What does your Taiji curriculum consist of ?

[cdobe]

What's your Taiji curriculum?

I'ld be interested to hear what forms and exercises you practice and maybe what forms and exercises do exist in your TJQ that you haven't learned (yet). Would be nice if you added where the exercises come from (like 'this is an exercise I have adopted from the XY branch/teacher X'). Did you add something to your personal curriculum (heavy bag, kettlebell- or dumbbell training, drills from other arts) ?

I'll respond later myself. Just wanted to post the topic before I forget the idea...


CD

@Admins: I wanted to choose an icon for the thread, but that doesn't seem to be possible . Would be nice if you could add that feature.

[mixjourneyman]

I'm not serious about taiji, but I practice part of the chen style yi lu that I learned from my teacher. I also practice suplimentary silk reeling and fajing plus push hands when I get the chance. My teachers classes are very heavy on basics such as posture holding, silk reeling, fa jing, and stretches. I went to one on Sunday that totally wiped me out!

[Michael Babin]

The Yang style curriculum of my taiji classes consists of the long slow form, the 88-Posture two-person applications set; push-ands and da-lu, applications, focus mitt work, as well as the 32 Posture Sword form and applications and two-person drills. My main teachers were Allan Weiss and Erle Montaigue but I have also done many workshops with Sam Masich since 1990 and his approach has been a big influence on how I approach the Yang-style. I am not currently affilitated with a particular teacher.

After 33 years of Yang taiji, I suspect that many would accuse me of teaching Babin-style, but that's ok in the grand scheme of things from my perspective.

[cdobe]

...

[Franklin]

here is mine for yang style taiji
comes from yang chenfu - chu gui ting - gong zhong xiang - me

Basic Stepping Practice

zhan zhuang- raise hands posture

Long Form

Tui shou
about 4 basic practices- includes single hand pushing, and some to open up the hips/kwa
4 corners (peng lu ji ahnn) stationary and with stepping
da lu

88 san shou

Sword
Broadsword

Long Stick Power Exercises

------------------------------------------
also learned 2 other versions of yang style
these also had their own jibengong exercises

a version of the wu style long form- hong kong style (from cheng wing kwok)
and a version of the wu nei kung/qi gong/iron body

also a couple versions of chen yi lu
and silk reeling

---------------
i have sort of compiled a program for my students
sort of what i wish i had been exposed to when learning the internals
the basic level of it is exercises that give a strong foundation for studying any of the 3 main internals
introduces fang song gong, standing exercises, and moving exercises
then they move on to learning the basics for xing yi, bagua, and taiji
after that they can choose which one they want to go more in depth with (read as the full traditional curriculum)
And go into 2 person practice
here is a page from my site detailing the curriculum if anyone was interested
http://www.internalkungfu.org/index.php ... &Itemid=55



franklin

[qiphlow]

what i've learned (yang style):
8
16
24
40
48 (combination form)
long form (108)
2- person hand form

32 sword
full-length sword
broadsword
2-person broadsword

2 fan forms (both made up by my teacher)
staff form (also made up by my teacher)
cane form ( " " " " " " )

a few choy li fut forms: 18 lohan qigong set, lohan taming tiger hand form, throat locking spear form, bodhidharma cane form

various push hands patterns
da lu push hands

various qigong sets (including 8 brocade)

also got a brief intro to xingyi 5 elements (individually) and san ti

my current practice consists of zhan zhuang, some basic stepping exercises, and some circle walking, with the occasional hand form thrown in so i don't forget them.

[Wuyizidi]

I'm not practicing everything listed here, but here's what it would looks like ideally:

Skill

Basics / Supplementary

Qi Gong: Cai Qi Fa
Zhuang Gong:
- Static: Kan, Li (from Bagua), Santi (from Xinyi), Gong Bu, Xu Bu, Ma Bu, Seven Star
- Dynamic: cloud hand, fei shen fa (flying body method), rou qiu fa (ball rolling method)
Bounces
Circles: all directions, all planes, synchronized, out of phase, opposites, same directions, overturning, fixed step, moving step.
Footwork: 100% stepping, agility drills
Fa Jin: explosive, shivering/shuttering/springing, spiral (Chen Style call this Chan Si), inch power

Form Practice
37 Posture Short Form (20 minute per set)
83 Posture Short Form (50 minute per set)

Practice method:
- slow, smooth, even
- height: high, medium, low
- both directions
- minimum 3 sets per practice session:
1st set: concentrate on whole body coordination
2nd set: concentrate on details
3rd set: prioritize feelings over exact details

Push Hand practice
Zhan Nian Jin: single hand, two hand, change hand, fixed step, moving step.
Horizontal circle: .........................................................................
Vertical circle: .........................................................................
Chan Shou: two hand, ................................................................
Folding Hand: big, medium, small, change hand, .......................
Four Hand: two hand, change hand, ....................... (ideally 1,000 circles per day)
Da Lu: .......................

Empty Hand Fighting
Bridge Hand
Chai Shou
Special training: focus on timing, distance, rhythm feeling ...
Body Hardening
...
[I'm not at this level so I don't know everything that is involved here]

Weapons
Dao
Jian
Spear (basics are practiced without tip, aka sticking staff)

...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Conditioning
Flexibility: Chen Jin Ba Gu Shi San Shi (borrowed from Muslim Tantui group)

Strength (muscle strength and muscle endurance):
General:
- use modern strength training techniques
- use modern sports science principles and methodologies

Sport-Specific:
- adopt and modify traditional strength training techniques (empty hand and equipment), mostly borrow from shuai jiao
- use modern sports science principles and methodologies

Aerobic:
Pattern overall conditioning practice using interval pattern seen in real fighting (borrowed from modern MMA training)

That's all I can think of right now.


Wuyizidi

[TaoJoannes]

Wow, lot of stuff.

The complete Taiji Curriculum in my line is as follows

Warmups and Stretches
21 Chi Gung
150 Posture Solo Form
Sword Form
Sabre Form
Double Sabre Form
Cane Form
Fan Form
Staff Form
Spear Form
Push Hands Drills
Ta Lu
Two-Person Dance
San Tsai Fencing
Sabre Fencing
Wu Dang Fencing

I'm missing the Two-Person Dance, Staff, Spear, Double Sabre, Cane, and Wudang fencing. I think that's all.

Now, the Hsing-I is another thing entirely, and my own personal practices yet another.

[Mike Roberts]

CMC's 37 form
Cmc's straight sword
Yang Broadsword
Yang Kwai Taiji, - Nigel Sutton - Master Liang - Yang Ching Feng - Liu Jian Chuan. Liu Jian Chuan - Yang Cheng Fu in Shanghai
8 direction Pole - Nigel Sutton - Master Liang -
Solo exercises for each Weapon
Solo and two person stuff like PH, Da Lu, si zhen shou
Lots of follow stepping
Lots of Shadow boxing

[johnwang]

Some drills in Chang style Taiji: http://johnswang.com/Chang_Taiji_drills.wmv

[JuanM]

Cdobe this is a great question, something that perhaps (or perhaps not) may go hand in hand with my question regarding my question regarding TCMA's success in combat sports.

My Taiji curriculum (or rather my teacher's) is as follows:

Yang 60 movements form (slow and fast)
Some standing practice but really not much...he makes it more a suggestion rather than a must
Push Hands
Da Lu (I haven't gotten this far)
Martial Applications
Sparring
Sword Form

I'm not all that interested in learning the sword form as I don't see any real practical aspect to it.

In terms of the combat sports stuff, when I told my teacher that I wanted to enter the tournament we did a ton of sparring which was great. However, I was very lucky to be in MT class where the cardio aspect is emphazised alot more or else I would not have made it past the first 40 second round. But the training he was giving me was great. I honestly think that if IMA guys (that want to fight) stepped their training up to par with other combat sports folks there might be some more success in that field. From what I know of Xingi this might be especially true for folks that train in this art.

[AllanF]

My taiji:

83 posture form (really 87 if you count properly, never understood why it is called 83)
13 jibengong/fajing excercises (single movement can add more if you wish)
7 main PH excersises, multipule variations on them
free pushing, incorporating shuai jiao and qinna
jie shou (connecting hands)

[qiphlow]

I'm not all that interested in learning the sword form as I don't see any real practical aspect to it.

but sword form is so much fun! you ought to reconsider...

[DeusTrismegistus]

I practice 5 basic movements done standing still, embracing, wave hands, brush knee, slanting fly, making a ball. There are 3 basic stepping patterns. I do some weight shifting exercises including some I made up myself. I do some drills where I can repeat a short series of postures ad infinitum which I made some of these myself as well. I do line drills of brush knee, repulse monkey, and slanting fly. The only form I know is the 24 form. I want to learn the Chang 108 form and tai chi sword. When I get to those is anyones guess and what my teacher's curriculum is beyond what I have seen I have no idea. I have never done push hands in class, whether my teacher will ever have us do push hands I have no idea. I personally think that the skills push hands imparts are already being learned through our sparring practice.

[cdobe]

Cdobe this is a great question, something that perhaps (or perhaps not) may go hand in hand with my question regarding my question regarding TCMA's success in combat sports.

Juan,
yes, that's definately an aspect of my question

I have never done push hands in class, whether my teacher will ever have us do push hands I have no idea. I personally think that the skills push hands imparts are already being learned through our sparring practice.

If you've never done the exercise, then how do you know ? Tuishou is a vital exercise for TJQ. You shouldn't discard it from an outside view. There's more to it.