Sam Tam demonstrating form

[richardman]

I will just give one example. Imagine you are facing a 400 pounds, 6'4" or so guy. Now, I am sure some of you could muscle or throw him around, but can you do it so gently that it is like a leaf flying off the branch, and if you ask him "is it soft" and he would say "yes"? That's the power of the soft skills.

[Bao]

Form and pushing do not seperate
What is seen in form is there in pushing

+1
Very well said.

[I-mon]

When I met Sam Tam in Tokyo back in 2005 I was extremely impressed with his push hands skills, but I thought his taiji form *looked* horrible.

[I-mon]

Also Wayne, for those of us who don't know taiji or IMA as well as some of you lot, could you mention a couple of moments in the video when you see him being double weighted? (I'm still trying to work out what that term means)

[wayne hansen]

Only one spot but I'm still waiting to see if anyone else picks it up

[willywrong]

Separate the qi from the movement

Tasty did say the above in the original OP and I could see a lot of what I consider internal just housed in a strange form expression.

[willywrong]

Only one spot but I'm still waiting to see if anyone else picks it up

If I was to criticise his form it would be the girly leg at about 3.07 in stork cools its wings. What a hoot.

[Taste of Death]

Separate the qi from the movement

Tasty did say the above in the original OP and I could see a lot of what I consider internal just housed in a strange form expression.

Yes, like you and I-mon say, the form is strange looking. But as you can see, the form is not what's important.

[Ian]

This is the guy who can kill you with one touch, right?

[Taste of Death]

This is the guy who can kill you with one touch, right?

It may take more than one touch.

[Taste of Death]

Sam's father was a doctor in the Chinese armed forces in the 1940's-50's and he arranged for Sam to receive instruction from high level military martial arts teachers including Lau Fat Mang (Eagle Claw), Han Xingyuan (Yiquan, Xingyiquan, Baguazhang), Yu Pengxi (Yiquan), Chang Dongshen (Shuaijiao), and Zhang Xiang Wu (Taijiquan, Xingyiquan, Baguazhang).

[willywrong]

Separate the qi from the movement

Tasty did say the above in the original OP and I could see a lot of what I consider internal just housed in a strange form expression. [/quote]

Yes, like you and I-mon say, the form is strange looking.

But as you can see, the form is not what's important

.[/quote]

Yes but think of how powerful it would be if it was done in a form with stricter parameters.

[amor]

Yes, like you and I-mon say, the form is strange looking. But as you can see, the form is not what's important.

I quite like his form. Obviously it's not going to 'flow' because he is demonstrating for his students but his posture looks solid for a guy his age and the movements of arms and legs all appear to co-ordinate and come from the center. His form looks more medium-ish frame.

[Taste of Death]

Yes, like you and I-mon say, the form is strange looking. But as you can see, the form is not what's important.

I quite like his form. Obviously it's not going to 'flow' because he is demonstrating for his students but his posture looks solid for a guy his age and the movements of arms and legs all appear to co-ordinate and come from the center. His form looks more medium-ish frame.

+1

[slowEdie]

Tasty wrote

Sam's father was a doctor in the Chinese armed forces in the 1940's-50's and he arranged for Sam to receive instruction from high level military martial arts teachers including Lau Fat Mang (Eagle Claw), Han Xingyuan (Yiquan, Xingyiquan, Baguazhang), Yu Pengxi (Yiquan), Chang Dongshen (Shuaijiao), and Zhang Xiang Wu (Taijiquan, Xingyiquan, Baguazhang).

Seems he also was a student of Dr. chi chiang-tao tai chi who was student of CMC........
The book "Masters of Perception" is about his teachings and the last chapter of "The Tao of Yiquan" is devoted to his teachings ......

Enlightened Transmission
Master Tam began his teaching in the San Francisco Bay Area, but soon he was
conducting workshops and retreats in the United States, Europe, the Middle East
and Asia. As his reputation spread worldwide, it became his turn not only to carry
on the tradition of shifu, but also to become recognized as one of the world’s
greatest authorities on the internal martial arts.
As part and parcel of this reality, a steady and increasing stream of visitors from all
over the world has come knocking at his door, seeking individual training, instruction
and counseling. Many, if not most, of these visitors are already teachers of martial
arts and in fact come to Master Tam to learn his style with the intent of teaching it.
Though he has not sought out this recognition, the process has made Master Tam
a de facto “teacher of teachers.” In Chinese, there is a term for this: dashi (大師),
an honorific bestowed strictly on the basis of skill and actual achievement. Da
meaning “big” and “shi” meaning “teacher”, dashi (大師) literally means “Big
Teacher.” The dashi is a purveyor of enlightenment, sought out by other teachers
who desire to receive the deepest knowledge and acquire the most refined skills.

Masters of Perception -pg 165