Masters of Heaven & Earth - Tai chi, the movie.

[cgtomash]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwNXaQwjEr4

[Areios]

looks nice

[wolfbear]

MMMM, very nice clothes, very nice photografy, but where is martial art?

[shawnsegler]

Yeah, I've heard that Chen Xiao Wang guy is a big sissy.

[BonesCom]

wow I can't wait 'till they make a xinyi movie

[Andy_S]

Disregarding Segs' facetiousness (hair underpants for a week for you Shaun), I agree with Wolfbear: The trailor shows no application, nor even any PH.

A film about Taiji, surely should include some combativeness - after all, the voiceover makes the point that the Chinese "learned a different way to fight."

We have the "different way" - where is the "fight?"

[Adam S]

These guys have made a few movies

One on Chenshi Taiji on it's own

As well as one on yoga from memory

I get the feeling, without having seen them, they are trying to cash in on the interest in health arts esp. amongst new agey types so I wouldn't expect any quan!

[Adam S]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYaKs_K7 ... re=channel


The Chen Village trailer

I wouldn't mind seeing it personally but ain't forking out $30US : )

[middleway]

at 1:08 ... who'd have thunk that Chen Style includes Dumb bell work! :O it didnt look like a normal Bicep curl or anything, but more swinging with them.

Any of you chen style guys heard of this?

cheers
Chris

[Dmitri]

"learned a different way to fight."

We have the "different way" - where is the "fight?"

It's "fighting without fighting."

"What are you trying to tell me? That I can dodge bullets?"
"No, Neo. I'm trying to tell you that when you're ready, you won't have to."

[RobP2]

Lol Dmitri you beat me too it. I think "Empty Mind" films says it all.....

[Andy_S]

Chris:

RE: Dumbells in Chen Taijiquan

The head teacher of the school, Chen Ziqiang* is a training fanatic and a mad weightlifter (he has his own private gym on the grounds of the school). However, this is not part of the traditional Taiji curriculum. The students all go for a group run around the village every morning too, which I think has nothing to do with Taiji, but is a good idea for anyone involved in any form of phys ed. The school/village is not as traditionally hidebound as outsiders may think.

I was amused to see the guys in the yin-yang shirts doing circle walking and practicing with a yin-yang ball on the raised plinths. The first day I was there, I asked what they were for and was told "Oh! Just for leg stretching!" When the cameras come out, they obviously did some fast thinking and came up with a special routine. There is also a modern Wushu coach at the Taiji school who teaches the kids - hence all the flipping, and the fan form.

*His father Chen Xiaoxing is the offical headmaster, but only teaches privately. His son, Ziqiang, has a very different approach: He loves to wrestle and work applications, very open - Chen Sr virtually refuses to discuss combat. However, he is superb on the shenfa. Last year my teacher, a disciple of Chen Sr, advised some of the foreign students there who were all studying under Chen Ziqiang to have at least a couple of privates under Chen XX on form and shenfa correction. I'd go along with this: I love Chen Jr's overall approach to the art, but prefer his father's form. (Yes, they are different in significant respects, as is plain to see just by looking at video clips.)