Doing the unthinkable.....

[Chat Noir]

Hi folks,

I'm going to be starting Tai Chi this month. An article I read recently with Jet Li pushing to get Tai Chi out there had me thinking about my own issues with anxiety and knee problems (arthritis). I'm 43 and the right knee has been especially painful but my doctor's appointment isn't until November so I wanted to see what I could do. I'm not the Tai Chi type with my background in Judo, Wing Chun and JKD but the body speaks.....

I was looking online and found no sites that sell practice weapons and Tai Chi gear. Can anyone recommend good links to check out? Thank you.

Laura

 

[clfsean]

Well weapons are everywhere... you just need a gim & do when ready. Don't worry about those. Your teacher should tell you when & probably where. You're in MA, betcha you can find them in Boston's Chinatown.

As far as "gear"... what are you looking for?

 

[Chat Noir]

Nothing expensive certainly, just practice weapons - wooden, something cheap that I can just use to go through the motions with.

 

[oaktree]

I'm going to be starting Tai Chi this month. An article I read recently with Jet Li pushing to get Tai Chi out there had me thinking about my own issues with anxiety and knee problems (arthritis). I'm 43 and the right knee has been especially painful but my doctor's appointment isn't until November so I wanted to see what I could do. I'm not the Tai Chi type with my background in Judo, Wing Chun and JKD but the body speaks.....

I was looking online and found no sites that sell practice weapons and Tai Chi gear. Can anyone recommend good links to check out? Thank you.

Hmm I would not worry to much about weapons now since just learning the form is more than enough but you will most likely start off with a Jian also known as a sword. You can get a wooden Jian anywhere. At Chen village sometimes they practice with sticks only. I think learning Zhan Zhuang or post standing will help you alot with the pain in your knees because you will be training the leg muscles. Also its important to learn how to sink and open the Gua area which your teacher will show you during the form and Zhan Zhuang. Also Zhan Zhuang may help you with your Anxiety by helping you calm down.

As for Taiji gear comfortable pants and a tshirt and some sneakers works for me.

Also speak with your teacher about your knee he may make some modifications to the form for you.

 

[Chat Noir]

Good advice. I'll wait to see what he starts me on as it may well be posting and the basic steps for a while yet. Thank you.

 

[WC_lun]

You shouldn't need any practice weapons for at least a little while. Gotta learn to walk before you run Just wear loose comfortable clothing and your instructor will let you know if you should purchase anything else, like an uniform

 

[Punchy]

as a side note...I'm in my 40's too and 30 years of MA have taken their toll on my joints too.
I started taking glucosamine/chondroirin and it helped tremendously, you can get that cheap enough at Wal mart, give it a few weeks as it has to build up in your system...also, I take bromelain for inflammation when I have an occasional flair up...it's pineapple extract and you can get it at GNC.

 

[Chat Noir]

as a side note...I'm in my 40's too and 30 years of MA have taken their toll on my joints too.
I started taking glucosamine/chondroirin and it helped tremendously, you can get that cheap enough at Wal mart, give it a few weeks as it has to build up in your system...also, I take bromelain for inflammation when I have an occasional flair up...it's pineapple extract and you can get it at GNC.

Thank you for the info, I'll give it a try.

Laura

 

[Xue Sheng]

Hi folks,

I'm going to be starting Tai Chi this month. An article I read recently with Jet Li pushing to get Tai Chi out there had me thinking about my own issues with anxiety and knee problems (arthritis). I'm 43 and the right knee has been especially painful but my doctor's appointment isn't until November so I wanted to see what I could do. I'm not the Tai Chi type with my background in Judo, Wing Chun and JKD but the body speaks.....

I was looking online and found no sites that sell practice weapons and Tai Chi gear. Can anyone recommend good links to check out? Thank you.

Laura

Not the Taiji type :hmm: what exactly is the taiji type?

What style of Taijiquan are you talking about taking?

And as already stated, I would not worry about weapons since they tend to come later.

 

[furtom]

Well, I'm glad you are doing the unthinkable.

BTW, why "unthinkable? Because your background is more "external"? Is it because you have the impression taiji is for New Age Crispies who delude themselves? LOL

If you have a competent teacher, you'll soon figure out that's all not true. The problem is, good teachers are, in fact, hard to come by.

If the teacher's (and his students') main motivation is "health" then that's probably what you will get. If it's more martial, then you'll get a lot more.

As far as weapons, as has been said, you probably won't need them for a while. Your teacher will tell you when. If he's teaching new students a sword form or something, that would be unusual.

Good luck.

 

[Chat Noir]

Not the Taiji type :hmm: what exactly is the taiji type?

What style of Taijiquan are you talking about taking?

And as already stated, I would not worry about weapons since they tend to come later.

I do Judo, Wing Chun and JKD. I'm into fighting styles that are soft but have spurts of aggression, not the flowery waterfall music in the background as I'm moving barely an inch a minute. I'm just not the type that can sit still long so this will be new for me. Not being able to move my legs or run even to make the trains is depressing as Hell so I'm willing to give anything a try at this point. From what I understand I'll be studying Sun style Tai Chi. [FONT='Times New Roman', Times, serif]PA KUA CHANG and HSING YI CHANG[/FONT] are also taught. Whatever that is......

Laura

 

[Xue Sheng]

I do Judo, Wing Chun and JKD. I'm into fighting styles that are soft but have spurts of aggression, not the flowery waterfall music in the background as I'm moving barely an inch a minute. I'm just not the type that can sit still long so this will be new for me. Not being able to move my legs or run even to make the trains is depressing as Hell so I'm willing to give anything a try at this point. From what I understand I'll be studying Sun style Tai Chi. [FONT='Times New Roman', Times, serif]PA KUA CHANG and HSING YI CHANG[/FONT] are also taught. Whatever that is......

Laura

First I am sorry about the multiple links that are just there and not linked properly but every time I try and ling them to the words of link the videos the page crashes and after 4 tries I give up

Xingyiquan is all about fighting, attack is attack and defense is attack and the training, if trained correctly can be painful
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingyiquan


Baguazhang is circle walking but I am not a bagua guy and there are some on MT that can explain it better than I. But I do know this a good Baguazhang person is a good fighter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baguazhang


Interesting generalization you got there about taiji… Word of advice, if you ever meet a real Zhaobao Taijiquan person… don’t tell them they can’t fight…if they take you seriously it will be a rather painful lesson


It is obvious that you have never seen real Taijiquan seriously taught by a real Taijiquan sifu. First there is no music but there are slow forms in the beginning but depending on style that can be mixed. Chen combines both fast and slow and my flavor of Yang has both fast and slow forms.

Real Taijiquan is a martial art and is loaded with applications and Qinna.

However I am not surprised at your view of Taijiquan since there are very few that are teaching is that actually know it but to be honest your attitude is not good and I doubt you will last long in the class with the view you have. But if it is what you are describing I doubt I would go at all.

The reason I asked what style was because Northern Wu style and Wu style from the Wu family can be hard on the knees. Also due to low stances Chen can be a bit hard on the knees as well.

Yang style Taijiquan push hands – Tung Hu Ling

Fu shengyuan – Yang style

Chen fajin – Chen Xiaowang

Chen Yu

Chen Zhenglei and Chen Bin

Chen Xiaowang Applications

Zhaobao
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llsAtoGumtQ&feature=related

Zhaobao

By the way I went from Jujutsu and TKD to Taijiquan due to a back injury and I had the same exact view of Taiji then that you do now. And for 3 years with my first sifu I was proven right. But the last darn hear 17 with my current sifu I was proven very very wrong.

 

[oaktree]

I do Judo, Wing Chun and JKD. I'm into fighting styles that are soft but have spurts of aggression, not the flowery waterfall music in the background as I'm moving barely an inch a minute. I'm just not the type that can sit still long so this will be new for me. Not being able to move my legs or run even to make the trains is depressing as Hell so I'm willing to give anything a try at this point. From what I understand I'll be studying Sun style Tai Chi. [FONT='Times New Roman', Times, serif]PA KUA CHANG and HSING YI CHANG[/FONT] are also taught. Whatever that is......

Laura

Sun Taijiquan is composed of Taijiquan, Baguazhang and Xingyiquan from Sun Lu Tang. Sun Taijiquan is very distinct flavor of Taijiquan you can see alot of the Bagua influence in the form. Doing the form slowly does have its benefit IMO it allows you to understand the internal principle better then if you did the form fast.
Baguazhang involves circle walking and palm changes the person who practices Bagua uses spiral movement to blend space and distance getting into a person's space or behind. Xingyiquan is like a burst of energy going forward.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Sun style (孫&#27663 taijiquan

Sun Lu-t'ang (Sūn Lùtáng 孙禄&#22530

 

[Chat Noir]

Thanks for the info and all the links. First class is tomorrow night....will see how it goes.....

 

[furtom]

Thanks for the info and all the links. First class is tomorrow night....will see how it goes.....

Looking forward to hearing about it.

 

[Chat Noir]

First class - one of the ladies was knitting outside the steps of the church where the lessons were held. There was "that" music you always hear when in these settings and when you think of Tai Chi. It was pretty stereotypical, but a nice crowd and teacher. I moved like a dork, felt stupid and I was so jumpy, I could do nothing slowly and with ease; I fidgeted the entire class. I do plan to stay with it though since I feel it'll eventually help me with my mobility and I might get more out of it than that if I hang in. We'll see where the river takes me....if only I were better able to go with the flow.

Laura

 

[oaktree]

That music.....oh well it can not all be Megadeth at all times like in Xue sheng class :bangahead:
It's good there was a good teacher sometimes with the group you get normal people but you always get that one guy who is like Tommy Chong.:uhyeah:
It's ok if you move like a dork if it makes you feel better my teacher has to grab my arms and move my body because sometimes I am to dumb to follow his moves:uhyeah: just stick with it and it will come naturally. Be patient sometimes its hard to learn watching the teacher. If you know which style you are learning you can watch videos to help you recall steps but becareful learning from videos for example each top Chen stylist has their own particular flavor.

 

[Chat Noir]

It's Yang style and you're right about YouTube - that was his very first warning second only to going at your own pace and not trying to copy what others are doing if it's not comfortable for where your body is at. I think I just need to keep going and trying to adapt to a new style. Coming from all combative styles, this is just going to be different entirely, but it could be the best thing I've started all year....who knows?


Laura

 

[ride57]

hi, hope you are liking the taichi. I recently started Chen style, and thought my knees would give me trouble, no left ACL (Hapkido sparring) and I had right knee surgery in August (meniscal tear practicing at the dojo Im at now) but the movements are not at all painful, in fact they are relaxing. I to felt like a complete doofus the first time. lol. (Im 54)

Class starts with the entire routine. I try my best to follow along, but depending what shoulder I look over, I will do the mirror image of what is being done (dohhh)

Then he has everybody do up to the point they are at and he walks around helping everybody. I have been adding a couple steps each time. then I repeat up to that point over and over till class is finished.

good luck.