A couple questions about T'ai Chi.

[S.Daedalus]

Ok,
I'm thinking of starting to do this whole T'ai Chi or YOGA thing.

My main question is "Where do you start?"

I don't want to join a class. I'd prefer to do it at night or in the morning when I wake up. So do I go buy a book? Do i get videos?

If book or video, which ones do you suggest?

Any thoughts on this??

Also, YOGA or T'ai Chi???

Thanx in advance for all your replies.

~ Stephen Daedalus

 

[I'mVan]

I have "Step by Step Tai Chi" by Master Lam Kam Shuen. It's a great book, but I think a class is the best idea.

 

[SpectralDragoon]

Start out with a book and a class, then strike out on your own.

Yoga and Tai Chi are definitely two different things, personally I think Tai Chi is better. But I don't really have much knowledge on either.

 

[scylis]

question:

do you want to be flexible as fuck, or do you want to work your way to health by waving your hands around?

as for me, i don't do either. i take one look at even a beginning yoga class and my back says "you gotta be kidding me," and then i prefer anything that resembles a martial art to actually teach me to fuck other people up. modern "tai chi" is actually tai chi chuan, a completely medicinal and health-related system which evolved from just plain tai chi, a soft-form art. that and i tend to stick to Japanese arts, specifically kendo and iaido, though i wish i could get into a school of actual Okinawan karate, not the modern half-ass kickboxing schools.

 

[S.Daedalus]

I'm looking for Felxibilty...I'm looking for Control...I'm looking for peace and meditation...Im looking for self awareness of mind body and soul.

I am a rock climber. Either Yoga or T'ai Chi will help me with my rock climbing. But I am just curious to see what people recomend.

I am not looking to fuck people up. Just to CLIMB that ROCK a little better!

Thanx for the replies so far.

~ Stephen

 

[Willing and Unsure]

we all know this is really about sex



umm... I go with kickboxing before yoga or tai chi. but tai chi would be the one I'd pick from the two. yoga is really more for flexibility (like rip your legs off and beat you wtih them and then reattach) than tai chi, but both are good.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

If that is what you seek...

Tai Chi is the best route. While Yoga is mostly about flexiablity, Tai Chi also focuses on endurance and stregth. It doesn't look terriably hard, but, you break out into a sweat doing it. But at the same time you are meditateing and communioning with your body. You are becoming more in tune with yourself on many levels.

I recommend a free class, but they are mostly held in parks during the summer, but many schools offer a trial class, just call around.

 

[SpectralDragoon]

good idea, I think our local community college gives free classes.

 

[medjay]

While I've done both Tai Chi and Yoga, I would personally suggest Aikido. Yeah, in the movies Steven Segal always makes it look like a lot of bone crushing and such but it's really good for achieving balance and mastering your own body. It's a good work out for flexibility, breath control, and even spiritual enlightenment.

And you can dislocate the shoulder (or break the neck) of any fool who messes with you.

 

[SINthysist]

Either one would be good. Both will produce pretty much the same results as it pertains to rock climbing or personal inner peace.

One does have an added additional benefit as per personal self-defence.

I would always start with a teacher, never a book or film. The forms, exercizes and poses are Mandelas from an age when people could not read or write so knowlege was often passed on in the form of physical teachings and lessons. Only a live person can pass on that lesson.

And finally, find the best teacher. It's not the form or the style or the application, it's the instructor.

A_J

PS - Read the Bodhisattva Warriors by Nagaboshi Tomio (Terrence Dukes) for more information.

 

[peachykeen]

I practice both. Depending on how I'm feeling. Some days I feel more like doing yoga, maybe do that for a few days, then maybe want to do some tai chi. I definitely recommend you start with a teacher, until you develop a couple of routines/sequences that you are confident you can perform correctly on your own. If you use a book or a tape, you may *think* you are doing a posture or move correctly, but only a trained instructor watching you can tell you if you actually are or not.

 

[christophe]

If you use a book or a tape, you may *think* you are doing a posture or move correctly, but only a trained instructor watching you can tell you if you actually are or not.

EXACTLY! (give that woman a cookie)

 

[S.Daedalus]

If you use a book or a tape, you may *think* you are doing a posture or move correctly, but only a trained instructor watching you can tell you if you actually are or not.

You have a very very very good point.

Food for thought (dont worry I wont eat your cookie).

Thank you all for the input. I may look into classes around here.


~ Stephen

 

[Killswitch]

I dont have anything to add other than "Wax on, Wax off".....but I thought it would be appropriate for my AV pic to be in here somewhere......

.....K.S......

 

[Cherry]

T’ai Chi is an ancient form of exercise developed in China to improve mind, body and spirit. Specialized ‘forms’ in smooth, mindful motion and breathing allow concentration and calm. Health benefits include: lowered blood pressure, stress reduction, increased circulation and improved digestion, balance and strength. This gentle, yet firmly rooted health exercise will integrate both your physical and mental acuity to create a feeling of tranquility and serenity.

 

[Evil Attorney]

Go with the Akido. You get the same benifits as the others, and you learn some useful skills with it.

If you are like me, you would try to find the older styles of akido, but then again, when it comes to martial arts I like to make things go crunch, on the other guy, that is...

 

[medjay]

Go with the Akido. You get the same benifits as the others, and you learn some useful skills with it.

It's one of the few martial arts that doesn't involve punching or kicking but remains just as deadly. It's almost impossible to injure yourself while training (as long as you're paying attention). It's also good to know that you can protect yourself and subdue others with little to no effort on your part, no matter how big your opponent is.

 

[Evil Attorney]

Older styles retain the strikes that the later styles have left out.

I also feel that size does matter, even in akido, because you have to be that much better if all you have is technique against size, wereas a larger person can make some techniques work if they musscle them.

My teacher reminds up that aki-jujitsu always works better after you have hit someone in the throat or the nutts with a strike. People are SOOOO much more compliant. If you can't do that, well, then have good technique. Very good technique.

Your statement on paying attention is very on point, as i broke my own hand after landing on it from a throw.
A nice $12,000 compound fracture of my thumb that required a screw to put it togther.
Know were your body parts are at all times is the lesson from that class.
Also...Do NOT land on them.

 

[calypso_21]

Hey Stephen. I sorta told you what I thought on this subject the other day but I will repost here.

I agree with those who state you should find a class/teacher to show you the correct positions. You can then move out on your own studies.

I do yoga and I reiki. I use lots of meditation in my day. It all makes life a lot easier to deal with. And worth the fun that is your day.

I do yoga for the flexibility and it is amazing, hence the position in the av.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Evil Attorney]

Let me just make a clarification, I do aki-jujitsu, which I sometimes lump with akido for convienience when I should not. Aki-jujitsu is the precursor art to akido and has a different philosophy, goals and methods.

Aki-jujitsu was an art from japan which primarily taught close combat, armed and unarmed, to soldiers. Many of the techniques were incorporated into akido, and the philosophy was changed from a battlefield style(kill) to one suitable for a more peaceful time(martial art).

Older styles of akido, as taught in the 1940's and 50's did retain strkies, as I have seen films of demonstrations taking place at that time.

Whether most styles of akido teach strikes, I'm not sure and should not have presumed.

 

[medjay]

Older styles retain the strikes that the later styles have left out.

I also feel that size does matter, even in akido, because you have to be that much better if all you have is technique against size, wereas a larger person can make some techniques work if they musscle them.

This is a good statement. My point is that even though I'm a skinny guy, I will never feel intimidated by someone bigger or stronger than me. I may have to alter my initial strategy but, in the long run, once I get my hands on him, if he doesn't bend he's gonna break. No matter how big he is.

 

[medjay]

Aki-jujitsu was an art from japan which primarily taught close combat, armed and unarmed, to soldiers. Many of the techniques were incorporated into akido, and the philosophy was changed from a battlefield style(kill) to one suitable for a more peaceful time(martial art).

Some words of wisdom from my Sensei:

"If he cuts your skin, you cut his flesh. If he cuts your flesh, you cut his bone. If he cuts your bone, you take his life."

 

[Lost Cause]

Tai Chi.....

Focuses Chi at the involved bodyparts increasing concentration of effort. The movements contract the muscles and train them toward the movement patterns. If you speed up the basic movements, they can become viable defense patterns. As in rock climbing, Tai Chi can improve your grip focus, and promote more harmony in the exercise.
Crawl, walk, run, take some Tai Chi, then some Yoga, then some Kempo, then some Aikido....etc.. Try not to master each, but to understand their principles making you a more complete person in defense and mind.

*http://www.users.nac.net/tajkdstaff/quotes.htm

 

[Evil Attorney]

Crawl, walk, run...

Hey, he starts into akido or aki-jujitsu he can crawl off the mat when he is done being the uke on his first day.

When he learns how to fall he can walk off the mat .

Till then, he can run when he is told its his turn to be the uke.

My sensi told me something very similar. Your sensi does not happen to be a middle aged japanes guy who can inflict crushing pain with pressure-points and launch you onto your toes with a touch, would he?

If so, we seem to be learning off similar systems.

Don't you hate it when doing 2 person drills, and its your turn to be recieve the attack and you miss that block, and the other guy's strike is coming in, and you see it with no time to move but enought time to say "OH SHIT"

 

[medjay]

Don't you hate it when doing 2 person drills, and its your turn to be recieve the attack and you miss that block, and the other guy's strike is coming in, and you see it with no time to move but enought time to say "OH SHIT"

I'm all too familiar . . .