Chen Taijiquan's Pear Blossom Spear & White Ape Staff

Chen-Style Taijiquan Spear – Basics Course

Long Weapon Basics at a Slower Pace

In this basics course, we will practice fundamental spear and (long) pole techniques of Chen-Style Taijiquan over three training sessions. The focus will be on clear, methodical teaching of the basics: foundational stances, footwork, thrusts, circling, spiraling techniques, and maybe talk about simple partner drills. We will take plenty of time for each technique to develop movement principles, body mechanics, and internal connection. This course is not about learning the form movements. Rather we will spend considerable time training the techniques. (Maybe we will transition into the beginning of the form, but always with a focus on the techniques and movement principles.) 

Spear & Staff – Two Worlds in One Form

Chen-Style Taijiquan spear methods (枪法 qiangfa) combine 扎法 (zhafa, thrusting methods) with the coiling and adhering principles of Taijiquan, while staff methods (棍法 gunfa) emphasize 打法 (dafa, striking methods). In the Lihua Qiang, Baiyuan Gun 梨花枪·白猿棍 form, these approaches merge into one system—uniting the spear’s direct, piercing qualities with the staff’s swinging, striking movements.

Core Technical Actions

Training focuses on three primary actions: 拦 (lan, blocking/deflecting), 拿 (na, neutralizing or controlling), and 扎 (zha, thrusting), supported by movements such as 舞花 (wuhua, spinning flower patterns), 点 (dian, dotting/tapping), 崩 (beng, springing strike), 劈 (pi, chopping), and 缠 (chan, spiraling/coiling).

Full Body Training 

These techniques not only improve striking and neutralizing skills but also, through waist-driven movement and full-body coordination, develop explosive power, suppleness, agile 步法 (bufa, footwork), and refined 身法 (shenfa, body method). They strengthen body connections and offer an excellent full-body workout—making them indispensable fundamentals in Taiji spear training.

🗓 Schedule:
3 training sessions – about 45 minutes each

🧭 Instructor: Nabil Ranné

This course is ideal for those new to long weapon training or anyone wishing to strengthen their foundation. No prior experience with the full form is required. We will see if want to continue with the whole form. It has many turns and rotations and might be difficult to teach only. We can discuss in the final session. The basic techniques should all be good to learn online, however, and will build a solid basis.