hey everyone, been reading about complimenting certain MA styles with others. From what i've gathered if u r starting out it's better to choose two relatively different styles so as not to get confused (eg. boxing and BJJ ) I'm thinkin about Tai chi and Kali - anyone pursue this combination? any thoughts? cheers big ears
hi i currently do tai chi full time. i was doing TKD for about 11 years before i shifted. i've found that tai chi has modified the way i spar. i still have a tendency towards kicks and distancing but i've found that i have a certain confidence in close-range fighting that wasn't there before.
My Cinco Terros Arnis instructor is a Tai Chi master.... actually there are also a few tai chi experts I know in some of the good escrima brotherhoods of the Philippines (Kalis Illustrissimo Orihinal, Bakbakan...). Silat is also a good choice (this instructor is also my silat brother), systema-ross can also sharpen your escrima skills....
I think it's a great combination. In NYC one of the top Kali Instructors, Tom Bisio, was also a Ba Gua man (he might study Tai Chi as well). My Kali instructor explaimed how Guro Bisio used ideas from Ba Gua (another Chinese internal art) to improve the power of his strikes through integrated body motions. - Matt
Very good combination, especially if your Tai Chi is combat oriented. Both martial arts have methods on hand trapping and footwork that will only improve your skills on both.
Hi, I've been practicing Tai Chi from a chair for 24 years, 15 for Kali, and although the chair limits my movements in both, I think both add demention to each other. I use the sword form of Tai Chi as a bridge to use the many weapons of Kali as a way to exercise my adaptation skills with most empty hand techniques, too. Chase