Chen Taiji Academy: Senior students of Grandmaster Wang Hai Jun (Wang Haijun) teach individuals and classes in the fundamentals, principles and forms of the original Taiji from Chen Village, Chen Jiagou, China. These students teach and train in the eastern part of the United States.
Peng energy or power is in the palm of the hands, in any direction. Lu focus is on the arms. With lu the arms work together, the strength and power come from the arms. With ji, a press, the focus is on the shoulders whether backward, forward or to the side. And finally, an power comes from the back whether the an is downward, forward, or upward.
Peng is to throw out. One develops Peng with extending the joints so that the joints open. From the outside the appearance is of being round. When Peng is correct the feeling is that of a balloon with the inside and the outside being extended. Stretch every part to build elastic power of the bones and the tendons. When you stretch the joints then the chi can flow. At the same time, you build the bone and tendon connection together. Peng development builds power so that the power can be released. When Peng is expanded out quickly, with speed, you can “throw people out”.
Peng is connection.
Peng is the open, rounded, arched structure throuhgout the body that results in an equalized pressure to all sides of each part of the body. When peng is attained the feeling in the body is as if the whole body were a very large ball. Think of the body as an inflated ball with equal pressure going out from all sides and coming in from all sides. Peng gives great strength to the body, making it, in a way, invincible. It is difficult to push in on a basketball, or on a person whose body is peng. Roundness deflects incoming forces. When a force hits an inflated ball the force bounces away. The force spins the ball, and the ball remains stable. This roundness, or openness is held, not with force, power or strength. Peng is held with looseness and with softness from which comes agility, flexibility, and strength.
When peng one can easily change direction. Peng in one direction leads to peng in the next direction. With peng one feels connection to all parts of the body and within all parts of the body. Peng does not reach too far, nor does it collapse.
Peng is achieved with the loosening of all of the joints. The feeling of looseness is found with the proper peng. Proper posture with peng results in the development of chi.
February 8, 2015