The Tiger's Mouth

Classical Tai Chi is based on Wu Style Taiji. It has a rather unique palm and in particular a unique thumb position. A student expressed puzzlement over this in comparison to what he experienced in Hung Gar Kung Fu. He states that students are told to keep the thumb close to the hand so it cannot be grabbed or broken. The thumb is open from the index finger in Wu Style and the space in between is called the Tiger's Mouth or Hu Kou 湖口.

http://michaelnicknichols.com/gallery/tiger/1/

The very gentle grip is seen in the photo of Wu Jianquan. 

The open thumb is seen on his left hand and you can see him gently gripping the opponents right wrist with a small tiger's mouth. This gentle grip allows for the maintenance of extreme sensitivity or "ting" jin, wherein there is no muscle contraction that would interfere with sensitivity to opponents movement. I'm sure that students can now intuit the advantages of this...

Implications of incorrect "peng" or "ward off"

Implications of “Peng” or “bing” also called “Ward Off”

A graphic representation of the problems encountered:

The vast majority of videos on Youtube show Peng as a defensive movement with no explanation that it is also the central component in the offensive aspect or “one inch punch”.  To further complicate matters, Peng is most often not even explained defensively as one sees “Masters” bouncing “disciples” backward.  For the most part, the arms of the “disciples” are tense and rigid as the teacher pushes them backward.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSnUDkCQ0WU being done with a stiffened and tense arm.  Or, the arm of the student or even the teacher bends excessively at the elbow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA8rLL-IE7g&feature=fvw  in the defensive posture and one sees It seems to me that an explanation of the implications of Peng is warranted here:

Implications of correct “Peng”:

·         Its integrity demands that the arm neither bend or become tense.

·         At the most basic level, learning Peng starts with the arm in one hand push hands.

·         Essentially, a primary implication is that the student keeps the form of their movement as they either yield or generate an offensive movement.

·         Collapsing the arm means the form of movement or its “shape” is being altered.

·         Tensing the arm means the form of movement or its “shape” is being altered.

·         We do not want the opponent to reach our body by collapsing the elbow so the arm has to be “firm” but not tense.

·         When we use “Peng” as a “push” or “one inch punch”, we maintain our form but the arm is not tense as well.

·         Collapsing the arm results in the use of external or arm strength, we feel tremendous pressure to use muscular force of the arm.

·         As we sit back or yield defensively our force is less than our opponent but we still have to maintain our form or shape.

·         An analogy here comes from the Tai Chi writings: “Peng is like the water that supports a boat”.  The water yields to the force of the boat, yet it supports the weight and shape of the boat but yet  it does not lose its own overall shape or form.

·         Tensing the arm during cooperative push hands results in our partner feeling tremendous pressure to use muscular force as well.

·         Implication here is either tension or collapse is that a player does not have “internal discipline” of movement and therefore no “internal energy” is being generated to either fend off an attack or push. 

·         In the same token there is an implication that a player does not have “internal discipline” of movement and therefore no “internal energy” can be generated to “push” or “punch”.

·         Another implication of faulty peng is that the player is not able to “ting” jin or “listen” to what the opponent is doing (we refer primarily here to a rudimentary sense of touch that is lost when either collapsing or rigidizing the arm, “ting” jin at higher levels is beyond the scope of our discussion).

·         Implication for faulty peng can often be traced to such deficiencies (among others) as not sitting back correctly.

·         Sitting back correctly demands that a crease appear in the trousers at waist level.

·         Sitting back correctly demands that the player not remain perpendicular to the ground when sitting back, the “crease” is achieved when there is a slight lean forward of the upper torso even while sitting back.  This slight lean forward also acts as a counter balance to the backward momentum that is generated when pulling with the rear foot.

·         We have only touched on some implications here but overall, the deficiencies we mentioned can always be traced back to problems with the Classical Tai Chi form playing.

·         Maintaining “form” or “shape” during push hands is directly relevant to maintaining “form” or “shape” during solo practice…after all, why do you think they call it the FORM?

Classical Tai Chi basic walking training (2)

Tai Chi Walking: Note what Master Hwa says in this video at the  about keeping the head up, not watching the feet. Now take a look and scroll to  2:45 of this Brain Fitness video 
Youtube link and you see what can happen when watching the ground while walking. Note the methodology that is employed in "internal discipline" of walking, how one lifts the pelvis which really offsets the body to first one side then the other...but how this ingenuity of training acts to improve balance. The caveat here is that one first must learn where they are unbalanced to learn how to balance themselves. This type of walking is not everyday walking where we move by an act of "controlled falling" through the constant movement and putting one leg in front of another...this is far from it, everything is under control and command from the core.


Student's may struggle in the beginning to not watch the feet or ground.  Just as in learning to keep the weight back while basic walking, this requires patience and consistently reminding oneself to keep the gaze up.  It is the kind of practice however, that one can integrate into daily activities.  It can be "practiced" anywhere/anytime and is called "offline" practice.  If you will see p. 68 of Uncovering the Treasure you can see the encouragement that Master Hwa offers in this endeavor.  


He says: "The advantage of (offline practice) this is not only to have more time to practice, but also to get used to the idea of incorporating internal moves into everyday life.  The other advantage is that such offline exercise is carried out in a casual and relaxed mood with more of a chance to let the subconscious play a part.  The objective is to learn internal moves piecemeal and then integrate them into form play".


He speaks of offline practice as being a means to learning internal and this "keeping the head up"  falls well within that "internal move" category.  One actually learns to right the head not only subconsciously but learns to do it from the core of the body.

There are indeed "downsides" to Tai Chi, none for Classical Tai Chi

       On the "outside looking in"...

          A "Downside to Tai Chi? None That I See"...Not

from the NY Times article of September 27, 2010 by Jane Brody

I think that research on Classical Tai Chi is on the "outside looking in" but one day things will change from the seeds planted here, and it will be on the "inside looking out".  Nowdays  I do not see a downside to Classical Tai Chi, on the other hand there are indeed plenty of downsides to Tai Chi per se:

In the Times article and stating: "It places minimal stress on joints and muscles and thus is far less likely than other forms of exercise to cause muscle soreness or injury."  

This is simply not true, wherein 98% of Tai Chi that is taught will indeed put stress on joints, particularly the knee joints and will indeed cause muscle soreness or injury.  External Tai Chi of these varieties does little to insure that there is no shear force directed toward knees/hips, etc.

The Times article states: "There is no “fake” version that could serve as a proper control to be tested against the real thing". I agree in principle just not with the "principals" used in the studies.  It is indeed true however that it is virtually impossible to design an ideal study of tai chi but not for the reasons of the Times article.  It is because there have been no studies of Classical Tai Chi which uses internal discipline, only of external styles of Tai Chi.  A study of Classical Tai Chi which used external Tai Chi as a control group would show the true "fake". 

I'll let you read the rest of the article:  Downside?

Also, do a search of "Uncovering the Treasure" at Amazon, you can search through the "Look inside" feature for such things as "shear force", "knees", etc.

Tips on Classical Tai Chi basic walking

Neither "lurch forward" nor "walk like a duck" when practicing the Classical Tai Chi basic walking. Video demonstration

"That (keep your weight back) while walking, takes a lot of patience" 

Master Stephen Hwa

If you do not keep your weight back THEN place your entire foot on the ground, you not only lurch forward but succumb to the "rocking chair" effect. One's weight is actually rocking forward as the weight shifts, makes it easy for an opponent to pull you over.

Also, "they do not stand up" in regard to keeping a consistent knee bend. Constantly standing up with knees flexing constantly results in a kind of "duck walk" wherein the body is bobbing up and down.

Imagine each of those people keeping their head level with an imaginary line drawn across that mirror. While watching their reflection in the mirror their head would not rise above, nor below that "line" as they walk.

The love of paradox in Taoist thought and Tai Chi

Taoist thought  loves paradox but seems to eschew logical explanations for things. Yet, the use of logic in the explanation of Tai Chi principles is unquestionable, it is absolutely essential.  Compare the use of logic to explain something vs. Taoist thought. From a famous story of  Chuang Tzu: 


Long ago, Chuang Chou dreamed that he was a butterfly. He was elated as a butterfly--well pleased with himself, his aims satisfied, he knew nothing of Chou. But shortly he awoke and found himself to be Chou. He did not know whether as Chou he dreamed he was a butterfly, or whether he actually was a butterfly who now dreamed he was Chou.If a sleeper can dream so vividly that he is unable to ascertain that his experiences are actually unreal, how can he ever be certain that anything he experiences is real? 

So...Sifu Jim Roach is dreaming that he is teaching a class. In the dream he sees a former Tai Chi student teaching in the same building.  Jim is holding forth to his class how absurd the student's ideas are.  However, while still in the dream he believes the student to be teaching in Studio A.  To emphasize his point, he writes on a giant piece of paper the single sentence:  Everything written on the paper in Studio A  is false. But Jim  has made a mistake. He, himself  is in Studio A. So is what he has written on the paper true or false? If it’s true, then since it itself is written on the paper, it’s false. If it’s false, then since it is the only thing written on the paper, it’s true. Either way, it’s both true and false, is it not?  

However, when Jim wakes up he thinks  that although he was asleep he can still dream so vividly that he is unable to ascertain that his experiences are actually unreal, how can he ever be certain that anything he experiences is real? How can he be certain in light of that if anything is either true for false...or both true and false?

Descartes stated "i think, therefore I am".  He attempts to use logic to verify what he perceives he is sensing. Chuang-Tzu responds with a Taoist acceptance of the conundrum, and prefers not to value the dream as any less "real" than the waking state, and vice-versa. It suggests that all natural life and all experiences are in essence interchangeable. A butterfly's existence is just as valuable and meaningful as a human one, and a dream is just as valuable and meaningful as an experience one has while awake.

It is hard not to think that  we now see a little more into why a glass can never be empty nor can it be full, since we know (even though we cannot see the air)  that the existence of the air on top of what we perceive as a "half full or empty glass of water" is still as  valuable and meaningful as the experience of seeing the glass as either half full or empty.  


This is an intuitive and instinctual understanding of reality, it is not dependent on logic.  In one sense however, we have used logic to state our case and then we have no more use for the words...they are just words.


From page 201 of Uncovering the Treasure by Stephen Hwa: We see how to play the Tai Chi and that is to do it subconsciously and conduct martial applications instinctively.  For that activity, we essentially discard our intelligence.  As Chuang Tzu relates: Yen Hui told Confucius "I cast aside my limbs, discard my intelligence, detach from both body and mind and become one with Tao.  This is called sitting down and forgetting everything".

What's good for you in Classical Tai Chi?

It occurred to me just recently that there is no one getting large stacks of money for research into Classical Tai Chi.  Of course, I have already stated in previous blogs that I am skeptical of the so called research in which claims are made about Tai Chi’s benefits.  Nevertheless, I still think some things can be said about the efficacy of Classical Tai Chi as compared and contrasted with exercise that does not use internal discipline.

For example, I really like what a new student said about internal discipline vs. external movement in his Amazon.com review of Stephen Hwa’s book Uncovering the Treasure:

This form uses "small circle" or "small frame" movements which rely on more use of "internal discipline" versus most other forms. Internal discipline in my humble understanding is the use of "core" muscles in the abdomen and back to add remarkable power to the already maximally optimized mechanics of Tai Chi moves. The small movements actually allow the core muscles to kick in and increase the power of the moves. Conversely large frame movements are great for strengthening the limb muscles but may dissociate their movements from the core. The core movements elicit an unusual sensation of flow through the torso and in the body which feels like stretching and tingling like an energy flow. The true health benefits and the foundation for martial arts application of Tai Chi can only be achieved when the practitioner incorporates "Internal Discipline". That is, using internal movements and internal power to direct and empower external movements into Tai Chi practice.

If there was anyone who had to rely on “strength of the limbs” it was Sophia Delza who taught both Wu’s style Tai Chi and an incredible dance curriculum in New York city for decades.  Delza wrote the book,Tai Chi ch’uan (Wu Style) and on page 15 she says: In his book “The Body” Anthony smith writes that in strenuous exercise the muscles need more and in fact get more of the body’s blood distribution but at the expense of the other organs: kidneys, skin, digestive system and stomach.  As one example, the abdomen which ordinarily receives 24% gets only 1% during supreme exertion. Classical Tai chi as an internal art increases the blood circulation and activity of the glands, nourishes muscles, facilitates joint action and stimulates the nervous system, all without increasing the activity of the heart or breathing rhythm.

Finally, we defer to a statement by Stephen Hwa in the book Uncovering the Treasure, page 17:

“modern exercise, including martial arts, is long on external movements and short on internal movements.  In other words , exercise the parts of the body which are already overused for an active person while neglecting the portion of the body which needs exercise. Worse yet, these routines often subject the shouldr, knee, back and other joints with ill conceived, repetitive, unnatural movements.  No wonder so many active people develop joint problems”

As a former long time practitioner of large frame Wu’s Style Tai Chi, I contend that it also is “long on external movements and short on internal movements”. What is said about the benefits of such “external” Tai Chi can without equivocation be attributed to Classical Tai Chi. My teacher, Hwa Laoshi has told me that a healthy nervous system is very prized in China.  In Classical Tai Chi the nervous system is tuned to a great degree, but not as a result of overall strength of the limbs.  For martial purposes the power comes from the moving part of the torso, while the remainder of the body is still and thus relaxed.  Relaxed, because its role is to remain still and provide the stability of the external limbs, not the use of their brute strength. So this is really quite a step up in the source and use of power and energy as opposed to the tension of isolated movements of the limbs and extremeties.

 As external styles and even such external Tai Chi (which looks like a “bad” Karate) uses back and forth straight line attacking, it results in blasts of power.  Such power has to be re-chambered by once again tensing the muscles before attacking.  As my teacher states, this results in “seams” or gaps in the attack and the power use is drained off in any attack.  We often see the practitioner being out of breath and panting, hence it is easy to see that the majority of blood distribution is headed to the limbs and not the internal organs.  How can this be good for you?

Classical Tai Chi is systematic and conceptual

From time to time I recruit students who tell me they can attest to Tai Chi as a kind of spiritual practice which is loosely based on the New Age Movement and I quote here from Wikipedia and a definition of "New Age Movement":


"New Age movement is a spiritual and quasi-religious Western movement that developed in the latter half of the 20th century. Its central precepts revolve around "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-helpand motivational psychology, holistic health, parapsychology, consciousness research andquantum physics"^[2] 

They will undoubtedly be saddened by what I write here which will  lead to the failure of their expectations:

First of all and I quote from the Classical Tai Chi Forum by Stephen Hwa:

Volume 7, December 2003

"... writings about the current practice of Tai Chi only date back about three hundred
years, with a majority of Tai Chi books published in the last seventy years in China. From
the writings I read, I have not seen any tie in between Tai Chi and Taoism aside from
those mentioned above. None of the writings cross over the boundary into metaphysical
or spiritual writing. It seems that only very recently, especially in the west, that
association between Tai Chi and Taoism and spiritualism becomes more common.
Several times when I gave a talk about Tai Chi in public, I was asked about the spiritual
side of Tai Chi. I know that my answer disappointed the questioners..."

Second, and I quote from "Uncovering the Treasure" by Stephen Hwa

Page 137

"Chinese philosophies are well known for their profound visions and eloquent ideas.  They often appear to be abstract and distant from personal practical application.  Yet in Classical Tai Chi, these philosophies are applied systematically not just conceptually, but in actual physical applications where the practitioner can personally sense and appreciate the implications of these philosophical ideas".

To sum up this systematic aspect of the philosophies of Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, Sun Tzu, I Ching, Kongfuzi (Confucius).  I offer the following poem from Young Wabu (Young Laoshi) who was Stephen Hwa's (Hwa Laoshi) teacher. I quote from Classical Tai Chi Forum 13, August 2005 and in Memoriam to Grandmaster Young:


"In Memory of my beloved teacher, Grandmaster Young Wabu
My teacher, Grandmaster Young Wabu passed away on April 18, 2005 at age of 101.
With his passing, we have lost a precious link to the golden age of tai chi, the period from
Yang Lu-Chan to Wu Chian-Chuan...


TAI CHI CHUAN

Lao Tse, I Ching, Confucius, Shuan Tse
Studying Tai Chi you follow all these.
Within the rules any movement is tranquility,
Outside the rules any quietude is turmoil.


Solid but not dull.
Familiar yet retaining details.
Hands never above head,
Elbows never behind waist,
Knees never beyond toes.


Square and Round, Right and Left
Large, Medium, Small and Compact
All forms follow the rules.
The Square exactly
The Round more freely, yet precise.


Hands and feet have Yin and Yang,
And segments of the 4 limbs match the 8 trigrams
In harmony with the Universe.


Mind and body return to Nature
Mind leading, movements following,
Fitness, defense and healing result.


Neither detaching from nor blocking an opponent,
Leam to yield while retaining control.
Increase in sensitivity allows use of strategy
And virtue grows along with technique.


Each moment treasure and perfect the art.
Difficult diseases will be cured,
The Tai Chi Way will be perpetuated
And all will benefit.

Recorded by Leung Chan Ying and translated by Linyi Yeung & Paul Maslin

Classical Tai Chi is not for stress relief or inner peace

I'm not a diplomatic teacher, and that sometimes turns people off...I can make no apologies.  I am not diplomatic here.  There has been too much belittling of Tai Chi and I explain that below. I teach students to also check their reasoning in Tai Chi.  My teacher does not pussyfoot with me either, he calls me on it when my reasoning is wobbly or way off.   


 When you read my blog and facebook, in depth,  I think you'll find the raison d'etre of Classical Tai Chi is not stress and inner peace.  There are many things that call themselves Tai Chi but are merely execise or "wine and cheese" excuses to socialize...they are not Tai Chi.    In my experience, those Tai Chi's all cut corners in the learning. Take out movements here, take out movements there, pretty soon it does not resemble what should be passed on.  You do all that cutting of corners and the whole logical structure collapses. There has been way too much of that  


In my experience, those things like stress relief are "perks" however that come with much, much time, not a fad of the month club.  The reason for Tai Chi's existence is to enable one to attain longevity while living like a young person ( while living in the springtime of one's life). This does not come overnight. 


Many people don't think Tai Chi is a martial art.   Yang Wabu (my teacher's teacher) was a top notch martial artist when he met his teacher Wu Chien Chuan. Yang was already a Master of Pekkwar Monkey Boxing and versed in numerous other external style martial arts .  He was well known in Hong Kong. Yang told my teacher that he could not mount an attack against Wu because Wu would just keep him off balance.  That is Tai Chi as a martial art. 


 I talk to many people who not only don't think Tai Chi is a martial art, they run the other way when you tell them it is.   In light of things like Tai Chi for seniors, Tai Chi for spiritual growth, Tai Chi for stress relief, Tai Chi for idiots (name of book on Amazon) Tai Chi for arthritis, Tai Chi for Fibromyalgia, Tai Chi for kids, etc.  is there any wonder why people think that way? I am a martial artist but above all I'm here to right the Tai Chi ship not cater to Heinz 57 varieties of Tai Chi. 


Tai Chi has to achieve 2 purposes, be there for martial ability and be there for health.  It comes from martial artists, for instance Wu Chien Yau and his son Wu Chien Chuan were body guards in the Imperial Palace and officers in the Manchurian Banner Guard.  They learned from Yang Family (martial instructors of emperor's family), Yangs learned from Chens . Wu Chien Chuan (bodyguard/soldier) was teacher of Young Wabu who was teacher of Stephen Hwa who is my teacher.  

This is all laid out at Master Stephen Hwa's website   Sifu James Roach's website    Facebook  Youtube

More than testimony...some really good advice about Classical Tai Chi

The following excerpt is from a popular martial arts forum called the Rum Soaked Fist.  The topic of discussion raised by a participant is about Classical Tai Chi and the participant’s interest in learning both principles and mechanics of internal discipline.  The catch is that the participant does not wish to learn the Classical Tai Chi “Form” in order to do that.  I do not have to comment on this whatsoever.  The last statement is from another of the participants who explains to the other…it is self explanatory.

In addition, it is interesting that a student from Montreal speaks so highly of Master Hwa even in light of his continuing training in large frame Tai Chi.  Also, note the number of other students who speak highly of the man.  In regard to the birthday banquet, Master Hwa’s wife Eva recently mentioned to me how much she admired the fact that all attendees from all over Canada, U.S., etc…all of them did the form exactly alike…no deviation or differences.  Now that is solid teaching.

“I found an interesting (Wu) Tai Chi school named Classical Tai Chi ( http://classicaltaiji.com ).
From what I saw on Youtube Master Hwa knows what he teach. Also seems that what he teachis very practical and useful (more than many others masters around). He teach the "internal part" of Taijiquan in a very "scientific" way.  I am interested to learn more about it. The DVDs also seems very useful. Any opinions about Master Hwa and his teaching?”

• I have never met Master Hwa, but I am very impressed by how he explains the mechanics of Wu style and principles that apply to IMA in general. If I had the chance I'd love to learn from him.
• I have never met Master Hwa, but I am very impressed by how he explains the mechanics of Wu style and principles that apply to IMA in general. If I had the chance I'd love to learn from him
• Pretty good demo. I like his style of explaining very much also. His power looks good too. Well coordinated and has some gong fu obviously.
•  like his explanations of the internal principles behind Wu Style TCC -- they match a lot of what I have been taught. That is not surprising since he is a disciple of the Wu Family.Having said that, his knowledge and explanation of the principles are excellent.
• I like his detailed way of explaining his stuff. I see a very common and a very "classical" approach to taijiquan. It could be yang, wu or whatever. Its all very basic to taijiquan
• I like his break down of what happens to the arm in fajing.
•  
• HOWEVER (from the “interested” student)
• For now I am not interested in his form, only on the principles that he teach. I will order his DVD that explains the Tai Chi Martial Arts Applications (and also how to generate power). I amvery interested how clear and useful/practical are his explanations of the internal principles.
• HOWEVER (once again from the interested student)

“In my opinion "forms" are not the most important thing of a martial art. Forms are used to teach beginning students (to leand the principles and how to move). More important are the principles and body mechanics behind a martial art. When you have to use a martial art for fighting is better to move in a free-form way. Forms (and its postures) are only (some) examples of martial applications, but in real life the you must know/use limitless variations of martial applications. Limit ourselfs only on form movements is (in my opinion) not good.

 

IN REGARD TO MASTER HWA'S CREDENTIALS

“I started learning the Classical Tai Chi form back in January from the DVDs and visited MasterHwa for a seminar in conjunction with his birthday banquet at the end of June. A verydedicated and generous teacher and a real gentleman in my opinion. And he has somevery cool things to teach! By the way, the DVDs are by far the best I have ever seen for learninga martial arts form on your own and are supported by a Yahoo forum, news letters and posted videos on YouTube.

I have been doing large frame Wu for 18 years (my teacher, Irving Leong, learned from Cheng Tin Hung in the early 60s). One of Master Hwa’s other students was a senior student of Eddie Wu in Toronto. Just to say that his students are familiar with the commonly recognised large frame Wu style. I do not/cannot speak on Master Hwa’s behalf but I’m happy to post my impressions.

What Master Hwa teaches is small frame Wu. The movements and sequences are very similar to large frame but the details are quite different. Firstly, he teaches a square form. In the square form (I have not learned this) the feet are parallel and the step size is very small (heel to toe distance). There are quite specific instructions relating to how muscles in the waist area are used to lift and pull with the feet. The upper body and hand movements are broken down into many precise steps and there is a focus on moving one specific part of the body while keeping everything else very still.

In addition he teaches a round, small frame form (the DVDs focus on this). The lower body movements are the same as the square form (with the same internal details) but the upper bodyand hand movements are smooth and continuous. And the use of internal muscles for moving the upper body and hands is added.

The best thing about Master Hwa’s approach to teaching, in my opinion, is its clarity and step by step approach. There are no mysteries or secrets, just methodical, cumulative steps. And for each step, he has developed a way to demonstrate it and often an exercise to help speed up progress.

A lot of the principles and steps are very applicable to large frame Wu and so have helped invigorate my practice of it as well.”

SOME ADVICE (from other forum participant)

Not sure how to advise anyone if who insists on not learning the form.  The DVDs teach the form and the techniques, principles and exercises are mostly given within the context of the form. Guess it all depends on what your expectations are and how you learn.

Perhaps you want to start with the Tai Chi Overview (Vol. 1) first. It provides a general overview of the material and internal discipline stuff with some preliminary (andrepresentative) teaching material. Details at http://www.classicaltaichi.com/taichi-v ... tents.html. This first DVD is not a big investment ($, time) and yet is quite comprehensive (almost 2 hours of material from memory).