A teacher in a black tracksuit leads a large class through a silk reeling movement in a sports hall, one arm extended

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Chen Ziqiang in London 2018: Foundation Training

18 May 2018

In May 2018 Tai Ji Circle was honoured to host Master Chen Ziqiang for three sessions in London. The first evening was devoted to Chen-style Foundation training.

After a strong warm-up, Master Chen took us through Zhan Zhuang, Standing Post training. This is the important introduction to Chen style. Working with the standing practice, the body posture can be corrected, and the emphasis is placed on the work and the heat, or energy, produced in the legs.

A large class stands in rows holding the Zhan Zhuang standing posture, arms rounded in front of the body, a teacher in black at the front — Zhan Zhuang, Standing Post training.

Another essential is the silk reeling exercises, which move the body and arms while correcting weight changes and posture.

Master Chen worked with several students individually, checking and correcting the angle of the pelvis and legs. It was a wonderful experience.

A teacher stands behind a student and adjusts her arm and stance while a man in a blue Chinese-style suit watches — Individual corrections to posture.

The class sits on the floor of a sports hall stretching forward over their legs as the teacher demonstrates a low squatting stretch

Rows of students practising silk reeling across a sports hall, hands raised in front of them

A teacher in black adjusts the posture of a student with long pale hair while the class practises behind them

A teacher stands behind a student in a maroon T-shirt and corrects his low stance and outstretched arm

The teacher in a wide low stance, hand on hip and arm extended, with the class following behind him

Students in a sports hall step into low stances, arms held out to the side

Two men in black practise a raised-knee posture, one close to the camera and one behind

From the Taiji Circle archive.