…the likelihood of finding that sort of knowledge on a video has got to be about 0
Scott, why do you think that is?
The weird thing is that no one even blinked when I wrote;
“…nothing but daily solo-training of a few tjq exercises and specially structured bag-drills will yeild good basic tjq fighting method after a period of about 10 months (read; no sparring or push-hands/2-person practice). Good enough to be tested against a novice MMA fighter of the same weight”
I didn’t blink because I’m assuming you’ve done that before with someone. 
I still think though that the first time they tried to apply their stuff against an opponent they’d find it hard.
Is there a video that shows those drills? Are you bringing out a DVD?
I didn’t blink because I’m assuming you’ve done that before with someone
hahaha…d@mnit
No DVD coming from me. I don’t believe in video-training.
A good book or other relevent text and some vid-clips would be a great combination if the person was able to regularly correspond with someone who really understood the material.
The most important factor would be the person’s dedication to daily practice. But after a couple of months, more layers are added to the solo regimen to flesh out the combative nature of the drills.
A HA!
“Scott, why do you think that is?”
Because not many people know them?
So, how’d your guy do then? Against the MMA novice?
2 of the best books:
-The Tai Chi Boxing Chronicles (Kuo Lien-Ying)
-The Tao Of Tai Chi Chuan - Way To Rejuvination (Jou Tsung Hwa)
Scott, I don’t think many people know how the ideas work on that basic level because they don’t structure the training so that it remains congruent with the principles within the sportive context of ring-fighting.
Also, the lack of practical bag drills which address the particulars of taijiquan while developing power and endurance.
The first thing that has to be discarded is the, “I train to win”, mindset. Ring-fighting is a means - it’s just sparring. The process is lost if winning/losing is the main motivation or concern.
Good posts.
All the Tai Ji’ers and the Chinese government cannot figure out how to transfer combat Tai Ji or any other Kung Fu into a sport or ring events.
If you do, they all like to hear from you.
They are still at the level of ever changing rules of Sand Da.
SPJ, it’s hard to tell whether or not you’re being sarcastic.
Anyway, I didn’t figure this stuff out myself.
When I was shown how the theory of the 5 elements/steps applies to personal combat, I commented that a lot of those ideas are found in boxing and wrestling…except for the earth element, and my sifu was like, “Duh”.
It’s not a leap to structure the training of tjq’s basic fighting method so that it can be explored and researched in a sportive format. That is something I did on my own based on the 5-steps. But the ideas are already contained in the theories.
When I showed another tjq teacher how I was doing that, he just nodded and said it was the way he was taught tjq when he was still living in China…his way of saying, “Duh”.
No. I was not being sarcastic at all.
The Chinese government is trying to rescue TCMA from the ruins of Cultural Revolution in 60’s and early 70’s.
There are research committee’s set up across China. TCMA is incorporated into physical education from high school to colleges. However, the courses are composites of the old system. For example, the course on Tai Ji would be composite forms.
They also started to push Wushu into gym events.
San da was promoted recently in a big way.
They do have troubles in converting combative Kung Fu into ring or sports events.
If you do have very good ideas to do so, you may contact them.
Their polices on TCMA overall are still evolving. and nobody knows where this is heading really.
I am from Taiwan originally. So I do not have direct info’es from the Chinese.
In terms of training methods and theory, yes, you are right.
i think if you can find a good teacher that’s within a doable travelling distance, contact that person and arrange some visits as often as you can–stay for a week or so, train your ass off while you’re with the teacher, then practice the crap out of what you’ve learned until next time. it’s the slow path, but MUCH better than trying to learn from a book or video exclusively. our organization has many people who show up once a year or so to get corrections and learn new stuff and they all do well.
Maybe Kung Fu was not meant to be a ring event or sports.
I shouldn’t have placed the quest to game-fy the Tai Ji on anyone’s shoulder. It is not fair.
Back to the original post;
DVD and books are good sources of info. However, a good teacher and a note book are also important especially in the beginning.
If you did it wrong and formed bad habits, it will be very difficult to correct them later.
Posture or Zhuang is everything or the root.
There are strict requirements for the body posture (Shen Fa).
I have to practice each posture for 25 min before doing anything else.
Tai Ji has 2 parts: stillness and movement.
I have to learn how to be in stillness/posture first.
For example, a lot of teachers like to use the single whip (Dan Bien) for standing (posture) practice.
These are some of the requirements.
Your neck has to be loose and Jin is on Baihui on the top of your head. (Shi Lin Din Jin)
Your wrist is hanging up and your elbow is dropped. (Shuen Wan Zhue Zhou).
Your other wrist is sinking.
Your knees are tugged in so you have a round curve or ball like. So you have the fexibility to move your knees in different directions to shift weight. (Yuan Dang).
Your chest is tugged a little. Your back is arched a little. (Han Shuon Ba Bei).
On and on.
As you may see, you really need a teacher to show and correct you. A long time to practice and take a lot of personal notes.
DVD may help you to familiarize the moves and sequences. DVD may help to train your eyes to watch or study the structure of the moves. You may freeze the move at any instance or rewind etc.
If you want to learn for health and meditation, you may practice standing posture for 2-3 min or 5 min.
If you want to learn it for combat, you have to stand 45 min to 1 h, and you have to do everything right every time.