Erle was my introduction to tai chi as a fighting art, as opposed to the gentle calisthenics I had been exposed to up to that point. I voraciously consumed the acres of free material on Erle's website, and corresponded with him about the videos I bought (and the free ones that inevitably accompanied them!). Erle was supportive, funny and generous with his knowledge and his time.
I never met Erle in person. By the time he came to live in the UK my search for pushing hands partners had led me to Andrew Harris's Nottingham Wudang TCC school and, finding such quality on my doorstep, I never looked back.
I won't forget, though, the foundation I built with the standing chi kung exercise I learned from Erle. And whilst there was plenty in Erle's teaching that didn't fit with my hard-nosed scientific outlook, his enthusiasm and down-to-earth humour was infectious.
His encouragement to me went beyond tai chi. I mentioned how I had stopped playing music, and his response sticks with me to this day: "Never leave an art behind."
At the end of our first tai chi session last week we did a standing exercise, and I suggested it would be a good choice for some home practice. This post provides a quick review of the exercise, to help you get the most from it.
I learned this when I first started tai chi, and knew it as "Standing Chi Kung". I have encountered it many times since, under a variety of names: zhan zhuang, standing like a tree, pylon standing, 3-circle standing, tree hugging...
You can get a lot of bang for your buck doing this exercise, particularly when you don't have much hand form to practice. It helps build a strong and stable stance, and is an excellent tool for seeking out tension in the body.
Instructions:
Stand with feet shoulder width apart, or slightly wider - find a position that's comfortable for you.
Feet should be parallel, pointing straight ahead, as if on train tracks.
Sink downwards into the stance by bending the knees, whilst gently tucking the pelvis (i.e. rotating the pelvis so that the curve in the lower back flattens out to some extent)
The knees should be over the feet, and not projecting any further than the tips of the toes; the curve in the lower back should be reduced, giving the back a flatter appearance. (Doing this sideways on to a full length mirror is a good way of checking the posture.)
Let the back of the neck extend and lengthen, which will bring the chin in slightly. No forcing - make this a 'letting go' rather than a muscular effort.
Raise the arms in front until the hands are at chest height, palms facing in towards the chest; the arms are extended so that they form a rough circle, with a gap between the hands; the elbows are lower than the hands, and the shoulders relaxed.
Touch the tip of your tongue to the gums just behind and above the top front teeth.
Keep the mouth closed and breathe in and out through the nose. Use natural breathing, breathing gently from the belly and diaphragm, with the sense that you are breathing right down to your belly button. Don't force the pace of the breath - just let it come and go, and be mindful of it.
Eyes either closed, or open with a relaxed focus.
Maintain this position for a few minutes.
On an outbreath, lower the hands (keeping the same curve in the arms, and relaxed shoulders) to about belly button level.
Maintain this posture for a few minutes.
When done, slowly stand up into a more normal standing posture, lowering the arms.
As for timings, I was taught to hold the second posture for half the time of the first posture. You can count breaths or watch a clock - I'm a clock-watcher. Start with 2 minutes in the first posture and 1 minute in the second (2/1), and feel free to progress to 4/2, 6/3, 8/4, 10/5 and so on as you get more used to the exercise. (I was going to say "comfortable with the exercise" but you will soon realise, if you do the longer times, that comfort is not the most obvious result!)
I hope these instructions are useful. Please help me improve them and, if you try the exercise, be sure to let me know how you get on.
The main focus of the first few weeks training will be learning the Wudang Short Hand Form. A form is a sequence of choreographed martial techniques performed in a slow and relaxed manner, and is what most people think of when they think of tai chi. The Wudang short form takes about four minutes to perform.
Here's a clip of me and a bunch of my tai chi brothers and sisters doing the form...
Two caveats are in order.
First off, the 10 week introductory course will not give us time to learn the whole form. How far each student will get will mostly depend on how much they choose to practice outside of class. I know many of my colleagues from work will have (more than most!) the attitude of wanting to progress quickly, but putting down a good foundation takes alot of repetition, and it's best to be patient and take the appropriate time.
Secondly, at the very start we will be practicing the form "square", where the techniques are broken down to give a more easily learned 'alphabet' of moves, and which gives more time to focus on the postures and stances.
Here's one of my tai chi brothers (Stuart Garth, now in South Carolina) performing the first moves from the square form...
As well as form, we will be working on some partner exercises, known collectively as pushing hands.These provide a more concentrated method of working on some tai chi body mechanics, and help us develop sensitivity, softness and relaxation when in contact with another human being.
Apart from a few supplementary exercises, and possibly some demonstrations of tai chi applications (for illustrative purposes only!) that covers the syllabus.
No special clothing or equipment is required. It's best to wear flat shoes (or bare or stockinged feet if you prefer) and clothing that permits long steps and, ideally, squatting. In China, though, lots of people do their tai chi in their work clothes. Tight belts, narrow skirts and heels are best avoided!
The atmosphere in the sessions will - hopefully - be relaxed and informal. Questions are welcome - with one exception - although I hope to use Beginning Style to address the more involved questions, and to keep my talking time down in the class.
Two final thoughts...
Tai chi is promoted as an aid to relaxation, and it is certainly an excellent tool in this regard. However, at times the classes may seem to be far from relaxing - there's an awful lot to remember, and some of the exercises can be hard work. It's best to take things at your own pace, and you should feel free to rest as you see fit.
Also, the learning method relies on a great deal of correction - in our environment of 360-degree feedback, I'm hoping this won't be an issue for anybody, but I have seen a few new students who had trouble dealing with this aspect. Best to embrace the beginner's mind, and take your corrections in the spirit in which they are intended.
And what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander - please let me know how you are experiencing the classes. When it comes to teaching, I'm the beginner.
Beginning style is one of the first moves, and the first real technique, in the tai chi form I practice. The tai chi I study is called Wudang Tai Chi Chuan, named after the Wudang Mountain, legendary birth place of tai chi.
Beginning Style is also the name of this blog, set up to coincide with my initial attempts at teaching tai chi. In their wisdom, the HR people at the company where I work have accepted my offer to lead a weekly lunchtime session; a couple of dozen people have signed up for the initial 10 weeks. The focus will be on the health aspects of the art, and I am hoping that there is sufficient interest to maintain the lessons after the introductory course.
I'm really looking forward to this new experience, and my early sense of panic and self-doubt has faded to some extent.
We're only training for 40 minutes each week, so I intend to use Beginning Style as a means of addressing questions that people raise in the class, in the hope of keeping the doing/talking ratio as high as possible. I will also be reflecting on my experience of teaching, and may also post more general tai chi material, book reviews etc.
