Notes from Chen Zhonghua’s Taijiquan Workshop, Ottawa, April 5,6, 2008

My notes are a bit brief, but worth posting nonetheless.

1. Taijiquan movement is characterized by a continuous outward thrust
2. Taijiquan movement is like the movement of a car engine – only one kind of motion should be present, but because of the structure of the vehicle, it can transform the engine motion into a variety of trajectories.
3. The thrust is a far less instinctual movement for human beings, but is far stronger and safer than the slash. Correct thrusting saves the joints, while slashing and hooking motions can harm them.
4. (my note, not Master Chen’s) According to American Army Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, historically the Romans had a senior officer behind every line of fighting soldiers reminding them by yelling and striking them that they must thrust with their swords and not slash. (Grossman, D. On Combat. 2004. PPCT Research Publications). Sorry I can’t recall the page number.
5. There is a visual centre and a functional centre. The visual centre is the centre of mass in the body, while the functional centre between two bodies can actually fall almost anywhere.

6. Master Chen covered a variety of drills. They seemed to fall into two categories:

a. Non-contact drills – avoiding an incoming strike by moving the centre of mass well out of the way and striking an exposed flank. Very quick response based on filling negative space
b. Contact-drills – manipulating your own structure to effect change on another body through a point of contact. Slow tactile drills based on precision and accuracy
7. Eight-Parts Theory. Master Chen presented the 8 Parts theory again, and linked it to his idea above about the ‘car-engine metaphor’, saying any one ‘firing of the piston’ is responsible for moving only 1/8 of the total possible range of movements.

There was of course lots more…

~ by Daniel Mroz on May 2, 2008.