Tai Chi Productions Guide Blog

Improve your mentality and getting too nervous during the competition:

Almost everybody gets nervous during the competition with the symptoms of the shaky limbs, losing balance or making wrong movements which are mainly caused by mental factors. Some participants may have their harts beat as 180 times per minute. Why do they have such a high heart rate while performing this less strength demanded sports? According to the studies, this mainly due to the nervousness. We know that the technical requirement for Tai Chi Chuan is “to have a peaceful mind and a relaxed body” but the competitions will definitely affect the state of your mind. Therefore the important thing is to let yourself learn to control yourself. Firstly, you need to understand that it is natural to feel nervous, so there is no need to worry about it. Secondly, you can improve your mental readiness by participating in the simulation practices. Thirdly, the extreme nervousness usually happens when performing the difficult movements like “stand on one leg”. Therefore putting more effort and attention in such movements is a good way to overcome such difficulties. Lastly, it would be helpful to learn about your faults during your practice and check whether the movements are performed according to the requirements of Tai Chi Chuan. In general, you mind, your physique and your skills.

Obey the rules and regulations, and notice the important details:

Due to the fact that there are definitive standards of performance regarding the competition routines, the referees usually judge the performance according to these standard rules. Therefore it is important for the participants to perform according to what is required in the standard and avoid the situations which would constiture violations and result in unnecessary point deductions. You should be aware that it is sometimes difficult to get the right posture when learning from books alone. For example, in the earlier version of the competition routine of Chen style, it is required to display a small circular movement at the beginning while in actual practice, what we do is a slightly bigger circular movement. That’s the reason why you should refer to the video on these differences. You should also pay special attention to the notification of changes issued before every competition which usually contains the latest amendments on the rules and the movement requirements. Sometimes the chief judge and the referees might have different interpretations regarding the movement requirements and that will some times result in slight changes in the competition process and the point deductions if you are unaware of them. For example, in the 42 form of Tai Chi Sword, there are some differences in turning foot inward and landing the heel and toes. So you should try your best to get a mutual understanding with the referees about the requirements before the competition.

Yang Luchan  (or Yang Fukui)  1799-1872 - YANG STYLE
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    |-- Yang Banhou  (or Yang Panhou)  1837-1892 - Yang Small Frame
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    |-- Yang Jianhou  (or Yang Chienhou)  1839-1917 - Yang Small Frame
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             |-- Yang Shaohuo   - 1862-1930 - Yang Small Frame
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             |-- Yang Chengfu - 1883-1936 - Yang Big Frame
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                      |-- Yang Shouzhong
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                      |-- Yang Zhenji
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                      |-- Yang Zhenduo
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                               |– Yang Jun
	

Master Yang Zhenduo, born in 1926, is the great-grandson of Yang Luchan (1799-l872), the founder of the Yang school of Tai Chi Chuan, and the third son of Yang Chengfu, the finalizer of that school. He is now a member of the Coaches Committee of the Chinese Wushu Association and a member of the Wushu Association of Shanxi Province and vice-president of the provincial capital’s Wushu association. Starting to learn Chinese boxing from his father at six, he now has a history of over 70 years in exercising with Tai Chi Chuan.

It is said that when Yang Zhenduo’s great grandfather was young, he had the luck to learn Tai Chi Chuan from Chen Changxing, a well-known master of the Chen School of Tai Chi Chuan in Henan Province. Having mastered this art, he was recommended to be a teacher of Chinese boxing to an aristocratic family in Beijing and later an instructor in an army unit. When it was passed down to Yang Chengfu, grandson of Yang Luchan and Yang Zhenduo’s father, its movements had undergone great changes.

Characterized by its easy, nimble and leisurely style, combining vigor with grace, this newborn school of Tai chi Chuan has since been very popular among the Chinese people.

Yang Zhenduo once said, “Originally, Tai Chi Chuan was created primarily for combat purposes. But with the development of weapons, this function slowly diminished and the stress was laid mainly on health promotion. However, it could still be used in combat fighting. But nowadays, people are apt to do the Tai Chi Chuan exercises with too much ease because of lack of real under-standing of the demand for relaxation of the joints. After all, Tai chi Chuan is a kind of martial art, and its function of attack and defense must not be forgotten. So in practice, the movements are outwardly ’soft’ but inwardly vigorous. Otherwise, it is not Tai Chi Chuan but calisthenics.

As Yang Zhenduo’s movements and posture bear a close resemblance to his father’s boxing style, he is regarded as heir to the orthodox Yang School of Tai Chi Chuan. In 1961, when he gave a performance at the Shanghai Palace of Physical Culture, Wushu experts from Hangzhou, Changzhou, Suzhou and Wuxi flocked there to watch and learn from him. Some took along with them the books containing photos of his father doing the Tai Chi Chuan exercises so as to make comparisons. They all came to the conclusion that his movements were almost exactly the same as his father’s. On the two occasions of the national boxing exhibition competitions he took part in, each time he carried off the first prize. The number of his students over the years run to many thousands (at home and abroad) some of whom suffer from chronic diseases and some are Wushu enthusiasts who wish to perfect their skills.

A gentle and amiable man, Teacher Yang devotes himself to teaching Tai Chi Chuan and he is determined to pass this valuable legacy to posterity for the benefit of everyone’s health.

* From the book “Yang Style Taijiquan“, by Master Yang Zhenduo.

Since 1990 when teaching abroad, Master Yang Zhenduo is accompanied by his grandson, Master Yang Jun. Yang Jun (born 1968) began his training with Master Yang Zhenduo at the age of 5. He is also a skilled performer and highly regarded teacher in China.

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