Other exercise related

So I started martial arts in my late teens about a half century ago ... switched to Tai Chi about 15 or 20 years later ... never tested ... means I've been a white belt all that time, I guess ..
 
I have been doing Shaolin Northern Dragon for about 19 years, started when I was 36. About 10-11 yrs ago, the school joined the World Tai Chi Day celebrations by showing very basic Yang 24 form to the public. I didn't get it but it was something novel and a tad interesting (though greatly misunderstood) but I stuck with it. When I could fake my way through the form, my kung fu sifu told me to start learning Northern Wu style (Wang Peisheng lineage) since it was more closely related to the higher levels of Northern Dragon (which, BTW, is very different from Southern Dragon). N Dragon starts off as an "external" style but the progression to the higher levels requires learning "internal" martial arts. Again, I get fairly good in moving through the Wu form but no understanding. Got a book, a video of Wang Peisheng doing the form and not much else. So I find a local master Park who teaches in Princeton University and practices Chen Xiao Jia (small frame) and Chen Man Ching's Yang but also learned from the Wu disciple of Wang Peisheng. I get his instruction and I find out I know zilch about taichi. I learn about the inner workings of taichi although I don't much exposure to push hands. I was presented a instructor certificate for Chen Man Ching and Chen styles from him. Eventually, I got introduced to the Wu master and got to attend some intensive seminars. My kung fu sifu is a disciple of Wu master Zhang. Been getting incrementally better in taichi and my taichi has greatly refined my kung fu. Since I'm the only one with the skill set in the kung fu school, I move decidedly differently from everyone else even when doing the same "techniques". Still an ongoing voyage. I never really fight but I have been in friendly "exchanges of knowledge" with different styles of martial arts. I'm 55 now so tipping the balance towards taichi is helping with keeping me youthful. I've been lucky to have very high quality instruction always.
 
Anyway, my story involves an industrial accident and multiple doctors suggesting that "wheelchair or surgery" were the only possible options. Bikes and skis and such were simply impossible either way. I refused the surgery and the last doc actually seemed relieved.

Decades later, I do about an hour of slow taichi daily. Especially the "Snake Creeps Down and Cock Stands on Right Leg" type of sequences with big breaths and apparent stillness. (for the students).

Other than bike talk that belongs in the main forum, have at it ... how do you work out?
 
Sifu Ben said:
I have been doing Shaolin Northern Dragon for about 19 years, started when I was 36. About 10-11 yrs ago, the school joined the World Tai Chi Day celebrations by showing very basic Yang 24 form to the public. I didn't get it but it was something novel and a tad interesting (though greatly misunderstood) but I stuck with it. When I could fake my way through the form, my kung fu sifu told me to start learning Northern Wu style (Wang Peisheng lineage) since it was more closely related to the higher levels of Northern Dragon (which, BTW, is very different from Southern Dragon). N Dragon starts off as an "external" style but the progression to the higher levels requires learning "internal" martial arts. Again, I get fairly good in moving through the Wu form but no understanding. Got a book, a video of Wang Peisheng doing the form and not much else. So I find a local master Park who teaches in Princeton University and practices Chen Xiao Jia (small frame) and Chen Man Ching's Yang but also learned from the Wu disciple of Wang Peisheng. I get his instruction and I find out I know zilch about taichi. I learn about the inner workings of taichi although I don't much exposure to push hands. I was presented a instructor certificate for Chen Man Ching and Chen styles from him. Eventually, I got introduced to the Wu master and got to attend some intensive seminars. My kung fu sifu is a disciple of Wu master Zhang. Been getting incrementally better in taichi and my taichi has greatly refined my kung fu. Since I'm the only one with the skill set in the kung fu school, I move decidedly differently from everyone else even when doing the same "techniques". Still an ongoing voyage. I never really fight but I have been in friendly "exchanges of knowledge" with different styles of martial arts. I'm 55 now so tipping the balance towards taichi is helping with keeping me youthful. I've been lucky to have very high quality instruction always.
Click to expand...
"An exchange of knowledge, indeed" Tai chi Chaun is after all a form of Kung Fu or "Daily Excellance".
 
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Art Deco said:
Anyway, my story involves an industrial accident and multiple doctors suggesting that "wheelchair or surgery" were the only possible options. Bikes and skis and such were simply impossible either way. I refused the surgery and the last doc actually seemed relieved.

Decades later, I do about an hour of slow taichi daily. Especially the "Snake Creeps Down and Cock Stands on Right Leg" type of sequences with big breaths and apparent stillness. (for the students).

Other than bike talk that belongs in the main forum, have at it ... how do you work out?
Click to expand...
I do a daily set of core strength exercises for back pain that coincidentally include weighted leg lifts that over the years has significantly improved my performance with clipless pedals. I also do a daily set of stretch and strength excercises for my right shoulder. It's a canidate for a 'reverse shoulder replacement' as a result of a failed repair some years ago. With exercise I have improved motion and strength to the point where surgery has been cancelled for the foreseeable future.

So as a result I'm able to cycle daily and paddle whenever I can get my wife in the canoe with me! Hoping to make it into our 80's with this approach.

Ride On! 😎
 
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My son was doing kung fu before me. I would watch the classes and ended up joing kung fu too. I wasn't a very good student and progressed slowly. My learning was slowed down by a few military deployments. My last deployment, I was about 12 years into kung fu so people got the impression I had some skills. I unknowingly injured a military police instructor during "red man training". Broke someone's hand while using a padded stick and they were wearing a full padded suit. Also had some interesting discoveries when I attended a stick fighting seminar hosted by a Japanese jujitsu/MMA school with instructors from a famous jeet kune do/kali/pencak silat/wing chun school.
IMG_1434.JPG
 
I can't follow all your references but yes I use stick or staff or wooden sword as part of my daily practice, along with long walks between sets and we usually do push hands as a set of the four ...and in decades past I broke a lot of boards. As Bruce Lee ( a taichi player as well) said "boards don't hit back"
 
My Wu teacher holds zoom classes. He wrote a book on the TC classics and he often includes them in discussions but it verges on philosophy. My Chen teacher doesn’t mention the classics but he has a lot of lectures that essentially teaches them in a more mundane manner. They’re both very high level masters And they are both saying the same things despite the differences in styles. I hate joining discussions but I can sorta translate them into movement. I get relaxation from CMC Yang, flow/finesse from Chen and martial arts from both Chen and Wu.
 
Weapons training I enjoy are miao dao saber, fan and double weapons. I can translate the fan form to jian straight sword. I haven’t done flexible weapons. I also love the staff because it teaches a lot about joint locks.
 
The only weapon I ever "mastered" were nunchucks, and that was decades ago, and cost me many self inflicted wounds to learn. Only sword I use is made of wood. I am pretty good with the simple staff set, but I switch off daily: stick, staff, sword, repeat, depending on what I can find as I leave.
 
My kung fu sifu taught us to adapt to the characteristics of different weapons, be ambidextrous with weapons and be able to use anything as a weapon. Since weapons are extensions of our arms, there are underlying empty hand skills within movements. My tai chi teacher has a deceptive way of using weapons. We touch opponent's weapon and and disguise the intent so the opponent doesn't get a clue of direction, force, speed, etc. Fairly high level skill in my estimation. I'm not there yet.
 
One of the young fast learners at the northern dragon school has been excelling in all the technical aspects of the art. He remembers and executes just about all the forms (empty or weapons) and really puts time/effort in developing himself. About 6 weeks go, I told him everything looks great but if he doesn't learn tai chi, he can only go so far in his skill. He was just lacking the fluidity and effortless movement that top masters seem to have. He sees how different I move from the other sifus. I have a softer but harder hitting way about things. Anyway, I see this student doing the 1st form and I was just wondering. He was doing the form exactly how I do it. The whole body working as one, refinement, spirals, balance, effortless power. After the class, he mentioned that he took to heart some pointers I've been giving him. I don't take credit for his skill or effort at all. Glad I was of help. Last class, my teacher awarded him the rank of sifu. Genuinely happy for him. He's a great kid. He just might become the inheritor of the lineage.
 
A few years ago some colleagues and I were fortunate enough to be able to do some education consulting with Sifu Muhammad at the Hung Tao Choy Mei Leadership Institute on U-Street in Washington, DC. They teach DC school children Jow Ga Kung Fu, drumming, and lion dancing. I sat in awe watching children follow disciplined routines, practice empty hand forms, tumbling, and high energy exercise, they're currently closed for instruction due to Covid, hope they can reopen it's a good program.
 
One of our former students who got a job in the DC area is now studying Jow Ga. He showed me a lion dancing clip and I was impressed. My sifu is a fan of how the DC Jow Ga folks present themselves back when he used to judge at meets. Fierce!!!!
 
Bin into Tai Chi for nearly 50 yrs., but my latest interest in in pedal powered kayaks. I´ve a paddled for a long time, but my
shoulders ain´t what they usettabe, still healing my latest crash. I think this sport is a healthy & eco improvement on
fishing with a 75 hp. bass boat. I can even foresee the possibility of electric pedal assist in the near future.
 
Art Deco said:
The only weapon I ever "mastered" were nunchucks, and that was decades ago, and cost me many self inflicted wounds to learn. Only sword I use is made of wood. I am pretty good with the simple staff set, but I switch off daily: stick, staff, sword, repeat, depending on what I can find as I leave.
Click to expand...
Jodo, 4 foot Japanese evergreen oak staff? Nunchucks killed Bruce Lee. Watch that scene in Enter the Dragon slo-mo. He whacks himself
in the back of the head which later resulted in a delayed hemmorage from a dilated blood vessel.
 
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