If you are going to train Chen's taijiquan, in lieu of bajiquan, see if you can find a teacher who will also teach and train you in the big pole exercises--Chen Zheng Lei has a dvd on this training and in my experience, is essential along with Chen single posture moving and standing post training.
If you can find someone who is teaching Hebei xing yi, get the 5 elements, san ti shi posture training, and the 5 da qiang exercises that mirror the 5 elements.
I think this kind of training in some ways paces the early bajiquan training.
Good luck!
"Its better to build bridges rather than dig holes but occasionally you have to dig a few holes to build the foundation of a strong bridge."
"Traditional Northern Chinese Martial Arts are all Sons of the Same Mother," Liu Yun Qiao