Tai Chi for my wife

[RedSkaNite]

My wife is thinking of starting a MA after she has our baby. She mainly wants it for excercise, but she doesn't want to study a MA that is totally devoid of self defense potential. She also isn't interested in the Wing Tsun I study =). How do you seperate the purely health related types from the martial types? Are they named differently?

Here is a list of CMA sites in my area (roughly). do anyu of them look promising? If they are good, I would even consider quitting Wing Tsun to practice with her, but that's a longshot!

http://www.atlantamartialarts.com/schools/china.htm

[Cody]

I sniffed around at the list. Am in the middle of yard work. Break time! Anyhow, I love to websurf and looked around at some listings that had links.

One was of interest. There might be others, but this one impressed me as a major possibility.
The Eagle Claw Kung Fu Center in Atlanta.

The head of the Center, Master Joel Rodriguez trained with GM Leung Shum, of NYC. I saw him at a demo in 1991. Never saw Joel Rodriguez. I have a feeling that this school might be mild enough to get your wife started and offer real fireworks as well. Eagle Claw is a very athletic and exciting style. The Wu style of T'ai Chi impresses me as a good intro to T'ai Chi movement and inner workings. It is particularly easy on the joints. I've studied Yang and a bit of Chen styles.
A lot of what one can accomplish via T'ai Chi of any style in terms of self defense applications has to do with the teacher. Some just show balance and leverage techniques, ho hum.
Anyhow, I'm thinking this school would be worth a visit.

Cody

[foolinthedeck]

wow!
thats alot of choice, even if you narrow it to just types of tajiquan.

i would recommend that she do wing chun. reasons:
1. if you already do it then its easier to find a good class, to know if a teacher is any good etc.
2. its good for 'women' and small people (big strong tough women can do it too!)
3. you can practice together
4. you dont have to start something new yourself.
5. theres so much choice its better to narrow it to what you know.


from my experience, some qigong is good too - for the health benefits.

But, i think for any one to answer this question it would be better to tell us some more about the situ ie:
1. how long have you done wing tsun?
2. how much do you know about other CMA especially the internal ones?
3. how much time do you both have to practice?
4. what kind of personality does she have? is she direct or cunning?
6. does she want health or martial benefits?
7. if she really doesnt like wing chun then why not???

hope it helps

[RedSkaNite]

O.K. I will answer all your questions. I will also check out that Eagle Claw site. That sounds interesting. The city traffic is horrible though!

1) I have just started Wing Tsun training and I love it! I will have been at it for about 5-6 months when she is ready to start.

2) I have done alot of research, but I have no experience. I know external arts training involes a more physical approach, while internal training seeks a more spiritual approach to achieve it's ends. Wing Tsun starts out external, but quickly evolves internally (IMO).

3) I now attend 2-3 1.5 hour classes a week, with about an hour of excercise and practice on off days. I believe she could do the same, she already excercises with me. (Mostly off-road walks)

4) Hmm she is direct AND cunning! 6 feet tall with an I.Q. of 145. She is a bit afraid of anything "rough", though.

6) Mainly health benefits, but she also wants to be able to defend herself if she ever gets attacked. She isn't the type who would ever go look for a fight. She says if she didn't want any SD benefits, she would just do aerobics.

7) The reason she gives is that it is COMPLETELY self-defense oriented. 100% of my class time is applicable in a fight and aimed at putting an opponent down. In her opinion, conditioning and health play second fiddle in Wing Tsun. I believe it is inherent in the training. My personal beliefs in this are: She is afraid of the violent "look" of Wing Tsun, and she also likes the "look" of Tai Chi.

Also guys, don't think I am doing this behind her back, these are her questions, we are just waiting for her account to activate.

[Laughing Cow]

RedSkaNite.

Good Taiji will involve two-man work, weapons and sparring, it is not all as slow and relaxed as it looks.
Depending on the style there will be slightl different body requirments.

It can be tough workout depending on the teacher, internal training tends to be just as hard as the external ones.

Keeping a steady training regime going after she had the baby will be tough, I have experienced it myself with my Wife and our little monster.
The little one gets the sniffles, baby-sitter not available, etc, etc.

So anything that offers courses or has time dependant requirements I would drop from the list, best find a school that allows her to be as flexible as possible.

Hope this helps.