TCA & New Moves

[breslinr]

Greetings paul

I would like your advice on how to add new moves to TCA parts 1 & 2 from the Sun style 73 move set.

I feel my class are ready to increse the length of the set.

Really enjoy teaching the TCA set, but want to do more???

[soraya]

HI!

I'm glad that you enjoy Paul's program. I don't know what Paul will advice, he certainly will.

You said your class was ready, so were a few of mine. How well do you know the Sun 73 set? Paul, and after some experience myself would recommend TCA I/II and TCD(contains Sun and Yang moves) before learning Sun style, even for advanced practitioners.

It depends on you and your class whether you prefer to teach TCD or start with parts of Sun 73. Leisurely tying coat is repeated many times in Sun 73, so your students may be encouraged already.

The 1st 15 moves in Sun 73 is very consistent with TCA and TCD, only the sequence is slightly more difficult to remember, but more artistic in their expression. YOu can do this to provide more variety, and than slowly build up the Sun 73 set step by step. You have all the time of the world, so go for it......

[soraya]

another idea would be: after cloud hands right side, exactly like Sun 73 go into toe kicks, double jump kicks, the rest of the kicks. You know your class better so you will get the impression when they are overwhelmed.....Observe your class well and good luck.....

[breslinr]

Soroya

thanks for your replies.

Your idea about toe kicks etc makes sense.

My idea was to add on cloud hands, go into high horse and then toe kicks.

[norm_one]

Hi breslinr


You are not on your own I have spoken to a few instructors with the same problem. It's what I call the what's next syndrome. So to keep students content we have to introduce a bit of Varity. At the start of 2005 I shall be introducing one of my TCA classes to TCD as I think it complements TCA very nicely. My only comment to Soyra's suggestion is jump kicks might not be the best idea if students have severe arthritis. The other suggestion is you could bring in Yang 24.
At the end of the day only you can judge what would be suitable to your students. I would be interested in knowing what you decided for your class and even more the students response

All the best

Norman

[breslinr]

Norman

Believe me jump kicks are one move I would not even contemplate trying. All moves I teach are ones that I can do myself, having had a total knee replacement there are limits to my abilities.

[soraya]

Breslin and Norm

In my previous post I said :"it depends on your class and your own fitness". Sorry when I sit in front of the computer I don't have the Sun video. Yes, as Sun 73 after cloud hands you go into high horse and than toe kicks. Toe kicks can be modified according to student's needs.

I also don't know how much your students suffer what illness. You can modify the jump kick into either thigh slap or stepping as shown on Dr. Lam's Sun 73 DVD. Do you have this? I would recommend Sun 73 for every TCA instructor, even when they are not inclined to do the whole set. Many comments on this dvd are useful for TCA/TCD.

Jump kicks if not performed correctly do aggravate not only severe arthritis but other conditions and even healthy people. I assume you attended Paul's workshop and well aware of safety precautions

Do you have some time to attend Paul's one-week-workshop in USA? Or one day I will come and conduct workshops too

[Dr. Paul Lam]

I would recommend for an average student to take half to one year at one lesson per week basis to learn and improve the 12 movements, then another years to do Part II, you can also do the other side of Part II... then some time to explore the depth of both.

It is important to work with student to understand the depth of tai chi, that repetition and exploring depth is more important than do many forms. please take a look at my article on "how to improve tai chi" and "what is internal and how to improve it" on the article pages on this site http://www.taichiproductions.com/articles/index.php.

After that your students should be ready to move onto Sun 73. I advice not to just keep learning new forms, the magic of tai chi lies within its essential principles which are practically bottomless in depth. One needs to understand the principles of tai chi after learning thethe elementary of it. Learning many forms helps but is not the most effective way to improve in tai chi.

hope this helps

[soraya]

I would wholeheartedly second Paul's post, the fact that I recommended Sun 73 was that I assumed your students had a foundation of 1-2 years of experience or more.

My Tai Chi path with many grandmasters and others goes back to the early age of 9 and teaching experience since i was 15 years old. I virtually practised the 4 major styles.Yet after not practicing for 7 years I started off with TCA and TCD, practised this thoroughly about min. 6 reps each, which i still do, for about 1 year. TCA I takes about 4 min, maybe 6 when practiced extra slowly which i recommend.

Then i started to teach, this forced me even into more practising and exploring depth because i needed to explain it to the students. Answering questions in this forum since 2002 also helped in exploring and refreshing my knowledge. I practise 11/2 hours minimum 7 days/week plus mental imagery and incorporating TC principles into brisk and nordic walking and daily activities like gardening etc. PUsh hands with my husband and sometimes sparring with Melanie.This may not apply to the majority.

Early 2004 I bought the Sun 73 dvd and learnt it in 3 weeks which might not be practicable for others.

By the way, Chenxiaowang's videos contain many repetitions which is nearly considered boring for some impatient students.

Last but not least, HOW you do the form is more important than doing lots of them. On the contrary, you may lose your focus when doing 100 times.

[breslinr]

Paul/Soroya

Thanks very much for your replies.

On reflection I think it was more for myself rather than my class that I wanted to extend the TCA set.

I have practiced Tai Chi for a number of years and feel comfortable learning new moves.

I will now go back and consider the needs of my class more closely. It is possible I can teach them a lot more using the TCA set rarther than new moves.

Once again thanks.

[Dr. Paul Lam]

glad you are thinking for your students... that is the hall mark of being a good teacher - be able to come back to think of student's needs and objectives.

have you done the 73 forms yet? are you able to come to one of our one week workshops? many people start with the instructional video/dvd of sun 73 and come to the workshop for face to face teaching. i have seen some incredible forms from people who learned the set just off my video.

[catpat]

These ideas make me rethink my plans for next year.
I was planning on teaching TCD....but the group still need a lot of work on TCA esp. part 2. Was I planning to change for my interest rather than the best interest of the group??? will have to think on that further.

One reason I did have for a new form was that then all students new and old would be starting off from scratch.

3 guests from a near by town were at our Christmas break and gave a demonstration of Shibashi 1 a set of 18 fairly static exercises developed by Gary Khor (I think). The group was impressed with these very flowing exercises/short form. Has anyone heard of them?

Still Thinking,
Cathy

[stanton]

cathy,

Taiji qigong (18 Form) was developed by Lin Hou Sheng with a few others and it is a good all round routine.

What I have tried to do is integrate different insights as opposed to concentrating on form all the time. Based on personal feedback (surveys) with participants, they do forget the form and may not always remember even the short TCA routine but the basic exercises, the various individual postures, baduanjin and more 'easily' remembered stuff (concept/principle) does seem to ease (through movement) the stiffness and aches of non activity.

[Dahlis Roy]

Hello!

Thanks, Stanton and yes the Shibashi (18 Form Taiji Qigong) was created by Lin Hou Sheng and also Wei Qi He, both from Shanghai. Master Wei Qi, a Tai Chi Master, and Master Lin, a Qigong Master, blended their arts.

The Shibashi can be used as warm up exercise for Tai Chi or as an exercise in itself. I learned 18 Form from my teacher, Jiong Gu. He learned it in Beijing. In 1999 I met Master Wei Qi He in a seminar to improve my 18 form teaching techniques.

Shibashi can be adapted to mobility of student and can be practiced sitting or standing. I like a quick "Tai Chi 1-2-3" to refresh beginning students with something they can practice at home while experiencing Tai Chi forms. This is only 3 movements of Shibashi. I also like a 'short form' of five simple movements from Shinashi for the student. Some students prefer these five most of all! Some love TCA or Yang Long Form for home practice. It is great to encourage daily practice for the student to feel maximum benefit.

Dahlis

[Dahlis Roy]

See www.everyday-taichi.com in UK for history and pictures of Master Wei Qi and Master Lin.

There are pictures of a qualified instructor showing movements.

Dahlis

[carolinew]

I do Traditional Yang Style Long Form. I am still learning it.

For my private practice I reapeat the middle section a couple of times, especially as it has my favorite moves, especially wave hands like clouds and repulse monkey.

From a students perspective and for teaching purposes, it is best to see how the class feels. In my class some people are more confident about learning new moves than others, and some like to get the old moves right before moving on.

Good luck, I'm sure it will be a success whatever you do.

[soraya]

I hate to tell people what to do and i'm certainly not Dr. Lam.

Although very interesting, this has proceeded to a discussion and FAR OFF The BEATEN TRACK......lol. Thank you any way for your amazing experience with Shibashi, my mum is teaching it.

Just to draw attention to the top of the section on Dr. Lam's directions on how to use this section. It is easier when this section is kept as a Q & A in case other people have the same question and looking for various answers

[Dr. Paul Lam]

thanks and yes. let us close this thread.