Rickson Gracie teaches Tai Chi

[GrahamB]

Tai chi opening move?

http://youtu.be/DbtIPkyGm4g

[XiaoXiong]

I was just gonna post those! Fantastic details.
Jess

[GrahamB]

Thoughts:

Is 'invisible Jiu Jitsu' the details we learn in tai chi? (On the feet alone, maybe...)

He's definitely all about the hips - but is it even worth thinking about Dan tien before you can do what he's doing from the hips?

I wish there was more recorded! Would love to see his details on armbar from the guard!

Really liked his details on empty and solid (yin yang) - a lot of my tai chi practice is focussed on this element right now.

[GrahamB]

Also I felt sorry for Budo Jake - he seemed so in awe of Rickson that he forgot all his training and turned into a white belt...

[XiaoXiong]

Rickson did armbars in one of the seminars I attended. He showed the basic armbar details then showed this.

Jess

[GrahamB]

Awesome - thanks!

[RobP2]

I dunno, watching the first clip I kept shouting "move your shoulders, move your feet!" lol

[Jianhua]

Rickson did armbars in one of the seminars I attended. He showed the basic armbar details then showed this.

I like this one also.

[GrahamB]

I dunno, watching the first clip I kept shouting "move your shoulders, move your feet!" lol

Care to expand Rob?

[Interloper]

No tai chi or internals here. In the first clip, the body is used as a brace. This is a compromised, unstable position. An opponent could abruptly turn or shift his own weight and Jake would lose his center.

Internal principles involve manipulating your own structure from within so that you become a conduit, not a brace, and can re-direct force down to the ground, and also bring it back up from the ground to deliver back into the opponent as an attack. There is no commitment of your own center of mass and stability that the opponent can exploit. Instead of being a brace, like a broomstick propped against a doorknob, you are a "lightning rod."

[Wanderingdragon]

As Rickson said time and again, " this first / second stuff ", and he's telling the truth you must affect the opponent's weight , stand up or on the ground.

[XiaoXiong]

Some thoughts. Putting all the weight in the right place is the first step of every internal art I've ever done, including xin yi liu he and Tongbei. The weight isn't clearly separated hemispherically, but it is separared in the pushing exercise along tge coronal plane. Would be very curious tp talk to Rickson about invisible jiu jitsu and internal power.
Jess

[Steve Rowe]

Sport guys really shouldn't teach street. I was shouting "just fucking gob him!" If you have to raise your hands, knock him out whilst he's still coming forward, timing and that window of opportunity is vital. This is awful. If for any reason you're not going to knock him out (unlikely) don't get involved in a push/pull game, turn him and then hit him or break something, even better use your weapon.

[RobP2]

I dunno, watching the first clip I kept shouting "move your shoulders, move your feet!" lol

Care to expand Rob?

Basically to get out of that first position with the guy coming in a pushing, roll your shoulders slightly to disrupt his form and move your feet off line. In the rear choke position the first movement he did was kind of ok, but would be more effective if he rotated his shoulder to create space. Throwing someone as suggested is not a good move for me, it puts them even more on your back.

Examples here

[XiaoXiong]

I really like Gracie self defense because they don't necessarily escalate the emotional violence. Smart stuff ime. Karma comes round and round. Also Gracie self defense helps keep you from becoming the aggressor in legal terms. Very well suited for today's society.
Jess