The role of "transition" in Square Form and Round Form

Mr. Shang Lee said:

"square form is the first form i learnt in Tai Chi. It brings back many memories although with my current understanding, i believe the square form may block the learning of the transitions, which are essential if we were to apply Tai Chi. But i do understand where you're coming from."

Dear Mr. Lee:

Your statement about the interference of Square Form practice with transitions in Large Frame Tai Chi that does not rely on internal discipline may certainly be true.  One can readily understand where the overlap of square form will naturally interfere with transitions of movements that are largely dependent on the external movements of arms and legs.  Large Frame square form however obviously relies  on outstretched arms, large swings of the arms at the shoulders and pushing with the legs.  Large Frame round form also relies on those same outstretched  swinging arms and pushing with the legs with no attendant circulation of internal energy.  However...What can be internal in Large Frame anyway?  As Wu Chien Chuan said:  Every movement in Tai Chi Form has to have two complementary parts of the body, a moving part (Yang) and a stationary part (Yin).  When the yin-yang junction is located in the torso of the body, it is an internal move.  When it is outside the torso it is external,

Compact square form practice has other roles which do not concern itself with transition . The major reasoning behind Compact square form has to do with teaching the student how to delineate yin and yang in the body. That is to teach the student  how to hold one part of the body still while the other part moves. As we have said in this article and others, the exraneous motion of arms and legs is another word for nerve signals along the path of qi.  A minor role of Compact Square form  in part has to do with movements that call for steadying arms and hands that are so subject to localized nerve impulses.  

Indicative of localized nerve impulses is the natural and easier tendency of students to move extraneously from the arms, shoulders and push from the legs.  This easier tendency  fits nicely within  the domain of large frame Tai Chi with its external motions, but it is still not internal.  Qi of course traverses the torso as well as the arms and legs.  With internal motion where the yin/yang junction is located in the torso,  where there is no attendant motion at the joints of the body,  the qi will traverse the body unimpeded.  With external motion the qi will be impeded at the localized yin yang junctions of the shoulders, elbows, knees, hips, etc. 

Practicing transition with transition in mind  is a minor task of Compact Frame round form.  The major role is to develop internal energy in the practitioner.  Only when external movements are truly minimized as in Compact Frame round form can internal movement flourish.    Then and only then will such playing of the form will result in seamless transitions.   This is because the internal energy is circulating in the body in a continuous manner without any break.

Certainly Tai Chi form movements along with the transitions between them make more sense if they are corroborated with martial art origin of the movements.  The student understands why there are such sequence, transition and the meaning of why the body has to be concerned with positioning and impeccable timing.   Further study of transition, positioning and timing can then be relegated to push hands and sparring exercises.  Once internal energy is attained throughout the body however, there is not the concern with transition that accompanies Large Frame because in Compact Frame the energy is circulating continuously .  Where then is any seam for an opponent to attack?

The Yin aspect of training

         Great Grandmaster Wu Chien Chuan 

"Every movement in Tai Chi Form has to have two complementary parts of the body, a moving part (Yang) and a stationary part (Yin).  When the yin-yang junction is located in the torso of the body, it is an internal move.  When it is outside the torso, it is an external move"...Wu Chien Chuan

This is a day and age of immediate gratification, immediate communication, etc., but it is there any argument that people are stressed out?  Is there any doubt that this may be due in part to human nervous systems being in a constant state of stimulation and over-drive?  Tai Chi and its attendant reputation as a stress reliever seems tailor made for over wrought nervous systems.  Yet, because of the yen for  immediate gratification, Tai Chi has fallen victim to much of the hype.  Tai Chi has a worldwide reputation for  slow movement, almost as if practitioners are not even moving at all.  What is there  in this, that does not appeal to those who are seeking serenity, some respite from the frenetic malaise of modern life? 

There is a famous saying in the Tai Chi Classics called: "Seek the stillness in movement" and it is attributed to the very popular Yang Cheng Fu.  Stories of Yang seem to indicate that he did not want to study Tai Chi early on, there is every indication that he was largely self-taught.  Unlike his brothers who submitted without question to the rigor of their father's training, one wonders at how rigorous his training actually was. Nevertheless, the advice is well taken. However,   I would re-phrase this to say: "Even if you cannot achieve it, at least understand the rationale of  stillness in stillness, then one can seek the stillness in movement".  In other words, if a student cannot stand still, much less understand the reasons when a situation calls for standing still, how then can they be expected to achieve stillness when they are moving?  Is it any wonder that the first lesson of any military organization is to teach recruits how to stand at "ATTENTION". Every Marine recruit (and I was no exception) hears that word spoken very loudly on a consistent basis, and they learn early on to bring the body to total immobility.  No one dares to instinctively scratch an itch, make "extraneous movement", etc. and failure to retain "attention" results in immediate retribution.

Over the years of teaching I notice that a large number of students are inconsistent in their movements, both during and after learning the Tai Chi round form...there are  many extraneous movements. In many instances I have noticed that many more students are also inconsistent in their stillness. Specifically, I speak of extraneous motion during Tai Chi form and oddly enough, extraneous motion during moments when the teacher is demonstrating or teaching. Are students paying attention?  In other words, I see students fidgeting, tracing movements in the air with their hands, etc. all while standing still and watching. I reiterate:  

"if a student cannot stand still when a situation calls for standing still, how then can they be expected to achieve stillness when they are moving?" This should be the easiest part of the training for students, after all they are not required to make any complex movements...just to stand still and watch.  Yet, it seems to be the most difficult, the nervous system seems like it is firing non-stop and the student simply cannot quiet their movement down.

To further make my point about the importance of this training in Tai Chi,  notice the extraneous movements of the arms and hand fluorishes during the performance of the Wu Style  Form in the Facebook article. The challenge for both teacher and student is how to train the Yin, how to reach stillness in movement. As Master Hwa says: "keep parts of the body still when they are not required to move". This is perfect rationale for teaching the Square Form to students before Round Form. 

Square Form is essential in so many ways, but to curb the instinctive movements that students make, it is most often a  necessity. The Yin aspect is that part of the training wherein the student is taught to keep one part of their body still while the other part moves. Learning to keep one part still while the other moves, to delineate what is yin and what is yang is the most important lesson Wu Chien Chuan passed on to Young Wabu (Master Stephen Hwa's teacher).  

What can be done:  Students want to learn fast and that is part of the "immediate gratification" problem. There is so much, so rich of a bounty in Classical Tai Chi wherein a student can take steps to curb the natural inclination of the body to those instinctual but extraneous movements.  First of all, like any college course that requires textbooks, the learning of Classical Tai Chi Square Form is more than enhanced by the acquisition of video.  With even one lesson per week, having a DVD becomes like having the teacher for oneself...like the old days of apprenticeship in Tai Chi.   Regarding the learning of square form, making a straight line in one's movement whether learning to write or learn Tai Chi is certainly easier than learning to make curves. This is particularly in light of the frenetic and persistent problems we have spoken of regarding the nervous system.   

Instinctive and extraneous nervous system glitches on the part of the student are no problem for the square form.  For one, it avoids the use of internal discipline in the upper body, saving that for offline silk reeling practice. As well,  the basic walking practice (really a "square form practice") allows the upper body to remain immobile, no hand movement required.  And the list goes on.  I would urge all students and interested parties at the very least to obtain the book "Uncovering the Treasure" by Stephen Hwa, where this is discussed in detail.  Then, I cannot recommend enough that students take pains to eventually obtain the "textbooks" (DVD's)  for their studies as we have iterated.

To Paullywalnuts2: Internal Discipline is not "one size fits all"

From Youtube comments on Master Hwa's videos

Discussing the "rationale" of why we do things...examples.


"The internal discipline is the key to unlocking the mysteries of tai chi and gung fu. the waist must be trained first. master young talked about that in every lesson. training the core that way works the nerves allowing the chi to flow. this discipline works for all frames small, mid and large"  Paullywalnuts


"I  have two of Master Hwa's DVDs and I find his concepts fascinating. I am a practitioner of Wu Style TCC (disciple of the Wu Family). However, we have been taught that all of the movements are generated by the "hips" first, not the "waist". I still do not understand why Master Hwa thinks that the hips should remain less mobile than the waist. The hips are the fulcrum of the body and connect the upper with the lower". dhjmckenzie


Paullywalnuts2:  I disagree with both you and dhjmckenzie. 


Paullywalnuts2 :  it is difficult to teach and incorporate  internal  discipline to students of  large frame.  Large requires the use of leg muscle to push the body forward and back.  Compact Form  uses the core to pull the body forward and back.   Stretch out and pull back of the arm in large frame, frequent large swings of arms at shoulders  requires the use of  both shoulder and arm strength.  In compact form  the upper quarter body movements are entirely internal  and directed by the core.

dhjmckenzie: Not a  one size fit all concept.  Internal Discipline works  with  Compact Form.  It does not work for large, forms. "Generating movements " from hips in large frame is different than "generating" Internal Discipline in "Compact"  . The hips...are a joint for movement not power. When the hips are used for power instead of the core, the power is drained off.  In  Large  Frame any hip turning is also external. Hip turning puts Yin/Yang junction at knees which makes them subject to "shear" forces. How well this works in large frame is different than how it works in compact frame.  Hip turning will not work in compact frame because of such "shear" forces due to the compact stance.

Why did we use the examples above, if not to get students thinking and formenting rationales about what they do or do not do.   There is a rationale to what we do in in Classical Tai Chi and it is available to both beginner and advanced students at any time.  It is like a catalyst agent to enable you to correct yourself.  Unfortunately, most students don't know it exists, "I want to just do my Tai Chi and not have to think about it" is the refrain.

How  to improve then?    Reason how you hope to improve without thinking through what you are doing in Tai Chi.  See if you can comment on the obvious inconsistencies to Tai Chi principles in comparison to old masters, then think how are you going to examine what you are doing in your own practice.

Earliest Video of Wu Style Tai Chi

"Possibly the earliest Wu style Taijiquan video with Zhu Minyi, disciple of Wu Jianquan, recorded in 1937 in Shanghai. The video shows the Wu style set, tuishou and even Zhu's 'modern and scientific' approach including his 'stick' and 'ball' system. A piece of history"


Here's the link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDaV9C0ERP8

I'm not sure if this is the "earliest" video of what Wu Style Tai Chi does.   In addition,  Archery, "hackey sack" or "Jianzi", "Push Hands" with a ball on a bungee cord, "Push Hands" with a bungee cord apparatus are not any of the trainings I have ever encountered.

• Certainly, early photos of Wu Jianquan (Wu Chien-chuan) show him in "large frame" postures.  Stephen Hwa reports in "Uncovering the Treasure", p. 32; "In the "Gold Book" of the Wu Family "Wu Chien Chuan's Form photos are excellent examples of Large Frame", "Wu Kung Yi's photos show a form more compact". 
• Link to photos:  http://wustyle.co.uk/gallery.html  (scroll to bottom of page for images)
• From that same  Gold Book:
• In photos of Wu Chien Chuan, knee never projects over the toe.
• In photos of Wu Chien Chuan, pelvis faces forward when sitting back.
• In photos of Wu Chien Chuan, back foot is always seen as rooted to ground during  movement.
• In photos of Wu Chien Chuan back foot is never seen as turned out.
• In photos of Wu Chien Chuan elbow does not extend past the back when punching. 

I will leave it to the reader to decide for themselves if the disciple is in accord with what the master does.

Hang in there...DVD's CAN provide rigorous training

Hello Mr. Roach,

I  live about 20 miles from where your studio is located in Buffalo.  I must tell you that I have been interested in Tai Chi for some time now.  I kept thinking however that I was too busy and did not have the time.  Then I had the surgery.  My Doctor surprised me by saying that I should take something like Tai Chi.  I told him I had heard of your classes but never followed through on my interest. He said, that maybe it was part of my physical problems that I kept thinking I had no time to do things.  It took a surgery to realize that he was right.

So, I’d like to learn from you.  Is there something you could recommend to me?  I’ve seen lots of Tai Chi DVD’s for sale at the Supermarket. Several of them state that it is better to learn a 9 movement “short form” than it is to stick to a “boring”  and long series of movements.  Still,  It’s hard for me to believe that I could learn much from any DVD.  I feel that I would just be mimicking the movements of the teacher and not really learning anything.  Also,  I still can’t drive much to come to a lesson at your studio every week however.  Your right if you are thinking I’m a mess.  I can come every couple of weeks. What do you think?

Best regards,

Walter

Dear Walter,

Since you ask for opinions, I believe I can offer some thoughts on the subject and also relate a bit of my own experience. In my opinion:  Everyone will always tell you that you should seek out the “best” and not settle for second rate.  However, I think the worst thing a student can conjecture is that “best” is “easy” and  rigorous training is not necessary to learn Tai Chi.  In the Internet age and era of short attention spans it is also relatively simple for people selling anything to prey on our desire for  “easy” and “fun”.   

In my opinion, we are in modern times and the “golden age” where the “best” masters quietly taught a select group of students in their village is gone. In my opinion,  (but one can easily imagine in the present age of giant political contributions by wealthy patronage), even then as still happens now, it was even possible for wealthy students of little training and low skill to still give the best teachers lots of money.  Why? In my opinion,    students wanted to make claim to the teacher's dynasty without doing the rigorous work necessary.  In fairness however, in many cases they could not travel to where the teacher is.  How could they, they teacher was probably traveling themselves. So perhaps, the student learns from a disciple but still gets their name on the list of Master's disciples.  In my opinion,  nowdays, the “best”  teachers are in great demand and one sees them traveling a great deal.  

Over the years, I was told  that rich "businessmen" in far away places think nothing of shelling out thousands of dollars.  Why else (in my opinion)  but to get their names in the halls of discipleship and recognition. In my opinion, the dynasties of the best teachers are left in the hands of senior disciples who manage the brunt of the teaching on the home fronts and elsewhere.   In other words, we have been in the era where Tai Chi is in demand by masses of people for some time. In my opinion, whether that demand is for rigorous training or personal aggrandizement seems to be up to the proclivities of the students.  It has become a consumers market.

Of course in all fairness (in my opinion)  teachers "have many mouths to feed".  Teacher's have to feed their families, take care of their own children, bills to pay, etc.  Someone once had the nerve to ask me what I did with the money I earned from teaching.  Rather than getting angry, I simply said, "I spend it on food and gasoline to get here".  

For many years I sought out these teachers and I went to where they were located.  I found fortunately then that I was on the cusp of the trend for learning. Video was just in its birth throes.  A couple  of my teachers were not traveling as extensively as they did later. With one, I remember forgetting  what I had learned  once I drove back to Buffalo.  There was no video available of what he did.  Even today, the organization (in my opinion) is so secretive that no comprehensive video of the teacher is available.  One goes to local chapters and learns from disciples who have learned from other disciples, etc., etc.  Talk about changing things and in each chapter they do things differently than other chapters.  In my opinion, corners are cut here, corners are cut there, bearing little resemblance to what I struggled to learn in person from the teacher. 

 I still managed to do it without a video however, but I was fooling myself that I did not need one.   In another instance, one of my teachers did make a video. I felt I could buy the video and learn the complete form from it.  I did succeed.  I still went there for lessons however and came to class more than 1x a week.  That was at great personal expense and even danger because of weather concerns.  I tried that, and I took part in classes that he taught.  I was  able to get his personal critique as well.  He is in very great demand, and in my opinion it seemed like he was concerned about the next class in some other location.  That is understandable because there are many financial demands, perfectly understandable. 

Since that time I became a student of Master Stephen Hwa.  I always remember him saying that if I could not travel to where he is, I could study the DVD and we “could get together from time to time”.  Not only did I not have to go to him, he came and visited me.  He arranged for a place for us to meet inside as well.  I have subsequently visited him in Rochester many times over the years.  He has subsequently visited me many times over the years…never has he charged a dime for his personal critique.  He also urges students to send their videos of themselves for critique...no charge.   I became his first certified teacher .  The important thing however, is I still use the DVD extensively, over and over and over , again and again.  Viewing after viewing reveals things that I glossed over on previous viewings and my practice is enriched time and again.

With my own experience in mind,  perhaps you will find your decision a little easier to make.

Jim R.

...and starring Internal Energy

               The image will, with "internal motion" take you to another website if you click on it.

I recently had a chance to "define" what Classical Tai Chi is to a new class that I am teaching.  "Classical Tai Chi", I said, "is the art of internal motion, directed by internal discipline and starring internal energy".  To which one of the students moaned "ooohhh boy".  If I had to guess what she meant by that I would say that she felt the definition was complicated.  From my point of view however, it may not only be the most succinct definition I have ever used but also the most accurate as well.

The definition also encompasses the eventual goals of learning Tai Chi whereas the numerous and let's face it, the corny definitions of Tai Chi have never done it justice.  I got the "what is Tai Chi?" question from someone at a party just a couple days ago.  Instead of giving me a chance to even say anything, the woman's husband interrupted and said, "Tai Chi is a meditation".  I felt like saying:  That's only one kernel of "corn" out of the box.  The "corny definition" box includes "its for relaxation", "it's like Yoga", "it's a dance", etc., etc., ad nauseum.  Those one faceted definitions, I'm afraid, have been so overused and are so corny they have gone completely stale.  Just as I have suspected all these years the public perception is in the death grip of the dreaded "cliche' disease".

I quote Tem Horwitz from Tai Chi Chuan: The Technique of Power. He feels that cliche's are metaphors of our social and emotional lives:  From pp 14, "Cliche's are a curious phenomenon.  They are truths universally evident,  yet cheapened by constant repetition and simplification until they lose the substance of their meaning.  This has been the sad fate, within the last few decades of much of the  Oriental philosophy that has found its way westward.

What Horwitz says about cliche's is tailor made for Tai Chi.  A new definition is overdue in the public perception.   I can't help but thinking how ironic it is that my definition is not "new".  It is simply the correct one that I got from my teacher Master Stephen Hwa. 

Here in extrapolated version are the components of the definition, courtesy of "Uncovering the Treasure" a book by Stephen Hwa, Ph.D. Internal movement (neigong)  "directs" external motion (waigong). Waigong is soft and relaxed  while neijing (internal energy) moves in the body. Neigong  becomes the "engine" that drives the Tai Chi Form.

In  "Pivot", Y.L. Yip and Leroy Clark stated that Wu's Tai Chi was called "The Solar Plexus School" .  "Pivot" was a lengthy article in Qi Journal about the 1950's fight between Wu Kung-i and Ch'en K'e-fu.  In "Uncovering the Treasure", Stephen Hwa quotes Jou, Tsung Hwa.  From: "The Tao of  Tai Chi Chuan, The Second Stage".  "The hallmark of the second stage is the use of the torso method.  Torso method is characterized by use of the body, specifically the waist and spine, to initiate and empower the movements of the arms and legs...Only those who reach this stage can truly be said to be practicing Tai Chi, yet these are few indeed."

Few indeed as well, are those that will quote this:  "Tai Chi is the art of internal motion, directed by internal discipline and starring internal energy".   Ah well, It is still gratifying to know that even though I am among the few and am  squarely on the right path. I am taking the first step along side my teacher in righting the good ship Tai Chi.  It is a Herculean effort to be sure but the cliche' does say: "Journeys of a thousand miles..."

Book Review: Uncovering The Treasure On The Classical Tai Chi Path

"Create Space" has this book, please click on the link below this line:

Uncovering the Treasure

Classical Tai Chi's Path to Internal Energy & Health by Stephen Hwa

"Amazon.com" has this book. Type in the name Stephen Hwa in their search field.

An Editorial Review of Master Stephen Hwa's Book

Modern Tai Chi teaching has been shrouded in ethereal language as if logical thinking and scientific analysis do not apply to Tai Chi. Without a rational framework, Tai Chi practice has degenerated into multitudes of forms varying from a slow dancing exercise to tight fisted, muscle-bulging external martial exercise. Many of them contain harmful movements. In the long term, these movements will cause problem for the practitioner rather than improve their health. The rational and scientific discourse presented in this book enables readers to have a different perspective and mindset about Tai Chi from what is preached today. Readers will acquire sufficient knowledge here to be able to critically evaluate what is beneficial and what should be avoided. This book is a distillation of the Wu style teaching from Young Wabu (student of Wu Chien Chuan) and thirty five years of discovery through practicing and teaching by Master Stephen Hwa. It offers personal experience and insight into Master Hwa's road of discovery. Much of the information is spread throughout Master Hwa's DVD series, his webpage, and his Forum. He reorganized the information so that the multitude of topics in Tai Chi, such as internal energy or internal power, Large Frame Form, Compact Form, Square Form, body posture, Fajin, Qi Gong, Silk Reeling exercise, martial art applications, health benefits, and etc. fit into a concise and easy to understand format. In conjunction with the Classical Tai Chi DVD series, this road is open to anyone who sets their mind to travel it.

Another letter to my teacher

Dear Master Hwa,

Hope the recent trip to the mainland was fruitful and that air travel remained healthy.

This has puzzled me since we made "Tao of M.A.". In the DVD you refer to the word "Bing or Peng" as "push". This push you go on to say is either "high" or "middle" which is also known as "one inch punch". I agree whoever it was who said that discussions of Peng are like trying to talk about any color, red, yellow, etc. It will make no sense unless one can give specific examples. As I said in the previous blog as well, the Tai Chi Classics have no tutelage on how to do Peng, Lu, Ji, etc. and of course reading what someone from another style has written most often is interpretation from an "external" point of view, not "internal".

Additionally, it is kind of useless to say to a student (although many teachers do, without referring to these principles) that one can do a specific application for Peng or even Lu, Ji, etc. So in light of what I said about discussing "color" without giving examples, here goes:

• Peng is often thought of as the application ""ward off" in push hands, etc., it is not "ward off", Peng is merely an intrinsic quality of the application "ward off". People engage in this much the way people say "tingling fingers" are Qi. "Tingling fingers" are not Qi, they are evidence of Qi, much the same way a "red", lit, light bulb is not electricity.
• Peng is referred to in the Tai Chi Classics as a "spring like" energy, this quality of "spring like" is present in all the other "methods", Lu, Ji, etc. This "spring like" quality sounds remarkably like internal energy which is generated through internal discipline in movement. It is a necessary but not sufficient quality to performing any of the other methods correctly. Hence, one cannot say they uprooted an opponent using "Cai" or "Tsai" (pick, pull, pluck) if the quality of Peng was not present as well.
• Peng as any application is not a valid quality in for example "ward off" if external force, eg. pushing with legs, extraneous movement at shoulder, disconnect at shoulder, tension in arms, etc.
• Peng has an intrinsic "rising" quality that is only generated correctly from using internal discipline. The "rising" is referred to in Tai Chi Classics as analagous to "water supporting a boat", etc. I think you referred to this before as Intrinsic "upward quality" that things like "quarter body movement" can induce. Example being, I do one inch punch and I feel that my arm, palm, fist, kind of spontaneously goes upward.
• Peng as quality of say "ward off" is also rather expansive. It seems to originate at my core and seems to "fill" me up like a tire. When I ward off an opponent (hold them away from me) Peng is in direct line with them, when I move forward, Peng rises at where I touch them, it goes up. I use less force than he does but once he is off balance, I can add more. So Peng has these Yin and Yang qualities however dependent on the quality of one's internal energy.
• Peng with such Yin and Yang in consideration can keep an opponent from getting to my core and as such is basis for any abilities I have with "Ting Jin". If my arm is too tense for example, I cannot have quality of Peng, since I cannot "ting jin" the opponent. I simply am too tense, therefore cannot "sense" what opponent is doing. Conversely, Peng can with Yang in consideration be essential quality of "one inch punch" and as such have that "rising" quality even in the burst of power.

Hi Jim: What you said about Peng is very correct. Especially the upward motion is an excellent observation. I discuss that in the book as you will see.

Master Hwa

Benefits of Tai Chi, imagined or otherwise

Classical Tai Chi Studio, Buffalo NY

Mr. Roach

I am the son of one of your students and I am a graduate physical therapy student at Ithaca College and I am currently taking a class called Wellness and Prevention. One of my assignments in this class is to interview an instructor of an alternative medicine/exercise field of study. I remember my father talking to me about the benefits that your Tai Chi instruction has provided him and I immediately thought that an interview with you might provide me with a new and interesting outlook on a different form of wellness. If you could help me out by answering a few questions regarding your field of Tai Chi, I would be greatly appreciative. The interview has to be handed in on Friday so I would be extra appreciative if you could respond to this by thursday night. If time constraints or your schedule do not allow this, I understand and would appreciate a response just so I can know to look elsewhere for another interview. The questions are as follows:1. How did you first begin practicing Tai Chi? Was there a specific event causing you to begin practicing Tai Chi? 2. After many years of practicing, what is your most valued benefit in terms of wellness?Have there been any negatives to practicing Tai Chi, if so what is the largest? 3. What do you hope that those who take your classes will gain from the experience?

I first began practicing Tai Chi in 1976. The Taoist Tai Chi Society was the first location in the U.S., and the Yellow Pages provided me with the address. I thought that all Tai Chi was the same in those days and by the same I mean at least similar to why I was motivated to study. I was motivated to study after reading "Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts by Donn Draeger and Robert W. Smith. Smith was a former CIA agent that ended up studying Tai Chi in Taiwan. I left the "Taoists" after 2 years and studied Yang Style for awhile with a Chinese Family in Toronto, then on to Wu Style with Wu Kwong Yu in Toronto, and finally with Stephen Hwa Ph.D. in Rochester, NY.

 click here: Tai Chi.

There was no specific event, except that I had started Shorin Ryu Karate while in the Marine Corps and always maintained a great interest in the martial arts.  I think ego brings us to the door, and the discipline takes care of the rest. The key is not to let the ego stand in the way of progress.

I came to find out over years and several teachers that all Tai Chi is not the same, nor is it of equal benefit in terms of health. I had novice teachers that did not know much about it and famous teachers that were interested in teaching it as a martial art. I now have a teacher for the past 7 years that truly believes the ultimate purpose of Tai Chi is "longevity while living in the springtime of one's life", I believe that as well. I am 63, he is 76, his teacher lived to be 101, dying in 2005. I feel the greatest benefit has been the vigor and zest for life that the Tai Chi has bestowed. I very, very rarely get sick, and when I do, my recuperative powers are excellent.

I teach people that are decades younger than me, some of them have been famous martial artists in their own right. It is a fair deal, it gives back what one puts into it. I suppose the largest negatives are what I have seen in terms of both teachers and students.  I think this negative is directly proportional to the amount of misinformation promulgated by the popular media. 

I hope that those who take my classes will come away with not only some appreciation for the discipline and work that it entails. But, I also hope they will come away with an appreciation for what the discipline and work can offer. Seeing Tai Chi as a panacea without seeing what it really entails in order to do it is, as my teacher says, called "being a frog in the bottom of a well". All the frog can do is croak to anyone who will listen "how big the sky is". In other words a myopic view or perspective on things.

The Tai Chi itself is "selfless" I hope those that I pass it to can be the same. "Things in this universe endure because they are selfless". I have students now who I have great hopes for. My hopes are they will come to understand that doing service and justice to Tai Chi is the key to getting the benefit. 

Good luck,

Jim R.

Posture 13.)Carry (Golden) Tiger to Mountain

It is 2010 and the Chinese Zodiac describes it as the Year of the Golden Tiger. This February 14, 2010 begins it Sunday morning at 12 midnight and it will end on February 2, 2011. This is the first day of the Lunar New Year, the New Moon. By the way Happy Valentine’s Day, for they are one and the same. It is said that inviting the Golden Tiger into your home, one can capture his Qi for the coming year. Have a happy, prosperous and healthy New Year.

The video we bring today is of Posture 13.) Carry Tiger to Mountain.

Important points to remember:

• The waist initiates the drop movement of the arms

• Turning on the weighted foot requires a solid structure on the turning side of the body.

• Any flexion weakens the move and may cause discomfort in the knee joint.

• Make certain to lift the toe to allow smooth pivoting on the heel.

• If carried out correctly, one will sense the power in this movement.

Using too much force are we?

Push hands is not "Trench Warfare", here's a couple of experiments to show the dangers inherent in using too much force, too much resistance, too much rigidity, etc. I think overall however what is implicit in the experiments is that trying push hands before internal discipline becomes 2nd nature will frequently result in trench warfare.


A student of mine recently told me that he attempted an "experiment" using the Ward Off movement that I have shown him. He stated he had a much larger person push against his arm but also states that he was pushed back. I should state that I have shown Ward Off to my students while they pushed on my outstretched arm. Each time I demonstrate, I reiterate that my arm is not rigid and that I am using a minimum force necessary to ward off their push. Often, students will push "off center" on my arm and I still continue to ward them off but point out that I am redirecting their push. In other words, I am being discriminating in the amount of force that I use. I think the use of an image to explain this might be of help here.

Take an air filled ball and float it in some water, now try to sink the ball by pressing down on it from the top. The ball does not push back with a rigid force, yet it supports your press. If you press off center on the ball however, it rotates and your arm goes lurching forward and to the side. This is what I mean by "off center" push and redirecting the opponents force.

By saying that my arm is not "rigid", I mean that it is not stiffened up to any degree. The student cannot remember whether he stiffened up his arm but my guess is that is what happened. Pushing slightly on his outstretched arm I see this happening myself. I would recommend to any student to try an experiment that Master Hwa has recommended in Forum 11, previously: "Try to press the back of your hand against a door frame, just like you are blocking an opponent's arm. Do you find that one side of your forearm muscle is energized while the other side muscle is relaxed?"

People report:

• Tightened forearm and back arm
• Tightened whole arm
• Resistance from door jam which seems to push them back

Please take the time to click this link I call "Door Jam" experiment , read the results and it is the very first article . I think it gives good insight into why the student got "pushed around".