# Trying out Tai Chi



## Ram (Aug 14, 2006)

I recently am going to start up martial arts after a 5 year absence. I am going to check out a Quang Ping Yang Tai Chi place tonight. Then a Chendokan Aikido place tomorrow and decide which is better suited for me. 
 From what I know the Tai Chi guys students also fight MMA. When I called he commented on the MMA fighters he had trained by saying "You don't know if what you learn in the dojo works unless you try it out".

Anyone with info on Tai Chi feel free to post. Here is the place. http://www.realhopgar.com/


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 14, 2006)

Many find it surprising but some Tai Chi people (not me) also fight in Sanshou matches.

Keep us posted


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## Perpetual White Belt (Aug 14, 2006)

I know of a 70ish year old lady who started taking Tai Chi only for excercise that surprised herself when she used what she had learned in class to defend herself.


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## Ram (Aug 15, 2006)

Things went very well last night. I got to the Dojo and was explained the concept of Tai Chi. He explained how While Tai Chi can be applied to fighting the main purpose is about getting to know yourself and your body. Now the Dojo was a converted garage. It was actually a pretty hard core place with old beat up heavy bags. A log hanging I guess for Iron Palm. And a Iron Palm Rock on top of some cinder blocks. There was a mannequin with Chi lines(I think) drawn on it. 
  I then proceeded to follow on with the class as they did a form(not sure which one I forgot the name) . As we did it he would go around the room and correct people for having a hand or foot a half an inch out of place. Then he commented how I must have a lot of pain in my neck.Now I have a sore neck every day almost but I did not say anything about it to him. He then showed me how to position my head so my neck would not get sore.
 Overall it was a great experience. This morning I feel better than I have in a while.


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## Jade Tigress (Aug 15, 2006)

Glad you enjoyed your class. Xue Sheng has posted a wealth of fantastic information on Tai Chi in these forums. If you would like to learn more you can do a search or browse the posts. Keep us posted on your progress.


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 15, 2006)

Ram said:
			
		

> Things went very well last night. I got to the Dojo and was explained the concept of Tai Chi. He explained how While Tai Chi can be applied to fighting the main purpose is about getting to know yourself and your body. Now the Dojo was a converted garage. It was actually a pretty hard core place with old beat up heavy bags. A log hanging I guess for Iron Palm. And a Iron Palm Rock on top of some cinder blocks. There was a mannequin with Chi lines(I think) drawn on it.
> I then proceeded to follow on with the class as they did a form(not sure which one I forgot the name) . As we did it he would go around the room and correct people for having a hand or foot a half an inch out of place. Then he commented how I must have a lot of pain in my neck.Now I have a sore neck every day almost but I did not say anything about it to him. He then showed me how to position my head so my neck would not get sore.
> Overall it was a great experience. This morning I feel better than I have in a while.


 
Sounds good, I particularly like this part "he would go around the room and correct people for having a hand or foot a half an inch out of place"

My Yang Sifu use to do that, but he would say "Stop" and we would all just hold the position until he went around the room to check and adjust everyones form. Try that for 5 minutes while holding a heal kick. 

Note on Tai Chi I forgot to add previously. Although there are people that fight sanshou tournaments that are Tai Chi people, Traditional Tai Chi does not attack, it is for defense. But if you train traditional Tai Chi you are bound to learn how to attack as part of defense. 

William CC Chen teaches Cheng Manching Tai Chi and he also includes practical applications in exactly how to punch and fight as it would apply to a Sanshou match. 

Please keep us posted on how it is going


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