Chenjiagou Taijiquan GB Newsletter M arch 20 12 V o l u me 2, Issu e 1 Contents Editorial 1 Chen Ziqiang s Seminar 2 42 Fajin Methods Workshop 2 The Grange 2 Last 3 Sunday Workshops 3 Around the clubs 4 Recommended Reading 6 China 2013 7 Upcoming Events 42 Fajin Workshop The Grange Residential Chen Ziqiang s visit to our school You can t hire someone else to do your press-ups for you! Since 1998 our school has grown from a few students to a healthy and thriving group with branches in Slovakia, France and Portugal. Here in the UK a number of students have gone on to become instructors in their own right. In this newsletter we have introduced an Around the Clubs section so that everyone can hear what the different branches are up to. Many of the senior students have travelled to China to train at the birthplace of Taijiquan and more have joined the annual workshops with the masters and grandmasters from China. Over the years there have been many highlights: Our school organised the first European visits of Grandmasters Zhu Tiancai and Chen Xiaoxing and the first UK visit of Master Chen Ziqiang; we are the only school in the UK to have hosted visits by three of the Four Buddha s Warriors of Chenjiagou ; David and Davidine are the only teachers in the UK to be awarded Instructor s certificates by the Chen Village Taiji Martial Arts School (2008) and were subsequently awarded 6 th Duan (the equivalent to the Japanese Dan grade) by the Chinese Wushu Association in China in 2011 the highest grades in the UK to nonmainland Chinese. In 2008 five of the instructors from our school travelled to Luhacovice in the Czech Republic to be graded by the Chinese Wushu Association. And there are many individual successes where people have overcome challenges to achieve more than they thought possible. Taijiquan is more than a set of exercises; it embraces a whole lifestyle and philosophy. It is sometimes difficult for students in the smaller satellite classes to realise that they are part of something bigger. We would strongly encourage you to read your newsletter; to follow the schools facebook pages ( Chenjiagou Taijiquan GB & Chen Taijiquan World ), to read the blog (http://chentaijiquanworld.blogspot. co.uk) and to join the schools activities. Time in class is limited and we are not teaching one of the widespread simplified forms of Taijiquan. So class time by necessity focuses upon the basics. It is of great help if you take the time to do some reading around the subject - included in the newsletter is some suggested background reading. Traditional Chen family Taijiquan is a challenging discipline. There is a saying that you can t hire someone else to do your press-ups for you. Likewise, in Taijiquan, no one can remember the form for you! If you are struggling to remember then perhaps you could take an extra class a week, or meet up with some of your classmates to train together. Remember that above all you should enjoy your Taijiquan. Luhacovice Duan Grading
Page 2 of 7 One of the Chen Ziqiang s students in Chenjiagou demonstrating the Taiji Ball. Upcoming Events Chen Ziqiang s Annual Seminar The dynamic Chen Ziqiang, Chief Instructor of the Chenjiagou Taijiquan School in China, will be returning in June. This will be the fourth year he has taught at our school and everyone who has been to one of his workshops knows that this will be an intense session! The programme includes an evening training the Taiji ball and a weekend of Laojia Yilu. The Taiji ball is a way to train the energy of the waist and dantian. It can also be used as a conditioning exercise by gradually increasing the weight of the ball used. Laojia Yilu is the traditional foundation form of Chen Taijiquan. CTGB Newsletter Taiji Holiday in Borneo There s the possibility of a Taiji holiday in Malaysia at the end of November beginning of December. Please register your interest The workshops will be held at the Croft Memorial Hall. Taiji Ball Fri 15 th June 7-10pm Cost: 30 Laojia Yilu Sat 16 & Sun 17 th June 10am-4pm Cost: 100 Chen Ziqiang will be visiting our school in June People from Slovenia, Slovakia and Poland have already booked places on this course. So take the chance to train with one of the best of the next generation of Chen Taijiquan teachers. Sunday Workshop - 42 Fajin Method Training applications from the 42 Fajin Method with Grandmaster Zhu Tiancai The next Sunday workshop will be held on the 22 nd April at Croft Memorial Hall (10am-2pm). The next Sunday workshop will be an introduction to the 42 Fajin (Power Releasing) Methods. This set of exercises is based on the 32 Fajin created by Chen Zhaokui, the 18 th Generation Gatekeeper of Chen family Taijiquan. The fajin methods reveal the martial applications and intent contained within the handforms of Chen Taijiquan. While the 42 methods can be practised as a continuous series, they can most effectively be trained as single-movement exercises. Dismantling the pattern and drilling the 42 fajin methods individually will greatly develop the ability to use them practically. Taking out difficult movements, such as Ying Men Kao (Enticing Bump) where the chest is used as the striking area, or Wai Bai Li Shuai (Outward Swing and Inward Throw) and practising them repeatedly can greatly help us to improve our accuracy, speed and timing. Chen Zhoakui stressed the importance of single posture training as a means of enhancing martial skills that could not be practised safely with a partner. Check out the following link for David s article on Zhu Tiancai s 42 Fajin Method, published in T ai Chi magazine (2003): http://www.chentaijigb.co.uk/articles/42%2 0Fajing.pdf Taiji Residential Weekends at the Grange - Shropshire One of our most popular event of the year, the Grange Taiji residential weekend offers an opportunity for focused training in a beautiful location, with fantastic food and good company. This will be our 9th annual visit, and for the first time we will be doing 2 weekends at the Grange. Weekend 1: 18-20 th May Weekend 2: 25-27 th May This year we will be training the New Frame First Routine (Xinjia Yilu). There are a few places left, so let us know in class if you would like to join us at the Grange Country House.
CTGB Newsletter Scenes from the last 3 Sunday Workshops The monthly workshops held on the last Sunday of (most) months allow us to go more deeply into some aspects of the system we don t get a chance to cover in the regular classes. The last three sessions have focused on push hands drills, broadsword form and Taijiquan s intrinsic energies/daoyin tu-na (leading and guiding energy and breathing methods). Sunday Workshops Page 3 of 7 Broadsword group Push Hands group Intrinsic Energies group Next Sunday workshop: 42 Fajin (power Releasing) Method 22 nd April
Page 4 of 7 Around the Clubs CTGB Newsletter Blackpool/Flyde Coast The month started off on a sad note with the funeral of Linda Hargreaves, our friend and Taiji sister, who passed away late February. The day was well attended by many of Linda's Taiji family and a lovely yin yang wreath was provided from generous donations from club members. Taiji in the park is back outdoors again, our monthly fundraising event has moved back to the tennis courts at Stanley park, with 22 people attending this time. Chen Taiji Blackpool presented a cheque to Trinity Hospice for 260 in memory of Linda. We are waiting for suggestions to come in for the next local charity to raise money for. All attendees of Taiji in the park are eligible to put the name of their preferred charity in the suggestion box. Our Laojia Yi lu seminar on Saturday 17th went well, with 38 people attending to work on the first two sections over a 3 hour period, this was held at our Park rd venue, with plenty of sore legs and smiles at the end. Students are already booking their space for the next one in June! Lee Davis-Conchie Mid Cheshire This spring has seen the return to class of several people who had lapsed (for one reason or another). It is good when they realize they miss it but better when they keep coming week after week and best when they practise! We showed the China 2011 Trip DVD projected onto the big screen at Comberbach. Everyone was very impressed and fascinated by all that we experienced and there was a big round of applause at the end! Mary McGregor Nantwich I have two classes in Nantwich, Cheshire at present. The Intermediate Class is on Monday nights which has been running for a few years. They have completed the Laojia YiLu (Old Frame) and they are now training to improve the techniques and intent. Some of the students in the class have recently started learning, Dan Jian (Straight Sword). Atherton The Atherton class has its origins in a community programme which aimed at getting people exercising more. Since January 2012 it has become an independent CTGB class, through the support of its enthusiastic members and the Dorset Road Community Centre where it is based. The class is aimed at all levels of ability and beginners can (and do!) join at any time. We provide a mix of taiji and qigong exercises, based around the first section of Laojia Yi Lu and Dao Yin Tu Na. An additional half hour class has recently been introduced to cater for people familiar with Yi Lu first section who want to progress further with the form this group are now part way through learning the second section. Allan Aldridge The Beginners Class is on Thursday nights and has been running since July 2011. For this class I was approached about starting a second class, this is the result of that request. They are also learning the Laojia YiLu. Both classes are small but they are all dedicated and keen to learn more. I find that the positive attitude of my students makes me want to learn and improve my own understanding and skills in Taiji, thus enabling me to be a better instructor. I also thank my Masters Davidine & David for their teaching and encouragement at all times. Clive Howells
Page 5 of 7 Around the Clubs CTGB Newsletter Portugal The classes started on the first of January 2012. The class is 1h30. the first 45 minutes are for Qigong and Reeling silk and the second part for form. We are learning the Laojia Yilu at a good pace. We arrived at Cloud Hands. It is still a small group, but of very dedicated students. At the same time I had to do all the exams at the Portuguese Federation of Chinese Martial Arts, to get a degree as instructor, which is mandatory now in order to teach. I passed successfully and can now concentrate on making everything develop. Gabriela Morgado Lancashire Lancashire teacher Paul Miller featured in the local media. Sadly we have recently lost two club members. As Lee mentioned above, Linda Hargreaves from the Blackpool group recently passed away. As did Ann Wilson from the Wednesday morning Lymm class. Both were great characters and will be sadly missed. France Those who can, do - Those who can't, teach Those who can, do We have in Liverpool, the oldest Chinatown in Europe whilst in Manchester, there is the second largest Chinese community in the UK. Perhaps as a consequence of this, those who live in the NW of England are blessed with easy access to some of the very best Taiji teachers in the UK. Couple this with regular visits to the NW by the most authoritative Taiji Grand Masters in the entire world and it's no surprise that Taiji in the NW is so well developed. What better way to ensure progress than to attend two or three classes each week, supplemented by personal practice at home! Those who can, do attend excellent Taiji classes & practice. Those who can't, teach There are others who unfortunately live in a Taiji wilderness. No access to Taiji schools. No Taiji friends to practise with and bounce ideas off. It came as quite shock to realise that, for me, the social aspect of practising Taiji with others was as important as the Taiji itself. What to do? After a longish period of isolation, the inexorable conclusion is reached: start up one's own Taiji school. Living where the word bureaucracy was invented, this wasn't easy! I needed to be graded (something I'm not personally in favour of), various insurances and of course a suitable venue. Happily, all these requirements were circumvented by offering my services at a local Social Cultural Centre. The classes have only been going since September 2011, so its early days, but they appear to be appreciated. Together with the challenge of trying to teach Taiji as best as I can, there is the further problem of trying to do it in French last week, towards the end of the warm-up, I apparently instructed the class to circle their left caterpillar!! So, as I find myself in class, saying repeatedly "encore, une fois", I can reflect about those happy years in the NW and look forward to my Taiji future here in France. Those who can't, teach even if reluctantly. Terry Ryan Terry's new class in France what s French for Buddha s Warrior Pounds Mortar?
Page 6 of 7 Recommended reading CTGB Newsletter An Introduction to Chen Style Taijiquan by David Gaffney & Davidine Sim This book is a reprinting of Chen Style Taijiquan: The Source of Taiji Boxing, published in the USA by North Atlantic Books. Includes tips on common mistakes, important accupoints, Chen family legends, training methods etc. 13.50 soon to be classic book on Chen Taijiquan Noah Lundberg Journal of Asian Martial Arts The second book by David and Davidine. Described by the famous record producer Tony Visconti (who also happens to be a committed Chen Taijiquan practitioner) as the best book on Chen Taijiquan. Includes chapters on the recent history that shaped the modern face of Chen Taijiquan; understanding Qi; Taijiquan as a combat system; and a series of interviews with some of today s leading Chen Taijiquan practitioners.. 14.99 Left -record producer Tony Visconti pushing hands with rock star Lou Reed. This is the best book on Chen Taijiquan - Tony Visconti Cultural Influences on Taijiquan vol 1: The Art of War by Sunzi This series provides an introduction to some of the most important classic texts to have influenced the creation and development of Chen Taijiquan. How many people realise the extent to which Taijiquan s combat theory was shaped and drew inspiration from Sunzi s Art of War; how its embracement of Yin-Yang theory can be traced back to the ancient Yijing or Book of Changes; and how its philosophy of naturalness and flexibility draws upon the Daoist classic the Daodejing, written by the mysterious Laozi. 10.00
CHINA 2013 October 2013 Train in Chenjiagou with Grandmaster Chen Xioaxing Visit Beijing See some of China s most famous sights The Great Wall, Shaolin Temple & Yuntaishan Book your place and train at the birthplace of Taijiquan!