Sun Style Taijiquan

[Xue Sheng106 23]

After 30 years of traditional Yang, a few years of Chen, some CMC, and bit of Wu, I have to say, Sun Taijiquan is where I need to be and what I need to be training.

Even though many call it old people taijiquan, to me, it is the most obviously martial of all the styles I have trained. Could be my background in Xingyiquan, could be my current involvement (currently on hold due to shoulder issues) in Wing Chun, could be any of the other things I have trained, but it just make more sense to me and fits me better than the others have trained. And many of the martial uses are just more obvious to me

Its not easy to pursue though, not a lot of Sun teachers around. There is one west of me about 4 hours and one east of me about 4 hours.... however the one east of me is near Boston Chinatown so he wins. There is also a woman i know that does the Sun competition form, I think I will contact her soon as well. I did learn a short form years ago that I still do and I am, as much as I am not a fan of this type of learning, I am working with Tim Cartmel's Sun Taijiqusn DVDs.

Still going to pursue Wing Chun and still hoping to give Aikido a try, but as fsr as taijiquan goes ,I guess I am guess I am a Sun style guy.

 

[DanBian]

Nice! I've always wanted to try Sun style. I'd love to explore how the different Taiji/Bagua/Xingyi concepts play together.

 

[Xue Sheng106 23]

Nice! I've always wanted to try Sun style. I'd love to explore how the different Taiji/Bagua/Xingyi concepts play together.

I’ve trained a lot if Taijiquan over the years, also quite a bit of Xingyiquan and even a little Baguazhang. That may be why i like Sun style

 

[punisher73]

There is a person close to where I live, Ed Kehoe that teaches Sun Style Tai Chi, but I think his emphasis is more on the health aspects of it as opposed to using it as a martial art (I could be wrong though only going be the impression I got from his website).

 

[Xue Sheng106 23]

There is a person close to where I live, Ed Kehoe that teaches Sun Style Tai Chi, but I think his emphasis is more on the health aspects of it as opposed to using it as a martial art (I could be wrong though only going be the impression I got from his website).

Most only emphasize the health aspect in all styles of taijiquan these days. Sadly most of the people who know anything about the martial arts side are old guys like me . And the people who really know the depth of it are really old 80, 90s or already passed away.

Sadder yet, almost no one wants to learn the entire style and most taking taijiquan classes have no idea it is anything more than moving meditation.

Short story: at one point my Yang Shifu and I were always working on the martial aspects of taijiquan; kicking, punching, qinna, shuaijiao, etc. At that same time he got a group of new students who were offended by my presence because I was working on the martial arts of their peaceful moving meditation. Had nothing to do with them, they were not even working on it. But apparently I was a negative influence on the positive energy of taijiquan. My shifu did not take them seriously, didn’t care, and we went on doing the same thing. That group eventually stopped coming

 

[DanBian]

Most only emphasize the health aspect in all styles of taijiquan these days. Sadly most of the people who know anything about the martial arts side are old guys like me . And the people who really know the depth of it are really old 80, 90s or already passed away.

While most emphasise the health side, of the half-dozen teaches I've gotten to know, all but one have some degree of martial experience behind their practice - even though they may not teach it.
And the one who had no martial content still had some very interesting body mechanic drills.

I think there's always something to learn from any teacher - even if that lesson is just a confirmation of why a particular thing is incorrect/should be done another way.

 

[Xue Sheng106 23]

While most emphasise the health side, of the half-dozen teaches I've gotten to know, all but one have some degree of martial experience behind their practice - even though they may not teach it.
And the one who had no martial content still had some very interesting body mechanic drills.

I think there's always something to learn from any teacher - even if that lesson is just a confirmation of why a particular thing is incorrect/should be done another way.

Nothing wrong with just teaching or learning for health only. I think it is fine. My only issue is when, like in the thing in my previous post, when they take offense to the martial arts of it and want it to stop. Or in my case, to leave.

I taught taijiquan years ago, had a student interested in the martial side. During class one day he asked me if there was an application to something we just did. I said “Yes, but I’m not teaching that here, we can talk after class” one of my other students, who was actually doing very good with the forms yells “I’m here to learn taiji! Not karate “ and storms out of the room and never came back.

I have been lucky, I’ve had a few teachers that knew the martial side and were willing to teach it. All but one are old Chinese guys (all in their 80s now) who learned in China and Taiwan . The other was an American ( in his late 60s I think, and ironically the only MA teacher I have had that is taller than me) who had an extensive martial arts background, including xingyiquan and baguazhang before he started training taijiquan with… an old Chinese guy from Taiwan, ( in his 80s or 90s)

 

[windwalker099114 144]

While most emphasise the health side, of the half-dozen teaches I've gotten to know, all but one have some degree of martial experience behind their practice - even though they may not teach it.
And the one who had no martial content still had some very interesting body mechanic drills.

I think there's always something to learn from any teacher - even if that lesson is just a confirmation of why a particular thing is incorrect/should be done another way.

My experience was a little different,,,With the teachers acknowalging taiji as a martial art, but focused on building the skill sets that made it so

Recently I had to explain some of my work to park and rec administrators while proposing a few free group classes. In describing what I do, I explained that Taiji is a martial art, though it can be taught and approached in different ways.

My focus is on developing the underlying skill sets that make it so. As those qualities develop, improvements in balance, posture, coordination, and the ability to release unnecessary tension tend to follow naturally.

Health aspects will usually develop regardless of where someone places their focus — Depending on their starting condition how they train, teachers focus...

Whether martial competency develops depends more on the individual’s direction and intent. The skill sets themselves can be tested, which helps clarify how, what, and why one is practicing.

I don’t emphasize health or combat as separate outcome categories. I emphasize cultivating the underlying qualities Taiji is known for — what some might call developing a “Taiji body.” I’m not one to advocate for the health side over its functionality, though in practice the two aren’t really separate.

 

[Xue Sheng106 23]

My experience was a little different,,,With the teachers acknowalging taiji as a martial art, but focused on building the skill sets that made it so

Recently I had to explain some of my work to park and rec administrators while proposing a few free group classes. In describing what I do, I explained that Taiji is a martial art, though it can be taught and approached in different ways.

My focus is on developing the underlying skill sets that make it so. As those qualities develop, improvements in balance, posture, coordination, and the ability to release unnecessary tension tend to follow naturally.

Health aspects will usually develop regardless of where someone places their focus — Depending on their starting condition how they train, teachers focus...

Whether martial competency develops depends more on the individual’s direction and intent. The skill sets themselves can be tested, which helps clarify how, what, and why one is practicing.

I don’t emphasize health or combat as separate outcome categories. I emphasize cultivating the underlying qualities Taiji is known for — what some might call developing a “Taiji body.” I’m not one to advocate for the health side over its functionality, though in practice the two aren’t really separate.

My Yang shifu and some folks on the Wu side of things have said to get the full benefit from taiji you need internal, martial and health. And you cannot get the full benefits of health without the other 2