Fitchburg Senior Center is celebrating Juneteenth this Thursday. The center is closed and so there will be no class on Thursday.

The workshops were a resounding success, with 18 participants in the push hands class. We learned a simple set of single-arm and double-arm techniques, as well as three methods for locking the arms. While we only covered 7 moves from Lao Jia Yi Lu, the level of detail in the instruction was so thorough that I feel my entire set has transformed. As many already know, CZQ is incredibly generous with his knowledge, and his willingness to share so many insights was invaluable. The small class size made it feel as though each of us was receiving a private lesson.

The standing posture and silk reeling class was equally impressive. We stood for 40 minutes, after which CZQ provided in-depth instruction on the key elements to focus on. It was almost as if he was teaching me how to notice the subtle details I should look for when I teach. His corrections were incredibly precise, and he took the time to address each student individually.

I sincerely hope CZQ enjoyed his time in Madison enough to return next year. The diverse participation from students from Tucson, Milwaukee, Indiana, and Chicago contributed greatly to the workshops’ success. A big thank you to Sifu Nelson and Zhong Yi for welcoming Master CZQ and allowing us to use the guang for the workshops.

Class Schedule Update:
Please note that there will be no class on December 26th, the day after Christmas. Classes will resume on January 2nd, 2025, at the Fitchburg Senior Center.

Master Chen Zi Qiang is a descendant (20th generation) of the Chen family. He was born in 1977 in Chen Village (Henan Province, China) and is the oldest son of grandmaster Chen Xiao Xing, nephew of grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang and great-grandson of the legendary taiji master Chen Fa Ke.

In his twenties, he became very well known as one of the fiercest fighters in the village. He competed in many national competitions throughout China and won numerous gold medals in every division he competed in, including open hand forms, weapon forms and pushing hands. He is always willing to spar with anyone on and off the stage.  He has moved away from competing to become a judge for such events, a position hard to come by in China.

In his thirties, Chen Zi Qiang is considered a taiji master by his peers, which is quite impressive because the Chinese martial arts community in China demands the highest standards and strictest requirements before awarding that title.

He is the chief coach of the Chen Jia Gou Taijiquan School that he runs with his father in his home village and has already been teaching for more than two decades. Master Chen Zi Qiang has been conducting seminars abroad for decades. He spends about six months every year travelling around the world spreading his family’s knowledge and skills.

I’ve attended numerous workshops with Master Chen and I am always in awe of his martial and teaching skills, and his willingness to impart his family’s knowledge of current style Taijiquan. He is approachable and always willing to answer questions from the students. I have learned so much from him and his father over the years. He is so precise in his movements and every posture has strength that you can see and feel.

This year, it is my honor to host Master Chen in Madison, WI.  This will be his first visit to Madison and my first time hosting.  He will be leading 4 sessions during the week of Thanksgiving.

11/26/24 6pm – 9pm Introduction to push hands (available 2 of 20 people)

From single handed to double handed, from stationary to moving push hands, learn to push with the correct posture and technique to maintain stability. This is a cooperative exercise, by giving and taking. To be able to push hands effectively will take additional practice. This sessions introduces you to the basics of pushing hands.

11/27/24 9am – noon Lao Jia Yi Lu – Part I (available 12 of 20 people)
11/27/24 2pm – 5pm Lao Jia Yi Lu – Part II (available 12 of 20 people)

Lao Jia Yi Lu is considered the long beginners form. It has 75-76 movements depending on where you read the list of movements. This form can be broken into sections with repeated movements sprinkled throughout the set. Suitable for anyone who wants to learn Chen style taijiquan. Even if you attend only one session, you would have learned a lot. Old Frame First Routine (Lao Jia Yi Lu – 老架一路)

11/28/24 9am – noon Fundamentals – Standing and Silk Reeling Exercises (available 22 of 30 people)

Nothing is more important than building a good foundation for learning taijiquan or other forms of martial arts. Stability and coordination are the fundamental concepts of any good martial arts system. If you want to have your standing posture corrected, this is the session for you. Standing Posture (Zhan Zhuang – 站桩) Silk Reeling Exercises (Chan Si Gong – 缠丝功)

Fee: $75 per 3-hr session
Location: Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association, 3361 E Washington Ave, Madison, WI 53704

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Shifu Nelson for graciously opening his school to host Master Chen’s workshops.
Please note # of places are limited due to the physical size of the school.

All fees collected from the sessions are donated to the Chen Village school, c/o Master Chen.

To register, please email khiangseow@gmail.com with your intended sessions. Payment is accepted via PayPal @KSeow, Venmo @Khiang-Seow, Zelle @ 6083543439. You can email me for other payment arrangements or if you have questions about these sessions. You can also text me at 608-354-3439.

Note: If you are not using “friends and family” in PayPal, the amount is $77.50 per session to cover the fees that PayPal charges.

It’s cold and the roads are slick so stay home and practice. Class tomorrow is cancelled.

I’m reminded by the beautiful white scene outside the window that we are still in winter. Please be careful out there. Go out only if necessary during the storm.

In the event that Kathryn or I have to cancel Thursday morning class, we will call or leave a message with the center. I will also add a post here, so you can either check on line or call the center (608-270-4290) to check before coming to class. If driving conditions are not safe, please stay home. Take care and remember if you feel yourself slipping, point your (b__t or a_s) straight down.

Wishing you all a healthy and safe 2024!

A quick way to reduce stress – delete every incomplete resolution from 2023. See that was easy – a clean slate.

Set only 3 goals – don’t be greedy. These should be your highest priority goals. Ignore the rest. There, you got something you can work on and accomplish.

One of my top priority goal is to share more about taijiquan training this year. Last year, that sounds funny, I attended multiple classes with Chen Ziqiang and he taught me many many things. The first thing I learn from him is – don’t over correct or share. Only when he feels the student is ready, does he share more. His rationale is simple. If you share too much, the students might be overwhelm and progress will be slow. Be patient … wait … watch …. wait … for questions from them. His father, Chen Xiao Xing said the same thing and I forgot about it. I am eager to learn but my mind and my body may not be ready. That’s when a good teacher matters. I am fortunate to know good teachers.

More little nuggets to come. Be safe and stay healthy. Keep practicing.

A friend asked me if I had pics to share from my training with CZQ in France and that’s when I realized that I have not been taking pics. I’ve been listening carefully to what he is saying and practicing the corrections he gave me. My understanding of his family’s art has deepen with each correction. He told me that it is easy to mimic what looks right, it is more difficult to know what right is inside. He said not to think too about what the outside looks right. When the inside is correct, the outside with be correct.

The saying about when the student is tardy, the teacher will appear is so accurate. I can take pictures and videos all day long (which one student did) but to truly understand, I have to watch, listen and reflect. I need to discover within myself what’s right and what’s not and ignore what others are seeing or what I’m seeing.

Someone at the seminar asked me how long I’ve been practicing taijiquan and I said I started in 1990 (the year I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease). That’s 33 years ago!!! He said ‘oh, you must be good’. I said  ‘No’. I said, ‘I only get corrections 1 or 2 times a year whenever I get to see CXX or CZQ. The rest of the times I practice the same mistakes again and again.’ Some people think they just need a workshop and they know what taijiquan is. Or, they are upset that we couldn’t finish the form during the 3-day workshop. Pour moi  – only 1 jin gang is enough. Hands on corrections are the best form of corrections for me. I owe CZQ and CXX a lot for my progress.

Yesterday’s correction was minute but profound! At the end of the class Master CZQ asked – how has it changed your form. I said the  changes are huge and I’m now applying that knowledge and feeling to the rest of the movements.

https://www.facebook.com/1042240652/videos/296192672811564/

Sorry this is only through FB.