Monday, April 15, 2013

Happy Birthday



    Happy belated birthday actually! My apologies.

     And it's for a man who's accomplished so much and is extremely experienced , yet he doesn't seek the limelight. He has also trained and helped many, myself included.



     That man is Tai Chi Chuan Shifu (master) Charlie Chen. Unless you live here on the Treasure Coast you probably haven't heard or read about him, although his skill rivals or exceed those you've heard of.



     Chen Shifu is an expert Chi Kung, Ba Ji Chuan Kung Fu, and Tai Chi Chuan, with a focus on Yang style. He also does Acupressure, Tui Na massage, as well as suggesting herbal remedies to clients. He has over 50 years experience but doesn't  look at all like his age. He also has avoided the ills of aging. He attributes his excellent health to his Tai Chi Chuan. He tries to teach his life lessons to his students.


      Some of the lessons are used in other activities, including fitness. 2 things have really helped me although I didn't realize it at the time. 1 is a movement from Chi Kung which is similar to the back swing in the kettle bell swing. The other thing , from Tai Chi Chuan,  is rooting into the ground. This means standing on 1 leg, putting all your weight on it. That concept  is used throughout Tai Chi Chuan. That concept has also helped me to accomplish the 1 leg squat aka the pistol which I detailed in my last post. In fact he routinely demonstrates his ability to stand on 1 leg for long amounts of time as well as move around on 1 leg.

        Again, all I can say is, Happy Birthday and a big thank you.