Chen Taiji new frame routines, translated and published by Jack Yan

MaGui Bagua workshop, June 9th & 10th, 45 Dawson Rd. Guelph, Ontario

Spear and Sabre Fundamentals Workshops, June 9th, 45 Dawson Rd. Guelph, Ontario

Chen Taiji Seminar with Chen Zhenglei, May 5 and 6, 2012
The Laojia Yi Lu and Er Lu classes started with a series of warm up movements to loosen the joints. The Saturday morning included Silk Reeling / Spiral Rotation practice. Including the following:
One hand
Two hand
Side single hand
Backwards double hand
Front and back double hand
These exercises are detailed in “Chen’s Taichi For Health And Wellness” the first in a five book series translated by Jack Yan and published by White Bench Press.
Grandmaster Chen explained how tai chi practice can build internal Qi, strengthen the internal organs and fill the Ren and Du vessels, promoting the flow of the micro-cosmic orbit.
Related to this Grandmaster Chen discussed the common misconception of tucking the tailbone in. He stressed the importance of a natural alignment of the body which includes a slight lumbar curve. Tucking the tailbone in prevents the natural movement of the dantian and hampers the microcosmic orbit.
The Laojia Yilu (old frame first routine) was reviewed.
This routine builds deep skill by using internal movement to guide the external movement. Grandmaster Chen contrasted this with the erlu (second routine), which uses external movements that are supported by internal strength.
Between the two the full range of Chen Taiji’s internal/external, slow/fast, hard/soft and heavy/light characteristics can be found.
The Saturday afternoon was an introduction to the Xinjia Yilu (new frame first routine). The new frame emphasizes small circles within the movements. These can be applied in deflecting, wrapping, grappling, neutralizing, etc. a section of the routine was taught (from the beginning to fist under elbow).
On the second day the Chen Taiji Dao (Sabre or Broadsword) routine was taught.
The structure, characteristics and core techniques of the Sabre were covered. Followed by step by step instruction of the routine.
The Sunday afternoon was devoted to Tuishou (push hands). Single person drills for the eight methods were taught. The eight methods are Peng (wardoff), Lu (roll back), Ji (press), An (push), Cai (pluck), Lei (rend), Zhou (elbow) and Kao (shoulder). The first four the the principle techniques within the first routine. The last four are within the second routine.
The three principle push hand practices were taught.
Practice for listening and sensitivity skills:
Single hand horizontal circle,
single hand vertical circle,
single hand ‘figure of eight’,
double hand vertical circles,
double hand alternating circles.
Practice for training Peng Lu Ji An:
Double hand fixed step practice
Practice for training the eight methods:
Double hands single step practice
This YouTube link shows these three practice methods and goes on to show falling stance and multiple step practices.
The Sunday evening banquet featured performances by members of Tai Chi And Tea, Jill Heath and, most impressive of all, Grandmaster Chen. The video clip can’t capture how with each stomp, Grandmaster Chen made the room shake.

Solo practice drill for Tuishou (push hands)

Spear, Sabre Fundamentals & Bagua Seminars with Andrea Falk

The Canadian seminar tour is a twice-a-year visit to maintain ongoing training groups that have been running since 2004. Beginners and newcomers to the groups are welcome. Experienced martial artists from external styles often enjoy the new challenge of xingyi and bagua, and may even heal old injuries and lengthen their training lives. For more information on Hebei Xingyi, visit Andrea’s Xingyi Page For more information on Magui Bagua, visit the North American Magui Bagua Assoc.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Qiang (Chinese Spear) Fundamentals
Saturday, June 9th; 10am to noon; Registration: $60
The Spear is known as the king of the long weapons, and is a vital part of Chinese martial arts. This seminar will cover fundamental spear techniques and routines from the martial art Xingyi. Previous experience in Chinese weapons, while not required, is suggested.

Dao (Chinese Sabre) Fundamentals 
Saturday, June 9th; 1:30pm to 3:30pm; Registration: $60
The Chinese sabre or broadsword is known for its fierce, powerful techniques. Described as “the general of weapons” it was the weapon of choice for soldiers during the Han dynasty. This seminar will cover fundamental sabre techniques, applicable in all styles of Chinese martial arts. Previous experience in Chinese weapons, while not required, is suggested.

Bagua: Cultivating Deep Skill
Saturday, June 9th 3:30pm to 5:30pm; Registration $45
Magui style Bagua is an unique lineage of this famous internal style. All bagua is characterized by its circle-walking training and circular, turning techniques. The Magui lineage makes use of slow & deliberate circle-walking to quickly build internal strength and to train the use of ‘full body power’. This style has been taught to very few people. Andrea Falk trains in Beijing with the lineage’s inheritor Li Baohua and has been asked to represent this style in the West.
This afternoon session will cover Bagua’s unique system for building internal Qi to cultivate health, change tendons and develop Full Body Power.

Sunday June 10th, 2012; 45 Dawson Rd. Guelph

Bagua: Martial Skills and Full Body Power
Sunday June 10th, 11am to 4pm; Registration $95 
During this is a day long seminar, beginners will be introduced to the Bagua changes and martial applications. People who learned the lion and sabre changes will do a massive review of everything covered to date, including dragon and lion changes, the 88 routine, partner drills, the 16 basic techniques, and applications for the moves. The others will continue to work on getting through their dragon changes and the 16 basic techniques.

Bagua Weekend
Saturday, January 28th, 3:30pm to 5:30pm; and Sunday 11am to 4pm; Registration:$135 for both days.
Those wishing to attend both days of Bagua training will get the full benefit of extended training within this system.
‘The practice of circle-walking trains the qi & blood, eventually developing the whole body. With training the body changes, the vital organs are revitalized & any diseases in the body will gradually disappear. The body becomes robust & one’s spirits become clear & strong.’

To get an idea of what a weekend seminar with Andrea is like, I’ve posted summaries of the recent January 2012 workshops on the club website:
The Andrea Falk Seminar Summaries

In all of the internal arts there is a distinction made between the most valuable and the most important. The most valuable are the most refined of internal energies, the most subtle of techniques, the most challenging of routines, the hardest of skills to acquire. But these are not the most important.
The highest in importance are always the most fundamental.
(photo by Oleg Casini. Click image to view Flickr page)