Chen Xiaoxing and Xinjia Yilu -- A Good Workshop in Chicago

chen family taijiquan chen tai chi training chen taiji training chen xiaoxing tai chi workshops Apr 01, 2013

Chen Xiaoxing coaches me through a movement from Xinjia Yilu in Chicago, March 31, 2013.

This weekend, I attended a workshop held in Chicago by Grandmaster Chen Xiaoxing, who was teaching Xinjia Yilu. I've received some instruction on the form, including a little information from my friend and teacher Jim Criscimagna and also a short private lesson with Chen Xiaoxing's son, Chen Ziqiang. I still had questions about how to perform certain moves.

Chen Xiaoxing -- who just turned 60 (and so did I) -- is the younger brother of Chen Xiaowang. He stayed in our home for a week when Nancy and I sponsored his visa in 2006, allowing him to come to the U.S. for a series of workshops. He held one in the school we owned at the time, and trained with me in our basement for a week. It was a lot of fun and I got some great insights. He didn't speak a word of English and I didn't speak Mandarin, but we managed.

He recognized me on Saturday and we had a brief exchange through the interpreter at the workshop. Chen Xiaoxing loves to play darts, and he recalled playing magnetic darts in our basement during his visit.

This is the first multiple-day workshop I've attended since I lost the lung and 25 pounds of muscle mass, and I wondered how I would do. It wasn't a problem, but as I write this on Monday morning, I'd love to have a day off after the weekend. :) When you attend a workshop held by the Chen family, it is a strenuous event. You can come close to collapse from leg fatigue, especially when they put you into a proper stance. Real Tai Chi is very difficult and requires tremendous leg strength -- it isn't the weak Tai Chi where you don't break a sweat.

Chen Xiaoxing did more this weekend than I've seen him do in a workshop before. Each time we began a new sequence of movements, he repeated them several times slowly, then he would put fajing into the movements. We were able to move around and watch from different angles to see exactly what he was doing with his hands, his feet, and his stances.

Ken Gullette, Chen Xiaoxing and Nancy Gullette.

Then we would practice as a group. After that, we would practice individually, as he approached us one at a time and corrected what we were doing. Then, he would take questions. One at a time, students would go up front and ask about a movement or a posture they weren't clear on, and he would patiently explain and demonstrate, then correct the student.

We got through almost the first half of the form in the first day and a half. Many of my questions were answered by watching him, by being corrected by him, and by watching him correct others or answering our questions.

It's a rare and a wonderful privilege to have the opportunity to train and get direct feedback from one of the world's best Tai Chi masters. If you have the opportunity, you should do a workshop. But you better get in shape before you do. It is NOT your grandmother's Tai Chi.

My wife, Nancy, spent Saturday shopping on Michigan Avenue while I attended the workshop at the Ida Noyes Hall at the University of Chicago. Yesterday, since we were going home and everything was closed on Easter, Nancy came to the workshop, watched and took some photos. Afterwards, I re-introduced her to Chen Xiaoxing. It took him a couple of seconds but then he recognized her, laughed, and shook her hand. He told the interpreter, "It's been a long time." It was a great moment.

Now that I know I can still handle a workshop, I intend to get back in the swing of things and do more.

Left to right: Allison Helm, Betty Dong, Kimberly Ivy, Nancy Gullette and Ken Gullette

My thanks to Andy Loria for sponsoring the workshop. He is a disciple of Chen Xiaoxing's and owner of Chenjiagou Taijiquan USA in Chicago. And it was a lot of fun meeting some of the people I've heard about and met through Facebook -- dedicated Chen instructors (and disciples of Chen Xiaowang) including Kimberly Ivy of Seattle, Bill and Allison Helm of San Diego, Betty Dong of Phoenix (I first met Betty at a Chen Xiaowang workshop in D.C. 10 years ago), and Derryl Willis of Seattle. If you find yourself in any of these cities, you can't go wrong by meeting and training with any of these instructors.

I had a great time training and seeing people face-to-face. And today, this old body needs some ibuprofen. That's the sign of a good workshop!!

--by Ken Gullette

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Chen Xiaoxing and Xinjia Yilu -- A Good Workshop in Chicago

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