Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

Hi Folks, I was reading through some old topics on the Forum and came across this one, finding it very interesting. I hope you don't mind me restarting it - maybe since 2007 somebody will have a new feeling and enjoy talking about this topic again. I practiced Taiji for about 10 years focusing on Fo...

Hi Folks, I noticed in another thread someone suggested starting a thread on JING vs QI. My simple understanding is that Jing is Qi which has mixed with Shen (spirit) inside the practitioners body through the circulation of Qi through the Heavenly Circle ( main meridian points passing from perineum ...

Hi Folks, I've been off forums for a while - so busy! I really think that fixed and moving step push hands are a bridge to Taiji free fighting. First we learn to get root then to give up root. At the same time we learn how to keep the superior position and to develop many of the Taiji skills spoken ...

Hi Folks, I'm glad you found the article. Li Ya Xuan is my great grand teacher. Im a disciple of this lineage (7th gen from Yang Lu Chan). I have a link to photos of his postures on the "favorite Links" page of the website I made for my teacher and I. Excellent push hands links (video clip...

Hi, One thought is that the front toes may be turned in a little. Sometimes the back foot is at 90 but the front one turned in a little so the total angle created between the feet is still 45 degrees. Also, certain postures feel more natural with the rear foot at 90 degrees and front toes straight f...

Hi, My Shifu does the same thing. He says that sung or relax is the first key to taiji skill and energy. My great grandteacher. Li Ya Xuan wrote an article which includes an explanation of this. I don't have the link in front of me but it can be found on our site dongfangtaiji.5u.com Look at the fav...

Hi DP,


I'm glad you posted about the POB - I didn't know that. It explains alot. I have an antique sword that is full weight and not floppy at the end - the POB is as you said. I thought it was poorly balanced. You learn something new every day! Thanks.

Jamie

Hi WB, Most swords have a bolt welded to the blade. This extension of the blade into the handle is called the tang. In a really high quality sword this would be a solid piece of metal that is part of the blade, not a welded extension. I have yet to see a Taiji sword like this. Most have the bolt wel...

Hi Lodro, I do the Traditional Yang Style 55 Sword Form. When I was learning it I found it odd holding a sword while doing Taiji. I think this is the point. With empty hand practice we counter balance to the end of the fingers, with sword we coundter balance to the tip of the sword. Feeling conected...

Hi Yury, Big guys(I'm one)don't really have better root. In fact they are at a disadvantage because their center is usually higher relative to their partner. This makes them easier to uproot. My teacher is small and weighs 110 lbs, I'm 6'2'' and 225 lbs. This makes no difference for him to toss me a...

Hi Guys, I agree with both of you on the points you made. I didn't mean to make a slight about Chen style at all! I know both endeavor to keep to the classics. As for visible fa jing I think it is a slightly different approach in Yang style - more of a wave motion when exaggerated as opposed to rota...

Hi All, Kal, You wrote: An additional thing my teacher mentioned in class recently is to avoid tilting the head from side to side as though dancing to internal music. It’s good to feel the chi moving, but not allow it to dictate the movement. The mind should lead and this focus can keep the head ste...

Hi Yury, To avoid becoming stiff in the neck don't try too hard - begin by using your imagination. I noticed over time that once I could sink that eventually a light energy floated to the top of my head. So focus on relax and sinking energy to the dantien - eventually the spirit will rise - visualiz...

Hi Guys, My 2 cents is that you can use your eyes to follow movements but keep the crown suspended. I've studied photos of YCF and notice that the crown up is important. Even if the body leans over (descending single whip, needle at sea bottom) his crown points up. This means at times the back of th...

Hi Everyone, This string has taken many interesting directions - mental, emotional, spiritual and push hands technique. On the latter, some people consider "resistance" a dirty word in Taiji. They hold that yielding is the only real way. So how do you define resistance? T.T Liang writes th...