Eaglw Claw vs Tai chi

[Anakin_Skywalker]

I posted yesterday that I have a Chen style Tai Chi school about five minutes from my school. But I also found a Eagle claw school about 45 mins from my house. I cant make up my mind which school to go to. Tai chi sounds good but its slow movements makes me wonder how effective it really is. Eagle Claw is a Shaolin style and its evertything in a modern martial art. How would the softness of Tai chi Master fair against the deadly grapples of Eagle Claw kung fu master?

[ovine king]

Eagle Claw as in the style taught by Gini Lau?

[Anakin_Skywalker]

yes. thats the one

[Anakin_Skywalker]

I think its also called Ying Jow or something.

Edited July 15, 2005 by Anakin_Skywalker

[taiji fajin]

Go with the Eagle Claw. Not because I think taiji is bad, in fact I think it's great, but from your tone in both of these threads it makes me think taiji is not for you (different people want different things, doesn't make one better or worse), and with your way of looking at things you would get more out of Eagle Claw.

[Anakin_Skywalker]

Well my problem is effectiveness. If I had no other option left and I had to fight 2 maybe 3 guys how does tai chi help. Tai chi's biggest downfall is there is no ground fighting and its a fact that 99% of all fights end up on the ground. At least that is what I'm told. If someone could convince me of the effectiveness then tomorrow I would enrol for the course and take lessons from master Xing(I cant spell his name).

[Kaminari]

It depends on what you want. Eagle Claw is a more rigid, hard style than Taiji. Taiji is often depicted by slow, fluid movements, and can be effective in self-defense situations. My advice would be to check out each school, maybe watch a couple lessons, and decide which you would like better. If you're looking at effectiveness, check to see if the Taiji offered is a "western" style of taiji or the actual Chinese fighting art. America, and the west in general, has made Taiji into something different from what it originally was. Usually in the west(we'll use America as an example) Taiji is shown not as a fighting art, but something akin to Yoga. It's done more for physical reasons than for combat. Again, I would say check each place out and decide which one you would like more, and the one you would be more likely to stick with.

[taiji fajin]

Honestly, go with Eagle Claw. I would love to tell you taiji, but it won't be what you want (an art that teaches you to become a great fighter) specifically because you want to be a great fighter. That very mindset will keep you from the higher levels of taiji, and so you will never acheive it. If you're learning taiji to learn taiji, it can teach you how to be a great fighter. If you're learning taiji to become a great fighter, you will never really learn taiji. Go with Eagle Claw and be happy.

[Enviroman]

its a fact that 99% of all fights end up on the ground.

This number grows and grows. Why not 100%? I heard from this guy that his BJJ teacher said that everyone actually crawls into battle! And that in a few years we won't even need legs because we'll do EVERYTHING from the ground!

[fallen_milkman]

Haha, I was thinking that same thing. Every time that is quoted, it increases. Amazing.