Why Choose Chen Tai Chi?
Why Choose Chen Tai Chi?
Why Choose Chen Tai Chi?
As I neared several months of my fiftieth birthday, I decided that I would try to get myself back into better physical conditioning. Despite being an avid and enthusiastic practitioner and instructor of filipino martial arts, namely, Kali, I soon realized that I was very efficient, and trying to improve my condition by my Kali practice wasn't going to work well for me. I knew that I needed something else.
I knew that I needed something that would challenge my cardiovascular system. I knew that I didn't like going to lift weights, and that treadmills, and ellipticals held little interest for me. Swimming wasn't a good choice for me either.
As a very young boy, I grew up watching Chinese Kung Fu movies. My earliest memories are of accompanying my mother to the movie theaters and being fascinated watching Men and Women swinging swords, and fighting and killing and learning about heroes, and legends and stories that would arouse my imagination. I decided that I needed to seek out Chinese Martial Arts training.
Over twenty years earlier, I had studied and learned William CC Chen's short form of Yang style tai chi chuan. At that time, I learned the form, did the classes on corrections, did free fighting and push hands and sword work. At this time I decided to look towards Chen Tai Chi for more of a challenge and to enhance what I had already learned all those many years ago.
It quickly was apparent that there were few Chen Tai Chi teachers around the New York City metropolitan area that inspired me. Some classes were too big and impersonal. Some classes the practitioners looked sloppy and bored to me.I was saddened and discouraged and was thinking that I would not be able to find any real Chen Tai Chi that would offer me what I was seeking.
Purely by chance, as I was surfing the internet one evening, I came upon a website for local area meet up groups. I didn't think there would be anyone serious on this website, but decided to look up Chen Tai Chi, and soon I would find that my life would change for the better for having done so.
There was a group called the NY Chen Tai Chi Meetup Group. They had a name of a teacher, and had indicated that he had a youtube clip up. I went and I watched the video clip, once, twice, three times and I KNEW I had to go and seek out instruction from the Master.
The Master's name was Yu Guo Shun. According to the information on the meetup group, and the youtube page, he was from China, Shandong province. He was the disciple of a man named Ma Hong. Apparently he had won some prestigious events. None of that meant much to me, but watching him move, and his grace and underlying power, coordination and athletic ability, THAT spoke volumes to me.
I went to the park where he was teaching at that time and I watched for 20 minutes, before going up to him and telling him that I wished to learn, if that was okay. He smiled and said, "ok..." Next thing I knew, I was there in the park sweating and working on the forms first couple of moves...
Master Yu was a good teacher. He was always encouraging, and he had a very critical eye. He would watch every student in his class, and he would go around making corrections. I could tell that there was a significant bond between himself and his students and he would always manage to encourage more effort out of every student with just a glance, or a few words or gestures.
The next couple of months was time I spent obsessed about trying to learn all I could about Chen Tai Chi. At the time I began my training I was quite heavy, almost 292 pounds and became winded very quickly. I found that I wasn't able to practice too long initially... after an hour to an hour and a half, I was laboring and my legs and my waist would be so very sore, and cramping up. Despite all the water I drank, and despite all the stretching, I can honestly say that leg pain and soreness were something I became all too familiar with for several months.
In addition to the group lessons, I decided to pursue private lessons with Shifu as well. I asked him if I could learn the sword form. Shifu told me, "Yes! Learning the sword form will enhance your Tai Chi practice as well!" The sword form I learned was very profound I felt. Shifu insisted that I understood the meaning behind every motion I did with a sword. He was very precise in his instruction and the classes were very deliberate and very organized and steadily progressive.
By this time it was winter time. We would still meet in the park for lessons. It was cold, we'd have gloves on, sweatshirts, vests... no matter what the temperature out, I was there, and I was sweating. I was sweating very profusely. By this time, I was able to last up to 2 hours of training, sometimes up to 3 hours. My legs were still sore, but now I was not walking funny any longer, and I was beginning to feel proud of sinking lower and deeper into more solid and deep stances. At this point in time, I was tipping the scales at 285 pounds.
I was hoping that the Chen Tai Chi training would help me with my internal development, the breathing, the chi, the core, etc. Up to this point, it was still something I was wondering about. I was very aware that the twisting and the turning required to do many of the movements were working my core a lot and I did notice that I was sleeping better and felt like I was moving better overall.
In the meantime I was fulfilling the dreams of learning Chinese Kung Fu. I completed the sword form, and was now able to practice through the entire form, and the progress was very obvious to me. In my group classes, I was beginning to see and understand more of the applications Shifu was showing to help us better perform and understand the movements found within the form.
From my prior years of training, I felt very comfortable and considered myself expert in a variety of throws and joint locks, and body escapes. I had studied aikijujutsu, and small circle jujitsu and the filipino martial arts had a very in depth knowledge of empty hand skills as well. Watching Shifu opened my eyes to yet a whole other level of expertise. The chin na shown by Shifu would combine not just one or two joints, but would lock up an entire limb! He was able to demonstrate throws, and locks that used the body mechanics shown within the form, and it was done with a minimum of obvious exertion. I outweighed Shifu by almost 130 pounds and he was tossing me around like a rag doll. I was very impressed.
The Lao Jia Yi Lu form we were all learning I discovered had 74 movements. The funny thing I soon realized was, one movement might have several component steps to it, each step with function and practical purpose. Practice of the form was improving my overall tolerance to activity, my leg strength was improving, and I was clearly becoming increasingly agile...at 50 years old now! I was beginning to feel really good about what I could do with my training.
The Lao Jia Yi Lu form is a whole catalog of techniques and also battle strategies. Learn to move the proper way, and you develop skill in Kung Fu basics. Understand the meaning a bit, and you learn about yin-yang philosophies. Go a step further and now you are starting to learn how to coordinate proper body mechanics with breathing and tying that into the development and direction of Chi within the body. Wow! Every week brings me a greater understanding of what and how we can grow and improve in the martial art of Chen Tai Chi.
Chen Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art with a history that is several hundred years old. It incorporates various weapons in its curriculum. It has a legendary lineage and has impacted millions of people around the globe as it has spawned other schools of Tai Chi.
Now here I am, an american born chinese person living in NYC. Although i've been a martial artist for over 39 years, this is the first time i've had such a passion and love affair with a Chinese martial art. I find myself practicing in a park where I have many wonderful memories as a kid, and now i'm making more memories here as an adult! I'm learning how to develop more skill with the Chinese Jian. I have become more receptive to learning and trying to understand more about Chinese culture and history. My joint locks and throws have improved. Studying Chen Tai Chi has helped my own understanding of my own arts and have helped me mature as a martial artist overall.
These days, I tip the scale at 283. Just maybe i'll start on a diet now. I hadn't done or tried to do so in quite awhile. Shifu has taught me how to do the standing meditation, he has taught me more concepts about Chi and spinal motion. I have a great, wonderful teacher that only wished to share and help me grow in my skills. I am realizing many dreams I fantasized about as a kid growing up in Chinatown. Very frankly Chen Tai Chi has been a wonderful addition to my life since I started, and it sure seems like there is an incredible vast amount MORE of material and skill and understanding to achieve.
I believe that studying Chen Tai Chi has truly enhanced my life in so many ways. Physically I feel much better and stronger and more mobile and capable. Mentally I find myself very excited as to the future possibilities I will learn and grow in. Emotionally, I find that practice is very fulfilling. Learning Chen Tai Chi has become a true passion in my life. I believe that all who choose to start and stick with a program will find that this martial art is True Kung Fu. And being true Kung Fu, it will offer many benefits to each individual that pursues its secrets.
Buy Fap Turbo Building Long Lasting Recognition With Labels Who is the Actual "Seller" in a Short Sale? Material Used In Bath Tubs Cialis Helps With Erectile Dysfunction Precious Paper for Charming Hearts Tools Used for Removing Tree Stumps Pigeon Shooting What is an Offline Consultant? It's An Irrevocable Trust (But it's Not What You're Thinking) Pennsylvania Camps Unique Experience Lasts a Lifetime HGH Precursors-Know the Facts! Living in Calgary : Avenue Deli