Variant speed Taiji

[johnwang]

People may also forget that training solo Taiji form is "polishing" your combat skill. When I train Taiji "cloud hands", I'm "polishing" the combat skill that I tuck my opponent's arm under his other arm. If I move my opponent's arms too slow, my opponent will have more time to counter it.

Cloud hands application at 2.20.

[Trick]

Doing the slow form for an hour, without having to think about the movement or the choreography, because you have already memorized it, allows you to be in a state of Wuwei, ..

Ok, there probably are people that do the form like this, probably a lot of people.
But this is not TaijiQUAN, because it has absolutely no direct connection to the “quan”thing.
Slow taijiquan is not meditation, however it’s a good mindful(ness) practice because the mind must be at work all the time. When one has gotten the choreography right, then it’s time to step up to the important mind work, the ones that are relevant for taijiquan to be taijiQUAN, an hour of not doing this is an hour of nothing, not even wuwei
Wuwei does not come around from forced nothingness, but from action under some form of“pressure”.

I do an hour of Circle Walking but it’s not just a meditation. I’m also strengthening my legs, the posture is strengthening my upper, I’m using my Transverse Abdominis, interior and exterior Oblique muscles to strengthen my waist while turning it to face the center, training my footwork, I’m strengthening my equilibrium, I’m cultivating energy because my tailbone is tucked under, all the while my Intent is being trained. But after that I still practice Dan Shi. Single striking drills and short combos, while following the Internal art rules to develop Chansijin and what not.

So in a Taiji form, with all of its low postures and changing the height of one’s stance it is strengthening the legs, can also develop Chansijin because that’s how the form is designed to work. But after that you should still practice single movements, back to back, as a striking drill. You can do it slow or fast. Do the form for one hour, then do your striking drills or whatever fight training you do for another hour. Minimum.

Taijiquan form trains it all but most important the important stuff that is the essence of the whole.
There’s no point taijiquan wise in single out techniques in a way such this or that punch cause the whole body is a “fist”, a single technique is not a single technique it contain the teaching and essence of the whole, there are no detached singular fragments in Taiji.

[yeniseri]

Yet the winner of the marathon is the fastest

Outwardly, this is true. Speed, being a variable, is not the only thing but its importance is grounded in ability and pacing that has to match
between the slowest and fastest 'pacers' in the specific encounter whether 10k (example) or 26 miles and 385 yards!
One does not just, at the sound of the gun, immediately commence speeding but there exists 'variability' along with a natural instinct
to feel (sense ) the calibre of runners and adapt to the changes within that domain of competitors.

Each body has to build to the state where 'speed' can be gauged and from that levels of speed assessed, then the individual (based on previous practice
over time) per his body's ability to burn 'energy'.

[windwalker]

不一样的太极（二）亮点：太极拳能不能快；太极拳散手的战术；为什么打不中，凭什么引进落空？
感谢洪传太极传人李强，及其弟子蔡泉福。
更多精彩视频，记得关注我哦~~

Can Tai Chi be fast? The tactics of Tai Chi Sanshou; Why can't I hit it, and why did the introduction fail?

[wayne hansen]

Two things I should point out about Master Fu
One he is doing this showing applications for a film on the 24 step
That's why it says Simplified
Two he had one leg quite a bit shorter than the other that's why he moves the way he does

[origami_itto]

Yet the winner of the marathon is the fastest

Outwardly, this is true. Speed, being a variable, is not the only thing but its importance is grounded in ability and pacing that has to match
between the slowest and fastest 'pacers' in the specific encounter whether 10k (example) or 26 miles and 385 yards!
One does not just, at the sound of the gun, immediately commence speeding but there exists 'variability' along with a natural instinct
to feel (sense ) the calibre of runners and adapt to the changes within that domain of competitors.

Each body has to build to the state where 'speed' can be gauged and from that levels of speed assessed, then the individual (based on previous practice
over time) per his body's ability to burn 'energy'.

Or what if instead of running around the track, when the race starts you just stay at the finish line.

[Steve James]

Speed is always relative. The fastest marathoner isn't the fastest sprinter. Even then, timing is often more important than speed. The fastest runner can miss the race -as has happened.

Speed of reaction can negate the speed of action.

[johnwang]

I always like to ask this simple question.

When you

- were young, you train Taiji in slow constant speed.
- are old. you still train Taiji in slow constant speed,

why?

The way I look at this is that when I was young, I would do whatever Taiji want me to do. When I get older, I want Taiji to do whatever that I want it to do.

I can only speak for Chang Taiji. If I can

- integrate leg skill into Chang Taiji (my teacher wanted to do but he didn't do).
- change constant speed Taiji training into variance speed Taiji training.

I may have contributed something for the Chang Taiji system. This also give me a chance to concentrate my training in Taiji and dig in much deeper in detail. It's always good to have a project to work on.

[BruceP]

I can only speak for Chang Taiji. If I can

- integrate leg skill into Chang Taiji (my teacher wanted to do but he didn't do).
- change constant speed Taiji training into variance speed Taiji training.

I may have contributed something for the Chang Taiji system. This also give me a chance to concentrate my training in Taiji and dig in much deeper in detail. It's always good to have a project to work on.

Thanks for what you've given to this community, John.

You gave me advice on something a long time ago that I've never forgotten. It would seem like a simple thing, but changed many things in the way I train to use legs.

[Appledog]

There’s no point taijiquan wise in single out techniques in a way such this or that punch cause the whole body is a “fist”, a single technique is not a single technique it contain the teaching and essence of the whole, there are no detached singular fragments in Taiji.

Originally all the movements were done single movement practice and forms evolved over time. There is absolutely single movement practice in Tai Chi, but it depends on the focus. Tai Chi has a lot in it, and many people -- rightly so, depending on various factors -- choose to focus on a subset of what is available.

[origami_itto]

There’s no point taijiquan wise in single out techniques in a way such this or that punch cause the whole body is a “fist”, a single technique is not a single technique it contain the teaching and essence of the whole, there are no detached singular fragments in Taiji.

Originally all the movements were done single movement practice and forms evolved over time. There is absolutely single movement practice in Tai Chi, but it depends on the focus. Tai Chi has a lot in it, and many people -- rightly so, depending on various factors -- choose to focus on a subset of what is available.

Yeah I think that trick has raised the bar for stupidest thing typed into the post form.

[windwalker]

[


There’s no point taijiquan wise in single out techniques in a way such this or that punch cause the whole body is a “fist”, a single technique is not a single technique it contain the teaching and essence of the whole, there are no detached singular fragments in Taiji.

nice

quite true

When working with people who have practiced for a while,
I ask them to show me their form, stop them after seeing their opening...

why would one need to see more

[Appledog]

There’s no point taijiquan wise in single out techniques in a way such this or that punch cause the whole body is a “fist”, a single technique is not a single technique it contain the teaching and essence of the whole, there are no detached singular fragments in Taiji.

Originally all the movements were done single movement practice and forms evolved over time. There is absolutely single movement practice in Tai Chi, but it depends on the focus. Tai Chi has a lot in it, and many people -- rightly so, depending on various factors -- choose to focus on a subset of what is available.

Yeah I think that trick has raised the bar for stupidest thing typed into the post form.

That was not my intention at all! Trick, I value your posts and your knowledge and experience! It is just that sometimes some very wise and knowledgeable people are unaware of the other side of the coin. Tai Chi especially, is such a vast system with so much to offer. I think it is valuable to keep that in mind, that's all

[everything]

essence and roots vs. branches and flowers

[origami_itto]

There’s no point taijiquan wise in single out techniques in a way such this or that punch cause the whole body is a “fist”, a single technique is not a single technique it contain the teaching and essence of the whole, there are no detached singular fragments in Taiji.

That was not my intention at all! Trick, I value your posts and your knowledge and experience! It is just that sometimes some very wise and knowledgeable people are unaware of the other side of the coin. Tai Chi especially, is such a vast system with so much to offer. I think it is valuable to keep that in mind, that's all

It's just a ridiculous vacuous statement that ultimately means nothing and even contradicts itself, just a self referencing tautology.

Yes the accumulation of gungfu is expressed in each movement, but most every movement has a purpose and a lesson to achieve that.

Otherwise it would just be yiquan