Composite or synthetic Tai Chi 24, 48 forms any good?

[SPJ]

this is posted in another forum.

A student watching vcd and learned these forms all by himself. He posted that is there any use?

Some responded that if you "learn" them then you may use them.

what is your comment?

[SPJ]

The other responded:

If you understand them, you may use them.

Wu Xin Gao. the ability to understand is high/good.

[Ou Ji]

I only know 24 and 42 but I don't see why they wouldn't be as good as the traditional forms.

Plus I'm all for learning from books and video. You may not get as much as you would directly from a teacher but I believe 'some benefits' are better than 'no benefits'.

[Tingjid]

IMO, I would have to say that it depends . As long as the book teaches the basics of movement in Tai Chi, it doesn't matter what the form is. A good Tai Chi form is making eggs in the morning as long as you move with Tai Chi in mind. In other words, I'm saying the movement doens't matter, it's how the movement is done, so as long as you've learned that, who cares how you learned it, or who cares if it's a traditional Tai Chi form, or if it's just some series of movements someone just made up with no application. As long as it's peaceful and relaxing move along and enjoy the peace and relaxation.

[cam]

If you already have a basic understanding of the 13 energies, then sure, why not?
If you don't know any thing about taiji, except from what you read in books, then you don't know anything about taiji. It may actually be a slight detriment to you if you wish to learn it later!

[gfx]

As long as you take it for what it's worth -- peaceful and relaxing exercise for the masses -- then they are perfectly ok.

[GLW]

Talk about closed mindedness...

24 WAS created to be a routine that could be taught to the masses for health.

48 WAS created to be a more complex and interesting routine and to expose the person to the flavors of other styles of Taijiquan.

However, they were ALSO designed to lay a foundation for further study should the student wish to continue on to another traditional Taijiquan style.

24 in particular lays a good foundation for continuing on to Yang or Wu style. Personally, I do not teach Yang style to anyone unless they have either committed to 12 months of study (as in pay and commit up front) or they have learned 24 from me and can do it to a certain level. I have taught Traditional Yang to beginners and then 24 followed by Yang. Those that start at the Traditional routine have a higher drop out rate...and from an instructor's viewpoint, I would rather teach a person something they can finish in 2 to 3 months...and then if they leave, we have both benefitted, rather than start down a longer path only to have the student quit...and thereby having wasted my time teaching them as well.

Also, 24 taught by a good teacher can help point out problem areas with knees, low back, ankles, etc... so when the Traditional routine is tackled, these areas are known to the student...avoiding stress injuries like "Tai Chi knees".

[chud]

I don't like the Yang 24 at all. I actually left my old school and sought out my current Sifu because I wanted to learn more traditional Yang style. The 24-form is too watered down, and is missing much of the martial application. It is primarily for health benefits. Plus the fact that it is approved by the PRC communist gov't taints it, IMO.
I am currently learning a more traditional Yang form and I am amazed how much more technique it has. At my old school when I was learning Yang 24 they kept telling me, "man, you're picking this up fast". It came incredibly easy to me. However now I find that it takes me much longer to learn the more traditional Yang because my hands (and feet) are doing so much more.
Traditional Yang is like steak, while Yang 24 is like baloney.

[vvanesse59]

The question relates to 24 and 42 forms but I am wondering same about 37 Yang that was reportedly approved by Yang, Cheng fu and I now see on the internet that 37 form is supposedly the most used form (I guess in North America but am unsure about that). I can only feel that it, and the 24 and 42 forms, must be every bit as good as "traditional" forms assuming you are learning more than just doing an exercise. In other words you must realize the reasons behind the postures and movement of qi, etc. before they will do any good. However, they would probably not be as good as full form for marial applications -- Good health ain't that bad though.

[TaiChiBob]

Greetings..

Forms, regardless of lineage, are aids to assist in learning Taiji "principles".. it is the principles that are the foundation of Taiji.. If someone says that the 24 or 42 or 37 or whatever isn't any good, it most likely is a result of the teacher, not the form.. My core curriculum is Yang 108, 24, 42, Chen Er Liu and Pao Choi and assorted weapons relative to Yang and Chen (Swords and staff).. each of these "forms" has great depth and practical application IF there is a foundation of solid principles.. Each is capable of enhancing health and longevity from a holistic perspective and a self-defence perspective..

There was no magic enlightening moment when Taiji was conceived, it was the result of observation, trial and error.. it wasn't engraved on stone tablets high on a desert mountain, it was the result of hard working visionaries.. the work continues. To discount newer revisions of "old" forms, or even new creations without evaluating them from a "principles and application" perspective may well be a loss for the naysayer.. The great potential of Taiji should not be confined to tradition, it should evolve with our advances in knowledge and theory.. The originators were only the starting point..

Be well..