# Slow motion



## Elbowgrease (Jan 5, 2015)

At like three in the morning. 
I finally got a video clear enough to see what I'm doing. I've only got the first section uploaded so far, and batteries died during the third section. Prepare to be bored to tears...


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## Buka (Jan 5, 2015)

Man, I miss doing Tai-chi. 

Don't think I'll do it at 3 a.m., though. But you never know what goes on at 3 a.m.


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## Elbowgrease (Jan 5, 2015)

And the second section:





I'm normally not up at three in the morning. I usually wake up between 4-5. Full moon. Bad room mates.


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## Transk53 (Jan 5, 2015)

@Elbowgrease. When you first started T'ai Chi, did you have any issues with the slow pace. IE, did you find yourself having to concentrate really hard on being measured?


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## Elbowgrease (Jan 5, 2015)

constantly. If I don't pay attention I do the form at about a half hour. Almost exactly. If I try to alter the pace I almost have to focus on nothing but the pace. I need to work on slowing it down (and speeding it up again) and stretch it to 45 minutes. 
I spent the first couple of months either following one of the other students or only working on the first half of the first section. Trying to move right and not worry about timing at all. I think it was two or maybe even three years before I learned anything past the first three kicks in the second section. 
For these I was kind of trying to go slow, but also thrown off by the camera, having the lights on, the time of day, and the two times I did the form right before this. Once with the iron rings, then once without. 
I'm always working on different things within the form though. Lately I've been focusing on my posture and structure more than anything. Trying to keep my back straight and stretched. Trying to get my hips to open. Trying to fix my busted up ankles. Trying to make sure I'm on the center of my feet.


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## Elbowgrease (Jan 6, 2015)

Honestly right now I'm just trying to keep at it. Most of the last year to year and a half I haven't trained at all. Had a lot of things happen. Three months, maybe four months back in now. I tried to go to low to soon last month (roughly), and started wrenching my knees pretty bad. Almost went cane shopping. Today I spent two hours going as low as I can. Pretty much just on the first section. Keeping my upper legs parallel to the floor and my hips open. Felt great. Muscles burning, shaking, collapsed a couple of times. Didn't hurt my knees. Tomorrow should be fun. I think I'm done with strictly working on structure for now.


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## Transk53 (Jan 11, 2015)

@Elbowgrease do at a comfortable pace fella. You're time will arrive when it arrives


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## Elbowgrease (Jan 11, 2015)

I need to go find another teacher. I've got two places in mind, one in Colorado, but they aren't taking anyone at least until spring, and might not take me at all. The other in China, but I've got to come up with a bunch of money to get there, but it would REALLY be worth it.


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## Transk53 (Jan 11, 2015)

Elbowgrease said:


> I need to go find another teacher. I've got two places in mind, one in Colorado, but they aren't taking anyone at least until spring, and might not take me at all. The other in China, but I've got to come up with a bunch of money to get there, but it would REALLY be worth it.



Wow yes it would be. Obviously I don't what the particular style would be, but if I remember correctly, the monks offer foreigner learning. I saw a program  where foreigners can do residential Kung Fu. Other than that perhaps you could teach English as a way to pay you're way?


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## Elbowgrease (Jan 11, 2015)

I've thought about it. I could probably pull it off with a little work to get whatever certification might be necessary. I've been looking at one of the schools at Wudang. Less than $800 per month for room, board, and LOTS of training. Like six a.m. to 8 p.m. with breaks for food. Martial arts and Taoism. And peace and quiet. But I don't know how I'd fit a work schedule in there, too. The other option is a monk from Wudang in Colorado with a work study program lasting a year. 40 hours a week job with 4-5 hours per day of training. Which would also be nice. They're just not doing anything right now, apparently.


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## Transk53 (Jan 11, 2015)

Elbowgrease said:


> I've thought about it. I could probably pull it off with a little work to get whatever certification might be necessary. I've been looking at one of the schools at Wudang. Less than $800 per month for room, board, and LOTS of training. Like six a.m. to 8 p.m. with breaks for food. Martial arts and Taoism. And peace and quiet. But I don't know how I'd fit a work schedule in there, too. The other option is a monk from Wudang in Colorado with a work study program lasting a year. 40 hours a week job with 4-5 hours per day of training. Which would also be nice. They're just not doing anything right now, apparently.



Perhaps in Colorado it based on a generic academic basis? Like perhaps follow a timetable like a Uni. Mind you though, just perhaps it could be based on the right type of persistence from the monks perspective. Ask the right question, and maybe you find the key?


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## Elbowgrease (Jan 11, 2015)

I think it's got something to do with the season. They're at 9200 ft. in elevation. Last time I talked to them it sounded like the people who do hiring for the job part of it are gone until spring. We'll see.


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## Transk53 (Jan 11, 2015)

Elbowgrease said:


> I think it's got something to do with the season. They're at 9200 ft. in elevation. Last time I talked to them it sounded like the people who do hiring for the job part of it are gone until spring. We'll see.



Well whichever way it goes, hope it goes okay for you!


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## Elbowgrease (Jan 11, 2015)

Thank you. I'm hoping it goes one of those two ways, or at least something very much along those lines. Things are about to get pretty crazy, which is both good and bad. I'll probably come out the other side, relatively unscathed.


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## Transk53 (Jan 12, 2015)

Elbowgrease said:


> Thank you. I'm hoping it goes one of those two ways, or at least something very much along those lines. Things are about to get pretty crazy, which is both good and bad. I'll probably come out the other side, relatively unscathed.



Hopefully for you they will be the good bumps and bruises. The ones you look at after and think, yeah that was a great session


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