Wang Hai Jun’s Lao Jia Yi Lu’s Summer Camp 2011
Report by Bill Webster

King’s Hospital School Dublin 27th June – 2nd July

I arrived in Dublin Airport on a sweltering Sunday evening. I was to start training on Monday in the Lao Jia Old form in Master Wang’s Summer Course.

I had met Master Wang back in 2005 at Tai Chi Caledonia and resolved to continue my studies with him.

My experience in Chen tai chi had previously been in Chen Zheng Lei’s 11 step short form in a class run in Prestwick by the excellent Dr. Peralta.

The Lao Jia Yi Lu form is a demanding traditional old form which takes approximately fifteen minutes to complete.

Around twenty five people were in attendance. They proved to be a lovely group of people. Three people had arrived from France, one from Poland, two from London and yours truly gatecrashing in from Scotland. The majority of students (many teachers in their own right) had travelled from all over Ireland judging by the rich variation of accents. Many of the students knew each other well but they easily welcomed newcomers.

Practice was to prove challenging with a lot of emphasis on building up strong legs and opening up the hips. The old form is characterised by large, circular flowing movements, with the aim of developing the correct strength based on a relaxed body.

I would describe Master Wang as cheerful and friendly. He is a teacher from the old school though. He asks the student for 100% effort, in return for that he gives the student 100%.

He is not the kind of person to “sugar coat the pill”, and spoke about the benefits of “eating bitter”. It is best to practice with commitment and benefits will come, not necessarily when you expect it, he assured us. No short cuts then.

Day two got off to an announcement that we were to practice push hands before breakfast. What followed was an incredible demonstration by Master Wang and course organiser Nick Gudge demonstrating what I would describe as “squatting push hands”. The exercise places a lot of pressure on the knees as the two practicioners move backwards and forward into a squatting posture. Easy for a man who has spent his life growing up in Henan Provence with a daily regime of practice.

It was a bit like watching somersaults before breakfast.

It made my eyes water at that time in the morning though but then I am a man whose most energetic conquest in the morning is putting his shoes on!

The morning class started with an explanation of “Buddha’s warrior attendant pounds the mortar” with Buddha representing the strong man pounding the mortar and pestle.

Master Wang explained that the stamping motion of this movement should be practiced as if I were trying to shatter the ice underfoot without committing my weight by putting my foot through the ice. This was a useful analogy and encouraged me to keep the movement crisp and not to be lazy with it.

By day three I began to feel the benefit of my new regime. Stances felt sharper and more defined. The time spent on silk reeling exercises was proving beneficial with the gentle spiralling movements.

By day four I had developed a walk like John Wayne. Senior students had encouraged me to see that “Cover hands and strike with fist” is not best practiced as a punch initially but as a release of energy, which is ideally thrown from a position of total relaxation. This put me in mind of the shukokai school of karate where the reverse punch is released in a corkscrew motion, from a relaxed state. Both techniques, if they are practiced correctly, contain spirals and can be thought of as 3-dimensional.

After six days of full board accommodation the King’s hospital School canteen had done us proud. I would like to thank Nick Gudge for all the unsung organisational work which goes into these events. Many thanks also to Damien for the lift to the airport and everyone on the course for making the whole week so enjoyable. I hope to be back as soon as possible.