well a privet collage cost alot of money I take bagua with a guy that was Taught by Park bok nam and its 100 a month but we only practice once a week and with TTC I would go 3 or 4 times a week. I am thinking of doing Pa kua a every 3 or 4 months to save money but I would like to do tai chi as well
l know the history of ttc hes not really what he says he is . it would be a waste of time and money . even if you went only once every 2 or 3 months youd get more out of it . then just practice what you have learned. l am going to send you a pm
thanks for the email OG I will keep looking for other places around my area. Thanks for all the effort.
thanks in fact I litterly just now found a couple guys name CARL MEEKSand WILLIAM W. WOJASINSKI that give privet lessons and they are supposed to be pretty good. I dont know how much they charge but I will probably end up taking them instead.
This may be your experience ? If it is then it's a shame for you old guy. Mine has been nothing like that, so stop talking about something as if 'that's the way it is'. wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. Did you have a crap teacher? That may be what you got but otherwise you're talking nonsense. And YES tai chi can be applied martially.. Eastwinds - you can't, won't or don't apply any of your tai chi martially or in a martial context? - Unless you were trying to be obtuse..(or having a joke) Whatever - the answer you gave is obviously incorrect. Sure if people want stretching, yoga is great. But if people are doing tai chi for a good stretch then they are clearly missing the point. American fighter don't listen too much to these two old Kung fools and if you can find a relatively descent teacher, have a go - which is not easy and you may well not have one available. Most teachers teach forms. maybe push hands. Quality of applications and training will vary a great deal, unfortunately. But it's out there. Tai chi chuan that is. And I'm of the opinion that if someone has the desire, they can get something good out of it whatever the circumstances and that includes the martial side, most definitely. But you also have to have some smarts about it, and it will take time and commitment, maybe more depending on your circumstances.
there is plenty you could gain. No, this definitely shouldn't be what you'd gain from tai chi. If it is the teacher is teaching it wrong.
well some teachers may well focus on some things over others (for whatever reasons..) - there's a truth. but let's be clear it's no fault of the Chinese or tai chi chuan that America was full of hippies at this time. These ideas were around way before the sixties in America. the idea of qi and philosophy were in there already, see the classics. And breathing exercises were found in the majority if not all of the family or non family systems before this time also. well yea.. that's a bit more lik it. Extended postures are part of the process in some styles - usually known as "large frame". Even styles such as Wu that are classed by some as being "compact" or "small frame" use these type of postures in the slow form(some styles), particularly in the learning stage. Extended posture are like basic training.. And no they don't harm the body - they are good for it, in my experience.. for both the health of your body and its martial training. the extension in wu style is usually in the forward plane (some styles). where as in Yang its more extended in all directions. though there should never be over extension - which takes you out of allignment eg. the head or knee past the front foot.
slow down we were not refering to tai chi l guess we werent clear he was asking about a particular school who teaches there version of yang style. if you put it all to-gether l was answering his questions about that type . l am also well aware of different styles of tai chi and what told him was if hes to learn properly to find a good teacher of tai chi. . l have been doing wu before you were born and am well aware of the differences between each style. maybe you dont have one of these schools in england . l have been lucky getting some of the best teachers in n.america . l have a student learning pak mei who does the yang lu chaun old form and is a teacher of many years . as to martial value from tai chi l know it can be used if youve a good teacher that was the whole point of what we were saying. you took what we both said out of context. also when l mentioned hippies l had nothing against hippies . l have a old student from the early 60s who was a hippy and still is . its a way of describeing a frame of mind. also even tho l specialize now in pak mei as l found a teacher whos ci gung was cheung lai cheun our grandmaster and whos sifu was president of the pak mei boxing association ng nam ging. to him l did bi-ci but l still practice the small frame wu fast form . l have never said tai chi cant be used at any time just what hes talking about.
I like this master. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGHnusy2n38"]YouTube - Sim Pooh Ho - 推手[/ame]
cloudz-what old guy says is on the money- remember this thread is about the Taoist T'ai Chi Association- study form for a year and become a teacher.What kind of quality do you think comes out of that? Even if someone really applies to learning and practice, and is a good teacher,if you're teaching junk,it's still junk. I've seen/known plenty of TC teachers who couldn't fight their way out of the proverbial paper bag,-(and didn't make any martial claims)-but at least they had studied for some years and could teach a form w/proper structure. The individual who originally started the TTCA in my town had studied for 5 years and while I'm not concerned w/an inclined spinal alignment,after 5 years it's pretty bad if your tail still sticks out.Even if your association has no martial teachings. However, I figured it was just him,-(tho' I also thought it didn't speak much of their association's standards).Until some of us were invited to their club picnic.They brought in instructors from their US headquarters-(the association is based in Canada)-and they demoed their form.These people had been around 14 years, the same amount of time I had been practicing at the time. I was,uh,rather "surprised".They were just as bad as the guy I knew.Their rears stuck out and they locked their arms out in many positions.I have their founder's book and I note his tail drops,but I have yet to see any TTCA members do likewise.Poor standards.Churn out instructors to build your empire at the expense of proper impartation of teachings. The guy I knew got expelled from their association for studying Wu style w/a teacher from Shanghai.The reason,as told to me by his first student was along the lines of "Master Moy feels since he's spending his time and effort you shouldn't study w/someone else".What garbage.The only time this might be legit is if you're in discipleship,and even then many instructors expect their disciples to "broaden their experience" outside their own system at some point. The only real reasons would seem to me to be that you might find out that your association is teaching nothing of substance,there are no standards to be an instructor,and other people can teach better TC,even as slow motion exercise. weili, you're incorrect-they don't have plenty to teach AmericanFighter. AmericanFighter-as Bruce L. once said in a film-"Don't waste yourself".I doubt you'd be happy in a TTCA club-especially as you're a martial arts person.Martial arts as in applicable martial training.You won't find it there.Or even any good push hands training. On a side note, I find it humorous that "Master" Moy, by his own admission,was a mid-level practitioner.Not a master. Please don't anyone bother to educate me that he was "Master" of his Association.While that's true,the term implies a high level.Which he wasn't. Also please note that I'm an open minded guy,having had 5 TC instructors -(and always looking for more)-encompassing 6 or 7 different lines.So this isn't coming from a "my system's the only way" perspective.TTC is just poor quality slow motion exercise.And if TC instills proper postural habits/alignment/movement from repetition,one can only surmise that TCC instills the opposite from repetition.Caveat emptor-big time. Edit-ok,ok-I started writing this before old guy wrote his last post,but didn't finish 'til after he posted.So some of what I wrote may be redundant after his posting.Sorry.
u tube l cant give a opinion as l have seen this type of demo before . l have played with my seniors including my sifu . its the only way that l could tell if they are any good.l picked and went after the man whos my sifu now particularly after seeing him in a real fight that was a closed door chalenge. as a person who liked to fight in my young years that was my criteria as it was with most old timers. l would have liked to meet that person and played with him before l could give a honest opinion . my opinions l give are based on my experience as a teacher and practitioner.
el medico l was in toronto chinatown almost all the time back then when he showed up. a senior in hung style l knew had a business . he was a disciple of lum sai wing l believe so l used to go pick his brains lol he knew most of the teachers in h.k. and china that are now unfortunately dead. he was a great source of information . l am sure jack would have agreed with you as l do. toronto is their home base or was now its probably florida lol .
El Med, it wasn't clear at all. It looked for all the dogs in China they were replying to American fighter not to the OP. The original thread has been dead a while.. in case anyone hadn't noticed. If you are replying to the original post it helps if that is indicated. Especially if someone has just asked a new question after 3 months. thank you please.
cloudz- they were replying to AmericanFighter's inquiries as regards the TTCA. But I understand the confusion-ttc in print can be seen in your mind when you read it as being tcc.OK,back to Reading Comprehension 101 for you! old guy-I didn't put that clip up,weili did-I can't even watch it as I'm on home on dial up.Have to wait 'til lunchtime at work.(I did used to teach Fu Hok Hung,tho').Oh yeah-Can he really bring it?-very good criteria for choosing an instructor I feel. -"that was my criteria as it was with most old timers."Aw, I don't think you're giving some of the younger MA folks credit here.Uh oh,maybe I'm dating myself again.Well, I hope I bring flowers and candy,and take myself to dinner.
ha.. ok I get it.. I take this all back gentlemen. I didn't twig this was all in refence to taost tai chi society. I maybe going dyslexic in my older age. TTC and TCC - easy mistake i gues. Apologies!
old age anybody can make mistakes ,old age l have boots older than you lol. l didnt grow up in a english speaking house and my youngest (20) is always telling me l type like l am talking as if l am face to face. so sometimes what l type doesnt read as intended. have good day l now have to practice .
Cloudhanz, As you have now realised we were talking specifically about the Taoist Tai Chi Society. My reply was cryptic and I should have perhaps explained more. Moy Lin Shin so changed the stances and postures of Yang style as to make them completely unusable in a martial sense. For instance hips are squared at the end of postures like Single Whip, Brush and Push, Repulse Monkey etc. Heels are on the same line, making postures completely unstable. He abandoned Yang Cheng-fu's 10 essences and replaced them with his own 5 principles. I spent my first few years in Tai Chi with the Society before I realised that what they were teaching was completely worthless. weiliquan, I like this master So do I. He makes me laugh!!!! Another "Master" using his magical power to throw his own students all over the room!! Very best wishes
