Tag: Tai Chi

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The Structure Of The Yang Cheng Fu Form

Steve Rowe

The Structure Ot The Yang Cheng Fu Form. Why is the form so long?Why are some techniques repeated so many times?Why haven’t I opted to teach any of the shorter forms? The answers are a combination of what I was taught and the results of my own studies. I was taught that the range of time it should take to do the form can range from 7 to 20 minutes depending on what I was working on that day. An average day for me is around 13 minutes but it varies according to my focus. Its length is the optimum … Continue reading The Structure Of The Yang Cheng Fu Form

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Don’t You Get It?

Steve Rowe

As teachers we often feel inadequate. Even after a lifetime of studying our art and how to teach it we find it hard to understand why so many can never penetrate the soul of what we teach. But we can only do our best. We can’t do any more. We write, we film, we blog, we post, we find a myriad of ways to explain simple ideas and concepts that to us are glaringly obvious but elude the cluttered minds of others that are either distracted or apathetic. We get students to look through windows from all angles at the … Continue reading Don’t You Get It?

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What’s Missing In Martial Arts?

Steve Rowe

With the advent of social media and mobile phones with quality cameras everyone and their dog can publicly post their martial arts, this is both a good and bad thing. From an observational point of view I often find myself thinking that many people look like they are moving reluctantly and with their ‘handbrake stuck on’ and what they are doing wouldn’t work – and asking myself why. These are my thoughts: Too much negative gym work and vanity training is isolating muscles instead of connecting them and is stiffening their body negating mobility and power. They never seem to … Continue reading What’s Missing In Martial Arts?

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Do You Hate Your Body?

Steve Rowe

Do you hate your body? When you train do you take pleasure from punishing it?Do you hurt it out of annoyance?When you look in the mirror do you hate what you see?Why? Your body is the only lifelong friend you’ll ever have.If you look after it, it’ll look after you.It has its own wordless language and is always communicating with you.Before going wrong, it whispers, then talks, then shouts warnings if you able to listen.It loves movement, loves good training, healthy nutrition and repays you good feelings and joy.Why would you let anyone else make you betray that friendship? You’re … Continue reading Do You Hate Your Body?

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Positive Tension In Tai Chi..

Steve Rowe

Positive Tension in Tai Chi.I was giving a lesson to Paul Pretty (pictured) this week who is a private student of over 30 years and an intelligent and dedicated martial artist. We were discussing the necessary tension required in Tai Chi at different levels. As beginners in ‘monk’ style we first have to get rid of all unnecessary tension to enable our body and energy to move freely with structural integrity. Many Tai Chi practitioners never get beyond this stage. Then at ‘warrior’ level we need to develop fajin – and to do that we have add in layers to … Continue reading Positive Tension In Tai Chi..

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Discipline

Steve Rowe

From my recent (not very controversial) it gives rise to this thought. We have to understand the difference between good and pad pain. We have to learn to discipline our needs and weaknesses without damaging ourselves. Discipline to make us physically, emotionally and mentally stronger is the reason we train. To permanently damage ourselves in any way is stupid. Those extra punches, kicks, push ups, minutes in stances etc push us safely beyond our limits, to go an hour without a drink will hardly damage us. I’m currently fasting for 18 hours a day, I feel hungry, it hurts, but … Continue reading Discipline

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Deeper Teaching

Steve Rowe

As a teacher you might wonder why what you’re teaching seems to go in one ear and straight out the other with students. You might keep repeating the same thing again and again, wondering why it’s not sinking in. Then occasionally a student might say “you’ve been telling me this for years, but I’ve only just realised what you’ve been trying to say.” You might be presenting it badly, and that’s certainly worth examining, but also a student can’t understand anything until they’re ready. How can we tell when a student is ‘ready’ to understand that deeper teaching? Firstly you … Continue reading Deeper Teaching

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The Simple Truth

Steve Rowe

The Simple TruthMost truths are simpleBut simple is not easyIgnorance is to ignoreStudents cannot see the simple truthThey listen and move onThey didn’t digestThey didn’t internaliseThey didn’t let the truth ‘sit’ in their mindIt went in one earAnd out the otherForgotten in an instantDisregardedThey divert the conversationTo what they think is a problemNot realising the teacher had just given them the answerThey read complicated booksWatch videos of people selling mystiqueBuy their snake oilNot realising the simple truthWhat they’re looking for is already inside of themIt requires them to broaden their perspectiveTo be objective not subjectiveIf they change themselvesThey change their … Continue reading The Simple Truth

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I’m Not Happy…

Steve Rowe

I’m not happyI’m not unhappyI’m not depressedI’m not joyfulI’m not thisI’m not thatI’m not binary This worldPeopleMy mindWant me to chooseThis or thatBecause it’s a binary dimension But there is a curved line inbetweenSeparating yin and yangBalanceThe optimumA line of no thingnessThis line is a portalWhere everything disappears It’s stillSilentMindfulZenicInsightfulAnd full of wisdom And in this refugeIs the secret to lifeAnd beyond By Steve Rowe Continue reading I’m Not Happy…