Each class will begin with the Silk-Reeling Exercises (Chan Si Gong), this series of movements consist of stretches, rotations, circles, spirals, shaking and the basic 8-directional energy drills of taijiquan. Silk -Reeling Exercises will open up and exercise the 18 major joints (in sequence from the head to the ankles) of the body as well as promote muscle relaxation and flexibility by reducing physical tension and strain. Sifu Tony will lead these exercises during the first several classes. He will go over the principles of Taijiquan and the body alignments for these exercises. Sifu Tony will then have senior students lead the exercises while he goes around the class to correct students.

Wuji Qigong is the core of Taiji qigong and will be taught and practiced for several weeks in class to help students build a strong foundation in qigong theory. Students will be taught a few major accupressure points and how to align these points to improve the students' postures for the promotion of "qi" circulation. It will also assist students in enhancing their focus and improving their immune system by gathering the scattered "qi" (internal energy) back to the dantian. Finally, Wuji Qigong can help students to know themselves better by helping them find their inner center.

Once the class understands the premise and has practiced the Wuji Qigong standing meditation, instruction will begin in the Hun Yuan Qigong exercises. The Hun Yuan Qigong exercises can help students reduce mental stress and tension as well as improve concentration and health.

Tony strongly recommends students to attend Beginning Classes to learn Silk-Reeling Exercises and Wuji Qigng before moving on to other Chen Taijiquan trainings.

For Community Center, Senior Center, Community College and Stanford University Classes:
Following the Silk-Reeling and Qigong Exercises, the first section of Chen Family Taijiquan 1st Form (Lao Jia Yi Lu) will be taught to introduce students to the health benefits and martial art aspects of Chen Taijiquan.

For YMCA Classes:
Students will have the option of choosing to learn either the Hun Yuan Chen Taijiquan 48 Form or the Chen Family Taijiquan 1st Form (Lao Jia Yi Lu). Currently, the Cupertino YMCA class chose to learn the Hun Yuan Chen-Style Taijiquan 48 Form while the San Jose YMCA class chose to learn the Chen Family Taijiquan 1st Form.

*Beginning classes will be taught in a very slow pace to ensure each student has a chance to learn the basic principles of Taijiquan and Qigong as well as the beginning movements of the First Chen Taiji Form (Lao Jia Yi Lu). This is a good class for new students to learn how to slow down and appreciate the opportunity to learn/practice with different kinds of people. Sifu Tony does not allow students in any of his classes to intrude into other students' space UNLESS you are being asked to help by the individual student or instructed by Sifu Tony to help and lead the group. Please be courteous; give room and time for others to learn and grow at their own pace. Read Class Philosophy for more details.

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Beginning / Intermediate Chen Taiji Classes

Beginning/Intermediate Chen Taiji classes will introduce:

Silk-Reeling Exercises (spiral training exercises known as Chan Si Gong)

Eight essential energies (Jing) of taijiquan with basic footwork exercises: peng, lu, ji, an, cai, lie, zhou, kao

Traditional Chen Family Taijiquan First Form (Lao Jia Yi Lu) for beginning students

Continuation of Traditional Chen Family Taijiquan First Form and review of Chen Style Xinyi Hunyuan Taiji (48 Form) for intermediate students who previously studied the form

Push-hand (5 kinds of Chen Taiji push-hand)

Taijiquan principles and applications

*See the descriptions above for Silk-Reeling Exercises and how Sifu Tony conducts his classes. You are expected to practice at home for the materials that are taught in the Intermediate classes.

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Saturday Class Curriculum

The Saturday classes will include the following:

Silk-Reeling Exercises (spiral training exercises known as Chan Si Gong)
Qigong exercises
Eight essential energies (jing) of taijiquan with basic footwork exercises: peng, lu, ji, an, cai, lie, zhou, kao

Free step push-hand pattern with eight essential energies (jing)

Traditional Chen Family Taijiquan 1st Form (Lao Jia Yi Lu)

Chen Style Xinyi Hunyuan Taiji (48 Form, 24 Cannon Fist and Dao)

Chen Family Taiji (Lao Jia) Weapon sets (sword, dao, spear)

Push-hands (5 kinds of Chen Taiji push-hand: First Saturday for SF group; second Saturday for Los Altos group; and third Saturday for Cupertino Y group)

Taijiquan principles and applications

Training tools (pole shaking)

In the Saturday class, students will learn at their own pace and at the discretion of the instructor.

Students who wish to lead the SRE must have been with the group for at least two years, finish the first form, and be able to perform the SRE in the right sequence. These students will be scheduled to lead the SRE for the Saturday classes to excel their taiji level. Sifu Tony will normally put aside some time to work with these students when he is available, and has the discretion to work on what is appropriate for these students on the following Saturday. Sifu Tony will teach most of the Saturday classes and might occasionally miss no more than one Saturday class a month. Sifu Tony's senior students will run the Saturday classes when Tony is not available.

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Sunday Advance Class Curriculum

Sunday classes are offered to students who have demonstrated that they are diligently practicing and participating in regular class/group routines and trainings. Generally, this happens after a student has been appointed and scheduled to lead the Saturday SRE and his/her Yi Lu form has been corrected by Sifu Tony. Sunday classes will include the following:

Traditional Chen Family Taijiquan 2nd Form (Lao Jia Er Lu "Paochui")
Corrections on Silk-Reeling Exercises, Qigong exercises, Eight essential energies and Lao Jia Yi Lu.

Chen Family Taiji (Lao Jia) Weapon sets (Double dao, short staff, guan dao)

Push-hands (5 kinds of Chen Taiji push-hand and competition push-hand)

Taijiquan principles and applications

Dong Jin (Comprehending Energy) - Pei Gen (nurture and develop root) and Run Yao (lubricate and nourish waist)

Training tools (taiji ruler, taiji sphere, pole shaking)

Chen Style Taijiquan Xin Jia System

Xingyiquan (Fundamental 5 Element Strikes "Wuxing Quan" and Linking 5 Elements Routine)

Yiquan Zhan Zhuang (stand post), Shi Li (test strength) and Fa Li (issue strength)

In the Sunday class, students will learn at a faster pace with an aggressive program, and at the discretion of Sifu Tony. Advance students who are certified and currently teaching the approved Chen Taijiquan system will be offered to attend these Sunday classes at no charge for their dedication in spreading the art. (Xin Jia review sessions are not included in this offer).

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Virtual (Zoom) Classes

Virtual (Zoom) classes will include:

Silk-Reeling Exercises* (spiral training exercises known as Chan Si Gong)

Qigong exercises (Wuji Qigong and Hunyuan Qigong)

Eight Essential Energies (Jing) of Taijiquan with basic footwork exercies: peng, lu, ji, an, cai, lie, zhou, kao

Traditional Chen Family Taijiquan First Form (Lao Jia Yi Lu) for beginning students

Chen Style Xinji Form and Hunyuan Taiji (48 Form) review for intermediate students at the end of the class

Taijiquan principles and applications

*See the description above for Silk-Reeling Exercises and how Sifu Tony conducts his classes. You are expected to practice at home the materials that are taught in the previous sessions.

Each Zoom class will be conducted with Wait Room feature for security reasons. Please logon with your real name as registered for the class to avoid dismissal from the class.

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Private Lesson

Private lessons (minimum one hour per lesson) available with arrangement:

General Public: $90 per hour in-person ($70 for Zoom) for each person; $20 per hour for each additional person taking the lesson at the same time.

Alumni and currently-enrolled students: $90 per hour for each person for the first lesson. Those who attend weekly group classes regularly and continuously for at least 6 months might receive a discount rate at $70 per hour, at Tony's discretion.

*** Although private lessons with Sifu Tony are available, this is not an efficient method of spreading the art of Chen Taijiquan. If you are currently enrolled in weekly classes of Tony, it is not recommended that you take more than a one-hour private lesson each week with Sifu Tony. The material covered in the private lesson is generally determined based on the request of the student(s), and at the discretion of Sifu Tony. Tony will determine the level of teaching that best fits the student(s).***

Private Group Presentation / Lecture

One-time presentation / lecture in private setting: $160/hour for a group of up to 5 people; $220/hour for a group of 6-15 people; $300/hour for a group of more than 15 people.

One-time presentation / lecture fee may be waived for non-profit organizations and some community functions.

On-going lectures can be arranged: $160/hour for a group of up to 15 people.

Fee is subjected to change if the engagement location is out of normal driving range and/or requires special parking accommodations.

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Intensive Training

Training diligently is great. The first rule is not to push oneself over the limits physically and mentally. Know what you are training for � health and/or the martial art?!

In college years, my Yang Style Taijiquan practice was relaxing as I was doing it for fun, for health and for my emerging curiosity in this mystical Chinese �exercise.� It continued to remain relaxing during the early years of my Chen Style Taijiquan practice because I was young and crazy about the art. In addition, I had plenty of time to enjoy the training. I practiced 2.5 hrs, 5 to 6 days a week with my teacher on top of other martial arts training such as Wuji qigong, push-hand, etc. Later when I started my Taijiquan training with Sifu Qingzhou, I practiced, on an average, about 25 hours a week. I would practice 15 repetitions of Lao Jia Yilu each day plus weapon sets and push-hand trainings when Sifu Qingzhou was in town (3 months out of a year). Is that considered �intensive training�? It was then that I started to feel the intense physical demand and needed to take a nap as I trained with Sifu Qingzhou. Yet, I was very happy in spite of the intensive physical workout. Yes, I was happily �eating the bitter�! I did that for the first 10 years of my Chen Taijiquan journey until my life outside of my Taijiquan circle became �busy.� Then, I started to feel the mental pressure and physical constraint as I got older...

In my Taiji Class Philosophy section I stated the three conditions that MUST exist in order for a student to have �successful� Taijiquan training and to master the art. Those three conditions were laid down by Sifu Qingzhou. There is no easy way out except to practice the forms and Zhan Zhuang (Standing Post) diligently. I advise you to focus on and commit yourself to the training instead of spending time trying to figure out how to speed up the �mandatory� journey with more intense and so-called �effective� shortcuts!

Again, it�s very crucial to know your own limits. Do not get burned out. It's practicing consistently that makes the difference. I will show you the way to quality practice, but the craving for more trainings and self discipline should come from within. Your love and goal for the art shall drive you whether you practice your form 5 times or 15 times a day. You set your own priority whether to spend the extra time practicing Taijiquan or do something you enjoy more. Find the balance and enjoy the art for YOUR �successful� training�

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Class Schedule and Locations

ACTS Certification

ACTS Certification Application Form