Chen Style Taiji places so much emphasis on energy releasing

1. Chen Style Taiji places so much emphasis on energy releasing
Q1: You have a very close professional relationship with Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei. What are the main ingredients required to strengthen the bond/relationship between student and teacher?

A: The main ingredients that will form the basis of a good relationship with not only your teacher, but with all other people are: honesty, trust and respect. With your teacher, you also require learning skills, capability, dedication and motivation. One of the main reasons that Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei and I have such a strong bond is because we think very much along the same lines. We do everything that we can, with wholehearted dedication, to promote the art of Chen Style Taijiquan to let people across the world receive the unique benefits of authentic Chen Style Taijiquan. Click to learn Varicose Veins in TCM.

Q2: Is the training in the Chen-jiagou Village very different from any other parts of the world that practice Chen Style Taijiquan?

A: There is quite a big difference. In Chenjiagou, the training is very strict and a lot of emphasis is placed on the martial arts fighting application of the movements. This is combined with the great internal Qigong sensation feeling within the body for both health and self-defense. The instructors will come straight over to you and correct you on the spot.
 
In the village, everything has to be exactly right, being repeated over and over again until the master is happy. Then, and only then, you are allowed to go on and learn the next movement. This is what impressed me the most, the level of intensity. Outside of the village, this is only shown when a person has been training for quite some time, wishing to obtain a higher level. Before you are taught at this intensity, the teacher will correct your movements and postures very gently and softly. Click to learn Thromboangiitis Obliterans in TCM.
 
Q3: Please, could you explain the best way to train Fajin (energy releasing) and why Chen Taijiquan places so much emphasis on it.

A: When training Fajin (energy releasing), the movements must always be executed in a relaxed manner with an instant of tension at the end, followed by an instant of relaxation. This is all done within a split of a second. The training starts off with long strikes and works down to just one inch away from the target before energy release.
 
Fajin (energy releasing) requires all the power to come from the ground in a spiral twisting motion. Traveling up through the legs to the waist, then out to the extremities. Energy is released in a rolling in and rolling out motion, with elastic shaking strength.
 
There are many ways to practice Fajin (energy releasing) in Chen Style Taiji and the following training methods are just some samples.
 
If you train empty handed, practice striking a piece of cloth hanging up, using long and short strikes on the cloth. This will help to speed up and sharpen your Fajin striking ability. You can see and feel exactly what is going on as the energy of your strikes penetrate the cloth.
 
If you train with weapons, then the three-metre long pole is the best for Fajin (energy releasing). Use the same method of release as the empty hand by feeling the wave of power from the root to the very end of the pole. Click to learn Arrhythmia in TCM.
 
Because Fajin (energy releasing) belongs to the Yang aspect of Taiji, which is the opposite of Yin, it is very important to show both and understand them equally and know how to blend them at the right time.

Fajin (energy releasing) is very important for self-defence, as it is very powerful and direct. This is why Chen Style places so much emphasis on Fajin (energy releasing). On a lot of occasions, an attacker can be stopped with only one Fajin strike movement. The shoulder and elbows are the most effective strikes that can be used on an attacker, as this is especially devastating when striking the chest area.

Apart from the martial arts aspects of Fajin (energy releasing), Fajin (energy releasing) exercises will also help you remove the blockages inside of your body along the acupuncture channels, free your inner energy with blood circulation and make your breathing system more efficient. It is also a good way to keep fit and maintain your body in good shape. This is why Chen Style Taiji puts so much emphasis on the Fajin (energy releasing).

Q4: Chen Style Taijiquan has a very good selection of weapons to train in. Which of these is your favorite and why?

A: That will depend on what purpose you are intending to train for. For Fajin (energy releasing), I prefer the three-meter long flexible white wax pole.

For graceful, flexible and sensitive Fajin (energy releasing) movements, I prefer sword and spear. The sword is called the king of the short weapons. It incorporates fast and slow continuous movements and can change direction very quickly as it is an extension of your arm and looks very beautiful in demonstrations. It is also an excellent defence weapon when you are situated in a limited space. The spear also requires the whole body to co-operate together but it needs much more space to practice. Click to learn myocarditis in TCM.
 
Q5:What is Taiji Push Hands?
 
A: Push Hands is a practice Method of traditional Taiji martial arts and a bridge Connecting the movements with their applications. Two people with their arms in contact practice twining and stick actions to develop the sense of touch, awareness and balance within the body this is the training method where Taiji movements connect with martial arts applications and develops the understanding of how small forces can defeat strong physical power. There are five types of Push Hands method, which are Single Hand, Double Hand with Fixed Step, One Step Forward and Backward, Dalu (large step with low position) and Free-style Push Hands. It contains "Peng," "Lu," "Ji," "An" and "Cai," "Lie," "Zhou," "Kao" - eight major energy releasing methods, known in the West as Ward Off, Roll Back, Squeeze, Press and Pull Down, Cross Strike, Elbow, Shoulder.