was very rusty, and realized again the different attributes cultivated out of practicing the Jian form.

I personally know Lao Jia Yi Lu, the Jian form and the old,classical Dao (broadsword) form. After today's poor performance, I have resolved today to renew my practice of the 3 forms regularly to make sure I don't forget again. Each of the forms is a challenge to the body, and each has its own demands. Shifu has told me repeatedly that by practicing the weapons forms, my empty hand forms will definitely benefit. Wish me luck!
J

Seven Possibles to Consider for this one...

Today Shifu told us there are 7 possibilities for this segment of Single Whip. LOL foolish me, I thought and had written earlier that there were 5. Well, that is the thing, as we go to class and we train and we understand more we realize that we become more ready to understand more. That is why we need to practice over and over and over again. It's not just about looking good, or trying to move beautifully, but it is about learning how to CONTROL how our bodies will work in a variety of situations to apply given techniques.

In this position, I know I need to practice spiralling my hips both up and down depending upon intention, and that there are a multitude of techniques to apply on EITHER side, PLUS, learning to have the body motion to support and make hand strikes and techniques more powerful in application. Very deep, very subtle, over time, we learn more and more about this system, Chen Tai Chi is really incredible and so high level.

Differences in Application... More Missing Details

I love Chen Tai Chi so very much because of all the slight nuances which make the art so deep and sophisticated. The training is not easy because of the leg strength we need, and the fine balance we are trying to cultivate between agility, mobility, and stability while applying the correct spiral energy to direct a given technique appropriately. Chen practice is such a challenge that I love and look forward to eagerly.

I'm always amazed and in awe, when I realize that a motion may LOOK like it is the same in all the repetitions of the movement, but when Shifu has time to watch us carefully, and he notes to us, the nuances we are missing I am very grateful that he clearly wants us to learn correctly and that we are practicing true Kung Fu and NOT just a dance type of thing. Suffice to say, sometimes a move is direct and goes directly down; other times, a move may go forward in it's energy and intention.

Details Again...

It is a bummer when I start getting tired and can't hold my stances while Shifu is correcting me. Sometimes the legs just give out, and cramps grip my sides as I try to shift and spiral my hips downwards while doing the appropriate knee bump and upper hands motions to execute an appropriate application. The good thing is that when I see a picture of the movement, I will remember the application, and be able to seek out a new interpretation for the motion later.

Shifu was on to me today, lol, he said, "oh, when you get tired, you start to rush the movement... remember to breathe and maybe raise your stance up a little bit when you are tired, but don't rush the motion..."

My Kung Fu Family

Days like today, I feel very blessed. I have my immediate family to which I am very close and they make me truly happy most of the time. It is often said that "friends are the family we choose, because we are born into families by chance and we have no choice in the matter."

I have such a great feeling of family, and love to see all the members of my Chen Tai Chi family here in NYC. I look forward so incredibly much to every class I can get to and see the welcoming and smiling faces of my friends in class. It is a feeling and experience of training together in the art which gives us so much as we struggle to learn and grow. I laugh and smile often in class, while sweating and suffering through low stances, shaking muscles, and trying hard to do things just right. And I know the people next to me understand what I am going through. My seniors and Shifu, are so understanding, and accepting and encouraging. They truly are great people that make me so happy to spend time with them.

Chen Tai Chi is an integral part of my life now. Even though, I may only get to a class once a week now, my practice and my mind/heart/emotions and thoughts are of class and my family there.

Instructors that complicate things...

I was just looking over a vid clip where an instructor was describing how to do a step in the forms. He had his poor student clearly confused and trying to absorb the movement; frankly, I couldn't follow the guy's instruction either. When Shifu teaches that step, he just shows us, and has us do it. If we don't do it well to his satisfaction, Shifu, will often have us repeat it, over and over again. We learn with the experience and we have the correct motion. Without rotating the dantian this way or that way, sometimes, if the instructor doesn't understand but is teaching, they try to explain the best way they know how. We cannot fault someone for not knowing something, but they had better know something is missing when they see a TRUE expert showing them the same motion. Keep the instructions as simple as possible, and let the student get reps in.
J

Internet Experts

I've been involved in martial arts since 1971, and have met hundreds of teachers since that time. One of my pet peeves are the american practitioners who like to make use of "chinese quotations" or "names of techniques," when trying to show me or tell me how good they are. It's a thing of where, I may say, "don't do this or do that because (insert chinese word or phrase here) will be exposed or off center, or that some "mysterious" energy will be lost or misaligned. I call BULLSHIT on that.

My teacher, doesn't speak english well, yet he manages to get the point across to all of us WITHOUT using any of that nonsense. He will DEMONSTRATE to us his point to make it clear in a very frank and PRACTICAL, useful way, that we quickly understand, and can also show and demonstrate to others. It kills me when I read crap about this energy or that energy, and whether or not someone can see it at a distance or whatever, yeesh. Chen Tai Chi is a fighting art, not a mystical thing.

I often wonder why people will spend thousands of dollars on training and what they are learning. I am very grateful that I have found my teacher here in NYC. No nonsense, and no bullshit, he simply teaches and SHOWS.

There are so many students I've met that have trained for years with this guy or that guy, and frankly, it's appalling. Even me, back in the day, i've trained with a bunch of well known names, and I tell you, I did not see Chen Tai Chi until I met Shifu. He doesn't like me to brag or boast about him, he his very humble, but I strongly encourage all of you to come and see his level. You should not be surprised how much you will learn from him with just a few moments of instruction.
J

A Real Dao or Broadsword

I personally think that all weapons practitioners need to have a true weapon in addition to a training one. The picture above is from the following website:
http://www.sevenstarstrading.com/site/huanuo/
I think they have good materials and the owner/operator of the website is a well-known teacher of practical sword cutting. Check it out!

Master Yu Guo Shun Demonstrates Broadsword

This is one of my favorite video clips of Shifu demonstrating. This is a competition form he used to win in China with the broadsword.

Shifu is an incredibly well-rounded martial artist, and in addition to his specialty in teaching Chen Tai Chi, he is also an instructor in Long Fist and Tai Chi Praying Mantis as well. Shifu teaches private lessons here in the NYC area.

Chen Xiao Wang does Chen Broadsword

The above vid clip shows the Chen style Broadsword as taught by most Chen Tai Chi practitioners.

Shifu also teaches a couple of old classic sword/broadsword forms as well in our curriculum. In my opinion, we can never learn too many weapons forms.

Examples of Applications

While I don't agree with all of the apps shown here, I applaud this gentleman for his very obvious serious intent and practice and for being willing to show his interpretations which aren't bad at all! He inspires me and I am proud that he is a Chen practitioner. He is representing in an excellent manner!

Hiding Our Precious Treasures

I calmed down one of my Kung Fu brothers today. While he doesn't do Chen Tai Chi, he does do Chinese Kung Fu, AND he is a member of my clan, in Kali training. He was very upset that some fool was badmouthing Chinese martial arts in general, and had very little to say that was positive about anything, actually.

Truth be told, many years ago, I was an arrogant moron myself and could relate to why that fellow was behaving in the way he was. Fortunately, for myself, whenever I decided to try to learn another martial art, I KNEW to always keep my mouth shut, and learn and do whatever was asked of me. In this way, I've always been blessed to find great teachers wanting to share their arts.

The world is a much 'smaller' place now. I can write on this blog and people can see what I write from all over the planet. It is cool and I feel an obligation to share the truth and what I am blessed to learn with others.

Chen Tai Chi is a wonderful art and I am so grateful to know it. We should all be thankful to Chen Fake for opening up his art for the world to see in Peking during the early 20th century. This was the first time Chen Tai Chi was taught to the public.

I am very grateful for all the teachers willing to share their respective martial arts. Too many systems have fallen into obscurity when they were no longer passed on to other individuals. However, I do understand why teachers would choose NOT to teach a given individual. In those instances, I believe that someone who isn't worthy shouldn't be given our gifts.

Internal vs External

The picture above is of Chen Yu showing applications within Chen Tai Chi forms. It's pretty clear, I think from the pic that tai chi can be used effectively in various fight situations if we train appropriately and if that is our end goal.

In class we were discussing internal and external training methodology. The result and the application may be identical or similar, but the practice method is what separates Chen Tai Chi as an internal practice, compared to say, Choy Li Fut or Shaolin Kung Fu.

Keep an open mind as we all learn and develop and grow. Have respect for ALL martial arts, so they respect us as well. But understand what we practice, so we can explain and justify our methods, too. While we are not Shifu yet, we all are teachers as we are all students; sometimes, we just teach ourselves, it's all good.

Have pride in our art... it has a history that has spanned hundreds of years and has had global impact.
J

Details

Class yesterday was really great. Today, i'm suffering, though, lol... the thighs aren't in pain, but they are STIFF. Ugh.

In class, Shifu really had us focusing on all the smallest details while doing the form.
He was describing the need for unity in mind and body, resulting in better accuracy and intention being clear in the practice of the form.

It is always funny to me, how I can practice diligently, yet, have something so off in my arm or hand positioning that I was NOT aware of, in the opening movements!! AAaaargh.
But that is the nature of the art, I just have to be MORE careful, More precise, and keep on practicing more diligently to get the MOST out of the form to make my skill practical and MINE.

I really am grateful that Shifu cares to make us understand. Most teachers in the area just want your body in class, and are more concerned with image, or money or whatever. But Shifu truly wants us to LEARN. Thank you, Shifu.
J

Honest Appraisal

I was thinking last night about one of my acquaintances from class, and how he was unhappy with practicing Lao Jia Yi Lu. It's funny because I know personally, that I practice a lot, but NOT as much as I would like to, and I invest a great deal of time to thinking about the art and what I can do to improve. The guy I know wants to try to learn a new form because I guess that he feels very good about himself and what he has learned.

My opinion is that the forms are basically similar. Of course, I have to qualify here that I don't know any of the other 3 forms. Yet, I LISTEN to Shifu, and he will often talk about Xin Jia vs Lao Jia, and in class, at different times, we practice in different ways and try to incorporate some features of the other forms at times in order to enhance our understanding of Chen overall, WHILE we practice Lao Jia.

Shifu once told me, that in China, it was expected to practice Lao Jia Yi Lu for about 3 years before trying the other forms. Lao Jia Yi Lu has so very much to offer in terms of application, understanding the fundamentals of spiral energy, and strengthening and building a solid foundation of skill. He once described to me, that every day, he woke up early and looked outside. If it was NOT raining, then he HAD to go outside and practice. If it were raining, then, he maybe could take a break, but usually he would practice inside as well.

When I consider that every motion/move in Lao Jia Yi Lu has at least several potential interpretations for application, and that there are over 50 movements with quite a number repeated, there are a ton of applications that are inherent in the form practice. I think it is important to ask yourself, can you apply some of those techniques at speed against a resisting opponent? I KNOW I can apply quite a few, but can YOU?

That statement isn't meant as a challenge, but rather food for thought. If you can't honestly answer yes, then, what is the rush or the need to learn another form in the series? I think an honest appraisal of one self's ability is important to keep perspective and hopefully, focus in training.

I love my training, and I look forward so very much to being in class and participating and growing and sharing very positive energy while being in class. Chen Tai Chi and Shifu offer so much to the student willing to invest him/herself in training. Truly, it is normal to have some negativity from time to time, but the honest thing is... we all have a mental switch in our heads and we choose, we decide whether or not to focus on a negative, or focus upon a positive. In my life, i'm quite a bit older than most of my readers, lol, so I take some liberty here, I can honestly tell you that i've seen so many THOUSANDS of individuals focus on the positives in their life and achieve so much personal satisfaction. Seek out the positives in training in Chen Tai Chi with Shifu, and I promise you that you'll develop in different ways and be happier overall.

And if you still can't enjoy and look forward to training with us, then, perhaps. it is best if you don't come and spread something that isn't a good thing. Me? I choose always to seek out the greatness in Chen and KNOW that i'm better off for every moment, every movement I invest myself in. I see it in my seniors and I see it in my teacher, and every beginner that comes in with a fresh mind. It can be yours, too!

Champions...

Champions in Baltimore, now Champions here in NYC. Andres and Michael are two terrific seniors and fine examples of Shifu's teaching. I am so proud of their accomplishments. I know Shifu is very proud of their very hard work and effort.

Approachable, friendly, supportive and caring, Andres and Michael inspire and encourage all the new students in class and lead the way in passing on their enthusiasm and passion for Chen Tai Chi.

Master Yu Guo Shun - Trainer of Champions!

I know how much I respect Shifu's teaching, and I truly respect the hard work and effort put forth by Shifu's senior students for their preparation and practice in regular training to represent Shifu to the best of their abilities. Yesterday, at the 2011 US Open Championships held here at Queens College, Andres and Michael, received Gold medals for 1st place forms in their respective divisions, Andres also took home the gold in push hands, and silver in weapons forms.

You go, guys!! Super effort and they truly show off and highlight Shifu's teaching and guidance. I'm very proud of all of you!
J

One Technique per Week?

Last weekend, Shifu went over this move with me to ensure that I had better understanding of what I was doing. He showed me 5-6 variations of this, I remember maybe 3 of them.

The past couple of weeks have been personally challenging for me. Personal issues have caused me to have a lapse in my training again. Ugh. Well, it is time to refocus. I was thinking this morning, that we all go through periods like this when it is difficult to dedicate as much time as we would like to things that are important to us for various reasons. I believe that during these times, we can try to at least devote a few minutes a day to performing at least one week and trying to work on a review of what that move potentially may be functionally. I think that would help us to keep a 'proper mindset' when training, still work our body mechanics, and i'm a firm believer in that every small gain, over time leads to overall greater improvement in the long run.

J

Using the Appropriate Angle When Doing Practice

When I used to do Japanese and Okinawan and Korean martial arts, the pulling hand always went back to the hips and was opposite in force to the other hand going forward. All of us guys spent years working this one angle over and over and over again. In Chinese martial arts, when done properly, the pulling hand might go in different angles relative to the opposite striking hand. Chen Tai Chi has quite a few strikes done in these unusual fashions and the level of sophistication of the strikes and application is clearly higher, in addition to being different. There is greater efficiency in the transmission of force and more functional stability noted when the angles of the pulling hand are moving appropriately with the striking hand.

More Clarity...

This past weekend, I again asked Shifu to go over the 5 variations we discussed the weekend earlier. Shifu explained to me, that it was not so much to know the variations of the arm movements, rather, it was more important to understand how we would vary the lumbar motion in conjunction with the arm movements depending upon what direction the opponent was forcing upon me; in other words, if he pushes into my right and down, I might want my energy to go up and rotate into my left, or if he pushes inwards and upwards, I might want to rotate to my right and downwards to counter a given line of force. By understanding the force line and figuring out how you would want to counter the line, you actually would have MORE potential variations to how to apply the given movement from the chen form. Wow. I love it.
J

Clarity

Sometimes there are movements that just escape me as to why they are in the form. The above shown was one of those. Because I was not clear what I was trying to do, it was clear to Shifu, that I had no idea why I was doing that motion.

He provided me with a couple examples of how to use that motion in combat. Some key points were to bring elbows forward and not too spread out and to turn my body sufficiently forward to be able to direct my intention appropriately.

Shifu showed me how that motion could be used against a hand or leg attack and how it would lead into the next motion.
Great stuff!
J

5 Variations

Glad I was in class this past Sunday, Shifu once again, as always provided us with a ton of detail. In the move above, Shifu went over 5 variations or possibilities we could do in the mechanics of how we practice this particular segment. He suggested we could do one variation with each particular segment in the form, but emphasized that in demonstration or competition, obviously we only choose one methodology of that segment.

In case this motion is not clear, it is the motion that leads into the single whip.
Hope that helps!

Each variation shows us different possibilities in application. For the past year, I had only worked on two of the variations, feeling only comfortable with a couple of the meanings of that motion. Now I have more to work on.
J

My New Training Partner

This morning I completed the couch to 5K running program that took me from a couch potato to what I call a "wogger." Wogger, coz' I walk and job, but I am now going steadily 3x/a week and putting in a total of 45-60 minutes of cardio. That has helped my performance in Chen, a lot!! I am not getting as tired as quickly as I did 3 months ago, and my legs feel much stronger, too. I will continue to the wogging until I can become a jogger. Turns out that according to a bunch of fitness experts I should NOT have started the running program being far more than 40 pounds overweight. No problem, as a physical therapist, I monitored my progress and aside from a week and a half of tendonitis, I successfully completed the program.

Now it is time to jump up a notch. Pictured above is a kettlebell. That will be my new training partner and serve as another means of adjunct training to improve my overall Chen training. I've been doing a lot of perusal into an assortment of devices and programs, and have decided that kettlebell training will be useful, efficient and positive towards helping me improve my potential to reach further success in Chen Tai Chi.

Please wish me luck, and i'll update you all as to how the training is going and the changes I perceive in my training! Apologies to all for not updating the blog sooner, last week Hurricane Irene interfered with my class attendance. Hope you all understand.
J

Similarities, Basics and Adaptation of Movement

In class, Shifu was explaining to us that sometimes the movements we are doing in class, may be very similar to other basic movements from other forms, such as tai chi tang lung.

The movement pictured above is a classic example of this principle. Here Shifu was explaining that the fist shown, could also be a palm heel shot, or a parry/block or an entry into a throw or hold. Either leg if going forward could be either some type of leg destruction, or a kick, or a repositioning of the foot to allow for a sweep or a throw.

He also proceeded to demonstrate how a sequence of similar motion could be used as a potential counter to first an attack from one side, to a potential counter to an opponent's second attack from the opposite side. It is difficult to explain all these types of details in the written word.

Seeing and Feeling leads to better understanding.
We are very fortunate to have a teacher such as Shifu, who is always so willing to share and impart his knowledge to us, and willing to demonstrate what I am describing above to help us grow in our understanding of what we are trying to do as we learn Chen Tai Chi. As a martial arts instructor myself with over 40 years of training time, I can honestly say without hesitation that Shifu is truly an exceptional teacher. There are so very few like him with high skill level and with a desire to pass on his knowledge and wisdom. I strongly urge all interested people in Chen to come and see in person for yourself what I try to share with you all on my blog.
J

Stepping

In class today we spent a long period of time learning the appropriate way to step.
Key points:
lowering the hips, posteriorly tilting the pelvis
raising up the knee high
stepping out/forward and down
settling into stance

Students' questions were about balance: I have a hard time keeping my balance in this position; yes, everyone has trouble initially, then as skill develops, balance will improve

Other questions: were we to kick out from the knee up position for practice of basics; yes!

Shifu emphasized that we had to somewhat spiral our step forward as we brought our knee up, somewhat spiral out to permit the foot to land in the appropriate spots.

For application of the Step, Shifu demonstrated a variety of attacks/counterattacks, kicks and various leg destructions. Simply amazing how deep his understanding is. Truly.
J

Respectfully, I Disagree...

I found this bit of writing about Chen Tai Chi today as a training tip for how to practice the forms.

Primary importance is placed upon understanding the underlying movement principles and then progression to standardised movement. As this is accomplished, the next goal is to search for further realisation of the internal circulation of energy. Initially when you come to the fixed postures, for example, Lazily Tying Coat (Lan Zha Yee) or Single Whip (Dan Bian) in your mind you must very strictly adjust yourself according to the requirements for each part of the body: Lift the top of the head, shoulders relaxed, elbows sunken down etc.

First I wish to make the following qualifying statements. The author of the paragraph above is a well-respected author with far greater length of training time than I in Chen Tai Chi. And I have no doubt he means well with good intentions.

However, I respectfully disagree! While I am totally and completely aware of the "requirements" he describes, I believe that it is THAT type of thinking that keeps the vast majority of practitioners unable to actually use and develop martial value to the techniques they are hoping to learn!

My 40 years + of training in and teaching various martial arts have taught me that students need to learn the correct movements first, then learn to understand the intention and meaning behind a given motion of the form. Then, as they develop a better appreciation of energetics within the body, they must also seek to develop further interpretations of the potential meanings of the movements in question, and also seek partner practice to further cultivate attributes of timing, reach, distance, application of strength, variation in opponent size and incoming energy, various terrain, etc, etc.

I also believe that students will be able to develop martial ability even if the students might be slightly "off" in the "requirements" of how to move within the form. YES, we should absolutely strive to sustain the "requirements" as we practice; however, I truly do not believe we should be adjusting at the close of each movement merely to "fit the requirements." Remember, often what we are doing as we transition from the initiation of a movement to the conclusion of a movement, we are already potential engaged in contact WITH an opponent, and to adjust at the end and having our intention focused upon the corrections as opposed to the entire movement seems quite limiting to my understanding.

Again, I mean NO disrespect to the author I am alluding to. I believe he has done, and continues to offer tremendous sources of information for students globally. But I feel strongly that I need to express my viewpoint as well for the martial imperative I feel needing support.
J

Why Such a Low Stance?

One of my friends was looking at some of Shifu's videoclips and asked me "why such a low stance?" Frankly, for this particular movement shown above I am not sure, but in other sessions of classes, Shifu has gone very low in other movements and explained and DEMONSTRATED to us the effectiveness of going into such a low and deep stance on an opponent. At times, the lowered position seems to apply greater pressure onto a limb such as the opponent's leg or arm, or neck... at other times, the lower stance was to neutralize a given attack by an opponent. The bottom line though, is that there IS a functional reason for being able to achieve those lower positions. It may be unnecessary for most people but for the serious Chen student who is learning application and true understanding of his form, then it should be something that is striven for. By the way, that movement is from one of the Chen forms I will be learning much later.
J

Example of Zhao Bao Tai Chi

This is the last variation i'm going to highlight. While I do appreciate and respect the differences, I truly do find my personal satisfaction learning Chen Tai Chi as taught by Shifu Yu.
J

An example of early Hunyuan Chen Tai Chi

This is another example of a different style of Chen Tai Chi. I find it fascinating to see different variations of a style within a style.
J

Champions from NYC in Chen Tai Chi

These are some of my Kung Fu Brothers! The three of them went down to Baltimore a couple of weeks ago, and returned with a bunch of bling. They represented our school well, winning medals in empty hand forms and weapons in the advanced and intermediate divisions. Great job guys! We are all proud of you.
J

Another Different Style of Chen Tai Chi

Another example of a different style of Chen Tai Chi. Truly interesting. I find that I learn something from being aware of some of the movement variations, and appreciate the technical difficulties of what different Martial Artists strive to achieve.
J

Small Frame Cannon Fist

An example of Small Frame Chen Tai Chi.

Style Differences in Chen Tai Chi

Sometimes Shifu struggles with the English language. Despite English NOT being his native tongue, Shifu excels at getting his points across. Today in class we briefly touched on a specific movement in Lao Jia and how to move efficiently and correctly in our practice. I was actually thrilled to hear him very briefly try to share with us some of the particular differences in a given movement as done by other styles of Chen Tai Chi.

Shifu very rarely discusses other styles of Chen Tai Chi, but today he was willing to share some variations in different styles, emphasizing they were all correct and very similar, and yet also, different. His sharing of these tidbits really inspired me to examine more closely OTHER styles of Chen Tai Chi and now to have a better appreciation for why they choose to do or move as they do. It's not about one being better than another, rather one different than another, and yet also similar.

It is so good to have Shifu pass on HIS respect for others to us as well; and in this manner we can continue to help promote and recognize all other Chen practices as well.
I am very proud to be Shifu's student.
J

Position of the Hips with Different Stances

Shifu has mentioned several times that we need to be careful of the alignment of our hips and lower backs as we strive to achieve lower stances. Shifu has stated that it should feel as if we are sitting on a chair. The legs must be in a firm and appropriate alignment to support what we are doing with our upper bodies and arms.

In class he spent time explaining the appropriate alignment of the knees relative to our feet as well.
J

Use of Both Hands to Maximize Power

In class Shifu demonstrated a few techniques on how we would use and move our hands/arms in opposite directions to maximize power on a given technique. Shifu also reviewed principles of "closing in," and "opening up," to generate power.

Shifu went over in small detail how proper elbow positioning is important to generate strength in trapping arms and how these details in the positioning of our hands/elbows facilitate locks and grabs as well.

Today's class was filled with awesome information. I always feel bad when people can't make it to class because I know what they are missing.

I have been focusing very hard in class, especially now that I am only able to attend once a week vs the three times a week I had done earlier. There is so much to do and practice though, so I am in a good place.

J

Other Variations

With the above motion, Shifu demonstrated several variations of potential fist strikes and grabs, forearm strikes and possible areas to target with given techniques.

In addition, Shifu also indicated that given the particular application we were practicing, our head turn and eye focus might also change slightly in our demonstration of the form, to ensure accuracy of our intention and to demonstrate that we are aware of what we are intending to do with the given practice of the form movement.
J

Variations of a given technique

Today was an awesome class. We focused on the above pictured movement today. Shifu demonstrated a number of variations of application, and was the third change i've been introduced to in the past year. I love it!!

Shifu made it a point to have us understand that "the body movement stays the same, the only difference may be in how the hands move." Hence, depending on the given application an individual is practicing, when demonstrating the form, an observant eye should catch that several individuals may be doing the same movement slightly differently in the perspective of the hand motions, while the body will still move the same.

Great stuff, truly, and in my opinion critical for all practitioners to recognize if their form is genuinely as accurate as possible.
J

More Adjunct Training

Those of you who know me personally, know that I LOVE a good, tasty meal! That's me above having a terrific lunch at a local famous deli.

The point of today's writing is more adjunct training that I believe will be useful to improving my Chen training. I'm very pleased and proud of my improvements in Lao Jia. The jogging has helped me a lot already, and I am not getting fatigued as quickly as before.

Now, i've decided to try a new training program to lose weight!
PALA Weight Loss Plan
That is the url for the program I will be following for the next 8 weeks. What's cool about it is that it is totally FREE right now. I don't know how long it will remain free, but I actually paid a small fee for the active trainer program for my jogging (the couch to 5K) program and found it thus far to be great at keeping me moving forward and making progress.

I sincerely believe having an internet training log is very useful for me, at least, and I thought I would share with you all.

Note: when I first began with Shifu about a year ago, I started at 295. I dropped to 287 with no change in eating habits. Since starting the couch to 5k, i've dropped to 284 with very little change in eating habit.

I'm very curious to see how I will do with the new program. I do know that i already have one massive birthday dinner coming up lol... so I will compensate that week with additional ex's and perhaps a very light lunch that day. Wish me luck!

I do believe with less fat and less mass, my spirals will be improved and my mobility will be enhanced.

Let's see what Shifu has to say after the next 8 weeks!
J

Application

Shifu was explaining in class that obviously when we practice many of the movements in the form are done slowly. This is to learn how to coordinate the motion, with the proper weight shift, body turning, hand and leg positioning and breathing, and coordinating chi and intention.

In application however, we must move quickly and strongly relative to a given attack by an opponent.

The movement pictured above is one that we worked on in class Sunday.

Shifu will often be heard to say, "hips down, then turn the waist and spiral down." He then proceeded to show us about 5 different meanings and possible interpretations of the movement all the while, following his instructions to "make sure the hips are down, then spiral down." The result was very obviously devastating on the students that he was demonstrating on.

Although the movement in the form does not appear particularly dynamic, the application was very much so. I will NOT forget at least one of the movements shown by Shifu.

Shifu is very deliberate and careful in how he presents things to us, and we, his students are the beneficiaries of his teaching and generosity. I truly am grateful that I found Shifu as my teacher of Chen Tai Chi.
J

Being Aware of One's Center

In class this past Sunday, Shifu was teaching us that for beginners one of the most important things to develop is an awareness of one's center. That is one of the principles to be learned with the first opening posture and movement of Lao Jia. To illustrate the importance of understanding our center, Shifu showed us how relatively easy it is to lower one's hips while standing, and then merely turn or twist slightly and how that could off-set an opponent trying to grab or to push us, while we are able to retain our positioning and stability.

Obviously, in later movements of the form, sustaining our center is a bit more challenging as we move either sideways or shift from one direction to another; however, it is a starting point fundamental that cannot be lost.

In addition to learning our center dynamically, by practicing different stances and basics of stances, we are able to cultivate strength and stability in some of the more challenging positions of the form.
J

Applications of Chen Tai Chi and the 8 Skills

Generally when we discuss Chen Tai Chi applications, there are 8 "skills" or principles of combat that should be considered. These 8 skill sets are also called Ba Fa.

Peng -The way I interpret this is to ward off, or to stick and make contact

Lu -push aside or grab and pull

Ji -to enter and push

An -to cover or trap the arms and push

Kau -to bump or strike with body parts like the shoulder or hip or knee

Zhou -to hold and punish with an elbow strike or motion

Cai -to grab, hold and twist

Lie -to split, or to enter and throw

I believe that when we examine the movements of the Chen Tai Chi forms and we try to figure out the applications, we can go through a catalog of possibilities which incorporate each of the 8 skills. Perhaps they will apply, or maybe not. At my current skill level I am still trying to understand how these concepts apply to different motions. All I can do is to share what I come across in my class and outside learning and hope that with continued study, I will better understand and be able to use the skills I am developing in my practice.
J

Vid Clip of Chen Yu

Unfortunately a bad Saturday night and a very severe case of neck pain kept me away from class on Sunday. Maybe it's just me, but when I watch vid clips, generally, I personally prefer the volume down? Anyway, hope some of you find this clip useful.

Working The Eyes...

Sometimes, many students have a tendency to look down or turn their heads too much when looking in one direction or another. Shifu was explaining that classically Kung Fu fighters were well versed in being able to keep one's head relatively stable, while the eyes would move, left or right, up or down, or at a diagonal. Shifu told us that it was a good idea to cultivate a habit of training our eyes in such a fashion in order that we had a more appropriate gaze during training and practice and develop a broader vision capability that would also enhance our awareness of our periphery. I believe that is worthwhile information.
J

Always be careful to Ward Off

The above was another move that we practiced in isolation. We worked from one side of the body to the other side. Key points were the correct weight shift, turning points, and proper positioning of the hands as we went from one side to the other. Shifu made sure we understood that the motion did NOT go straight from one side to the other, but that we had to appropriately position our hands as we moved in order that we NOT be trapped by an opponent pressing or pushing on us as we shifted positions. At all times we have to maintain appropriate ward off.

This was a tough exercise, very demanding on the legs and endurance.

Shifu also demonstrated where in the motion, we had to be aware of how the opponent could try to counter us with a press or push, or body weight shift and bumping.

I enjoyed that part of the session a lot, and clearly I need more work on the all principles Shifu shares with us.
J

Basics

This past Sunday's class we focused on this particular move from Lao Jia Yi Lu, going over the appropriate footwork, and reviewing a number of applications off a punch, grab, push, etc..

It actually was very enlightening to see Shifu do a wide variety of applications using this movement.

Following that we did a review of some Kung Fu basics on parrying, adjusting footwork with a forward shuffle step and reverse punching, leading into a had grab and pull down into knee smash.
J