Rotation Tan Tien - secret technique Taijiquan Chen.

Tu Kai Lam
Translation: Fattakhova Svetlana www.chentaichi.ru

Tai Chi Chen - is the original style of Tai Chi Chuan, from which evolved the
other four basic styles (Yang, Y, Sun, and Hao). With its alternating hard and
soft movements, change the slow and fast speeds, clear operational use and
explosive emission power (fa jing) - Chen Style Tai Chi is not seen as an
exercise for the elderly with the punches, and is indeed one of the areas of
Chinese martial arts.

Training Chen Tai Chi consists of two sequences of forms (Taolu) with their
combat use, push-hands, strength training, and finally, a free fight. After that,
we can study the form with a sword, a sword and other weapons. In the style of
Chen during workouts always use Dantian (lower abdomen), and breath
naturally connected with the movements. Way to use the Tan Tien has long
kept secret. Chen Fake, the famous master of 18 generations of the Chen
family, taught in Beijing from 1928 to 1957, but not many of his students knew
this breathing method. His son, Chen Zhao Kui, was also a well-known
master. Chen Zhao Kui taught a lot more students than Chen Fake, but the
rotation of the Tan Tien taught his senior students, he began only in the
1970s. Since this breathing method began to spread.

Tan Tien rotation

The rotation of the Tan Tien is actually counterproductive breathing belly, plus
rotation Tan Tien, which is the lower part of our stomach. Taoist monks believe
that Dantian - is the most important part of the human body, so work on it can
provide good health and slow the aging process. A martial artists believed that
the Tan Tien is a source of inner strength, and his training allows explosive
force. Both are right.

In our normal breathing uses only light, especially the upper part of the
lungs. When we inhale, the air enters the lungs, and the chest expands. When
abdominal breathing to breathe deeper. When we breathe, air enters the lungs,
but we imagine that the air also passes on to the stomach. (This happens only in
our imagination.) As a result of the stomach, as well as the chest
expands. When we exhale, carbon dioxide goes, and we imagine that the air is
also coming out of the stomach. Therefore, chest and abdomen are
compressed. This is a natural abdominal breathing.

In the reverse abdominal breathing, we share the stomach into two parts, using
the navel as a dividing line. Our stomach above the navel - this is the upper part
of the abdomen, below the navel - the lower part of the abdomen or
Dantian. When we inhale, we imagine that the air goes into the lungs and upper
abdomen, and at the same time, Chi (or air) is moving up from the lower
abdomen to the stomach. Therefore, when we breathe in, the chest and upper
abdomen expanding and Dantian compressed. When we exhale, the air leaves
the lungs, so the chest is compressed. We imagine that the Qi, which climbed to
the top of the stomach, now falls back to the Tan Tien. Consequently, the upper
part of the stomach is compressed and expanded the Tan Tien. Reverse
abdominal breathing is used by many practitioners of Tai Chi to achieve a good
result. It is this abdominal breathing I taught and practiced 15 years ago. This
gave me so much energy that I felt ten years younger.

Tan Tien rotation a bit more complicated than the reverse abdominal
breathing. Practitioners Chen Dantian compared with the ball (which contains
the muscles and internal organs of the lower abdomen). When they breathe, the
ball is compressed. When exhaled, the ball expands. They also believe that the
source of Dantian inner strength, which can control all the movements of their
hands and even legs. Every time they move the hands (or feet), their dantian
moves first. Always followed the rule: "If the internal (Dantian) is not moving,
and outside also should not move." Since all the movements in Tai Chen
always spiral and circular, the Dantian should move as well as the hands (and
sometimes the legs) to better control them.

For example, in the first movement of forms of "mortar", in the style of Chen
hands move upward in an arc curving to the left (in an arc to the left and up),
and then down in an arc curving to the right, thus drawing a vertical circle (left
to right) before thorax. Tan Tien also rotates on a vertical circle. In the form of
a "move and stop the elbow," dantian moves on the horizontal circle to the left,
then to the right, in accordance with the hands. In the form of "White Stork
opens wings" dantian moves diagonally upward with the right hand. In the form
of a "left to comb the wild horse's mane" dantian moves diagonally upward to
the left. In short, dantian moves on horizontal, vertical and diagonal circles in
accordance with the movements.

While dantian moves along these circles, it contracts and expands on inhalation
to exhalation. When you exhale Dantian expands in all directions: forward
(lower abdomen pushed forward) and back ("min-men" - a point on the back
opposite the navel - extends back), and the left and right. It is worth noting that
the rotation of the Tan Tien should be done very relaxed, without using force,
keep everything intact. It's easier if you start from the reverse abdominal
breathing, and then, a little later, go to the rotation of the Tan Tien.

The benefits of rotation Tan Tien

In terms of combat, Dantian - a source of inner strength. If we want to bang,

and this just bend your arm and then straighten - the force of impact will only
force arm. It is much weaker than in making a stroke from the Tan Tien with
turning the waist and chest (feet also need to turn), plus bending and turning his
hands. Chen family knew it, and they used Dantian with great success, creating
a rotation Tan Tien. The result was the explosive force fa jing (ejection force).

Tan Tien rotation also helps to more effectively neutralize the incoming
force. Play an important role in this spiral movement, created the Tan Tien, and
breathing. That is why the Taiji classics say, "When you breathe in, you should
be able to root out the opponent (neutralizing its effect), and when you breathe
out, you should be able to throw it away from you."

From the point of view of health, Tan Tien rotation - the best of the three
different types of abdominal breathing, mentioned above, as it exercises the
internal organs are better than the other two. He is very good, not only of the
abdominal cavity, but also to those who are above them - heart, lungs, spleen,
liver, stomach, kidney, and small and large intestines. The result is a huge
benefit to the circulatory, respiratory and nervous systems even. (From my
personal experience, it is a good remedy for chronic fatigue, because of which
you are constantly feeling tired.) For this reason, the practice of Tai Chi Chuan
can restore our energy and stop the process of aging.

In the lower part of the abdomen are glands that produce hormones. Tan Tien
rotation can stimulate these sex glands and make them work at full capacity,
will improve sex life. In China, there are at least two doctors, who with great
success using this breathing method for treating impotence.

Coordination of breathing with movements

Coordination of breathing with movements as a challenge that many
practitioners avoid discussing it. Most instructors tell their students just to
breathe while practicing Tai Chi. Some say that the Master Gu Lucy from
Shanghai (China), who pointed out in his book, where you have to inhale and
exhale with, this was wrong. They say that this can not be, because the
movements in Tai Chi Chuan is very complex.

I always taught his disciples abdominal breathing and how to coordinate breath
with movement. My argument is that if I do not teach them, then they will not
learn it.

Coordinate breathing with movements difficult, but not unattainable. Masters

of the past have left us a few pointers. We breathe, when we raise the hands up,
and exhale when we omit them down. We exhale when the arms are moving
away from the body (opening movement), and inhale when they move to the
body. We exhale when we attack, and inhale when we neutralize the attack.

These instructions are supplemented by several rules. For example, when there

are two or three or attacking opening movement, then we can breathe at the
beginning of each movement in and out before the end. When there are two or
more denying or neutralizing the movement, we can breathe in one and out the
other (this rule may also be used for two or three attacking moves).

Also, between our breaths, should be a little normal breathing to maintain our
breathing even and natural.

Conclusion

When Tai Chi Chuan was developed about 350 years ago, Tan Tien breathing
and rotation were introduced in the form of Tai Chi to create a unique form of
martial art, which is both practical (useful for self-defense and health benefits),
and artistic (looks graceful and beautiful) . Therefore, we can say that they are
inseparable components of Tai Chi Chuan.

My experience tells me that the practice of Tai Chi Chuan Tan Tien to the
rotation can more than double the benefits of Tai Chi Chuan classes with
normal breathing, regardless of whether they are healthy or for military use.