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