Why Taijiquan:
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With Grandmaster Chen, Zhenglei after a private lesson in the home of Master Jesse Tsao, San Diego, California. November, 2005
Welcome to Gary McClellan's Chen Style Taijiquan page.
I began my study of Chen style taijiquan in July 2000, with Patrick Martin, a Chen Stylist who lives and teaches in Flagstaff Arizona.
In 1988, Patrick had traveled to Chenjiagou Village, China, and learned the original Chen family taijiquan from Grandmaster Chen, Zhenglei.
With Sifu
Patrick Martin, Flagstaff
Arizona, December 2005.
Having survived all the Y2K computer updates, rewrite, and replacement projects I'd been involved with, studying and practicing a martial art that results in centering, balance and internal energy seemed like a good idea. After six years, I can honestly say that of the many pursuits I've followed in my life, Taiji generates constant pay back for the energy I put into it.
I'd been interested in Taiji since 1969, when I saw Taiji being practiced in the various green spaces that exist throughout Kowloon and Hong Kong. Over the years, I'd explored a few books and video tapes but there never seemed to be an opportunity to make the necessary time to learn one of the forms..
Other interests I had that paralleled Taiji were Akido, but classes were interrupted by my work schedule and traveling throughout the U.S. installing computer systems. My interest in Akido was aimed at gaining a practical understanding of "going with the flow", rather then learning a "punch now, relax later" martial art. For mental balance, I'd read and studied the I Ching since 1970 for a philosophical understanding of "going with the flow", i.e, according with the Tao, and practiced Transcendental Meditation, off and on, since approximately 1985/86. TM was a very calm way to relax, center, focus, and release mental stress, but lacked the physical aspect.
I also enjoying doing historical fencing with rapier and dagger for exercise and simply because it was fun. Historical rapier combat, at least in my view, has a required mental component for strategy and tactics rather than just a reliance on speed and athletics. I've always enjoyed hiking, kayaking, and sailing as a method of relaxing as well, but something was still missing.
So that's why I'm very happy to be practicing Chen Taijiquan since it gives me "one-stop shopping" for all my needs/wants. For me, Taiji practice delivers meditation, exercise, martial arts skills, relaxation, balance, reduced stress, better health, and pure physical enjoyment in that doing the forms actually feel good. The increased flexibility and joint mobility is a welcome plus, as well
Depending on how much available time I have on any given day, I do several of the following routines.
Forms and Postures:
