Tai Chi?

[eveled]

Anyone practice Tai Chi? It looks interesting and is supposed to be beneficial. It is way hard to get started on. Even the simplified 24 form would be hard to remember.

Think I will stick with general stretching jumping rope and shadow boxing I can make up as I go.

So I don't need Tai Chi, but something draws me to it.

 

[Jeepnik]

Tai Chi is supposed to enhance your calm and allow you to center yourself. I can accomplish the same thing spending time shooting my 1911. And I develop a skill that is actually worth something.

 

[WendyZXZ]

Tai Chi is or at least can be a good martial art, but is a soft one with more redirects, tosses and throws, where someone flies about,, but if you speed things up about 5 times from the slow ballet it can be more effective than you may believe like in Judo, and other martial arts. My husband is a black belt in Tai Chi along with Escrima/Kali, Hapkido, and whatever rank in Krav Maga. Tai Chi is mainly taught for us old farts wanting to relax and get into better health and fitness. It also teaches the uses of various non gentle weapons like the sabre and the three section staff. Not a practical weapon but swing about a 6 foot three section staff does give a fairly good workout. White waxwood is the best material from our experience.

 

[Joe Chartreuse]

Anyone practice Tai Chi? It looks interesting and is supposed to be beneficial. It is way hard to get started on. Even the simplified 24 form would be hard to remember.

Think I will stick with general stretching jumping rope and shadow boxing I can make up as I go.

So I don't need Tai Chi, but something draws me to it.

Old MA ( Kun tao, Judo, Aikido, Goju Karate, Chin Na, and most experience with original Okanawan/ Japanese Ju Jutsu) guy and fighter here. Tai Chi, practiced at speed is- believe it or not- a self defense system. By slowing it's movements down one build some muscle, does some cardio, and REALLY works on balance, where you learn to do what you couldn't before. and if a bit older, prevents falls. If you can, do it.

 

[WendyZXZ]

Old MA ( Kun tao, Judo, Aikido, Goju Karate, Chin Na, and most experience with original Okanawan/ Japanese Ju Jutsu) guy and fighter here. Tai Chi, practiced at speed is- believe it or not- a self defense system. By slowing it's movements down one build some muscle, does some cardio, and REALLY works on balance, where you learn to do what you couldn't before. and if a bit older, prevents falls. If you can, do it.

That is true. Slow down forms and kata in Karate or Kung Fu and other hard style and imagine how many people would think it is more a dance. Or how many highly ranked martial artists in competition were/are adept at dance and ballet because quite a lot of that and the movements have practical value and can be incorporated into self defense.

 

[Jeepnik]

Not much of martial artists here. I have very little training. A bit of Aikido as a kid. And Kali as an adult.
Now I'm to old and beat up for Aikido to do any good. Kali would only be one handed as I need a cane. But I can run a 1911 like nobody's business one handed, including mag changes.

 

[blume357]

I took about two classes a goodly number of years ago. Not being discouraging, I think it is good but what you will probably get here in the U.S. will be a bit different than in the East. The first night we learned the first move of the rising sun and then the instructor told us that we would do the the next move in the next class then she explained to us that when she was learning it in China they spent 6 months on just that first move that we had 'perfected' in that class.

 

[ex13F]

Having done several of the previously mentioned styles I would recommend Tai Chi Chuan to anyone. If nothing else it will improve balance and that is something us older folks can always use. If I were young and wanting to learn a realistic self defense method I would take up Krav Maga. At my age and level of disability I must rely on Gun Fu.

 

[Yaworski]

she explained to us that when she was learning it in China they spent 6 months on just that first move that we had 'perfected' in that class.

That's because Americans are impatient, believe in "close enough for government work", and want instant reward. That's why people studying karate earn their "green belt with two purple stripes."

 

[Wvfarrier]

I have done various martial arts for over 35 years: praying mantis kung fu, shorin-ryu karate, judo and even a little tai chi. Of all of them tai chi gave me the best sense of calm and relaxation. Its well worth it but it is strictly (in my experience) a defensive art. It does have prsctical applications and was originally meant to have offensive techniques but I think that has been lost to time

 

[Wvfarrier]

Interestingly Keanu Reeves did a movie called Tai Chi Man (I think) where he is the bad guy. Its totally about combative Tai Chi was and a decent martial arts flick