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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2009 4:26:12 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2009 14:53:10 GMT
Hmm interesting, I didn't realize there were specific sword forms in Taichi. Now I'm curious and will need to look into it. I got a book and DVD on the normal, open hand forms, just to add something to my training and conditioning. But I might enjoy doing sword forms more.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 24, 2009 19:43:58 GMT
Yeah I came across it on a Google search and it sparked my interest. If I end up purchasing it I'll post a review.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 25, 2009 2:41:21 GMT
The term "forms" is fairly misleading. It's a direct translation of the Chinese word "bu," which, to be clearer, should be translated as "movements." Those dvds are simply the 32-step or 32-movement sword form. Should be the simplified set created for sport/health/competition, if I remember correctly. Each taiji style, for the most part, has only one jian form, although this may vary with the numerous personal family versions of taiji. I have a DVD for the Chen style jian form. It can be found here: www.ymaa.com/publishing/dvd/internal/chen_taijiquanI find it to be rather good, since it has various camera angles for the full form as well as a frame-by-frame section.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2009 0:44:06 GMT
/index.cgi?board=jsa&action=display&thread=11659&page=1#189189
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2009 14:54:55 GMT
Okay for a bit more information to the link I posted above. That is a thread I posted with complete instructions for the simplified 32 step sword form (in the Yang style). That is one of the Chinese National forms, not to be confused with actual Yang Taijiquan. My personal recommendation for a DVD to go along with those instruction would be Tai Chi Sword Form 32 by Master Jesse Tsao www.taichihealthways.com/tai-chi-dvd.htm#beg (you'll need to scroll down the page a bit to see it.) Gman, Tai Chi Ch'uan or Taijiquan (different romanizations) is an actual combat art, even in the simplified forms that are practiced more for health. As such, it does contain weapons routines for weapons as varied and Jian (straight sword) and Dao (broadsword/saber), Spear, Staff, Walking Stick, Fan, Wind and Fire Wheels, and many others. The number of weapons taught in any given Taiji style (there are many different style of taiji just as there are many different styles of JSA - but Taiji has five "main" styles) varies by style. For example Chen Taiji has about 18 different weapons that are taught, whereas my style of Taiji (the Cheng Man-Ch'ing of Zheng Manquing style) concentrates on Jian and Dao as the only weapons though there are stick and spear forms, though those are not commonly taught. Also, students of a particular style of Taiji may opt to learn forms from other taiji styles to expand their vocabulary of practice such as GRTC (Great River Taoist Center) students commonly learning Miao Dao (Chinese Longsword) forms. Our main problem is that training equipment for Chinese Sword Arts is even less available than training equipment for the Euro guys, much less JSA so that many of us have to go the custom route to get our basic practice equipment if we want to study the combat art side of Taiji and not the sport Wushu side of things. (That's where they use the floppy flexible blades.... combat student use rigid "normal" swords.)
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2009 15:27:18 GMT
Ah cool, thank Liam. I knew that Taichi was ultimately a combat art. Many years ago I got to see a couple of very high ranking practitioners combat, and it was amazing to watch. I just didn't realize it expanded so much into weapons use. It always amazes me how indeptch the martial arts are, and how you are always learning something new.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2009 18:13:24 GMT
Ah cool, thank Liam. I knew that Taichi was ultimately a combat art. Many years ago I got to see a couple of very high ranking practitioners combat, and it was amazing to watch. I just didn't realize it expanded so much into weapons use. It always amazes me how indeptch the martial arts are, and how you are always learning something new. You are quite welcome. Hey, I'm happy to help answer any questions you might have. Although, I am but a student myself, nothing more. Personally, I find Taiji sword has a bit more in common with WMA than it does the Japanese sword arts but it really is its own beast, so to speak. Please do check out the form instructions I posted, and the vid of William C.C. Chen I posted yesterday. (I think I have it up in the Chinese Swords forum and Asian Martial Arts). I'll be happy once my recovery period from the hernia surgery I just had is over so I can get back to practicing. ;D
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2009 2:57:22 GMT
So taijiquan is a martial art and wushu's the really flashy stuff? Is the slow dance like tai chi (taiji) a distilled non-combative method or is that a "base teaching" that comes before the combative part?
M.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2009 16:56:03 GMT
Yes, modern Wushu is the "sport" version of Chinese martial arts that has been promoted since the communist take over of China. Although since "Wushu" is the general term for martial arts there can be some confusion.
Most Taijiquan is taught for health and chi development rather than the combat art it was originally developed as. To learn the combative Taiji one has to find a teacher who knows the combat applications, and not all do.
The slow movements that are commonly seen in Taiji stem from a specific style of Taiji which is the Yang style (and derivatives). This includes the Beijing Simplified system (24 step hand form, and 32 step sword are the most commonly seen), the Cheng Man-Ch'ing style which is what I am learning (it's core is the 37 posture hand form infamously known as "Yang short form" though that is a misnomer), as well as the actual true Yang style. Other styles of Taiji do utilize fast movements, most notably Chen style taiji (the oldest form of Taijiquan). What all these styles have in common is that they all use the same set of universal principles (for the most part) to form an effective martial arts system.
And just for reference there are five main styles of Taijiquan: Chen (the oldest), Yang (the most common), Wu, Wu/Hao, and Sun. Many other styles such as Taoist Taiji (taiji without combat applications for spiritual development), Beijing Simplified, CMC, and others are actually based to varying degrees on the Yang style which was the first publicly taught style of Taijiquan.
Also, those slow movements when practiced long enough can become quite fast when the need arises. I have also seen masters move at the slow form speed and still defeat people in other martial arts because of their following the principles and body mechanics of taiji where "four ounces deflects a thousand pounds."
Hope this helps to clear some confusion.
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