Online Tai Chi courses experiences

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Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby CombatTaiChi on Sat Jan 14, 2023 2:18 pm

Hi!
I'm following various DVD and Online courses by more than 10 year. I found that some courses are very interesting and useful. Yes, I know that it can't replace the personal teaching, but surely is very useful as an supplement.
I found that the courses by Adam Mizner, Liang De Hua and Alex Dong are very good. Also very good coursed (DVDs) are from Stuart Alve Olson, Waysun Liao, Gary Clyman, Bruce Kumar Frantzis and Richard Clear. I learned a lot from them.
What are your experiences? Do you found any other intresting Tai Chi Online (or DVD) courses?
Thanks for any feedback.
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Re: Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby origami_itto on Sat Jan 14, 2023 2:42 pm

I can't say enough about Alex Dong's material. Reading his "Taijiquan explained: workshop notes" and I could throw every other taijiquan book I've got away and not miss them. He's doing workshops all over the country and world on a regular basis, real down to earth guy with solid skills who doesn't compare himself to Jesus or the Buddha on a regular basis and is very approachable in person and online.
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Re: Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby everything on Tue Jan 17, 2023 1:43 pm

CombatTaiChi wrote:Hi!
I'm following various DVD and Online courses by more than 10 year.


10 years?!!! Wow, that's a long time. Maybe you could tell us how your opinion / benefits / approach to this type of learning changed kind of year over year, as you progressed? Any other thoughts?

Been using Coursera lately after ChatGPT and/or Khan Academy puts an interesting question in my head. Regardless of the topic, I think we have to go "do the thing". What are your thoughts on doing the online course(s) while having in-person instruction, then trying lessons in whatever application of choice?
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Re: Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby greytowhite on Tue Jan 17, 2023 7:45 pm

I've followed Alex Kozma's material for Xingyi and Bagua for a few years now - I got his old Taiji DVD and he has some new videos that I have yet to get as Taiji is my tertiary art. His student Chris has some great material on his site.

https://www.thetaichiacademy.com/
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Re: Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby robert on Wed Jan 18, 2023 9:56 am

CombatTaiChi wrote:What are your experiences? Do you found any other intresting Tai Chi Online (or DVD) courses?

When I first started training 30 years ago, after a couple years I did an Internal Strength workshop with Mike Sigman. He taught the basic body mechanics of neijin. The person I was studying with wasn't teaching jin so I dropped the local training. I got a VHS by ZXX on FZQ's silk reeling set and learned that using what I got from Mike and watching the VHS. After 9 or 10 months I did a private lesson with ZXX to see if I was doing the set correctly. That also verified that what I learned from Mike was correct.

At that time Mike was publishing a magazine and had also released a couple VHS tapes on Internal Strength. I had read the magazines and watched the tapes before I attended the seminar. Many other attendees were in a similar situation. The seminar was a revelation. I wasn't able to get the basic idea of neijin through videos or magazines or books. I needed the hands-on feedback. No, not that, this. Many people agreed - it has to be shown. Once you've be shown the proper body mechanics, I think videos are useful, but in learning the FZQ silk reeling set I didn't really learn anything new, I applied what I had already learned. I've bought DVDs since then, but they have been for reference. Up until the lockdown I've been able to attend workshops and do private lessons to take my training deeper. Now I'm self-correcting. That's my experience, YMMV.
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Re: Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby CombatTaiChi on Wed Jan 18, 2023 1:04 pm

origami_itto - I agree. IMHO Alex is one of the best Tai Chi teacher today.

everything - I learned a lot of principles and drills that I added to my daily practice, so my opinion is that if you get the right information (also from book or video) if far better than not getting it.

greytowhite - I also like Alex Kozma publications. Also Chris has some great courses.

robert - Mike Sigman videos are also a very good resurces. He done a great job.
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Re: Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby Bao on Thu Jan 19, 2023 5:40 am

Alex Dong, can't see any applications on his YT channel. Only a few PH vids. There's also a clip he speaks about application, but he is alone. So does he teach tai chi as a martial art and applications? Has anyone done free PH with him?
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Re: Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby Bhassler on Thu Jan 19, 2023 9:44 am

Bao wrote:Alex Dong, can't see any applications on his YT channel. Only a few PH vids. There's also a clip he speaks about application, but he is alone. So does he teach tai chi as a martial art and applications? Has anyone done free PH with him?


Not Alex specifically, but I have crossed hands with a number of people that learned from the older generation, and they were the real deal. Just like anyone else, it's possible he didn't "get it," or had a different focus, but the Dong lineage itself is one of the good ones.
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Re: Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby windwalker on Thu Jan 19, 2023 9:49 am

Bhassler wrote:
Bao wrote:Alex Dong, can't see any applications on his YT channel. Only a few PH vids. There's also a clip he speaks about application, but he is alone. So does he teach tai chi as a martial art and applications? Has anyone done free PH with him?


Not Alex specifically, but I have crossed hands with a number of people that learned from the older generation, and they were the real deal. Just like anyone else, it's possible he didn't "get it," or had a different focus, but the Dong lineage itself is one of the good ones.


Saying they were the "real deal"

How would you characterize this.. :)

Did they use the movements from their training
Did they have some thing that would indicate they had trained using this method

Could you separate the method from the person using the method.....ect...

Curious :P
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Re: Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby origami_itto on Thu Jan 19, 2023 10:17 am

Bao wrote:Alex Dong, can't see any applications on his YT channel. Only a few PH vids. There's also a clip he speaks about application, but he is alone. So does he teach tai chi as a martial art and applications? Has anyone done free PH with him?


I can't affect him in any way when invited to do whatever I like. He twitched slightly and I was stumbling backwards until somebody caught me about 20 feet away.

When I get the chance to meet up he gives me corrections that keep me busy for the six months-year until I get to meet again. My form and overall, I dunno, strength? like how long and steady I can stand on one leg, hold a kick up, issue energy with minimal overt movement, "qi" awareness and flow, all that jazz, has improved dramatically since starting to follow his methods.

Dong style is definitely a martial flavor of taijiquan, don't know if there are many us students really investing in that side of it. It is very much spoken of and considered first and foremost as a martial art. The names of the Yang form postures even reference combat directly more than they were initially introduced to me in other lineages. They also have extensive qigong routines and I'm inclined to say they produce some interesting energetic effects.

I don't know and can't say if anybody has "it" but he's definitely got a lot more of what I want than I currently have. YMMV.

I will say that he keeps to a traditional pedagogy and doesn't waste much time on theory that doesn't directly apply to doing taijiquan more correctly. I can see where that may not appeal to a lot of the more intellectually inclined american students. I find the form instruction very easy to follow.

The books are amazing. I'll say no more about them mainly because you plebes don't deserve the knowledge.

Workshops with him are better than the ones with his father Dong Zhen Chen. Dong Zhen Chen doesn't speak english so the content and question and answers were relayed by his wife, who was no slouch to be sure, but it is harder to follow than direct communication like you get with Alex. It was also his last workshop before retirement so who knows how that influenced things.

Overall Alex is a great guy, highly skilled, clear instruction, down to earth, easy to talk to.

Honestly I feel bad his online stuff isn't more polished because it is much more valuable than most of the other stuff out there and deserves the credit.

Overall though, you need some direct instruction to get the most benefit, the online stuff is purely supplemental.
Last edited by origami_itto on Thu Jan 19, 2023 12:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby wayne hansen on Thu Jan 19, 2023 12:28 pm

I’m interested to know how you know he is a great guy if he dosent speak English and you only meet twice a year
It should not matter if his students arnt interested fighting
It should pass on if the teaching is good
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Re: Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby origami_itto on Thu Jan 19, 2023 12:39 pm

wayne hansen wrote:I’m interested to know how you know he is a great guy if he dosent speak English and you only meet twice a year
It should not matter if his students arnt interested fighting
It should pass on if the teaching is good

Sorry that was confusing.

Alex speaks english. His father Dong Zhen Chen does not.
Last edited by origami_itto on Thu Jan 19, 2023 12:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby wayne hansen on Thu Jan 19, 2023 2:20 pm

I should have realised that because he speaks English on his YouTube clips
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Re: Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby Bao on Fri Jan 20, 2023 8:14 am

origami_itto wrote:I can't affect him in any way when invited to do whatever I like. He twitched slightly and I was stumbling backwards until somebody caught me about 20 feet away.


Sounds good


The books are amazing. I'll say no more about them mainly because you plebes don't deserve the knowledge.


What do you like with them? Is there a lot of theory? History? Applications?

Honestly I feel bad his online stuff isn't more polished because it is much more valuable than most of the other stuff out there and deserves the credit.


I see, sounds like he is better than what he shows. Maybe he is just humble, not wanting to show too much.

Thank you for responding and sharing!
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Re: Online Tai Chi courses experiences

Postby origami_itto on Fri Jan 20, 2023 8:34 am

Bao wrote:
origami_itto wrote:The books are amazing. I'll say no more about them mainly because you plebes don't deserve the knowledge.


What do you like with them? Is there a lot of theory? History? Applications?

Grand Master is good because it is the story of Dong Ying Jie
The Red Book is good because it is Alex's translation of the good parts of Dong Ying Jie's book "Taijiquan Explained" there is a Brennan translation as well. There is a lot of theory and philosophy in that one, comparatively.
Alex's "Taijiquan explained" is a pretty standard sort of introductory book on taijiquan with some really useful stuff mixed in. Fundamental concepts, like stance, breathing, eyes, how to find a good teacher, how to BE a good teacher, an overview of the Dong family Yang form, a tiny bit of musing on philosophy and cultivation.
"Taijiquan Explained: Workshop Notes" in my opinion is the gem, it expands on the practical fundamentals in the first book and gives examples. This is the one that keeps blowing my mind and I'm only like 1/4 of the way through it. It's probably the least polished in terms of editing but the content is fantastic.

Honestly I feel bad his online stuff isn't more polished because it is much more valuable than most of the other stuff out there and deserves the credit.


I see, sounds like he is better than what he shows. Maybe he is just humble, not wanting to show too much.

I think humble is right, but not that he doesn't want to show off. It's more just matter of fact. He's not worried about coming up with a cryptic and impressive sounding answer to satisfy a need for mystical exoticness. Here are the exercises, do the exercises. Don't worry about all that theory. He's confident in what he knows and admits that he's still learning and growing.

The public videos I've seen seem aimed more at beginners. I can't really comment on the effectiveness of his marketing with them. The private online sessions are great, the facebook content on the forms is great, the in person workshops, literally, everything he has said to me has been directly applicable to doing taijiquan more correctly and has been easy to apply. Not that I've gotten actually good or anything but I do feel like I suck less.

Initially I did have to drop some of my preconceptions. I didn't think much just watching his students, but when we started doing partner work I found many of them to be very good.
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