Similarities between Wu style Taiji, Yang style Taiji, etc.

[johnwang]

Btw I recognise your Tai Chi long form - does this come from General Li? (Li Jin Lin) - its so similar to ours that I think we must have a common link that doesn't go through Yang Cheng Fu.

My Taiji form came from Li Jin Lin. Both GM Chang and GM Han Chin-Tang all graduated from the Nanking CMA Institute where YCF taught Taiji there. But GM Han's Taiji and GM Chang's Taiji are different. I did not learn Taiji from my longfist teacher, but I have my longfist teacher's Taiji book which his Taiji came from GM Han and GM Han's Taiji came from YCF.

[GrahamB]

By using this argument, I'll say Taiji is not suitable for old people who want to have a good workout and also maintain young with flexibility.

What about people who are already old, ill (or both) or have disabilities? Would acrobatics, shuai jiao or mma be better for them to start with?

Why is it that we see so many young people in those Zumba and fitness infomercials?

Not everybody is the same, obviously, but I think people should work to whatever their current level is. As they say, 'use it or lose it'.

[johnwang]

By using this argument, I'll say Taiji is not suitable for old people who want to have a good workout and also maintain young with flexibility.

What about people who are already old, ill (or both) or have disabilities? Would acrobatics, shuai jiao or mma be better for them to start with?

Why is it that we see so many young people in those Zumba and fitness infomercials?

There are 2 kind of people. Those who

- don't have anything and want to develop something.
- already have something but want to maintain what they have and don't want to lost it.

If you start your TCMA training when you are

- young, you don't need Taiji to maintain your TCMA ability when you are old.
- old, since you have missed your "combat" window, health may be the only thing that you care about. You don't even need to train any TCMA style. Swimming will be good for you.

[johnwang]

5.54 - why aren't they leaning in their bow stance?

I believe when they punch, they will lean.

[Steve James]

Not everybody is the same, obviously, but I think people should work to whatever their current level is. As they say, 'use it or lose it'.

My argument is that the logic of "do more when (or as) one gets older" is seriously flawed. That's especially true if the idea is that the harder the exercise the better it will be for them. Imo, that will just end up with older people getting hurt. Yeah, if you're 45, you can start running ultramarathons. But, imo, it would be bad advice to say start with running 20 miles a day. That seems to be the gist of the argument against doing tcc when old.

I totally agree with the "use it or lose it" idea. One should "get it" (or as much of it as one can) while one is young --because it's possible to do more then. There's the simple matter of time one is able to spend training. Every world class athlete trains, but a younger athlete comes along and surpasses them. No world class athlete maintains that level into their "old" age. The point is that they train more than most people will ever be able to match. The ordinary person will not be able to continually increase his work out regime in order to maintain the strength/speed or his youth.

Anyway, I agree that a person should do what he or she is capable of doing and go as far with it as he can. I also know that life gets in the way. I agree that any form of exercise is beneficial, but I don't see that as any rationale for avoiding tcc. That doesn't make any sense to me. Jmho. I bow to those 80 year-olds who can do things I never could.

[GrahamB]

Not everybody is the same, obviously, but I think people should work to whatever their current level is. As they say, 'use it or lose it'.

My argument is that the logic of "do more when (or as) one gets older" is seriously flawed. That's especially true if the idea is that the harder the exercise the better it will be for them. Imo, that will just end up with older people getting hurt. Yeah, if you're 45, you can start running ultramarathons. But, imo, it would be bad advice to say start with running 20 miles a day. That seems to be the gist of the argument against doing tcc when old.

I totally agree with the "use it or lose it" idea. One should "get it" (or as much of it as one can) while one is young --because it's possible to do more then. There's the simple matter of time one is able to spend training. Every world class athlete trains, but a younger athlete comes along and surpasses them. No world class athlete maintains that level into their "old" age. The point is that they train more than most people will ever be able to match. The ordinary person will not be able to continually increase his work out regime in order to maintain the strength/speed or his youth.

Anyway, I agree that a person should do what he or she is capable of doing and go as far with it as he can. I also know that life gets in the way. I agree that any form of exercise is beneficial, but I don't see that as any rationale for avoiding tcc. That doesn't make any sense to me. Jmho. I bow to those 80 year-olds who can do things I never could.

Er, isn't that what I just said, but using more words?

If you need to be right about everything,then,yes, you're right.

[Steve James]

I dunno. I had the impression that someone had the idea that old people shouldn't do tcc, or that it was better for them to do something more vigorous. I thought I said several times that I agreed with you that people should do what they could.

[GrahamB]

Me: I like cats.

The Internet: So why are you saying you hate dogs?

[Steve James]

Sorry if I misunderstood.

[johnwang]

My argument is that the logic of "do more when (or as) one gets older" is seriously flawed.

For some unknown reason, some people try to associate Taiji with "old age". That's not good for the Taiji image IMO. Have you heard that old Chinese saying said, "When you get old, try to stay around young people so their youth can delay your aging." I truly believe in that.

The Chinese Nobel price winner Yang Chen Ning 楊振寧 is 91 years old. His wife Weng Fan 翁帆 is 36 years old. Their ages are 55 years apart.

Why an old man want to

- marry to a young girl?
- throw high kicks and keeps flexibility?

The reason is the same, try to draw youth energy into his body.

When you are 91 years old and your wife is

- only 36, you will have "strong" desire to live for another 20 years.
- also 91, you may not have "any" desire to live for another 20 years.

The logic is just as simple as that.

http://big5.cri.cn/gate/big5/gb.cri.cn/ ... 248137.htm

[Steve James]

Hey, I'm all for the idea of having younger and younger partners as I age.

[johnwang]

When I was in my 30, onetime I took ballroom dancing lesson. I soon found out that my dancing partners were all 70 years old women without husbands. That was not the kind of environment I wanted to be in.

[Steve James]

Well, if you can keep up with dancing 20 year-olds when you're 70, you'll have no problems When I'm 70, I'll be happy to be able to dance with 50 year-olds.

[yeniseri]

5.54 - why aren't they leaning in their bow stance?

I believe when they punch, they will lean.

Actually that is a basic changquan posture!
I may not do taijiquan all the time, but when I don't, changquan is what I do! I drink the XX (dos equis) later

[windwalker]

let master wong answer the question.
"its not designed for old people, its designed for all people"