Q&A on Chen Taijiquan

Nabil will answer questions on history, Chen boxing, socio-cultural elements of the art, training concepts and so on - whatever is of interest to you. You can send questions to qanda [at] ctnd.de  

Questions answered this time:

Mixed Questions

• What is the seven star point as in forward step and seven stars?
• There's a video of Chenyu practicing the 74 form as a "yangsheng" form. What about his approach makes it "yangsheng"? Does the shenfa differ or is it just more gentle? Are there different ways of doing "yangsheng"?
• I know it’s not great compare other styles since things often don’t translate. But does taiji have a notion similar to xingyi’s ideas of obvious (Ming) hidden (an) and transforming (hua) power? And if so, can you describe the differences? 

Dantian 

• Could you explain how we should activate, establish and sustain mingmen/Dantian connexion? And how does it feel like?
• Can you please say something about "making dantian stable"? I always wonder how to do this. When I try to make the dantian area stable I contract the muscles aound the belly and in the back. This way it feels stable but I can't breath down to dantian. If I relax the muscles I can breath down to dantian but there is not stability anymore. Can you please explain the correct way? Thank you.
• What is peng energy?
• I had asked once about the connection peng and elastic power. And specifically how to train elastic power while still holding onto peng.

Neigong Qigong Neidan

• How would you define, differentiate and/or assimilate the terms and practices of Qigong, NeiGong and NeiDan?
• I see in the eLibrary that you have added some pages on "internal work". Could you please explain more about what you mean? Is internal work the same as neigong? Do you see neigong as different than qigong?
• If so, are there separate exercises for neigong from the qigong exercises we have learned in the Monday class? 
• You state internal work involves the jins? How so? And is neigong the highest level of the skill progression in your system? Or something different? (Level 1, 2, 3) Thanks!

Partner work

• Could you address the progression of training with partner work? What are the milestones in discerning progress with partner work? 
• How to address the disparity of skills and shenfa between partners?

Baishi

• Do to recent events, I think many us would interested to know about your evolution on taking tudi. What were skeptical of, what has changed? What does it mean to you?
• And maybe of interest to the group… how does this change (if it does) how you may teach now that there is an indoor and an outdoor?