Ongoing Practice | Taijiquan Quest

The Tai Chi Gringo

Join me as I document my ongoing journey exploring Chen Taijiquan Gong Fu. This blog examines the internal architecture of Chen Taiji: the body method, the physiology of structural change, and the cultivation of integrated whole-body power. Much of the writing focuses on how these principles express themselves in movement, internal health, refined perception, and the development of functional capability.

Alongside this, an additional focus is the pressure-testing and refinement of my Taijiquan within an MMA context. The goal is to map the full spectrum of Chen Gongfu, from deep internal development and its lifelong benefits, to practical expression and real-world combat.

The framework draws on established research across fascia science, neurophysiology, exercise physiology, and movement biomechanics. The foundational references are collected on the Science page.

A new article published every Thursday

A conceptual image of a Taijiquan practitioner in a deep blue traditional uniform, standing on a stone path within a misty Bali bamboo forest. An illuminated, golden overlay highlights the practitioner's spine, illustrating the "spinal wave" and "waist folding" (Yao Zhe Die Jin) driving the movement. Faint, ethereal energy swirls around the hands, symbolizing the propagation of force from the center to the extremities. To the right, a traditional calligraphy scroll rests against a moss-covered rock, grounding the internal mechanical study in a serene, tropical Balinese landscape.

A Practice Note on Waist Folding and the Spinal Wave: From Micro-Managed Joints to Propagating Waves

When "Dantian-led" movement becomes a mechanical demand, the spine must wake up. It’s the shift from managing joints to propagating waves.

Tai Chi Gringo

Mar 195 min read

A practitioner performs the Single Whip posture from Taijiquan’s Lao Jia Yi Lu in a sunlit training room in Bali. The figure is captured in a deep, rooted stance on a polished Balinese-style wooden floor. In the background, lush green tropical plants are visible through an open-air structure, blending the discipline of the martial form with the serene, natural environment of the island. The posture shows a clear focus on structural expansion and internal buoyancy (peng).

Current Training Focus: Maintaining Peng While Opening Structure

Maintaining Peng and elastic continuity in Chen Tai Chi while deepening interoceptive sensitivity - a snapshot of current practice.

Tai Chi Gringo

Dec 29, 20253 min read