Nasser: May 2007 Archives
I'm seeing many differences between Chen and Yang styles, but one that is really amazing and probably very fundamental is the spiral movements in Chen style Taiji. All Taiji styles emphasize the internal energy and how the energy - and therefore the movement - is generated from Dantian or the center of the body. But Chen style's use of Dantian is more expressed - through Dantian rotation and expressing this rotation in pretty much every movement of the routine. Master Li says that the first road of the old Chen routine is all about bigger spiral movements to train the student in getting the hang of these "rotational" connections. So you're constantly rotating different parts of the body in conjunction with rotations in Dantian muscles. To be more accurate, it's the Dantian rotation that results in rotation of hands or legs, etc.
Some of the spiral moves are obvious (and by obvious I mean "can be seen easily"). But the more you look at a good performance, the more you spiral moves. More and more spirals are built into the transitions from each posture to the next. At times your body is doing three different spiral moves in three different directions - one by hands, on by the waist, and one by the knees. It'll take a lot to make this second nature, so that one does not have to think about it. If one thinks about it, one will fail in doing the real, connected move. As the Samurai guy in Tom Cruise's Last Samurai said: "Too many mind" :-)
The perfect move is the one with no mind.
Some of the spiral moves are obvious (and by obvious I mean "can be seen easily"). But the more you look at a good performance, the more you spiral moves. More and more spirals are built into the transitions from each posture to the next. At times your body is doing three different spiral moves in three different directions - one by hands, on by the waist, and one by the knees. It'll take a lot to make this second nature, so that one does not have to think about it. If one thinks about it, one will fail in doing the real, connected move. As the Samurai guy in Tom Cruise's Last Samurai said: "Too many mind" :-)
The perfect move is the one with no mind.
Ok, this sounds a little bit weird, but I guess I have no choice. I'm learning the Chen style from the end!
Seriously. I went to pretty much all evening and weekend classes of our school, and they have all been going on for a while. Pretty much everybody is now somewhere around the ending part of the first road of the old Chen style Taiji. So I kind of follow along from the beginning, and for the most part I have no idea what I'm doing, and then towards the end master Li teaches the students the part they are learning, and I learn too.
So I know the end, but have no idea about the beginning!
Seriously. I went to pretty much all evening and weekend classes of our school, and they have all been going on for a while. Pretty much everybody is now somewhere around the ending part of the first road of the old Chen style Taiji. So I kind of follow along from the beginning, and for the most part I have no idea what I'm doing, and then towards the end master Li teaches the students the part they are learning, and I learn too.
So I know the end, but have no idea about the beginning!
Master Jesse Tsao teaches Taiji in San Diego and and has studied for a long time with professor Li De Yin. One of his great contributions to the education of Taiji is a comprehensive set of videos (available on DVD as well as VHS) on various related topics, from different forms of Qigong to various styles of Taiji. Here is a sample of his 24-step video:
I have particularly enjoyed his silk reeling and a few other Qigong DVDs. He is a really lovable instructor. You can find the complete list of DVDs on his web site, TaiChiHealthways.com.
I have particularly enjoyed his silk reeling and a few other Qigong DVDs. He is a really lovable instructor. You can find the complete list of DVDs on his web site, TaiChiHealthways.com.
Last week I was fortunate to attend a workshop with Grandmaster Li De Yin, one of the creators of the 42-step standard competition routine. This is one of the benefits of studying at a respected school - Your teacher sets up workshops with grandmasters you wouldn't otherwise get to meet.
I wanted to take both the 42-step and 24-step with him, but unfortunately the 42-step workshop was canceled. Nevertheless the 24-step workshop was great because I knew the form and I could get some extra details and corrections. Here are some pictures:
I wanted to take both the 42-step and 24-step with him, but unfortunately the 42-step workshop was canceled. Nevertheless the 24-step workshop was great because I knew the form and I could get some extra details and corrections. Here are some pictures:
