Fair question: What did you expect?

A Master Hwa Video

 That dexterity of torso!

What should we expect or what should we think as we begin to learn Classical Tai Chi?  It has been said that once we have read all the books, we are left with learning with our bodies.  Most students that I encounter, however, seem surprised to hear that they have to develop the dexterity of their torso. 

I have a suspicion that most people do not think of the torsos potential for dexterity. I think they believe Tai Chi should involve dexterity of the body, but specifically the extremities, and graceful movements of the hands and feet.  In fact, the definition of dexterity is  “skill and grace in physical movement, particularly of the hands”. 

It is a rare exception to see students who do not appear clumsy in using their torsos when they begin studying.  Even for those who persist beyond the first month, and even into the first couple of years of study, there is seemingly no respite from clumsiness.  

Yet, the mind may be rebelling, but both mind and body are reaping the benefit of the effort. It often proves fruitless to even explain what we are after by showing teacher precision in this regard.  Students have not yet managed to take charge of the nerves and muscles in the torso.  Students have not yet grasped what is moving, what is not moving, what should be moving, and what should not be moving in the core area of the body.  

I think an appropriate analogy here might be helpful: Imagine that you complain to the phone company, “I am not getting any phone calls.”  They check the lines and say, “All the lines are ok, perhaps no one is communicating with you by calling in, have you tried calling out?”.  Well, it is that way with our bodies; unless we work to establish communication with the nerves and muscles of the torso, we cannot expect it to “call in”  and say, “you could benefit from a neuromuscular tune-up” by some kind of default command and control process.  Instead, It takes a very active and persistent effort to establish communication with the torso on our part. Yet the practice is its own reward, and the cumulative rewards are great.   

As a caveat, when the torso starts communicating with us by default, it may be on the way to being too late.  The body may be developing problems or already be in a state of decrepitude.  It might be best for all of us to take advantage of the fact that our torsos are indeed dull and to use that lack of responsiveness as a signal that it is time to do something, rather than waiting for some disaster to happen. 

Students will frequently rationalize this, not accepting the fact that it takes some more time, and as a teacher, I hear things like: “This looks like belly dancing, I have some tapes that I will review”, “Oh, I have a DVD on how to develop 6 pack abs, I will look at that”, etc. This type of thinking is certainly typical of those who want a shortcut in.  Who would want to hear from the phone company, however, that a “shortcut” line may or may not work because of its shortness?

People may mistakenly expect Classical Tai Chi to be a showy or externally flashy practice, as the internal movements which are the core of the discipline, often appear small, unremarkable, and simple to uninitiated observers. This deceptive appearance can lead some to overlook its depth and value, preferring more overtly dramatic styles. Additionally, there is a common misconception that any movement performed with the right mental state qualifies as Tai Chi.

However Master Stephen

Hwa emphasizes that proper body mechanics, structure, and alignment are essential and cannot be overcome by mere intention or wishful thinking. The practice is not based on vague, ethereal concepts but on a logical, scientific, and rigorous framework where every movement is optimized for both martial application and health benefits.  The methodology outlined in his book, DVD, series, and online course https://classical-tai-chi.teachable.com/ is designed as a "learning program to develop such internal dexterity”!

Some may also expect the practice to be easily accessible or quick to master, but Master Hwa's method requires years of dedicated practice to fully develop internal discipline and experience its profound benefits.

CLASSICAL TAI CHI IS “FALSIFIABLE”

Yours truly, I am Jim Roach a 50 year practitioner and a 20+ year practitioner and certified teacher of Classical Tai Chi.   The billboard is also a tribute to my teacher who I credit with “…taking me higher…” in my learning.  “If your opponent goes high on you, take them higher”!

Classical Tai Chi “Falsifiable”

Science explains Yin & Yang  Video

Classical Tai Chi is considered falsifiable because it is presented as a system based on specific, observable principles of body mechanics, posture, and internal movement, rather than relying solely on metaphysical concepts that are not scientifically testable.

The claim that Classical Tai Chi is falsifiable stems from what Master Stephen Hwa wrote about its emphasis on a logical, rational, and scientific framework for practice, which contrasts extremely with what he described as the "ethereal language" prevalent in modern Tai Chi teaching. 

Falsifiable" means that any claim, hypothesis, or theory about Classical Tai chi can be proven false. That proof is done through an observation or experiment, making it a testable and potentially scientific statement.

Master Hwa states that the practice is based on a "logical structure with calculated, scientific reasoning behind it," where every element is optimized for martial application and health benefits and tightly coupled with other components. This approach is presented as a method that can be tested and verified through personal experience and observation, as he states, "I do, and (only then can I say) I understand."

In simple terms:

• A falsifiable statement can be shown to be wrong. 

It's not that the statements about Classical Tai Chi are “wrong” or false, but instead that there's a way to be: “…tested…verified through personal experience of students and their observation…”, to discover if the statements are wrong or false. 

The methodology outlined in his book, DVD, series, and online course https://classical-tai-chi.teachable.com/ is designed as a "learning program to develop such internal energy". It is presented as a system where practitioners can "gain benefits every step of the way". Focusing on specific, measurable aspects such as body posture, alignment, and integrating internal discipline into movements provides a basis for empirical testing. 

Master Hwas book which by the way has been submitted to the Los Angeles County Library System. “Uncovering the Treasure Classical Tai Chi's Path to Internal Energy & Health” at Amazon.com details specific movements like "Turning," "Folding," and "Lifting Leg," each with descriptions intended to allow readers to "duplicate the move to test its implications themselves." The emphasis on proper body mechanics to prevent joint problems and enhance energy flow suggests a system that can be evaluated for its physical outcomes.

Furthermore, Master Hwa's teaching is presented as a “small circle” of the Wu style lineage from Young Wabu, a student of Wu Chien Chuan, implying a historical and practical lineage that can be traced and verified. 

Students who have studied for decades have provided extensive feedback and found Master Hwa's explanations to be the most comprehensive and insightful. This supports the idea that Classical Wu Style Tai Chi effectiveness can be assessed through real-world application. 

Persistence gets it, Consistence keeps it!

 

Tai Chi Consistency 

 

 

 A Link to Consistent Teaching

 

A Link to YouTube Teaching 

 

The future belongs to the consistent.

Not the talented, not the lucky, 

but the one who shows up, even when it is hard.

Show up. 

Effort never betrays you.

Consistency in Classical Tai Chi practice every day is more important than the total time spent each day. Practicing for shorter periods regularly is more effective than having longer, infrequent sessions. The key to reaping the benefits of classical tai chi, especially in the early stages of study, is consistent and unhurried practice over time. 

I searched for activities that promote learning and development. Generally, it indicates that building a habit through consistent small actions leads to significant long-term results. Research suggests that establishing a lasting habit requires a commitment of around 60 days. 

  

This consistency helps form a habit, which in classical tai chi is crucial for mastering the classical tai chi "internal discipline" movements and experiencing the health and mental wellness benefits. The same consistency with the suggested commitment helps form habits for mastering classical tai chi Forms: Square, Round, and Left sides (mirror image). 

Establishing just a small but consistent practice can have profound effects. The emphasis here is that the act of regular practice is worth much more than the long durations of time in each practice session.

 

 

Consistency is a more critical factor than the amount of time spent when forming habits. When creating a habit, it has its roots in repeating a task over time. Consistent practice is the key to success.  While the total time invested matters, the regularity and reliability of the action lead to habit formation, as habits are not the result of genetics or random chance but are built through consistently repeating your work.  

 

 

Your consistent behavior may even have occasional lapses, but that will not stop your progress. What counts is that the ongoing effort plays a more significant role than simply sticking to your practice. You typically need to take approximately 10 weeks to adjust to your behavior, after which it requires minimal thinking.

 

 

This consistency creates momentum, making the action easier and transforming it from a struggle into a natural part of one's routine. When you are consistent, you develop the ability to achieve significant results from smaller actions. You are showing up consistently each day. That will work better than trying to spend hours at a time. Make it a point to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes dedicated to practice. That is way more effective than increasing the amount of time you spend.

 

 

Consistency is more effective than sporadic, lengthy practice because your muscles remember how much you understand. Anchor your practice to an existing routine, a cup of coffee, tea, or even a shower, to make it easier to establish. A helpful technique is habit stacking—attaching your tai chi practice to a subconscious routine you already perform, like going outside to get the newspaper. 

 

 

Remember, it's okay to have occasional missed days; the key is to avoid "zero days" by doing even a small activity related to tai chi, such as watching Master Stephen Hwa's Teachable.com lessons or YouTube videos, keeping your practice in gear. Love what you are doing, have patience, and view your practice as the first steps toward improving your skills.

Chán sī gōng (纏絲功), literally, chan si work

 Quite a skill moving 1/4 body video

Master Stephen Hwa has a specific way of using “Silk-Reeling exercises” for training within Classical Tai Chi. The Classical Tai Chi Round Form provides many linked movements that can also be used for Silk-Reeling. This involves unlinking specific movements from the Long Form and using modifications to simplify them yet maintain their continuity. The purpose is to capture the internal benefits of classical tai chi.

 

These exercises are designed to be choreographically simple but require subtle and demanding neuromuscular control. They focus on internal movements originating from the body's core. When one converts a segment of the form into a symmetrical, continuous movement, a unique process is involved. This allows beginning students to isolate and refine the principles of body unity, internal energy, and coordination. This method is intended to make the advanced internal movements more accessible, particularly for those who may not be ready to learn the entire Long Form.

 

One can then concentrate on practicing just those few movements. This is, of course, different than practicing the Tai Chi form, which, as we know, is vast in scope. So, we have reduced things to an effortless motion and can work on that. This concentration is concerned with the movement's kernel and goes to its heart, which is the internal.

 

These movements are not easy, and some of them are highly advanced. Regarding these movements, we see that practitioners in old times did not begin silk reeling until after about 10 years of experience. Now, however, considering improved teaching methods, we can teach beginners and see that people do get it and enjoy it. Our pride and joy of improved methods being at “Teachable”:

https://classical-taichi.teachable.com/

 It is convincing that anyone you want to teach can incorporate this into the teaching program. This incorporation can parallel teaching the Tai Chi form to maintain the students' interest.

 

A movement considered the most advanced but simple to learn is moving one hand in conjunction with the body’s core/torso movement.  The hand becomes a tool of the body's core movement and does not move independently.  

 

With either the right or left arm hanging down at the side, you slightly stretch it down at the shoulder.  I repeat "slightly" for you, so you don't want to bend your body as you stretch.  One can concentrate on the elbow and slightly stretch at the shoulder as you do this.  Then you move the body on the right or left side to move the arm.  Ask yourself if you feel the connection between the arm and the abdomen.

 

A common mistake occurs when that movement is taught.  This mistake occurs when students start bending the arm at the elbow.  Once the elbow is bent, you immediately lose the connection between the abdomen and the arm.  This loss of connection occurs because your concentration goes to the forearm instead of the body.  So the whole arm has to move like a unit and not bend at the elbow.

 

In observing students try this, one also sees them angling the arm across the front of the body from right to left or left to right.  You should keep the arm moving straight ahead and not across your front.  Other mistakes I observe are students drooping the engaged shoulder, sometimes drooping one entire side of the body, and even cocking their head down as well.  If you observe the students in the attached video link above, YouTube “Quite a skill…” you will see what I mean and what to avoid.

Acid Test of Discipline

  

How to learn Internal Discipline Video

The Acid Test of Discipline

I am Master Stephen Hwa’s senior student and the first certified “small-circle”, Classical Tai Chi teacher. Before learning from him, I was a disciple in the same family that Master Hwa's teacher, Grandmaster Young Wabu learned from; I was in the first group of disciples chosen by Eddie Wu, Gatekeeper of Wu’s Style Tai Chi.  Compared to Classical Tai Chi, Wu’s Style is a “large-circle.” 

Classical Tai Chi  values the quality of what it teaches, thus demonstrating quality over quantity. However, I have also learned from other teachers of tai chi who “vette” students and sometimes make students “wait” for some time. 

Therefore, the particular form of “waiting” is testing their patience before the person is accepted as a student. Doing this works for both teacher and student as a "vetting" time, allowing both to determine if they are well-suited for each other. Well-suited, not only initially, but for a long-term duration. 

During this time, the prospective student may be asked to observe classes, perform basic tasks, or practice foundational movements without immediate access to advanced teachings. This patient approach, not to exclude, but to ensure the student possesses the necessary maturity, discipline, and genuine interest in the art, prepares the student for the journey ahead. 

When teaching at a university, I was repeatedly asked, "Are you my teacher”? It's not a rhetorical question to answer the question with a question and ask an aspiring student, "Are you my student?" It also helps filter out those seeking quick results, ego validation, or romanticized notions of mastery. How can students last a lifetime if they cannot show patience and persevere? Despite its seeming difficulty, the attention to such assessment can create inspiration and motivation for long-term commitment.

This waiting period reflects the cultural and philosophical roots of Tai Chi, where the teacher-student relationship is viewed as a deep, long-term commitment akin to a familial bond. Tai Chi was traditionally taught in families. Relatives had the familial bonding to give essential effort and time to teaching their offspring for the duration of their childhood and beyond. It is natural for many teachers to assess seriousness. The teacher invests time and energy in preserving and transmitting knowledge, and thus seeks students who demonstrate humility, perseverance, and respect.

Looking at a student’s character has been a part of Chinese Martial arts history for some time. Is the student reliable, patient, and willing to learn without immediate reward? Classical Tai Chi is subtle, and its internal discipline is not apparent to the untrained eye. The concept of “internalizing” the internal discipline is one of absorption that “cannot be accomplished overnight” for want of a better term. 

This tradition also protects the integrity of the art and prevents misuse by those unprepared for its diverse dimensions. While modern-day schools may not consistently enforce such strict requirements, many respected teachers still emphasize gradual acceptance, valuing the quality of what is taught over the quantity of students.

Internal Discipline in Tai Chi

Internal Discipline is central to Master Stephen Hwa’s approach to Classical Tai Chi, and its practice is presented as a rigorous test of a student's commitment and sincerity. Master Hwa emphasizes that Internal Discipline involves initiating movements from the body's internal core—the abdomen and back—rather than from the limbs, which requires a significant mental and physical effort to learn. 

This demanding nature of the practice, which involves cultivating internal energy and power to direct external movements, is a fundamental aspect of Classical Tai Chi. The difficulty in mastering this discipline, which requires years of dedicated study and practice, is highlighted as a key indicator of a student's genuine dedication. 

As noted in the context, the knowledge cycle of learning Classical Tai Chi to understand its full consequences is very long. It requires several years to become proficient in the form, additional years to test its effectiveness in martial application, and even longer to confirm its health implications . This suggests that the path demands a deep, long-term commitment. Therefore, the challenge of learning Internal Discipline first is a significant test of a practitioner's sincerity and perseverance in the Classical Tai Chi tradition.