the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

windwalker wrote:...


Greetings

Can you share a little about the meaning of the name, and theory behind the movement...

Per master's teaching, "Water Tai Chi" (式水性太极) is emphasizing movements like water does. We try to mimc how water stores energy, transfers energy and releases energy. Water Taichi is an excellent training for mind and body.

Among Master Lam's students, there are company CEOs, scholars, professionals. martial artists. Master Lam earns the highest respect from his students and his friends.

From this https://youtu.be/EI3VfSA4oLs, one can see how we practice and how Master Lam defenses.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/EI3VfSA4oLs[/youtube]

Master Lam pushed hands with his students. (Bryon)

nice clips

some of the thought behind the method, strategies ...

What is water-based Tai Chi?

Water-based Tai Chi is also known as Wang's Water-based Tai Chi.

The Wang family respects the meaning of Wang Zongyue's "Taijiquan Theory", and the teacher Wang Zhuanghong happens to be named Wang, so he named it.

There are not many people practicing water-based Taijiquan at present, and its most important feature is that it advocates not using force.
Use the weight and the buoyancy converted from the weight and the diffusion energy generated between the ups and downs.

Use your own weight to draw or show the opponent's strength, follow the opponent's force, and use the intention to sink to one side to make it fall into the air.

In appearance, Taijiquan is also called Changquan.

In boxing theory, it is said that "those who have long fists are like the Yangtze River and the sea (river), and they are endless." into water.

This is also the meaning of the author's teacher, Mr. Wang Zhuanghong, naming his Taijiquan as water-based Taijiquan.

Water must be shaped like water, and move with the situation. Every move and style must realize the requirement of turning the rigid body and the solid into a fluid. This process is the most painful and takes the longest.

Found the practice when first meeting Bryon, quite interesting as the movements seemed very unusual from other taiji styles.

Some of the thought that went into the base ideas for the movements

He ground-breakingly applied the principles of rigidity and softness, expansion and contraction required in calligraphy to Tai Chi, and created "Wang's Tai Chi".

an interesting method by a noted master...developing his own expression

looks really interesting.

off-topic: nice bamboo and puma shoes.

Master Lam's Taichi movements are like water waves. When practicing, one feels like swimming in the air.

How long did Mr Lam train with Master Wang

watertaichistudent wrote:Master Lam's Taichi movements are like water waves. When practicing, one feels like swimming in the air.

Again, that goes for all tai chi and for all good genuine tai chi practitioners. All Tai Chi should feel like swimming in air.

The "water" in "water tai chi" is still redundant and doesn't make it unique or special in any way.

wayne hansen wrote:How long did Mr Lam train with Master Wang

Master Wang moved to HongKong from Shanghai, China in 1989. Master Lam started learning Taichi from Master around 1990-91 (not very certain). Master Lam came to U.S.A since 1994.

Master Wang gave permission to Master Lam to teach Taichi explicitly. I saw Master Wang's hand written notes. Master Wang passed away in 2008.

Master Wang had university education in 1950s which was not common in China at that time . He was also a master of Chinese calligraphy and an antique appraisals expert. His Taichi expression was highly influenced by Taoist and Buddhism philosophical doctrines.

Master Wang had many students. There are "Wang water TaiChi" groups in HK. http://www.taijiacademy.com/Revamp/engforum.htm

nicklinjm wrote:Have had some exposure to the water taiji people in HK, the better ones can really demonstrate how real taiji jin can 'cut through' or not be affected by the power of the opponent.

Personally I think the water taiji founder (Wang Zhuang-hong) just made explicit certain power principles in Yang style taiji - the points, lines and waves. Byron Zhang is also pretty good IMHO.

Windwalker - do you find some commonalities between your Old Six Roads and what the water taiji folks do?

was wondering if the people you met belonged to this group..

Teacher Chen Shaohua Retired Police Chief Inspector. In 1986, he began to learn Taijiquan. From 1993 to 2008, followed Mr. Wang Zhuanghong to learn Wang's water-based Taijiquan, boxing theory, Chinese philosophy and Chinese calligraphy.

The history is quite interesting

1905’s or 1950’s ?

wayne hansen wrote:1905’s or 1950’s ?

It should be 1950s. My mistake.

@Windwalker, the water taiji people I met were one older gentleman who'd learnt from Wang Zhuanghong at the same time as Chen Shaohua, and then a v petite lady from NZ (weighing < 50kg) who I could not move at all despite outweighing her by 25kg. She was also able to uproot me using just a few fingers of one hand (i.e. not full palm push)

That’s quite interesting. Never heard of this style before.