William C. C. Chen Tai Chi Chuan info?

[KubanLink]

Does anyone know about William C. C. Chen Tai Chi Chuan? http://www.williamccchen.com/

[Repulsive Monkey]

Was the youngest of Cheng Man-ching's Taiwanese disciples. Is a good fighter and studied hard with Cheng and his Taiji brother's. Not the best of Cheng's disciples but then I'm sure no one would declare that when their alleigance, lineage-wise, is to another disciple from Cheng's Taiwanese big 20.
Still he is a genuine Matser of his art, and from what I hear is art is a very high level.

[Cody]

Very high level in his art, with a gentle and "fine" energy that can turn on a dime and become hard as steel. Has immense control over his output, as should be the case in someone of that level, or even below it. Is human like everyone else.
He used to teach most of his classes himself, but from what I read on his website when I looked at it a while back, that is changing.

Cody

[Water Dragon]

My first martial art was William CC Chen's Tai Chi. Do you want to learn to fight? He can teach you.

[KubanLink]

Yes, I do want to learn the taiji boxing? Will he teach me? Please, tell me about your experience there.

[Water Dragon]

Well, I studied for 5 years under soome of his Senior Students here in the mid-west. I got to work with Master Chen about 2-3 times a year for those 5 years. I also got a chance to work with George Blank, who I understand teaches most of the classes while Master Chen is on the road.

One of the things I like about the school is that they have fighters being competetive in the San Shou scene. Check the FYIsection of his site.

What specifically do you want to know?

[KubanLink]

Maybe I'll go check it out and get back to you on any questions I have. Thanks.

[Josh Vogel]

Hi,
I've seen a couple of Mr. Chen's students fighting in tournaments over the last few years and was impressed with what I saw. They all seemed like skilled fighters and definitely did very well amongst some tough san shou fighters from the Praying mantis and Hung Gar schools. Thanks
Josh

[KubanLink]

I visited and was very impressed in every way. Master Chen took the time to talk to me for quite a while. Unfortunately, I found it to be very expensive.

[YongChun]

I visited Master William C.C. Chen in New York in about 1988. My background was Karate, Hung style, Yang style Tai Chi and Wing Chun. He was very nice and spent a long time with me to explain about his Tai Chi. Then he demonstrated a few Tai Chi postures and their hitting impact. No matter what posture he sent me flying across the room with the impact feeling like a truck had just hit me. However he had lots of control so that I felt the impact but was not hurt. There was little sign of external movement. His movement went from very soft to very hard. In the mean time his class had on the boxing gloves and were practicing some freestyle Tai Chi fighting. At the end he gave me a couple of articles on body mechanics. He attributed everything to refined body mechanics as opposed to Qi (Chi) power. It was definitely a pleasure to meet Master Chen.

[Water Dragon]

Anyone got a list of the movements in William C.C. Chen's 60 move Yang form? I can't remember the sequence for a few parts of the form. thanks

[diego]

In Sam Sheridan's "A Fighters Heart" he talks about training with Chen while injured from ringfighting...good book... "Three Nails" The big toe, ball of foot and inside edge of the heel. They are the places the foot is rooted to the ground. It is as if your energy could drive nails into the ground to hold you; they are the basis from which you generate power. "When I started tai chi, i realize that power isn't in the arms, it comes from the hips. And then, I start to think maybe ten years later I start to realize that power comes from the legs. after twenty years I saw that it's actually coming from the toe." you must feel power coming off of t he toe;driving energy down through your toes is some times what is referred to as "rooting" and it is what drives all of your movements.

one's movements should be led by the fingers activated off the toe. chen punches with a hollow arm fist resembling the fist loosely opened in boxer gloves...

"Compression" when you learn to strike you are taught to inhale and exhale on the exertion....but it's not just exhalation; it's also compression. when a boxer hisses as he puynches it's a form of compression.an exhalation, and open mouthed "whoo" of air, has no power. but when you control the air, when the karate guy shouts "KIAI" as he punches, that compression is what generates force. It's like a grunt when you pick up something heavy; you have to make an internal compression to generate power. Boxers hiss or grunt; the Thai s yell.

"They say tai chi is relax, but what they mean is relax with compression' when you lying in bed, you are relaxed, but there is little compression. It's like a sick person in the hospital; they are walking around like a skeleton" "when they say 'a boxer is out of gas',they not mean tired, they mean cannot make compression," " when you walk around with compression you think how cool I am. the compression is filling you up."

You guys know anything about this "compression?"

[Water Dragon]

You guys know anything about this "compression?"

Yeah. Go outside and either push your car down the street, or try to pick it up from the back bumper. Feel that pressure in your belly? That's compression.

[TaiChiBob]

Greetings..

I have studied with WCC Chen.. i know Max and Tiffany, and i train regularly with one of his very accomplished students, a local teacher that studied with WCC for more that 20 years..

The 'compression' can be compared to a balloon where the opening is either full-open, nothing 'substantial', or.. where the air-flow is tightly controlled, but still flowing, 'flexible resistance' (Peng).. not so much 'resistance' as matching force less the proverbial "4 ounces", or plus the same "4 ounces".. more than 4 ounces 'pushing' and you reveal your own weakness, less than 4 ounces yielding and you 'disconnect', can't listen.. tricky stuff, brilliantly subtle..

Be well...

[Bob Ashmore]

I have not studied William C.C. Chen's style of TCC, though I'd like to, and so can't be sure but this "compression" sounds a lot like reverse breathing to me.
The way I understand it reverse breathing helps you express jing more correctly, so you use it during push hands or sparring or during an actual fight, while natural breathing helps you build chi and develop rooting, so you do that most of the time.
My understanding of this breathing pattern and its uses is limited to what I was taught in the Wu and Yang styles that I have trained, but the method you describe sounds quite similar to what I have been taught.

Bob