Things have not worked out well for the author of the book that got me started with Tai Chi... The reason I got interested in Tai Chi in the first place was a combination of watching Kung Fu, the classic TV series starting David Carradine, in my early childhood, which primed to be receptive towards … Continue reading Looking back at The Tao of Pooh all these years later, I can’t believe what’s happened to its author, Benjamin Hoff
Tai Chi Notebook Podcast Episode 30: Nabil Ranné on Chen style Tai Chi training
Nabil Ranné is a Chen style teacher living in Berlin who offers classes and online training at CTN Academy Nabil is a student of Chen Yu, who is the only son of Chen ZhaoKui and grandson of the famous Chen Fake. Listen here. Here’s what we talk about: Timestamps: 1.00: Nabil’s background in martial arts … Continue reading Tai Chi Notebook Podcast Episode 30: Nabil Ranné on Chen style Tai Chi training
Retreat to Ride Tiger
There are lots of tigers in Yang style Tai Chi. There's 'Bend Bow to shoot Tiger', which is a pretty obvious punch, and each section of the forms ends with the classic 'Carry Tiger to Mountain'. Today we want to look at 'Retreat to Ride Tiger'. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com In Yang Cheng-Fu-like forms … Continue reading Retreat to Ride Tiger
REVIEW: Why We Fight: One Man’s Search for Meaning Inside the Ring
By Josh Rosenblatt Amazon link. When Josh Robenblatt got to the age of 32 and realised he wanted to fight in an MMA match, he had to confront a lot of physical problems as well as inner demons before he set foot inside the cage. While the physicality of fighting is explored, this book is … Continue reading REVIEW: Why We Fight: One Man’s Search for Meaning Inside the Ring
“I tried Tai Chi and it’s not what I expected”
This is a nicely made video about Tai Chi Push Hands: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0ZSTWEYihA Some quick observations: 1) I quite like the emphasis on feeling where the opponent is during push hands instruction - I think this is bang on. 2) "Sensei Seth" correctly identifies very quickly that push hands competitions are very, very, similar to Sumo. … Continue reading “I tried Tai Chi and it’s not what I expected”
Possible origins of the Tai Chi Single Whip (Dan Bian) posture name
This post is going to start somewhere you don’t expect - over 1,000 years ago in Song Dynasty China during which we find the legendary founder of Xing Yi, Yue Fei, a general in the Song Dynasty army, mulling over the advancing (heavily armoured) Jin cavalry, and wondering how his foot soldiers are going to … Continue reading Possible origins of the Tai Chi Single Whip (Dan Bian) posture name
The whole body is a fist
There is a phrase in Tai Chi that the whole body is a fist. I think it actually comes from Chen style, but applies to all styles of Tai Chi. Now, you can interpret that in different ways, but I think all of them are valid. Let's look at a couple. Photo by NEOSiAM 2024+ … Continue reading The whole body is a fist
The head over foot guy, and Tai Chi
I’m always on the look out for interesting bio mechanical things and that search recently lead me to a character called David Weck, who is known as the ‘Head over Foot Guy’. Of course, that’s not his only idea about biomechanics- he’s got loads of them - but this video is a good introduction to … Continue reading The head over foot guy, and Tai Chi
What are ‘traditional’ martial arts?
I always find the labels ‘traditional’ and ‘modern’ misleading because something that’s current and popular, like Brazilian Jiujitsu, is actually quite old in comparison to some of the martial arts we would call traditional, like Aikido or Taekwondo. But even recently created martial arts are built on older traditions, so where do we start dating … Continue reading What are ‘traditional’ martial arts?
Don’t get triggered
One of the things that martial arts training should give you, over the years, is better self control. At least in theory. You see some higher ranked people and it’s clear that it doesn’t always work out that way, but that’s the plan, at least in theory. https://youtu.be/RX0Udwv9S0A?si=MLzm1B2On5HK5QLC I’m a bit fan of Japanese martial … Continue reading Don’t get triggered
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