Chen 36 DVD

The greatest Tai Chi master next to a live teacher. Wonderful front- and back-on views, compact but yet comprehensive explanation and close-up views. Basic Chen techniques are explained in the beginning. I learnt Chen as a child in Chenjiagou but abandoned it for a long time. This video relived my knowledge

Melanie,

I might have interest in learning a Chen form, since it appears to be more "martial art" oriented. Would you recommend this to someone who is a senior citizen? Your comment would be appreciated. Thanks.

Bob

Bobo

You have been teaching Tai Chi for sometime and i truly think you can do it. Being senior doesn't mean disabled although even this group can do it compromised. Start in upright stance first, this is the way our school teaches it. Many students are over 70, even over 80. Chen 36 however doesn't belong to Grandmaster Chen's program. Prof. Kan, the creator of the set is over 65.

Start slowly, don't stamp too hard in the beginning, take care that your hip is open. Paul gives safety directions on the tape too

Melanie,

Thank you for your reply--I really appreciate it! Your recommendations are excellent. That's one of the neat things about this forum. The information one gets here is invaluable and I've found a friendly and very informed group. Keep up the good posts and best wishes to you and all of our forum members.

Bob

I participated in the Connecticut workshop last year learning the Chen Style 36 form. The instruction was very good. There are limits to how much one can learn and absorb in a week so I bought the video at the workshop. While I could remember the sequence of the move there are some many subtleties to learn and remember. What I found most beneficial is to watch only one new move at a time and try to pick up new subtly or some little nuance. I would not move to the next move for several days some times until I was satisfied that I had made progress. Then I would move forward to the next move, but would frequently review the last move until I felt I had absorbed what I had picked up. At the end of the tape where the whole form is repeated I would watch the whole form starting with front view. Next session I would watch the rear view. I would repeat this until I felt I could not absorb anything new.

Next I would start all over from the beginning of the tape and again and try to pick up new subtly or some little nuance and so on. I have probably been thru the tape four or five times from start to finish. I am amazed how much that can be learned each time.
Elan

[Dr. Paul Lam]

Great to know it is useful to you Elan.

The 36 Chen style forms are challenging and fun. The book compliments the video. This tape lasts 100 minutes, took many months of preparation, weeks of fun to produce it.

Keep up with your reviews.

[soraya]

This was my first go with Paul's tapes after TCA. At that time I hadn't practiced for a few years and I forgot most of what I learnt. Before I spent time studying and teaching(studying is a lifetime endeavour in the Chen village school) for about 13 years. The encounter with Paul was the inspiration of my life.

This was my first attempt to restart my Chen forms because it was clear, methodologically sound and technically superb. As I showed the tape to the Grandmaster, he smiled and nodded warmly and said"hao, hao", a man of few words. Another teacher of mine old me that he never thougt PauL Lam was so good, now he has seen the tape and the result.

After this it was a lot easier to grow back into the classical Chen forms. It's also easier for students to learn instead of the classical forms or beforehand

[jkury]

I recently purchased the Sun Style 73 on DVD and enjoy using it very much. I would also like to learn Chen Style but would prefer a DVD instead of a VHS tape. Are there any plans to put the Chen Style video's onto DVD?

[soraya]

Paul just announced that the next batch will be the 42 forms and will be in about 12 months estimated. LOnt time ago i asked him about Chen and he said it would be one of the last. Obviously the market for the advanced esp Chen style is a lot smaller and dvd copies are expensive. I hope the material cost will diminish in due time. Let Paul give a comment himself

[Dr. Paul Lam]

Thanks for that, yes I love Chen style. Will have to try to speed the conversion up, might be 12 or more months. keep reading the newsletter, we will do our best and announce it as soon as it is ready.

[tthomer]

Yes,

The Chen form is one of my favorites too. Please do try and speed up the conversion, with lots of chapters to go right to where you want to go!

Thanks Paul,

troyce