Thursday 22.7. Evening Taiji I tried hard to finish work on time and managed to go to the evening class as planned. The warm-up - silk reeling was led by the usual guy. Then we split into two groups - one practicing 25 forms and one that is maybe two moves ahead of me, so I joined the 25 as usual. It turned out from the more advanced group there were only two people, so both groups were joined and practiced the 25 forms. We went through the whole thing twice and then stopped at one rather tricky form with a turn, with the instructor checking us individually giving out useful suggestions. I got a few things corrected, though they were both corrections I wasn't able to implement on the spot, I will have to practice them. We spent the rest of the class drilling that one move focusing on different aspects. It was really nice.
Sunday 25.7. Online Taiji - instructors It was only me and the two seniors today. The teacher wanted to pay attention mostly to one of the seniors, whom he doesn't see that often in person, and planned to do the cannon fist form. But we started with something all of us knew - with the third part of LAo Jia Yi Lu, which is what I just learned. The teacher pointed out some things to us, but he also had some trouble with his mic, so part of the class was spent solving that. We also talked a lot, the teacher had some ideas about the next season starting in September, also some things he first wants to think through and then talk about with us. Well, with the seniors mostly. Not much exercising today, but a nice informative class.
Monday 26.7. The head teacher is away this week and all the classes are taught by the second teacher - teacher P. This is the teacher I started learning from, but didn't attend too many of his classes lately as during the lockdown, the online courses weren't taught by him. Both the teachers slightly differ in some things or in how they perceive the form, I'd say, though I think both points of views are interesting. And good to know. Taiji A course of practicing the first 14 movements. We did a short warm-up and started practicing the form. First all 14 movements, then starting with the 6th we went by sequences and the teacher pointing out things to focus on. I stood in the front behind him and was used for demonstrating the applications a couple of times. Today during silk reeling I think I did something right, I did have the nice tingling sensation I wrote about several months ago. I wasn't able to get that sensation since. It was weaker today, but nonetheless very comfortable. I wasn't able to feel it when practicing the form, though, this time, only silk reeling. But when we did the form, I still felt really nice today and really enjoyed the practicing. Also practiced the lower stances. I sort of always expect that I do something wrong when I so the stances low and I would be asked to keep them higher, but I wasn't, so I just did my thing.
Tuesday 27.7. Hehe, a wall of text today, but I had a lot of impressions and wanted to note down some of the corrections I got. Morning Taiji Today's class was again taught by teacher P. There was also one of the senior instructors, as usual, who led the warm-up. Apart from those two, there were only four of us students - three advanced learning the end of Lao Jia Yi Lu, and me. I feel kind of bad coming here alone, making a group just for myself, but it si a class open to all, after all, so... well I might ask later, but I hope it doesn't matter. The teacher asked me to where do I know the form and told me to start with the rest, and, as I usually do, stop when I don't know the form any further. The instructor practiced in front, dictated the pace, while the teacher was only watching and when I stopped, he took me to the side to teach me. Quite often the teacher would spend their time coming and going between both groups. So I expected the teacher to give me some things and corrections to work on and leave me to practice for some time while he'd go check on the other group. The advanced group was taught by the instructor, and to my great surprise, the teacher didn't leave me for even a second and pretty much spent the whole class correcting one thing after another. Teacher P. has much more of a poker face than the usual teacher and is quite hard to read his mood etc. So I never know what he's thinking. Like if I'm doing really good or really bad. So I kind of supposed he'd have a lot of things to tell me, which he did, but was actually quite encouraging and nice. We started with the 25th movement and went by sequences. We'd do 2-3 movements together, then me alone, the teacher would look, give me corrections, show me how to, let me copy for a bit and when I'd usually get time to practice on my own for some time, I'd just have to remember and we'd move straight to the next sequence. I was getting the corrections so that I'd know what to practice when I practice on my own or what to focus on when in group classes. I've never had a one on one class like this and not many classes with this teacher, and it felt like he wanted to show me many things at once since there is actually time now, so that I can improve if I put in the energy. It was nice, it felt like he wouldn't bother if he didn't care. Among all the corrections of various forms, of which some things were quite different to what the other teacher taught me, so I had trouble doing it in a different way - it was in the places that are difficult in general. But the teacher didn't dwell on that. He asked me how I learned it and he wouldn't force his version, but told me the ideas behind it. Then, after correcting the particular details of each movement, the teacher identified a few underlying principles I should try to improve on. He said these are mroe important than the position of hand and fingers in this or that movement. Which, of course, I agree with. First thing was I should keep my fingers straight, which I agree with, my fingers tend to bend everywhere as I keep them relaxed. This is something the head teacher told me as well. Teacher P also mentioned that when I do the low stances I need to open my positions more, especially with regards to arms. He saw I was trying to do nice circles, and as a result, this was missing. It is also something I've been told before, but I still put more focus on the circles. These things seemingly go against each other, but I will have to find a nice way to actually do both parts correctly. Another thing we stopped at briefly were fajins. There are a few places where there are explosive movements, but last time I asked the head teacher (which, ehm, now that I think about it was a year ago), he told me to practice slowly. We did some fajins, but usually as a separate practice and I can't do then well at all. Like I can't get the knack of them. So today, when we got the the punch with teacher P, he told me to do it fast, like a proper fajin. Luckily, punch is something I've done countless times in karate, so it is by far not the hardest fajin, so I tried and it didn't go that badly. But then the teacher wanted to to try fajins from silk reeling to the side and I got quite nervous, warning him I can't do them properly, but had to try. The teacher siad it was quite good and encouraged me to practice fajins, too. The last general correction the teacher mentione dwas about stances. Since teacher P's class a couple of weeks ago, I've been trying to keep my knees pointing outward at all times and I think it works. So I thought if it's about stances, it wouldn't be that. Maybe I am not doing some turning right and instead of exercising my legs and stretching in low positions, I will be told to do the stances higher. It was... actually the opposite. The teacher said that compared to how low I keep the stances, my feet weren't far apart enough. So basically I either have to keep the stances higher, (which I though was annoying because I'd lose the posture that I worked on and became the default nice and relaxed position for me,) or, make the stances wider. Which would be my choice if I was to change something. Months ago, I originally tried to keep them wider, but with legs spread so much and knees forced outward, it is hard to do much movement in the hips as required. Also perhaps after half a year practicing online at home on my slippery floor, making my stances and wider would result in me slipping, so I simply kept the stnces as narrow as possible while staying low as usual. So while I shortened my stances, I payed attention not to push my knees over my toes, which is obviously wrong. I was keeping the knees just above, so just about on the border of how low I can afford to go for this stance. Teacher P. told me to simply make the stances wider, that I can obviously do that. Well, standing like certainly isn't hard. But it will be more of a pain to step so far without losing balance and without bending my back, etc. and moreover moving the hips when stretched like that. But now that I think about it... since I should make my hip movements smaller, maybe it will be a win win if I manage to learn this? To make the hip movements smaller was also another correction I got today. Before I knew it the class finished and I made sure to thank the teacher. He was really nice, he said to improve on the details is good, but I should put much more energy into improving on the principles. I agreed and just remarked that I will certainly try, but it will take some time. The teacher was very optimistic on my behalf, though. He said it should be no problem for me, I can do the wider stances and stuff connected to that physically, so I'll figure the details of it in no time. He was really kind. As he doesn't smile too much I haven't really expected him to be so nice! I'd better show some effort at the next class on Thursday.
Wednesday 28.7. Online Taiji Due to circumstances, today the training was merged with another group, who knows a bit less, so we were working on the first 14 moves, focusing on a tricky one. I used the chance to try to work on some of the corrections I got yesterday, and widened my stances, straightened my fingers. My leg muscles did feel the change, inner thighs hurt a bit, but not to a complete discomfort.
Thursday 29.7. Taiji Just before training I had to pick up my bike from a service and since it was close to teh Taiji school and riding home would only be for a moment, I decided to go to taiji early. I would have joined the class, but there was the most advanced one, so I couldn't. I waited till after their warm-up and went to check where they were. There are three places to practice - the large gym, the small one and a terrace. The group went to the large gym, which was followed by one of the senior students, who wsa practicing by himself to go to the terrace, so I sneaked into the small room to get some solo trainig done. I went through the whole form till where I know it twice and then worked more on the final kicking part. I practiced for about 25 mins without much rest, trying the wider stances again, correcting some other stuff, checking if my back was straight in the mirror. Got my HR up to 171 and got fairly sweaty. Nice practice, though. When it was time for my class, we had a warm-up on the terrace led by a senior student. Teacher P teaching today again. We remained outside, though there is less space, but there weren't too many of us. The teacher asked the more advanced people (most of whom were missing today), pointing at the senior student and me, to go inside to practice our stuff, he'd come later. I always joined the less advanced group as the advanced is a little ahead of me, though not by much. The teacher just learned I know more and without question would send me with the others. However, as the advanced student saw everyone else was missing, he said he/we could stay here practicing the 25 forms. I honestly didn't mind either way, so I let him decide. I only slightly regretted that when we started practising as the floor is a little uneven, though only a little, but is covered with the sort of outdoors carpet. And I just started hating it. When trying to step further, I would drag my heel a little, especially as the floor was uneven and the carpet would prevent me from doing that or would just move with my foot. It irritated me, but I found it too hard to step liek directly from above. I slowly started stepping with not really my heel, but it is obviously wrong. Due to all this and also having to avoid other students as we were moving around, I couldn't get into the flow and relax ma mind and it generally didn't work for me at all. I was happy I got some solo practice before, that was much nicer.
Congratulations! Teaching is, ironically, for me one of the best ways of learning. I love students asking weird questions, I love trying to explain things to students in the way that makes sense to them; same art, different explanations. It enriches my own training so much, makes me really think about things, and also extends my ideas. There is no downside to teaching as far as your own learning goes, other than the time it takes. "If you can't explain it to a 6 year old, you don't understand it yourself," said a man much cleverer than me, supposedly.
Thank you. That is an interesting point of view and very correct. It certainly gives a person a different perspective. Although I do not think that I am like a natural teacher. I do have experience teaching karate classes, but still, I am fairly nervous when it comes to Taiji. Maybe it is the different pace/style of the lessons and also the fact that I haven't been doing it for long enough to be able to, as you mention, for example answer "weird" questions It's not like that is expected of me as I am only a helping hand, but it still makes me nervous On the other hand, when the teacher asked me nearly exactly a year ago if I would like to be an instructor - starting slowly, it certainly did give me a lot of motivation to work hard to learn things and get to understand them. So yes, I do think there are several ways teaching (or even just potential teaching) that makes a person (want to) learn more about the art! That is a nice quote
Saturday Rest day. Sett and I were invited for a barbecue to sensei's home. It's been so long since I last saw him! Since October. I've never not seen him so long ever since I got to know him Anyway, we had a nice time, talked about various stuff, of course, including karate and roughly planning trainings for the next season - starting September. Sensei is busy and finally doesn't dare to promise that he could be there for classes two times a week, although he'd like to. Sett is still struggling with his foot after surgery, so we decided that sensei would be teaching Tuesdays and Thursdays will be on me. If sensei has time and arrives, he'll of course take over, but normally I would be the one teaching, or Sett, when he recovers. Monday 2.8. Went to Taiji in the evening. It started raining again shortly before. I didn't expect that and it was too late to make it by a tram or something, so I still rode my bike. I thought rain isn't too big of a problem, right? I'll ride carefully. Well, let me tell you, it wasn't the best decision and I am not riding in rain or on wet streets, at least not until I get myself new tyres... It was fine on the way there, until I had to stop on the lights. I didn't break too sharply, but as I was finally stopping and putting my feet down, the biek slipped anf fell. Well, not completely, I held it and houled it back up, so it didn't apparetnly even get scratched, so I just continued. On my way back, however, it wasnt raining anymore, but the roads werwe still wet, and with my previous experience, I decided to ride really really carefully and pay attention to turns where I have to slow down etc. That was my plan until I rode on a big turn. I was still trying to slow down before turning and relatively alowly at that, but as I was slowing, I could tell it won't end well. I already slowed down quite a bit, but was at a poing where I simple had to turn a little and as I did very carefully, as expected, I slipped. This time I was still moving, so I fell with the bike and slid maybe a couple of meters into the next lane as I was continuing straight on, while the road was turning. I was sliding on my butt, trying to make myself stop with my hand... I was fine, though, just checked if my butt was naked from the sliding, but surprisingly the pants were durable and didn't even tear at all! The bike was scratched in two places on which it was sliding and a mirror was turned 90°. But I thought if the fall could turn it, surely I can turn it back with a bit of force and I could. Anyway, I didn't dawdle in the middle of the street, picked my bike up and rode just as the lights showed green. I was riding extremely carefully and slowly since then.... Bike is scratched, my butt is scratched, I have a couple of very tiny bruises and I pulled my previously injured hamstring a tiny bit so nothing really happened, but... I am not riding on wet streets anymore, I tell you! Taiji Today's class was about the first 14 movements. I did the warm-up with a friend and was kept in the front for the rest of the class. We practiced the second portion of those movements, with the teacher always explaining something and letting us practice. Burned over 500 kcal, we didn't get too many breaks.
Tuesday 3.8. Yesterday I was a little dazed from the fall, so I decided to go by tram today.... I'll try riding again on Thursday. Morning Taiji A new student who knows the first five moves arrived today. So after silk reeling led by an instructor, said instructor spent the training with the new guy, while the advanced group and me moved into the larger gym. We started by the form. I stopped at my 41. move and started again, while the rest continued. The teacher practiced with them for a while, while I practiced alone. I haven't been practicing at home lately and haven't tried the kicking sewuence since... well last Tuesday and I did feel a bit rusty. The teacher then came to me and gave me a correction or two and let me practice that along with the whole kicking sequence, which I did till the end of the class. The big week-long seminar at the teacher's home is approaching - starts on Saturday. The teacher is probably planning the program and asked me what I would like to learn there. I didn't really have much of an idea, I thought I'll practice what I know and if he decides that we should perhaps try out some weapons and I could try, too, I wouldn't mind at all. However, the teacher asked whether I wanted to learn the rest of the 72 form, or learn some weapon and which one. We are usually not really learning new stuff from Lao Jia Yi Lu there, mostly working on improving what we know, but the teacher said he'd like to push me a bit forward, that there are not to many new moves till the end of the 72 form (though I think there are). So he was asking if I' like to work on that or learn the sword? Sabre? Heh, I had no idea it could be like that. I said I'd be happy learning anything, I do not have any particular plans. So if somebody is going to learn something I could do, too, I could perhaps join them? Though the teacher replied in a way that sounded like everyone is going to learn something different, more or less. And added that the instructor next doors is going to work on the staff form. I learned the beginning of staff last summer, but didn't practice much, so I thought if he was going to learn that, I could join, since I already started. A sword and such is very tempting, too, to be honest, but I think it would be better to know the whole form of one weapon, rather than a little bit of this and that. And there used to be classes for the sword form on a weekly basis, so perhaps there will be something like that in the future as well. Anyway, I am really looking forward to that seminar! I was also asked if had a Taiji uniform. Which I don't. I prefer just taiji or wide pants and a normal shirt for classes and I wouldn't wear a uniform regularly I think and other than that, I never needed it, so I haven't really though about getting one now. The teacher then told me to borrow one as he is planning to take some nice photos on the seminar, where, in the end, a lot of instructors and advanced people are going to. When the class ended the receptionist prepared a few uniforms she thought could be my size to try on. I was a bit reluctant as I was drenched in sweat, but luckily, I still kept a tiny towel in my bag, so I took a shower first and picked a nice uniform that fit me quite well. I've never worn one before. I am looking forward to trying the form in it. I'm sure it will feel like a Taiji on a higher level I was also asked about my time schedule, so I was happy I know how karate will be and will pry there will be a class since September, that is at my level at a time I can make it to!
Wednesday 4.8. Online Taiji Today we kind of skipped the meditation and silk reeling as we did a few times before, but unline usual, we didn't even go through the whole form to warm up etc., but started straight from the last part that we're working on. First we worked for a bit on the first two kicks. I haven't practiced them outside of classes for some time now and without a warm-up on top of that, I felt rusty and didn't do well at all. I wish I hadn't had a camera at that point. After a while we skipped straight to learning a new move, well, two, actually, that are supposedly usually taught together. They weren't very long. We practiced that till the end of the class with the teacher already giving corrections to point us in the right direction how to do these. I hope I'll have an opportunity to practice tommorrow in the classes.
Thursday 5.8. I have the rest of the week and the next week off work. Today was because I wanted to prepare for the upcoming trip, mow the lawn, etc. However, it is raining so no mowing. I took the chance to go to morning Taiji and then will go to evening Taiji as well. As it was raining, I didn't ride my bike today, either. Morning Taiji Due to the rain we wouldn'T go to the terrace outside and also due to the rain, the children's Taiji camp was taking place inthe gym today as well. We thought we'd be moved to the small room, but the teacher took us to the large gym with the teenagers. We did the warm-up together. There were maybe 8 teenagers, me, and three older people from the more advanced group. Teacher P. teaching today. He doesn't know my name, so it was a little funny as he was saying: "So the older ones will practice to the left, and those of you who do not know the whole form (me) would go to the right with the younger ones. The youngsters have different focus. They learn more of the dynamic technique and are focused more on strenght and flexibility, rather than precision and details in the movements like the older ones. Therefore what they were practicing today and I was supposed to join was a modification of the Lao Jia Yi Lu form. It started with the first four opening moves, but then continues with the 25th move and the whole kicking sequence where there's one kick after another. After the last one it moved straight to the last 3 moves of the form, also including one kick. I was supposed to try with them and figure it out. Since the order of movements wasn't changed, it wasn't difficult. The only difficulty was the last three moves I did not know, but I did my best to copy. The group was led by a girl, whom I think was younger, but checking it now I think she is an instructor only two years younger than me. She's been doing Taiji for over ten years, I think and used to compete. Her Taiji looked nice, so she was perfect to copy from It was a shortened form of some 20 moves, probably. The teacher told "us" to focus on low stanced, dynamic kicks and the fajins in general (and correct posture). Since 20 moves compared to 72 of Lao Jia Yi Lu is about a third of the form and the form is supposed to be practiced a few times in a row, our task this class was to go through this shortened form 10 times. After the second rep, the teacher told us to focus on the stances etc. and went: "Look, there are adults today with you, and they have lower sances than some of you! Well not all, some are about the same. Tra harder." Lol, as the "adults" in this group, I refused to be easily outsone, so I did focus on the lower stances, too. Well, this kind of form with the focus on the danamic etc. was simply made for that anyway. I did also focus on not breathing through my mouth, nose only. It was ok, but I did get completely sweaty again. In the end, we only did the form 9 times, due to time. It was pretty cool, though, I enjoyed it. A nice drill of a dynamic form. I also could try the new forms at the end. I didn't get an explanation of them, but one was a nice kick and the other a double punch sort of technique, both movements very nice. So I am looking forward to learning them properly. Other than that I noticed that in some forms like the jumping kicks, I do some weird movement, my arms flailing in a way they certainly dhouldn't have. I'd better pay more attention to that. I enjoyed myself today Time: 1:04 Max HR: 175 Average HR: 138 Training benefit: Steady State & Tempo trainig Kcal: 513 Cardio load: 98 (high)
Thursday 5.8. Evening Taiji A second round today as I had a day off work. We started with the usual silk reeling, then everyone together we went through the first 25 moves of the form twice, very slowly. I had trouble going that slowly, but tried my best. Then we split into two groups - those who practice teh 25 moves and the more advanced. I didn't try to stay with the less advanced group anymore and joined the three other guys who moved sideways. I just learned moves 42-43 yesterday and though I had toruble recalling some details before trying, I was able to practice for a bit. Actually the rest of the group didn't learn any more in the meantime, so I finally caught up. I didn't want to join this group before as they were a little ahead of me and as the newest forms are usually practiced, I would just be a hindrance at that group. The teacher said he might teach us the next bit next week. I will, however, be on the seminar, so they will probably get ahead of me a little again, but hopefully I'll be able to get a quick summary of the new move or something. Today we focus on the last three new moves and practiced them separately again and again. The teacher also had some general corrections to everyone (from both groups), that I had a feeling were aimed at me, though he didn't say that. It was about lifting the leg too much when stepping, which I do. He mentioned how to do that even if you do that in a lower stance and kept looking at me from time to time. I was a bit further away from him, but when I tried how it should be according to explanations, he immediately went: "Yes, like that." I was again also reminded to keep my fingers straight and got a correction about timing in the newest move we learned. I knew it was off, the teacher yesterday told me so, too, but I had had trouble figuring the was the final step should be done. I think I know now in my mind, but to actually be able to do it.... When I was leaving the school the second receptionist who was there today told me to enjoy the seminar. I am going for a week long one on Saturday and I am looking forward to it so much! I am bound to improve my Taiji there and probably also learn new stuff! I equipped my bike with a top case so that I can pack a lot of clothes and I am planning to ride it there. It is some three hour journey on my bike, so I pray it won't rain this time... I really really don't wanna fall again.
Taiji seminar 7.8. Today my week-long Taiji seminar is starting. I rode my bike and arrived as instructed a bit before lunch. There was around 10-12 people there today. Some will leave earlier, some will arrive later etc. We started training at 15:00. We first went through the first 5 moves. Then we worked on the 14 moves for quite a while. There were a few things we were supposed to improve. Then we briefly tried working in hairs - basic Tui shon. We are probably going to practice this every day. After dinner we shortly played with a di nese shuttlecock -a favourite pastime here. Since we only had one afternoon training today, we had one more between 8 and 9 pm. A Tui shon (push hands) practice. We were a group of beginners and it did not go too well. After the training I and others decided to strach a little. When stretched, I felt like going through the form one last time today. One guy - who is the children class instructor, has been doing Taiji for 16 years and is pretty good decided to give me a few tips about my posture. Just like teacher P he thought that since I was how, I should have a wider stance. He adjusted my feet, pushed my knee upwards, which wasn't very easy and let me stand like that. I didn't last long. But he told me to practice that. I through that since I am stretched like tent, there's no way to move my hips na, so I had a tendency to "sit" a little bit lower just to make the movement possible bud every time I tried, the instructor would push my foot further apart, until I gave up, I couldn't go any lower... Tyrant! I guess I'll have to just practice standing like that sometime to, as he said, at all the muscles etc. relax.
Today, as usual, the official morning training started at 8 am. However, usually we are encouraged to start practicing by ourselves earlier. I started at 7:30. By that time most people were already outside. I went through the form once with high stances and show pace. I was a bit stiff after all. I also stretched a little. Later the teacher asked the two instructors who started a 7 how many forms they had time for. And then, I was asked, too. But I only did one or two, not pushing it and my bit is only half of the form. We were told there won't be time for practicing the whole form, only for improving specific moves and sequences, so we should drill the forms by ourselves in the morning. Well, I 'll try to get up earlier, but... At 8 we did Wuji meditation, 15min. silk reeling and 5 moves to 4 directions twice. After breakfast we resumed training at 9:15. We were split into three groups, ours starting from where we finished yesterday. We practiced and worked on improving the kicks. At 11 most people took the staff/spear. A friend and I learned the beginning of the form a year ago. Then there were two instructors who knew more and the young children instructor who is really amazing with the spear. The five of us just practiced the beginning the friend and I knew. I needed to go through it a few times to help recall it. A lot of things would be wrong, but I at least remember the moves roughly. After lunch we again started at 15:00. Working again on the form. A lot to practice still. We're going more by more. the last 30 mins we worked on Tui shou again. No training after dinner today. Only a talk and we were very tired.
We went to sleep quite early yesterday as we were fairly tired, so I did actually get up at 7:00. Unfortunately just about everyone else did, so after waiting for a free bathroom I only started training at 7:20. My whole body was stiff, but I went through the form 4 times just before meditation and silk reeling. After breakfast our group (everyone except 3 people) was practicing one of the newest movements for me. Later we practiced staff (spear. I had to first refresh my memory which me and a friend at the same level did by practicing with 3 more advanced people. A bit fast at times. The teacher took a video of this. I am not doing so well there... Later the teacher asked one instructor to teach the two of us the rest of the form by the end of the week (there is a lot of it left). The instructor doesn't seem to have that ambition, but we'll se learning a few new forms each day. I didn't have trouble remembering it, although obviously, there will be a lot of polishing to do. After lunch our group again worked on the next move of Lao Jia Yi Lu - Embracing head, pushing mountain. The teacher decided that since we are all interested in Taiji, he'd teach us all the details and we spent over an hour practicing this and figuring it out. One of the senior instructors was having some remarks previously whether we're going to do kicks all week, but after an hour of this, she let out: Can't we do more kicks instead? It was tough. For half an hour we practiced Tui shou again-we finished the first of the 5 main basic forms of Tui shou. There was some time left till dinner, so I reviewed the stuff again, but gave up soon, my body wasn't listening to me anymore. We spent the evening talking and drinking tea. When we were getting ready for bed, we went for a visit to the guys' room and had a fun chat and only went to bed at midnight.
Taiji seminar Tuesday 10.8.21 Today I started training at 7:30. I did 3 forms before silk reeling. After breakfast our group briefly reviewed and me and another guy (only the two of us don't know the whole form) learned a new mere. For the others the teacher explained more to the detail, so for us there was a lot to pay attention to. We practiced the steps for quite a while. Later we again took up the staff and practiced what we knew, with the senior instructor then teaching us a few new moves. So we practiced until lunch. After lunch break, our group briefly reviewed the new forms and then we started learning yet another one-one I've seen looking forward to with a long jump and even a kick that isn't like necessary, but the teacher wanted to show it to one of the senior instructors and therefore we all ended up leaning/trying it. It was not an easy more, but a very nice one. The teacher wants to push me a bit ahead in the form so that I could practice a longer part of it. The plan is to practice what we just learned tommorow, but add one or two new moves this week. We also did some Tu i shon later and I probably strained my knee a bit. I hope it'll get better by tommorow.
Taiji seminar Wednesday 11.8. The teacher was planning on filming a promotional video with the four present instructors. He wanted the nice morning sunlight, se he asked us to be ready at 7:30. Since we've always been very stiff in the morning, we got up a bit earlier and started practicing at 7. I finally wasnt as stiff today and the hurting knee improved, too. We warmed up and stretched, but the teacher arrived late with: I forgot to tell you that if there are clouds, we're not filming... Therefore we did the usual morning silk- reeling and again split into groups. 4 new people arrived today (a couple had left before) and our group got even bigger. We were going through the forms I and a fellow student just learned and the teacher was giving tips to everyone. Later we worked on the staff/spear form again. the two of us didn't learn any new moves, but were practicing what we've learned thus far and working on some corrections we received. After lunch we continued with Lao Jia Yi Lu -the 74 form. The teacher said we won't be learning anything new today, only reviewing so that the two of us who don't know the whole form learned thus far to get the chance to remember the new moves. It's not just the new moves, but also sequences of moveswe already knew that are in between the new ones. In the end, though, the teacher decided that we were not making any major mistakes and simply need to improve the moves by practicing them over and over over a period of time and decided to still teach us at least the beginning of the next more-it starts with inside crescent kick. We then did a bit of Tui shou again. Only practicing what we've learned thus far. We made a bonfire in the evenings, talked and read. We went straight to bed after that at about 10 pm.
Taiji seminar Thursday 12.8. Today was another chance at shooting the promotional video. One more instructor arrived, too. I just couldn't get myself out of bed and only started practicing at 7:15. I wasn't very stiff anymore, though, so I went through the form one, then the second half and did some stretching. It was sunny today, so when the teacher arrived at 7:30, I changed into the borrowed uniform and we shot some silk reeling, the beginning of the form together and only the senior instructor did the later kicking sequence and some weapons. We, on the other hand, were asked to do standing meditation and some qigong. I' ve never done qigong before... Well, maybe once, but a long time ago. Actually, none of us really had much of my experience with it, but the teacher said it was easy, so I didn't talk bad anymore and tried to look as it this was my daily bread. While we went for a breakfast, the teacher checked the video and said the setting was wrong, so we did most of it again after breakfast. The regular training started a bit later then. We reviewed again and shortly before the end of the morning session we were shown the next part of the last move we learnt. There's a super low stance there none of the people present could do and demonstrate, so the teacher only explained a bit how it should theoretically be on one of the instructors and had me try, as he thought I might have a chance, but I was fairly certain it was futile and it was as expected. I could get my butt down on the ground, but how to get it back up from that position is beyond me However, I got some instructions so I might give it a ty later at home. I take this as a challenge! (Although I am still not too clear on the mechanics of getting up.) After that we practiced the staff again. We got corrections from the teacher and he added a little new bit. I practiced over and over, but it was too hot, so I gave up shortly after noon and tried the new bit of the weaponless form, when the bell calling us for lunch finally sounded. For the afternoon session, I started 20 mins earlier to practise and to warm up my stiff legs. Later the teacher taught us the next move which is followed by a sequence of several moves that have already appeared in the form before. Thus I progressed from move no. 43 to 62. And there I was worried my group will progress ahead of me by starting on the 44th one... Anyway I will have plenty to practice. The teacher only showed us the movee briefly before moving on to the next group and didn't practice with us. Therefore I went for the old method, found myself a spot just behind one of the two senior instructors with the intention of becoming his shadow. We practiced the whole new sequence over and over. What he did, I did too. It worked well for getting the feel for the new moves. Towards the end of the training, the group was going to practice the end of the form and the two of us who just learned this part went to practice by ourselves, later joined by another friend. The guy learning with me didn't remember the mores perfectly, nor the order, so I was in the front. Later the other two started asking questions about this new part. Ugh. I only answered with what I remembered the teacher said or what I copied from the instructor I shadowed. We had the dinner earlier today in order to be ready for a meditation session the teacher was streaming online at 19:00. My back muscles hurt, somewhere between my shoulder blades and sitting on the ground with straight back was a bit of an ordeal. After meditation we played with the chinese shuttlecock, later joined by the teacher, who also organized a game in teams. It was a lot of fun. We finished a bit before 22:00. Went to bed around midnight, just after straining my knee again...
