Docherty Style Tai Chi and Health

[allen2saint]

I have been spending some time with Dan Docherty's Tai Chi book and have been intrigued by the little asides about the health benefits, as they are very specific. I wondered if anyone had access to any more in-depth resources on this subject? I am rebuilding after years of being out of committed, daily training and I think accessing some of the health benefits would be a good way to condition myself and "pre-habilitate" before I get back to the hard core stuff.

Any ideas are fine. Thanks.

[yeniseri]

My experience is that the health benefits are specific to the individual providing the 'gong" (frequency x intensity x duration) has been accomplished.
I would recommend doing a PubMed search for the aforementioned objective benefits and then see where you fall in, or perhaps incorporating the objective elements with what you already know.

[GrahamB]

Most tai chi lineages teach some sort of health exercises to go along with the from - frankly if you just want to condition yourself then these are usually your best bet...

[wiesiek]

I love simple tests in such situation
pistols and pull ups
if my ability arising, my gong is good

[allen2saint]

I was surprised that the book was so specific. It sounded as if either it was an emphasis in the lineage or that Sifu Docherty had done a lot of work in the area. Stuff like raising the arm over the head increasing circulation makes a lot of sense so I was just curious if there were sources that had deeper explanations of the ideas, etc

Thanks for all suggestions, though. It's gonna be a long, slow road but it'll be worth it. My girl is training with me and she can hit harder than most guys I know.

[wayne hansen]

i think tai chi for specific health benifits is more about branding than reality
just train on a regular basis and health will come

[Doc Stier]

I agree that tai-chi chuan of any authentic traditional style is beneficial to lasting good health when practiced properly and consistently over time.

[AllanF]

Wayne/Doc
+1

[allen2saint]

i think tai chi for specific health benifits is more about branding than reality
just train on a regular basis and health will come

Have you seen the book? Because his comments are very specific for something that's "branding."

[yeniseri]

.......Stuff like raising the arm over the head increasing circulation makes a lot of sense so I was just curious if there were sources that had deeper explanations of the ideas, etc

This is more of a neigong method (process) than a "taijiquan" one but at one time (based on the 'older Yang" a la Wang Lanting/Li style and others) where raising the hand beyond the present modern only form method, is far more positive because of a wider ROM along with "invigorating the jingluo" (general process/principle within flexion, extension, adduction and abduction in a 'form' sequence.
If youo really examine the modern form only movement, everything is 'straight line" and no room for 'deviation'!

[allen2saint]

Thanks, yeniseri. If this is "neigong" are there any good documents in this kind of thing? Books or otherwise? It's a weakness in my approach for sure

[wayne hansen]

I have not read the book
However have practiced the 12 internal and 12 external

[Andy_S]

Docherty is a very strong believer in the 12 yin and 12 yang neigong exercises which are, I believe, specific to his Taiji. (Though they exist in some other CMA, apparently.) In fact, he maintains that, as a daily practice, they are more important than the Taiji form.

When I met him, he had a pretty impressive physique and some of his students seem to have a similar look. Not a body builder's bod, but a thick, powerful looking torso.

Perhaps Wayne, who (I think) trained under Docherty's teacher, Cheng Tin-hung, will add more...?

[allen2saint]

He said as much in the book. He added these comments as asides about specific movements in the form, which is why I believed this was something more to do with the form itself. I have never heard of such detail for each movement, so I was curious if this was codified anywhere.

[allen2saint]

Would it violate any kind of rights or etiquette if I posted a scan of one page as an example?