# Tai Chi Experience



## Nitedragon89 (Nov 5, 2008)

This saturday is my first tai chi class, it'll incorporate chen style warm-ups eight piece brocade qigong and yang style 24 postures.


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## hpulley (Nov 6, 2008)

That sounds good.  The 'warm up' may be the best part.  I wasn't expecting that part of it when I started tai chi but it would be great to be properly led through the tai chi warmup every day.  I can do so myself but somehow it isn't quite the same as being led by a teacher.

The yang style 24 postures are good.  I'm working on chen forms right now.


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## stickarts (Nov 6, 2008)

I really like the eight peice. :0)


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## Nitedragon89 (Nov 6, 2008)

Thanks for the replies guys I hope it goes up to my expectations and if your wondering the lineage is under Dr. Mark Cheng


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## Xue Sheng (Nov 7, 2008)

Questions

What exactly are you calling a Chen warmup?

And are you talking this Dr Mark Cheng?


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## Nitedragon89 (Nov 7, 2008)

Yes it is that Dr. Mark Cheng he is a good friend of my Mantis sifu John Cheng and I wouldn't know what a chen style warm-up is becuase my first practice is this saturday, I hope this helps to answer your questions, reply if you have any more please I like to read your posts, you were the one who got me interested into internal CMA


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## Xue Sheng (Nov 7, 2008)

Let us know how it goes


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## Nitedragon89 (Nov 7, 2008)

Thank you very much I'm looking forward to it then after Tai chi  is mantis for 2 and half hours. Also do you know anything about Dr. Mark Cheng or if its real Tai chi, I only know him because he teaches our instructors Kettle Bells and he's a friend of John Cheng.


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## Xue Sheng (Nov 7, 2008)

Nitedragon89 said:


> Thank you very much I'm looking forward to it then after Tai chi is mantis for 2 and half hours. Also do you know anything about Dr. Mark Cheng or if its real Tai chi, I only know him because he teaches our instructors Kettle Bells and he's a friend of John Cheng.


 
Sorry but I really do not know much about Mark Cheng, I have heard of him before but I never new much more than the webpage says. I am interested in hearing about his class. 

I always have concerns however when I see someone that young teaching Shu&#257;iji&#257;o and Sil Lum and Taijiquan. And he may be good at all 3 but sometimes things get either to stiff or to soft in Taiji when taught by someone with a lot of background in harder styles. But then Shouyu Liang's main style is Shu&#257;iji&#257;o and his Taiji is pretty good so I look forward to hearing more after your class. 

Also the reason I asked what you meant by a Chen style warm up is because as far as I know Chen Zhenglei, Chen Xiaowang and Chen Xiaoxing all have different warm-ups. I imagine Chen Yu would have a different one as well as well as Chen Bing.


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## Nitedragon89 (Nov 7, 2008)

Hmm interesting yea Ill tell you all about it tomorrow, also do you know anything about eight piece brocade qigong because we will also be doing that?


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## Xue Sheng (Nov 7, 2008)

Nitedragon89 said:


> Hmm interesting yea Ill tell you all about it tomorrow, also do you know anything about eight piece brocade qigong because we will also be doing that?


 
Ba Duan Jin (eight pieces of brocade); I like this form of qigong. It is a bit more external than some by some qigong practitioner's standards but I like it. It is old which means there are a lot of variations but they are pretty much all recognizable as Ba Duan Jin. Dr Yang has a pretty good book on it called Eight Simple Qigong Exercises for Health - The Eight Brocades

Do a web search on Ba Duan Jin and you will find a lot of info on it. However like I said they can look a little different depending on who you learn it from so don't let that bother you if you see something a little different from what you are taught. I have had 3 different sifus show me Ba Duan Jin and all 3 are a little different.


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## Nitedragon89 (Nov 7, 2008)

Cool thanks but yea I'll tell you about the tai chi class tomorrow because we just do chen style warm-ups the style we learn is Yang style.


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## Nitedragon89 (Nov 8, 2008)

Yes to get back to Xue Sheng it was what I was hoping for and more, it was just amazing, was difficult though if you have any other specific questions reply back.


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## Xue Sheng (Nov 9, 2008)

What did you learn in your first class?

And please keep us posted


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## Nitedragon89 (Nov 9, 2008)

Well In my first practice we did warm-up excercises like rotating the ankles, knees and hips, I think its spelled san tien but idk, then we did wu chi, silk reeling, eight piece brocade qigong, o also another one of the warm-ups was rotating your hands folded on your dan tien 36 times each direction. After the qigong we did snake creeping through grass and golden cockerel standing on 1 foot is what I beleive its called then once we could flow into it we did it in a line drill then we did applications and for this specfic move there were two throws you could do and a strike but not a joint lock which he said is usually in all the other postures. I hope this helps


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## JadecloudAlchemist (Nov 9, 2008)

Nite sounds like a good teacher and a good first impression of the class.

Err this is the second thread today I am on the Second page by myself...I wonder why this always happens.

Ok enough grumbling.


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## Nitedragon89 (Nov 11, 2008)

Thank you very much Jade from what I saw I thought it was a good impression for a first class on what I was looking for, I'll keep you guys posted on more of it next class.


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## Ninebird8 (Nov 12, 2008)

Basically, he took you through basic stances and elementary breathing patterns of tai chi. I mean this seriously, there is among the 12 "systems" of the preying mantis style tai chi preying mantis. John learned 7 star and some wah lum, but I do know there are a couple of legit tai chi mantis masters in your area, but do not recall their names. I have seen tai chi preying mantis and it is both unique and interesting. Xue, maybe you know more about this combo than me. Do not know anything about Mark Cheng, other than same last name as John, but if John recommends him I would concur. But, I also agree with Xue's comments about his relative youth. My own personal experience is that tai chi and other internal arts take a lot longer to understand and achieve a modicum of martial acumen than the external arts. I had 20 years of kung fu before starting tai chi 12 years ago and, as an example, the use of the gim has been much harder for me than any of the 18 weapons learned!!! Holding the point still while rotating the rest of the blade still a frustrating challenge for me...LOL!!! But, I will also say I have never met a really great kung fu master who also did not do one of the internal styles, so you are now on the right path. You will get temporarily frustrated, as the progress line is not as quick or vertical, but trust me it will assist every aspect of your kung fu training!!


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## Ninebird8 (Nov 12, 2008)

Jade Cloud, you have been designated as the commentator who best turns the page on these topics...LOL!!!


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## Nitedragon89 (Nov 12, 2008)

To your reply NineBird my sifu john cheng is best friends with mark cheng, he not only teaches tai chi but teaches our instructors kettlebells.


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## runnamukk (Nov 13, 2008)

Sounds like you've found a great teacher, and are having a great time. Congratulations on finding tai chi in your path.


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## Ninebird8 (Nov 13, 2008)

Nite, as I said, if John recommends him, that is good enough for me! Enjoy the kettleballs training, it is quite fun!! Also, take a normal soccer ball or volley ball, and using the hold the ball technique, rotate the ball in the circle and pattern of the yin/yang symbol while moving in moving push hands manner. This will develop connectivity, rooting, circular sensitivity, and good patterns of movement. Just a suggestion. Remember, sink, root, reel in, jing, express, and smile!! Or, put another way, and excuse possibly incorrect spelling, peng liu ji an!!! That is the basis of basic taiji movement. 

Please tell you sifu John hi from Texas Mike in Houston, miss him and wish him well. Also, fyi, I will be in LA in March for the yearly Ying Jow gathering party and celebration of Sigung Leung Shum's birthday next year in LA. It was in NYC this year and Costa Rica in 2010. I would love to see John, as we have not seen each other in almost 10 years since he came to be the doc at the Wushu team trials in Houston in 1999 that my tai chi and White Crane master Jeff Bolt sponsored. Stick to John, and Mark, and learn everything!!!!


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## Nitedragon89 (Nov 13, 2008)

Actually we don't start kettle bells at our school until april I can't wait.


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