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...

A Life Lesson in the Death of Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang

chen style taijiquan chen taiji health and recovery how to use qigong in daily life Jul 17, 2012

I am always broken-hearted to hear of the death of any kung-fu master, so I was very sorry to hear that Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang passed away a few weeks ago. My condolences go out to his students and his family.

When great masters die, I check to see how long they have lived. Usually, it isn't a lot longer than the general population.

Grandmaster Feng was 83 or 84 - he was born in 1928.

And now comes the part of the post that some may find controversial but it is intended to carry the utmost respect for Grandmaster Feng.

He was a disciple of Hu Yaozhen, a Taoist qigong master. Grandmaster Feng studied with him and also with the great Taiji master Chen Fake. Feng eventually developed his own style of Chen Taiji that included qigong, silk-reeling exercises, etc.

I receive messages and scoldings occasionally from people who claim that qigong, and Taoist qigong, if done properly, will mean you will evade illness and disease, and will result in a very long life. I received some of the...

Butt Out -- What it Means to "Tuck the Tailbone" in Taijiquan

chen style taijiquan internal body mechanics tai chi chuan Jan 15, 2012

In the practice of the internal arts, you're supposed to relax the hips. Sometimes it is said that you should "tuck the tailbone."

I prefer to use a different description.

Relax the lower back.

Here are two photos. The first one shows a common posture that I see in beginning students -- the butt sticks out in postures such as Single Whip.The second photo shows a more "centered" tailbone. The lower back is relaxed.

When most of us stand up, our lower backs are tense. They are concave, bowing inward toward the navel. But when you work on the body mechanics that are essential for quality internal arts (Taiji, Xingyi and Bagua) you learn to relax the lower back.

When I teach this, I have students put a hand firmly on my lower back. I stand normally. They can feel it bow inward. Then I relax and the lower back "fills up." At the same time, the hips drop down and inward. By relaxing the lower back, you are "tucking the hips," and no tension is required.

Relaxing the lower back is ...

Ken Gullette's Internal Fighting Arts

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

A Life Lesson in the Death of Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang

Butt Out -- What it Means to "Tuck the Tailbone" in Taijiquan

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