Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

I know the master debate has probably been done over in the past, it is still interesting to this old dead horse beater. The two or three teachers whom I've met over the years who would qualify as "masters" in my book (due to their ability to effortlessly reproduce the subtlest aspects of ...

(In reply to Jerry K.) Yes. Pushing hands without form is equally unbalanced. My comments were aimed at the original poster's question about wanting to master the art. That is why we are lucky to have so many Yang Chengfu Taijiquan centres all around the world. If such isn't available, then the push...

What adds to the practicality of pushing hands are Taijiquan's unique principles of softness and coordination instead of hardness and brute strength. This makes push hands a gateway for anyone, old, young, big, small, male, female, etc., to be able to acquire an efficient technique for self-defence....

Another thing about pushing hands that hasn't been mentioned is its practical utility. I've had the experience that when people say "martial" they are talking about thugs or bandits. For the purposes of traditional Chinese martial arts schools, though, it was well known that one didn't hav...

I agree and encourage people to learn pushing hands if they have the opportunity. It is a powerful training system for conditioning; as well as advanced elements of timing, coordination, positioning and sensititvity. These advanced principles in turn will help inform, explain and improve your hand f...

In an article by an eyewitness to 1954 affair who interviewed both participants, Y.L. Yip, in Qi - The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness Volume 12 No. 3, Autumn 2002, Insight Graphics Publishers, Anaheim Hills, CA; Chen Kefu (the White Crane fighter in the clip "playing" wi...

A way that I was taught to regard song was as sensitivity to the pull of gravity on your entire body. Every part, simultaneously. The same way that you would be minutely sensitive to the incoming push of a pushing hands partner, you could eventually be so sensitive as to be aware of the pull of grav...

It does look like Yang style in the Grasp Bird's Tail - Single Whip transitions, as well in the White Crane - Brush Knee transitions, but the directions are a little different. It reminds me somewhat of Yang Sau-chung's video, and there are things that look like they are right out of Wu Jianquan sty...

This is interesting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIMZKWOaWPI

The sectional teaching method (3 sections and 9 joints) was Wu Gongyi's creation, Sifu Eddie's grandfather. Wu Gongzao gave a description of it in the "Gold Book" for which an English translation is now available from Sifu Eddie Wu's website. Also, Douglas Wile had a translation of the &qu...

Bob,

Very good clip! I hadn't seen it, but that's Sifu Eddie all right.

Conversely, his uncle barely spoke when teaching.

That should have been Wu Daqi (Wu Ta-ch'i), not Wu Dachi, sorry.


The following video is a good example of Wu style pushing hands. These are students of Ao Sigong, disciple of Wu Gongyi and head of the Wu style Singapore school.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McWezZzEODw

I actually started training with a senior student of Wu Daxin who was first a student of his cousin, Wu Dachi. I was able to spend some time in HK and was lucky enough to learn sword forms from Wu Yanxia as well. I've had some seminars over the years from Sifu Eddie, but I'm not close enough to Toro...

Bob, There is an interesting Shuaijiao article in the following back number magazine: Journal of Asian Martial Arts Volume 15, No. 1, 2006. Via Media Publishing, Erie Pennsylvania USA. ISSN 1057-8358 If you can get a hold of it you will see demos of various Shuajiao throws used by the Imperial Guard...