Ken Gullette's Internal Fighting Arts Blog

A Wise Taiji Master Once Said We Should Practice the Method Not the Form

body method chen style taijiquan studying tai chi studying taiji Jan 25, 2021

I have forgotten who said this, but it might have been one of Chen Fake's students, Feng Zhiqiang. He said we should practice "method, not form."

In the beginning, when we learn a form, we are trying to memorize the movements. Then, we are trying to memorize the movements so we can do the form from beginning to end. It takes a lot of work to remember a complete form.

But after we get the movements down and we can do a form from beginning to end, we must immediately force ourselves to go to the next level.

What you should be practicing is not the form but the method.

Every style of martial arts has its own "shen fa," or "body method." The Taiji form is not the only way to practice the method. You can do it by breaking out one movement from the form and working it. You can do it by practicing silk-reeling exercises.

In the style of Xingyi that I teach, body methods include taking ground, alternating relaxation and power, maintaining intent, ground path, peng jin, dan...

Do You Understand the Body Method - "Shen Fa" of Your Martial Art?

body method internal arts training internal body mechanics shen fa Jul 09, 2015

What does the term “body method” mean when it comes to Xingyiquan, Taijiquan and Baguazhang? The Chinese term for body method is “Shen Fa.”

Putting it simply, body method is the way you train your body to move in practicing an art so you achieve the result of moving in this same way when you do self-defense. It involves structure, body mechanics, and concepts for receiving and discharging force.

Each art has distinct ways of training, but I have broken some of the key body mechanics down, and I teach those body mechanics as a way to begin developing the body method for effective internal arts.

The six key body mechanics include:

Establishing and maintaining the ground path at all times.
Maintaining peng jin at all times.
Using whole-body movement.
Silk-reeling energy connected through the entire body.
Dan T’ien rotation.
Opening and closing the kua.

When you develop these six body mechanics as you train the various exercises, forms and fighting concepts of the internal...

Ken Gullette's Internal Fighting Arts

A Wise Taiji Master Once Said We Should Practice the Method Not the Form

Do You Understand the Body Method - "Shen Fa" of Your Martial Art?

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