Additional Training
Before teaching the forms, the instructor may have the students do stance training such as zhan zhuang and various qigong routines such as silk reeling exercises. These stance training and qigong exercises are done to condition and strengthen the body to have the correct frame and alignment so as to be able to develop silk reeling energy (Chan Si Jing) before moving to the more complicated movements that are in the forms.
Other methods of training for Chen-style using training aids including pole/spear shaking exercises, which teach a practitioner how to extend their silk reeling and fa jing skill into a weapon.
In addition to the solo exercises listed above, there are partner exercises known as pushing hands, designed to help students maintain the correct body structure when faced with resistance. There are five traditional phases of push hands in Chen Village that students may learn before they can move on to a more free-style push hands structure, which begins to resemble sparring.
Read more about this topic: Chen-style T'ai Chi Ch'uan
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