So, how do you show people what Tai Chi is capable of?

[imperialtaichi]

If you want to promote the push hands, energy work, and more internal stuff online, more power to you, but you have to expect the criticism that's going to come along with it. The stuff you're currently showing online is certainly going to look fake to anyone who hasn't experienced such things.

Hello B-Rad,

Point taken. As most people who had read my posts before, most of the time I am rather detached and non-personal.

The reason I'm frustrated is this: If I show just the very physical aspect, then people think that Tai Chi is no big deal as many martial arts have very effective physical movements/techniques as well.

If I show the more internal side of things, people who hadn't experienced it before cannot understand or appreciate it.

If I talk about techniques that could cause injuries, I get criticised for lack of control; but if I talk about how to do it without harming anyone, I just get criticised for being not effective as a martial art.... it seems like as Tai Chi practitioners we just can't win....

The reason I am so passionate about promoting is that I see this Tai Chi as very beneficial to the world. There are many aspect of it that when properly researched and studied can be used in medicine and to prolong life. Plus the philosophy behind it can make the world a more peaceful place.

The most important task at the moment, I would say, is to provide an awareness of the "possibilities" and to educate people on being able to tell what is good Tai Chi and what is not. When Chinese Herbal Medicine was first introduced to Australia in the 70's it was met with wide-spread con****ation. But now, it is being used in Western Medicine as well because people had opened their eyes and evaluating it objectively.

I invite people to cross hands with me. As I say I am totally open about what I can and cannot do. If anyone wants to do a scientific study and stick some electrodes into my head I'll be more than happy to do so too.

I'd rather be controversial, than to hide the truth. Luckily I'm not big so at least people can't criticise me for using brute strength.

Cheers,
John

[SPJ]

This is a 2 way street.

When I see other people performing other styles that I am not exposed to.

I may have impressions but I du not comment.

My impression will be based on my past experiences with other styles.

usually, it is not a good idea to comment something you dun know.

if someone is interested in Tai Chi, he or she may sign up a lesson or sit in a few classes and see if he or she like it.

there is no way to "know" everything just by watching someone doing forms.

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[neilhytholt]

I don't think anybody questions that tai chi is probably an effective style. It had a great reputation in the Imperial court and all that.

But what seems to be in question is the training methods -- if anybody is teaching people to fight with it anymore.

I'm a little tired of people who claim effective fighting methods at some point, by somebody, down the line. After dealing with years and years of waiting and never getting, I personally only want to deal with teachers who have the goods, show me the goods, and will teach it, NOW.

So you may be great, but unfortunately you're about 20 hours away or something, down under. I'm not getting on a plane to learn taiji. If I got on a plane right now, it would probably be to study with Wong Kiew Kit, if that were possible.

[yangyang]

Wong Kiew Kit? Oh, you mean the kung fu guy. He's not really a tai chi master at all. Look at his videos and you can see why.

[Ray Pina]

When judging a style based on someone forms alone, I usually look to see how the power is generated: is it just in the arms, or isit full body ... foot/hip/waist/rib/should/elbow/wrist/fingers..... also, is it tense or not. I see a lot of taiji guys trying to demonstrate that they have power but it comes off no different than shaolin. Making your arm tense or adding karate-type snap only reduces power. You swing a baseball bat .... your arm is heavier than a baseball bat .... just let it go.

As for demonstrating or proving it, I used to care a lot about this when I had less of it it prove. Now that I'm learning more I care less about proving it. In fact, the less people know the more valuable it will be for me later.

I'm more interested in testing myself individually, man vs man. And when I, a 32 years old at 5'10, 182lbs, can beat a 23 year old of 6'2 225lbs .... well, then I am in position to say something.

Most don't want to hear anyway. They just say you got lucky or are fast and strong. But they miss the how.

[neilhytholt]

Wong Kiew Kit? Oh, you mean the kung fu guy. He's not really a tai chi master at all. Look at his videos and you can see why.

IMHO there is no such thing as 'tai chi'. It is just longfist + push-hands.

[chud]

But what seems to be in question is the training methods -- if anybody is teaching people to fight with it anymore.

...

I personally only want to deal with teachers who have the goods, show me the goods, and will teach it, NOW.

Taiji is a very hit and miss art in terms of quality; good quality Taiji is rare and finding a good teacher can be difficult. My first two experiences with Taiji were poor, but the third time around I found a good Sifu.


You didn't mention what area you live in, so I don't know if there are any good teachers near you or not. I drive an hour and a half each way to get to my Sifu, but he's worth it.

[Fu-Pow]

IMHO there is no such thing as 'tai chi'. It is just longfist + push-hands.

Haha...good one!!

[yangyang]

IMHO there is no such thing as 'tai chi'. It is just longfist + push-hands.

That's a very sad outlook. If that's what you think it is, then that's what you will get. Sadly, if you are a tai chi practitioner, you will never get very good with that mindset.

[neilhytholt]

That's a very sad outlook. If that's what you think it is, then that's what you will get. Sadly, if you are a tai chi practitioner, you will never get very good with that mindset.

No, it is not a sad outlook. What is a sad outlook is people running around doing a longfist form thinking they're going to become Lao Tzu.

That's what's sad. New age Granola Hippies.

Edit.

I guess I shouldn't say it's sad. It's no different than SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) types who think they'll be the next King Arthur or something like that.

[dleungnyc]

From my personal experience, I think the only way to convince people that Internal martial arts really works is for the qualified teachers to give free seminars.

For myself, I didn't believe Tai Chi is a real martial arts until I experienced it myself. No, I am not talking about a form demo, I am talking about letting a qualified Internal martial art teacher(tai chi, xingyi, bagua) etc demonstrated on YOU. After I got hit by my teacher ( I was allowed to block, dodge, counter attack, etc), I was convinced, and my arms and chest hurted like hell!

Even for an outside observer, they might think I was faking the pain due to how effortless and how 'soft' the hit looks like, but my blocking arm was numbed for a good minute or two.

[imperialtaichi]

For myself, I didn't believe Tai Chi is a real martial arts until I experienced it myself..... Even for an outside observer, they might think I was faking the pain due to how effortless and how 'soft' the hit looks like, but my blocking arm was numbed for a good minute or two.

Exactly! that's my experience too. When I first met my teacher I was 30yrs old, with fair bit of martial arts experience; my teacher was over 76y.o. and he was toying with me.

Cheers,
John

[Hunt]

IMHO there is no such thing as 'tai chi'. It is just longfist + push-hands.

OH no he found out the truth..someone get his I.p and send a crack team of Tai chi Ninja's to dispatch him

[jon]

This is likely a silly analogue but never the less...

Lets say you build yourself a time machine and travel back to medieval Europe, you take with you a lone hand gun.

You put the safety lock on and then hand the gun unloaded with the clip seperate to a medieval knight. You then tell him that using this weapon he can kill with ease. The knight takes a look at the gun with the clip, he throws the clip though the air but it wont fly strait. He then swings the gun around in the air and comes to the obvious conclusion that he would do much better with his sword than trying to brain someone with this small light unbalanced and very odd looking device.


Technology must be understood before it can be fully utilized.

Maybe the gun is much easier to learn than Taijiquan, so possibly my analogue has some obvious negatively relevant differences. Anyway im just trying to point out that often people try to put there own judgments on how something 'should' work and in doing so completely misread what its actual design is.

[SPJ]

IMHO there is no such thing as 'tai chi'. It is just longfist + push-hands.

Tai Chi is the dynamic or interaction between yin and yang.

When the yin is strong, the yang is diminishing. however, there is the eye or the seed of the opposite color. In the extreme of one, seeds or starts the opposite.

When you do circles and turns, there is always a lateral component of the force/jin, so there is yin and yang at the same time. the direction of the force is changing all the time when you move in a circle or circles.

yes. Tai chi evolved from the long fist. It belongs to the category of long fist.

Tai chi is a concept. And Chen Tai Chi is the practice that incorporated the idea.

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