Monday, December 16, 2013

A Short Break, Again

Time for a short break from the usual practice schedule, as I go for a vacation trip with the family. I can already start to feel that all my hard work for the past few weeks going to waste... after all, constant practice is the key to improvement. All these breaks don't help...

Sunday, December 08, 2013

Stages Learning Chen Style Taiji

This is my own take on how to go about learning Chen style taiji.

The first step is in getting the actions right. So practise all movements slowly. Pay attention to the movements, the little actions, all the details. Make sure you know what you are supposed to do, what you are doing, and make sure they are the same. This step is about knowing the form.

Next is learning how to use your kua to move. Again, practise slowly, focusing on using your kua to move your body and your arms. This step is about meeting the principles of taiji.

Once you can use your kua, next comes varying the speed of movements. This is when you use your kua to vary the speeds of your movements, to give the fast-and-slow rhythm that characterises Chen style taiji. This step is about manifesting the flavour of Chen style taiji.

Finally, as you practise your Chen style taiji routine, visualise the application of each movement. This final step is about learning how to apply taiji.