learning tai chi forms

[Shaolin Dude]

when someone is teaching you a tai chi form, do they generally show it slow or fast?

[shaolin kungfu]

I was under the immpression that tai chi forms were always practiced slow.

[Repulsive Monkey]

Too true unless you're being taught the Fast form, but then that gets broken down too.
But you need to learn it slow to make sure you don't break the qi at first and to not rush ahead and use physical force over qi movement.

[TaiChiBob]

Greetings...

My teacher, and subsequently me too, teach both.. slow and fast.. unless your opponent is heavily sedated, slow self-defense is not practical.. as a tool for learning, cultivating chi, developing proper alignment/technique slow is appropriate.. as a martial art slow is a catastrophe.. as a balance, slow and fast demonstrate the yin and yang of the Art..

Ultimately, to maintain the soft, fluid and peng aspects of the slow version at combat speed is a challenge that should introduced early and often.. it takes as long or longer to incorporate Tai Chi principles into combat situations as it does to learn them initially.. besides, it's all the same thing.. why differentiate the learning process.. Additionally, i don't teach a movement without demonstrating at least one application, it helps the student "feel" the movement.. If it's only "dance class" they can go Arthur Murrays Ballroom Dancing, Tai Chi IS a Martial Art.. and, so much more... unfortunately, the Martial Art often gets lost in the "so much more"..

Just another perspective, Be well...

[Laughing Cow]

I have alway been taught the form slow and it was speeded up later on.

Said that it also depends on your style and teacher.
In my last TJQ style there was a heavy emphasis on the duration of the form, too fast and we were scolded.

In Chen TJQ there is less emphasis, but than I would like to see someone do the jumps slow.
:D

[Sho Pi]

lol Laughing Cow....

Tai chi is often taught slow in the beginning but should be also taught at a "combat speed". Too many people only practice the form slow and do not realize that this is only half of it. The relaxation part is why it should be taught slowly at first. Then speed it up while maintaining the same movement/alignment principles.

Sho Pi

[Brad]

Form slow, apply fast?

[Andrew]

Too me, the form is a training method and as you progress in your training then what you train changes and consequently
the form changes.

When you are learning the form, then you need to learn slowly,
because, its an internal style, you need too comprehend the movement, and most normal people, need to go through the movement slowly in order to assimilate all the key features.

You need to employ your mental facilities, as;

i. To ensure postural/structural integrity, silk reeling, the 8 powers.
ii. Also when you use your mind, it aids learning, you learn faster and you can physically see your improvement.
iii. Relaxtion of course.... almost forgot that.

But when you come to train; then you can go fast.

In theory, the movement should now be stored within your muscle-memory, so you worry less about form and more about speed and application.

LOL, basically I gave the same answer as Brad :-P

Andrew