Chen style

Apart from an enforced break for part of last year, I like to go to Tai Chi weekly. One group is composed mostly of ladies of a 'certain age'. We're a friendly, chatty bunch and meet up to socialise almost as much as for Tai Chi training.

I must have been practising Tai Chi for some four or five years, am not sure which. However, there was an enforced hiatus from November 2014 to April 2015. Only in the last two weeks have I resumed going twice a week.

The tutor(s) are the same for both, but other group is far more professional / serious.

Friday's group - meet up for a chat before the tutor arrives One of the ladies brings a CD-player and our movements are practised to gentle background music. At the end we have another chat them go our separate ways.

Saturday morning is far more business-like and the group is mixed. A few of the more advanced practitioners do two sessions one after the other. Some day I might, just might end up joining in both sessions. Before things went pear-shaped in Nov. 2014 I was well on my way to doing just that.

Happily, Tai Chi teaches patience...

It's an unusual situation, Friday's group are progressing by adding to the frame moves. Saturday's group has more beginners, we're revisiting the opening moves of the 'Old frame'.

Six stages of learning

• First stage is xue jiazi or "learning the frame". 
• Second stage is known as lien xi jiazi or "practising the frame". 
• The third stage is nie jiazi or "correcting the frame". 

I think that's the stage I'm at for several parts of the frame.

"The student must be patient as every aspect of their body, movement and posture is carefully rearranged - drop your elbows, relax your shoulders, push out more with your hands" 

Finishing on a lighter note...
This weekend there are celebrations for the Chinese New Year.
We're entering the Year of the Monkey or as some Australian wit would have it the Year of the Tasmanian Devil.