Push Hands

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz4HjMTAGBE&feature=player_embedded

Attitude for learning Taiji

I think that the attitude for learning taiji should be that you should always consider yourself wrong. There is really only one correct way, which can never be achieved. In the process of striving to get as close to the correct way as possible, you will see improvement along the way. When compared between 2 people, a higher skilled person is one that is closer to the correct way than the less skilled person, but they are both "wrong" or non-perfect, just to difference degrees. Only in this mindset, one can continuously improve one's taiji skill. If one is being criticized as being "wrong", gladly accept it because that is the truth. Openly discuss the reasons for such comment, and one can always learn something from the experience.

Practice Record

This site provides a central place for Master Chen to see which student is doing what. He hopes that the number repetitions in one's form practice and practice consistency will correlate to one's progress.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dE9mZ3QyVDEzdFE4ekRUS2N3OVhidmc6MA

Don't move the hand

What does it mean by not moving the hand?

Here is my understanding:

If I would like change the location of the hand relative to my body, e.g. the current location of the right hand is at the level of my belly button, and the destination is at my eye level in front of the right shoulder, how can I achieve that without moving the hand?

1. Don't move the hand, but I can move any other part of the body to achieve the same result.
2. Keep the hand at the same coordinates in this three-dimensional space, and sink my body down, which in turn causes my elbow to go from above the hand to below the hand. Then perform the 2nd half of the positive circle.

Taiji and Steel

I just had a piece of thought on Taiji.

Taiji is considered strong, why?

A large plate of steel is also considered strong too (structurely), but it can't hit you by itself.

If you try to punch at it, your knuckle will probably hurt quite a bit.

If someone tries to push onto a Taiji practitioner with a high level of skill, that person should feel having a great force come right back at him. I think that part of the Taiji training is to make me seem like a solid wall, and force directing at me can "bounce" right back at the source.

What is Kua?

http://internalartsia.wordpress.com/2006/07/20/function-and-usage-of-the-kua/

This article provides a very good explanation of the kua.

Day 2 of the 2nd workshop with Master Chen

Here are some rough notes I took during the workshop:

1. Moves need to be proportional. 1 unit of the bottom., 1 unit of the mid-section, and 1 unit of the top. The problem is that we have 1 unit of the bottom, 2 units of the mid-section, and 3 units of the top (so we toss).
2. Fajin is like you are trapped and just able to break out.
3. You don't do fajin or circle.fajin and circle are artifacts and a realization, and not something that you can just learn to do.
4. Convert horiztonal move to vertical move.
5. Rubberband: find the strength to train
6. Finger points to a spot and should never move.
7. Back shoulder not moving creates stability.
8. Don't move where you opponent touches
9. Angle is only one aspect of intent.
10. Regarding Yilu, it's better to leave it incomplete, even if it looks bad, than complete it incorrectly. Do what I am told, and not what I think it should be. Less is more.
11. A circle has two halves, they don't start and end at the same point in space.
12. Sequence of action is important. There are 9 parts to every move. Do them one at a time. Don't combine them. To start with don't do 9, just concentrate on 3 parts. In time, the 3 parts can be broken further down into 9 parts, which in turn can be broken down even more. At the end, the move will look smooth. No reversal = smooth.
13. The body should be rigid, in other words, should maintain structure.