Below is the final installment of my Chen Zhonghua workshop notes unfiltered series of posts. I hope you have enjoyed reading them. In time, I plan on looping back around and expanding more on the notes as I am learning more each day through training and testing.

Regarding testing, this is one of the things that is the most appealing to me about the Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method (CSTPM).  I have commented before how there is such a small “feedback loop” in the Chen Practical Method. This means that you can feel/test right away what works and what does not and learn why.  Hence, the “practical” nature of the method.

Again, these unfiltered notes are based upon my own understanding of the material presented at the workshop.  These notes are not fully inclusive of all the material presented at the workshop. These notes are not meant to substitute hands-on instruction.  My advice would be to attend a workshop by Master Chen Zhonghua or seek out one of his instructors in an area near you.

Previous posts in the series:

Chen Zhonghua Workshop Notes Unfiltered Part 1

Chen Zhonghua Workshop Notes Unfiltered Part 2

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Exercises:

1. Double Heavy Exercise: Tie a band to an object and then around the waist. Run the opposite direction until the band is very tight and try to stop. Feel what it’s like to fall backward from the pulling band. This is the feeling of double heavy, or being unable to move. The idea is to put yourself into awkward position and train so you can move and be calm in awkward positioning. Later, hold the position and begin alternating up/down motions of the knee, note how this can be used to counteract double heavy.

2. Elbow In with Band: Using the band, stretch it out until there is some tension. Then do the positive/negative circles using the band. Focus on elbow in, and only using your elbow to pull in. The resistance helps to identify if hand/shoulder or other parts of the body are being used to compensate for the movement of the elbow.  Doing so will progress 3-5 yrs in 1 yrs time.

3. Static Power Training: The goal of this next exercise is to basically train static power. Facing a wall, get into a bow stance with your front toe touching the wall. The knee should be directly above the heel of the foot and remain in that position. You can use some type of pillow or styrofoam block to keep the knee in place. Next, place the forearm of the forward arm (if left leg forward, then use left arm) against the wall with your fingertips roughly at forehead height. The palm of the forward arm is facing the wall. The palm of the rear arm is placed on the wall about solar plexus height. Bend the rear leg.  The idea of the exercise is to basically lock the shape of your arms, torso, the space between you and the wall, and push against the wall using the rear leg. While pushing, try to lengthen/expand the back and spine. This exercise also helps in developing vertical force.

Whenever you move in taiji, the body should feel bigger, not smaller. Stretch the body to make it bigger.

Let someone push you until you can frame their energy. In essence, you are stretching your opponent out on an imaginary frame (think picture frame). In doing so, you can feel the source of the opponent’s energy, then you can define your attack. Requires some sensitivity, frame them to spread them out, then you send energy back, like rebounding the energy.

In the fist drape over body form, imagine the hands are locked from the elbow, like fighting against yourself.

When there is action, no movement. When there is movement, no action.  Things must be clearly defined, no action and movement at the same time, otherwise muddy.  Movement can be defined as stepping movement and action can be thought of arm/body movement. Think of the idea of attacking with the legs and connecting with the hands.

Flat surfaces do not move, only rotate by a joint. Image of a train’s crank shaft. While the wheels appear to be moving, they are being rotated by the crank shaft.

Think of a clock-face. Energy approaches from either 3 or 9, then must decide whether to go to 12 or 6.  If being pushed down, use the negative circle. If being pushed up, use the positive circle. Seems backward, but it’s just following with your opponent. The positive circle starts with elbow in, this can be used to take the downward push, etc.

Demarcation is the act of creating a boundary around a place or thing. How to establish the demarcation line? If you feel stuck at 9 or 3, how do you get to the other side? Find the momentum like a train crank shaft.  Imagine 2 pool balls hitting each other, the point of contact is very small, from the point try to determine the intention of incoming force and redirect either up or down, positive or negative circle.

Instead of big force, use small. Train self to be small.  Dropping the elbow and sinking the shoulder makes the body small.  Then stretch things out, become smaller and more powerful.

Sequentially connect the joints of the body.  In the outward path of the negative circle, only move the hand. Then when hand connect to elbow can move. Connect elbow to shoulder then move arm. Elbow in, turn body left. Turn waist right, shoulder connects to elbow, then the hand extends. Only move the hand on the last step, NOTHING else.

Must isolate parts, don’t try to move everything together. If move all together then can lose that part of the body. Example in 6 sealings 4 closings, if shift weight back can lose shoulder and be uprooted.

Stepping method: Foot-Knee-Foot. When step to the right, curve left kua to the right foot. This makes the energy structure strong, creating a concave energy that goes from right foot to the left kua.  Energy maintains the structure so you can lift the left foot and slap it against the back of the right knee, WITHOUT shifting weight right. Similar to a sumo walk.

When move (step) don’t let the air out of the ball (kua). Keep structure and do not fold the kua.

90% intention, 10% action.

The secret to taiji is like a sickle cutting grass. The farther it is away from the action, the better. If you want to move the hand, rotate the elbow. If want to move the elbow, use the rear foot.

Duck walk: Split step from rear leg, use the rear leg to drive the body forward. When pulling rear foot up, flex the inner thighs and pull up.

Everything is a container that stores energy in different ways. The outside has to be strong, the inside can be soft.  The outside is strong so the inside can move.  Can do peng, and allow to move the body inside.

Our legs get tired b/c we don’t know how to use them. Notion of pre-tense cement, where you stretch out the rod then put cement, when they return to original shape it’s compact and more stronger.  The idea is to keep both legs tensed/tension and kick the energy from heel to dantien and back, never crossing the centerline of the body.

If someone tries to push you in the chest, don’t push back, just drop the elbows.

positive/negative circle, positive/neg with stepping, twisting towel, fetch pail, double negative

Positive circle with stepping, the movement of the front hand is proportional to the rear leg.

In hand out, only the hand goes out, not the waist, not the shoulder.

In yilu, there is 81 movements (9×9). Refers to the 81 possible techniques the body can do. During push hands, Hong would ask them to pause and tell him what technique they were executing.

CZH was showing us the circles and we noticed a lot of movement on the outer edges of the foot as well as stretching. He said while it appears to look different, it’s no different, just the intention is different.

Zhan zhuang is like doing 3 stretches, the first is spine (up/down), the second stretch is the arms (horizontal). The 2 stretches then overlap at a point and this point has a lot of power/energy.

Broke us into groups and has us push on each other to try and identify the opponent’s line. CZH would then come by and tell us not to move A and not to move B but to just turn the hand. Our opponent then went falling down with little to no effort other than straightening out the hand.

When asked how to get out of buddha warriors pound mortal qinna, he said to just spiral up. Similar to the twisting the towel exercise, just spiral out of the qinnas.  Same for armbar, just spiral out.

CZH Demonstrated and showed us how to use the energy of the rear foot, the idea was to eliminate all the space between ourselves and the opponent and to get your body underneath your hands and with a light tap of the rear foot, the opponent would bounce up.

All stepping in push hands is like duck walking. The rear foot initiates the movement and projects the body forward.

In stepping, land on the heel, but once both toes touch the ground, the knees never move.

vertical power exercise: stand in zhan zhuang position, but then roll up on the heel to feel like losing balance, but then stretch the spine from top of head to heel of foot to regain balance.

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I had written before about how when Chen Zhonghua did a punch on me at the workshop that it felt like my insides were being all jarred up even though the hit itself was not very hard.

Some videos from the 2009 Daqingshan Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method fulltime study are being posted and one of them has a student being hit with such an attack. The attack I felt was like a hammer strike, though I did see a student get hit with the “one inch punch” in the belly.

The common thing in all of these was very little arm movement or physical exertion from Chen Zhonghua yet the effects were felt instantly in the student.  I have to admit, I watched the video below multiple times in a row.. I guess I’m slightly sadistic like that..

Just received the Summer 2009 issue of Tai Chi magazine. Excited to read as it has an article titled: The history of Chen Fake and Hong Junsheng written by Gordon Muir and Chen Zhongua. Pick it up at your local bookstore. Sent via BlackBerry

So he [the king] called the royal herald and bade him trumpet the call, with brass and banner, that whosoever will teach the King the All and Everything of Taijiquan should have his daughter, the fair princess, to wed. But woe to him who would try his hand yet fail the task, for the life of that false teacher must be forfeit…

Source: Tabby Cat Gamespace – Tai Chi Tale

Wow, such a great tale from the Tabby Cat Gamespace blog!  Click the source link for the full tale.  This reminds me so much about the ‘plight of the information age’ in regards to information overload. Sometimes less is better…

For previous write up on the Chen Zhonghua workshop, please see the following posts:

Chen Zhonghua Workshop Summary Part 1

Chen Zhonghua Workshop Summary Part 2

Chen Zhonghua Workshop Summary Part 3

Chen Zhonghua Workshop Notes Unfiltered Part 1

Below is the second part of my unfiltered workshop notes.  Be sure to check out Master Chen Zhonghua’s workshop calendar to find one near you so you can experience the Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method for yourself.

As a picture is worth a thousand words, a physical touch by a taiji master is worth a thousand sentences! Enjoy

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When you pull back the cock of the gun, you are full of energy and just waiting for the trigger. IN push hands, our body becomes full of energy (development through static power training) and just waiting for our opponent movement to provide the trigger

You must always stretch your body. When pushed in the chest, you stretch the spine from the top of the head to bottom of the heel to make a large concave shape that can send the energy back to the opponent.

CZH showed an example of stretching at hands/arms.  I faced him and put my hand on the upper part of his tricep near the shoulder.  In this configuration, I was able to push him easily while he was not able to push me due to the length of my arm.  CZH then showed how he could stretch his arm so I was unable to push him. It was like he elongated the shape of his arm.

Chen Fake’s secret method: engage the exercise of stretching the wrists/fingers by motioning the hands over the shape of the elbow. Imagine standing with arms crossed, in this position alternate the stretching of one hand over the shape of the elbow.  The hand/wrist stretches forward and then curves around the shape of the elbow.  This helps in developing silk reeling power.

Big pole with heavy weight tied to end (like the forearm exercise). Put over the chair, while standing perpendicular, use one hand/finger to roll the weight up/down without letting it slip. This helps to develop the wringing power

CZH showed an example of how to lengthen the inside of the arm as well as the outside of the arm, like the motion of an electrical current.  A stretch can happen on either the inner side of the arm or the outer side.  This is helpful but you have to know how your opponent is coming at you so you can provide the appropriate lengthening to offset his energy.  Looks like the same action, but goes on different paths of the arm.

When doing the circle, really pull the elbow in. Most people are a couple of inches off, with the elbow closer to the side. This is incorrect, the elbow should be pointing at the dantien.

Isolate the movements, perform like a robot to learn isolation, this way the whole body does not ‘toss’.

How to you sink/drop yet not physically move? The idea is to try and expand the area between your armpit and your hip via stretching, but do not drop/sink any other part of your body.

One of the most powerful moves is the twisting the towel exercise. At first, there is gross knee up/down movement to get the body feeling. Next level is to minimize the up/down motion of the knee and have the internal potential energy within you explode and initiate the movement. Almost like a spontaneous reaction.

The most most dangerous move is the fetching pail with water. Imagery of standing on a well hole with feet around brim. To conserve energy, use the body mechanics to fetch a pail of water. Can be used in push hands in a shoulder strike by dropping down and striking with shoulder. Also can be used to apply arm-bar, qinna, many applications.

Anytime you touch someone, you try to get 2 points of contact. You try to then stretch that person out, like stretching a string/rod and when you apply a snap to the middle, the string/rod reverberates with your energy

Move like don’t move. The stick does not move, but the person holding the stick moves.  Most don’t understand this principles b/c the author is really talking about something else.

Pick a part of the body and turn it into a weapon. That part becomes the dead weight or like the stick in the above example. Now there can be power.

When doing circles, keep both kua open, do not fold or close the kua. Going into a lower stance can help to keep the kuas open. Always keep it open, once open, easier to use.

Rule of thirds (1/3). The body is always 1/3 vs 2/3. The 2/3 part is the strongest and use it to push/pull. The split is generally at either kua.  You always adjust your fulcrum point, 1/3 vs 2/3.

Peng, Lu, Ji, Ji, Ji. Ji (press/squeeze) is the most important of the energies. Ji is taking space but not letting go of any space taken (similar to the game go/weiqi).  Peng is a result of Ji, it’s the show, Ji is the action that creates the show. Analogy of an opera singer and how we don’t see the training and the steps the opera singer does (ji) to prepare for the show/final results (peng).

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For more, see: Chen Zhonghua Workshop Notes Unfiltered Part 3

FYI:

Master Chen Bing seminar in Chicago – July 3rd, 4th and 5th, 2009

July 3rd Friday – 6pm until 9pm
Chansigong (Silk Reeling) instruction and correction

July 4th Saturday – 9 AM until 5 PM
Laojia Yilu Correction after Small Catching to the end.

July 5th Sunday – 9 AM until 5 PM
Free Push-Hands principles and applications

Location:
Ruth Page School Foundation
1016 N. Dearborn St.
Chicago, IL 60610

Tuition:
Before July  1st
Friday – $75
Saturday or Sunday only – $125
Two days – $200
Friday, Saturday and Sunday – $250

After July 1st
Friday – $100
Saturday or Sunday only – $150
Two days – $250
Friday, Saturday and Sunday – $300
No personal checks accepted after July 3rd.  Cash only at
the door.

For more information contact:

Bosco AT chenbing DOT org
Tom AT chenbing DOT org
Assel AT chenbing DOT org
www.chenbing.org

From the YouTube description:

Our upcoming new release in July is CHEN VILLAGE, a story that revolves around life in Chen Village, China and Chen Family Tai Chi. There are 3,000 residents in Chen Village (Chenjiagou) and 2,500 practice Tai Chi Chuan on a daily basis. Almost ninety percent of the residents bear the Chen surname.

In this feature length film we explore the growing number of Tai Chi Chuan followers from abroad that descend upon the village and how the Chen style and the generations of the Chen family have survived China’s turbulent history to make Chen style popular all over the world. A fact mainly attributed to 19th generation grand master Chen Xiaowang.

It is a fascinating look into rural village life and Chen Village’s claim to fame as the birthplace of Tai Chi Chuan.

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