Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

Dear Audi, Perhaps you were misled by some of the earlier replies. Most people, when delivering a punch, do so with the knuckles up or to the outside of their body. As such, when performing a ward-off technique to the right, the right arm should go under the punch and before the right elbow. The lef...

Dear Audi, There have been many good suggestions in the above thread. A willing partner can be helpful in your learning experience. One thing to remember is that the motions and applications are all dynamic. While a static position is helpful to understand the specific application, the application r...

Dear Wui, Push hands training is of negligable benefit until you know how to move within the Tai Chi form. If you don't know how to relax and let your body move in the appropriate way, the exercise will become a physical match. Push hands provides a means to guage your energy and to also guage the e...

Hi Steve, Just one further thought brought to the surface based on this discussion. Usually, in push hands practice with another person, one or two hands/arms are used to interact with the force. Also useful are the sticky hands type skill. I suspect that a similar type of exercise could be performe...

Hi Steve, I agree that "retreat" is not correct. I would suggest that a move to the other's weak side to a defensible position makes more sense. I'm not sure there is a word for that. As for not letting someone lift your leg. If someone attempts this and fails, then in a sense the event ha...

One method that was not discussed in the above is simply using internal chi energy to link with the ground. Using this type of energy, which takes some mastery to apply, can make one's foot 'stick' to the ground so that it can not be lifted by the opponent. This technique does take a strong, calm mi...

The original question posed was the appropriate response when a wrestler attempts to uproot a tai chi person by lifting one or more legs. This thread has gotten bogged down in describing the different types of energy involved rather than answering the original question. In this topic, the question s...

Forgive my jumping in at the end of this useful discussion, however I may provide some different views on this subject. Recently, I have attended several workshops on the subject of push hands, with different instructors. This has been very valuable experience. From most of the instruction, the emph...

Hi DavidJ, I do agree mostly with your thoughts on the speed of the form. Usually, when I practice, I complete a long form in about 20 minutes. At that speed, I can control the form, breathing and flow of energy at the same time. Sometimes, I also do the form very slowly, taking up to an hour to com...

Michael, what you say is correct up to a point. My teacher has said that working harder is not effective. One needs to practice and listen to the body. Mental knowledge is helpful to analyze what might be going on, but it is a hindrence when performing Tai Chi itself. The first principle is to relax...

gene: I have been taught somewhat differently. In general, the waist controls the legs as well as the arms, and in most cases, the weight shift is accomplished as the waist turns. However, in Wave Hands like Clouds, the weight shift is accomplished earlier. After stepping out with the left foot, the...

This has been a very interesting thread, to speculate about the spins in Tai Chi. I have been taught the Yang style form from a slightly different lineage, but perhaps more direct than most of these respondents. The issue of spins has never arisen in the form I have been taught, since while the body...

David and Michael, I agree with you whole heartedly. But I am also realistic. Having an ideal is a worthy goal, but it is not always obtainable. Take the least action that keeps a situation in control, and the least action that leads to harm to another. These are good precepts to live by and practic...

I have studied Tai Chi for several years and have followed the thread of discussion here. Make no mistake, most all of the moves in Tai Chi have elements of attack and defense, if properly applied (and practiced). The only move that I don't know if it has an attack feature is the form closure. Tai C...