And when you get really good…try juggling with your eyes closed. I also recommend practicing forms and other types of training with your eyes closed.
to do list
[QUOTE=uki;964225]juggle some floating scarves.
and it’s nice to be here skip![/QUOTE]
ummmm, I think my to do list is already full… maybe Santa can bequeath me some extra skillsets ..
And you’re welcome uki! I’m glad to see that at least one of you young’uns will speak to us old guys…
eyes closed
[QUOTE=Scott R. Brown;964244]And when you get really good…try juggling with your eyes closed. I also recommend practicing forms and other types of training with your eyes closed.[/QUOTE]
Hello Scott;
It’s good to hear from some little bit younger guys too…
I can walk beside my wife with my eyes closed about 100’ on level ground, but not out in the woods. Listening to her keeps me from wandering off the line for awhile, but eventually I do go left or right. I can do the basic form with my eyes closed, but not the more difficult moves - but I will wander from the direction long before the end.
Here’s the deal… doing anything difficult blind greatly increases attention to balance! And it trains hearing like you would not believe.
And, I don’t go up’n down stairs with my eyes closed!
The juggling is just gonna have to wait until everything else is squared away… That uki is one talented individual…
[QUOTE=Skip J.;964273]Hello Scott;
It’s good to hear from some little bit younger guys too…
I can walk beside my wife with my eyes closed about 100’ on level ground, but not out in the woods. Listening to her keeps me from wandering off the line for awhile, but eventually I do go left or right. I can do the basic form with my eyes closed, but not the more difficult moves - but I will wander from the direction long before the end.
Here’s the deal… doing anything difficult blind greatly increases attention to balance! And it trains hearing like you would not believe.
And, I don’t go up’n down stairs with my eyes closed!
The juggling is just gonna have to wait until everything else is squared away… That uki is one talented individual…[/QUOTE]
Hi skip,
Well I mean performing your forms with your eyes closed. you may need someone to watch you for safety purposes until you develop some skill. Your balance will improve and your proprioceptive sense will as well. Although walking around your house with your eyes closed would also help develop some skills as well.
develop some skills
[QUOTE=Scott R. Brown;964277]Hi skip,
Well I mean performing your forms with your eyes closed. you may need someone to watch you for safety purposes until you develop some skill. Your balance will improve and your proprioceptive sense will as well. Although walking around your house with your eyes closed would also help develop some skills as well.[/QUOTE]
Thanks Scott;
I thought that would be the case… walking around furniture, particularly furniture I know - mite be in my future. Right now, walking straight for a short distance with my eyes closed is still an exciting adventure. I have done the very basic core of the form we teach beginners with my eyes closed (occasionally, not training regularly) for several years now, but get off-direction before the end. I can’t do it in class tho because the beginners will see me and hurt themselves.
Complex hand movements while blind are beyond me at the moment. I suspect - like anything else difficult - that constant training that aspect would improve it somewhat.
Stairwalking in posture down is a similar thing… not seeing the step at all - much less the ones to follow - causes a cautious lowering of the step-down foot until seated that really encourages mental establishment of the root one foot at a time. This in turn, promotes rooting while walking; it’s a very difficult thing to root while moving about, but necessary to progress on. This in turn, leads to incorporating a little bit of wuji beginning each step to get the mental rooting flowing within the flow. So while never really interrupting the flow between steps, rooting is momentarily occurring in the planted foot while on it. I know I need to do this, but I can’t - so the stairwalking down is an attempt to get there from here. The trouble with having all of these basic techniques still left to learn is that it seems I will always be a beginner…
Hi Skip,
It has been said, “The wise man always has the mind of a beginner!”
There is no goal per se, because once you reach an “artificial” goal you will find there is more to learn. It is best to just have fun learning and continue to challenge yourself without attachment, overly, to any artificial goal. That is not to say, “Do not create goals for yourself”. Just recognize that the goal is an artificial tool you are using for a purpose.
I remember when I got my blackbelt, all I thought was, “This is it?” I didn’t feel any different than I did the day before my test. There was still much to learn, as there still is!
goal setting
Ah yes, I have heard that… I had to learn as a self-employed guy that finishing a job meant getting paid, but then I had to look for another job and wasn’t going to be paid again for a long while. I finally settled on developing a few good clients with a lot of work and sort of go from job-to-job with the same clients.
This progressing in taiji is very similar - being a jack-of-all-trades type doesn’t lend itself well to progressing on in taiji. First is to develop some skills and then build on those skills a little bit more related movements. After awhile the flow comes along - about when I think it never will - and all of a sudden what I’m trying to do is in a whole new world.
Soooo, now I need to train my body some in order to be physically capable of these complex movements. My instructor will teach it to me faster than I can learn it, so being ready for class is up to me…
This weeks class is tonite and I didn’t retain anything from last week, which is rare for me. So tonite I’ll have her show me the 1st half only; and try to retain that thru next week. Best part of working out of the house is I can go do 3 to 5 minutes without anybody else here, off and on all day.
Uki,
I can barely juggle the three little wooden balls that I have, much less any floating scarves.
I’m just not that talented at juggling.
I did pull those wooden balls out last night and juggle them for a while. It surprised me that I still could do it after several years of not juggling anything.
I dropped them quite a bit at first, but after a few minutes I was able to get them going around again.
I’ve never done anything fancy with it, I’m just glad when I can keep them going in a circle without dropping them.
Maybe someday I’ll move on to scarves, but that would probably require more time and effort, not to mention a skill, than I have at present.
Skip,
Learning TCC is like peeling a very large onion. There is always another layer underneath the one you just peeled back.
I’m not what anyone could call a beginner, but I’m also certainly not a master.
And I probably never will be.
Unless I win that lottery thing I’m not likely to have that kind of free time in my life.
I have to work, take care of my house, my car, my wife, my kids…
And still try to find the time to do the long form every once in a while.
That is why I have worked TCC principles into my everyday movements. I figured out that it’s not something that I have to “practice”, per se, if I integrate it into every part of my daily routine.
I don’t stand up unless I do it using the principles.
I don’t sit down unless I do it using the principles.
Every thing I do I consciously and willfully do using the principles of TCC.
That way, I never have to worry about “practice”. I’m simply doing it all the time.
I do “practice” my form movements. I try to do the long form three times a day, at least, the short form at least once and saber and sword at least once every other day. I am succesfull more often then not but sometimes it’s just not possible. I always get the long form in once a day but if I can’t do the rest…
Oh, well.
But that’s “form practice”. I am working on maintaining and increasing my knowledge of the movements inherint in the form when I do that.
And that’s good, but pulling those principles out and applying them during every day movements is the REAL secret to doing TCC well, in my PHO.
My wife tells me all the time that I move more flowingly, more accurately and that I look much more graceful since I have begun to do this.
My co-workers all remark on how sure of my footing and movements I always am.
It really does give you an air of confidence when you KNOW that you are moving correctly.
It was about seven years ago that I told my teacher, “I can’t find the time to practice every day”. He laughed at me and said, “Then instead of practicing TCC, why don’t you do TCC?”
That was a HUGE eye opener for me.
Since then I’ve worked on putting TCC principles into everything I do. Now I don’t have to worry so much about “practice”, I just do it all the time.
Sure, it takes time. It’s not easy, at all.
But once you have worked it through it becomes second nature.
First rule:
RELAX.
And second rule:
ENJOY.
It really will become a part of your normal routine if you just make it so.
Bob
[QUOTE=Bob Ashmore;964351]Uki,
I can barely juggle the three little wooden balls that I have, much less any floating scarves.
I’m just not that talented at juggling.
I did pull those wooden balls out last night and juggle them for a while. It surprised me that I still could do it after several years of not juggling anything.
I dropped them quite a bit at first, but after a few minutes I was able to get them going around again.
I’ve never done anything fancy with it, I’m just glad when I can keep them going in a circle without dropping them.
Maybe someday I’ll move on to scarves, but that would probably require more time and effort, not to mention a skill, than I have at present.[/QUOTE]
have you tried juggling qi balls
imgaine ball of qi going out from dantian. clench the anus and rub area around scrotum 36 times clockwise then 36 counterwise. begin juggling. as time go on u can juggle as much as 400 qi balls!
if you run out of qi then repeat bear jing stealing qigong to refill qi
[QUOTE=bawang;964410]have you tried juggling qi balls
imgaine ball of qi going out from dantian. clench the anus and rub area around scrotum 36 times clockwise then 36 counterwise. begin juggling. as time go on u can juggle as much as 400 qi balls!
if you run out of qi then repeat bear jing stealing qigong to refill qi[/QUOTE]are you mantak chia in disguise?? 
[QUOTE=Skip J.;964332]Best part of working out of the house is I can go do 3 to 5 minutes without anybody else here, off and on all day.[/QUOTE]
Hi Skip,
In my experience the best way to learn and retain the movements is in small increments, so I think that is a good idea. Way back when I was a beginner I found I actually learned new movements faster if I did it in small increments frequently!
Hi Bob,
That is a very good way to live and train. I wish TaiChiBob was still around, he would probably have a lot to say that would be helpful to you and Skip, imperialtaichi as well!
long term training…
[QUOTE=Scott R. Brown;964434]Hi Skip,
In my experience the best way to learn and retain the movements is in small increments, so I think that is a good idea. Way back when I was a beginner I found I actually learned new movements faster if I did it in small increments frequently![/QUOTE]
Yes… when I first started training seriously for the summer Dallas meets I would try to find a day when I could do a full hour or more during the week between classes. That worked ok until In started instructing a couple of classes too and I was taiji’ed out by the time I got to my own class at nite.
I switched to the “work-it-in-whenever-I-can” method several years ago and now it doesn’t matter what the rest of my schedule for the week looks like, I still get my training in. So now I’m a lot more serious about my training too…
Bawang,
No, I have never juggled a chi ball.
I’ve never seen a chi ball, either.
And if I run out chi I will have a lot worse problems than trying to steal some from a bear.
When I run out of chi, I will be dead.
Scott,
I remember TaichiBob. I used to post here quite a bit a while back but got off on a different tangent for a while. What ever happened to him? If you know.
What’s funny to me is…
I am a Tai Chi Bob. :rolleyes:
But my Tai Chi nickname is actually cooler than that.
It’s Bob Bu Hao.
If you don’t know what that means, I’m sure many people will be happy to translate it for you.
I gave that nickname to myself to poke fun at my messed up form when I changed styles and it’s stuck over time.
[quote=bob ashmore;964591]scott,
i remember taichibob. I used to post here quite a bit a while back but got off on a different tangent for a while. What ever happened to him? If you know.
What’s funny to me is…
I am a tai chi bob. :rolleyes:
But my tai chi nickname is actually cooler than that.
It’s bob bu hao.
If you don’t know what that means, i’m sure many people will be happy to translate it for you.
I gave that nickname to myself to poke fun at my messed up form when i changed styles and it’s stuck over time.[/quote]lmao!!!
taiji priciples
[QUOTE=Bob Ashmore;964354]Skip,
Learning TCC is like peeling a very large onion. There is always another layer underneath the one you just peeled back.
I’m not what anyone could call a beginner, but I’m also certainly not a master.
And I probably never will be.
Unless I win that lottery thing I’m not likely to have that kind of free time in my life.
I have to work, take care of my house, my car, my wife, my kids…
And still try to find the time to do the long form every once in a while.
That is why I have worked TCC principles into my everyday movements. I figured out that it’s not something that I have to “practice”, per se, if I integrate it into every part of my daily routine.
I don’t stand up unless I do it using the principles.
I don’t sit down unless I do it using the principles.
Every thing I do I consciously and willfully do using the principles of TCC.
That way, I never have to worry about “practice”. I’m simply doing it all the time.
…It was about seven years ago that I told my teacher, “I can’t find the time to practice every day”. He laughed at me and said, “Then instead of practicing TCC, why don’t you do TCC?”
That was a HUGE eye opener for me.
Since then I’ve worked on putting TCC principles into everything I do. Now I don’t have to worry so much about “practice”, I just do it all the time.
Sure, it takes time. It’s not easy, at all.
But once you have worked it through it becomes second nature.
First rule:
RELAX.
And second rule:
ENJOY.
It really will become a part of your normal routine if you just make it so.
Bob[/QUOTE]
Exactly!!! I do have to spend most of my day making a living, and then keeping this house up in my spare time is time consuming… My Instructor takes classes several days a week from her Sifu, and then teaches us one day. I bet she does at least an hour or more of taiji on the days she’s not in a class. Still, she started when she was 63 and I started at 56… so I have time left…
While not at your level, I do stay in posture all day. If I’m working on dishes in the sink, instead of bending over, I sink down til I can reach’em and then when done, use one leg to stand back up. All day, every day… This has made a tremendous difference in my ability to stay in posture in class; both in strength and in balance.
I’m a long way from learning the 108 and weapons tho, a very long way indeed. More the reason to advance from here…
But I finally can RELAX… and also I do ENJOY…
Take care…
TaiChiBob shows up from time to time and who knows if he lurks. One time I mentioned him for some reason to someone and he showed up, so maybe he will show up temporarily again.
We will have to wait for him to show up some time I guess.
some random thoughts…
as far as Cloud Hands: first off, it’s cool, because it is the one movement in the form that contains all 8 taiji energies in equal amount (meaning that all moves have all 8, but emphasize different aspects to different extents); second, speaking of bears, in our version of the Yang form, because it is a very early version of the form he taught (e.g. - we still have the jump kicks, low spinning sweeps and a few other things you don’t see in the typical Yang), some of the names are different - so instead of Cloud Hands, it is called Bear Walk (my teacher’s perspective is that Cloud Hands is the result of “linguistic drift”), and there is a very good reason for this, if one knows which Bear specifically that one is walking…and then the whole entirety of taiji as a universal practice, the Primal Polarity, the Great Axis, really makes sense, and it’s relationship to Daoist cosmology becomes manifest 
; as far as it being “rehabilitative”, supposedly my sigung, when he first started studying with his teacher (who had in turn studied directly w/YLC when he first came to Beijing), practiced only this movement for some ungodly period of time, and it cured whatever had ailed him (a hearsay, but thus have I heard say: you can read about it here);
BTW, I am not Tai Chi Bob (in fact, the only nickname I have ever had was given to me by my art teacher in high school, who, while I was in the midst of extemporaneously “contributing” my own commentary to his lecture, yelled out, “Christian F***ING Jurak!!!” - which definitely got my attention - and from then on he would refer to me as “CFJ”)