Taixuquan (外海式太虚拳）

[Faux Newbie]

Just saw the below clip the other day, enjoyed it quite a bit. This is the style I do, although there are some differences from lineage to lineage, and, of course, all the resulting drama!

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTQzNDQ2MDI0.html

This is a southern internal style, known under a few different names, such as michuan (obviously a generic name used by several unrelated styles), southern taiji, and, in the Kansas City area, Six Elbows (this name comes from, of course, the six elbows practiced by its practitioners).

In practice, it has some in common with chen style, as well as some common ground with wing chun, different lines either seem to stress one or the other (more bridging and striking vs. more throwing and take downs) or, as in the above, a mix of both. This is not to say the style came from these styles, more than simply is composed of standard kung fu from the era in which it began. As an example of the latter, in KC, there tends to be a focus on sticky hands vs. tuishou, as most of the other kung fu stylists to practice with tended to be wing chun.

[Faux Newbie]

Interesting things that come from doing this style:

Of course, it cures cancer and AIDS. No.

However, here are some fun benefits I've found:

When playing sticky hands with wing chun folk, there is all the normal common ground, but also some differences in goals, so I tend to practice is two ways, the first being strictly sticking to wing chun rules on what is allowable, the second is more free form in order to do what taixuquan does.

Same with push hands with taichi folk. I always preface it with "if I do something that you don't want to work, let me know" as everyone has their own rules on allowable targets, etc. I have a friend who does Zhaobao in Illinois, he tends to do push hands from parallel stance(both players lead with opposite feet, as in mirrored to each other), which is fun.

Playing with a friend who does judo, there are obviously a lot of common throws, so he was initially surprised when I was prepared for what he was doing.

Because, like most martial arts, it has many common techniques that other styles have, I like to study other style's versions of the same techs my style teaches, I end up learning a lot about why the specific differences on those moves in my style contribute to its overall approach.