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Double Eagle · April 28, 2001, 05:30 PM

Hello all-

There are two aspects of this thread which I'd like to wade in on.

On Tai Chi: Surely this is a question of which instructor you end up with and what you really want to put into your training. On the one hand, you could end up with Dan Docherty (www.taichichuan.co.uk) who is a pretty well-known full contact fighter and all-round hardman. His students have a good reputation as fighters. On the other hand, you could end up with (as is likely in my neck of the woods) some new-age hippy aerobics instructor who did two seminars and is now teaching 'Tai Chi Physical Culture' or some rubbish like that.
But from what I understand, Tai Chi Chuan is usually not practised alone in China, but along with another art like Chin'na (sp?). I spoke to a Chinese man working with me about this and he said that he believed Tai Chi was for health and technique and Chin'na for applications.
If it means anything to you, Don Draeger was very impressed by Tai Chi Chuan masters.

On multiple opponents: Thank the gods for pre-emptive strikes, guns, knives, the ability to run fast.

April 28, 2001, 05:30 PM	#34
Double Eagle Member Join Date: December 26, 2000 Posts: 17	Tai Chi / Multiple attackers Hello all- There are two aspects of this thread which I'd like to wade in on. On Tai Chi: Surely this is a question of which instructor you end up with and what you really want to put into your training. On the one hand, you could end up with Dan Docherty (www.taichichuan.co.uk) who is a pretty well-known full contact fighter and all-round hardman. His students have a good reputation as fighters. On the other hand, you could end up with (as is likely in my neck of the woods) some new-age hippy aerobics instructor who did two seminars and is now teaching 'Tai Chi Physical Culture' or some rubbish like that. But from what I understand, Tai Chi Chuan is usually not practised alone in China, but along with another art like Chin'na (sp?). I spoke to a Chinese man working with me about this and he said that he believed Tai Chi was for health and technique and Chin'na for applications. If it means anything to you, Don Draeger was very impressed by Tai Chi Chuan masters. On multiple opponents: Thank the gods for pre-emptive strikes, guns, knives, the ability to run fast.