Secret Yang Style

[BigDude]

I've been looking for a TCMA school in my area for a while, with very little luck. Recently I ran across a Tai Chi school that professes to teach "Secret Yang Style Tai Chi". Could someone who is familiar with Tai Chi, especially Yang style take a look at their website and tell me what you think?

White Willow Tai Chi (http://www.whitewillowtaichi.com/)

This just sounds a little over-the-top to me.

Whether the stone hits the pitcher, or the pitcher hits the stone, it's that pitcher that gets hurt

[Ky-Fi]

Personally, I would steer clear of a Taiji place that mentions "applications" as an afterthought, or as something for advanced students only.

[Water Dragon]

First Question: Do you know what you want? If you do ask them, but be intelligent about it. Don't ask if they teach fighting, ask how they teach you to fight. If they evade the question or it sounds like bull, you're probably better off going somewhere else.

Second Question: Do the students possess the skillz the teacher claims? I.e. they may talk a good game, but can they throw down? You may have to check them out a while to figure that one out.

I doubt they teach a "secret" Yang style. If such a thing does exist, it's probably known only in the Yang family. The bit about Shou Hou demanding his brother never be taught throws me off too. It all smells just a tad funny to me. However, that doesn't mean they don't have good stuff, it's worth a look.

My personal experience has been that those who have skillz have no need to talk about secrets and drawn out histories. History is just what it is to us, something cool to talk about that you may have an interest in. Those who are good will start right in with the training and let it speak for itself.

Although there are many styles, they all depend on the strong beating the weak and the slow falling to the quick. These are not related to the power that must be learned -- Taiji Classics

[BigDude]

Thanks for the input guys. I just went back to their website and noticed the thing about how they use "hemi-sync" technology to "cut years off tai chi training." What with every thing else that sounds pretty shady here, I think I'll just stay away. They may be a great school, and there may be something to this, but it just sounds too fishy to me.

Whether the stone hits the pitcher, or the pitcher hits the stone, it's that pitcher that gets hurt

[joedoe]

I've used kitchen sink training to cut years off my taiji training :)

[Sam Wiley]

While hemi-sync programs are certainly useful, I am not aware of any which could possibly cut years off someone's training. If there were one, it would be listed on the Monroe Institute's website, and the last time I looked, there were none. You've probably made the right decision.

*********
"To enter is to be born, to retreat is to die."
-An Old Taijiquan Saying

[Esteban]

Hi,

I don't know anything about this particular school and, like the other posters have said, it may be a good place to learn. I also share their skepticism about claims of teaching "secrets." OK, there are things that a teacher might only show a student after the quality of his character has been established, but, whatever it is, it's usually useless without the years of practice. I.e., one could print it on a flyer and mail it to you. "Secrets" usually have to do with training, not with fighting. Doing a series of movements slowly, or in a circle, might be considered "secrets." But, in application, there's only the "seen" and "unseen": there are no secrets. It's like the old boxing saying, "the one that hurts is the one you don't see coming." OK, so you have to wait until you wake up before you learn to watch out for the 'hook off the jab,' but you'll hear it eventually. Well, "secrets" are ok, but those who have them, don't sell them, don't use them, and usually don't advertise anything other than hard work. IME.

Best,
Esteban

[Ma_Xu_Zha]

I checked it out and felt that it could be a marketing ploy, i havent decided yet though if secrets are contained within. There seems to be alot of discussion about authentic tai chi and i want to laugh at some of the stuff written therein. the only yang form that looked secret to me was the Michuan Yangjia form of wang Yen Nien in taiwan cause it looked hardly like yang tai chi, while others that claim secret forms look much like yang chen fu's form but with little discrepencies.

i would like to see this guys form and verify it with my own eyes, i am interested in seeing this.