Chen Tai Chi practice consists of standing meditation, silk scrolls, qigong, weapons, and forms.
These include the long forms Lao Jia (old frame) and Xin Jia (new frame), sword, saber, pole, spear, halberd, pushing hands, and martial applications.
In this article, we will look at each of these parts and how they fit together in Chen Tai Chi.
zhang zhuang
Zhan Zhuang literally means "standing like a pole", also known as standing meditation. It is a training method that uses static postures to develop correct structural alignment to develop efficiency of movement and maximum strength for combat applications. In combination with Tu-Na (Qigong breathing exercises), it also helps to develop a deep level of relaxation and body awareness, release blockages and promote the circulation of internal energy (Qi). This practice is known to have many health benefits, such as: B. improving posture, calming the mind, and improving breathing patterns.
silk lamination
Silk Reeling, also known as Chansujin, is the main method of movement in Tai Chi. Silk rolling is considered the essence of Tai Chi and helps develop the health and relaxation aspects associated with Tai Chi.
Silk Reeling exercises are simple continuous circular and spiral movements that work the entire body. The joints become loose from the continuous movements; Develop relaxation, efficiency of movement and strength of the whole body.
The key to correctly practicing silk reeling is to move the entire body with the movement that originates from the center of the body (the dantien). The qualities acquired through the practice of silk reeling should be incorporated into all aspects of tai chi practice.
short forms
The short forms are ideal for those seeking the health and relaxation benefits of Tai Chi. They were developed because they can be learned in much less time and require less space to practice compared to the long forms, which take more time and are complicated to learn. We teach the 11 short forms developed by Master Liming Yue and the 18 short forms created by Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei. Both short forms contain the essential elements of Tai Chi, but despite their simplicity they do not represent any commitment to Tai Chi principles.
long forms
Lao Jia(old frame) contains two routines, Yi Lu (first routine) and Er Lu (second routine).
The first routine has 74 moves and emphasizes softness with a touch of hardness. This routine involves big movements with light but steady footwork, a naturally upright posture, and all movements follow the principles of silk.
The second routine is also known ascannon fist(Pao Chui) and consists of 43 movements. Considered an advanced routine, it consists of quick, explosive movements known as fajing. The routine expresses toughness with an element of softness, with all movements initiated with silk principles.
Both routines complement each other and hardness and softness are harmoniously combined.
Xinjiang(new framework) consists of two routines; Yi lu (first routine) is also sometimes known as the 83 form due to the number of moves it contains. Er Lu (2nd Exercise) is also known as Cannon Fist (Pao Chui) due to its fast and powerful movements and consists of 71 movements.
Xin Jia was created by the legendary Grandmaster Chen Fake, who feared that Tai Chi's fighting skills would be lost due to the subtle nature of his practice. He based the movements on Lao Jia and added more detail and length to the exercises. Xin Jia involves more physical movements guided by internal energy, such as: Explosive movements (fajing), leaps, leaps, twists, and spiral movements emphasize blocking techniques and express more martial skills than Lao Jia.
shake hands
Push Hands is considered the first step for students to understand the martial aspects of Tai Chi. It's basically two students with their arms touching. Students practice pinning and twisting movements to develop sensitivity, balance, and awareness in their own bodies and toward their opponents. Helps develop a sense of how small forces can defeat larger forces.
In Chen Tai Chi, push hands can be practiced at multiple levels to aid in the development of martial skills. The exercises can be practiced soft and hard, as well as fast and slow. There are five levels of hand pushing exercises that take the student from simple pushing actions to free grip. These include pushing, pulling, throwing, sweeping, and blocking, as well as freestyle sparring.
The five stages of push hands are:
- with one hand
- Doppelhand
- moving step
- Da Lu (Practiced in a low stance to strengthen the legs and increase flexibility and rooting. Rooting is the ability to stand your ground in combat and not be thrown or knocked down.)
- free style.
The first four methods can be practiced gently with an emphasis on acquiring sticky energy, sensitivity, and a sense of balance. Regular practice allows exercises to be performed faster and with relaxed force, with an emphasis on balancing, blocking, or throwing your partner.
The fifth method uses all the attributes obtained from the previous methods in a freestyle mansion. It features two students attempting to catch, throw, trip, and sweep each other to the ground.
combat applications
The combat applications are the attack and defense movements of the Tai Chi form movements. In Chen Tai Chi, each movement of the forms has numerous combat applications consisting of blocking, striking, blocking, and throwing techniques. Each application uses attributes obtained from push-hand training.
Waffen
sword shapecontains 49 movements and is considered to be the oldest weapon routine practiced in Chen Tai Chi.
When practicing sword form, the sword looks like an extension of your arm, and all movements of the sword originate from and are directed by the body. The sword routine includes thrusting, cutting, picking, aiming, sweeping, intercepting, and thrusting movements.
The Tai Chi sword exercise is circular, fluid and elegant in its movements that combine hardness and softness with subtle fast and slow movements. Sword training helps develop flexibility, fluidity, and precision. Wielding the sword has been compared to a "swinging dragon" or a "phoenix soaring and circling through the air."
saber shapeIt consists of twenty-two moves and features long-range strikes, slashes, hoes, hoes, and sweep blocks. The saber form demonstrates the power and explosiveness of Chen Tai Chi. The form is short and easy to learn; It is performed with speed and power, developing fajing (explosive power). When practicing saber, coordinated and balanced footwork is important. Weapon mastery also involves how well you use your free hand to support your sword-wielding hand. It says: "To know the individual saber, follow the left hand."
pole shapeit consists of thirteen moves and is considered an advanced weapon and training method. The form is very energetic, and each movement is very practical with simple movements.
The form is practiced with a 10 foot wax wood pole and weighs about 4.4 pounds. It can also be heavier depending on the pole and the material it is made of.
When performing the form or individual movements, the practitioner tries to move the end of the bar. This helps bring the integrated force through the body, to the arms, and to the bar. Shaking the bar helps build inner strength and tests that strength.
Barbell training builds total body strength, inner strength, and increases chi.
spear shapealso known as "Pear Blossom Spear and White Monkey Staff". Chen Spear includes seventy-one moves and includes rod/stick techniques as well as spear-related techniques. In Tai Chi, spear training is considered an advanced weapon form and is difficult to learn. In China they say "100 days to master the broadsword and 1000 days to master the spear."
harpoon trainingHelps develop agile footwork, trains upper and lower body coordination, and builds overall body strength.
Forma Gwandaoit is an advanced weapon form also known as "Spring-Autumn Broadsword and Green Dragon Crescent Broadsword" that consists of thirty moves. A gwandao is a Chinese halberd with a long shaft, a saber at the top, and sometimes a spear end at the bottom. The Gwandao was the favorite weapon of Chen WangTin, the founder of Chen Tai Chi. Weapon training helps develop total body power and strength.
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FAQs
What constitutes Chen-style Tai Chi? | tai chi school? ›
Forms or Taolu (套路; Chinese pinyin: tàolù) are choreographed movements emulating actual martial arts moves. A form serves as a means of training. This manner of training is common to many martial arts and allows people to practice alone when the martial artist does not have a training partner.
What is Tai Chi Chen style? ›Chen-style is characterized by silk reeling (纏絲勁; chán sī jìn), alternating fast and slow motions, and bursts of power (發勁; fa jin). Traditionally, Taijiquan is practiced as a martial art but has expanded into other domains of practice such as health or performances.
What is the difference between Yang and Chen style Tai Chi? ›Yang style focuses on the same movements and sequences as Chen, but each movement is expressed in a very yin manner. Everything is soft, the speed is uniform throughout the form. To that end, the Yang style form is usually executed much slower, overall, than is the Chen Style.
How many postures are there in Chen Tai Chi? ›Chen Style Tai Chi Competition Routine - 56 Postures combines the agile body movement, the punching skills, the elbow strike and even wrestling skills!
What is the easiest Tai Chi style to learn? ›Selecting the Tai Chi Style That is Right for You
If you are a beginner looking for something that is easy to adopt, Yang and Wu style are easier to learn than some of the other styles. If you are recovering from an injury, Yang style is the recommended style to practise.
Yang is often considered the most popular form of Tai Chi and is the most widely practiced across the globe today. It was founded by Yang Lu-Ch'an in the mid-1800s and builds off the original Chen style.
What is the oldest style of Tai Chi? ›Chen is the oldest form of the five primary tai chi styles. The others are derived from the Chen family style of tai chi. Chen-style tai chi is characterized by its explosive movements including jumps, kicks and strikes.
Who is Chen style Tai Chi beneficial for? ›A study published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity found that older adults who practiced tai chi had better balance and reduced their risk of falls compared to those who did not practice tai chi. Tai chi has been shown to be an effective natural therapy for relieving chronic pain.
Which Tai Chi style is best for combat? ›Self-Defense
Tai Chi Chuan has the most sophisticated fighting theory of all the martial arts. Its approach is non-aggressive, yet in full-contact confrontation or combat it is more effective than the better known “hard” styles.
Tai Chi Forms: Chen Style
This manner of training is common to many martial arts and allows people to practice alone when the martial artist does not have a training partner. Even though, it is said that Chen style started out with 7 different forms, only 2 forms remain.
What are the three most popular types of Tai Chi? ›
While Tai Chi is typified by its slow movements, many styles (including the three most popular: Yang, Wu, and Chen) have secondary, faster-paced forms. Some traditional schools teach martial applications of the postures of different forms (taolu).
How many styles of Tai Chi are there? ›There are five main family styles of tai chi: Chen, Yang, Wu, Sun and Hao. All five styles have the same origin and share many similarities. However, each style has its own unique characteristics and emphasizes a particular aspect of movement.
Is Chen style tai chi effective? ›There are many different styles of Tai Chi, of which the Chen is the most common apparent combat form. While its exercises and routines may not look as forceful as other forms of martial art, it is as effective as any other. This is because of the principles on which it is grounded.
What are the 8 methods of tai chi? ›Bafa refers to peng (ward off), lyu (roll back), ji (press), an (push), cai (pull down), lie (split), zhou (elbow strike) and kao (lean). It represents the eight fundamental methods of training the body's power, and lays the foundation of all the skills and techniques of taijiquan.
What are the three pillars of Tai Chi? ›Tai Chi consists of 'Four Pillars' or types of practice, as well as a variety of physical exercises and meditative practices. The Four Pillars are Qigong, Form, Pushing Hands and Application.
How many years does it take to master tai chi? ›However, we estimate 250 - 300 hours spread out over 5-8 years to arrive at a base-line functional level of competency. Those contemplating Tai Chi Teaching as a Career are best advised to consider it like a fine wine that should not be rushed to reach its full maturity.
Which is harder tai chi or yoga? ›Tai Chi vs Yoga
Both yoga and tai chi are pretty easy at the beginner level. As the intensity grows, however, you'll find that tai chi is more demanding than yoga. This isn't surprising given tai chi has been developed as a form of martial arts.
How long does it take to learn the tai chi form? It usually takes about 30 to 36 class hours to learn the basic movements, depending upon the schedule of your teaching location.
How many times a week should you do tai chi? ›You can do Tai Chi as many times each week as you'd like! Some practitioners do Tai Chi twice a day nearly every day of the week. Other practitioners do Tai Chi once a week. Of course, your results will be much more pronounced if you practice more often.
What is a tai chi master called? ›Sifu is pronounced 'seefoo' in Cantonese and 'shihfu' in Mandarin. It means teacher/father. Sifu is the correct form of address when talking to the founder/instructor of a martial arts (e.g. taijiquan) class. A qigong & tai chi teacher could not be called 'sifu'.
Which is healthier yoga or tai chi? ›
Like tai chi, yoga also helps with improving muscle tone and strength, as well as with respiration and cardio health, according to the American Osteopathic Association. Once tai chi and yoga are broken down individually, it's safe to say, they're almost identical in benefits and components.
Why was tai chi banned in China? ›During the Great Leap Forward (1958 – 62) and the Cultural Revolution (1966 – 76), many ancient ideas and artefacts were destroyed in China. Religion was considered a defilement to the Chinese government and it became harder to practice tai chi because of its strong links to Taoism and Buddhism.
How old is Chen style tai chi? ›Synopsis: Tai Chi is one of the best known martial arts of the Internal systems from ancient China. Based on Qigong and martial art techniques from thousands of years ago, Chen Wangting developed the Chen Style Tai Chi around 1670.
Is tai chi outlawed in China? ›Tai Chi not banned in China The reason Falun Gong Qigong is banned because the cults said it can heal anything with the book Zhuan Falun. Qigong and Tai Chi talks about the chi or qi and Falun Dafa talks About the channels too.
What does tai chi do for the brain? ›These changes can improve cognitive function—and various forms of exercise, including tai chi, can help. In a meta-analysis of 20 studies on tai chi and cognition, tai chi appears to improve executive function—the ability to multitask, manage time, and make decisions—in people without any cognitive decline.
What martial arts does Tiger Chen use? ›He studied the Chinese martial arts. By age 18, he enrolled into Sichuan Wushu Team. He won the National Youth Martial Arts Competition in China.
Can you lose weight doing tai chi? ›Promotes weight loss
Regularly practicing tai chi can result in weight loss. One study tracked changes in weight in a group of adults practicing tai chi five times a week for 45 minutes. At the end of the 12 weeks, these adults lost a little over a pound without making any additional lifestyle changes.
The tai chi chih style, which has 20 movements, also uses a higher stance, but with much less transfer of weight from one leg to the other than the other two. Because the wu style uses a high, narrow stance, it may be easier for beginners and ideal for improving balance.
Can tai chi build muscle? ›Muscle strength.
Tai chi can improve both lower-body strength and upper-body strength. When practiced regularly, tai chi can be comparable to resistance training and brisk walking. Although you aren't working with weights or resistance bands, the unsupported arm exercise involved in tai chi strengthens your upper body.
Tai Chi is one kind of martial art that you can use for your good health as well as for self-defense. Tai Chi – sometimes referred to as meditation in movement - brings balance to your mind and body.
Is Chen style Tai Chi effective? ›
There are many different styles of Tai Chi, of which the Chen is the most common apparent combat form. While its exercises and routines may not look as forceful as other forms of martial art, it is as effective as any other. This is because of the principles on which it is grounded.
What is the best tai chi for seniors? ›Yang – This Tai Chi style is one of the more popular and easily accessible styles when it comes to finding classes and learning materials. It is characterized by movements that are flowing and gentle which are great for seniors who want a low-impact workout. Wu – The Wu Tai Chi style is very similar to the Yang style.
What is the oldest style of tai chi? ›Chen is the oldest form of the five primary tai chi styles. The others are derived from the Chen family style of tai chi. Chen-style tai chi is characterized by its explosive movements including jumps, kicks and strikes.
Which tai chi style is best for combat? ›Self-Defense
Tai Chi Chuan has the most sophisticated fighting theory of all the martial arts. Its approach is non-aggressive, yet in full-contact confrontation or combat it is more effective than the better known “hard” styles.
| Advantages of Tai-chi | Disadvantages of Tai-chi |
|---|---|
| It made me healthier | Movements were hard to remember and follow |
| (2) Improving cognitive and psychological health | (4) Difficulty in practicing independently |
| It made me happier | I did not know how to practice by myself |
| It helped me relax | (5) Tai-chi being slow and mundane |
Even though most tai chi movements are simple, they can be complicated when they are movements that you aren't used to doing. Tai chi also requires full-body integration of movement, so trying to jump into tai chi and incorporating the movements of your entire body at once can be a challenge.
What is a Tai Chi master called? ›Sifu is pronounced 'seefoo' in Cantonese and 'shihfu' in Mandarin. It means teacher/father. Sifu is the correct form of address when talking to the founder/instructor of a martial arts (e.g. taijiquan) class. A qigong & tai chi teacher could not be called 'sifu'.
What are the 8 methods of Tai Chi? ›Bafa refers to peng (ward off), lyu (roll back), ji (press), an (push), cai (pull down), lie (split), zhou (elbow strike) and kao (lean). It represents the eight fundamental methods of training the body's power, and lays the foundation of all the skills and techniques of taijiquan.
Do Tai Chi moves have names? ›Names for the movements include Perry, Block, Punch, Brush Knee, Strike, Tiger, Return to Mountain, White Crane Spreads its Wings, Hand Strums the Lute, Snake Creeps Down, and more. The first Tai Chi masters based each movement on what they saw in nature, thus inspiring their descriptive names.
What are the 5 elements of Tai Chi? ›In ancient China, the five elements were metal, water, wood, fire, and earth.
What religion is Tai Chi associated with? ›
The essential principles of Tai Chi are based on the ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism, which stresses the natural balance in all things and the need for living in spiritual and physical accord with the patterns of nature.
What is the greatest benefit of Tai Chi? ›On a physical level, Tai Chi improves strength, flexibility, aerobic conditioning and balance. It's been proven to improve cardiovascular fitness, lower blood pressure, prevent falls and help people who have arthritis.