Tai Chi book/video/blog recommendations?

[MetalBoar]

So, I started a Yang Tai Chi class a couple of months ago and I'm really enjoying it so far. I've tried tai chi a few times before and outside of my first class over 25 years ago this is the only time I've felt like I've found an instructor who's interested in teaching the whole art including the martial applications. The only downside this time is that it's a large-ish class, all the students are beginners and only a handful have any previous martial arts experience.

This means that we're all at the stage of struggling with the basic movements of the form and it seems that a lot of the class gets overwhelmed if the instructor goes into more than the absolute basics of the principles of the system. I seem to be on the other side of the spectrum and find it much easier to learn the form if I have a clear picture of A) how the movement is intended to be applied in a martial context and B) what principles the style is trying to teach and utilize. The instructor has been great about answering these questions for me both in and out of class, but it is a large class so there are limits to how much of this he can do.

When I get my next tech contract I intend to pay for some private lessons but in the mean time I was hoping for any recommendations that you all might have for good material covering A&B above for tai chi. I'm not primarily looking for instructional videos but I'd be interested if there are any really great ones out there. I'm more interested in material that goes into things like tai chi's approach to power generation, what one should be be learning from push hands and how to best learn those lessons, an analysis of how the movements in the form relate to martial application, those sorts of things.

Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Xue Sheng]

When you say Yang Taiji.... do you mean traditional (88, 108, etc. , depending on how you count) or what is actually the Beijing 24 form?

Also understand, not all martial applications to the various postures are obvious. And many of the postures have multiple applications.

And martial arts applications in Yang Taijiquan are not as forceful as you might find in other styles of Chinese Martial arts

 

[MetalBoar]

When you say Yang Taiji.... do you mean traditional (88, 108, etc. , depending on how you count) or what is actually the Beijing 24 form?

We're doing the traditional long form.

Also understand, not all martial applications to the various postures are obvious. And many of the postures have multiple applications.

It's funny, I've been practicing martial arts for years and have tried a lot of different styles but I've done almost nothing that incorporated forms/kata outside of my attempts at tai chi and I'm a complete novice at tai chi. It makes sense to me that there can be multiple applications for many of the postures and I would go further and say that as a beginner there are a number of postures for which I see no obvious application at all but I assume it's usually in there someplace or at least they're a bridge to a martial application. I have found that when I'm shown at least one appropriate martial application for a posture that it's a lot easier for me to do the movement without just feeling like I'm waving my arms around in a vague approximation of what the instructor demonstrated and start to look and feel a lot more like I'm doing things properly. If you feel there's a flaw to that approach please let me know.

And martial arts applications in Yang Taijiquan are not as forceful as you might find in other styles of Chinese Martial arts

Do you mean less useful for martial application or more dependent upon proper execution and less reliant on force to achieve a powerful result?

Thanks!

 

[Xue Sheng]

We're doing the traditional long form.

Read two books
The Essence and Applications of Taijiquan Paperback Yang Chengfu
Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan Paperback by Fu Zhongwen

It's funny, I've been practicing martial arts for years and have tried a lot of different styles but I've done almost nothing that incorporated forms/kata outside of my attempts at tai chi and I'm a complete novice at tai chi. It makes sense to me that there can be multiple applications for many of the postures and I would go further and say that as a beginner there are a number of postures for which I see no obvious application at all but I assume it's usually in there someplace or at least they're a bridge to a martial application. I have found that when I'm shown at least one appropriate martial application for a posture that it's a lot easier for me to do the movement without just feeling like I'm waving my arms around in a vague approximation of what the instructor demonstrated and start to look and feel a lot more like I'm doing things properly. If you feel there's a flaw to that approach please let me know.

I came from TKD and Japanese Jujutsu and while with my first Shifu I thought I had Taiji all figured out. Then when I went to my second shifu, who was traditional Yang, I realized I knew next to nothing.

Do you mean less useful for martial application or more dependent upon proper execution and less reliant on force to achieve a powerful result?

Thanks!

Proper execution with only the power/force necessary, preferably the force/power of the other guy

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

We're doing the traditional long form. ... there are a number of postures for which I see no obvious application at all but I assume it's usually in there someplace or at least they're a bridge to a martial application.

If you are talking about 108 move long Yang form, each and every move in that form have application. If you see a move has "no obvious application", that move must be taught wrong. If you list those moves here, we can talk about the application.

 

[Xue Sheng]

@MetalBoar

Another book you might find helpful

Cheng Tzu's Thirteen Treatises on T'ai Chi Ch'uan by Cheng Man-ch'ing

Video wise, looking for applications, look to a video of the Beijing (Yang) 24 form by Shou-Yu Liang (Liang Shouyu). Since 24 form is based on Yang style (not from the Yang family by the way) some of Liang Shouyu's applications are quite applicable.

 

[MetalBoar]

Read two books
The Essence and Applications of Taijiquan Paperback Yang Chengfu
Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan Paperback by Fu Zhongwen

My instructor recommended the first book you listed and said it would be a good place to start but that it probably wouldn't provide all the information I want. I had been considering the second one as well but have only seen it for sale on line where it's hard to get a feel for the content. It's good to know that it's worth a read.

@MetalBoar

Another book you might find helpful

Cheng Tzu's Thirteen Treatises on T'ai Chi Ch'uan by Cheng Man-ch'ing

Video wise, looking for applications, look to a video of the Beijing (Yang) 24 form by Shou-Yu Liang (Liang Shouyu). Since 24 form is based on Yang style (not from the Yang family by the way) some of Liang Shouyu's applications are quite applicable.

This book looks promising too, thanks for the recommendation. I see that Shou-Yu Liang has a lot of videos out both for sale and on youtube. I'll take a look.

Thanks!

 

[MetalBoar]

If you are talking about 108 move long Yang form, each and every move in that form have application. If you see a move has "no obvious application", that move must be taught wrong. If you list those moves here, we can talk about the application.

Yes, we're doing the 108 move long Yang form. I think the fault is probably mine, I think my instructor is doing a good job but I don't have the right background to pick up on everything as fast as I want to. It's a large class and we've only been meeting once a week for a couple of months so I'm very new. Starting just after the new year there'll be 2 classes per week, which I think will be much better.

If you list those moves here, we can talk about the application.

That's a very generous offer, I'll definitely ask some questions about the moves that I'd like to know more about. Thank you!

 

[KabutoKouji]

https://www.amazon.com/Tai-Chi-Chuan-Martial-Applications-ebook/dp/B01I3O8L28

(for transparency I do practice with YMAA)