Tag: Tai Chi

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Perspective In Tai Chi

Steve Rowe

Perspective In Tai Chi “With all this work we do to improve, do you think there’s a time that we’ll start getting worse? We welcomed the break in between Tai Chi classes, apart from the physical break, it gave us the chance to discuss anything from the latest kung fu movies to the deepest Buddhist philosophy with Sifu. Teresa had a stressful job in accounting, worked long hours and would come into class looking tired, sigh with effort at the beginning and end of the class but the years would slip away as she appeared get younger and always seemed … Continue reading Perspective In Tai Chi

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Translation Of Uke

Steve Rowe

  Translation Of Uke “You win battles by knowing the enemy’s timing, and using a timing which the enemy does not expect.” – Miyamoto Musashi Iaido is the ancient samurai art of self-defence where you draw the sword immediately against an enemy’s sudden attack to win at the moment the sword leaves the sheath.  I was taking my weekly private lesson with Sensei and working on application to the basic Seiti Kata…. “Uke Nagashi!” Sensei called the name of the third kata.  Wearing a hakama requires quite a bit of skill.  Hakama sabaki is hakama (the Japanese divided skirt trousers) … Continue reading Translation Of Uke

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Tai Chi – The Ultimate Skirmish Art

Steve Rowe

Tai Chi – The Ultimate Skirmish Art “I would consider tai chi to be the ultimate skirmish art” said a night club doorman of 28 years and lifelong martial artist.  “This is exactly what happens on the doors and it gives us the skills to deal with being pushed, pulled grabbed and hit from all directions at the same time, we’re often in a melee and the ability to cope with simultaneous multi directional attacks is essential. The mental image that most have of Tai Chi is that of the ‘hippy’ or ‘health’ version and of old age pensioners creaking … Continue reading Tai Chi – The Ultimate Skirmish Art

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The Importance Of Qigong In Form

Steve Rowe

The Importance Of Qigong In Form Tsou lou hsih au pu!”  Sifu called the name of the technique known as ‘brush knee’ in English, it’s repeated several times in the Yang Chen Fu tai chi form, signifying it’s importance for training the basic ideas and principles of tai chi. “Claire, you’re coming out of your legs and loosing your root as you step forwards,” Sifu advised. “I can’t see how I can stop doing that,” Claire said with a look of confusion on her face. “You need to soften down into your legs before you move and use your body … Continue reading The Importance Of Qigong In Form

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Waving Hands Like Clouds

Steve Rowe

Waving Hands Like Clouds “Was that ‘waving hands like clouds’ or ‘waving hands like clowns’?” We were working on the ‘Yang Chen Fu 108’ tai chi form, the most commonly practised form in the world, passed down through the Yang family for 4 generations.  It takes around 20 minutes to complete and is a complete workout in its own right. We were about half way into the second of three sections and doing the first of 3 sets of the technique ‘waving hands like clouds’, the first set contains 9 repetitions, the second seven and the third five.  The technique … Continue reading Waving Hands Like Clouds

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Magpie Mind And Tai Chi

Steve Rowe

Magpie Mind And Tai Chi “You are all suffering from ‘magpie mind’….” Sifu looked around at the gathered class to see what effect his statement had. And of course it worked…. “Magpie mind? Wassat when it’s at home then Sifu?” asked Amanda. “It’s a mind that’s attracted to ‘shiny objects’” said Sifu. “You mean that we’re not concentrating on the form and our mind is wandering too much” queried Jane? “That can be a part of it,” replied Sifu, “but it’s more than that. Even when you are concentrating on the form, your mind is attracted to the ‘shiny objects’ … Continue reading Magpie Mind And Tai Chi

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Yin Yang Tai Chi Method

Steve Rowe

“There are only 5 hands in taiji, the 2 major ones are yin and yang, yin is the peng principle and yang is the aun principle, they manifest themselves in a variety of ways, but the principles are always the same.” We were practicing our taiji.  These were some of my favourite lessons, karate was exciting, but taiji had that lovely smooth, powerful flow that made me feel invigorated. We were working through ‘Part the Wild Horses Mane’ in the third section of the form most commonly known as the Yang Chen Fu 108.  It’s an ingeniously crafted vehicle for … Continue reading Yin Yang Tai Chi Method

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Right Effort In Training

Steve Rowe

The class began with sanchin qigong.  With our feet under our shoulderline, we rotated out on the balls of the feet, releasing our ankles, knees, hips, lower back and chest, then stretched the crown of the head upwards bowing the spine from the top and pulling the pubococcygeus muscle at the base to complete the ‘bow’ and assist the energy flow, putting the tongue to the top palette to complete the circuit. We held the arms out in a ‘bow’ (or yin) formation at the front of the body, palms inwards, hollowing the chest to work with the bowing and … Continue reading Right Effort In Training

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The Secret Of Internal Power

Steve Rowe

The Secret Of Internal Power The Secret Of Internal Power, Is in the spine and body core, Learn how to manipulate these, And you will have great natural power. There 4 pairs of spine and core skills, Understand them in the neigong, Learn them in the qigong, And then apply them in technique. Soften and connect, Open and close, Stretch and compress, Twist and release. One normally follows the other, But you release after every skill, A release can be fast or slow, When you release you always then soften and connect. There are a multitude of ways to pulse, … Continue reading The Secret Of Internal Power

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Principles And Dynamics

Steve Rowe

Principles And Dynamics What is the difference between principles and dynamics? Both underlay technique, Principles are present all the time, But dynamics change and combine. The feet must always be in the right place, At the right time and press the right way, The body must always be aligned, And the mind always alert, focused, sensitive and intense. The breathing must always be deep and natural, The internal line always connected, The spine and core always being manipulated, And the ideas of wedging and spiraling always in place. These principles are what make a technique work, Combined they give immense … Continue reading Principles And Dynamics