In order to provide the general public with benefits of Chinese physical culture in a less physically demanding program than our Kung fu curriculum, East Wind offers a course in Tai Chi Chuan. "Tai Chi" means supreme ultimate, and "Chuan" means boxing or fist. Tai Chi Chuan is an Internal Kung fu system which means it takes an extremely sophisticated approach to movement and fighting. It utilizes body posture, alignment, precise timing, extreme sensitivity, and other forms of internal energy to use an opponent's energy instead of your own.
Working on the skills required to apply Tai Chi Chuan has many benefits outside of its martial applications. Practicing the forms serves as a dynamic meditation which harmonizes movement, breathing, and visualization to focus the internal powers of the individual. It is a technique long used for its ability to induce both physical and personal transformation.
Just like in our Kung fu curriculum, our system of teaching Tai Chi Chuan is a combination of private lessons and group classes. The forms (or dances) are taught in private lessons. The first form taught is Cheng Man Ching's 37 Postures, an Imperial Yang-style form. It is modern Tai Chi Chuan made accessible to the masses with mostly high and mid-level stances. However it still maintains all of the archetypal movements and theory that identify it as Tai Chi Chuan. The second form in our curriculum is the Quon Ping which is a classical, pre-Imperial Yang-style form. This form is much longer and more difficult. It requires more flexibility and strength to perform and represents Tai Chi Chuan more as a martial art than as solely an exercise for self-development. Both of these forms are published, and not part of Ling Mo Fa Qi.
East Wind has two Tai Chi Chuan group classes that cater to all levels of students. The first class is for people primarily interested in Tai Chi's non-martial aspects, or who feel a little intimidated by martial arts in general. It stresses health, wellness, energy work, and mind-body integration. Strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination are developed in ways geared towards people with little or no experience with exercise, have poor health or physical shape, are recovering from injuries, or who just want a very gradual introduction to Tai Chi Chuan.
The second group class is more oriented towards the martial aspects of Tai Chi Chuan and Internal theory. Its physical conditioning is more difficult and works with deeper postures, standing stretches, and Chi Kung breathing exercises. Push hands drills are used for developing reflexes and sensitivity, and to learn how Tai Chi Chuan theory is practically applied.
Both group classes can be valuable by themselves, without private lessons. Not as much theory is learned, but the stretching and physical conditioning can be very valuable. They also include the teaching of a small Tai Chi Chuan form called Diving Fishes from our family Kung fu system.
The first class will prepare students for the second class, and both are also a great way to prepare for learning our Kung fu curriculum.