Wisdom Seeker

I agree with I AM. His results are similar to mine.

Hello. I am so glad to hear you are beginning this study. Ideally, you want to practice this outside. Let nature be your music. As far a TV goes, DON'T. It may provide noise, but also offers the temptation of 'looking' when an interesting story or scene appears. Even if you don't look, the desire to look will take away from your standing results. To get the most benefits, remaining stationary is important. Even just turning your head or your eyes will change the feelings. If you must do these indoors, I prefer a soft music without words. Lyrics only translate to images in your head. There is actually music for tai chi and zhan zhuang. Just go to Google and search for MP3's of tai chi music or something similar. You will find what you need. Your focus should be on 'Nothing' for the simplest method. Just feel. This method builds energy on its own. While 1 minute may produce energy, 5 minutes will produce a different feeling. Everyone experiences different things at different times. For me, 5 minutes per posture was the game changer. 10 minutes was better yet. 20 even better. At first, these may be painful and annoying, but as you relax more and align better, standing will become effortless. There are so many subtle things to simultaneously incorporate during practice, that it may take you several minutes to incorporate them all. DO NOT RUSH to get to higher times. Add time to your standing gradually. Keep reinforcing the principals. Say them over and over during practice. It doesn't matter how long you stand if you are not standing the right way. Play games to occupy the mind (email me for specific examples), focus on an object in the far distance, feel the pressure on the foot at all times to determine where the weight has shifted, etc, etc. There are many ways/things you can do to pass the time while standing still. You will discover more as you practice more. Stick with it! This is an amazing practice.

Hello. I am new to learning tai chi myself (2 years), but in my own experience, it has proven effective to hold the postures for a length of time. Instead of flowing from one posture in to the next, hold each posture for several minutes. Not just the postures, but you can stop at any point along the path of the transition. Learn to explore every piece of the movement by not moving. It will help to advance your practice quickly. You may hear some disagree in this group, but this advice I am giving is only based off of my own personal experiences. If you are still set on learning Zhan Zhuang, http://www.Powerstanding.com has a great course on it. I have searched the internet and have not found too many video courses besides this one. It cover and repeats many basic principals (20+) and teaches a 7 posture form. (Of course, you can use the principals with your tai chi and other postures as well...it is what I do) It develops a terrific foundation. Many of the principals are used in other internal arts as well. Learning this method, you'll arm yourself with tools that you will be able to apply to almost any arts you choose. If you just want to focus on tai chi, use the holding posture methods I described earlier. Either option should do you some justice. I hope this helps!

If you wish to study the style of Bagua that doesn't mention standing, do it. If you wish to study the method of Bagua that includes standing, do it. Each system should include the individual into the equation. It is not cookie-cutter style. Individual flavor will be displayed in any art you choose. You are only adding additional dimensions to your training by including ZZ. ZZ can be trained alone but compliments other styles as well. I believe it lays some important ground work for beginning internal studies and should not be ignored.. I hope this opinion helps.

Hello. I am fairly new to this forum and after reading this post, I was hesitant to offer my experiences with zhan zhuang. It seems like one member wants to discredit the other and so on. I think we all would fare better to nurture and learn from our brother rather than try and out do him...just my two cents. I began studying Zhan ZHuang nearly a decade ago. It started as supplemental training along with 6 other forms of moving qigong. On my first attempt at it, I held a posture for 10 minutes using some of the advanced principals, but with a beginners understanding of the process(es) involved in the postures. It was quite strenuous and my calves were solid and sore for two days. I quickly learned how much power could be generated in only a handful of minutes using this amazing method. Fast forward 9 years. For me, the 'POWER' is not a physical thing. It is not tense muscles, or flexed anything. I discovered that the essence of true zhan zhuang (my conclusion so far) was stillness, softness, and no-thing ness. I realize that I just overlapped some with a basic WUJI concept, but it is during this 'SOFTNESS' when I experience the greatest movement within. The energy is a grand 'GYROSCOPE' that I am now able to turn on and off by thinking about it and follows my mind and intent. This was not a result I trained for, nor asked for. The Qi I experience was developed naturally while standing in these static postures...almost effortlessly. The only requirement was doing the work. As far as a martial aspect goes, this energy can be guided and allows for spontaneous dynamic movement in any direction. I have never trained this for fighting...it has just been another wonderful side effect of doing the postures. For the fighting, I believe one should focus on Yichuan. I have not studies it at all so I cannot offer any input on it. I had read early on in some studies about "movement without movement". Although I tried to wrap my mind around it, I never really understood it until I stood still for long durations doing zhan zhuang. I soon felt energy growing inside and it quickly began to flow. It felt as though there was a tide or body of water internally that moved about and filled me as I stood there. I would like to touch base on the angle of the legs, what is right or wrong, etc. In my own experience, the energy flowed and developed more as I RELAXED more. Some days I practice high, some low. I am at a point where I can relax at either. If you train low to build leg muscles, please realize you are probably just doing a static squat and missing the point of the Zhan Zhuang. You should strive to lower at a comfortable level and stay relaxed in order to build the most energy. Each practitioner should know his/her own limits and progress accordingly. The most important thing I can offer is to let go of Western thinking...push,pull,lift,resist, etc. This is NOT that kind of exercise. Instead, focus on soft, hollow, sung, sinking, light, relax... If anyone would like to know more about my experiences, please email me. I am happy to share. I sincerely hope that I have not offended any member in my post. Take care!

I am brand new to the group and just wanted to say hello to everyone. I began studying Qigong about 10 years ago. I am always looking for great people to learn from. I also am passionate about sharing what I have already learned. I know this forum will be beneficial in my studies. Thanks in advance for all of your input.