My Taiji Journal

Continuing the practice in 2015, carried on till 2024 , I have been tracking my training, and will also do so for 2025.   For 2024, I practi...

I just found out that my teacher, Master Kwek Lee Hwa , passed away back in August 2024. I will probably write a more thought-out post after...

We all need motivation to train. Of course, it would be best if we have intrinsic motivation, the desire to want to become better that spurs...

I bought this video CD (VCD) a long while ago... it is a set of single practical taiji moves being passed down by master Zhu Tiancai. I thou...

Continuing the practice in 2015, carried on till 2023 , I have been tracking my training, and will also do so for 2024.   For 2023, I practi...

It is almost the end of 2023, yet I have not posted anything. So this is the first post of 2023, and it will be about the parallels in learn...

Continuing the practice in 2015, carried on till 2022 , I have been tracking my training, and will also do so for 2023. For 2022, I practise...

  Finally, after 3 years, I managed to take a short trip home . As part of this trip, I visited my teacher, Master Kwek. A few months ago, h...

This is my collection of books by Matsuda Ryuchi ( 松田隆智 ) sensei. The entire journey started with the 拳児 manga series . This is the origin...

In August 2015, I left Singapore and moved to Japan, and basically came to be on my own when it comes to my taiji journey. Of course, I do ...

I am a "fan" of Matsuda Ryuchi sensei, and have written previously about one of his books as well as his passing . I actually got...

Continuing the practice in 2015, carried on till 2021 , I have been tracking my training, and will also do so for 2022. For 2021, I practise...

In taiji, we keep talking about not using force. But "not using force" should not be taken literally. After all, taiji is a martia...

Taiji is a martial art. Like all martial arts, it is about the manifestation and application of power. And like all martial arts, power come...

In taiji, an important concept is to be rooted. However, I don't think this means being firmly stuck to one place. Rather, it is about b...

I practise taiji as a martial art, but after so many years of practice, I have seen for myself the health benefits of taiji too. Not just in...

Continuing the practice in 2015, carried on till 2020 , I have been tracking my training, and will also do so for 2021. For 2020, I practise...

Due to COVID-19, this summer, I did not return to Singapore for my annual visit. And it made me realise the importance of that annual trip....

Pushing hands and routines are both essential to taiji training. And not only do they help to hone different aspects of taiji, I think they ...

Usually, I spend a bit of time during summer in Singapore. This year, though, I am stuck in Japan because of COVID-19. So there will be no t...

One of the basic exercises my teacher uses is an unending string of Yang style's Grasp Sparrow Tail (拦雀尾). You just keep repeating the s...

The opening move of both Chen and Yang style taiji is a turn to the right, followed by a step to the left (in the direction of the "fo...

Online Dojo Unites Kids During Pandemic More for archival purposes. Local kendo club got featured on NHK World for using Zoom to continue...

Intention (意) or focus is a critical part in taiji application. However, I think a common misconception is to place focus on the point of c...

Our present-day martial arts have their roots in martial skills of old, when people used to fight with their fists, swords, spears, and oth...

Continuing the practice in 2015, carried on till 2019 , I have been tracking my training, and will also do so for 2020. For 2019, I pract...

I think there are broadly two ways to train. One is reflex. It is about muscle memory. The goal is to be able to react to a certain situa...

What is the purpose of performing in front of others? Is it just for show? Well, I now think that performing in front of others is part o...

In taiji, there is the saying 上下相随, which can be thought of as the upper and lower body moving together in synchrony. So taiji is about the...

Have you ever thought if you can actually learn taiji from watching instructional videos and DVDs? Well, the answer is yes and no. Yes, y...