The Gift of Small Frame

At the WTBA USA Workshop, earlier this year, I was properly introduced to the small frame version of Yang Taiji by Erle Montaigue. I have been working on it ever since, and I am finally beginning to glimpse the enormity of this gift. I have a long way to go with this, and it is one of my Winter training goals. But even the small breakthrough that I have witnessed is powerful beyond description. And it is, like many internal practices, difficult to describe.

Being primarily a Chen-Hunyuan practitioner, my movements are big and expansive by design. When doing any of my forms, the martial intent is clear in my mind. The moves should be crisp and the intention clear and unambiguous to an outside observer. That is how it should be. However, over time the Taiji practitioner should concentrate more the internal movement and less on the external. As that happens the moves aren't so clear and unambiguous to the outside observer. But they are extremely powerful and moving to the practitioner. Many of us have witnessed a Master performing his form and wondered why it seemed so vague and indirect. That is because his intention was internal and the external movement is a mere reflection of the internal action.

As I have progressed in my Taiji training I have often felt as if I am backing up. It seems the more I learn, the less I know. I feel as if I am in a constant state of 'just beginning'. This is a potent example of that. Doing form at the small frame level is an incredible tool for accumulating internal power. And it is incredibly difficult. However, even to the degree that I understand it and am able to practice it, it has been extremely rewarding. That, I guess, is the trade-off for being an eternal beginner. The thrill of newfound treasure is constantly recurring.

Chen Zhonghua and his Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method

Shang Lee has a wonderful blog entitled The Journey Within. He has interpreted a text written by Sun Zhonghua, a 19th generation Chen Style Master and a 2nd generation Hunyuan Style Master, on the Practical Method Chen Taiji of Chen Zhonghua. Not only do I recommend Shang's blog, but I highly recommend this article. It is a great introduction to a true Taiji Master.

The article, in 4 parts, can be found here.

"This is a translation and my interpretation of the text written by Sun Zhonghua. He is the 19^th generation master of Chen Style Taijiquan and a 2^nd generation master of Hunyuan Tai Ji. I hope I did it justice with my translation, and didn’t lose the spirit he is trying to convey. I have to split it in parts as this is a long article and it’ll probably take me some time to translate. Also, I’m savouring the text. It’s great reading it the second time round. Hope you enjoy it. You can find the full text here if you can read Chinese. You can find other parts here: Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 |

Foreword:

People train in martial arts for a variety of reasons, but if there is someone who is in love with martial arts to the point of addiction, this must be caused by a rare gene in his DNA. The evolution of this gene would most likely come from hunting and the battles that the previous generations have to fight, where those instincts are then secretly passed on to these “martial art addicts”. History has shown that even with the ban on martial arts or the downplay of martial arts to give way to a more “civilized” way of learning, all did not manage to suppress this rare gene from being passed down through the generations.

There are plenty of different martial arts, and Tai Ji Quan is one of them. It has a rich content, focusing both on health and self-defense. All you need to train in Tai Ji is a bit of space. There are no special requirements on how tall you are or how heavy you are. Because of this lack of special requirements, there are now plenty of people choosing this over other forms of martial art, one estimate of practitioners numbering 200 million people!

Now that the benefits of health and general well-being is being recognized in Tai Ji, the application and self-defense part of Tai Ji is largely neglected. There is nothing wrong with this being a personal choice, but do not think that your personal choice of ignoring Tai Ji applications makes what you are learning is Tai Ji. By removing applications from Tai Ji, Tai Ji becomes fake Tai Ji, it losses its intrinsic nature. Just like how you would say that a dance is not a dance because it doesn’t look like dancing. Moreover, if you don’t understand the application, the external movements will be wrong. This can only lead to one conclusion – we are not inheriting and passing on Tai Ji as a complete cultural artifact, instead we are stripping the spirit of Tai Ji from the art, mutating it, and allowing it to be passed on only in name. I’m not trying to be an alarmist, but this inevitable outcome has given me sleepless nights. Whenever I am giving a talk, I always urge my audiences, “To pass on and expand on the real Tai Ji, anyone who is interested and has the necessary conditions to learn the martial aspects of Tai Ji, please devote as much time and effort into it as you can.”

Continued in Part 2…"

Taiji is Qigong is not Taiji

I am often faced with the question, 'What is the difference between Tai Chi and Qigong?' It should be a simple question with a simple answer, something like, 'Taiji is a complete martial art; Qigong is an art within itself, and a component of Taiji.' However, thanks primarily to a long history of misinformation, and dilution of the art, there are lots of things that are taught as Taiji, that are more properly Qigong, and sometimes not even that. I am personally a big fan of Qigong. I often only practice Qigong in my personal sessions, and recommend that everyone who practices these arts spends ample time with the nurturing of Qigong. However, Taiji and Qigong are not the same thing. Trying to equate them only does a disservice to us all.

As noted above, Qigong is a component of Taiji, a crucial component, without which Taiji would be just another martial art. Many of the principles of Taiji are shared with the art of Qigong. In fact one could easily practice Qigong and not ever practice Taiji, and many, many folks do. But one can't properly practice Taiji without practicing Qigong. Qigong is the underlying essence of Taiji. However, there is much more to Taiji than what is found in the practice of Qigong. Taiji is a complete martial art with forms based on combat applications, two-person exercises and drills, and at a certain level should be taught complete with Chin Na, Dim Mak, combat throws, and other martial exercises such as San Shou, Sticky Hands, weapons, and other self defense components.

As is obvious from the above, it's the martial aspect of Taiji that differentiates it. But that does not make Taiji any less of a healing art that Qigong. Quite the contrary. There is much healing energy to be found in Taiji forms. Most forms work to activate the twelve meridians. At a certain level the practitioner should be generating movement from the dantien, which works to circulate Qi throughout the body. And in some systems we learn the forms at the small frame level, which is concerned with internal movement. These movements are small and subtle to the observer, but internally powerful and stimulating to the practitioner. There is also healing energy exchanged in partner exercises, and a general sharing of energy in group form work. But the key in any Taiji system is keeping to Taiji principles. The people who developed this art were extremely intelligent and informed. There are many things happening at any one time in the execution of Taiji.

I often see where some people try to differentiate between "Tai Chi for Health" and "Martial Taijiquan". I don't agree with that approach, nor think it is necessary. The practice of Taiji, in it's entirety, as a complete martial art, as it was intended to be practiced, is a healing art. There is no need to water it down, and create other categories. That does not mean that sixty eight year old grandmothers should be expected to make some of the kicks in the Chen system, or play heavy push hands like twenty-somethings. Everyone can and should learn and practice within their limitations and abilities. But sixty eight year old grandmothers can still do demanding forms, play push hands, and learn the components of self defense as long as the teacher works with them at their level (as one should with any and all students). However, on that note, I will acknowledge there are people who have no interest in martial arts, nor many of the other components of Taiji who can and still want to benefit from the healing capacity of Taiji. We already have an art for them. It's called Qigong. And yes, you can even add parts of the Taiji form, or complete forms, to your Qigong practices. That's OK. Taiji form is Qigong (among other things). I not only practice Qigong in and of itself, I teach it and recommend it to anyone with or without health challenges.

Many people, maybe most people, are drawn to Taiji for health reasons. I know I was. And that is as it should be, I suppose. In my case, I am a big supporter of Taiji for health. However, I practice Taiji as a martial art and reap the healing benefits at the same time. I also practice Qigong as Qigong. I realize that at some level this is only semantics, but I still think it is important. I think it is necessary that we keep our definitions correct for the sake of the art and for the future of the art. And maybe there is no short easy answer to the question after all.

Taking the Plunge

After some time of indecision and general gnashing of teeth, I've made the decision to take the plunge and start teaching Taiji classes. So far it's off to a great start. I am offering two classes at two different locations in basic Chen Hunyuan Taiji. We are taking it slow and focusing a lot on Qigong and basic fundamentals to establish good practice. In keeping with the lineage, I am presenting Taiji as being composed of three basic components: Qigong, Taiji form, and Push-hands.

Specifically, Qigong includes static postures: sitting, lying, and standing meditation, and dynamic movements designed to build gong. For beginning classes, I am teaching a twelve movement short form distilled from the Hunyuan 48. In time I may add a form from another system, or move on to the 48.

I am introducing the concept of Push-hands right from the beginning. We are taking it slow to ensure everyone understands the concepts, but we are moving along in an integral fashion just the same. I am also peppering in little doses of self-defense concepts along the way. In time, I should be able to have balanced classes exploring traditional Taijiquan as it should be.

It is early to judge how effective this will be, but it is starting out to be quite fun. It is my intention to offer specific workshops in the future on Qigong, Push-hands, Self-defense, and various Neijia concepts depending on interests.

Once again, my Taiji world is expanding.

Notes from Taiji Camp: The Art of Smiling, The Science of Motown

I just returned from Yang Yang's Summer Taiji Camp in Blowing Rock, NC. I feel obligated to report on my experiences, but after rummaging through my notes, scanning my poor memory, and buzzing around my home and office with this amazing residual energy, I'm not sure I'm up to relating the depth of my experience. I feel as if I have just had an amazing experience that is beyond words. But on the other hand, the core of that experience was being in the presence of a man who expertly takes the mysterious, the complicated, and the subtle and makes them not only understandable but easily within grasp of us all, regardless of our backgrounds or levels of experience. So in keeping with that spirit, I'll give it a shot.

Taiji Camp ranges over a six day period, Friday evening through Wednesday morning, with four full days and two partial days of training. I have been learning and practicing this system for six years now, but this is my first camp experience. It will not be my last.

"The lessons learned in Taiji are applicable to everyday life, and the way in which you live your life will affect your progress in the art." Yang Yang.

I arrived relatively early on Friday evening, so I had plenty of time to get settled, meet a few folks, and observe as everyone else came together. I noticed quite quickly the fraternal, or better, familial, atmosphere. I felt as if I were at a sort of family reunion. By breakfast of the next day I already felt a part of the family. It was quickly apparent to me that this was going to be more than a couple of days of martial arts training. I was in the presence of people close to one another, who shared not only a lineage, but a philosophy, an approach not only to the martial arts or to health maintenance, but to life in general and the world at large. That is the kind of art this is. It is more than what you do; it becomes a part of who you are: a living art in the literal sense.

"The change of hardness and softness does not happen just on the physical level. It is more important for a student to apply this principle with Yi." Feng Qhiqiang.

Chen-Style Xinyi Hunyuan Taiji was created by Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang, a synthesis of Xinyi Liuhe Quan, Qigong, and Chen-Style Taiji. As noted on Grandmaster Feng's website, the fundamental principal of Hunyuan Taiji is that "while designed for health and self-defense, it focuses on health; while alternating movements with stillness, it emphasizes stillness; and while simultaneously training the internal and the external, it gives priority to the internal". While this may seem an odd or obscure approach to those outside the system, it is in fact a very efficient and effective approach to Taijiquan. And understanding that statement is the key to understanding Dr. Yang's approach and the experience of his Summer Taiji Camp. Giving priority to the internal and to stillness leads to effective movement, health, and martial ability.

"I'm not afraid of someone who does a thousand forms; I'm concerned with the person that knows one form very well." Traditional Chinese Martial Arts Saying.

The thing that makes Master Yang stand out is his ability to expand one's knowledge of Taiji through simplification. He breaks down the form to its most fundamental elements so that it is easy to comprehend the intention, but he never compromises the original Taiji principles. Once you understand the intention and the underlying principles, you understand the form; Taiji becomes accessible. Additionally, and what I found to be most impressive, he demystifies the sayings we have all heard or read in the classics but find obscure and ambiguous. Concepts like "nurturing true power in Wuji"; "Move the Qi with Yi"; "Executing movement with your Dantien"; "Nurturing your partner through Push Hands". While this may be obscure on the pages of a book, it all comes out and is clarified through Yang's training regimen.

"If you practice brute strength it will break, if you practice Qi it will be stiff, if you practice Yi it will flow smoothly." Traditional Chinese Martial Arts Saying.

Each day of camp began with Wuji standing meditation, Qigong and sitting meditation, and each day ended with sitting meditation. During the day we alternated between form practice, push hands, and lying Qigong. Lying Qigong, a variation of Wuji, is more than a mid-training excuse for lying down or taking a nap. It is a subtle, active, relaxing, and extremely beneficial Qigong practice. Not only does Lying Qigong lead to relaxation, it is training in moving Qi through the body with Yi, intention. In fact, the concept of giving priority to the internal is more than philosophy with Dr. Yang, it is the practice. The majority of questions on form, application, or push hands addressed to Dr. Yang over the camp were referred back to Wuji. It appears the answer to most Taiji questions are ultimately found in Qigong. The classical conception of Taijiquan has it that Wuji is the mother of Taiji. Again, with Dr. Yang these are more than mere words, they are the rule of efficient practice. If your form or push hands are lacking, you should check your Standing Pole or San Ti stance. But this philosophy could lead one to wonder. The foundation of most martial arts practice is technique, and the rule of efficient practice in many systems is constant repetition of technique and fighting skills. Not so with Taiji, at least in the Hunyuan lineage. So, how does that work?

"Thus the external becomes concentrated in the internal, and the internal expresses itself externally." The Yang Family Forty Chapters.

I once, quite absentmindedly, parked my truck on a slight hill in neutral, and forgot to pull the parking brake. As I got out and began to walk away I noticed it beginning to roll ever so slightly. In keeping with my absentminded nature on that particular day I went to the front of the truck to stop it from moving. Since the decline was slight and it barely moved before I caught it, I was able to stop the motion quite easily. I soon realized my folly and went around and opened the door, jumped in, and pulled the brake. But that's not my point. My point is that for a brief moment I held the truck in place. As I noted, the decline was slight and it's a small Toyota truck, so there was no real danger. But standing there holding the front of that truck I could feel the potential energy. The Earth, in its rotation around the Sun, creates a gravitational pull that worked on the weight of my truck. Left alone, given the slope of that decline, my little truck would have accelerated to the point that should I again put my hands on the front I would have experienced much more than potential energy. I would have been victim to actualized energy, derived from the forces of nature, enough to roll over me, or move me off my spot. This potential energy that I felt on my truck that day is the same energy I felt whenever I played push hands with any of Master Yang's senior students. It is there, it exists. And when I, as I will often foolishly do, pushed a little too much into that potential, it quite quickly became actualized, in a fraction of a second, and moved me off my spot. Every senior student that I played push hands with expressed this same energy, regardless of age, gender, physical size. With every one I felt the same thing: potential, natural energy not unlike what I felt on the hood of my truck. In the case of Master Yang, to paraphrase one of those same senior students, it's like laying hands on a nuclear reactor. But here is the key to the whole system: this power is not accumulated through hour upon hour of push hands, fa jin, or sparring practice each week. Quite the opposite, it is accumulated through Wuji and Qigong, giving priority to the internal. Of course a certain amount of time is necessary for martial training in any system. But in keeping with Dr. Yang's training regimen, giving ultimate priority to Wuji and nurture leads to an unbelievable store of energy, ensuring much martial power if and when needed, a healthy body, and an awakened nature.

"Whoa-oa-oa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now..." James Brown

Still, I knew there was a secret to Dr. Yang's Taiji; a trick of sorts. There is always a secret. And I found Yang's. It's the smile. Dr. Yang is always smiling. It appears he is always happy. And it's contagious, because everybody else was always smiling too, including me. I can honestly say this was six days of the most fun I've had in a long time. But just in case, just to ensure that everybody kept on smiling, Dr. Yang pulled out another secret trick. At the end of each training day, before supper, when everybody's legs were turning to Jello from all the Taiji form, and everybody's minds were turning to mush from trying to remember all the new moves, and everybody's backs were turning into Rice Krispies from all the push hands, when enough is enough, Dr, Yang breaks out the boom box, puts on some classic Motown, and everybody dances. Yes, everybody. Even if you are physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausted, James Brown has a way of making it all better. By the time the song is over, everyone has a great big smile and is ready for more. It just doesn't get any better.

(1) All quotes taken from Taijiquan: The Art of Nurturing, The Science of Power. Yang Yang; 2005; Zhenwu, Publications, except the last which is taken from the song I Got You (I Feel Good) by James Brown, King Records, 1965.

Book Review: Taijiquan: The Art of Nurturing, The Science of Power

In preparation for Yang Yang's Summer Taiji Camp, I decided to re-read his book, Taijiquan: The Art of Nurturing, The Science of Power. It is a good read for someone interested in the complete art of Taiji. By complete art, I mean not just bits and pieces, as is often the case, at least in the West. According to Yang, Taiji is a martial art, a healing art, a spiritual practice, and a physical regimen. Yang, a disciple of Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang, finds it odd that there is even a discussion in America as to whether Taiji is a healing or a martial art. The practice of Taijiquan, if one follows a complete curriculum, leads to martial skill and good health concurrently. Attempting to separate the two leads to something that is not balanced, and not Taijiquan.

For Yang, Taiji has three integral components: Qigong; Taiji Form; Push Hands. Of course there is much to each of these individual categories, but they do form the basis of correct Taiji practice. In the Chen Hunyuan System, which Yang teaches, Qigong includes moving and static practices. Of these, the static practices are the most important in building gong, the foundation of Taiji. Static Qigong is basically sitting and standing Wuji meditation. Form of course varies depending on the school, or style one is practicing, but should be composed of the eight forces and five steps noted in the classics, and typical of all Taijiquan. The Taiji form is moving, choreographed Qigong, and it is key to combat applications. Finally, Yang covers push hands. For Yang, push hands is a training tool. It is a tool for learning to fight efficiently--among other things--but it is not fighting. Push hands is a very important partner exercise, and done correctly benefits each partner. Push hands was not intended to be a competitive venture. Yang does not broach this subject here, but the implication is clear.

For Yang, as with Grandmaster Feng, nurturing is primary in the art of Taijiquan. We begin by nurturing ourselves, through meditation and Qigong exercises, which builds gong and provides us with the foundation necessary to practice Taiji. In push hands practice we nurture ourselves and our training partners. There is much to this concept of nurture as an indispensable component of Taiji practice. To be able to function at our highest level, we must attend to our basic needs first. Everything else follows from there. Early in the book Yang quotes the classical Song of Real Meaning to make his point: "With your whole being, develop your life"(1). That kind of says it all.

Most important for Western readers, Yang demystifies Taijiquan and presents hard solid scientific evidence for what is and is not possible. Yang has a Phd. in Kinesiology, and wrote his dissertation on the practical benefits of Taiji practice. There is no magic or superpowers implicit here, no throwing anyone across the room with intention only, or some mysterious Qi power. This is the art we experience explained in a logical fashion that makes a lot of sense. He does not devote a lot of time to the martial application of Taijiquan, but he doesn't overlook it or disregard it either. All-in-all it is a balanced explication.

I realize this is a short summary of an excellent book. But better than reading my review, buy the book. I highly recommend it for any serious practitioner of Taijiquan, regardless of style. It presents a complete holistic view of this wonderful art in a sane no-nonsense manner.

(1) Taijiquan: The Art of Nurturing, The Science of Power. Yang Yang; 2005; Zhenwu Publications.

Reflections on the 2010 WTBA USA East Coast Workshop

I attended the 2010 WTBA Workshop in Salisbury, MD. May 8th and 9th. It was amazing, to say the least. I should note this was billed as the WTBA USA Workshop. I prefer to refer to it as the East Coast Workshop because Eli Montaigue will be presenting another workshop in Montana in September of this year.

The workshop was very well attended. There were several students and assorted martial artists from across the globe. In addition to WTBA founder, Erle Montaigue, his son and current head of the WTBA, Eli Montaigue was there; UK Chief Instructor, Nasser Butt; USA Chief Instructor, Al Krych; Canada Chief Instructor, Josephine Anderson; and Workshop host and Maryland WTBA Representative, Brian Alexander. I must say I have never been in the presence of so many talented martial artists at one time. There was no shortage of high caliber instruction and competent assistance.

This was my first workshop with Erle; in fact it was my first WTBA event ever, as there are no active WTBA groups in my immediate area--yet. My exposure to this system has been via books and videos to this point. Apparently the turnout was so great that this is now going to become an annual event. Needless to say I am already planning on next year's event.

The focus of this workshop was the Yang Lu'chan form, or Old Yang form, at the small frame level; The River, a Wudang Dim Mak Cornerstone Form; and Combat Push Hands. Although the majority of the information was new to me, the most challenging aspect was the small frame approach to the form. I learned the first third of this from via video, but not at this level. The movements of small frame are subtle and all but incomprehensible to the observer. We did not spend as much time with this as Erle had intended, or as I personally would have liked. But it was enough to pique my interest. I definitely see this as a future challenge, an addition to my ever-expanding list.

The Wudang Dim Mak Cornerstone forms are predecessors to Taiji and Bagua, but contain noticeable elements of each and lots of Fa Jin. As I have been practicing a Chen style for some time now, Fa Jin is not foreign to me, and not as challenging as it is to some contemporary Yang stylists. This, for me, is one of the more comfortable things about this system. Legend has it that Yang Lu'chan learned Taiji from the Chen family (or along with the Chen family, if you prefer that version). So it follows that his Taiji would be more similar to Chen style than the contemporary Yang versions that dominate the Taiji world. I have always found the contemporary Yang system to be awkward and lacking, thus my attraction to Chen. This system does not have that awkward feel--for many reasons. Although the Wudang forms predate Taiji, and are not a part of Yang-style Taiji, per se, they are a part of the WTBA curriculum. There are four forms, each representing a natural element. We learned The River or Water Form, complete. This is a good fighting form. I like it--a lot. We went over it enough that I retained all the basic moves in memory. Erle has added an overview/outline of the form to his website, which helps to clarify. I will have to work on this for some time to polish it and get it right, but it has definitely become a part of my regular practice.

The WTBA version of Combat Push Hands is also new to me, but not so totally foreign that I had trouble comprehending the intention. It is beyond a doubt a different approach to push hands than I am accustomed to, but the fundamentals are there. I have already shared this with my regular Taiji group and we are integrating it into our training routine. Push Hands is an important practice to me and this system gives me another level of approach. Compared to most common styles of Push Hands, WTBA Push Hands is more direct, faster, and closer to free fighting than most approaches. With the free-style Push Hands that I am accustomed to it is easy to enter and transition to grappling. This is a noticeable trait in Chen Village Push Hands. With the WTBA system, any such attempt at entering should be cut off with a strike. Of course that limits the strategies, but makes those available all the more potent. Again, I am impressed. This system will not supersede my other training methods, but it will be a potent addition.

In summary, I have found a new training regiment. Since injuring my leg in Aikido a few months back, I have not been doing any cross-training. I decided after that accident to focus my training on Taiji. Now I have found an acceptable cross-training system. I will be integrating the WTBA system into my existing--primarily Chen Hunyuan--system. Hopefully I will be able to get together with some of the other workshop attendees for training before next year's event. In any case, I have much new material with which to work, and new challenges to address. My Taiji world has expanded.