Tai Chi Foundations - Community Built Online Training

[Kelley Graham]

I put this here as a resource, but will move if this isn't an appropriate topic for this section. I have a domain name - https://taichifoundations.com - that i would like to contribute to the Chinese Internal Martial Arts community. RSF members have a terrific depth of knowledge and we have many great archived discussions. I propose that we collect that material and turn it into open online curriculum to promote better understanding and practice. I can provide editorial, tech resources and overall project coordination, members build the curriculum. https://train.sifuondemand.com/course/view.php?id=6 It's a moodle site under Sifu On Demand for development. When appropriate, it can be moved to it's own dedicated training site. (EDIT: Enabled guest access to view the outline)

[Kelley Graham]

if there's no interest in this project i will remove and move on to another approach.

[GrahamB]

Do you think you can explain it as if I was a 5 year old? I can't get it from what you wrote + jargon.

[Quigga]

I can see it working, it would take some dedication and old discussions would flare up with renewed passion...

Organsing the archives would mean dividing the wealth of knowledge in different sub-categories. Participating members would need to give their opinion in at least monthly intervals to achieve something fruitfull over the span of 3 years.

Sort of like an IMA wikipedia with actual fact checks and names as well as faces behind claims and theories...

The question would be where to start. At the beginning, I guess

So what should the curriculum be? Everything we agree and disagree on... Different names for the same things...

At least, I think it would be a tremendous waste to let our treasures stagnate...

Let the lotus rise from the bottom and blossom on the water's surface

[Kelley Graham]

Do you think you can explain it as if I was a 5 year old? I can't get it from what you wrote + jargon.

To clarify:

1) Gather rsf posts and discussions and make open online CIMA curriculum for beginners. “Well begun, half done”
2) I provide the place people go to learn. https://taichifoundations.com
3) I have a suggested starting outline already in place if you follow the link in the OP
4) While under development, the site is hosted on my existing learning site. When the site is ready, I will move it to a dedicated site.
5) Our community can make it anything we want. I’m willing to provide project management and editorial support.
6) RSF benefits by increasing visibility and the CIMA community benefits by having a place where newbies can get trusted info.
7) We all benefit by sharing our best stuff and building something.
8) Maybe we will reduce charlatans and posers ability to ruin potential good students.

[Kelley Graham]

I can see it working, it would take some dedication and old discussions would flare up with renewed passion...

Organsing the archives would mean dividing the wealth of knowledge in different sub-categories. Participating members would need to give their opinion in at least monthly intervals to achieve something fruitfull over the span of 3 years.

Sort of like an IMA wikipedia with actual fact checks and names as well as faces behind claims and theories...

The question would be where to start. At the beginning, I guess

So what should the curriculum be? Everything we agree and disagree on... Different names for the same things...

At least, I think it would be a tremendous waste to let our treasures stagnate...

Let the lotus rise from the bottom and blossom on the water's surface

I provided an outline that I have used in teaching. Follow the second link in the OP. We should start with the basics for newbies and then see where that leads.

[GrahamB]

My curriculum is simple:

Year 1. Horse stance. 1 hour a day.

Year 2. More horse stance.

Year 3. You complaining? Sounds like somebody needs to learn more horse stance.

Year 4 onwards. Secret stuff.

[Quigga]

Maybe eating bitter via horse stance would make the pain you're exposed to later on easier to withstand. Besides building a solid foundation for your psyche to rest upon.

Thank you for providing your skills and resources Kelly. I will gladly dig through the archives once more.

[LaoDan]

The outline seems like it will match your stated goal:
“Students learn the cultural context of Chinese Internal Martial Arts...”

While this course would lead to more intellectual knowledge, I am not certain how it will “lead to more authentic training experiences and better training results.” There seems to be little information applicable to actual physical training in the outline. Do you intend to include this more in the video lessons? While much in the outline sounds interesting (and I only have knowledge about some parts), I am not clear how learning this information (philosophy, history and tradition) would improve my personal practice. But I do not want to sound discouraging since it does sound interesting.

[Kelley Graham]

I have received permission to use my existing audio materials to start this off. ( i have a student who is a historian and has an excellent voice. ) the academic materials were presented following the outline. each class I introduced a tai chi chuan beginners' drill that fit with the topic under consideration. i would open it all up to the community to add a variety of physical practices. i'll put together the audio lessons over the next few weeks and we'll see what comes of it.

[everything]

really like the idea. sorry, not qualified to teach, but happy to ask some questions as a would be student.

[Kelley Graham]

i've made a nice widget to help transcribe and index media. https://transcribe.taichifoundations.com Theres no need format your file unless you know Markdown. Send me the files and any other info i might need. The widget does a pretty good job without any extra fussing. let me know if you have tech issue AFTER your read the manual and help files. [RTFM]

[Kelley Graham]

Over the holidays, I am working on an analysis of our esteemed database. I aim to pull numbers based on topics and see how these trend over time. Please assist me in generating a comprehensive keyword list. Quoting and adding your interest to one master list is best. There are 2500+ members, if each could make one or two additions or variations we could get this list done easily. thx

================================ START LIST ================================
RSF MASTER KEYWORDS OF INTEREST ( no topic is beneath notice, anything goes )
martial art
bagua
bagua zhang
paqua
tai chi chuan
t'ai chi chuan
taichichuan
taijiquan
taiji quan
xingyi chuan
xyingi
chi
qi
fighting
best art
my art is best
your art sucks
fajin
fa jin
jin
neijia
nei jia
nei gong
Shuai Jiao
Yang Luchan
Yang Family
Dong Haichuan
Wu Familiy
Beijing Wu
Chen Style
Chen Family
Cheng Bagua
Yin Bagua
ti fang
politics
bush
gore
election
push hands
roushou
wing chun
bruce lee
chuck norris
dave devere
emptyflower
yi
hsingyi
================================ END LIST ================================

[LaoDan]

It is not clear to me what you are asking for here, but it seems to be broader than just TJQ. Is this still for the TJQ focused online training? Is it for any topics that could be found on RSF (& EF)?

From A TJQ perspective you may want to add the eight jin:
Peng
Lu
Ji
An
Cai
Lei
Zhou
Kao
[Plus alternate spellings and English translations, e.g. Wade-Giles..."ward off"...]

For TJQ, and for general, you may want to add:
Weapons
Swordsmanship
Jian
Sword
Dao
Saber
Gun
Staff
Qiang
Spear

Are these the sorts of keywords that you are looking for?

[Giles]

Nice initiative, Kelley!
The addition of the 8 jins and weapons by Lao Dan is good.

Variations on "push hands":
pushing hands
tuishou
tui shou

Also, off the top of my head:

self-defence / self-defense
Cheng Man-Ching / Cheng Man-Ch'ing / Zheng Manqing
Wu style
Hao style
Li style
Huang style
fajin / Issuing
absorbing
intercepting
neutralizing
relaxation
forms
partner exercises
kua
song / fang song
dantien
shen fa
jibengong