Instructor metric

[Alexatron]

we could also do with a student metric list.

Now we are talking about "student qualification".

One new ACSCA member took the 1st degree black belt test. His skill level was there but in one tournament, he thought his opponent might be too strong for him to fight, he was afraid to step into that ring. That single event had proved that he didn't have the courage to test his skill against a strong opponent. For that reason, his 1st black belt certificate was turned down by ACSCA.

Interesting - to me that suggests a partial failing on the part of his teachers/instructors. After all if you've trained someone all the way up to supposedly being ready for a black belt grading you should have some idea of their martial spirit. Surely he would have fought prior to the grading? I'm assuming he would have had to have been recommended as being ready for the grading?

[neijia_boxer]

3. Understands that things like pushing hands or sticking hands are exercises that develop certain attributes or test structure and alignment, but are not ends unto themselves and that time spent in training these exercises may not have actual value in real world application of the art

The thing with push hands is that it is so unrealistic a martial art practice I care so less for the practice nor do I care to lose to people when doing it.

1. PH is unrealistic in that you agree to start by touching hands in a polite way, you move slow and circle hands in ways that will never work in a real fight. real fights are very unpolite and do not start in that range anyways. bombs will be thrown.
2. most people who practice PH and very deep "into it" as a practice are the one that will never show up to a sparring class to work on striking and throws.
3. and what he said: "Taijiquan as a martial arts is all but dead; filled either with delusional fuckwits pretending they have Dragonball Z superpowers, or with old foggies playing handsies in the park. "

[Bao]

The thing with push hands is that it is so unrealistic a martial art practice I care so less for the practice nor do I care to lose to people when doing it.

You generalize many different things that people call PH. PH is not a specific term.

It's not unrealistic as a drill to practice sensativity/ tingjin.

Even free variations are still isolated practice of very limited skill sets, so why do you want to compare it with sparring or fighting?

1. PH is unrealistic in that you agree to start by touching hands in a polite way, you move slow and circle hands in ways that will never work in a real fight. real fights are very unpolite and do not start in that range anyways. bombs will be thrown.

Why PH competitions starts with a cooperative drill is mind boggling stupid. When we practice free PH, we never start like that. It's stupid. So not all people practicing free PH are stupid.

most people who practice PH and very deep "into it" as a practice are the one that will never show up to a sparring class to work on striking and throws.

Most people who are "into it" are not interested in fighting or sparring and practice tai chi for very different reasons.

[daniel pfister]

2. most people who practice PH and very deep "into it" as a practice are the one that will never show up to a sparring class to work on striking and throws.

I actually have the opposite problem nowadays. I've been trying to get people to show up to push hands/free play day who have experience striking/throwing, but very few have taken me up on the offer. I make it a point never to tell my practice partner any "rules" of push hands unless they ask for some instruction. I've gone to other schools in the past, but there is always protocols at those places as well. Specific rules to follow, gear and uniforms to wear etc. Unless you genuinely want to learn the art offered at another school, rather than test your existing skills, there is little offered for you in terms of scheduling.

I think many martial artists have a problem playing outside of their own school. Push hands people are just easier to pick on. We all just need to meet up in the park from time to time and go at it.

[daniel pfister]

And another thing! And I'm sorry to be getting off topic with this but...

When you start doing strikes and throws into your push hands many people (including and especially other TCC folks) will say you're not doing "push hands" anymore. So you're sort of damned if you do and damned it you don't. And I am definitely going straight to Hell at this point.

[neijia_boxer]

And another thing! And I'm sorry to be getting off topic with this but...

When you start doing strikes and throws into your push hands many people (including and especially other TCC folks) will say you're not doing "push hands" anymore. So you're sort of damned if you do and damned it you don't. And I am definitely going straight to Hell at this point.

HAHA isn't that the truth.