Tai Chi-Learning on your own?

[Dim Wit Moc]

Enlightened One: Check out the Tai Chi video at this web site.

www.tigerclaw.ca/home.htm. I have liked dealing with these folks in the past.

[YHUANGEBEE]

videos

tapes are nice, as long as you stay consistent and really focus on LEARNING. I bought a Falun Dafa internal energy raising tape and learned real quick. These internal arts youve all been suggesting are great and are very exciting when you start really feeling the inner energy (qi) inside you and flowing in and throughout your body. Keep it up and DO get a video, itll be worth it.

[jubaji]

Videos work better after the fact. To provide a reminder/brushup aid rather than as a primary means of instruction.

[jdawg]

internal martial arts from an instructor

Do you think that learning from books would be a good idea?

from my experience, the internal martial arts are FAR more complex and difficult than the external. having a person, who has enough experience, teach you has important ramifications when dealing with the intricate details of breathing, balance and even the general movements of the internal kata. learning tai chi 24 from a book is probably not a bad idea, if you want to taste test it. anything higher level than 24 would be best learned from a qualified instructor.

however, if there are no qualified instructors you can access, then learn from a book, video, what have you. because it is much better than not doing it at all.

[jubaji]

[QUOTE=jdawg]from my experience, the internal martial arts are FAR more complex and difficult than the external. QUOTE]

Your experience is limited, or your judgement is questionable.

[chris davis 200]

I think you can learn external movements from a book or tapes -

But it is very unlikely that you will 'get' the alignment and connection principles from a tape - they cannot really be copied but really need to be shown.

If you are learning for health reasons then yes - you will probably get some benifits, if you are learning for combat then dont bother - a teacher is a must.

Tai chi feels and is different to most other martial arts, in its application and theory - this is not 'gettable' from video.

Erle montegues system may teach you to fight - i personally dont agree with / like some of his stuff - after crossing hands with some of his students i have found that his system is very 'strong' and muscular based - with an over emphasis on point striking, some of it kinda goes against the whole tai chi concepts. Although i have had contact with him and found him to be a very nice guy - just not my thing.

cheers
Chris

[jdawg]

questioning judgement

[QUOTE=jubaji]

from my experience, the internal martial arts are FAR more complex and difficult than the external. QUOTE]

Your experience is limited, or your judgement is questionable.

and i could say the same.

[jubaji]

and i could say the same.

Knock yourself out.

[krys]

Erle montegues system may teach you to fight - i personally dont agree with / like some of his stuff - after crossing hands with some of his students i have found that his system is very 'strong' and muscular based - with an over emphasis on point striking, some of it kinda goes against the whole tai chi concepts. Although i have had contact with him and found him to be a very nice guy - just not my thing.

I am not really familiar with his Tai-Chi my interest lie more in Bagua and Hsing I (wasn't ever able to learn Hsing I because I never found any instructor in France or the UK). Yes the students of the Taiji class said there was point striking even while practicing some push hands exercises.

Strong and muscular based? I am not so sure, we did a lot of chi-kung before practicing Bagua and it was supposed to prevent the use of useless muscular strength during training and minimise tension.

Actually I got some health benefits and what I learned could be used in a fight so I kind of liked his system.

[chris davis 200]

Krys - excellent - this was just my experience - they 'appeared' to use alot of muscular strength. But if not - good stuff.

Plus PM me if you are looking for some good instruction in Ba gua and Hsing i in the UK.

cheers
chris

[Darcy]

The best way to learn MAs is obiously from someone.
I found books more beneficial in learning Tai Chi, than videos.
I started with a class and then continued alone.

All students don't learn the same, whatever the subject at hand is.
Read, watch, converse; what suits you best.

New as a newbie can be,
Darcy