Month: May 2018

Our second and third workshops with Master Chen Ziqiang on his London visit were on Chen style Push Hands, Tui Shou. We were fortunate to be able to have a morning and evening session to consolidate his teaching. Master Chen’s set his typically challenging series of warm exercises, including the very deep horse stance, Ma Bu. Training us with single palm in the morning session, Master Chen demonstrated and explained both the movements and the martial applications, and with Master Liu made sure that everyone had corrections to posture and understood the requirements. it’s an honour for us to have the experience to work with Master Chen in London. Thanks also to Calvin for his translation.

Sunday 20 May Venue Change The Islington Chinese Assocation has an all day event taking place so we cannot use the hall and we have arranged three hours of classes on Sunday afternoon from 13:00-16:00 pm at St Paul’s in Camden Square, NW1 9XG:-
13:00-14:00 – Chen Foundation Course
14:00-15:00 – 19 Part Form
15:00-16:00 – Xinjia Yi Liu, New Frame 1

All our other classes follow the regular timetable, apologies for any inconvenience.

Tai Ji Circle were honoured to be able to host Master Chen Ziqiang for three sessions in London. The first evening was on Foundation Chen training, after a strong warm-up we were taken through Zhang Zhaung, Standing Post training.  This is the important introduction to Chen style, and through working with the standing practice the body posture can be corrected, and emphasis placed on the work and heat/energy produced in the legs. Another essential is the silk reeling exercises, moving the body and arms, correcting weight changing and posture. Master Chen worked with several students to individually check and correct the angle of the pelvis and legs, a wonderful experience.

Despite grey chilly weather people turned out to try out Chen Taijiquan and we had a great morning at our free tai chi session. The rain held off and we practised on the area at the top of the square to avoid the muddy grass. It was great to be out in the fresh air to train and we were all wrapped up against the cold. Shifu Liu led us through Silk reeling exercises, and then the 9 Part Form created by GM Chen Xiao Wang for beginner students. Having worked with the opening sections of the Shifu used our student Gary to show us the applications from that second movement, ‘Pounding the Mortar’. Thanks are due the everyone who came out and especially Tai Ji Circle students who came to help and work with the less experienced students.