Nabil Ranné is a Chen style teacher living in Berlin who offers classes and online training at CTN Academy Nabil is a student of Chen Yu, who is the only son of Chen ZhaoKui and grandson of the famous Chen Fake. Listen here. Here’s what we talk about: Timestamps: 1.00: Nabil’s background in martial arts … Continue reading Tai Chi Notebook Podcast Episode 30: Nabil Ranné on Chen style Tai Chi training
Tai Chi history
Possible origins of the Tai Chi Single Whip (Dan Bian) posture name
This post is going to start somewhere you don’t expect - over 1,000 years ago in Song Dynasty China during which we find the legendary founder of Xing Yi, Yue Fei, a general in the Song Dynasty army, mulling over the advancing (heavily armoured) Jin cavalry, and wondering how his foot soldiers are going to … Continue reading Possible origins of the Tai Chi Single Whip (Dan Bian) posture name
The internal qualities of martial arts
Photo by Thao LEE on Unsplash One observation I have on 'internal' martial arts is that there there is often very little focus on the ‘internal’ qualities to a human being. Or if they do address them then it is, not directly and often in passing. I'm not talking about things to do with forces, … Continue reading The internal qualities of martial arts
NEW PODCAST Simon Cox on Zhang Sanfeng and the Wudang connection to Tai Chi
New podcast! My guest today is Simon Cox, who co runs the Okanagan Valley Wudang with his wife Brandi in Penticton, British Columbia. Simon and Brandi spent six years living and training in China under master Yuan Xiu Gang at the Wudang Daoist Traditional Kung Fu Academy. While there they studied Kung Fu, Tai Chi, … Continue reading NEW PODCAST Simon Cox on Zhang Sanfeng and the Wudang connection to Tai Chi
Is Tai Chi really about relaxation (fangsong)?
I noticed a person on Facebook recently who was trying to make the point that the term Fangsong (放松 relax, unwind, loosen, ease, release, slacken) doesn't appear in writings about Tai Chi until about 1930, and is therefore a modern idea that we are retrofitting to suit our modern ideas of Tai Chi being all … Continue reading Is Tai Chi really about relaxation (fangsong)?
Simon Cox on Zhang Sanfeng and the history of Tai Chi Chuan
The article On the Historical Mystery of Zhang Sanfeng by Simon Cox, on the history of Tai Chi Chuan and its connection to Zhang Sanfeng is great. I'll just quote a couple of paragraphs from near the end, but recommend you read the whole thing for context: It seems like Tai Chi was really a … Continue reading Simon Cox on Zhang Sanfeng and the history of Tai Chi Chuan
REVIEW: Yang Short form: A beginners guide to Taiji Chuan by Leo Ming and Caroline Addenbrooke
Yang Short Form: A beginners guide to Taiji Chuan, is a beautifully made, hardback coffee-table Tai Chi book, containing a brief section on history and principles of the art, over 200 colour photos mainly for showing you the form, a few verses from the Tao Te Ching to act as inspirational quotes and more. There's … Continue reading REVIEW: Yang Short form: A beginners guide to Taiji Chuan by Leo Ming and Caroline Addenbrooke
More thoughts on elbows and the classics of Tai Chi and Xing Yi
From http://chentaijiquanworld.blogspot.com/ we find this nice quote about Chen Taijiquan: “The, at first sight, seemingly humorous Chenjiagou saying to “always keep an egg under your armpit” reflects the importance of not allowing the upper arms to become stuck to the side of the body. This idea of always keeping a space under the armpit is … Continue reading More thoughts on elbows and the classics of Tai Chi and Xing Yi
What came first in Tai Chi – the philosophy or the techniques?
It’s no secret that Tai Chi is a series of circles. The body opening and closing using circulation motions, like a yin/yang symbol in action. But when you look at a Tai Chi form, you’ve got to wonder, what came first, the techniques or the philosophy? Was Tai Chi created in a moment of philosophical … Continue reading What came first in Tai Chi – the philosophy or the techniques?
T’ai Chi magazine, AI and punching bags
Sometime back in the early 2000s I had an article published in what was, at the time, the premier Tai Chi magazine, T'ai Chi Magazine. It was American, but you could find it in the UK in newsagents like WHSmiths and in martial arts shops. I was reminded of it recently and dug it out … Continue reading T’ai Chi magazine, AI and punching bags
The Tai Chi Notebook 