Thursday, November 3, 2011



I am hard at work on my third book on the Hao style Taiji Quan. The book explains and demonstrates all of the movements in the 96 Long Form. Each four-movement sequence, called "Units" or "Forms", will have a short instructional video and audio to go along with the text. 

Here is a sample of how I envision the video and audio working together in tandem with the text (not shown here):

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Hao style Taiji Quan: Dynamic Hand Fighting (Push Hands)

Why do we only practice dynamic Hand Fighting and not stationary Hand Fighting? Because dynamic Hand Fighting is very agile and avoids the defects of stationary Hand Fighting which is lifeless and dull. When you practice dynamic Hand Fighting, keep your upper body completely stable so that you cannot only control your opponent with your touch posture, step up posture, sticking posture, and following posture, but you can also issue your power properly.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Hao Taiji Quan: The basic methods of practicing Hand Fighting (Push Hands)

There are two basic ways of practicing Hand Fighting in Wu style Taiji Quan: one is stationary and the other includes movements. Wu Yu Xiang and Li Yi Yu taught us the dynamic Hand Fighting with steps. You and your partner move in a straight line - each partner alternates between moving forward and backward. Your arms apply ward-off, roll back, press, and push; these four movements are practiced repeatedly back and forth.
[Note: These Hao Taiji Quan blogs are greatly simplified explanations of my eBook: Hao Taiji Quan Primer. If you would like to order a complete copy of Hao Taiji Quan Primer (over 100 pages), follow this link:  http://sites.google.com/site/haotaijiquanprimer/]

Friday, January 22, 2010

Hao style Taiji Quan: Theories of Hand-Fighting


Practitioners should acquire a complete understanding of the theories of Taiji Quan. You appear very collected and comfortable, but inside you are filled with ‘Qi’, which is ready to be transferred and circulated throughout your entire body. Your entire body is like a balloon filled with ‘Qi’ and it does not matter if you attack, defend, turn, or change movements, there are no hollows and projections, no severances and protuberances, and your ‘Qi’ will never be dispersed. From the beginning to the end of a fight, you neutralize one attack after another. You become one with the universe; this is why Taiji is refined and ingenious.

[Note: These Hao Taiji Quan blogs are greatly simplified explanations of my eBook: Hao Taiji Quan Primer. If you would like to order a complete copy of Hao Taiji Quan Primer (over 100 pages), follow this link:  http://sites.google.com/site/haotaijiquanprimer/]

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Hao Taiji Quan: Hao Yue Ru's third rule regarding Hand-Fighting

Transfer means three things: first, ‘Mind’; second, ‘Qi’ (concentration/mind); third, 'Spirit'. The entire body should be filled with 'mind', ‘Qi’, and ‘spirit’, and equally distributed throughout the entire body. ‘Stationary’ means emptiness. ‘Activity’ means mindfulness or mind. The mind is quicker than physical strength. “Borrow your opponent's force to attack him back and four ounces draw out a thousand pounds”. Always strive to use 'mind' to cultivate and circulate the 'Qi', never use real physical force to circulate the 'Qi', and never let go of your ‘Qi’.

[Note: These Hao Taiji Quan blogs are greatly simplified explanations of my eBook: Hao Taiji Quan Primer. If you would like to order a complete copy of Hao Taiji Quan Primer (over 100 pages), follow this link:  http://sites.google.com/site/haotaijiquanprimer/]

Hao style Taiji Quan: Hao Yue Ru's second Hand-Fighting (Push hands) rule


You should acquire a precise understanding of the concept of fullness and emptiness and how they relate to the center of gravity. Emptiness does not mean absence of strength. Fullness does not mean being heavy and stationary. You should always remember that when you bend your knees and push off on your heels not to become double-weighted. You should always know which leg is more “full” and which is “empty”. Study this diligently, especially when you are learning the Form. 

[Note: These Hao Taiji Quan blogs are greatly simplified explanations of my eBook: Hao Taiji Quan Primer. If you would like to order a complete copy of Hao Taiji Quan Primer (over 100 pages), follow this link:  http://sites.google.com/site/haotaijiquanprimer/]

Friday, January 8, 2010

Hao style Taiji Quan: Hao Yue Ru's first Hand-Fighting (Push hands) rule



Keep your body straight - from your tailbone to your face. You will become very stable once your upper body becomes straight, and you will be able to move freely at will. This means that you will be able to support the eight directions, and you will become very agile.

[Note: These Hao Taiji Quan blogs are greatly simplified explanations of my eBook: Hao Taiji Quan Primer. If you would like to order a complete copy of Hao Taiji Quan Primer (over 100 pages), follow this link:  http://sites.google.com/site/haotaijiquanprimer/]