Taiji only for "old folks"?

[Vbrown]

Just a thought.

http://putfile.com/media.php?n=wushu

Vince

[Scott Sonnon]

Respect. Sweet motor skill.

I'd never be able to memorize all of those techniques. Do they have an improv section? :lol:

[Coach Wilson]

That is pure poetry!

[Vbrown]

All I could think of was the sick level of leg strength and flexibility. I have no idea what his other skills are, but MAN does he have some tree-trunks.

Their improv section is usally "...after many years of research, I've distilled the essence down to X moves". ie. They can't remember either and found some other cool movement pattern they like. A new form is born.
:wink:

[Chuck Kechter]

Excellent!

Beautiful movement. . .

[Daniel M.]

My Mandarin is so-so, but I think that this is the Zhao Bao style, a sub set of the ancient Chen style of Taiji. The demonstrator appears to be doing a combination of the first slow set (yi lu) with the second faster set (er lu, or pao chui).

I did a little Chen, but nothing so challenging in terms of stance height and locomotion...

Lovely post,

Daniel

[Garth Sch]

Whoah... that's something...

The fact he looks so loose and comfortable at that height is impressive.

Garth

That is really inspiring, how long do you think you would need to train assuming average genetic motor skills before reaching that level?

I did a bit of taichi a few years ago on the recomendation of my doc but it was a really busy class and with lots of mucking about instigated by the teachers and having all the students shouting out moves individually and I wasn't in the state back then to get anything from it.

I was thinking after the oct seminar maybe finding a quiet place to learn taichi to supplement bodyflow and to meet new people.

Can anyone recomend a style that deals with the internal aspect of it a lot?

Cheers.

[Daniel M.]

Edward,

I'm no great master, but here are my ideas:

For movement study I suggest you do one of the more athletic and visibly sophisticated styles of taiji. By this I really mean the Chen style, which resembles the sequence shown in the clip, although its not so extreme.

For partner sensitivity it does not matter what style you do, but rather that your teacher and classmates are interested in pushing, locking and tossing each other about and that the teacher is pretty good at that sort of thing.

Teachers I would recommend and the reasons I recommend them (this will depend on where you are and how much you are willing to fork out):

Tim Cartmell (knows Zhao Bao, as in the clip, and is a great athlete and fighter and will not make you eat a load of Confucian sillyness for years and years.)

Peter Ralston (not actually a taiji guy anymore, but teaches a lot of great taiji inspired boxing and grappling - I have not checked personally, but seems good...)

Feng Zhiqiang (is in China, but has lots of American students - great movement skills, although they may teach too slowly and with not enough martial 'play')

Chen Xiaowang (is also in China and is the head of the Chen style. He has some students in NY, and around)

Adam Hsu (is a great repository of CMA forms, including taiji, and is apparently a very decent fellow)

Liang Shou Yu (is in Vancouver I think, teaches CMA and is a really good grappling coach - he knows many types of taiji)

Wong Sui Meing (my teacher, in Montreal, a fine fellow with a younger brother who's also a taiji pro, and if you come here, we can hang out!)

Generally, I think you should look for a western person who learned with a Chinese person or a young Chinese person who is not so Confucian. I think you should be able to get decent at taiji in 3 years, if you have a plan, a good playful instructor and practice daily on top of your regular classes. Good luck!

D.

[Scott Sonnon]

You're an amazing resource, Prof. D. http://www.circularstrengthmag.com/forum/images/smiles/smiley_161.gif

[Vbrown]

CXW is in Australia...last I heard. There are some young bucks from the 20th generation of Chen that travel around too. Chen Youze, for example. Doing searches for Chen workgroups should yeild results.

Also if Mike Sigman comes to town, he's well worth the visit.

And everything else Prof. D said too.

V

[Jrichardson]

That was an amazing clip, but I laughed out loud at the first four seconds -- that little side-step and settle-in move made him look EXACTLY like one of those Sony robots Scott posted a while back... :lol:

Daniel, thank you very much for that in depth reply!!

Unfornately i'm in England, BUT, haha, I was speaking to my acupuncture chinese doctor and he learned and taught taiji (not sure what style) at beijing university and said if I can get another three people he will teach me.

He I think knows what he is talking about, he was complaining about westerners only knowing the movement and not what to do with the internal energy currents.

I'll let you know what happens, thanks again Dan!!

Cheers.

[Daniel M.]

Edward,

I left a fellow off that list:

Allen Pittman (in Atlanta - teaches taiji, xingyi and bagua as well as weapons and grappling. Knows alot about strength training and is also an osteopath - he had has both western and Chinese massage training. And he has a mean library!)

Also, my description may have left you with the impression that I learned Chen style from my teacher. Actually we practice Wu style - we get most of our sophisticated athletics from the practice of Choy Li Fut, and the soft sensitivity partner work from the taiji.

Finally, some total heresy: that form in the clip is made of arm and leg figure 8s and locomotion - use your RMAX skills and copy it! You'll wind up with your own version, but its a fun fun puzzle!

D.

Thanks again Daniel, I think we wrote our messages at the same time, look above your last post haha

If I was in the US then i'd check em out, bagua has appealed to me for a long time as well.

I know that when I start taiji i'm gonna have a much better foundation than the other students due to rmax, should be a dam good combination.

Anyway, gotta go do some vibration drills and bodyflow :)

Thanks very much again man!!!

Cheers.

[Garth Sch]

Hi Edward,

Good Taichi teachers are priceless.

Like in any discipline, find the best teacher you can.

Good teachers have good students, can show what each of the movements in their forms mean, and regularly roll with their students.

I hate teachers that won't roll. It's too easy to disguise incompentency with mystical nonsense.

The internal energy side is all well and good, but it must be backed up with solid physical mechanics. Like Warrior Wellness, if you practice good mechanics then internal side tends to take care of itself.

A good teacher will also test your postures and show you how to project or absorb force from each part of every movement.

Chris Chappell in London is excellent for baguazhang, he's also studying under some amazing Yang taichi stylist, but I can't remeber his name.

Bob Coleman is impressive too, he teaches hsingi/bagua.

PM me if you want their phone numbers.

Garth

Thanks again for the help guys!!

Well I spoke to my tcm doc and he said he knows the chen style and studied under Chen Zhenglei, so I went into central london to pick up a dvd by this guy to see what it is in detail, and it really appeals to me and there is a big crossover with rmax as well which reasured me.

So i'm gonna actually start on Sat with just one of my friends as the guy said it's okay if there is just two of us because he really wants me to learn it to help with my problems cuz he says he can single out certain pieces of the training that he thinks will be beneficial to me.

I'm really excited about it, i've been playing my traditional chinese music cd over and over :lol:

I keep hearing mention of the taiji spiralling energy which originates from the hips and I immediately thought of priming bioenergy when Scott shows the most advanced vibration drill involving the hip rom as being the power generator, like Scott said, Truth is truth no matter the source!

Thanks guys, i'll let you know how it goes.

Cheers.

[yogi43]

Here's a site with some links for the UK:

http://www.taichichuan.co.uk/database/database.html

In Ireland for Taiji or Bagua:

http://www.whitemountain-tao.com/

Or Bagua in UK:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/bagua.zhang/index.htm

[Daniel M.]

Edward,

Sounds like a great opportunity. I'm delighted. Have a blast.

Daniel

Thanks you two 8)

[glittalogik]

Damn, that's some nice work. I'm studying Yang style and my teachers trying to get me down that low for a few moves. Give me a couple of years...

UNDYBUNDY!!!!!!!

Just had my first lesson and it was one of the most enjoyable ma lessons i've had.

He gave us loads of theory to explain what we should be doing along with the movement.

He explained about the energy of the universe and how the mind moves the energy in the body etc.

He emphasised the importance of structure and had us stand in the horse stance while explaining the right structure and we did these hip rotations while moving the arms in a circle in from of us coordinating everything.

ww gave me a huge headstart and the bodyflow book showed me the why of what he was teaching us and helped tremendousley in the sense of me being able to know how to max out my performance and train my attributes in the most effiecient manner.

He introduced the concept of imagining balls of energy cushioning our limbs and using his analogy connecting the negative and positive poles of the tube light.

He told me my concentration on the movement was very good and I think that is from the vibration drills from priming bioenergy.

I'm really excited about this and look forward to more more more more rmax and taiji practise filling my spare time, play time as it were haha.

I'm a bit tired now so my report is very simple and shallow but i'm sure as I explore it more deeply and make discoveries in both rmax and taiji and get more clarity of mind i'll be writing a lot.

Sorry to hijack this thread!

Cheers.