More Tai Chi in Chicago — Congratulations on First Time through the Wu Style Long Form

A quick report on a big moment from the end of our Fall Session.

In our last week of December classes, three Chicago Tai Chi students completed their first time through the full Wu Style Long Form.

They are:

Julianna has taken classes at Tai Chi for 4+ years, often joining classes with her Mom, Andrea Bacon. Julianna works as Manager of Community Engagement for the Joffrey Ballet.

She says Tai Chi challenges her mind and body, helps her de-stress, and quiets her mind. "And it's really fun."

She says her Chicago Tai Chi Gold Member access to recorded classes has really helped her learn the Long Form.

For a short video of Julianna describing What She Loves about Tai Chi, click here.

Sam, National Marketing Manager at Guaranteed Rate Mortgage, joined the Chicago Tai Chi community in the Fall of 2019.

Sam's progress reflects his love of Tai Chi and dedicated practice. He says for him, Tai Chi is "a meditation. It's exercise. It's constant learning. And it's just fun and entertaining."

Our online classes and Gold Member access to recorded classes helped Sam increase his learning and practice during the pandemic and learn the Long Form.

For a short video of Sam describing What He Loves about Tai Chi, click here.

Adam joined the Chicago Tai Chi community 3 years ago.

As a musician and a teacher, his Tai Chi practice helps Adam release tension, get exercise, and improve pain and tightness.

As a Tai Chi 1 student, Adam surprised me with a request to try a more advanced class. He said he had taught himself most of the Short Form from our Practice Video Library.

I said, "Let me take a look at your Form." Sure enough, Adam was ready to advance.

Adam has continued that dedication to learning outside of class, using Gold Member recorded classes to accelerate his progress through the Long Form.

To Julianna, Sam, and Adam, well-deserved and hard-earned congratulations on your first time through the Long Form.

Well done!

A sophisticated sequence of authentic Tai Chi

The Wu Style Long Form is a sophisticated sequence of Tai Chi movements, taking 20 - 25 minutes to complete at a medium pace.

The version we practice comes through my main teacher, Master Bruce Frantzis, who learned it from his teacher, the late Master Liu Hung Chieh. Liu Hung Chieh learned the Long Form directly from the founder of Wu Style Tai Chi, Wu Chien Chuan.

Today, you can't get Tai Chi much more direct from the source than that.

Deep, whole body exercise

As exercise, the Long Form delivers a thorough workout for the entire body— muscles, bones, vital organs, the cardiovascular system, the nervous system, joints and connective tissues.

With time and practice, the movements work into the body increasingly deeply, moving, stretching, opening, toning the body in the powerful, yet low-impact way Tai Chi can.

A Martial Arts Syllabus

The Long Form also provides an extensive syllabus of martial techniques, including kicks, spins, throws, and an impressive range of striking techniques.

A container for Neigong, Qigong, and Meditation

The physical movements of the Long Form then provide a container for sophisticated internal practices (Neigong) and energy practices (Qigong).

At higher levels, the Long Form can provide a platform for powerful moving meditation.

Plenty to keep you entertained and learning

In short, the Long Form is a lot.

I teach the Long Form, and I also continue to study it, taking classes from Energy Arts Senior Instructors Bill Ryan and Craig Barnes. And when Master Bruce Frantzis offers a Long Form lesson, I'm there!

For me and other Chicago Tai Chi students practicing the Long Form, it's become a rich source of challenge, learning, and fun.

If you're looking for a long term Tai Chi project, one that delivers powerful exercise and much more, then the Wu Style Long Form could be for you.

My best recommendation is to start with the Wu Style Short Form, stabilizing the moves, associated basic elements and movement components, and at least some of the internal practices. For most of us, that takes at least a few years of consistent practice. You can watch me perform the Short Form here.

A stable Short Form then provides a solid Tai Chi foundation on which to explore the Long Form.

Questions? Email me at info@chicagotaichi.org

That's all for now!

Chris Cinnamon, JD, MS
Certified Exercise Physiologist
Head Instructor
Author, Tai Chi for Knee Health