Nasser: August 2007 Archives
I think I'm finally building a stable schedule for practicing the Chen style. I switched to a few different classes at our school to see what works best in terms of timing and the level other students. The Sunday class was working pretty well but it was moved. So after changing a few times, what I have found working best for me is to stick to two one-hour sessions on Mondays and Tuesdays. Both of these are two-hour classes, and the students know the form (Chen style old form first road), so Master Li works through the form to the end in the first hour and then teaches the class doing Taiji sward in the second hour.
I still need to concentrate on the first road. I learned the ending of the form first, and then I have been gradually learning the beginning in the class and using the DVD. The middle still needs work before I can at least do it all by myself without the need to watch others to see what comes next. Getting there is very important to me because then I will be able to concentrate on the energy work and the details of the spiral moves in the form, rather than just its choreography.
I also go to the park near hour house one to two nights a week and practice whatever that I've learned, plus doing the silk reeling exercises that Master Li emphasizes on. Days are getting shorter so it's getting a little bit harder to do it before it gets dark, but I think I can stick to this schedule for a longer period. This will mean regular practice of 3-4 nights a week, which is by far better than once a week!
I still need to concentrate on the first road. I learned the ending of the form first, and then I have been gradually learning the beginning in the class and using the DVD. The middle still needs work before I can at least do it all by myself without the need to watch others to see what comes next. Getting there is very important to me because then I will be able to concentrate on the energy work and the details of the spiral moves in the form, rather than just its choreography.
I also go to the park near hour house one to two nights a week and practice whatever that I've learned, plus doing the silk reeling exercises that Master Li emphasizes on. Days are getting shorter so it's getting a little bit harder to do it before it gets dark, but I think I can stick to this schedule for a longer period. This will mean regular practice of 3-4 nights a week, which is by far better than once a week!
Master Jesse Tsao has done a new DVD on Taiji fundamentals for beginners. It discusses the Yin and Yang and how they manifest in different basic moves and postures of Taiji. He also discusses the thirteen essential techniques of Taiji. Here is a preview of the DVD. The DVDs can be ordered directly from his web site, TaiChiHealthways.com:
I got to know Ron Young through a paper ad posted in downtown Mountain View, for doing Taiji on Saturday mornings. He does the 24-step and he teaches whoever shows up for free. I joined since it's a good excuse to do the 24-step at least once a week. Last week nobody showed up and he and I were talking, and he showed me the 48-step Yang style routine, which I had not seen before. The old man does a great job and has a good memory! He also knows the 42-step routine. Very admirable, doing all this stuff at his age which is around 84. Oh and guess what - I'm learning Mandarin from him! Gosh - the only thing is that I cannot find time to practice...
When doing the form, one should not lock his or her joints at all. Aside from the "external" aspects of it - where locking a joint makes it more susceptible to being hurt or in the case of an actual combat situation making it a good target for "breaking" - there's the flow of energy.
The whole concept of silk reeling is around making the flow of energy (qi) easy in the body. The energy moves from Dantian to other parts of the body in a spiral way, like a screw going into the wall. In order to do that, the muscles and joint should let the energy flow easily. As I mentioned before, some of the silk reeling exercises are actually designed specifically for that, to open certain parts of the body and enhance the flow of energy.
Locked joints are the opposite - the do not let the energy flow freely. So by locking a joint one is in fact blocking the energy and preventing proper circulation of qi. This is specially important in the case of knees and elbow, because the form makes you stretch your legs and arms quite a bit. So if you're not careful, you can easily lock the joint as you're stretching.
The whole concept of silk reeling is around making the flow of energy (qi) easy in the body. The energy moves from Dantian to other parts of the body in a spiral way, like a screw going into the wall. In order to do that, the muscles and joint should let the energy flow easily. As I mentioned before, some of the silk reeling exercises are actually designed specifically for that, to open certain parts of the body and enhance the flow of energy.
Locked joints are the opposite - the do not let the energy flow freely. So by locking a joint one is in fact blocking the energy and preventing proper circulation of qi. This is specially important in the case of knees and elbow, because the form makes you stretch your legs and arms quite a bit. So if you're not careful, you can easily lock the joint as you're stretching.
Our school had a demonstration last week, which unfortunately I could not attend. Master Li prepared this video to show how attendees should coordinate with music and also how to end the demo, which is about a third into the Chen style old form first road:
Ok, try this: Go to books.google.com and search for this book - it should show up at the top of the list: The art of nurturing, the science of power
Or this direct link should hopefully work. It's pretty cool to be able to preview the actual pages of the book. I should search for more Taiji books in there!
Or this direct link should hopefully work. It's pretty cool to be able to preview the actual pages of the book. I should search for more Taiji books in there!
I wish I could be a part of this but I can't. Dr Yang has been working on creating a retreat center for a long term martial arts training - like the real traditional way of doing it - for a long time now. They purchased some land in a remote area of California - if I'm not mistaken close to ancient redwood forest I recently visited - and have prepared it for a 10-year training program. And now is the time... The are accepting candidate applications!
