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)

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)

Just because we can read the characters doesn’t mean they have no meaning.
Everything has meaning. This is a hard concept and runs counter to our preference for ideas like the law of averages. But it is important to keep in mind when practicing forms and routines.

Intent leads the Qi
This is a common phrase. But using intellect or will to lead the Qi is not the same as using intent. Intellect uses the brain, will uses the Ego. Intent uses the Heart.
(Photo by Jack Wolf - click on image to see his Flickr page)

Click on heading to view posting from Micheal Pearce’s blog with an excellent comparison between external and internal approaches to training. He is recording his experiences as he studies MaGui Bagua with Li Baohua.

Xingyi Spear Fundamentals Seminar
Jan. 28, 2012

The spear seminar started with a focus on spear handling techniques. Especially, left and right low block, overhead chop (ie: spinning the spear on alternating sides of the body). Understanding proper hand positions, the downward strike, and the use of turning the body to power the movement was an important part of the drill. This was practiced while standing, with stepping and with turning around.

The five principle strikes were reviewed with attention to proper alignment, form and connection to the body. As were combining the principle strikes with footwork. The five principle Xingyi spear strikes:

• thrust (lan, na zha)
• drill (zuan)
• chop (pi)
• slash (pao)
• crosscut (heng)

Both the Xingyi Spear Linked form and the Spear 13 Routine were reviewed. Key sections of the Spear 13 Routine were covered. Including:

• Step forward right pao, retreat, circle and dot
• Lan na, jumping zha, beng (on landing)
• Closed stance left heng (overhead), step forward right heng (overhead)

The Hungarian Kung Fu Academy’s website (http://kungfuakademia.hu/en/) has this to say about Xingyi Spear training:

“In several kungfu systems, barehanded power excercises are supplemented or exchanged by some kind of difficult long weapon excercise. Static power development excercices only develop strength.
Rarely do they train martial abilities, and if they do, it happens only indirectly. On the other hand, practicing with weapons trains combat abilities all the way. The use of heavy weapons is physically rather demanding, it builds muscles, strengthens the tendons and the joints equally. It develops dexterity, balance and coordination which are all needed for movement with heavy weapons.
Its greatest benefit is that it is enjoyable and exciting. The practicioners work with it with enthusiasm, since it offers plenty of challenges, yet time flies while engaged in practice.
Spear is the principal weapon of Xing Yi style, its use is among the most important teachings of the system and the main method for strength development.”

Magui Bagua Weekend Seminar Summary
January 28-29, 2012

Each day began with Chen Zhenglei’s warm up exercises, which focus on loosening the joints. Grandmaster Chen’s description of these exercises reads, “Blood is the Mother of Qi and Qi is the commander of Blood. Blood follows the movement of the Qi. Through moving the joints, the muscles and tendons relax, and the tissues and joints open allowing for the movement of the Qi and Blood. Joint loosening is a good preparation for exercise. It can inspire the spirit and enhance the effect of training.”

Training time was spent on circle walking in both Bear and Dragon postures. The Magui Bagua Training Manual has this to say about the Bear and Dragon postures:
“Most circle-walking is done in the bear posture to develop a solid dantian and good qi/blood circulation….The bear circle-walking connects the whole body. All movement is done from the ‘tendons’…Circle-walking in the bear model is the best way to change the large tendons. The most important part of the large tendons is the lower back. If the middle is strong then the tips gradually get stronger. So bear walking concentrates on the lower back / waist area.
Circle-walking in the Dragon model trains the spirit of the dragon _ fearless and able to change in an instant. On the external level, it develops the upper back….Beginners should always start with the bear form circle-walking until they feel solid, before doing any dragon circle-walking. Because the upper back and the nape of the neck are very open and smooth in the dragon model, the qi and blood can easily flow to the head.”

The Dragon Changes 1-4 were covered in detail. In the Single Palm Change, emphasis was placed on proper bai bu (turn-out step), ensuring power was directed to both legs.
In the Double Palm Change, the movement Reach to Heavens and Stab into the Ground was practiced with a partner to get used to using a straight arm with lifting power.
Andrea Falk taught a variation of the Following Palm Change which is nice to watch and painful to do, because of it’s repeated drop stances.
In the Triple Chuanzhang Change, maintaining an outward pressure during the transition from chuanzhang to drop stance was practiced with a partner. This is a technique for controlling multiple attackers.

The seminar also covered a number of Bagua Skills. In this practice a single technique is done repeatedly, not unlike Xingyi training. It can be done standing or with a variety of stepping patterns. The following skills were practiced:

• Chuanzhang (spearing palm) using straight line stepping
• Yazhang (pressing palm) standing
• Gaizhang (covering palm) zig-zag stepping, outside triangle step
• Fan bei chui (backlist)

Six of the Tendon Changing Exercises were also taught over the weekend. “The tendon changing exercises described in the classic serve to strengthen, make supple, and connect all the tendons and soft tissues of the body. They change the weak to the strong, the sick to the healthy, a body (and mind) of ‘cotton and sand’ to a body (and mind) of ‘iron and stone’.”

Bonus Xingyi session
The two person routine, An Shen Pao was recovered from the dusty corners of the student’s memories.