Tapping Ren Du and going with the Vinyasa Flow

This week’s class saw the final piece of the Weiji Yufang Gong puzzle being put into place. Since May the group has been steadily working through the form and now we practiced it, the whole set. Now starts the period of polishing and going deeper, I can’t wait. I really enjoy detail and the theory that I believe goes hand in hand with the movements. Without this detail we are embarking on a memory game of chorography, a dance and not a Qi Gong set. I am really lucky because the teacher Mike drip feeds us this vital knowledge alongside learning the motions. This reminds me of a quote by Goju Ryu Karate Master Gogen “the Cat” Yamaguchi who rightly points out that "It’s not how many Kata you know, but the substance of Kata you have acquired”. Quality is critical not quantity. I think many martial artists are guiltly of wanting to move on, push and learn the next form, the next move, etc. I personally prefer to lock in a technique, to make it mine so I can perform and practice with confidence, rather than knowing half the story and filling in the blanks myself. Having Gordon Faulkner’s book to hand is also useful, so each time I practice I am going to focus on one of the moves, read the relevant explanation in the book then practice the set focusing on what I have just read. Hopefully that system will help me to slow it down and make the most of my technique.

I also had time to pick up Master Liming Yue’s Laojia DVD and have again been revising over the opening, Buddha’s warrior attendant pounds the mortar, lazy about tying the coat and six sealings and four closings. I am really looking forward to the next seminar, which is rapidly approaching in September!

Yoga this week was also really good, at class we ran through the sun salutation, which is one of my favourite sets in Yoga. I also did my last free class on Yoogaia. I went for some Vinyasa  flow which I really, really enjoyed. I really enjoyed Yoogaia because you could fit yoga classes around your other commitments and the amount of choice was brilliant. I could try out yoga styles that aren’t available locally to me. Wonderful. 

If you'd like to try out Yoogaia click the link for a free trial! https://yoogaia.com/?referral=97C9P7URUMZM

Flower Displays Buddha

Last week's Tai Chi class covered the Daoyin steeping, body rotation and the Shang fist of flower displays Buddha (开花现佛 Kaihua Xianfo) and this week's class we looked in depth at the arms. I really enjoyed learning this Liver exercise, especially as the teacher covered the Wu Xing (五行) or Five Elements. Through other martial arts and my reading I had some basic knowledge however had never been formally taught about it. I really enjoyed learning about how it relates to the Stress Prevention Exercises (Weiji Yufang Gong), and the logic behind the different exercises in relation to their properties and subsequent effect on the body's functions and Chi. I am certainly looking forward to learning more, and really think that even the basic understanding of Wu Xing I have will help me more appreciate the subtle intricacies of these exercises.

As much as I have been enjoying the Daoyin this week, I have been really struggling with the Chen form. This week I have been trying to get to grips with Lazily Tying Coat (懒扎衣 lǎn zhā yī) and think I will need another week before moving on to Six Sealing and Four Closing (六封四闭 liù fēng sì bì). I really can't wait for the next seminar to touch base with a teacher! Until then I will keep trying my best.

Chen style homework

After going to the seminar I decided to try to do some homework before the next workshop in just over two months time, so I decided to invest in some Chen style DVDs. Because the seminar covered the Lao Jia form I wanted to revise this so got 2 DVDs. The next seminar would cover the Dao form and I wanted to make sure I could make the most of the face to face teaching time so also got a cheaper DVD. I know learning from a DVD is not ideal however when it comes to the seminar I won't be struggling to remember choreography but can focus on teaching points.

The Lao Jia DVDs are a little hard to follow but are very detailed. Excellent for my revision. I haven't progressed further than Buddha’s Warrior Attendant Pounds Mortar yet - however I intend on recapping Lazy About Tying the Coat next week.

For a beginner like me, the Single Dao Routine DVD by Master Zhu Tiancai is just brilliant. Even though it is English subtitled not dubbed it is very precise and easy to follow. I like the exact direction, left foot steps, right foot lifts etc. I expected my progress to be very slow. However in an hour's attempt I managed to get through the first 14 movements. Which conveniently is section 1 on the DVD. Although there is only one more section I will wait before moving on and consolidate section 1 until the next workshop! So thank you to the Chinese Wushu Association and Master Zhu Tiancai for the excellent lesson.

So if anyone can recommend any Lao Jia instructional DVDs please comment with your suggestions. Thanks in advance. Xie xie!

Future Chi!

Sadly I missed my usual class this week, there was nothing I could do about it, so for the the first part of the week I continued to practice the routine to Buffalo Ploughs the Land - which was good because I was having trouble getting all the teaching points into my physical practice, especially the focus on the Laogong Pericardium-8 and turning the little fingers up as high as possible when bringing the arms forwards in the initial part of the movement. So the extra time certainly was a positive.

I did go to a different class at the end of the week, in fact I went to two lessons back to back! It was fantastic as the classes were for more experienced practitioners than I. I guess you could say I got a glimpse of my Tai Chi future. Both classes started with the Weiji Yufang Gong. I was lucky that there were a couple of questions on the next move I needed to learn, Distinguished Lord Combs Hair (Zhaojun Shufa). So the questions gave me opportunity to repeat and digest the movement.

The classes then did the Cheng Hsin Tai Chi form, with only one of the classes progressing to the Daoyin Baojian Gong up to Shoulder the Sun and Moon (Jiandan Riyue). I found that particular movement really challenging and I am looking forward to being taught it.

So lots to think about and concepts to put into my personal practice this week!