Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

I bought a book "Starting and Running your Own Martial Arts School" by Karen Levitz Vactor and Susan Lynn Peterson, Ph.D. which I thought we could use to have some discussions about how to be more successful. I thought I would periodically type the table of contents entry for a chapter and we could discuss it.
Section One: Starting a Successful Martial Arts School
Chapter One: Build a Successful Marketing Identity
Focus on your Image
Your School's Image
Your Own Personal Image
The Image you Project
Examine Your Features- What do you have?
Determine the Benefits - What's in it for them
Develop your marketing Identity
Choose a Name that reflects your image

Mike

Your School's Image

What's a good image for a tai chi school? I was teaching some older ladies, and when I was showing the application of one of the tai chi movements, one of them walked away from the group. She said she didn't think knowing that was necessary for learning the form, and I disagreed. She later quit the group because she didn't want tai chi to be about fighting. This group had had previous teachers and I think none of them had ever shown how the movements could be used.

So, the image of "tai chi as a martial art" disagrees with some people. How would "tai chi for health" be taught differently?

Mike

Hello Mike.
I think that the concept of Taichi, as a martial art is very clear for people who is practicing it for some years, and is close to Yang Family. But not everybody has this idea so clear. Most people has heard of Tai Chi as "something" like Yoga, very good for health, easy to learn,etc. And, as your old lady student, are not interested in learning how to fight. Maybe you have to separate classes, teach the same to the old ladies, but without showing applications, just the form (at least, at the begining). But this depends on how many classes you teach. Maybe you could give some classes for seniors and some regular classes for everyone who wants to learn Taichi as a whole.
I give a few classes a week, so I can´t split them. People who are not interested, simply give up. And in a natural process, I keep on teaching to people who is really interested.
Kind regards,
Rubén

Mike Lucero,

than name sounds so very familiar. I graduated HS in Mt Vernon WA, 1974.... Do I know you?

Bruce Eastman
Boise Idaho

Sorry, I grew up in Southern California.

OK, I was just curious.....

Anyway I have been doing some Martial Art my whole adult life (35 yrs now!) and my goal is to start a Tai Chi practice/school in conjunction with my Family Nurse Practice here in Boise Idaho. My vision is that health care should include preventative practices of diet, exercise and positive energy. All of this is embodied in Tai Chi practice.

I will be finished with school July 2012. Any thoughts or ideas on this venture?

Bruce E
Idaho

I have been into Martial Arts too, and for a while thinking of putting up my Own Martial Arts business, but what was the main problem is the teacher or instructor. I have already the place but I can find an instructor for my martial arts business. I'm still looking for an affordable and good one.

What you do in Tai Chi Chuan for health, and what you do for fighting are interwoven. It's a shame that people are misunderstanding the basic elements of what it is, and that you have to change according to what they are willing to learn. If you are a music teacher, and someone just wants to learn a few common chords, and maybe a few songs... You would tell them 'sorry, but I teach what I teach, and you can either learn it or find another teacher. Although I would try to explain why, people who aren't willing to put faith/trust in their (or any) teacher will not go far. If they already know what they want to learn, why don't they teach? Like in school when the teacher says 'Oh, so if you know so well what should or shouldn't be taught, why don't you come up to the front and teach?' Lol. I have much pity for people with this foolishness, what did life do to them to make them this way? Stubborn know-it-alls. Good luck.

Greetings,
Each "school" has their own purpose, aims and objectives. There are "schools" that focus on the martial, others on physical health and well-being, others on specific 'health conditions' or even yoga-like meditation. And those that do a combination of these. If your school is advertised as, martial, then clearly that is what the focus is and any student having different ideas can find themselves a different school to suit their needs. That being said, Taijiquan is a martial art but within which exists many dimensions. However, there are now Taiji schools that have departed from the martial aspects totally and often the instructors themselves have no knowledge or understanding of the martial origins of what they teach. Very sad. Arguably, I would hesitate to call them Taiji schools, if all they do is a rote execution of some semblance of a Taiji form and little else. Better they should call themselves, Qigong schools, and then we might all be much happier?
Take care,
Frank

Frank,
I understand what you're saying about some schools not teaching/understanding the martial art of TCC and calling themselves Taiji/Tai Chi.
However, I have a different understanding.
The martial aspect in the name Tai Chi Chuan/Taijiquan is the Chuan/quan. The Tai Chi/Taiji reflects only on the origin or basis of the art, Tai Chi/Taiji theory, and really doesn't have anything to do with the "martial art", only the Chuan/quan does with it's meaning of "fist/martial art".
So calling what they're doing "Taiji or Tai Chi" really is fine by me. It reflects what they're at least ostensibly teaching. Taiji theory based movement.
Calling it "Tai Chi Chuan/Taijiquan" and not teaching any part of the martial art...
That's a whole different story.

Just my two cents.

Bob

Greetings!
Sorry, I had been a pest on the site since I have become a member. It seems like I am given the impression that I knew it all. Please have mercy and forgive my annoyance. Since I am retiring and want to be healthy, anything I want to do is pertaining to Tai Ji. I like to master this great art by study, research, write articles, teach and practice the barehand form as well as the sword. Best of all is to chat with my Tai Ji friends in this forum.

Speaking about the 太極拳（Tai Ji Chuan/Quan). I would like to put in my two cents worth. From where I came from, as a Chinese native, 太極拳 is considered as a martial art of exercise. The art is very inclusive. It depends how one wants to look at it to serve one's purpose. BTW There is no difference between the term 太極 (Tai Ji) or 太極拳（Tai Ji Chuan). Tai Ji (太極) is just short for 太極拳（Tai Ji Chuan). In reality, people are referring that both are the same thing. One can practice any set of movements for health benefits without realizing that the martial feature is immanent. However, if one has decided to adapt the martial feature, then one can change the art into a martial mode without any restriction. It was ready to go.

It would be nice to move on to the next topic suggested by the poster, as he is going through the book.

Your Own Personal Image
The Image you Project

The question is "Are you a mentor, professor, drill sergeant?..." And then, what would that image look like to your students, and do you project that image, or is it only in your mind. You may need to make goals to project the image to others that you have of yourself.