should i restart taiji or just chun?

[foolinthedeck]

hello.
can you help?
i used to go to taiji on a tuesday evening, as a supplement from my main wing chun training on a wednesday and saturday.
i've had a break from my taiji class since last summer, so about 5 months break, during this time i have been doing a salsa class on the tuesday instead. i now i feel capable of going back to taiji and being able to keep on doing salsa afterwards, so i would be doing taiji from 6.30-8.30 and salsa from 9-11pm.

But i'm not sure if i should go back. i did find the taiji useful both of itself and for the benefit of my wing chun but i find there are some issues i am struggling with:

1. if i do taiji and then salsa it may be too much physically, not to mention energetically

2. i dont even practice my wing chun forms enough at the moment, so how can i justify adding more forms back into my schedule?

3. i am beginning to see the more subtle elements in my wing chun, which may be improved by playing taiji too, or may be confused by it

4. i have 11 years wing chun experience, and part of me thinks it would be better to build on this base and make my wing chun better rather than to try to add something else

5. but another part of me thinks that taiji would be a better thing for my health and long term ability to teach in the long run

6. maybe i should start something else such as yoga?

any ideas most gratefully accepted.

[anerlich]

A lot of maybe's here

for example: Maybe doing taiji and salsa togther might be too demanding physically, maybe it won't. How are you going to know unless you try?

You can always try one schedule, and if it doesn't work out try another.

Experiment.

FWIW, IMO the chances of you meeting younger, good-looking women with a reasonably low guy/girl ratio are much better at salsa than at WC or taiji. One factor to consider. :D

[yellowpikachu]

you are just confused and want to be everything in the same time! :D

dont do a thing. that way you will be free. :D

[Jeff Bussey]

Hey foolinthedeck
You're the only one that can answer this.
I know that's a $hity answer but if you want to do it, then do it. If you end up not liking the shedule stop it or change it.
My shedule used to be
Tues, Thurs, Sat - ving tsun
Mon, Wed, Fri - boxing
Sun - chen style Taji
and
Mon-Fri at the gym over my lunch hour
My body collapsed. I did too much and had to stop everything.
But I didn't listen to my body and wasn't too smart about it.

Bottom line though

You just have to see if you like it.

[KPM]

I'm not big on mixing martial arts styles. It sounds like WCK is your primary system (since you've been doing it for 11 years). There are movement patterns and reactions that WCK teaches that should be "burned" into your system so that they are second nature. If you are doing another system you may confuse that process. Just what will come out as your second nature response if some day the sheit really hits the fan? Now if you are studying Tai Chi strictly as a health exercise this may not be an issue. Then its simply a matter of time management. Personally, if it was me, I would just spend more time on my WCK.

Keith

[yellowpikachu]

I can post this way:
that's great to train in all.


I Can post this way:
Talk to your sifus, they know most.


I Can post this way:
You are just greedy and dont know how to swallor the subject:


I can post this way:
what is your goal or what do you want? priorities them. go for it. certainly you can do one thing at a time and do it good and everything will be ok.


I Can post this way:

Your problem is not TaiJi or WCK or .... You have no clue what a "holistic" training is. and you try to mix "stuffs" and it gets more and more confused. I tell you, get a good WCK or TaiJi teacher who teaches HOLISTIC training and stick with it. otherwise you will be doom with tons of garbages which doesnt integrate. Remember, INTEGRATE is the key not mix up things like a garbage collector which think he has alots but actually everything only work on the surface and nothing really work at all. MMA can be Garbage art if one just mix....:(



I Can post this way:
This is your journey. it is difficult isnt it?

I Can post this way:
Everything is ok. Soon you will forgot about WC or TJ once you have a family. Go to a gym and get healty....




I Can post sooooo many ways..... which one you like to hear? everything is ok for me. :D

[foolinthedeck]

you know i always love response that rise phenix like from the ashes and hit me like a thunderbolt, actually.. is pikachu an avatar for buddha's vajra?

all answers good.
yes
yes
yes

[Mark Rasmus]

Hello,
I have been complimenting my Wing Chun with Taiji for the last 10 years and it taught me much deeper levels of relaxation that I never found in Wing Chun.
My Taiji teacher asked me to show him chi sau, I put my hands on his bridge to show him how to roll and I ended up with my feet a meter off the ground and then on my ass 6 meters away. He said I was holding tension in my shoulders??? It took me three years of loosening exercises before I could prevent from stealing my center. At that time I was about 128kg, he is less than 70kg. Tai Chi has allot to offer, but only from a good teacher. If they cant launch you, dont waste your time with them.
Today I still focus on wing chun and chi kung. Tai Chi just teaches a unique way of uniting your mind, energy field and body. Once you figure it out, you can put it into any sound mechanical method which I did with my wing chun, because it is not a body mechanic(even though Taiji has a great mechanical model), it is ultimately a quality of mind which taiji strives to attain..
Have fun with it.
Best Regards
Mark Rasmus

http://au.geocities.com/markrasmus/retreat.html

[couch]

I totally agree with this, as I have supplemented my WC with Qigong exercises and it has helped tremendously with relaxing and having no tension when I'm performing movements in my WC. It has permitted me to relax and then have that explosive power at the end of the strike and then back to a relaxed position.

My Sifu has noticed it and has commented on it.

I think that the isotonic exercises of Tai Chi and Qigong, etc help.

Peace,
Kenton Sefcik

[Mark Rasmus]

Originally posted by couch
I think that the isotonic exercises of Tai Chi and Qigong, etc help.Peace,Kenton Sefcik

Hi Kenton,
What is the meaning of Isotonic exercises?
Forgive my lack of vocabulary, and I dont have a dictionary handy?
Regards
Mark Rasmus

http://au.geocities.com/markrasmus/retreat.html

[couch]

Originally posted by Mark Rasmus
Hi Kenton,
What is the meaning of Isotonic exercises?
Forgive my lack of vocabulary, and I dont have a dictionary handy?
Regards
Mark Rasmus

http://au.geocities.com/markrasmus/retreat.html

I stand corrected. Sorry, Mark. What I meant by using that term (and used it incorrectly) was that in my family and in the Qigong I do, there is no muscle tension whatsoever during any of the movements.

For correction:
"Isometric exercise

During isometric exercises muscles contract, however there is no motion in the affected joints. The muscle fibers maintain a constant length throughout the entire contraction. The exercises are usually performed against an immovable surface or object such as pressing the hand against the wall. The muscles of the arm are contracting but the wall is not reacting or moving as a result of the physical effort. Isometric training is effective for developing total strength of a particular muscle or group of muscles. It is often used for rehabilitation since the exact area of muscle weakness can be isolated and strengthening can be administered at the proper joint angle. This kind of training can provide a relatively quick and convenient method for overloading and strengthening muscles without any special equipment and with little chance of injury.

Isotonic exercise

Isotonic exercise differs from isometric exercise in that there is movement of the joint during the muscle contraction. A classic example of an isotonic exercise is weight training with dumbbells and barbells. As the weight is lifted throughout the range of motion, the muscle shortens and lengthens. Calisthenics are also an example of isotonic exercise. These would include chin-ups, push-ups, and sit-ups, all of which use body weight as the resistance force.

Isokinetic exercise

Isokinetic exercise utilizes machines that control the speed of contraction within the range of motion. Isokinetic exercise attempts to combine the best features of both isometrics and weight training. It provides muscular overload at a constant preset speed while the muscle mobilizes its force through the full range of motion. For example, an isokinetic stationary bicycle set at 90 revolutions per minute means that despite how hard and fast the exerciser works, the isokinetic properties of the bicycle will allow the exerciser to pedal only as fast as 90 revolutions per minute. Machines known as Cybex and Biodex provide isokinetic results; they are generally used by physical therapists and are not readily available to the general population."

Thanks Mark,

Sincerely,
Kenton Sefcik

[RedJunkRebel]

I too agree with you guys that Tai Chi and Qigong is good for Wing Chun training. When I first began, I took both Wing Chun and Chen Style Tai Chi. The Silk Reeling Qigong exercises really helped! When practicing Wing Chun, I felt more relaxed, better balanced and capable of generating more power through the ground.

Can't say a word on doing the Salsa though, besides that I'm sure the ladies love it!:D

[Mark Rasmus]

Hi Kenton,
Very informitive post, thank you
Mark