I was wondering if anyone could give me any help on a query. I’ve been practicing Wing Chun for a few years now, but have just recently (november) started Tai Chi (yang style short form). In order to avoid mixing up the energy benefits of the two styles, I am trying to get into a routine of practicing the Tai Chi form in the morning and evening, and the Wing Chun forms in the day. Can anyone foresee any problems with this? (In terms of harming my internal energy system?).
Thanks..
i think that as long as you don’t mix up the principles and movements when you are training, then there shouldn’t be a problem.
My Sifu teaches both wing chun and Chen taijiquan very successfully. As long as you keep things clear, i don’t think there should be a problem.
Just make sure you have enough experience in wing chun as to make that definition though.
good luck 
taijiquan is very cool,
david
Dezhen, I know some top level guys who study both as well, not Yang but Chen style, and they seemed to have integrated the two into thier training side by side with no ill effects, and even to some degree and advantage.
I have heard of some WC schools that first teach a bit of TC and only than start on WC.
Red5: yup, i can believe it. Like i said as long as everything is clear, then there should be no problems… Chen taijiquan actually looks very beautiful and amazing (also good for retaining balance in combat). I’d love to learn someday
david
Yep, we use some basics from Chen style to help with balance and rooting. It seems to be helping alot!
cool, never heard of that, sounds good though.
i meant more for learning how to go with what the opponent does, ie. to balance his action. That’s the basis of taijiquan right? (i have limited experience). Kinda similar to WC - don’t force something to happen
The energy generation is very different though - silk reeling energy is very difficult and different to the WC way, so for me i wouldn’t mix up the 2…
c ya,
david
I practised TC for many years before WC, and i now teach WC and it is of great benefit especially when training the stance , breathing from the abdomen, using fa ging and chi sao. You shouldnt have any problems !
Good luck !
Stuart
For most of us we only do some warm up type stuff, some short drills designed to give us root and balance. Develope some Qi.
I am not familiar with tai chi on the whole and couldnt say how it integrates into WC. If you are interested I may have someone you can contact who would be a big help. PM me and I will give you his address.
Dezhen - for some reason I am not able to recieve PM at the moment, check yours and you will find an address you can email me at.
Isn’t Tai Chi elbows out and WC is elbows in?
Ok, maybe Tai Chi isn’t “elbows out,” but isn’t it “a fist’s distance between the arm and armpit?”
These could get confusing.
IronFist
I did Chen Tai Chi for almost a year and didn’t find it conflicting at all. Although Tai Chi is much “rounder”, I spent most of my efforts on cultivating spiraling energy and power releasing.
I practiced Wu style tai chi before I studied wing chun. Wing chun and tai chi have both similarities and differences. Both styles don’t use force against force. Both styles “borrow” the opponent’s force and use it against him. As Ironfist mentioned, tai chi and wing chun differ in the elbow position. In tai chi, the elbow is about a fist away from the ribs; while in wing chun, the elbow is placed as close to the centerline as possible.
IMHO, having a background in tai chi is an advantage if you study wing chun. I didn’t have much difficulty in relaxing when practicing wing chun because in tai chi we are taught to relax. I also didn’t have much difficulty in chi sao because tai chi has a push hands practice. Both chi sao and push hands aims to control your opponent; although their methods are different. Wing chun tries to control the opponent by occupying the centerline; while tai chi controls the opponent by controling the elbow.
As a whole, wing chun and tai chi complement each other. Just be sure you have a solid background of either style before you study the other.
"I was wondering if anyone could give me any help on a query. I’ve been practicing Wing Chun for a few years now, but have just recently (november) started Tai Chi (yang style short form). In order to avoid mixing up the energy benefits of the two styles, I am trying to get into a routine of practicing the Tai Chi form in the morning and evening, and the Wing Chun forms in the day. Can anyone foresee any problems with this? (In terms of harming my internal energy system?). "
The only problem is time you spend on Tai Chi which you could spend on Wing Chun This would lead to faster Wing Chun improvement.
Redangel,
I know a top tai chi guy that practices chen and yang. He is known for his Chen and Yiquan.
Anyways, a wc guy once said to me, " It’s okay to train in other styles to see what is out there. But first you have to train in wing chun for a long time. I been training wing chun over 20 years. I use wing chun as my core and learn other styles to see what else is out there that can help my wing chun."
I agree but I’d have a hard time wondering when I have a good understanding of wc. I’d give myself.. at least 5+ years before i’d even THINK about trying another style.
I’m not saying I will get a good understanding of wc in 5 years. I may have somewhat of a foundation. =]
I visited a WT school once (leung ting), and the instructor told us: “In WT we have something called Qi Gong. It’s like the WT version of Tai Chi.”
Ignorant f*cker, he was.
So what is the different between ..
so what is the different between TaiJi and Wing Chun…
What is the different between TaiJi and the so called Wing Chun Qi gong?
Why does it needs to be balance?
does it depend which you did first?
there seems to be some ****geneity of opinion that doing alot of TC first will help your WC, but the other way around?
i have found that after 10 years of WC, TC is hard to learn because of slight differences. I find the stepping difficult as it seems to be more ‘taking’ a step rather than the WC ‘thrusts’ into opponent. (not so good description sorry)
having said that i had absolutely no problems learning wild goose qigong with Sifu Moy, so yes i think a lot of it must be the stepping… i’d like to learn xing yi now since it seems easier to accomodate from my foolish point of view.
Dawood - speaking of Sifu Moy et al. Isnt it the case that although they do both WC and TC, Sigong Tse didnt let them begin TC until he was happy with them doing so? i seem to remember that in my days Sifu Moy hadnt begun TC until approx 1997 and at that time students who wished to learn Dayan Gong / Wild goose had to ask for permission and be considered…?
hehe, this thread has come around again and again
foolinthedeck: well as far as i know, anyone can do Dayan Qigong as well as any kung fu class… but it is highly recommended to do EITHER wing chun OR Chen Taijiquan up to a reasonable level first, so as no confusion. People are still asked what they want to achieve with class etc. but i dont think its so much like you said above.
I know some people who only do Chen and have done since the start, and some who only do wing chun… or both.
i think Sifu has been training Chen now for around 8 or more years im not sure exactly. I know wing chun for at least 13 or 14 and qigong for that too.
you may be confused with the hard qigong which is not taught in regular classes
dawood
In my humble opinion, for sake of discussion.
There are similarity and uniqueness between WC and TC.
Similarity,
Ultimately, one has to arive at FaJing will not shown in appearance.
neutralization and issuing is the same instant.
Difference and uniqueness
WC inherit White Crane Wing Chun from Fujian, Thus, it has the “aroma” of one hand “dealing” and another hand offending.
In additional to Zee Moo concept which becomes air tight.
Thus, WC is : The Character of Crane is not fighting, Thus, it has the virture of Phoenix. The spiritual drangon will shown only its head, thus, it cannot be detected or predicted.
TC believes in one can fajing everywhere one contact, thus, as one similar to a sphere any point of a sphere is a triangle.
Thus, Taiji is like flowing water of Yang Zee it constant flow and nerver end.
Pro and Con
WC at leat the modern post WW2 emphasis in effective applications instead of the “body” or the art. Thus, the White crane method of Zee Moo or centerline, and Tan Da type one hand “dealling” and one hand "offending was emphasis to an extreme.
This extreme of emphasis cost the art to degrading the training of the body. Thus, " the FaJing will not shown and neutralization and issuing is the same instant." The cultivation of this type of power was gradually lost. Good WC people such as sifu Tse Siong-Ting from YM lineage… are experimenting trying to find out and re fomulate about this path of cultivation.
TC mainly emphasis in “body” cultivation since it was greatly promote as good for health. Practicing it does bring good health to the practitionar around the world.
Since the focus is in health and most stuck at the changing of weight training for Fajing level.
Thus, most has difficulties to reach " the FaJing will not shown explicitly; and neutralization and issuing is the same instant."
Thus, When TC people cross hand with WCK people, due to the superiority of the White Crane center line potential. TC peole will have no fight due to the Center line potential dis-integrate the root easily even the WC people doesn’t have internal cultivation.
However, if the WC practitioner meets an advance TC practitioner who has achieved to a certain degree of "wholesome integration and fajing " as so called “peng jing”… WC practitioner will be easily uprooted.
As a summary, generally speaking, TC has steps to cultivate the Jing to advance level. However, fighting application is rare. WC has great application. However, steps and clarity to cultivate fajing is very rare.
Finally,
even at the end, when both WC and TC people achieve the
FaJing will not shown; and neutralization and issuing is the same instant.
Thier characteristics are still different.
The Character of Crane is not fighting, Thus, it has the virture of Phoenix. The spiritual drangon will shown only its head, thus, it cannot be detected or predicted.
vesus
Flowing water of Yang Zee it constant flow and nerver end.
IMHO,
Not a thing needs to be balance. IT is just as it is.
knows the characteristics that is the key.
I might be wrong and I might be right.
I hope that the
Hidden dragon and croucthing tiger or advance grandmasters who lurkers in this forum throwing in some Jade and good stuffs. 