Taijiquan...or Tai Chi question

[Radhnoti]

I've been offered the opportunity to learn Tai Chi. My first experience with what I would consider to be an "internal" style was aikido, which really didn't mesh with my persona. I just couldn't make myself stand still and "accept the attack", I'm a bit more aggressive natured than that. Would studying Tai Chi be pointless for me given my tendency to drop into a fighting stance ready to punch? Or would it make me a more well rounded martial artist? Are most of you that study this style nonaggressive, non-striking sort of folks? Any advice is appreciated.

-Radhnoti

[Boulder Student]

The biggest thing for me beyond some very effective techniques is the emphasis in Tai Chi on relaxation. A relaxed fighter is faster and more powerful than a bundle of tension ala Bruce Lee.

One must toughen up without losing one's tenderness.

[TheBigToad]

Also take into account the various natures behind the difrent types of Taijiquan. I always felt Chen was a more aggersive minded Taijiquan and its posturing and energy dictates that. While, to me at least, Yang and Wu are certainly capable or being very martial applicatable, they yeild and bend more then Chen, which has its benefits as well.

The circle will always be, but you alone decides when it starts and where it ends.

[Destrous9]

Well, here's my Taoism:

To be hard, you must first understand softness,
to be soft, you must first understand hardness.
In each holds the truth of the other.

"Deep down inside of all of us is the power to accomplish what we want to, if we'll just stop looking elsewhere."
Internal Arts Message Board (http://pub41.ezboard.com/bpencaksilat)

[popsider]

As with anything why don't you have a look around and see what there is in your locality. Make use of forums like this to ask questions about schools and teachers. It might stir up politics but so what - if it saves you wasting a year learning from a cowboy it's been worth it.

As for Tai Chi - there is a lot of it about but most of it is taught without the martial aspect. If you want to learn to fight then ask the teacher directly, and find out if they or their students enter any contests or spar in class. I would say that no sparring for experienced students means no martial application.

Finally - it is worth finding a good teacher of your second choice art rather than a second rate teacher of your first choice art imho.

Hope that helps

[Tru-MA]

Ok, I'm not a practitioner of any of the internal martial arts, and I don't really know your situation, but most of the Taijiquan I've seen is actually more of the peaceful mindset if you will.
The Chen style is quite aggressive, but if you want a completely aggressive internal martial art, I honestly think you should try out Xingyiquan. Now that style is very in-your-face with its close-range techniques and all. Just a suggestion of course.

[Daniel Madar]

It's my experience that the "not aggressive types" are almost universally unwilling to even consider taiji a martial art with fighting applications.

Taiji is like any other martial art. It's about as aggressive as you are.

[Daniel Madar]

It's my experience that the "not aggressive types" are almost universally unwilling to even consider taiji a martial art with fighting applications.

Taiji is like any other martial art. It's about as aggressive as you are.

[Esteban]

Hi,

I agree that any taiji style can be as aggressive as the individual practitioner. A 150 lb person might have a different fighting strategy than a 300-pounder. IME, taiji fighting theory operates on the presumption of either one being "weaker" than the opponent --which is not always the case--or of using "less" force than the opponent (i.e. "rou" overcoming "gan")--which is Always possible. That's the classical admonition, but it's true of more CMAs than just tjq. There's "soft fist", for example. And then there's Sun Tzu's treatise, etc. However, personally I think it depends on why you want to fight. If you know that in a couple of days you'll have to fight for your life, then I wouldn't say "learn taijiquan." But, then, what would you learn. Hey, fwiw, xingyi is more "aggressive", if you mean "direct." Bagua is the opposite of being "direct", but can certainly be agreessive. But, if you're already aggressive, then anything you do has the same potential.

Best,
Esteban

[origenx]

Boulder - Actually, Bruce Lee was a big proponent of relaxation being the key to speed and power. He perhaps only appeared tense because he was ripped...