Tai Chi?

[Antem]

Hey guys I just posted in a thread before here:
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83331

And after all your great advise and searching the net rigorously for something that suited me for grace, yet also being affective. Ive come across Tai Chi Chuan and was just wondering if you think this is good not only for the excellent spiritual condition (which i want) but also for self defense. And does tai chi have potential in it. Again i used the search bar and couldn't really find something that pinpointed what i want. So in conclusion:
1. Is tai chi useful as a self defense and is it as good a grade of self defense as other martial arts?
2. What is a good way to know if a dojo is a good tai chi dogo/teacher.
3. Anything else a noobie should know about Tai Chi.
If for any reason you do not think Tai Chi is a wise choice please post your criticism every bit helps, as i am still not entirely sure of what i do want to study.

 

[Antem]

Hey sorry about this, but it wouldnt seem to let me edit my last post so sorry for double posting. I found a decent enough looking school but i was also wondering about the curriculum there. And if you guys think its any good the webpage is here:
http://www.chinwoo.com.au/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=16&Itemid=106

 

[Xue Sheng]

First, there is a ton of information on MT that will answer all of your questions that has been put there by myself and others you may want to use the MT search function or just start reading the posts in the Taiji section

1. Is tai chi useful as a self defense and is it as good a grade of self defense as other martial arts?

Yes, but to get to the self-defense stuff it takes much longer if your goal is to use Taiji as it is meant to be used.

2. What is a good way to know if a dojo is a good tai chi dogo/teacher.

First; Dojo is Japanese Kwoon or Guan are Chinese.

The place I tend to start is lineage. Although lineage is not proof of good or bad since some claim lineage after taking a class or 2 with a sifu or some just outright lie but lineage is a good place to start but after that comes research. Also watch the class and see what is taught and before any of this read a book or two by people that are thought of as teachers of the style like those of the Chen family or books by Yang Chengfu, Fu Zhongwen, Chen Manching, etc.

3. Anything else a noobie should know about Tai Chi.

There are very few “REAL” taijiquan schools in existence. Most are for health only or a conglomerate of other styles (such as taiji + Karate, or Taiji + Shaolin Kung Fu, or Taiji + Aikido, etc) and they just call it taiji and in reality it isn’t. It may be an effective MA but it is still not taijiquan

If for any reason you do not think Tai Chi is a wise choice please post your criticism every bit helps, as i am still not entirely sure of what i do want to study

It is only a wise choice if you are not in a rush and not looking for shortcuts and find a legitimate sifu.

Hey sorry about this, but it wouldnt seem to let me edit my last post so sorry for double posting. I found a decent enough looking school but i was also wondering about the curriculum there. And if you guys think its any good the webpage is here:

I have no way of truly knowing about this school but based on the following from their page

Our Tai Chi curriculum consists of the following:
1. Beijing 24 Step Taiji Quan Routine
2. International Competition Taiji Quan Routine - 42 Step
3. International Competition Taiji Jian Routine - 42 Step
4. Tai Chi Sword - 32 Step

This is not traditional Taijiquan it from Li Cunyi who was first a foremost a Xingyiquan person. But in its original form it had martial applications but today it is mostly for competition and health. However people like Li Deyin (Li Cunyi’s nephew in Beijing) and Liang Shouyu (in Canada) still teach it with martial apps most others do not and it is mainly for health or competing to get a medal or two.

However if it is a Legitamate Chin Woo (Jing Wu) school the Kung fu should be pretty good.

 

[Antem]

Thanks for the info mate great help. Ah ok I thought that might have been a different choice. It is indeed hard to find a decent school to find Tai Chi as all i have found is as you said for really only the health side of things. If anyone has a suggestion of a Good MA school for Tai Chi in WA please let me know.

 

[Antem]

Hey guys ill post this in both threads but i was having a look at another school and was wondering whether this looks any good to you guys: http://www.fushengyuan-taichi.com.au

 

[Xue Sheng]

If he is as good as his father (Fu Zhong Wen) he should be good

Fu Zhong Wen was one of the top student of Yang Chengfu

 

[Antem]

Wow thats great that i have a teacher like that in my area, i might go in and watch one of there lessons to see how it all goes. Thanks alot for your help again mate.

 

[Xue Sheng]

This is not traditional Taijiquan it from Li Cunyi

Not into quoting myself but I need to make a correction. It did not come from Li Cunyi it came from Li Tianji.

Li Cunyi was a student of Liu Qilan who was a student of Li Feiyu.

Li Tianji was a student of Li Yulin (And Sun Lutang) Li Yulin was a student of Sun Lutang who was a student of Li Kui Yuan (and Guo Yushan). Li Kui Yuan was a student of Guo Yushan who was a student of Li Feiyu.

Li Feiyu (aka Li Lou Neng, Li Neng ran)

Sorry, I was a few generations off in my mistake :asian:

Either way it is still not traditional Taijiquan

 

[grydth]

Wow thats great that i have a teacher like that in my area, i might go in and watch one of there lessons to see how it all goes. Thanks alot for your help again mate.

Going in and watching for yourself is a necessity. Don't feel you have to jump in at any one place. See what the class consists of; see what's posted on the wall or available for handouts.

Talk to the teacher and some students. Ask the tough (but polite) questions...

 

[Antem]

Again thanks for all your help guys. And yup ill defiantly pop in and take a look before jumping right in.

 

[mograph]

The "self defence" requirement should weed out the majority of schools right there, no?

Ask a school if it teaches the martial applications of tai chi. If not, I think you should move on to the next school.

 

[Xue Sheng]

The "self defence" requirement should weed out the majority of schools right there, no?

Ask a school if it teaches the martial applications of tai chi. If not, I think you should move on to the next school.

I agree in part. The VERY hard part about asking that question to some of these old school Chinese sifus is that they will tell you they only teach for health no matter what they actually teach. My Sifu’s Sifu, Tung Ying Chieh, when asked about martial arts would tell you Taijiquan is for health as will my Sifu and it is possible since Fu Zhong Wen was the same generation as Tung Ying Chieh and Fu Sheng Yuan was taught by his father Fu Zhongwen and Fu Sheng Yuan is the same generation as my Sifu he may tell you the same exact thing. And based on how it was explained to me that is a correct statement if you know how they were or might be thinking about it. First it will help you maintain health by training but it will also help you maintain health by being able to defend yourself if necessary.

But since they don't really know who the person that walked in the door is they may tell you no it is not for martial arts it is for health.

However with Fu Sheng Yuan you just need to search YouTube. He use to have a few videos there where he seemed to enjoy bouncing his students off of walls. My Sifu saw the videos and does believe that Fu Sheng Yuan knows his stuff he just does not approve of bouncing students off of walls

 

[Antem]

Thanks agian for that Xue Sheng. I haven't called them yet, but i intend to give them a call tomorrow just so suss things out. Either way I do intend to actually attend the school and see whats what. Ha, yes indeed I saw the clips of him bouncing some students of walls ^^. All in all I just hope that the Tai Chi the academy teaches is the martial art. Not just the you know health side. Which is very important of course, but I would like to learn Tai Chi in its fullest form. Im really not sure how to word that without coming across totally ignorant I just hope most people can see where im coming from on that. And Xue Sheng, if your Sifu thinks he knows his stuff thats defiantly a good sign ^^. Ill let you guys know in this post the results of my investigation ha.

And Xue Sheng, or even indeed anyone. If anyone has any advice on starting Tai Chi please post it here. Ive been searching the net alot but as alot of people have said Tai Chi, or well the real Tai Chi im looking for has gone somewhat underground ha.

Thanks again for your help and if anyone has any more to say about: http://www.fushengyuan-taichi.com.au/ I would greatly appreciate it ^^

 

[Xue Sheng]

One thing to leearn the martial side of Taiji, if he is teaching traditionally, takes a rather long time compared to other MA styles. It takes patience

 

[blindsage]

Antem, my Bagua sifu teaches Yang and Chen Taiji in Seattle. Depending on where you are I may be able to get a recommendation for an instructor who includes the martial components of Taijiquan, in your area.

 

[Antem]

Well im In Australia So if you can advise any there that would be great ^^

 

[blindsage]

Well im In Australia So if you can advise any there that would be great ^^

LOL, probably not. I took this comment wrong:

If anyone has a suggestion of a Good MA school for Tai Chi in WA please let me know.

WA in the states is the abbreviation for Washington state. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Antem]

Baha all good mate no problem

 

[seasoned]

I have found that some of the principles of Taiji fit very well with my art.