Tai Chi Long Form - Brush Knee and Twist Step
22 July 2024 Brush Knee and Twist Step
In general, for each move, there are different things to consider in terms of energetics, movement, body structure, and breath. Let us consider the head. The head should be held up straight. It can be helpful to push the top of your head (from the Baihui or 100 Meetings Point/Du-20) up to the sky while practicing. This has the effect of gently opening and lengthening the spine. This will facilitate the flow of qi. Avoid leaning your head to either side and keep your eyes level. Don’t focus on anything in particular. The eyes will follow the yang, or action, hand. Keep your shoulders down and relaxed.
You will perform three Brush Knees in succession, alternating sides each time, right – left – right. They are performed as above. The first two require the “long form” step, pivoting on the ball of the foot without rocking back. The third one does not, because your left foot will be picked up and put down on your heel in preparation for the next move, Play the Peipa.
From Boonchai
“The tai chi we are learning is called Yang Chen Fu style Tai Chi Chuan. Don’t call it a number. It’s slower. Of course, when you kick, you cannot kick slow. The whole form is slow. It’s long, so people call it the ‘long form’ as compared to the ‘short form’. Yang Chen Fu didn’t teach only the family like (those who taught) Chen style. He taught it to places. He wanted people in China at that time to be strong. He didn’t just want to teach family. His best student was his first son. Yang Shou Zhong. He went to teach in different places in China with his son; he went to places. set up a school. and then taught students. And then had his first son stay to teach and he went to another place, or several places. His first son then went to help him. Before leaving, his son picked someone to teach. They kept travelling in China and when he came to Guang Zhou (next to Hong Kong) my teacher was a young guy in college. (At that time my teacher) studied a Southern Chinese martial art. Someone said, ‘hey there is a martial art that is very soft and powerful’. But no force - haven’t seen it before, so he went to look. He thought it was very interesting, so he went to study with Yang Chen Fu. He practiced Yang style tai chi. And his wife too. When I met him, (my tai chi teacher) was 84. Both him and his wife looked like they are in their 60’s. I said, ‘you’re retired?’ You’re only in your 60’s? He said guess my age, and I said ‘you are probably only 63 or 64’. He said, ‘I’m 84’ and his wife too. They both looked very young. I learned with him for 7 years. I learned different stuff, different forms. I came to America in 1994. When I was in China, I studied Shaolin Eagle Claw. I practiced tai chi in the morning beside him. People in China practice martial arts in the morning. I practiced my martial art beside him everyday in the morning. He knew my Eagle Claw teacher, who was famous. I didn’t know he was famous. His name was Jiang Jiang Ming. My Eagle Claw teacher was fat. He couldn’t practice during the Cultural Revolution so he got fat and had sciatica. He was famous when he was young in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
Dai Zhi Qiu is my tai chi teacher – I didn’t know he was friends with Yang Chen Fu until I went to his home and saw pictures on the wall. When Yang Chen Fu taught, he was very strict he kicked and hit you. One time he hit my teacher and his whole shoulder went numb. Sometimes people did it wrong and people would go flying after he hit them.
My Eagle Claw teacher was always very angry and never smiled.
For 7 years I practiced tai chi with my teacher, he never missed a day. One-to-one instruction. His wife also practiced. During the time I was with him I was like his son.
This Tai chi is called Yang Chen Fu. Follow this. Other people’s tai chi might be different from us it’s ok, just practice the one we learn. Don’t watch others and don’t watch videos. Yours is the most accurate. The most suitable. My teacher when he was a student he practiced almost whole day.”
