Forms For Freedom Archive
Form is an integral part of solo practice and meditation. If your style lacks form, you likely make up for it in other ways, like meditation forms. Learn a form: the longer, the better.
We continue working on Fa-Jing Taiji Stick on Wednesday nights. Through the weeks, we learn and practice
- Short Preliminary Stick Forms
- Long Fa-jing Stick Form
- Dual Person Fighting Stick Form
- Plenty of Dual Drills and Training Devices
The Taiji Fa-Jing Stick Fighting Methods of the WTBA empower our group of Stick Fighters. All told, it goes very well. Stick Training is naturally potent and fun. Students of the Stick quickly gather the inner Taiji attitude—escpecially the principle of—when attacked, attack first!
Not an easy self-defense principle to get, especially in slow-moving forms, when attacked—Attack First! Principle is the most important internal arts training concept. It’s a kin to the energetic concept of Peng: to ward off by lifting upwards. The Attack First Principle quite literally allows for a Warding-Off by beating the attacker to the punch, which (naturally) disrupts the attack’s force.
Read Natural and Fun Stick Forms — Bear Style »
Learn the Real Old Yang Lu-Ch’an Style of T’ai-chi Chüan. I teach this dynamic Taijiquan Form in each Taiji class, from now on. We’ll dig through it motion by motion, little by exact little. Fa-Jing bits lurk inside the form. At first, I’ll show where they are, and we’ll mock them slowly. Later, you’ll build it up to PAH!
I reluctantly shift away from Chen Fu’s form. I worked on it for years, inside and outside, and I’ve grown immensely by doing it. I taught it for years too, so some folks at RealTaiji know this form and demonstrate it very well.
But it’s time for change. It’s time to share the dynamic, the fantastic, the balanced and thorough Yang Lu Chen Taijiquan Form.
Pre-emptive Learning of Old Yang Style
Enhance the time you spend in RealTaiji classes and workshops, by learning this form right now. The Erle Montaigue videos that follow will give you the basics (pretty darn sophisticated basics) right now, right here. Follow the videos to learn the whole first third. Our work together can therefore be more thorough.
Then get the books on this Old Yang Style, in four volumes. Download the Mootague music CD and you will receive each volume of the Old Yang Style Books for free, or purchase each volume at LuLu.com
- Tai Chi: The Old Style Of Yang Lu-ch’an Volume 1
- Tai Chi: The Old Style Of Yang Lu-ch’an Volume 2
- Tai Chi: The Old Style Of Yang Lu-ch’an Volume 3
- Tai Chi: The Old Style Of Yang Lu-ch’an Volume 4
Learn the Style of Yang the Invincible—Right Now
Read Old Yang Lu-Ch’an Style »
The Intense Third and Final Section of the Yang Chen Fu Long Form
The third section delivers deeper body movements and challenges our stretch reflex. Movements like Snake Creeps Down pound spring into your legs. Complex coiling in Lady-Weaves-at-Shuttles wrap the mind around four corners, and wild, whipping motions from Lotus Kick pop and lock energies in tight circles.
This third section is the final section. Thirds in the Yang Chen Fu Long Form are not thirds in terms of number of movements, but in terms of internal energy work. As such, this is the longest third, motion by motion. Each third demonstrates growth in stamina and development of inner body resources; in this one we go down and up from Snake Creeps Down into Rooster Stands on One Leg!
Read Yang Chen Fu Form Part 3 »
The Vital Second Section of the Yang Chen Fu Long Form
This second third delivers vitality, unleashes kicking, coiling, and twisting powers of Taijiquan, and revs your fa-jing engine. The kicking movements of Separate-Legs and Heel-Kick drive us to deepen our balance. Cloud-Hands tightens Sung. Turn-around-and-Chop-with-Fist and Punch-Tiger-Left-and-Right wind us into hurricane intensity.
If every motion in your short form is the exact same speed, put down your Yin! This section contains the peak of the Yang Chen Fu Form: the crescendo, the climax, the potent spot. It’s subtle, but the motions feel sped up just a bit. It winds tight in the midst of Punching Tigers; it’s a whirlwind of delight. Funny, at it’s basic level, it’s still slow, calm, and meditative. But inside—it’s wrapped tight.
This second section is another complete energy cycle inside your body. These thirds are not thirds in terms of number of movements, but in terms of internal energy work. As such, this is a long third, motion by motion.
Read Yang Chen Fu Form Part 2 »
The First Complete Energetic Third of the Yang Chen Fu Long Form
The first third is an energetic warm-up. Warming the colon and lungs, energizing the stomach, liver, and heart, and revitalizing the central nervous system, this energetic first third introduces repetitive, refrain-like concepts of Grasp Swallow’s Tail, Single Whip, and Step-Parry-Punch.
This is an early Yang Chen Fu form: it maintains martial integrity. For example, Brush Knee Twist Step, in this version, utilizes weighted turning rather than removing weight from the turning leg. In various ways and for many reasons, an unweighted turn invites contortion at the knee joint. This form, by maintaining martial integrity, creates opportunities, unheard of in shorter “easy” forms, for fitness and joint health and mobility.
This early version also contains many motions unknown to many Yang Stylists: like Fishes in Eight! It’s a great form. After learning it, you’ll know why a long form is superior to a short form in many, many ways. Plus —learn this one and your transition into learning Grandpa Lu-chen’s form will be smooth and explosive.
