the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Discover Taiji
Published on Nov 23, 2017

Live Facebook Q&A 11/22/2017:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p-LaiUTFxM

Some interesting ideas. Would be nice to hear someone who is his student or bought his online stuff.

I'm still doing his online course, it's outstanding stuff imho

oragami_itto wrote:I'm still doing his online course, it's outstanding stuff imho

What is outstanding and how does the Q&A relate to the course?

And from your general Tai Chi view, do you agree with everything he says here?

I like what I've seen of his videos so far.

Bao wrote:

oragami_itto wrote:I'm still doing his online course, it's outstanding stuff imho

What is outstanding and how does the Q&A relate to the course?

And from your general Tai Chi view, do you agree with everything he says here?

I find that it helps my practice. I don't know how to answer the second half.

I don't remember disagreeing with anything he says.

Thank you for replying.

oragami_itto wrote:I don't remember disagreeing with anything he says.

Then you have abandoned everything about Tai Chi that you have learned before? Because that is basically what he says everyone does and that you need to to if you study for him.

I also wonder about when he repeatedly say things like “sink the qi”, “first you must sink the qi,” It must be very important and very basic to be able to do anything else. So in a practical sense, how do you sink the qi? What do you do practically?

Circle arms up, push them down in front of you. Relax.

Bao wrote:Thank you for replying.

oragami_itto wrote:I don't remember disagreeing with anything he says.

Then you have abandoned everything about Tai Chi that you have learned before? Because that is basically what he says everyone does and that you need to to if you study for him.

I also wonder about when he repeatedly say things like “sink the qi”, “first you must sink the qi,” It must be very important and very basic to be able to do anything else. So in a practical sense, how do you sink the qi? What do you do practically?

He said he has senior students who have abandoned what they did before. I am not a senior student.

He's very approachable, so I'll let him defend himself if you feel like asking him yourself.

Practically, to sink the chi, you follow the method he teaches that I'm paying to learn. Basically, sung.

And I'm not being coy, just saying if you want to learn his system you have to learn it his way. I'm not going to disrespect what he's teaching by "teaching" it myself on forums.

If you're interested I strongly suggest talking to him or one of the senior guys and trying the course.

everything wrote:Circle arms up, push them down in front of you. Relax.

I don't think that this is what Adam meant. He doesn't do it every time he demonstrate fajin.

oragami_itto wrote:He said he has senior students who have abandoned what they did before. I am not a senior student.

But you must abandon them if you want to become a senior...

He's very approachable, so I'll let him defend himself if you feel like asking him yourself.

I know. But I am not his student. You are. I am not interested about what more he has to say. I am interested about why you as a student say that "it's outstanding stuff". You won't give me a straight answer, so I want to know what it is exactly you learn. And I don't mean what you exercises you are taught, I mean how much you understand from your practice.

I have found that many TCC practitioners have a very hard time to explain what they do. Often I believe it is because they either haven't thought about it or that they don't really understand by themselves. If you want to progress by yourself, you also need to do some thinking and be able to explain for yourself what you do. This is all IMHO of course.

Practically, to sink the chi, you follow the method he teaches that I'm paying to learn. Basically, sung.

Why the not just say "relax" or "sink". Why "sink the qi"? I've heard this "sink the chi" a countless of times from different teachers. IMO, this is a problem. Many students believe that they should focus on the "qi" itself, but that is absolutely wrong. You should never try to focus directly on qi. I am not criticising Adam for using this phrase for his students if he has a terminology and expressions that he hs practically explained and that they understand. But this is a public Q&A and he has the same language in demos and interviews as well.

Anyway, if it was something very basic and something you must do before anything else, I would suppose that understanding this from a practical perspective should be one of the first things you would have to learn. If you need to pay more before he explains this practically in simple english, I suggest that YOU ask him.

And another question: If you agree with him on all points, then you also agree with him that forms, drills, standing and and basic practice/jibengong is much more important to learn how to fight than actually practicing fighting. Right?

Like I said, if you want detailed information about his system, ask him or take the course.

It's detailed, easy to follow, systematic, comes with a support group on Facebook, cheap, and does what it says on the tin and that is all I'm comfortable saying in the subject.

Anymore of his students on here
Admitting that you train with him and believe what he says shows others how to reply to things you say
Like where do you put your fingers in press
Don't give away his online course here that's fair enough
At the same time don't use others to test what he says
That is why my answers are a little obtuse
I say enough for people who are on the right track to work out things for themselves
Like the crossbow analogy
Yet I don't want to say things that others can quote to lead others down their path
It is like in people's bios ,many here give vague answers and timelines have mysterious teachers they don't name
All to give an allusion of expertise they may or may not possess
When people say they are learning Adams course it lets others know where they are
This not only applies to Adams course but other online courses and seminars
So please don't hold back who here is also doing on line courses
Better still put it in your bio

Nah. I've been studying taijiquan for fifteen years. I've been studying Adams material for a year.

Should I list every book I read or video I watch?

I post to stimulate conversation and motivate myself, nothing more. I am the worst taijiquan player on the internet and speak only for myself so I advise nobody take anything I say seriously unless they can verify it themselves.

Adam teaches a different method for press than I practice normally

Bao wrote:I also wonder about when he repeatedly say things like “sink the qi”, “first you must sink the qi,” It must be very important and very basic to be able to do anything else.

Why the not just say "relax" or "sink". Why "sink the qi"? I've heard this "sink the chi" a countless of times from different teachers. IMO, this is a problem. Many students believe that they should focus on the "qi" itself, but that is absolutely wrong. You should never try to focus directly on qi.... if it was something very basic and something you must do before anything else, I would suppose that understanding this from a practical perspective should be one of the first things you would have to learn.

Exactly.