# Tai Chi Ball?



## jasonbrinn (Jan 3, 2013)

I am trying to research all I can about Tai Chi Ball training (origins, applications, etc.)  I am specifically interested in the tradition that centers around the Chen line and the "black ball" they have.

If anyone has any personal experiences or know a teacher or possibly saw something somewhere and you could point this out to me I would greatly appreciate it.


Thank you,

Jason Brinn


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## FluidSound (Jan 7, 2013)

It's actually quite funny... I was actually gonna post about this and even talked to my Tai Ji teacher today about it. I asked him, what is it? Did you use to do it?

He told me, "Yeah, we use to do it all the time. The balls are almost like bowling balls." So, he told me to go to the back and find any ball.

The idea is to not just move your hands around the ball without having to grip it, but turn, use your body. It's to relax your waist. You have the ball in your hand and roll it around your arm and hands, but using mostly your body and not so much your hands and arms. You keep turning the waist without dropping the ball and use your body.

He showed me as well. Without the ball, he told me to hold his wrists as tight as possible and he moved as if holding the ball still and locked me down as if it was just him moving around.

Then he grabbed the ball and did this with the ball, the same thing occurred, I got locked down.

He told me how important it is to use you body and not just my hand. How this exercise can help you to relax your waist and allow it to become more flexible.


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## jasonbrinn (Jan 8, 2013)

FluidSound said:


> It's actually quite funny... I was actually gonna post about this and even talked to my Tai Ji teacher today about it. I asked him, what is it? Did you use to do it?
> 
> He told me, "Yeah, we use to do it all the time. The balls are almost like bowling balls." So, he told me to go to the back and find any ball.
> 
> ...



This is GREAT!  Thank you.  Could you provide the name of your instructor and school contact info?  And/or, could you provide the name (lineage) of the person who taught your instructor this training method?


Thank you!

Jason Brinn


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## Xue Sheng (Jan 8, 2013)

http://ymaa.com/articles/taijiquan


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## jasonbrinn (Jan 8, 2013)

Xue Sheng said:


> http://ymaa.com/articles/taijiquan



Thank you, however, I am looking for a tradition other than Dr. Yang's - specifically something along or "in" the Chen line.  Good stuff though.

Jason Brinn


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## FluidSound (Jan 8, 2013)

My Sifu's name is Julian. He learned from the school of Cheng Dsu Yao. Our style is Yang but we actually do practice the traditional Yang style rather than just the "healthy" one. I mean, we have the healthy one which is part of the training, but the one we do includes the following.

Yang style Long Form
Sword Form
Fan Form
Sabre Form
Stick Form
Pushing Hands
Silk Reeling

He didn't really teach much of the ball form, though he did mention it to me before and show me it. I think he'll probably teach more of it since I insisted on asking more about it.

As far as where we are, we're located in Michigan. "True Balance Martial Arts"

He does not claim to be an expert, only a teacher. But he is a good one.


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## Bihushan (Jan 12, 2013)

You propably already know the research and exercises of Michael P. Garofalo (http://www.egreenway.com/qigong/magicpearlqigong.htm)?


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## charles tauber (Sep 24, 2013)

jasonbrinn said:


> I am trying to research all I can about Tai Chi Ball training (origins, applications, etc.)  I am specifically interested in the tradition that centers around the Chen line and the "black ball" they have.
> 
> If anyone has any personal experiences or know a teacher or possibly saw something somewhere and you could point this out to me I would greatly appreciate it.
> 
> ...



I realize this is an older thread, but I've practiced the ball for some time as taught within one of the branches of Chen Taijiquan. Is there something specific you want to know about the practice?

I've created a short introduction to the practice:


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