Family of Tai Chi do you teach?
Tai Chi, also known as Tai Chi Chuan or Taijiquan, is a Chinese martial art that incorporates slow, flowing movements, deep breathing, and meditation. There are several different styles or schools of Tai Chi, each with its unique characteristics and principles. Some of the most well-known Tai Chi styles include:
1. Chen Style: Chen Style is the oldest known form of Tai Chi and is characterized by its combination of slow and fast movements, intricate techniques, and bursts of explosive power. It is considered the original Tai Chi style.
2. Yang Style: Yang Style is one of the most widely practiced and popular Tai Chi styles. It features slow, graceful movements and is known for its gentle and flowing quality. Yang Style is often chosen by beginners due to its accessibility.
3. Wu (Hao) Style: Wu Style Tai Chi is known for its small, compact movements and an emphasis on internal energy (qi) development. It is less widely practiced compared to Yang Style but is highly respected for its martial effectiveness.
4. Wu Style: Wu Style Tai Chi, developed by Wu Jianquan, is characterized by its medium-sized movements and a focus on balance and stability. It is known for its therapeutic benefits and is often practiced by those seeking health and wellness benefits.
5. Sun Style: Sun Style Tai Chi incorporates elements of other martial arts and is characterized by its agile footwork and flowing movements. It is known for its emphasis on relaxation and is considered suitable for people of all ages.
6. Hao Style: Hao Style Tai Chi, also known as Li-I (pronounced "lee-ee"), is a relatively rare style that emphasizes precise, small movements and a deep focus on internal energy cultivation.
7. Combined 42-Form: This is not a traditional style but rather a standardized set of Tai Chi movements created for competitive purposes. It combines elements from various traditional styles and is commonly used in Tai Chi competitions.
8. Cheng Man-ch'ing Style: Named after its founder, Cheng Man-ch'ing Style Tai Chi is a shortened, 37-move form that is known for its emphasis on balance, relaxation, and martial principles.
Each Tai Chi style has its unique forms, movements, and principles, but they all share the common foundation of promoting relaxation, balance, and the cultivation of internal energy (qi).
While I have been trained in the Yang style 24 form, I generally do not teach this style. My teaching focuses primarily on qigong and daoyin and not a formal tai chi form. This is partly because I don’t want students to feel fearful if they miss a class that they will fall behind. With a more fitness and health focus in qigong, I put more emphasis on the flow of moving the body and qi, with breathing and relaxation the metrics as opposed to perfecting a form.
The other reason I am not as formal is that my original exposure to tai chi, qigong and daoyin was through Filipino Martial Arts. The school I come from was started by a man named Dan Inosanto. He was a close friend and student of Bruce Lee. Dan’s daughter, Dianna Lee Inosanto, who plays Morgan Elsbeth on the Ahsoka show, is Bruce Lee’s goddaughter. He brought much of the kung fu methods to the Kali and Eskrima. What I called Tai Chi was used to help us learn to flow and feel where our body was. Because I learned in a very random and piecemeal fashion, I teach similarly.
