Taiji Class

Shaw Huang has been practicing Traditional Yang Style Taiji since college. He always reminds members of the four elements of practicing Tiaji: relaxation, softness, roundness, and tranquility. Relaxation refers to loosening up muscles and joints, lowering shoulders, dropping jaws, and keeping eyes focused on infinite distance. Softness means that all Taiji movements should be soft, slow, and elastic, with minimal sharp, abrupt actions; and keeping control without reaching extremity for every movement.

Roundness means following circles and curves when changing movements, and keeping one's body stable and balanced like a rolling ball. Tranquility refers to keeping the mental status calm and pure without being bothered by worries and any other business in mind.

Shaw Huang has also been spending time learning other Taiji styles and sharing his acquired knowledge and views with class members. In this one-hour class, we always start with a few minutes of warm-up exercise to make sure our ankles, knees, and other joints are loosened up. Then we follow the traditional Eight-Section-Brocade Qigong to modulate our breathing and meridians, which, while still pseudoscientific, are being studied extensively using some state-of-the-art instruments such as fMRI.

We then start the 108-movement Xiong-Clan Yang-Style Taiji Fist, followed by the 58-Movement Yang-Style Taiji Sword and the 36-Movement Yang-Style Taiji Fan.

The GBCCA Taiji Class does not impose rigorous training like in many other Chinese Kung-Fu classes. Members simply try their best to follow the movements within their physical limitations. There is no pressure of passing tests for diplomas or certificates.

Nevertheless, with this once a week group exercise, members have already found significant health benefits. The class also holds other extracurricular activities such as excursions, and dinner parties. With time, members have built up a strong bond and formed friendships with one another.<

GBCCA 太極班簡介﹕

每週四晚上七點到八點﹐在GBCCA二樓大廳﹐一群對太極有興趣的會員朋友們﹐聚在一起共同練習熊養和派的楊式太極拳和太極劍以及楊式太極扇。這個太極班已經成立了十幾年﹐會員從年輕一代到80幾歲都有。GBCCA太極班原是由吳紹中博士帶領﹐兩年多前﹐她遷居加州﹐改由黃紹光博士帶領。

黃紹光從年輕時就開始打傳統楊式太極拳﹐也學過跆拳道。他在吳紹中帶領下打了幾年後﹐發現熊派的楊式太極拳､劍比其他派的柔和優美､老少咸宜﹐非常值得推廣。 他強調打太極要把握四個原則﹕
鬆､柔､圓､淨。鬆是指沉肩垂肘、含胸拔背、臉頰放鬆、膝蓋微屈、心平氣和﹐ 兩眼對焦於無限的遠方。柔是指動作和緩不急、保持彈性、不過度伸縮。圓是指姿勢變換時﹐依循太極球的圓弧﹐重心的移動﹐也保持圓球的沉穩。淨是指心無旁鶩﹐仿彿置身於無極世界裡。他也經常自修﹐涉獵各個門派的打法﹐和成員們分想他的心得。

在每週一個小時的太極課裡﹐我們先做5分鐘的熱身運動﹐舒活全身的筋骨關節﹐接著用傳統的八段錦氣功﹐調理氣息和全身脈絡。然後才開始配合柔和的音樂打全套太極拳。108式(或云111式)口訣隨著音樂播出。打完太極拳後﹐有5分鐘的交誼時間﹐ 接著再打楊式58式太極劍和36式太極扇。

參加GBCCA太極班是純粹以健身為主﹐每位成員按自己的體能演練﹐只要按照要領﹐不強迫大家一定要每個動作都到位﹐也不考慮參加表演或比賽﹐更沒有考試或取得畢業證書的壓力。大家在一起為健身而運動。另外每年還會舉辦聚餐及郊遊活動﹐久而久之﹐會員們都成為互相關切､彼此照應的好朋友。