Contact information and other links
Aurora Tai Chi
  • Bio
  • journal

Martial Virtue and Heroism

6/19/2015

 
                                                                         Wude

 

                                                 “Martial Virtue and Heroism”

In practicing any Martial Art, the aim is NOT to use the Art as an aggressor, but rather as a means to counter those who are aggressive. As such, the Chinese word/term “wude” embodies the basic characteristics of all Martial Arts.

Wude is a Mandarin Chinese word which combines four,(4) aspects of  the “True Virtue” of the Martial Arts. Without understanding and practicing all four, a martial arts student is said to be lost. Thus, it is very important for students of the martial arts, including T’ai Chi Ch’uan, understand and use “wude” as a means of learning and in every day life. The principles are as follows..,

Gon - Everyday, without neglect, to always keep training.

Dan – Always be brave and remain calm in order to make the correct decision.

Jie – Judge yourself without conceit and do not show moves thoughtlessly.

Yi – To act without hesitation, always do what is right.

These principles should not only be followed and practiced in your martial arts studies, but also throughout life.

Now, let’s look at some Training and Techniques now that you understand what is expected in your learning, shall we?

The basic, or Core, training of T’ai Chi Ch’uan involves two features. The Taolu and the Tuishou.

 

Taolu, these are the “Solo” forms of studying which involves the use of slow sequences of movements emphasizing a straight spine, a natural and fluid range of motion and abdominal breathing.

Tuishou, this feature involves different styles of the “Pushing Hands” techniques for which T’ai Chi Ch’uan is known for and these practices involve using the Solo exercises with a partner and the use of T’ai Chi Ch’uan in a more practical manner.

Another form of the T’ai Chi Martial Arts form is what is known as Qigong. This is the style most people are familiar with as this is the practice of using the style and art of T’ai Chi Ch’uan but not as a defensive art, but rather as an exercise routine. Qigong is used primarily as a health and meditation practice and not as a martial art.

Picture
http://learning-tai-chi.info/24-posture-short-form-tai-chi.html

The “Solo” forms have two styles, Empty Hand and Weapons. For now we will only deal with the empty hand practice. The main thing to concentrate on in practicing your solo form is your center of gravity.  In preforming the solo routines, through repeated practice, a student will learn to retain posture, maintain flexibility in their joints and encourage circulation through out the body. If a student is off balance they are more likely to practice the basic moves improperly and thus not be learning at all. Above all else, if one is learning T’ai Chi Ch’uan and not concentrating, or they are not committed to the art as it is meant to be studied, then all is for naught. This is a serious and skilled martial art and as such, it should not be taken lightly.

In my next posting, we will discuss, for a brief period, Qigong and breathing techniques but then we will look at the “Push Hand” partnered study and exercises a bit more in depth.                                                                                                     J. Parker

What it all Means

6/14/2015

0 Comments

 
                                                       “What it all Means.”

                                                                  J. Parker

As we have been looking back on who it was that created this style of Martial Arts, perhaps it is time to take a look at, what it all means. There are “MANY” Masters and although the roots of T’ai Chi Ch’uan go back centuries, the principles remain the same.

We know that T’ai Chi in Chinese philosophy means “Supreme Ultimate” and when combined with the word Ch’uan, the words mean Supreme Ultimate Fist.  The practice of T’ai Chi Ch’uan embodies two central cores in the human body.  Wuji, two Chinese characters meaning “boundless and infinite” and the Yin and Yang, “receptive and active”.  In other words, T’ai Chi Ch’uan can be interpreted as an “Inner” harmony used in conjunction with the Fist. 

There are 5 different styles of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, all of which are named after the family from which it originated. Starting from oldest to the most recent they are as follows,

Chen style, from Master Chen Wangtin (approx. 1580-1660)

Yang style, from Master Yang Lu-ch’an (1799-1872)

Wu (Hao) style, from Master Wu Yu-hsiang (1812-1880)

Wu style, from Master Wu Ch’uan-yu (1834-1902), followed by his son Chien-ch’uan (1870-1942)

Sun style, from Master Sun Lu-t’ang (1861-1932)

All the above styles adhere to the T’ai Chi Ch’uan Martial Arts, however, the only difference in the 5 styles is their approach to training.  As T’ai Chi has now become a Global form of Martial Arts, there are new styles and hybrids emerging with every passing day however, the styles listed above are considered the “Traditional” groups when practicing T’ai Chi Ch’uan.

In T’ai Chi Ch’uan, there are 3 basic aspects when practicing this art.

Health: Good physical fitness is an essential and important aspect in studying this art. T’ai Chi Ch’uan requires a good body core in order to relieve the stress on the body and mind when practicing the art. The same is said with “calmness” when practicing the routines.

Meditation: As T’ai Chi Ch’uan is considered a “Soft” form of the martial Arts, in that the goal is NOT to use physical force, but rather use an “inner” balance or flow when practicing the form, an stress free mind is optimal when doing the routines. A strong mind and inner peace are needed when studying.

Martial Art: The study of T’ai Chi Ch’uan is NOT the use of “Attacking” force but rather it involves the use of outside force as an advantage. It is the study of “Yielding” to an incoming attack and countering this attack in a way , as such, to “counter” this attack by changing the attacks force.

Think Bird and Snake. Study your opponent’s moves and intentions and then use your mind and body to counter their movements in such a way as to make their attack obsolete and futile. 

In the 3 basics mentioned above, there are Five (5) Elements involved in the study and training of T’ai Chi Ch’uan:

Taolu- Solo hand and weapons forms.

Neigong and Qigong- Meditation, breathing combined with movement and awareness exercises.

Tuishou- Response drills.

Sanshou- Self defense applications.

Although T’ai Chi Ch’uan may be known for its Slow, Rhythmic movements, some styles do incorporate faster exercises. Yang, Chen and Wu styles for example are among those which require a faster pace at times..

So, with this background on what all is involved in T’ai Chi Ch’uan and it’s disciplines, we will next begin to look at some of the techniques and training. But, you will have to tune in, same channel, different day, for that!!

0 Comments

Tai Chi Chuan After the Treatise

6/7/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
“Tai Chi Chuan After the Treatise”

As there is not much information relating to Tai Chi Chuan, due to the fact that it was developed and practiced by mostly Hermit Monks and Priests, exact dates, practices and forms being developed at the time are a bit sketchy. So, in order to keep you, the reader, interested I will move ahead a bit to the next known, and documented, Master that came along.

This would be, Chen Wang Ting. (Estimate: 1597 -1664)

Wang Ting came from the Chen Village of China, which at the time was known for many styles of Martial arts. It is assumed however that Wang Ting was the originator of what is known as the “Modern” style of Tai Chi Chuan. (Kindly note Modern) He is said to have taken the many different styles of Martial Arts and defined them into routines. These routines, or practices, were based on exercise rather than using the Boxing, or Forceful maneuvers of disciplines like Kung-Fu which can harm the physical Chi in the body. In other words, Master Chen sought to take advantage of an opponent’s “force” and turn it into an advantage with which to use against them while not harming one’s inner Chi.

Among his developments is the “Pushing Hands” exercise which is meant to eliminate the physical damage done to a persons Chi when practicing Martial Arts and rather keep the practitioners Chi in a harmonic balance. Although Master Chen used other practices from other martial art forms, here we shall only focus on those devoted solely to Tai Chi Chuan. Beginning with the Push Hands exercise.

Below are the steps used in this exercise. Remember, this is a Two Person exercise and even though one can familiarize themselves with the steps and movements, it is meant to be a “contact” exercise.

Two people face each other at arms distance, both with the same foot forward. The forward hand of each participant is raised to approximately chest height with the palm facing in, and the back of the hand lightly touching the same part of the other participant’s hand. The rear hand (the hand corresponding to the rear foot) is placed gently on the elbow of the other participant’s lead elbow, so that both players are in an equal starting position. Feet should be comfortably placed so that each participant feels balanced and stable from the start.

To initiate the exercise, each participant cooperatively moves his or her arms, waist and legs in a circular pattern for three rotations, after which the significant aspect of the drill begins. After the third rotation, each player attempts to remain in light contact with the other player's arms while at the same time remaining in perfect balance. A loss of balance can be detected by observing the feet of each practitioner. A participant who is pushed/pulled off balance will usually stumble out of his or her stable position and thus need to reset his or her stance to resume the exercise. Participants are permitted to put their hands on the other's body in an attempt to unbalance the opponent, while at the same time following certain rules or guidelines established at the start. Such as no over use of force, no sudden use of force or by not following the exercise as stated above. Remember, this is a “Practice” exercise and not a physical combat.

 

Below is a diagram of the movements for each practitioner.

 



 

 


Picture
0 Comments

    Phillip
    Edgington

    Been doing yang and chin style Tai Chi for over
    26 years

    Archives

    August 2018
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014

    Categories

    All
    Applications
    Benefits
    Chen Style Tai Chi
    Demo At Park
    Lessons
    Tai Chi Classics
    Tai-Chi-Classics
    Yang Cheng-fu

    RSS Feed

    Tweet submit to reddit Delicious Bookmark this on Delicious

    Tai Chi Chuan
    Recommended links

    T'ai Chi Ch'uan Classics

    Tai Chi Chuan
    Recommended books

    T'ai Chi Classics
    Waysum Liao


    Shaolin And Taoist
    Herbal Training Formulas for Ch’I kung, Meditation, the Internal Martial Arts and Longevity
    by
    James Ramholz

    Members Only Tai Chi Video Tutorials
    Short Yang Lessons 
            1st section Short            Yang    
     
    1st section Short Yang applications
    2nd Section Short Yang Lessons    
      2nd Section Short Yang     2nd Section Short Yang applications
          BIO         TAI CH CLASSES              JOURNAL                SEMINAR
http://www.aurorataichichuan.com/