Tai Chi Chu'an

[aefibird]

Can anyone tell me a little about the differences between the various styles of TCC? How much difference is there between (for example) Chen and Yang styles or Yang and Sun styles? Are the forms within TCC all similar or does it depend on the style and/or the teacher?

 

Just for additional info, I train in Chen style with Grandmaster Kongjie Gou and Master Shabir Akhtar. If you train in TCC. which style do you train in and how long have you been studying Tai Chi Chu'an?

[italian_guy]

Hi aefibird,

 

I'm doing TCC since 1 year... I train in yang style.

 

I've never seen Wu or Sun Tai chi chuan in action... about differences between Chen and Yang I base my knoledge on a DVD I have that shows both Chen and Yang style of combat and some forms.

 

I think that Chen style is more striking oriented while Yang looks more grappling and arm-lock oriented. Regarding the movement Yang looks more soft and graceful while Chen look a little harder (however we are speaking about Tai Chi).

 

I've made a thread about this on comparative styles some time ago but received no good clue.

[The Hammer]

I also practice Chen style. I originally started my Taiji training in Yang style several years ago. As of differences, the movementts are different and there are changes of tempo in Chen style. Aside from that, to the best of my understanding, all styles of Taiji conform to the same series of "principles", even if the movements are different.

[Taku-Shimazu]

I am a practitioner of Tai Chi, Yang form.

 

Nice to know its so popular!

[taiji fajin]

I practice Chen style, for about the past year or two. I cannot say I have practiced other styles, but from what I have gathered Chen style has a lot more spiral energy. I have seen Yang style on DVD, and it seems very . . . . . I don't know how to describe it, it looks more rubber band-ish than what I practice, more emphasis on flexibility, while Chen seems more on solid structure. That could just be from the DVD's I have seen, though, and not a common theme. I am in no way trying to say Yang style (or any style) is better or worse than another.

 

I am curious, what aspects of taiji are in your guys' practices? For mine, we cover Qigong, Form, Push Hands, and Silk Reeling. We do some work with taiji rulers, though none of us are up to weapons yet (at least not in my group). Then there are misc activities to complement learning how to relax, move chi, etc. I think that covers it, but its late and I'm tired . If I think of anything else we do I'll post it later.

[dtstiachi]

I have studied Yang style for a little over six months. My Sensei has studied under 5 different masters, but he chooses to teach us the Yang family's form