Course of Study and Costs for Chen Family style Tai Chi Chuan

Courses of Study and Costs -
Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan

Single person unarmed forms: Short Form (19 Postures); Short Form 2 (38 Postures); Lao Jia (Old Frame) 1; Lao Jia 2;

Xin Jia (New Frame) 1; Xin Jia 2 (Cannon Fist); Small Frame; Fa Jin (42 Postures)

Single person weapon forms: saber; double sabers; sword, double sword, spear, staff, double sticks (jo); fan; kwan dao

Note: we teach Wind Fire Wheels (below left) as a Tai Chi Chuan form even though it is not a canonical form at this time

Two person (partner) forms: San Shou, Push Hands; Chan Si Gong (Coiling Silk; after Chen Xiao Wong)

There is considerable variety in sabers - one may choose wood or several types of metal as well as whether to get a

scabbard or not. An economical path is to start with one wooden saber and add a second wooden one if one wishes to learn

double sabers. An alternative to buying two separate metal sabers (after choosing thin or thick blade as well as scabbard or

not) is to consider the models that come with two blades in one scabbard. These range from $65 to $90. Similar choices

apply to sword - the choice ranges from single wood to double steel with scabbard. For both weapons the student may

wish to add tassles or flags. Besides photos, the Weapons page has links about transporting, bags, covers, flags and tassles.

The staff set uses a normal staff - one can choose between graphite (different colors), red or white oak, stainless steel,

rattan ... Traditionally, this staff should come to your eyebrow. They vary a great deal in price - from $20 up.

We suggest visiting a store and trying several, or trying to borrow from a classmate. A basic waxwood shafted 78" spear

with steel spearhead and red tassel is about $40. You can buy spearheads and use any number of materials (see the list

for staffs above - plus copper, brass ...) for the shaft. Fans and jo (half staffs about 26 " long) are usually very inexpensive.

Special steel fans are $40 (see below). All weapons used for Tai Chi Chuan can be used in Shaolin, Xing Yi Chuan and

other arts. If there is interest in learning either Chen style Tai Chi or Shaolin kwan dao (see below right) we will likely try

to assemble a group order. Note that one need only buy a weapon when it is to be studied. Hauling the long weapons

around is tedious, so one usually one practices at home with a personal weapon and uses a borrowed weapon at class. You

would bring your personal weapon to exhibitions.

No special clothing needed for Tai Chi classes - a t-shirt and shorts or comfortable pants will suffice. Socks with either

kung fu or normal athletic shoes will be satisfactory. For more formal events silks or satins would be preferred. There

is what may be called a semi-formal winter outfit made of cotton (below left). It is traditionally black with white trim.