Question about Taiji Kwoons

[Slade]

I currently do wing chun and Ive been looking at different Tai Chi schools for reason of learing Tai Chi as a combative art as well as internal cultivation art, Ive been to a few lessons are various Wushu Schools that teach Tai chi, Is it normal in Tai chi to only do forms alone and no application whatsoever. and for some reason we seem to be starting on Yang style and then later progressing into other styles like Chen and Wu, is this Common?

Cos Im unsure if its sounding dodgey or not, because From word go we did apllication in Wing Chun and when I did Sikaran we did aplication pretty much from word go.

Please give me some feedback

[Ma_Xu_Zha]

to be able to get skill in tai chi nowadays you gonna have to learn what you can from one school then move on to the next. get as much out of each school humbly and when you hit a brick wall in your progress...move on...each teacher has there various level of kung fu. since tai chi is so f-ed up nowadays the only way to get good is by getting the essence from many sources and not just one. the view behind this is...a bee seeks nectar from many flowers not just one.

[Slade]

Thanks for the Help, that was my plan anyway, because Im still donig Wing chun but im not limiting myself to a wing chun way of fighting and a internal art seemed perfect since I dont wanna have to reply on brute strength alone esspessially since im not a real big guy

[brody]

Research the Tai Chi school. Ask the Sifu if he teaches the combat aspect of the form. Ask if you can see a demostration of a simple self defense move that you know how to apply with your Wing Chun. Be open and honest with him. Let him know your intentions with taking Tai Chi. I've found that some Western studied Tai Chi teachers don't really know the applications but have tons to say about the internal benifits of their program. As far as starting with the Yang style first then moving on to the Chen and/or Wu style... ask the Sifu why he does this. It could be that he teaches more of the applications with the Chen style and he uses the Yang style for internal cultivation.

If you are looking to have Tai Chi complement your Wing Chun be careful how you do it. The principles are much different. Wing Chun's approach to combat is much more simple and going down the middle, where Tai Chi is just the opposite. However, I've found that the sensitivity training you get while doing Push Hands in Tai Chi works well with Wing Chuns Chi Sao. And Tai Chi does offer the health aspect that Wing Chun lacks (depending on which style of Wing Chun you do).

Just a thought. Hope it helps.

[Slade]

I have recently had a talk with him and done a few more training sessions and he does do application as well as Dim mak pressure points, no where near as much as wing chun but I guess that is to be expected since wing chun is basicly a combat art and thats it, Just for a fact I do Traditional style of Wing Chun (William Chuengs style)

And we are doing other forms at the moment we have moved into some 18 Chen Broadsword from and Wu 18 Strait sword and Yang 18 Fan form so its pretty much deverse as well as 10 yang form

I personally am using it to not just compliment my wing chun but to complement my overall martial art abilities just as bruce lee said
"Research your own experience“
“Absorb what is useful”
“Reject what is useless“
“Add what is essentially your own”

[emre]

If a taiji teacher is teaching you so many forms in such a short time, from different styles no less, you're not learning anything genuine.

[unixfudotnet]

He is starting you out in weapons taiji forms already?!

Seems fishy, but some teachers will teach you what you want for the $$ I suppose, especially if they think you will flake off after a couple months.

[Slade]

Well its because its a 4 and a half hour class and its split into a hour and a half of Beginners forms hand to hand type forms then hour and a half of weapons forms then hour of 42 comp form.
I can tell his pretty legit, because Ive met his teacher and he is a genuine article, I did research on his teacher and he is a international judge, and has said this guy can teach, so im guessing he knows what he is doing his been teaching for 13 years

[unixfudotnet]

I said it sounds fishy because you are learning forms before understanding open hand forms, or even the basics. Though, as you said, he may know what he is doing.

Like lots of different schools and styles, there are many training methods, where as long as the end goal is reached, who cares ;)

Welcome to Taijiquan. Just remember focus on you form and doing them correctly, and then the intent of what you are doing :)

It is much harder to move slow, eh? ;)

[emre]

Sounds like Wushu taiji.

[brody]

Originally posted by unixfudotnet
I said it sounds fishy because you are learning forms before understanding open hand forms, or even the basics. Though, as you said, he may know what he is doing.

I totally agree with this. Keep in mind that a weapon is just an extention of you arms. If you don't understand how to first use your hands (without a weapon) it will be hard to understand how to actually use the weapon and its techniques.

[scotty1]

"Is it normal in Tai chi to only do forms alone and no application whatsoever. and for some reason we seem to be starting on Yang style and then later progressing into other styles like Chen and Wu, is this Common?"

No!

You should be learning application.

[Slade]

Just to clarrify this is a Wushu club that teaches Taijiquan