Beginning Chen

[Ou Ji]

I've got some Yang style background with just a little Chen and a taste of Wu. I have the opportunity to get in on a low cost informal Chen class taught by an accupuncturist. Since it's informal I'm not sure about the level of detail or progression through any type of curriculum. I guess my question is what is the typical order of sets and material? Is Lao Jia the first set? I'm not sure how long this will last so how can I get the most out of a (possibly) short time?

[backbreaker]

I certainly cannot speak for the Chen style, or every style or instuctor, but I can only tell you how I learned. I started out being taught seated torso dantien internal neigong, and 100 days reverse breathing and heng/ha breathing qigong with spiralling, fajin, and striking. And after that in a few days I was being taught the form and applications. One move a day. I asked my teacher about push hands and sparring, and that I wondered about doing mostly forms and applications, he told me I won't find this form just anywhere ( xin jia yi lu) and to respect it and practice everyday, at least 5 times a day would be good, you have to do it to be high level, and high level skill is what's important. I also had many years in Yang style , but others in the class did not, and the class was taught all together, no ranks, or seniority or any of that bs, the teacher was high level whoever you are.

[backbreaker]

Oh yeah, if you practice the new fram chen style which is from Chen Fa Ke the first form is xin jia ( new frame) yi lu, if you do the Old Frame Chen style which is supposedly older than Chen Fake I think it starts out with Lao jia ( old frame, also I think a larger frame ) yi lu , and both styles then have the second form which is cannon fist. Chen style has 2 empty hand forms as far as I know, the rest are weapons, and many other Taiji styles have only one emptyhand routine. I think Old frame and New frame are actually the same style, but I have seen on the internet some teachers teach both, in which case they teach the Old frame first form and old frame cannon fist , and after then the new frame. If I'm not wrong, Lao Jia Yi Lu is the same form as Xin Jia Yi lu and Er Lu as well but a larger frame, so xin jia is perhaps the more advanced because that's how chen fa ke did it with lots of fighting techniques , I don't know

[ShaolinWood]

Hi.
You won't be sorry that you go int the Chen style, but unfortunately a short while of training won't do you much good.
It can give you a foundation though and inspire you to continue your studies further.

The line of study (form wise) depends on your lineage though, Chen Xiao-wang made 2 new forms designed to give one an introduction to Chen boxing; 19 movement and 38 San Chi Ba.

After that the Broad sword set is taught then the straight sword, then Lao jia yilu (old frame) then Paochui(cannon fist) THEN xin jia (new frame) the new frame was created later on but it's a more advance set. It emphasise more on the silk reeling energy.

But before you even start with form training you do alot of Standing post and silk reeling. The hardest thing to learn is getting good stances, and this is what makes Chen boxing famous. This takes years and there is no shortcut unfortunately.

but this is some of the basic line of training for us, but other schools not related to Chen Xiao-wang may teach the sets differently.

Good luck though and keep training

[Ou Ji]

Thanks for the info. I picked up Paochui during my travels but I had no internal training before learning it. So far I think I like Chen the best with Wu second and Yang third.

So your lineage teaches sword sets before hands? Where does Lao Jia Er Lu fit in?

[wujimon]

Here is the order that I learned things

1. zhanzhuang (standing post meditation)
2. Chan ssu jing (silk reeling exercises)
3. Basic movements (equivalent to brush knee push and repulse monkey exercises in yang)
4. Chen 19 Form
5. Chen 38 Form
6. Laojia Yilu


I think the most important foundational training is in steps 1 and 2.

Also were some exercises in sensitivity training, rooting, application, etc.

Hope that helps.
w.

[TaiChiBob]

Greetings..

Silk-reeling exercises are essential in the development of quality spiral energy expressions.. a method we use is "flat-plate" exercises.. taking items such as stove burner covers, large tin cannister lids, or some other such flat rimmed disc and holding them flat on the palms while coiling and using the Dantien to direct the movement.. then, we hold the plate so the rim faces upward and put 1"-1.5" spherical objects on the plate.. (golf balls have sufficient weight).. as the balls roll around on the plates it increases the need for sensitivity and fine control.. since most metal-type plates are slippery, you can use your finger-tips for an even heightened sensitivity and tuning of fine control movements.. basic coiling and twisting warm-ups lead to free-form movement, but the plates keep you mindful of many spiral principles, and is a great tendon exerciser..

Just a suggestion.. be well..