Tai Chi Partner Training
with Bob Shannon
Tai Chi Partner Training
with Bob Shannon
with Bob Shannon
February 13 (Thursday)
at 7:30 pm
Class length
60 minutes
Location
Milford CT School: 49 Research Dr. (I-95 Exit 40)
20
spots leftThis Tai Chi Partner Training Class introduces you to Tai Chi Push Hands exercises. This class will incorporate non-aggressive and non-competitive partner drills.
This class will introduce a wide range of two person drills to teach students how to connect, stick to, and follow their opponent. The patterns we work will be both fixed position and stepping. We will focus on developing listening energy (ting jing), a critical pre-cursor to push hands. Students will gain a stronger understanding of the four primary energies of Peng, Lu, Ji and An.
This class applies to all Tai Chi styles taught at our school: Yang, Sun and Chen. This class is suitable for all students who want to deepen their understanding of Tai Chi and the postures in the forms. Students will need to have an understanding of Tai Chi principles fundamentals before enrolling in this class.
Because this class includes partner contact, proof of COVID vaccinations will be required before attending the class.
This class has a 6 person minimum requirement. If we do not have 6 students reserved for the class 2 hours prior to the class start time, that evening's class will be canceled.
Read Ron's review of the class:
Partner Training Class is a Must!
How many times have we heard from Shifu that Tai Chi Chuan is not choreography, my new favorite metaphor, directing traffic in the park? Concepts like rooting, structure, energy from the ground, don’t use your arms, tuck your pelvis, are constant drills, these abstract concepts recited in every class, and then to ourselves at every home practice. We go through forms trying to remember transitions and technique, but there is something just beyond our grasp making movements stilted.
I signed onto Shifu Bob’s Partner Class; a controlled environment designed to engage your motion with one another. Back and forth I went with my partner giving me heavy external strength then in turn I am giving it back. A slight correction by Shifu Bob and BLOTTO, it hit me. Move your hips not your arms, absorb his ji with pliant circles of my LOWER body twisting and turning so that my upper body follows in unison then follow that circle with hips and torso going forward towards him. No external muscle force was necessary, just deflection and fluid inertia forward. For the first time concept became reality. “Hum, gee, that’s the way it’s supposed to be,” I reflected.
I took that insight back to form and suddenly the dummy in the school’s mirror looked a little less awkward. I’ve only just begun, but I am looking forward to the many other lessons that aid in understanding. I have no interest in becoming competitive and Shifu Bob has made it abundantly clear that isn’t the intent of this course. So please, everyone, join us and I promise your understanding of Tai Chi will increase exponentially, and who doesn’t want that image in the mirror lookin’ fly?