tai chi short staff

[johnv]

Anyone know what type of staff is used for the "short staff" forms of tai chi, like Chen style for example ? I mean a "short staff", not a short form done with a staff :)

In particular, I'm looking for 1) what type of wood (wax wood, ratan, etc.), 2) proper length of the staff, 3) and is it tapered at all ?

-John

[dedalus]

Erle Montaigue teaches a taiji short staff form in the Yang tradition. The length of the staff varies according to your body height, and should be measured such as will allow it to pass under your armpit unobstructed when you're standing upright and the staff is vertical. If you wear a loose t-shirt or uniform, make sure you take this into account.

I use a moderately heavy rattan staff, but I've also seen hardwoods and waxwood. I've not come across a tapered version.

[Tachi]

Jiang Jiang Ye does a great Chen style short staff form, and he suggests the staff should be 13 hands (closed fists) high from end to end, so each practitiioner would have a staff proportionate to his/her body. I use a red oak staff because I prefer the weight and energy of the wood. I haven't seen a tapered short staff, but you never know....


Tachi

[Sam Wiley]

I have two staves I use to practice. The one I practice two man drills with and the form with as well is rattan. If I carry one of my staffs in my car to be used in self defense (haven't had a need yet), this will be the one. However, I practice striking drills and wrist strengthening exercises with a Dymondwood (some might know the material as Rockwood) staff. This one weighs about 5 pounds, whereas the rattan staff weighs only about 2. It's very fragile, though, and not really suited for forms practice. I wouldn't dare try to use it for self-defence except if no other weapon was available.

Pretty much the only specifications I was aware of when I learned the form and drills were length and approximate diameter. The methods for determining length were given above. No material was specified. I would imagine it would be up to each individual.

[Sam Wiley]

Oh, and the staff is not tapered, at least not in the Yang style.

[johnv]

I found out some info from Jiang Jianye.

The length of the staff should be 13 of your hand-widths (so it will be different for every person). The staff is tapered. It isn't really a "Chen" form, although technically it can be called that since it was created by a member of the Chen family. It was created sometime this century (1960s I believe ?), and is based mostly on Chen taiji, but has some Xingyi as well.

-John

[GeneChing]

READ Chen Taiji’s Eyebrow Level Staff: Master Chen Ziqiang Paving the Way to Success By Emilio Alpanseque in our SUMMER 2018 issue (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=1420).

http://www.kungfumagazine.com/admin/site_images/KungfuMagazine/upload/2684_KFM2018-Summer-Cover.jpg