Hard decision

[Xue Sheng]

After much thinking, introspection and meditation I have come to a rather difficult decision. It is not necessary to announce this but for some reason I want to.

After almost 17 years of taijiquan and most of that with the same Taijiquan Sifu I have decided to either retire from or take an extended hiatus from all taijiquan training, which it is exactly at this point I am not sure. This is no reflection on my Sifu, I am of the opinion that there is no better Sifu on the planet to train Yang style taijiquan with, there may be some equally as good, but none better.

I have decided I need to focus on other things while I am still young enough to do so and if I am to try and focus on those, like I feel I should, I will have no time to train taijiquan in the way I feel it should be trained. Part of that focus will still be on training Sanda with my Sanda Sifu and on Xingyiquan (most unfortunately on my own again) but at this point I have discontinued any regular training or teaching of Taijiquan (I was assisting my Sifu in teaching).

I will also be pursuing Yoga and more physical fitness (cardio and strength training) which if it goes the way I want it to I am going to give another MA a try for a bit.

Possibly more on that later…

 

[tshadowchaser]

That training that you already have will not leave you and I am sure you will find time to do your exercises and forms once in a while.
I commend you on your courage to try something new and to expand your knowledge base.
My best to you and may only good come to you in your pursuit of knowledge

 

[Kacey]

You have to do what is right for you - at this point, it sounds like you have determined which course you need to take, and are on your way down your new path. Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

 

[marlon]

Trying something new is wonderful XS. I would ask you to continue to practice your form once or twice a day. With all that you have put into it, i think that the form itself will begin to teach you, while you are pursuing other interests. I understand a little of the level of comititment you fell is necessary to give taiji and your teacher justice and it is easy to say all or nothing, however, it cannot take away from what you want to do to practice your form, simply and sincerely once or twice a day. It will enhance everything different that you want to do for you. You have learned enough form your sifu for this much to be able to benefit you greatly. my humble thoughts

Respectfully,
Marlon

 

[Nolerama]

Sounds like you're expanding your knowledge. There's nothing wrong with that.

Besides, Yoga is a great way to relax and become more flexible at the same time.

Good luck in your journey.

 

[tellner]

It's not bad to take a sabbatical once in a while.

 

[arnisador]

I agree. If you do come back it'll be with a new and broader perspective.

 

[exile]

I agree with the above, XS... but I'm also wondering what's the fundamental concern driving this decision?

 

[theletch1]

It doesn't sound as if you're looking for advice here so I won't attempt to give any. What I will give is a heartfelt "Good luck" in the other training that you have decided to pursue. As to another MA, any idea what direction you'd be interested in moving?

 

[morph4me]

I wish you the best in whatever direction you choose to go

 

[Sukerkin]

I can only echo what others have said above, Xue.

We can't help being nosy as to wondering why the decision has come about - forgive us .

 

[Tames D]

Good luck and Godspeed (I always wanted to say that) my fellow CMA brother.

Btw, I plan on increasing my Yoga training also. Let's compare notes as we progress...

 

[Touch Of Death]

After much thinking, introspection and meditation I have come to a rather difficult decision. It is not necessary to announce this but for some reason I want to.

After almost 17 years of taijiquan and most of that with the same Taijiquan Sifu I have decided to either retire from or take an extended hiatus from all taijiquan training, which it is exactly at this point I am not sure. This is no reflection on my Sifu, I am of the opinion that there is no better Sifu on the planet to train Yang style taijiquan with, there may be some equally as good, but none better.

I have decided I need to focus on other things while I am still young enough to do so and if I am to try and focus on those, like I feel I should, I will have no time to train taijiquan in the way I feel it should be trained. Part of that focus will still be on training Sanda with my Sanda Sifu and on Xingyiquan (most unfortunately on my own again) but at this point I have discontinued any regular training or teaching of Taijiquan (I was assisting my Sifu in teaching).

I will also be pursuing Yoga and more physical fitness (cardio and strength training) which if it goes the way I want it to I am going to give another MA a try for a bit.

Possibly more on that later…

Welcome to Kenpo :ultracool

 

[Xue Sheng]

You have to do what is right for you - at this point, it sounds like you have determined which course you need to take, and are on your way down your new path. Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

I agree. If you do come back it'll be with a new and broader perspective.

Thanks and I will and I’m not going anywhere I will still be on MT trying to temp others to the dark side and yakin' my fool head off :EG:

Trying something new is wonderful XS. I would ask you to continue to practice your form once or twice a day. With all that you have put into it, i think that the form itself will begin to teach you, while you are pursuing other interests. I understand a little of the level of comititment you fell is necessary to give taiji and your teacher justice and it is easy to say all or nothing, however, it cannot take away from what you want to do to practice your form, simply and sincerely once or twice a day. It will enhance everything different that you want to do for you. You have learned enough form your sifu for this much to be able to benefit you greatly. my humble thoughts

There is much of the issue, what I feel training Taijiquan is, I tend to agree with my Sifu and his Sifu. It is best to train the long form 3 times a day (and there is at leat an hour) and then every other form you know as well at least once and for me that is 2 fast forms, 2 Dao forms, 1 Jain form (ok now I am at least 2 hours into it). And after that one should train 3 step and 4 corner push hands (One side only and now I am at 2.5 to 3 hours). But prior to any of that you should do the Qigong and I know 2 forms taught to me by my Sifu (And now 3.5 to 4 hours). I have not been able to accomplish this training on any regular basis for over a year. So I went to long form once a day, Tung Ying Chieh’s long form once a day and alternate everything else. However I find I am being drawn in other directions at the moment and to do any of that training justice I need to stop the Taiji for now at least. I am going to try and do all of the forms at least once a week with possibly the exception of the Jain, I really don’t like the Jain much, which has got me labeled a butcher :EG: by another Taiji person on MT . In my CMA career I have learned several Jain forms and I can only remember one and that is the Yang Jain form I most recently learned.

Basically I just don't have time at the moment and I really want to focuse on other things.

I have of late caught myself saying Taiji is either for the young or the old... just becuae they have more time that us middle aged folks

I agree with the above, XS... but I'm also wondering what's the fundamental concern driving this decision?

Time mostly, and in part Xingyiquan. I have wanted to train and learn Xingyiquan since I first read about it in a magazine in the early 70s and I have had 2 sifus of varying levels of skill and it is time to see if I can really get on top of this, if I can then look for a high level sifu, preferably in North America it is just a lot easier to get there than China, since I currently live in North America . Also my Taiji sifu has nothing against Xingyiquan…. Just as long as I treat it like a warm-up… And if I can't get a handle on it move on.

And there are other reasons as well but I will likely get more into that later, Lord knows I don’t know when to shut-up sometimes... case in point... this whole thread :uhyeah:

It doesn't sound as if you're looking for advice here so I won't attempt to give any. What I will give is a heartfelt "Good luck" in the other training that you have decided to pursue. As to another MA, any idea what direction you'd be interested in moving?

More on that later, assuming all this other exercise gets me into the shape I need to survive and not give my wife a whole lot of acupuncture business. But I am probably more surprised than anyone else that I am seriously considering this, could be the teacher, could be I have decided I need to spend time in a hospital too If you are pushing 50 it is probably best to just stay with what you know, but then I have been called crazy more than once in my life. But beyond that I am training a lot more Sanda these days and I am again doing Xingyiquan on my own and that needs a lot of focus and DAMN that Sanda stuff is fun and a lot more similar to taijiquan that I originally thought.

I can only echo what others have said above, Xue.

We can't help being nosy as to wondering why the decision has come about - forgive us .

Forgive :disgust:...NEVER!!! :mst: :uhyeah:

I can’t help but wonder how I came to this decision either, but I am pretty sure it has to do with being evil and enjoying beating trees :EG:

I expect people to be curious it is no big deal and I almost did not post this at all and was going to wait and see if I actually got to where I wanted to go first and then post then.

No one is more surprised than I am actually and there is not a day that goes by that I don’t say to myself “What am I crazy!!! Now go take a nap in your recliner and just forget this silliness.”

Truth is it is really not that big a deal I just need to stop training something for a bit to see what comes of it.

Good luck and Godspeed (I always wanted to say that) my fellow CMA brother.

Me to and DAMN IT!!!! I still haven’t been able to

Btw, I plan on increasing my Yoga training also. Let's compare notes as we progress...

Works for me,, I am doing Power Yoga right now but I’m seriously considering going to an Iyengar school near my office. The only problem is I NEVER fit in at a Yoga school or at least I didn’t the last time I went to a Kripalu school. They are all so very nice, calm and peaceful and all I want to do is stretch-out, do the postures and go hit trees :EG:

Bottom-line I guess is I see an opportunity to train with someone that impresses the heck out of me via his resume, but it is in a style that I have always had great respect for but never really trained (ok I did 2 weeks a while back but that doesn’t count). Also I really need to do some hard training again, it has been awhile. This Sanda stuff is just too cool and it has got be jonesen for a beating I guess :EG:


Thanks everybody (ok time to stop I am now starting to sound like Dr nick)

I will keep everyone posted

 

[Xue Sheng]

Welcome to Kenpo :ultracool

You don't know how close you actually are.... kinda sorta maybe but no :EG:

 

[JadecloudAlchemist]

Xue
In your past posts thru time you spoke or hinted at Hsing Yi. I knew it was only a matter of time before you started training in it again.

I think it is wise to take a break from Tai Chi because doing to much will not do any of the arts justice but I think in time you will come back to Tai Chi or balance things out. In the end you have to follow your heart wrong or right a lesson awaits for you.

BTW have fun in Santi :highfive:

 

[Xue Sheng]

Xue
In your past posts thru time you spoke or hinted at Hsing Yi. I knew it was only a matter of time before you started training in it again.

I think it is wise to take a break from Tai Chi because doing to much will not do any of the arts justice but I think in time you will come back to Tai Chi or balance things out. In the end you have to follow your heart wrong or right a lesson awaits for you.

BTW have fun in Santi :highfive:

Wuji, Zhan Zhuang and then (insert evil laughter) Santi :EG:.

Thanks and I suspect you are correct.

Actually I was just reading a good article on Wuji today about the (acupuncture) points I should be thinking about, I never new what points to think about before, to open up and allow yourself to relax at the very beginning of Wuji.

Actually it discussed about 4 postures that start with Wuji and end with Santi although the 2 in between were short lived by comparison to how long you stand in Wuji and Santi it was an interesting take on alignment and positioning.

Now just as long as a Bajiquan sifu doesn’t show up out of no where I will stay the course

 

[newGuy12]

Well, it is all Kenpo eventually! <newGuy12 ducks>

Seriously, though, the Iyengar Students are probably very strong.

I have to start to do this Yoga myself! I only need to get the morning ritual going, and it will be mine!

All the Best, Sir,

Robert

 

[kidswarrior]

Crazy CMA guy! 3.5-4 hours training a day, for a family man, has to be a bit of a strain. I can certainly see how someone might look for ways to streamline that.

BTW, I was about 50 when I seriously began San Soo. Wasn't really a brilliant choice, but I haven't been accused of being smart very often in life (but X S, I bet you haven't either, have you? :rofl. Anyway. It was great, I loved it, but the body's old injuries (cervical vertebrae chips, knees that are now less hinge joints, and more like ball joints, etc., etc. ad nauseum ) kinda forced me to back off the structured classes where people with less skill level in the MA's might hurt their partner (me!). And being in a wheelchair would definitely cramp any future San Soo training, so I backed off that. But it's still the backbone of what I do--and teach, so all in all, a good decision for me. I sense a similar serendipitous outcome awaiting you, Xue. :bangahead:

 

[IcemanSK]

Change is often very hard. If wish you all the best in this next step in your journey.