Best age to begin Taiji training?

[tai chi hermit]

lol THATS WHAT I DO!

if i rest one day then its like i double up the next day, lol. i see what you're saying and it makes perfect sense, THANKS!

[GeneChing]

Check out Thirteen Years of Tai Chi Study by Sandra Balint, exclusively on our ezine.

[Egg fu young]

Check out Thirteen Years of Tai Chi Study by Sandra Balint, exclusively on our ezine.

great article! I'm close to 40 and feel her pain

[GeneChing]

Wow. I got years to go before I should start again.

Is Rachel the world's olders tai chi student?
6:20pm Tuesday 20th October 2009

CENTENARIAN keep-fit fan Rachel Hush is living proof you’re never too old for a spot of healthy exercise.

At the age of 106, Rachel, who regularly practices tai chi with her friends in Shoebury, reckons she’s probably the world’s oldest student of the gentlest of martial arts.

Tutor Graham Horwood said: “Rachel seems to really enjoy the classes I run.

“Apparently, she has a reputation for being a bit stroppy, but she’s fine with me. You can join in tai chi even sitting down. After checking on the internet, I agree she probably is the oldest tai chi student in the world.”

Graham, 60, runs regular classes at Kathryn House, in Ness Road, Shoebury.

Tai chi is said to harness a life force called chi – something which seems to be rubbing off on Rachel and fellow residents.

Winnie Breckon, who celebrates her 86th birthday tomorrow, said: “I enjoy the classes very much. They so different from anything else we’ve done and very relaxing. It does seem to relieve a lot of aches and pains and Graham is great at teaching it. He’s fabulous and I’m even going to get my niece to try it.”

Kieun Wong, dementia services manager at the home believes the classes offer residents much more than simple, physical benefits. She explained: “Tai chi is ideal, because it is not only a slow-moving form of exercise – it also provides exercise for the mind as well.”

Graham, of St Andrews, Shoebury, a tai chi instructor for more than 30 years, describes the Chinese technique as a “system of slow, meditative physical exercise, designed for relaxation and balance and health”.

He added: “It is non-threatening and gives the practicioner two things – relaxation and a sense of well-being”.

[Lucas]

I feel sometimes like not training and i dont. yet when i do go train, it feels like the best day ever. i feel really confused. anyone else had this? how am i to overcome it?

we have all been through that part of the process. will power and a desire to achieve your martial art goals will see you through that. just hold fast to that feeling as you lie in bed at the end of the day feeling your training that day take hold in your body.

that always got me through tough times

[bawang]

when i was younger in high school i had al the time to train kung fu, instead i was lazy and watch tv and play on the computer.
now that i want to train hard, i dont have the time anymor.
use you time wisely

[GeneChing]

Now this is a great tai chi story on many levels.

90-year-old woman extends Taichi challenge to other practicers worldwide
2010-01-28 14:18 BJT

The 12th Aunt in Foshan, who is 90 years old, has good kungfu techniques and even aggressively makes open challenges on the Internet to fight. On the Internet, she challenges old women over 85 years old and old men over 90 years old into a kungfu contest. Unfortunately, by now, nobody has taken the challenge and 12th Aunt has turned into an "uncontested top dog." So, the 12th Aunt of Foshan has become an Internet star.

Sending out the message on the internet

No response yet

Because the 12th Aunt doesn't speak Mandarin, her junior fellow apprentice Xiao Bin, the vice-chairman of Foshan Wushu Association, did the interview yesterday. Xiao Bin said, the title of "12th Aunt" isn't meant to be associated with Huang Feihong, "the name of her senior sister apprentice is Yuan Shi'er (means 12th), among which, Yuan is her surname, and Shi'er is her first name, referring to her ranking among her brothers and sisters. Shi'er (means 12th) refers to a dozen, and in Foshan dialect, it's pronounced as DaYi, the same pronunciation as 'Aunt'. She was born on February 6, 1920, and will be 90 years old soon!"

Xiao Bin said the 12th Aunt started to learn Taichi Quan in her fifties, "in order to do physical exercise, she unwittingly learned Kungfu. The practice was very hard, but she learned well." After mastering Kungfu, the 12th Aunt wanted to work on her techniques with a person in the same condition, and therefore brainstormed methods of "setting the arena," through which, she hoped she could find another master around her age in the same camp with her. Xiao Bin said, "The 12th Aunt started to set the arena from the year of 2006, which attracted a lot of criticism at that time and people thought she just wanted to make money and it was only a kind of show. In 2007, we set the global arena, and the arena was open for the females above 75 years old and the males above 80, however, nobody took the challenge. So the 12th Aunt won without even having to fight."

Now, Xiao Bin has opened a micro-blog on behalf of the 12th Aunt, and helps her post statements and manage the blog every day. The 12th Aunt often throws down challenges on the micro-blogs, which turns her into an Internet star. Her bio on the micro-blog is "Let's Practice Taichi Quan to Prevent the Flu and Save the Earth by Pushing our Hands together!" Her Internet friends cannot help laughing, “She not only mentions the fitness of the nation in her slogan, but also saving the earth. She seems like a superwoman! Too powerful!

A martial arts version of "Susan Boyle"

The slogan of the 12th Aunt is full of heroic spirit, encouraging the old people throughout the world to challenge her, and the 12th Aunt even heroically expresses that the rules are open to negotiation. The "setting of the arena" is even divided into a male version and a female version. The declaration in the challenges against the men is 'regardless if your style is Muay Thai, Judo, boxing or anything else, as long as you are no younger than 90 years old, you are welcomed to fight with me, even if you are a fighting master-hand. The rules shall be decided based on negotiation between the two parties, and I will face the fight with the attitude of "I cannot lose and I will win!" The opponent must be a real warrior and a real man! The declaration in the challenges against women is "to all younger and elder sisters over 85 years old, don't hesitate to challenge me! As long as you are dare to join the Taichi Push-hands Exercise or kumite competition (the rules will be decided by negotiation between the two parties). It will be full of an entertainment and sports spirit regardless of who wins and who loses!" Such declarations also excite the young, "how energic and powerful she is! It's too bad that I don't know Kungfu and my age disqualifies me from taking part. All I can do is silently watching the 12th Aunt." Also some Internet buddies expressed that when they found that the 12th Aunt was in such good shape, I felt pressure to exercise myself, "I hope I could be as healthy as the 12th Aunt when I am in my nineties."

She is chosen to perform at the Internet Spring Festival Gala

Her micro-blog is extremely popular, but the 12th Aunt's dream to set up a ring has not been realized because no one has answered her challenges. Having no choice, she continued to increase the promotion of the contest ring. Learning the news about the Spring Festival Internet Gala, the 12th Aunt decided to do the audition and eventually succeeded in the final recruitment.

On January 15, accompanied by her daughter, the 12th Aunt flew to Beijing to join the record of Spring Festival Internet Gala. According to Xiao Bing, the 12th Aunt's excellent performance won her two programs at the Gala. Xiao said, "The first program is Tai Chi, and the second one is a chorus by Post- N0 band, which is composed of people born in each generation. She is the representative for people over 90. She is in good form, and sings the song hand in hand with others on stage."

For the 12th Aunt, however, nothing is more attractive than her contest ring. On her micro-blog, she posted her own comments on the Spring Festival Internet Gala: "Many thanks to the netizens who supported me. Many people may not know about my contest ring because I just set the ring not long ago, please promote it for me. I'm going to the Beijing Spring Festival Internet Gala in order to find my rivals." It is a pity that even when the ring is set in Beijing and on the Gala, there is still no one competing with the 12th Aunt. Xiao Bing said, "up till now, there has been no one who has answered the challenge, and even if there were, a contest between people of such advanced ages would certainly be breaking news." Xiao Bing said that the 12th Aunt is the embodiment of the spirit of bodybuilding, "Foshan boasts Huang Feihong and Ye Wen, and I hope later people will remember the 12th Aunt."

Tai Chi Push-Hands, also known as Pushing Hands, Attacking Hands and Rubbing Hands, is a resistant exercise performed by two people barehanded. It is an outward manifestation of the Tai Chi, and the two complement each other. It can be traced back to Zhang Sanfeng (a famous martial artist) in the Northern Song Dynasty, and is about 1000 years old. Wang Zongyue (another famous martial artist) wrote explicitly in his "On Tai Chi" that: moving in harmony, the two must stay balanced while not falling down. Pushing Hands is the way to test one's boxing frame, which is the bridge between the simple boxing frame and free combat. The main methods for pushing hands are: using the arms to contact and hold up the opponent in order to set up defensive line; pushing the opponent sideways or backwards; pushing forward and constraining; pushing forwards and downward; horizontal constraining or advancing on the opponent and spinning the forearms or elbows to constrain the opponent or to advance on the opponent.

[Bob Ashmore]

Tai Chi Hermit,
When I get asked "what is the best age to being my Tai Chi Chuan training" I always answer with this question:
"How old are you?"
Whatever answer they give, I respond with: "Yep, that's perfect. Let's start now."
Because that is always the answer, "how old are you now?"
You can't go back in time and start then and there's no point in not starting now if you're going to take the journey.

I will give slightly alternate advice to some you are receiving here. I'm not saying the advice is not heartfelt or that those giving it are incorrect, I am merely offering another insight that is different.
It is good to get different opinions, but then you have to make up your own mind.
My advice to you is this: Slow down.
You have plenty of time to learn TCC and any other arts you would like to in your lifetime, so make haste a little more slowly.
At your age you will naturally want more and you will want it right now, but Wang Zongyue gives the advice not to give up the near to seek the far. That is what you will be doing if you search always for the next "new" thing and don't spend time working on what you already have.
All the fancy movements and applications in the world will not do you any good if you do not completely understand the underlying principles behind TCC. What good does it do you to know 500 forms if you can't do one well?
As for form training, do not short yourself on this. Do the forms as precisely as you can, do them slowly at first until you learn all of the nuances of the form, then you may begin go to speed up. But forgoing forms training, in my opinion, is a huge mistake in TCC.
The forms were created as a tool, that tool is most usefull when used frequently.

Ask your father for his advice on how to continue your training. As he taught you the forms he will be a good person to get advice from.
I know, most 15 year olds won't want to do that, so if that is not something you are willing to do, then ask another trusted TCC teacher for their advice.

Good luck.

[KTS]

agree with previous comment, you will probably want to go faster than you really should. u might be doing it anyways, and not even realize it.
taiji is a fairly matured art, and to do it correctly, takes more than just physical endurance.
btw, there is always an instructor around somewhere. you might have to travel 50+ miles once a week or so. but better that than learning a "watered down" taiji or learning from someone who only learned a taiji form or practices it as a 3rd or 4rth martial arts for example.

and, it does kind of depend what you want to get out of it. do you want physical fitness? many martial arts provide that. do you want self defence abilities? many provide that as well.
i believe you mentioned that you like the martial side. i didnt read every single post, but have you thought of looking into other arts from a school/group where you can participate in 2 person training?

[GeneChing]

Another from Sandra Balint that just happens to fit well on this thread.

Incorporating Tai Chi Pivoting Technique as a Fall Prevention Method by Sandra Balint

[Mfinn]

Taking this up seriously is akin to beginning to play a musical instrument or learn a new language. Do not waste your time if you are the sort of person who does such things casually and then lets it all drop. Do that and you weaken your character. Any kind of serious practice means you must "eat bitter." If this is not who you are, then this is the type of person you must become.

Technically, I would say that more important for someone like you is to learn and practice daily any sort of hard-style art. I have students who come to me who have never even been in a fistfight. In the old days, every Chinese boy had some grounding in basics. When you are young is the right time for that. T'ai chi ch'uan requires an almost supernatural patience that most young people do not have.

[YouKnowWho]

What do you mean "Taiji training"?

First you have to decide what skill that you want to develop. You then set up a plan and try to achieve that goal. The word "style" has no meaning. If you want to train "punch to the head", which style did that skill come from? Do you truly care?

[taai gihk yahn]

T'ai chi ch'uan requires an almost supernatural patience that most young people do not have.

sure, when taught in the obtuse and esoteric manner that has been the case for most of its history; when you cut to the chase, you can teach someone to effectively utilize taiji principles in a significantly shorter period of time (months, as opposed to years); for example, you can acquire very good listening and pushing skills quite rapidly and there are much more efficient ways to teach the solo body mechanics than has been the case; while u can certainly spend decades refining things, the initial skill acquisition can be relatively rapid;

taiji people need to get over themselves - there's nothing particularly special or unique about what it teaches that should take 30 years before the light goes on; it's just one way of utilizing a set of body principles, and if u understand how to communicate certain things, u can get respectable results fairly quickly;

[taai gihk yahn]

What do you mean "Taiji training"?

a lot of the time it seems to mean taking new students with enthusiasm and natural ability, and suppressing both in the name of making them conform to an ill-defined and obfuscated paradigm of movement that seems to serve to make long-time practitioners feel morally superior to everyone else around them...

First you have to decide what skill that you want to develop. You then set up a plan and try to achieve that goal. The word "style" has no meaning. If you want to train "punch to the head", which style did that skill come from? Do you truly care?

nope; well said; all that matters is proper application of body-based principles;

[YouKnowWho]

The first time I did Taiji I was 5 or 6.

The 1st time I did Taiji I was 7. Since my 1st Taiji teacher was a "Taiji for health" guy (I didn't know at that time). I tried to use it in street fight and it didn't work very well back then. Since then trying to use Taiji in combat is not my priority.