For the grapplers

[wayne hansen]

A good channel I came across

https://youtube.com/@Chadi?si=0R_hPCYPLqnJrkcJ

[wayne hansen]

https://youtu.be/zOnEARtQYRk?si=omiL-_93pB-FlSGN

Just watched the tai chi one
He has an interesting take

[Steve James]

I don't like phs competitions. Afa the tcc vids, I like the one in middle most. I have friends who are really good at the first phs example; the one that the narrator says reminds him of wrestling. I think he's right, and it can be really effective competing with similar arts. My main criticism is that it may demonstrate tcc "principles," but it doesn't illustrate the relevance of learning an entire form or set of forms beforehand. A good shuai jiao guy could enter the contest.

In the last clip, the contestants start a phs pattern, but as the narrator notes, then they just literally do hand-pushing until someone gets the advantage. True, a smaller person might win, but it'd still be a struggle -and imo that'd be an error -from the tcc pov. Yes, the strength is an advantage, as long as the opponent isn't stronger. I.e., if a technique is limited by the practitioner's strength, then there's a limit at which it won't work. Otoh, techniques/methods that don't require (a lot or more) strength will work against more opponents.

That's why I prefer the middle vid. For one thing, there's variety in terms of principles employed and techniques (forms). Imo, that's what phs training is for, and by phs I mean the two-person practices done before san shou or weapons. Different schools have different sets, of course. Some are very extensive, others just have phs and dalu. Ma's Wu tcc has 13 methods, but some branches have more. There's a big difference between learning these different patterns and just learning new empty hand forms.

Anyway, imo, instead of phs competitions, just take your phs and enter an open contest with other martial arts. Maybe the phs competitions are popular because they're safer than other activities. It's a way to play king of the hill. Or, maybe people feel that phs is the way the old masters used to test their skills. Well, maybe they used it to demonstrate their skill.

[Steve James]

Hey, I think it's cool for two people to test themselves. Some people are competitive at everything. My basic point is that phs is about learning something/s in a cooperative way. Usually, people learn more by losing than by winning. By "cooperative," I don't mean weak or having no threat. I think that A should seriously attack B, allowing B to practice defense, and then A should allow B to seriously attack (try to push, pull, etc). And then the pattern should continue.

Thing is, just as you experienced with the sambo guy, "Defend yourself at all times." Those type of things will always happen.

Btw, hope all is well in Taiwan.

[everything]

randori and ph can be similar if you want it to be. and "cooperative". except people who are beginners in ph think they can somehow skip to the "old master" level. or people who insist it's the same (then do we need taijiquan at all)

[Sea.Wolf.Forge]

I feel seen.