Online course on round and square forms

So excited to be working on my newest Small Circle Classical #TaiChi online courses teaching the 108 long form! This course will teach small form in a way that speeds up the learning process. Since it's online, you can use a variety of internet-connected devices to learn.

Meanwhile, here is a link to my first online course. The info here will help you with the upcoming one.http://www.classicaltaichi.com/healthandstrength.htm

Liked on YouTube: Small vs Large Circle Tai Chi Forms

Small vs Large Circle Tai Chi Forms
Illustrates the basic differences between Tai Chi Small Circle or Frame forms vs Large Circle or Frame forms.
via YouTube https://youtu.be/iPfi2ImZrss

What martial art is the most dangerous?

Notice I did not say the worlds' deadliest, the most deadly, the most dangerous and when we put those modifiers in most would think of how they can really hurt someone else.  But what if you hurt yourself when doing your martial art?  As Master Stephen Hwa once said paraphrased: "...all the opponent has to do is wait till you hurt yourself, then they can step in and do the job..."

So, in keeping the discussion going on what transpires in the latest Classical Tai Chi video course at "Teachable" as we wrote in our last post:

What martial art is the most dangerous?

We hear from a 1988 article in which a sports medicine physician breaks down common injuries by style.  No surprise but Tai Chi is much healthier than other martial arts. Of course, you also have to do Tai Chi correctly to not hurt yourself.  Classical Tai Chi is the most admirable in this regard since it relies on moving from the core, "internal discipline" which does not involve the use of shoulders and other joints in detrimental movements.

Martial art shoulder injury at age 74 doing Tai Chi?

I cringe as I write this as one reads of a 74-year-old Tai Chi practitioner who has shoulder arthritis.  He also does Wing Chun and punches concrete walls in his practice.  Well, what more need be said about learning "internal discipline" in Tai Chi, Tai Chi has to be good for health as well as martial arts, and it does not involve punching concrete walls.

Pitfalls of external movement

I include some injury statistics here from NIH: The new online course "Martial Origins of Tai Chi" (Classical Tai Chi at Teachable.com)

discusses how virulent "pitfalls of external" the injuries in external martial arts are. Participants Ike Schultz and yours truly both studied Karate, Tae Kwon Do to Black Belt level and saw first hand how external movement in Kata, sparring exercises, etc. would cause injury because of "snapping" movements and "stopping" or it is called "pulling" the punch or kick whereas Classical Tai Chi moves slowly but teaches to punch or kick "all the way through" with no gaps, stops or snaps in the energy. The NIH reports on how many injuries in martial arts like Karate as well as their most likely commonality:
"The hand/wrist was the most common area injured (53%), followed by the shoulder/upper arm (27%) and the forearm/elbow (19%). Joint sprains/muscle strains were the most frequent injuries reported overall (47%), followed by abrasions/bruises (26%). ... Injuries may result in chronic upper extremity symptoms."

New Online Video Courses to complement "Face to Face" teaching

We will be continuing our discussions at the Blog but in the meantime, enjoy our older posts and:  

Come to our face to face classes once or twice a week at rock bottom prices. The Spring sale means our 1st month of studio-class (face to face) is packaged along with Master Hwa's 1st online video instruction course in Internal Discipline. Both are included in one initial payment for the first month when you enroll online. The first online video course payment is set at $27 and subsequent online courses at that same amount. Along with that, the face to face classes are only $25 per month. One might well think they are getting both for the low price of $52 per month. You will have videos from which to learn and reference with the added bonus of an experienced teacher to monitor and/or critique your progress in person.

Please go to http://www.classicaltaichiofbuffalo.com/live_classes to enroll in Master Hwa's class and register for ours.

Liked on YouTube: The Walk

The Walk
http://ift.tt/1JtLXfG For lower body movement, the power from the abdomen and back is transmitted through the pelvis to the legs. Visualize that the pelvis is an extension of the leg. To take a step, use the abdomen and back to lift the pelvis, which in turn lifts the leg. Move the foot forward and stretch the pelvis downward until the foot is fully planted. All of these movements are internally driven with the upper body remaining still. Then, the foot will pull the body forward to complete the step.
via YouTube https://youtu.be/j_D5g0z1lQ4

Liked on YouTube: The Block

The Block
http://ift.tt/1JtLXfG The arm and shoulder are relaxed with no movement relative to each other. The motion is entirely driven internally. In addition, other parts of the body are essentially not moving serving as the supporting structure for this movement. Another example of this upper-quarter body movement is the blocking motion.
via YouTube https://youtu.be/KDjvyHv4Fwo

Liked on YouTube: The Push

The Push
http://ift.tt/1JtLXfG Pushing the right hand forward with the arm and shoulder is an external movement. Internal movement uses the abdomen and the back moving the entire upper-quarter of the body, including the arm and hand, forward.
via YouTube https://youtu.be/-aFvn9myJiY

Liked on YouTube: The Turn

The Turn
http://ift.tt/1JtLXfG Turning of the upper body with the feet stationary is usually carried out by crossing the legs. This is a weak external move with little power, balance and stability. An internal move centers on the waist using the power of the abdomen and back while the pelvis and the legs essentially are not moving.
via YouTube https://youtu.be/RX3C-kiQ9VA

Online Video Course is up and running

Classical Tai Chi Online Video Course...NEW

A Classical Wu-Style Tai Chi Video Class to Improve Wellness

CLASSICAL-TAI-CHI.TEACHABLE.COM