How We Train
This Taijiquan is a gongfu practice, meaning it cultivates skill through time and hard work. Growth comes from being challenged.
Taijiquan as a Language of the Body
Learning this Taijiquan is like learning a language for the body.
Principles — the grammar
Principles describe that which is fundamental to the system. Examples include Peng Jin and the interplay of Yin and Yang. They are like the grammar of the art.
Jins — the vocabulary
Jins refer to cultivated energies or forces that Taijiquan categorizes according to their qualities and desired effects. They are the building blocks from which sequences and martial applications are constructed by stringing them together, much like arranging vocabulary to form sentences.
Sequences — the sentences
A sequence of movement strings together several jins. Traditional forms contain many named sequences; for example, Yilu (First Road) is traditionally organized into 83 sequences, while Erlu (Second Road) contains 71. By design, sequences train multiple applications at the same time.
Form (Taolu) — the textbook
A form is a structured collection of sequences. It preserves the lexicon of the art, mechanics, and relationships in a repeatable training format for cultivation.
Martial Applications — speaking with the language
Some applications are traditionally taught, much like a language has established sayings and expressions that are passed down. But those examples do not exhaust what the language can express. The same jins can be recombined to create new applications appropriate to the situation. Asking whether something is "the official application" is therefore a little like asking whether something is "the official English sentence".
Push Hands (Tuishou) — the conversation
Push Hands is like a conversation between two people. It refers to a collection of partnered practices built around sustained physical contact. Some Push Hand drills are patterned, with a prescribed "script" for each player—but mistakes can still be punished. Freestyle Push Hands removes the script, allowing both players to respond freely to each other while remaining within the constraints of the practice.
Depth over Breadth
When learning the art, there is an inherent tradeoff between breadth (learning more sequences and methods) and depth (developing the interconnected layers and nuances within the same material).
Prioritizing breadth can provide the satisfaction of completing an entire form sooner, but much of that material may initially be understood only at a basic level. There is also a lot more "clean-up" work to eradicate errors throughout the entirety of the form.
Prioritizing depth instead allows more time to explore the details and interconnected layers within a smaller amount of material. The goal is to establish a stronger and more cohesive foundation early, so that the skills developed in earlier sequences carry forward and make later material easier to learn.
Every school must find its own balance between these two priorities. Our training deliberately favors depth over breadth. This means progressing through the form more slowly, but it also means that students are not expected to memorize large amounts of choreography before they have had time to explore what they already know.
Ready to see how this translates into practice?
Now that you understand our methodology, learn about our lineage and instructor, or find out what your first class will be like.