William C. C. Chen's Tai Chi Body Mechanics Videos
Tai Chi Chuan workshops in Hanover Germany
From: Essential Sports and Fitness Video (Tai Chi) Channel
The Tai Chi and Martial Arts Video Channel includes the full 14 chapters of Grandmaster William C. C. Chen's "Body Mechanics" DVD.
It's an excellent introduction to Tai Chi as an exercise for improving balance, a form of moving meditation to reduce stress, and
a martial art that emphasizes softness overcoming hardness.
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It includes videos from Tai Chi masters Cheng Man-Ching and Ping-Siang Tao,
and champions Max Chen, Tiffany Chen, Josh Waitzkins, and Tuishou Chen.
Tai Chi form with instructions (Hanover, 2011)
Grandmaster Chen goes through first portion of the Yang short form with step-by-step instructions and advice.
He shows how to achieve the exercise's rhythmic relaxation and energizing through the use of imagery (like a
bird ready to take off),
... the alternating focus on pinky fingers and index fingers, the switching between
tilting the body and straightening, and the importance of coordinating spinning motions and breathing in and out.
From: William C. C. Chen and Nils Klug (Body Mechanics DVD) (00:04:55)
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The role of the feet and inner thigh muscles
Grandmaster Chen explains the position of the legs, how weight is distributed,
the "three nails" of the feet, and the importance of the big toe.
...
He uses toy boxers to illustrate how the inner thighs play their part
and elaborates on how he made Professor Cheng Man Ching's form a little "sweeter".
From: William C. C. Chen and Nils Klug (Body Mechanics DVD) (00:09:34)
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Tilting to gain leverage. Keeping the back straight
Grandmaster Chen explains when to tilt and the difference between keeping the body straight versus upright.
... He explains why he added "needle at the bottom of the sea" (from the Yang Long Form) to the Short Form.
Finally, he demonstrates how the Tai Chi kick requires energizing the fingers ("breaking the chop sticks").
From: William C. C. Chen and Nils Klug (Body Mechanics DVD) (00:03:28)
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Three fingers for action and two fingers for preparation
Grandmaster Chen explains how the hand is divided into two groups of fingers, one active or positive, and the other
non-active or negative. ... He demonstrates how the fingers are connected to the toes and the inner thighs and the importance
of spinning the fingers, as opposed to using the arms, for push hands and striking.
From: William C. C. Chen and Nils Klug (Body Mechanics DVD) (00:05:54)
To subscribe and watch this clip of Grandmaster Chen teaching this intermediate Tai Chi lesson,
click on picture
Compression and physical conditioning
Grandmaster Chen explains the role of compression and pressure in creating power and the role of muscles in supporting
that power. He focuses on the analogy of air in a tire versus the rubber that holds that air.
...
From: William C. C. Chen and Nils Klug (Body Mechanics DVD) (00:03:33)
To subscribe and watch this clip, click on picture
Spirals - turning and spinning
Grandmaster Chen explains that many sports follow the same principles for producing power.
... "Spiraling down" is an internal wind-up for the move, and "spiraling up" (spinning out) executes the external move.
He reveals how use of the fingers and toes, the breathing pattern, and the state of mental awareness all can
contribute to a move's power.
From: William C. C. Chen and Nils Klug (Body Mechanics DVD) (00:05:39)
To subscribe and watch this clip, click on picture
Tai Chi push hands - expanding and disappearing
Grandmaster Chen demonstrates the difference between "energy pushing" and pushes
that come from tensing the muscles of the arms and legs. ... He shows how to uproot
an opponent, how to disappear under a push (without injuring your back), how to
resist by sinking down instead of using muscles to push back, and how to drag
down a person who is pushing by their arm. He illustrates the difference between
slow fa-ching (pushing) for push hands and fast fa-ching for martial arts
applications.
From: William C. C. Chen and Nils Klug (Body Mechanics DVD) (00:09:19)
To subscribe and watch this clip of Grandmaster Chen teaching this advanced Tai Chi lesson,
click on picture
To put energy into the fingers, use your heart, not just your mind
Grandmaster Chen starts with his theory of "four-wheel drive".
... He shows how one hand helps the other, and both feet must participate in any action.
Next, he talks about Chi (internal energy) and uses rubber tubing to demonstrate how Chi is about reaching and holding a position
without adding muscular force.
Finally, he discusses and demonstrates how to get energy into the fingers.
From: William C. C. Chen and Nils Klug (00:04:59)
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"From something to nothing. From nothing to something."
Grandmaster Chen explains that the fingers are the key to action
and describes the energetic connection between the fingers, the heart, and the toes.
... He shows how power and speed come from the combination of spiralling from the ground and floating from the ribs.
Finally, he demonstrates with a few practical self-defense applications how the relaxation and focus of the Tai Chi form lead to the
flexibility to strike from any position.
From: William C. C. Chen and Nils Klug (00:05:03)
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Tai Chi Chuan as self-defense. Cheng Man-Ching Forum 2004
Grandmaster Chen and Sifu Nils Klug go through the first portion of the Yang Short Form (with a nice Sitar background).
... Then Grandmaster Chen explains the relationship between slow, calm movements and martial arts.
Then he shows how speeding up particular moves of the Tai Chi form leads to an effective jab, cross, hook, roundhouse,
and uppercut.
From: William C. C. Chen and Nils Klug (00:08:08)
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Cheng Man-Ching Forum 2004 (Hanover, Germany)
Grandmaster Chen explains and shows how the breathing pattern (inhale and exhale) naturally follows the alternating
increase and decrease in the Tai Chi form of mental awareness ("waking up and falling asleep" by collapsing, sinking, and sagging).
... He demonstrates the role of the big toe, ball of the foot, and heel (the "three nails") in
movement and creating spin from the ground.
From: William C. C. Chen and Nils Klug (00:05:54)
To subscribe and watch this clip of William Chen in action, click on picture
Workshop by William C. C. Chen in Hanover - short (2004)
Clips from one of Grandmaster Chen's Body Mechanics workshops in Germany.
He demonstrates:
Expanding your energy and making use of your opponents force to push
...
Driving energy from your chest walls ("heart") for a two-handed strike
Connecting to your inner thigh and alternating between loose and tense to create high speed hooks.
From: William C. C. Chen and Nils Klug (00:02:24)
To subscribe and watch this clip of William Chen in action, click on picture
Demonstrates Tai Chi boxing, push hands, and the short form
Grandmaster Chen's specialty is teaching the connection between the Tai Chi movements and achieving great
speed and power for self defense.
... This trailer has clips from workshops conducted in Germany that show high speed punches, push hands techniques,
and internal principles.
From: William C. C. Chen and Nils Klug (00:02:25)
To subscribe and watch this clip of William Chen in action, click on picture
How does this subscription channel work?
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When you subscribe to our Tai Chi and Martial Arts Video channel, you get access to the full Body Mechanics DVD,
along with all of Grandmaster Chen's other DVDs, video clips from his private collection, plus more videos from
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