# Tai Chi Uncertainty



## fubar1o2 (Aug 4, 2017)

Hello,

I've been a lurker on here for a long time. I've read a lot of interesting and funny posts on here. I've come to a crossroad and wanted to here some opinions. I've been doing Chen Xiaojia for a year now and I am not sure if i should continue. Prior to this I've done some Qigong and Yang style for a short amount of time. My thought process behind doing Chen was for a compounded purpose of Martial Arts training and Health/Meditation. We practice the form and applications of of the form. The applications are choreographed. We do not practice Tui Shou, except for maybe in a workshop setting. Basically, we practice empty hand forms and weapons forms. I believe that for a Martial Art to be applicable to real life, one must practice it in real life scenarios. This means sparring with different opponents in a non-choreographed setting. Practicing different techniques with opponents and training on a punching bag/dummy. In regards to the health aspect, I am not sure if what i am practicing is optimal for health. My knees hurt at times from the low stances. I think there are too many sudden postures to keep a constant fluidity and steady uninterrupted breathing. I think Qigong might be better for the moving meditation/relaxation, or even just doing Zhan Zhuang. 

My thoughts are to try either Wing Chun (depending on how its taught and practiced), Mauy Thai or Kickboxing. I like the idea of kicking, but the kicking we do is specifically practiced for rooting purposes and generating power rather than application of the actual kick. Then do Qigong/Yoga for the 'internal' health aspect. 


With all said above, I probably have a lot of ignorance being a beginner. It's only meant to express my opinion on Tai Chi and generate feedback to help me make a decision. Thanks!


----------



## Martial D (Aug 4, 2017)

As much as I love WC(it was the first style I trained in), you are unlikely to find the sort of alive sparring you are talking about at most WC schools.

With MT and KB you are guaranteed some bruises though.(good thing)


----------



## Headhunter (Aug 4, 2017)

It's up to you at the end of the day if you dont enjoy tai chi dont do it. why waste your time on money on things you dont enjoy but I'll tell you this if your knees are hurting from tai chi they're going to be hurting a lot more doing Muay Thai or kickboxing


----------



## fubar1o2 (Aug 4, 2017)

Headhunter said:


> It's up to you at the end of the day if you dont enjoy tai chi dont do it. why waste your time on money on things you dont enjoy but I'll tell you this if your knees are hurting from tai chi they're going to be hurting a lot more doing Muay Thai or kickboxing


My knees typically hurt only when i am sunk low on 1 leg in between a transition. I'm fine most of the time.

Sent from my LGMS631 using Tapatalk


----------



## Xue Sheng (Aug 4, 2017)

Go do some Muay Thai or kick boxing. either get that out of your system or get taiji out of your system. But you may find after some time in harder styles that it will bring you right back to Taijiquan.


----------



## JowGaWolf (Aug 4, 2017)

fubar1o2 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I've been a lurker on here for a long time. I've read a lot of interesting and funny posts on here. I've come to a crossroad and wanted to here some opinions. I've been doing Chen Xiaojia for a year now and I am not sure if i should continue. Prior to this I've done some Qigong and Yang style for a short amount of time. My thought process behind doing Chen was for a compounded purpose of Martial Arts training and Health/Meditation. We practice the form and applications of of the form. The applications are choreographed. We do not practice Tui Shou, except for maybe in a workshop setting. Basically, we practice empty hand forms and weapons forms. I believe that for a Martial Art to be applicable to real life, one must practice it in real life scenarios. This means sparring with different opponents in a non-choreographed setting. Practicing different techniques with opponents and training on a punching bag/dummy. In regards to the health aspect, I am not sure if what i am practicing is optimal for health. My knees hurt at times from the low stances. I think there are too many sudden postures to keep a constant fluidity and steady uninterrupted breathing. I think Qigong might be better for the moving meditation/relaxation, or even just doing Zhan Zhuang.
> 
> ...


This is what I'm seeing. Your Goal "*My thought process behind doing Chen was for a compounded purpose of Martial Arts training and Health/Meditation*." This why you take Tai Chi
This is what you want "*I believe that for a Martial Art to be applicable to real life, one must practice it in real life scenarios. This means sparring with different opponents in a non-choreographed setting. Practicing different techniques with opponents and training on a punching bag/dummy.*"

Your goal and purpose for Tai Chi does not match what you actually want to do.  No matter what martial arts that you take or what you do in life.   If your WANTS don't match your GOALS, then your GOALS will never give you what you WANT.  

"*In regards to the health aspect, I am not sure if what i am practicing is optimal for health*"  The equation for optimal health in martial arts is simple. Train the system as you would if you depended on the systems for self defense.  This is the equation that I use.  Martial Arts Form + Martial Arts Conditioning + Martial Arts Application (sparring) + Martial Arts Healing (because you get injured and because there are better ways to do things like breathing) + Self Defense = Optimal for Health. 

"*My knees hurt at times from the low stances.*" This means you are going too low too soon. Your body, specifically the joints, are not strong enough yet to go as low as you do.  Going low is something that you gradually reach unless you are a kid that weighs 50lbs. If you are an adult then you need to first build up the joints.  The goal should be to gradually be able to go lower over time. This takes patience and you can't push through it the way people often do when building muscle.

"*I think there are too many sudden postures to keep a constant fluidity and steady uninterrupted breathing.*"  In my equation this would fall under Martial Arts Healing and Martial Arts Conditioning, breathing is often underrated by most people until you start looking at all of the sports that have certain methods for breathing that will maximize the athlete's ability.  Martial Arts is not different.  In Tai Chi like other martial arts and sports, you have to train your breathing.

Here's what you need to do, regardless of the type of martial arts that you do.
1. Pick a Goal to focus on (no more than 2) by answering this question.  *What do you want to get out of Martial Arts*?
2. Base your training on your Goal
3. Always let the instructor know your goal.  Many instructors will be honest with you before you even start.  If you want to be able to use Tai Chi to be able to physically defend yourself (don't use the word "fight" as martial art instructors can be touchy about that), then let the instructor know.  If the instructor knows how to use the system to actually fight then they will pass that knowledge to you.  It won't take long to know this because people who know how to fight all sound the same.  There shouldn't be any mystical talk when it comes to fighting.  If you hear this, then find another school.  Fighting is practical and those who know how to fight will say as much as they train you.


----------



## Headhunter (Aug 4, 2017)

fubar1o2 said:


> My knees typically hurt only when i am sunk low on 1 leg in between a transition. I'm fine most of the time.
> 
> Sent from my LGMS631 using Tapatalk


Sure but if there's any pain it means there's something wrong with them and in kickboxing and especially Muay Thai you'll be getting kicks into the knee a lot


----------



## drop bear (Aug 4, 2017)

Wrestle. It is a bit of fun and will give you the practical aspects of balance concepts.

So a lot of this sort of stuff. Just with the kinks worked out.


----------



## fubar1o2 (Aug 4, 2017)

Thanks for the feedback. I got some thinking to do. My knees are definitely not in the best of shape. I am also trying to avoid getting hit in head hard. Muay Thai might not be a great idea. I mainly want to train and apply the knowledge in light sparring. Tai Chi seems defensive and I don't apply it. I want something with offense and defense. I am not too interested in wrestling. I'd rather do jiu-jitsu. I had shoulder surgery a few years back and I've been protective over it since then.


----------



## jobo (Aug 5, 2017)

fubar1o2 said:


> Thanks for the feedback. I got some thinking to do. My knees are definitely not in the best of shape. I am also trying to avoid getting hit in head hard. Muay Thai might not be a great idea. I mainly want to train and apply the knowledge in light sparring. Tai Chi seems defensive and I don't apply it. I want something with offense and defense. I am not too interested in wrestling. I'd rather do jiu-jitsu. I had shoulder surgery a few years back and I've been protective over it since then.


you face the I going problem with MA training, the more realistic it is, the more use it is for self defence,the much higher the likelyhood of you being injuried learning how not to get injured in the street


----------

