Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

A collection of links to internal martial arts videos. Serious martial arts videos ONLY. Joke videos go to Off the Topic.

Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby DiaitaDoc on Mon Sep 03, 2018 1:40 pm

After a multi-year hiatus, I finally have the opportunity to train consistently with a partner again! It's been about a month. I'm super rusty, but really excited to train and explore some aspects of TaiJi that I've been thinking about.

These days, practice of the general skills of Taiji are often neglected in favor of the special, soft, internal skills. As such, I've decided to catalog at least one "practical" application sequence for each posture or series of postures of the traditional Yang style Taiji form. The postures covered in the clips below are: Beginning form, ward off right, ward off left, grasp the sparrow's tail.

Inspired by Ramsey Dewey's dicsussion on TaiJi as "shadow wrestling", I'm approaching the postures primarily with a focus on cataloging throws and takedowns.

Apologies for the shitty camerawork and editing, especially in the first video. The next ones will (hopefully) be better.





If you have any videos demonstrating Yang style TaiJi postures from a throwing and/or takedown perspective, feel free to post them!
Last edited by DiaitaDoc on Wed Sep 05, 2018 10:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
DiaitaDoc
Anjing
 
Posts: 219
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 4:23 pm
Location: Halifax, Canada

Re: Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby Bao on Tue Sep 04, 2018 3:26 am

Good show-reel. I enjoyed the vids, especially the first one.

In general, I don't like this kind of applications practice in Push hands when someone suddenly stop from following and let himself be handled any way the "executioner" wants. It's a bit counter-productive and can (probably) build bad habits. Better to keep on flowing and changing and try to counter the attempts to pull of an application. But I also don't like mixing drills with free play. Many do like this, but I believe that it's pretty counter-intuitive as well. When you start, you shouldn't exchange attacks one and one, instead you should follow, fill in the gaps. As soon as it starts, one person already has the advantage and the other one has not. So you should follow his movements and fill in directly and without any kind of pattern or application in mind. But I understand this is just a show-reel, so general thoughts only, just rambling.
Thoughts on Tai Chi (My Tai Chi blog)
- Storms make oaks take deeper root. -George Herbert
- To affect the quality of the day, is the highest of all arts! -Walden Thoreau
Bao
Great Old One
 
Posts: 9007
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 12:46 pm
Location: High up north

Re: Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby DiaitaDoc on Fri Sep 07, 2018 12:48 pm

Bao wrote:Good show-reel. I enjoyed the vids, especially the first one.

In general, I don't like this kind of applications practice in Push hands when someone suddenly stop from following and let himself be handled any way the "executioner" wants. It's a bit counter-productive and can (probably) build bad habits. Better to keep on flowing and changing and try to counter the attempts to pull of an application. But I also don't like mixing drills with free play. Many do like this, but I believe that it's pretty counter-intuitive as well. When you start, you shouldn't exchange attacks one and one, instead you should follow, fill in the gaps. As soon as it starts, one person already has the advantage and the other one has not. So you should follow his movements and fill in directly and without any kind of pattern or application in mind. But I understand this is just a show-reel, so general thoughts only, just rambling.


Hi Bao, thanks for the comment!

I get what you're saying in regards to push hands. My view is that, beyond (or before) free play, sensitivity, and four energy training, an awareness of possibilities - of possible applications - is advantageous. While some people might choose to force an application or pattern, I'm more an advocate of applying technique when opportunity presents itself. I believe that without knowledge of a technique and how/when it might be applied, then that becomes a missed opportunity.

Here's the next set of postures, From Single Whip to White Crane Spreads Wings.

DiaitaDoc
Anjing
 
Posts: 219
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 4:23 pm
Location: Halifax, Canada

Re: Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby Bao on Fri Sep 07, 2018 10:58 pm

I believe that without knowledge of a technique and how/when it might be applied, then that becomes a missed opportunity


If you understand how to follow, adapt, fill in and know how to read balance, distance and angle, you only need to have learned a few techniques to know and being able to use a thousand. No opportunity will be missed.

.... Nice leg takedowns BTW.
Thoughts on Tai Chi (My Tai Chi blog)
- Storms make oaks take deeper root. -George Herbert
- To affect the quality of the day, is the highest of all arts! -Walden Thoreau
Bao
Great Old One
 
Posts: 9007
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 12:46 pm
Location: High up north

Re: Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby DiaitaDoc on Fri Sep 14, 2018 12:28 pm

Thanks Bao.

Here's the next installment in my catalog. I had a displaced rib, so I was a little tentative, but the applications are still clear.

DiaitaDoc
Anjing
 
Posts: 219
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 4:23 pm
Location: Halifax, Canada

Re: Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby wayne hansen on Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:23 pm

It would be interesting to know where your ideas for application come from
Where does your yang style come from
What parts of the yang system do you practice
Don't put power into the form let it naturally arise from the form
wayne hansen
Wuji
 
Posts: 5660
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 1:52 pm

Re: Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby DiaitaDoc on Fri Sep 14, 2018 5:47 pm

wayne hansen wrote:It would be interesting to know where your ideas for application come from
Where does your yang style come from
What parts of the yang system do you practice


My ideas for application in this project come from exploring the postures from “shuai” first, except in cases where it’s obviously something else, such as “Da” in advance step, parry, punch. This is in line with my understanding of Taiji as being primarily a wrestling art.

My Yang style long form comes from Kevin Wallbridge, with some personal modifications (“de-geriatricization”).

I practice the traditional 85 form, the 24 form, and two Jian forms: the 32 & 49.
I practice fixed step and moving step push hands, both patterned and freestyle.
I’m practicing application sequences and drills, within both patterned and freestyle contexts.
I practice Sparring.
I have a Wing Chun background.
I need to practice more Zhan Zhuang.
Last edited by DiaitaDoc on Fri Sep 14, 2018 5:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
DiaitaDoc
Anjing
 
Posts: 219
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 4:23 pm
Location: Halifax, Canada

Re: Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby Trick on Fri Sep 14, 2018 9:25 pm

With all the other exercises at hand why need more ZZ?
Trick

 

Re: Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby DiaitaDoc on Fri Sep 14, 2018 9:45 pm

Trick wrote:With all the other exercises at hand why need more ZZ?


Because I want to improve my fundamentals for both the internal and external skills.
DiaitaDoc
Anjing
 
Posts: 219
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 4:23 pm
Location: Halifax, Canada

Re: Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby Bugang on Sat Sep 15, 2018 8:38 am

Throw away that 24!

And practice a lot more ZZ.
If you know HOW to do it properly you know WHY you do it.
*Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other Plans*
User avatar
Bugang
Mingjing
 
Posts: 93
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2016 3:33 pm

Re: Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby Bao on Sat Sep 15, 2018 10:47 am

This is in line with my understanding of Taiji as being primarily a wrestling art.


That’s your personal opinion.


Some people use it foremost as a sort of wrestling art, others use it as a punching art, others focus on qinna and yet others see it as a blend of these and other aspects. And still there are other views.

Tai Chi is everything you can use it as. That is the meaning of the term Tai Chi = potential. I see it very much as a science to understand the balance and structure of a human body in movement. I also see it as an art of self-knowledge and a way of how to translate this knowledge into a knowledge about others.

IMO principles are important not if you use principles for punching, throwing or qinna.
If you limit yourself to this or that you might miss something very important about the essence of the art, the potential and possibilities to use Tai Chi principles in many different ways, unrehearsed and spontaneously.
Last edited by Bao on Sun Sep 16, 2018 3:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thoughts on Tai Chi (My Tai Chi blog)
- Storms make oaks take deeper root. -George Herbert
- To affect the quality of the day, is the highest of all arts! -Walden Thoreau
Bao
Great Old One
 
Posts: 9007
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 12:46 pm
Location: High up north

Re: Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby marvin8 on Sat Sep 15, 2018 11:06 am

Bao wrote:
This is in line with my understanding of Taiji as being primarily a wrestling art.


That’s your personal opinion only.

Some people use it foremost as a sort of wrestling art, others use it as a punching art, others focus on qinna and yet others see it as a blend of these and other aspects. And still there are other views. . . .

YMAA
Published on Nov 4, 2013

DVD available: http://ymaa.com/publishing/internal/t...

Dr. Yang's tai chi lineage can be traced back to the Yang family through Grandmaster Kao, Tao (高濤) and his teacher Yue, Huanzhi (樂奐之), an indoor disciple of Yang, Chengfu (楊澄甫).

Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) is an ancient internal Chinese martial art which has gained widespread popularity for its many health benefits. Today, most people practice taiji slowly to develop their balance, strength, and vitality, and the martial applications of the art are often ignored. Taijiquan, or 'Grand Ultimate Fist', is a highly effective form of combat specializing in short and middle-range fighting.

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming offers practical martial applications for each of the 37-postures of traditional Taiji, based on the forms passed down by Yang, Ban-Hou. Once the viewer has a basic understanding of these universal principles, you may use them to devise further applications for every movement no matter which style of Taiji you practice.

Learn the Basic Concepts of Taiji and Taijiquan.
Understand the purpose of every Taiji movement.
Over 50 effective applications for any Taijiquan style
:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp2jWeaKrqI
User avatar
marvin8
Wuji
 
Posts: 2917
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:30 pm

Re: Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby charles on Sat Sep 15, 2018 11:13 am

I rarely comment on videos. However, I once mentioned to Willie, when he was here, "Everyone has applications, they are a dime a dozen". He never understood what I meant. If he's viewed DiaitaDoc's videos, perhaps he does now.
Last edited by charles on Sat Sep 15, 2018 11:20 am, edited 2 times in total.
charles
Wuji
 
Posts: 1727
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 1:01 pm

Re: Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby wayne hansen on Sat Sep 15, 2018 1:39 pm

There are applications that reflect how the art is meant to be used and applications that are just there for their own sake
Applications should explore ever aspect of how the art is used
They should shine a positive light on the form
Yang above is not a good example he is basically a white crane guy doing tai chi with white crane distancing and timing
The reason I asked about your teacher is you seem to be trying to work it out without a great deal of prior knowledge
If you are serious throw away the 24 it is simplistic for simplicity sake
I call it 123 Cha Cha Cha it fails to explore a multi directional awareness
Good luck with your project
Don't put power into the form let it naturally arise from the form
wayne hansen
Wuji
 
Posts: 5660
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 1:52 pm

Re: Traditional Yang Style TaiJi Technique Catalog

Postby DiaitaDoc on Sat Sep 15, 2018 4:45 pm

Bugang wrote:Throw away that 24!


That’s in progress. I still have a few seniors who ask for refreshers, but I don’t “practice” it per se.

Bao wrote:That’s your personal opinion only.


Indeed! As an addendum, I’m not discounting the striking and Qinna - from my perspective, any posture that is repeated throughout the form is meant to be examined from more than one angle.

I agree that Taiji, at its core, is “all encompassing”, and allows for “unlimited” applications. Another personal opinion I have is that most posture applications I’ve seen demonstrated are shit - either low percentage or just silly - which is one of the reasons I started this project. I’m fully prepared to have my applications categorized in the same manner, though. I’m cool with it. That’s the beauty of personal opinion and interpretation.

Wayne Hansen wrote:The reason I asked about your teacher is you seem to be trying to work it out without a great deal of prior knowledge


Sometimes a lack of prior knowledge allows us to see things from a fresh perspective. That said, any lack of knowledge is a reflection of my inability to learn, not my teacher’s inability to teach.

Thank you for your well wishes, Wayne.
Last edited by DiaitaDoc on Sat Sep 15, 2018 4:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
DiaitaDoc
Anjing
 
Posts: 219
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 4:23 pm
Location: Halifax, Canada

Next

Return to Video Links

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Kelley Graham and 11 guests