CMC style

[marlon]

Any onfo on this style pros and cons and why the differences from Yang family style and also any good teachers in the Montreal to Boston area?

Respectfully,
Marlon

 

[dmax999]

I'll have to say William CC Chen is probably one of the best. He is located in New York City. He also does seminars about the country.

The form is done "more relaxed" then traditional Yang (In quotes because its not an entirely true statement but for beginners it makes better sense). The stances in the form are more upright, and there are numerous little changes. Yang family does not consider CMC's style to be offical Yang style in any way.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Agreed William CC Chen is definitely one of the best for CMC and he is very martial art oriented. He has 2 teachers in Massachusetts and one in Canada that are listed on his site

William C. C. Chen Tai Chi Chuan
http://www.williamccchen.com/

http://www.williamccchen.com/teachers.htm#ma

Sifu Jimmy Morris
South Shore Internal Arts Association
33 Railroad Avenue - suite 2
Duxbury, MA 02332
phone: 781-934-7880
fax: 781-934-8220
email: [email protected]
website: www.southshoreinternalarts.com

Sifu Alan Shapiro
99 High Street
Newton, MA 02164
phone: 617-244-2499

British Columbia
Sifu Robert Morris
7-7218 Progress Way
Delta British Columbia
Canada
phone: 604-306-9423
email: [email protected]

 

[grappling_mandala]

"and why the differences from Yang family style"

Lets not overlook the important question:

Further questions concerning CMC's interpretation of Yangs form:

1. CMC form structure is Yangs108 3rd section "simplified".
2. Single Whip (Hips 45 deg closed vs. 45 deg opened)
2. Missing pieces of grasp sparrow sequence in CMC style?
4. Maiden Hands?

Some of these differences are address is Yang Cheng Fu's son's book on Yang Style. He also address CMC's co-author/editorship of Yangs book in 1934. He states a number of observations clearly in the last few pages of his book. I believe that book was published in 1954?

 

[Xue Sheng]

Some of the differences are also addressed in Cheng Manching's book
Cheng Tzu's 13 treatises on Tai Chi Chuan
(EDIT: I recommend this book to any one practicing Tai Chi)

I do traditional Yang style and have for many years but I did give CMC a try in the William CC Chen line and I did like it but I am a Traditional Yang Style Person (Tung Ying Chieh line) and remain so.

But I will say this for CC Chen that I do not see in many traditional Yang schools; he is very interested in the martial side.

 

[tshadowchaser]

I have heard good things about Sifu Alan Shapiro
but have never met him myslef

 

[pete]

story i heard was that w.chen was already teaching in nyc when cmc arrived, and what cmc began teaching here was nothing like what he taught back in taiwan. chen continued to teach 'old style cmc', prob'ly why its well regarded martially...no faerie ladyfingers~

 

[East Winds]

marlon,

I've posted this link before, but it gives a fairly even and unbiased comparison of the CMC and Traditonal Yang Family forms.

http://sataichi.com/compare.html

Very best wishes

 

[Xue Sheng]

story i heard was that w.chen was already teaching in nyc when cmc arrived, and what cmc began teaching here was nothing like what he taught back in taiwan. chen continued to teach 'old style cmc', prob'ly why its well regarded martially...no faerie ladyfingers~

I have not heard that story but it would not surprise me.

I can say William CC Chen got here in 1962 and Cheng Manching did not arrive in the US until 1964 I believe

 

[dmax999]

story i heard was that w.chen was already teaching in nyc when cmc arrived, and what cmc began teaching here was nothing like what he taught back in taiwan. chen continued to teach 'old style cmc', prob'ly why its well regarded martially...no faerie ladyfingers~

I didn't think this sounded accurate, so I checked up and found this autobiography by William CC Chen.
http://www.williamccchen.com/biograph.htm
This should clarify his history. It looks like he originally started studying Tai Chi under CMC and never anyone else. I thought I remembered him saying he knew a different CMA before he started Tai Chi and had been in numerous full contact fights before he learned Tai Chi, but I can't be sure on what I remember of that.

I believe William CC Chen has made his own set of changes to what he learned from CMC. However, his is probably one of the closest to true CMC as you can find plus he is a very excellent teacher.

 

[East Winds]

William CC Chen came to Scotland 3 or 4 years ago and I had the privelage of pushing with him. Although I am not CMC enthusiast, I must agree with others about his ability.

Very best wishes

 

[Xue Sheng]

I believe William CC Chen has made his own set of changes to what he learned from CMC. However, his is probably one of the closest to true CMC as you can find plus he is a very excellent teacher.

Yes he has, just see his article on the 3 nails and you will see a major difference.

http://www.williamccchen.com/3nails.htm

William CC Chen came to Scotland 3 or 4 years ago and I had the privelage of pushing with him. Although I am not CMC enthusiast, I must agree with others about his ability.

Very best wishes

Same here only differences were in was not in Scotland in was in New York and this past year

I was very impressed by William CC Chen and his skill. I was also extremely impressed by his views on Tai Chi and how it works for fighting from his idea of the 3 nails to how you should move your hand and fingers for a punch. He is highly skilled, the real deal and very interested in all aspects of tai chi including the martial side.

I would love to spend a lot of time training with him, and this is coming form a long time traditional Yang guy who once called CMC style too soft.

One of the people he lists as a teacher does live close to me, however our schedules do not even come close to matching up, but who knows maybe later.

 

[marlon]

Thank you all very much. Hopefully, i will find a cmc teacher asa i feel drawn to the style based on what has been discussed here (XS i will look for that book). For now i will learn the 103 Yang family form and see were things lead. Any tips on practice and training is certainly more than welcome.

respectfully,
Marlon

 

[marlon]

Great articles,
and clips of the forms or push hands for the cmc style?

Respectfully,
Marlon
many thanks again...this stuff is very exciting!!

 

[marlon]

"and why the differences from Yang family style"

Lets not overlook the important question:

Further questions concerning CMC's interpretation of Yangs form:

1. CMC form structure is Yangs108 3rd section "simplified".
2. Single Whip (Hips 45 deg closed vs. 45 deg opened)
2. Missing pieces of grasp sparrow sequence in CMC style?
4. Maiden Hands?

Some of these differences are address is Yang Cheng Fu's son's book on Yang Style. He also address CMC's co-author/editorship of Yangs book in 1934. He states a number of observations clearly in the last few pages of his book. I believe that book was published in 1954?

Do you know the title of the book?

Marlon

 

[marlon]

"and why the differences from Yang family style"

Lets not overlook the important question:

Further questions concerning CMC's interpretation of Yangs form:

1. CMC form structure is Yangs108 3rd section "simplified".
2. Single Whip (Hips 45 deg closed vs. 45 deg opened)
2. Missing pieces of grasp sparrow sequence in CMC style?
4. Maiden Hands?

Some of these differences are address is Yang Cheng Fu's son's book on Yang Style. He also address CMC's co-author/editorship of Yangs book in 1934. He states a number of observations clearly in the last few pages of his book. I believe that book was published in 1954?

Do you practice this style?

Marlon

 

[East Winds]

marlon,

There is a book by Yang Zhen Ji (Yang Cheng-fu's 2nd son) : "Yang Chengfu shi taijiquan" (Yang Chengfu Style Taijiquan) Published by Guangxi Minzu Chubanshe in 1993 : It is in Chinese.

or the book by his 3rd son
"Yang Style Taijiquan" by Yang Zhen Duo : Morning Glory Publishers Beijing
ISBN 7-5054-0481-4/G*0100 (In English)

or there is "The Essence and Applications of Taijiquan" by Yang Chengfu himself and published in 1934 it has been translated by Louis Swaim in 2005 and published by North Atlantic Books ISBN 1-55643-545-2

Interestingly enough this last book was probably "ghost written" by Cheng Man Ching and based on an earlier book byTung Ying Chieh (Taijiquan shiyongfa) written in 1931.

The Yang Zhen Duo and Louis Swaim books are both available from Amazon.

Hope this helps

Very best wishes

 

[marlon]

Perfect. Thak you very much. Now i have a Christmas gift to get for myself...

Respectfully,
Marlon

 

[wuchi]

Marlon,

Have you done any other tai chi before? Why such a deep interest in CMC tai chi?

As for myself I regard myself first and foremost a devoted tai chi practitioner, and second a dedicated CMC tai chi practitioner. It was only by chance I learnt this particular style of tai chi.

 

[marlon]

Marlon,

Have you done any other tai chi before? Why such a deep interest in CMC tai chi?

As for myself I regard myself first and foremost a devoted tai chi practitioner, and second a dedicated CMC tai chi practitioner. It was only by chance I learnt this particular style of tai chi.

I am learning the 103 Yang form from a Yang family school. I did learn qi gong from a taiji master...i do not know which style, but the school was called 7 stars. His name was Irving Leoung. He told me to continue further i would need to take up taiji, but at the time i did not have more free time nor the proper inclination. Many of the very high level shaolin kempo people with F.Villari practice CMC taiji. the higher stance and differing waist rotation and from the discussions on this forum are what make me want to do this style. Also, i just feel drawn to it, for an unexplicable reason i feel that it has the answers i am looking to articulate.

Respectfully,
marlon