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Midnight
05-19-2004, 11:58 AM
I'm curious in knowing what Tai Chi forms everyone out there knows and practices.

Which forms? Chen, Yang, Wu, Sun...
Which weapons? if any.

I personally practice Yang style (full 108 form), Tai chi ball, straight sword (Jian)(108), and staff (18) forms.

BPW
05-19-2004, 02:01 PM
Yang style (108 form & Standing)

Roll Back
05-19-2004, 09:01 PM
Zhao Bao He style

TaiChiBob
05-20-2004, 04:31 AM
Greetings..

Yang 108, 24 movement, 42 movement, Chen old frame (numerous Chen silk-reeling exercises), Bagua Taiji, Yang Gim, Yang Broadsword, Chen Gim, Chen Broadsword, Yang Staff, Chen Staff,.. 8 pieces of the Brocade, Dragon Gate QiGong, Swimming Dragon Qigong, Heaven and Earth QiGong.. bits and pieces of several other Qigongs and silk-reeling sets.. and, bunches of push-hands drills... Wow!! no wonder i'm so confused.. this is the first time i've actually listed this stuff..

It's funny when i'm leading class and drift from one set into another.. i hardly notice, but the students just stop and look bewildered.. it seems like all those movements blur into a simple set of basic principles that are at the root of all movement.. i am much more concerned with the principles than the choreography..

Be well..

Midnight
05-20-2004, 05:05 AM
Wow, hehe, you truely are TaiChiBob :)

You have learnt some interesting forms there. Find it odd that Jian isn't among them. It's usually a first for people when picking weapons forms.

Anyway, my questions to you are:

How do you like broadsword?
and
Between practicing both Yang and Chen, which do you favor the most?

TaiChiBob
05-20-2004, 05:43 AM
Greetings..

The Gim is the Chinese double-edged straight sword..

Broadsword, hmmm.. a brutish hacking sort of weapon, good for battlefield types of applications.. the form itself is a great conditioner for the legs and adds depth to changes in direction and hand coordination..

Yang or Chen?.. i favor them equally for different reasons.. Yang for its circular energies and grounding qualities.. Chen for its spiral energies and expressions of Fajing..

If forced to choose only one form, it would likely be 42 movement.. for its many qualities, a fusion of Yang, Chen, Sun, Wu, and Bagua.. and, it just feels so good..

Be well..

Midnight
05-20-2004, 06:00 AM
Originally posted by TaiChiBob
The Gim is the Chinese double-edged straight sword..


Jian or Gim, this is the same sword, it is referred to as either of the two names actually.

Also referred to as Chien.

GLW
05-20-2004, 06:51 AM
Bob,

try picking up the 48 posture form.

It predates the 42 (but if you have it, keep the 42 Jian handy...:) )

48 is 6 lines long instead of 4 and has some interesting combinations. It is, in my opinion, better constructed than 42...has all of the transitions from Yang, Chen, Sun, and Wu...

TaiChiBob
05-20-2004, 07:22 AM
Greetings..

Thanks, i tend to agree.. although i could figure it out from tapes, i am looking for someone qualified to show me some of nuances of transition i have seen in the tapes but don't quite feel as though it is the same as i am currently doing..

Be well..

norther practitioner
05-20-2004, 09:33 AM
13 Posture Yang (as created by my shirfu), I'm relearning the 32 sword, 24 Posture, and a couple of competition forms made from the 108.

GLW
05-20-2004, 12:03 PM
unfortunately, even with SOME of those out there that are supposed to KNOW it, they get it wrong.

I have seen a number of things on video and DVD that are wrong...and can be verified as such because there are books out on it...

It is one of my favorite routines...so if I can be of any assistance...

It definitely helps if you learn if from a source that KNOWS the styles if came from and points out the flavorings in each section.

fungjiaotasty
05-20-2004, 12:08 PM
Chen family's Laojia Yilu/Old frame,

a short, Wu 30-form devised by Ma Yueh Liang (from what my teacher said)

Supplemented with:
empty state
8-Section silk brocade
swimming dragon
un-named Yang exercises
un-named Wu exercises

Fu-Pow
05-20-2004, 04:18 PM
Originally posted by Midnight


Jian or Gim, this is the same sword, it is referred to as either of the two names actually.

Also referred to as Chien.

Gim=Cantonese
Chien or Jian=Mandarin

Midnight
05-21-2004, 05:12 AM
Fu-Pow,

Thank you.

I knew the names were based on dialect. Just couldn't remember which one was from which.