Taichi and QiGon as complement to any martial arts

[cserna]

Hi,

The approach to martial arts training can vary depending on factors such as age, athletic ability and body build, mental attitude, social environment, etc., which can motivate or discourage you. If you persevere and continue your practice, as you grow older, the physical aspect of training might become too much and you might need to adapt.

In my martial arts walk, I found the practice of Tai-chi and Qigong very beneficial in that adaptation. It has helped me improve in many areas: breathing control, technique direction and fluidity, energy focus, and overall confidence and well-being. I personally believe it can be beneficial to any martial art application. Give it a try!

Krlos

 

[Hanzou]

Good advice. In my case, I found Yoga to be an amazing compliment to my practice. It reduced soreness after practice, and helped me relax after work and work outs.

 

[cserna]

Good advice. In my case, I found Yoga to be an amazing compliment to my practice. It reduced soreness after practice, and helped me relax after work and work outs.

I have never tried Yoga. What type of Yoga do you recommend? Thanks, Krlos

 

[Hanzou]

I have never tried Yoga. What type of Yoga do you recommend? Thanks, Krlos

The standard kind you find in most gyms and spas. I've been to a few Yoga places and they've all been really great. The best thing about Yoga is that if you live in a large city it should be easy to find one that suits your needs.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

as you grow older, ...

I have different opinion about "Taiji fits for the old."

Compare the following 2 different drills, which one can give you better health?

1. 60 Taiji brush knee twist step.
2. 60 outside crescent kick over your head.

IMO, 2 > 1. 2 will develop single leg balance, leg flexibility. Everybody can do Taiji brush knee at age of 80. Not everybody can still do over head outside crescent kick during 80.

This may not make sense for others. When I

- was young, I didn't mind to do some slow movement.
- get older, I just can't stand slow movement any more.

Just about 2 or 3 years ago, I start to hate slow movement for no good reason. It has nothing to do with the Taiji system. It only has to do with the "slow movement". The slow movement remind me "old", I hate that feeling.

My concern is, If you slow down, when you were

- young, you can still speed up later.
- old, you may never be able to speed up again.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

You want to put yourself into a happy mode. When you

- do slow move, it reminds you when your teacher was 76, had cancer, and dying.
- fast move, it reminds you when you were 14, and started to date your 1st girlfriend.

Which memory will make you to feel happier? Do you want to associate yourself with "old, sick, and weak", or do you want to associate yourself with "young, healthy, and strong"?

Old age doesn't mean you should stop what you can still do.

 

[cserna]

I respect your opinion but there is more to taichi than slow motion techniques.....in my case Tai-chi has helped improve my flexibility, reaction time and accuracy....(I will be turning 58) in a few weeks times

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I will be turning 58) in a few weeks times

You are still young. I'll be 71 in 1 week and I started Taiji when I was 7.

When you

- were young, you don't mind to be next to old people.
- get older, you feel like to stay away from old people and stay around young people.

That's how I feel about Taiji at this point of time.

Which picture will make you to feel happier?

 

[Buka]

I like yoga. A lot, actually. But I hate Bikram yoga, that yoga done in a heated room. I'd rather never work out again than to do that again.

I love Tai Chi.

 

[cserna]

You are still young. I'll be 71 in 1 week and I started Taiji when I was 7.

When you

- were young, you don't mind to be next to old people.
- get older, you feel like to stay away from old people and stay around young people.

That's how I feel about Taiji at this point of time.

Which picture will make you to feel happier?

both of them.....prefer wisdom to naivety tough....it is all a matter of perspective and experience...

 

[Xue Sheng]

Taiji flexibility and strength no difference from any other style of Chinese martial art, if you train it correctly.

Chen Style. Jesse Tsao; I've trained with this gentleman, he is older, I believe older than me, has a lot of power and is very flexible and as far as I know only does Taijiquan

Chen Zhenglei; I trained with him too and he was also rather flexible and very strong and he is older than I am, he was 59 or 60 when I trained with him and all he has ever done is Chen style

Chen style push hands (Chen Ziqiang 20th generation Chen style)

Wudang style, but can be found in virtually all styles

However with that said, Chen, Zhaobao and Wudang all tend to go lower than Yang, Wu and Wu/Hao, but the Wudang pose above is found in Yang and Wu

Tung Ying Chieh (Yang Style) my Shigong

Wu Style (Wu Chien Chuan)

Bottom-line here is that arguing this style or that style is better than taijiquan for strength and flexibility only shows that the person training taijiquan has trained it wrong or not long enough. Or has other health issues that would equally interfere with any other style they trained.

 

[cserna]

Having practiced several martial arts, I find the Taichi Chen style really powerful! and when combined with Taoist Qigong it becomes a comprehensive art.

 

[Buka]

You are still young. I'll be 71 in 1 week and I started Taiji when I was 7.

When you

- were young, you don't mind to be next to old people.
- get older, you feel like to stay away from old people and stay around young people.

That's how I feel about Taiji at this point of time.

Which picture will make you to feel happier?

I prefer hanging out with old men and I prefer to hang out with young women. You know why I prefer to hang out with young women?

They're stories are shorter. Way shorter.

 

[PhilE]

Avoid any yoga class where the teacher has had inadequate training. A one month crash course is inadequate to teach yoga.

Yoga will help heal old injuries, prevent new ones by correcting mis-alignment, increase recovery time if practiced correctly. But as with anything, a good teacher is absolutely essential.

Pilates was originally developed by a boxer instructor and martial artist. What you see in gyms is very much watered down. If you can find a teacher who's teaching the original way, this would be a very helpful compliment to martial arts.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Few days ago a friend of mine (he is 7 years younger than me) told me that when he punched/kicked, he just sent out arm/leg slowly without putting any power into it for the reason of easier on the joints. I told him I may start to do that when I'm 90. I'm not ready to give up all my combat training and replaced by health training yet.

To land your fist on your opponent's face is neither healthy for your hand, nor healthy for his face. But you still have to pay that price to develop your knock down ability (such as heavy bag training) in case one day you do have to use your MA skill to save your family member's life.

It may be too early for you to think that you are old, sick, and weak. The day you think that way, the day that your death may be nearby.