Tai Chi,good self-defense art or not?

[jubaji]

I always thought Tai Chi was more like yoga than a martial art?

You are a victim of marketing.

[knifethrower]

I always thought Tai Chi was more like yoga than a martial art?

Think about it from a historical standpoint, dude. In China, 1700s & 1800s or so, was a brutal time. That’s when Tai Chi was at the top of its game so to speak. There’s no way the Tai Chi guy could defend himself without getting aggressive, vicious, bloodthirsty and all.

I gotta go put my yellow sash on, do some slow forms to some weird native American flute music, and the do some touchy, feely, push hands stuff…sigh…can’t you just feel the Chi

[Drunken Munky]

I always thought Tai Chi was more like yoga than a martial art?

Tai Chi, is a theory, a philosophy, an idea or set of principles, taken from observations of nature etc.....


Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art, which utilises those ideas to teach you how to move the body, interact with others, or how to beat your opponent...etc...etc

If you watch practitioners of the art practice forms slowly, you can realise that drilling forms at this speed will train precision and accuracy, as well as the added effect of relaxation, developing breathing (chi gong) etc... And with precision and accuracy comes speed. But, you could get this idea by looking at the phiosophies of Tai Chi. Whats opposite from slow....? hmmm !!FAST!!, so could practising slow, breed speed??? Obviously there is a bit more to it than that.

However, to train, Tai Chi Chuan as an effective martial art, you would still need to drill individual techniques with and without partners, train Intent, isolate and train other fighting aspects like, footwork, stances. Practice punching and kicking, stretching etc... etc... etc...

But, due to practising only forms being easier, it attracts more students which equals more money. And, because for some reason the average person thinks that if you look Chinese it authenticates the martial art you do, if its a CMA, like Tai Chi Chuan. Then unfortunately, you have lots of oriental looking people who may have been waiters, bus drivers etc.. who learnt a few Tai Chi Chuan forms, migrate to the West, and make lots of money by teaching the bad Tai Chi Chuan they know.

[Drunken Munky]

FFS, double posted, tried to delete this post, but can only edit it....

[Mephariel]

Tai Chi is a real martial arts for self-defense. People watch Tai Chi and they think it is all that flowery stuff. Read Tai Chi is really simple. For example, you grab the underside of the arm push it across the guy's own body and push him back to block and grapple him at the same time. It is not about waving your arms around to look pretty.

[7r14ngL3Ch0k3]

If Tai Chi makes your movements really fast, can it be applied to mma? To boxing?

[BoarSpear]

Fill your note book with this

[7r14ngL3Ch0k3]

LOL! "The way you need to move to generate the stopping power cant be controlled to make it safe for competition." Come on, BoarSpear, thats just some lame excuse for the fact that there cant be any proof of this! Now, in these chinese full contact fighting matches, if this TaiJi was used, then there's no reason why it cant be used in MMA matches. You know what, you should go try it in a mma match, who cares if you kill your opponent, it'd be totally legal and entertaining. People thinking a MA is too deadly to test and are certain of its theoretical success is like a Dim Mak instructor thinking he can take out trained fighters/real SD experts.

[7r14ngL3Ch0k3]

NO. Taiji is about a way of moving to generate a different type of power, that power doesnt travel the same tunnels from your own body to the opponents that a boxing punch does, taiji also strikes with different parts of the body and from different angles. most importantly, taiji power is extrememly difficult to control, its usually either all your power or next to none.

So? Why couldnt you use it a MMA match?

[BoarSpear]

Fill your note book with this

[jubaji]

The way you need to move to generate the stopping power cant be controlled to make it safe for competition. .

No, no, no. Do not go there. "Too deadly for the ring" is just as foolish as "That slow dancing stuff don't work".



Can't folks be reasonable on all sides?




Damn.

[BoarSpear]

No, no, no. Do not go there. "Too deadly for the ring" is just as foolish as "That slow dancing stuff don't work".



Can't folks be reasonable on all sides?




Damn.

It isnt too deadly the ring, you of all people should know what im talking about Do you believe Taiji can be used for self defense?

work with me dude, lets get this out...

[jubaji]

It isnt too deadly the ring, you of all people should know what im talking about Do you believe Taiji can be used for self defense?

work with me dude, lets get this out...

I'm tryin' to work with you. Let's all not make ridiculous claims on all sides and everything will be cool.

[BoarSpear]

Fill your note book with this

[jubaji]

*sigh* This is why a lot of people don't take TMA seriously...