Formosa Neijia

This was posted by Bob over at EF, but considering that the sight is coming down at any time, I want to archive it here. This is good stuff and rarely talked about. I think some of you might ne surprised at the stuff that the author mentions. Enjoy.

The Fundamental and Supplemental Training Exercises of Chen Style Taijquan

by Gu Liu-Xin

Taijiquan as an ordinary form of physical training or as a therapeutic health routine, does not require practice of fundamental training or supplemental exercises. If (however) you want to practice competitive push hands (tui shou) or free-form sparring (san shou), then, in addition to practicing both the sets of barehanded forms (or routines) and push hands as a mutual supplementary training, at the same time you should also practice fundamental training and supplemental training exercises. Only then will you be able to make some accomplishments in push hand and free-form sparring (san shou).

The Fundamental Training Exercises are:

1. Zhan Zhuang (standing meditative postures): horse-riding stance (da qi ma bu), bow stance (gong deng Bu), empty stp stance (ding ba bu), and “T” step stance (ding zi bu). To train stability in the stationary stances, breathing and circulation of energy developing strength and endurance. Practice the standing meditation posture for 10 to 20 minutes before and after practicing taijiquan.

2. Dou Ganzi (shaking a long pole): select a long and heavy white waxwood pole and practice every day, utilizing the techniques of capture (na), parry (lan), and thrust (zha), one hundred (actions) practicing at several times during the day, the combined total is 100.

3. Dou Tie Qiang (shaking an iron spear): Shake an iron spear, 20 to 30 pounds 100 hundred times a day

4. If you have the right circumstances (i.e. a training parnter, you can use the two man “hua gan” (neutralizing staff) as a substitue for shaking the long pole, which at the same time is fundamental spear fencing (ci qiang) practice. The method of practice is for each side to use in turn the techniques of capture (na), parry (lan), and thrust (zha); seemingly light yet heavy and, slow yet fast. In softness there is contained hardness, yi li jin wei du (practicing until tired?).

5. Practice single “fa jin” (actions), take several single forms (postures?) from the set and practice them over and over; only with the right strenght and skill will you achieve success. Because of this, you cannot undersetimate (the value of) fundamental exercise training.

The Supplemental training exercises are:

1. Ruo Huo Yao Tui Fa Method for training the flexibility of the waist and legs) {may possibly be a reference to the Chan Si Jin training}

2. Die Pu Gun Fan Fa break falls and rolling (recovery techniques.

3. Zong Yue Fa (leaping techniques)

4. Tiao Sheng (jumping rope)

5. Huo Bu Zhi Xian Yi Zu Sai Qian, Lian Xu Qian Jin skipping or shuffling forward along a straight line with one foot forward. Yi Zu Xai Hou, Lian Xu Hou Tui, withdrawing backward with one foot behind) The movements should be light and fast.

These are all supplemental techniques for the training of young taijiuan push hands athletes.

You need however, to observe the actual physical conditions (of the athlete) to arrange the rate of progress (schedule), and adjust atheletic degree of difficulty.

In addition to these, there is still Tie Dang Gong (iron crotch) no need to fear a kick to the crotch; Pai Da gong toughening the body by striking it, Tie Sha Zhang Iron filing palm–iron palm, Xun Jing Kou Xue constricting the vital flow along the pathways, Xue Dao Da Fa striking vital points; Xie Gu Fa bone separation; and Lian Quan Shi Gu Jie Qi Ming Zhi Fa all the joints make a crackling sound while practicing taijiquan,

These techniques are all not taught to day.

Excerpt from Gu Liu-Xin’s Pao Chui 1985/revised ed., pp. 45-46.

Reprinted in The Journal of the Chen Style Taijquan Research Associaiton of Hawaii Spring, 1994, Vol 2, No. 1, pp. 11-12.
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