by Rick Barrett | Feb 6, 2018 | Knee, Taiji
I have long advised taijiquan practitioners to consciously “Set the Knee” before loading the substantial leg. Meaning, you make sure that your structure is in place before you put weight on it. The knee should be in the optimal load-bearing position before...
by Rick Barrett | Jan 28, 2017 | Event Recaps, Taiji
It was the trip of a lifetime for me. Last spring my friend/teacher, Master Yang Fukui, suggested we visit Wudang Mountain, the legendary birthplace of taijiquan. We would also visit his hometown of Tianjin, another place with a rich martial arts history (see Jet...
by Rick Barrett | Aug 13, 2016 | Taiji
A question I often get when showing people how to enhance energetic coherence by pointing is, “Why is it the index finger?” The short answer is, “Because it works.” I’ve tested using other fingers with hundreds of people and the index...
by Rick Barrett | Feb 28, 2016 | Taiji
Yang Chengfu’s 13 Original Postures is a short, powerful form I learned from Master Yang Fukui. He learned it from his grandfather in Hebei, China. It is a large frame form, and contrasts nicely with my go-to taijiquan, the small to medium frame, Grandmaster...
by Rick Barrett | Feb 16, 2016 | Taiji
I just posted a short video of the “Preparation” move for Grandmaster Chen’s 60 Movements. It could actually be called “Preparation to the Preparation” since it is meant to be done before you actually start the form, and the first...
