I recall a five week training visit to Tokyo in the mid 80s and the request of my Goju Ryu teacher Tadahiko Ohtsuka, where with enormous enthusiasm he told me of a village in China that he had recently visited that appeared to be lost in a "time capsule".

He had recently learnt the "cannonfist" and spoke very highly of the Chief Instructor called Zhu Tian Cai.

He continued that original Goju Ryu has remarkably similar characteristics to Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan and it was important to study it.

I spent most of that time in Tokyo training each day the Chen cannonfist and it truly changed the way I practice Karate today.

A few years later I had the opportunity to visit Chenjiagou(Chen Village) and train personally with Grandmaster Zhu Tian Cai who made a profound impact on my Martial Arts direction.

About Zhu Tian Cai

Zhu Tian Cai was born July 25th 1944, as early as 10 years of age began to study in the family tradition of Chen Style under his uncle Chen Zhaopi.

When Chen Zhaopi passed away in 1972 he then trained with another uncle Chen Zhaoku, son of the famous Chen Village master Chen Fake.

More than 50 years have passed since Grandmaster Zhu was trained and groomed each day in Chenjiagou, the birthplace of Tai Chi Henan Province China to become not only the Chief Instructor but one of the four tigers of Chenjiagoa , the other famous cousins are Chen Xiao Wang, Chen Zheng Lei and Wang Xian were chosen to perpetuate the tradition of Chen Style Tai Ch Chuan to further generations world wide.

In a recent interview Grandmaster Zhu explains, "I had no idea of the potential world wide popularity that Chen Tai Chi would hold, I didn't even realize that other people knew who lived in the Chen Village or if it even existed, I just trained and trained as I was directed.

"Tai Chi was just something we did for ourselves, our health, and obviously martial skills, when other young boys were playing in the village or going to a nearby town to see a movie I didn't go. We were trained to follow zheng gui (the established right path) which meant training following a formula of proven success and this is what I now continue to pass on to keen, hard working Martial Artists wherever I teach.

"First stage is to learn repetitive movement designed to teach proper structural alignment, zhan zhuang (standing meditation), chan si jin (silk reeling exercises) and lao jia (basic form practice). This stage is practiced following certain body requirements and understanding of the essential Tai Chi jins (internal strength).

"Key points are :
· Relax and dispense the body of all tensions.
· Hollow the chest.
· Sink the elbows.
· Relax the shoulders.
· Relax the kua (where the thighs meet the pelvis) and tuck in the lower back.

"In following these key points your qi will freely flow down from the body to the legs and feet facilitating a strong foundation to build up qi through out your whole body, then you train partner drills to teach several indispensable attributes and then the martial applications and intuitive responses will become effortless and not reliant on muscular strength."

Grandmaster Zhu enjoys world wide respect for his no nonsense approach to the Martial Arts that cuts thru the seemingly complicated theories and mysticism that less enlightened teachers often hide behind.

He is a simple and easy going man who doesn't stand on ceremony. He is animated and enthusiastic about Tai Chi Chuan and has a clear cut and methodical teaching style that is much appreciated by beginners and advanced practitioners alike.

He prefers to walk in the countryside rather than city department stores and is most at home when given free reign of his host's kitchen to cook traditional homestyle meals.