Yang Chen Fu Formed Foundation
In January of ‘08, I wrote that Tai Chi Utah organized its foundation around Yang Chen Fu’s Early Form. That was then; things change. We head into deep waters.
Tai Chi Utah organized around the Yang Chen Fu Long Form, because I had trained that form since 1993. I knew that form better than the Old Yang Form. I taught people Yang Chen Fu’s Form, so we had a small network here that practiced it regularly. Many people here know the full length of it: it’s quite a bit longer, breath for breath, than 108 movements.
We practiced it in-depth and in-detail. We worked applications, martial and healing, for all the motions, and we covered the nuances that finesse fa-jing from this form. I know how it works, and I have received corrections that brought me deeper into the Supreme Ultimate Fist.
With the help of many students, I built a small skilled Tai Chi Chuan School here, in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Everyone grew talented and strong. We thank Yang Chen Fu and the World Taiji Boxing Association’s Erle and Eli Montaigue for passing to us a fantastic, fluid, fun form. Thanks.
Eli taught here twice now. In each Tai Chi Chuan Workshop, he’s demonstrated the beginnings of the Old Yang Lu-chan Style. It’s better. It’s more slow (in parts), more explosive (other parts), more fluid, more dynamic, and more fun.
It goes deeper.
Old Style T’ai-chi Chüan
I have actively reformed Tai Chi since 2005. I restore the warrior nature—the fighting, combat, and precision to Tai Chi Chuan. The martial nature of this dynamic art brings more real and honest internal health and healing. Details about the reformation lurk in this website and, mainly, at RealTaiji.com.
While I taught the Yang Chen Fu Form, I kept a personal practice of the Old Yang Lu-Chan Style, sharing experiences with my instructor-in-training, Jason Socci. Mainly I’ve focused on
- sharing real push hands
- developing fluid fighting drills
- cultivating combat applications
- producing precise form movements
It’s working.
Bringing Eli Montaigue to Utah upped the ante. Plus, we’ve had a number of folks, from out-of-state, attend the WTBA Events consistently, generating and compounding enthusiasm for the work of the World Taiji Boxing Association.
The Old Yang Lu-Ch’an Style Reformation
After the more recent World Taiji Boxing Event, Real Taiji shifted to working on the Old Style exclusively. It’s detailed and requires a bit more attention to detail, but all responses are overwhelmingly favorable and excited.
Inevitably, I shift the Foundations of Tai Chi Utah to the Old Yang Style too. We’ve worked on it in each WTBA Event so far, in 2007 and 2008, and we intend to continue working on it. Eli Montaigue’s Yang Lu-Ch’an Form is advanced and sophiticated. Seeing him do it and working on it while watching him brings great, immediate benefits and long-lasting, subtle gifts.
Each workshop this year brings—
- Qigong
- Old Lu-Ch’an Form Practice
- Other Forms (in February—Dim-mak Circular Form, in September—Large San Sau!)
- Pushing Hands
We go deeper. Join us in the Reformation of Tai Chi Chuan.
October 25th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
This is good news. Great news. Having practiced the Chen Fu form now for a good half year or so, I think the transition is a good idea. It is much more martial in places, but still holds that relaxing fluidity that can only be found in taiji. I have learned the first energetic third of the Lu Chan form and I can safely say that it is awesome. I’ve learned many forms over my years of martial arts training, and in the first third of this long form there is more to be found than in most of the other forms, long and short, I have learned over the years. I also extend my thanks and gratitude to the WTBA, Erle and Eli Montaigue in particular, for making this knowledge readily available. I also extend my thanks and gratitude to Steven Smith for being around to guide us to the Supreme Ultimate Fist. Without his guidance this long road would be much longer, with more twists and turns and dark forests, deep rivers, mountains and canyons to deal with.