Internet-based Lessons
Chen Family style Tai Chi Chuan - beginners
Tools - Tai Chi bang - 
In our classes the tai chi tools have three purposes: (1) they act as a transition from externally static
practices such as standing or sitting to more dynamic practices such as actually doing a set
(2) they re-prime the body and brain after a break for a snack or water without going back through
all the warmups (3) for students with stiffness or other mobility challenges in their fingers, hands,
wrists or forearms (all too common in many types of cerebral palsy, alas) the tools provide extra 
stretching. I, sadly, do NOT have much information about the history of the tai chi bang.
One legend is the great Chen Fake was inspired by his wife's rolling pin. I have tried to confirm this.
There are three key concepts to start with: (1) contact is with a circle of points in the palm 
(2) focus on the center of the bang itself (3) be mindful of level with respect to the floor
and your centerline. Start in wuji standing. Turn the right foot on the heel (tai chi chuan
always turns on the heel) out 45 degrees. Step the left foot straight forward so the left heel 
is in line with the tip of the big toe of the right foot. Level the bang parallel to the floor. Center 
the bang on your centerline (in this case the frogs on my top). Note that the hands are cupping
NOT clenching NOT gripping NOT grasping the bang. Soft contact but firm intention. We
now want to rotate the bang 135 degrees (one and a half right angles) by simultaneously    
moving the left hand in an arc up and across the centerline while the left hand moves down  
and across the center line. As in many movements of tai chi try not to move the center. In this case
the center of the bang. Inhale as the bang rotates. Any discomfort in your wrists or forearm STOP. 
Pause two seconds. Then reverse the rotation while exhaling. Repeat three times. Then switch feet  
and do it 4 times on the other side. The bang shown is made of bird's eye maple by Charles Tauber
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