I have heard that there are many similarities between these two styles in terms of power generation from the waist etc. Has anyone got any info or input on this? many thanks.
Yes and no. Both northern Tang Lang and TJQ may evolve from Tai Tzu Chang Quan. Tang Lang is consisted of 18 families of CMA. Tai Tzu is the father and Tong Bei Quan is the mother. Although some large movements may look similar. They are totally 2 different breeds. Tai Ji has the center and the balance of a ball mechanism at play all the time. It is called to be in the center, be comfortable and at ease. Or Zhong Cheng An Su. Tang Lang mimics the movements of strong forelegs of a praying mantis. There are hook, capture, pick, and hang. or Gou Luo Cai Gua. The steps are light as in monkey steps. Tang Lang needs to practice to have a strong grip with fingers and a strong forearm for the moves to work effectively. Because all moves may start with Gou Luo Cai Gua. There are practices of eagle claws and iron forearm. Ying Zhua Gong and Tei Bei Gong. One has to grab lead balls and hit hard with bags on the forearm. Also stab fingers into a pot of green beans and than may be sand. Apply a lot of herbs. The reasons for light steps are for flexibility and easiness to move high, mid and low or left and right within a move. Tai Ji is about holding your center of balance and maneuver to uproot and unbalance the opponent. You shadow the opponent's steps and moves.
Wanderer, An interesting post, thank you. As a NPM guy when I watch Yang Style Taichi I can see similarities in the moves, but as you stated some movements do indeed look similar but the power generation is different. For example the foot is at an angle in NPM when in a bow stance but in TaiChi is forward to provide the correct body structure for uprooting the opponent. I looked at your link which includes a book on meditation and its relationship to martialarts, can you please provide me with information on this? I myself do Breathing & Mantra meditations. Have been doing a lot of reading on Buddhism lately and trying to get my head around "true reality" rather than "conceptual reality". Cheers
I am talking specifically about Chen TaijiQuan and not Yang style. It seemed that the explosive waist movements were very similar and so i thought they possibly had similar power generation methods. The mantis also tries to unbalance his opponent using the mantis hook to grab and seize.
Your correct, there are some similarities, but similarities exist between many CMA styles or systems. Just as there are similarities, there are also vast differences (vast being an overstatment a bit). Sometimes as a beginner you see great similarities between the two, then as you become more advanced you begin to see they are actually differences, then as you progress even more, you begin to see the similarities again. Its a journey, and to say one doesn't cross over into the other is incorrect, they cross paths often. 7sm
ged, yes, my sifu teaches both SSPM and Chen Taijiquan. The body power/jing techniques are very similar, the foot work is different. Overall, lots of overlap. Thinking of taking up Chen style, brother?
Do you mean your Sifu teaches NPM? Yes, i was thinking of starting Chen TaijiQuan...Brother! Do you train Chen too?
I think my training in Chen has lent more to my mantis training than Yang does, but thats my own opinion. 7sm
I'm not saying Chen Taiji is something that lends alot to mantis, but between Yang and Chen, I've felt that Chen has lent the most. Chen tends to be more application oriented, and that may just be what I'm feeling. It seems that the "corckscrew" type movements and, like others have said, the power generation are similar. In our school we focus heavily on "stealing the center" of your opponent, and chen also tends to focus on that as does most taiji. 7sm
Hi; I posted some history and technical aspects about Chen Tai Ji and 7 stars mantis in the other forum. History and techniques Enjoy. I will post about Chan in the coming weekend. I have to go to work, now.