How has tai chi and chi kung changed your life?

[cha kuen]

How has tai chi aand chi kung changed your life? Has it changed the way you go through your day? The way you open doors? Allowed you to clear your mind and calm down in difficult situations?

Fixed some health problems? More energized?

I am considering practicing tai chi and chi kung because I feel that at this point in my life (age 23) it may be a smart thing to practice now for health, little bit of that meditaiton stuff, patience, maintain youth, and of course, martial ability.

[Internal Boxer]

It turned me into a hippy GOD DAM.N It..............

[Laughing Cow]

Cha kuen.

I started taking TJQ for health reasons and it helped me a LOT.
At the same time I got a deeper understanding of what the martial side of it is.

By now I have changed to a school that teaches the traditional method rather than being health focused and found this to be even more benefitial on the health aspect.

But than at age 36 I doubt if I reasonably could perform some of the sets that I learned in my younger years.

Don't mistake it to mean that TJQ is easy or doesn't put heavy demands on your body and abilities.
To a certain degree I find it the most challenging and tough MA that I have studied so far.

Cheers.

[StickyHands]

Originally posted by Laughing Cow
Cha kuen.

But than at age 36 I doubt if I reasonably could perform some of the sets that I learned in my younger years.

Cheers.

If I may ask, then how is it that on IMA masters are still able to do in their elder years? Isnt this what internal arts are about, trains you so even then you can take upon the complex forms and task?

[Repulsive Monkey]

If you are taught correctly and gain the health benefits then you certainly can perform most if not all forms in old age thats precisely what Taiji affords you to do.
T.T.Liang in his 70's was still vigorously doing his long forms and chucking 20 year old students all over the room. Thats why we do Taiji to afford us such substantial health and vigour in the latter part of our lives.

[[Censored]]

How has tai chi and chi kung changed your life? Has it changed the way you go through your day? The way you open doors? Allowed you to clear your mind and calm down in difficult situations?

I sleep 1.5 - 2 hours less each night. So, disregarding any health or other benefits, it has practically increased my life span by at least 10%. OTOH I spend most of that time practicing, so maybe it's a wash. ;)

[Laughing Cow]

Originally posted by StickyHands


If I may ask, then how is it that on IMA masters are still able to do in their elder years? Isnt this what internal arts are about, trains you so even then you can take upon the complex forms and task?

Easy in my younger days I did not study TJQ but external arts.

OTOH, our forms got a few moves and jumps in it, that I honestly think will be difficult to execute when you are 60 or 70yrs old. Said that there are alternate executions for those movements that are less acrobatic and require less agility and flexibility.

[bob10]

Poorer in the pocket and bad knees ;)

[StickyHands]

Originally posted by Laughing Cow


Easy in my younger days I did not study TJQ but external arts.

OTOH, our forms got a few moves and jumps in it, that I honestly think will be difficult to execute when you are 60 or 70yrs old. Said that there are alternate executions for those movements that are less acrobatic and require less agility and flexibility.

I know it only pertains to you and you're only speaking for yourself, but couldnt that be said for all good arts taught by good teachers, internal or external? I mean wasnt there a gentleman here who a while ago posted a video of a master Chiu Chi Wai of demonstrating in Belgium who was still doing Hun Gar above 60, it said he had a good root that even most Taiji practitioners would envy and this guy was clearly buffed on the muscle mass for an old guy. And also GM Chang of Shuaia Chiao was still doing effortlesss throws and slams over his 70s. And those are all basically external. So I think it's just different for everyone, and not necessarily internal or external right?

[Laughing Cow]

Originally posted by StickyHands

I know it only pertains to you and you're only speaking for yourself, but couldnt that be said for all good arts taught by good teachers, internal or external?

Naturally, you are right there. Those exceptions will always exist regardless of art, but I see them as exceptions and not as the norm.

OTOH, modern day lifestyle has softened us to a large degree. We now take cars, evelators and escalators where as not too long ago people were forced to walk everywhere and so on.

Lifestyle 80 and even 50yrs ago was different from today.
Chen Fa Ke and his generation of MA did not have TV, Radio and many other things to distract them
People than worked & lived a lot more physical lifes than the average modern man.

Said that I think out lifestyle is a very important factor in determing how well we be at our MA style and our fighting capability may it be external or internal.

Cheers.

[bodhitree]

Made me more calm, appreciate health and nature more, and helps in decision making process!:)