Sports to supplement and reinforce Taijiquan

'Seek a balanced & reasonable training program'

“Although Taijiquan is an exercise that helps maintain good health – like all other sports, it has some limitations. The most obvious limitation for Taijiquan is its lack of exercise for strengthening the arms and its lack of aerobic exercise for the body. For a comprehensive workout, those having the means and capabilities can select other appropriate sports to supplement and reinforce Taijiquan. To avoid over-fatigue and conflict in practice, make reasonable arrangements of your time and strength for different kinds of sports. Some sports can be done at regular intervals with Taijiquan, while others may need to be done at some other time.”

Li Deyin. Taijiquan. (2004) Page 54.


What sports do you do to supplement Taijiquan?

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jb

jb wrote:

Sports to supplement and reinforce Taijiquan 'Seek a balanced & reasonable training program' “Although Taijiquan is an exercise that helps maintain good health – like all other sports, it has some limitations. The most obvious limitation for Taijiquan is its lack of exercise for strengthening the arms and its lack of aerobic exercise for the body. For a comprehensive workout, those having the means and capabilities can select other appropriate sports to supplement and reinforce Taijiquan. To avoid over-fatigue and conflict in practice, make reasonable arrangements of your time and strength for different kinds of sports. Some sports can be done at regular intervals with Taijiquan, while others may need to be done at some other time.” Li Deyin. Taijiquan. (2004) Page 54. What sports do you do to supplement Taijiquan?

The above is an opinion, not one I share. If you are doing Chen style correctly and working hard at standing, the basics, the empty hand and weapon forms, the training equipment, plus pushing hands, there really is no need to supplement Taiji with something else.

jb wrote:

lack of aerobic exercise for the body

I remember reading a paper that said that under the right conditions (e.g. going a bit lower, etc), Taiji easily brings the heart rate at ~80% of the maximum recommended for aerobic exercises.

Nothing in Taiji says that you can't do other sports. Taiji and Qigong training is actually used by other athletes to improve their performances. There are books about using Qigong for runners. Squash and Golf professionals train using Qigong techniques.

Personally, I don't have much time to do other sports than Taiji, except casual soccer or frisbee, or walking on the beach ...

walking on the beach

When I was staying in Del Mar, I used to run along the beach. I wasn't training for anything -- it just felt good

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jb

alain wrote:

jb wrote: lack of aerobic exercise for the body I remember reading a paper that said that under the right conditions (e.g. going a bit lower, etc), Taiji easily brings the heart rate at ~80% of the maximum recommended for aerobic exercises. Nothing in Taiji says that you can't do other sports. Taiji and Qigong training is actually used by other athletes to improve their performances. There are books about using Qigong for runners. Squash and Golf professionals train using Qigong techniques. Personally, I don't have much time to do other sports than Taiji, except casual soccer or frisbee, or walking on the beach ...

Try doing Erlu fast with fajin, if you want to get your heart rate up. Do it 5-10 times in a row, with little rest.

Then, of course, there are weapons, especially broadsword, double broadsword, quandao, spear, and long pole. All will bring and keep your heart rate up, if you are needing or wanting cardio work.

Low postures will do the same thing, but I find other practices I mentioned above are better for cardio than just doing low postures.

Try taking up a more physical martial art also. Nothing works the whole body like a good martial art. As you do a lot of qi kung type work, you will find you do well at it.

QiKwanDo wrote:

Try taking up a more physical martial art also. Nothing works the whole body like a good martial art. As you do a lot of qi kung type work, you will find you do well at it.

If you don't mind me asking, QKD, what marital art where you thinking about when giving your advice? What martial arts do/have you studied?

TIA!

Same question for me : what is "a good martial art"

isn't it the definition of karate or is it also the definiton of taiji

Maria wrote:

isn't it the definition of karate or is it also the definiton of taiji

" a good martial art "

and is taiji "a good martial art "

Maria wrote:

and is taiji "a good martial art "

If to fit the definition then in combination with guandao - yes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuBNTXS1SIY

Maria wrote:

and is taiji "a good martial art "

You've got to be kidding, right? I can't believe anyone that studies Taiji with a good instructor, or has attended any seminar with a quality teacher/master, would ask such a thing! You are kidding, please tell me you are!

Of course it is a good martial art! That should go without saying.

Sheeeezzzz!!!!

of course I am joking. I thought these emoticons were clear enough

Sincerely, for me Taiji is the best of the martial art and Chen style, the style I prefer.

I study Qi Kwan Do, it's a fairly new martial art (comparitively). Currently it only exists in the UK (as far as I know).

We encorporate qi kung into training and use chi to make strikes and combinations more powerful, also as an aid to train harder. All techniques are based on circular motions and can flow into most other techniques. We also do close range work, for self defense situations (getting out of chokes, tackles, headlocks, grabs and attacks etc). Power is developed through bag (kickshield) work with partners, also defense against blows is practised with a partner. This is controlled however, no full sparring is done. However in december, the first ever sparring tournarment in Qi Kwan Do was conducted at the grading, it was however semi contact.

The focus of Qi Kwan Do is self belief and motivation, always giving 200%.
The harder you train the more you get out of it, however there is a big emphasis on not endagering your health, for example; stretching should never hurt badly, you just need to feel the stretch. Also if you really feel like your going to pass out, there is nothing wrong with sitting down, we are there for enjoyment, not for punishment. However you can push yourself as hard as you want, as Qi Kwan Do tries to teach belief and motivation in yourself.

I became interested in Qi Kung from Qi Kwan Do; sometimes we do a few minutes of horse stance before a lesson to warm up, breathing in through the nose and out through the nose (I thought the breathing method was strange at first, but have found it to be more effective than breathing out through the mouth). The instructors talk about Chi and Chi kung, however it is forced and nobody and is not part of the grading requirment. However, the breathing part is part of the system, we learn to constantly breath in this way, from warm up to end of lesson, even when doing a very hard shield drills. The effect this has is amazing, combining qi kung technique and very hard physical exercise, my health rocketed from being pale, bony, beer belly, tried and exhausted to being healthy looking, better built, motivated and energetic and I lost the beer belly, in a matter of months. Also my belief in myself sees me through every hard time in my life.

I studied Tang Soo Do when I was a youngster, and I can say the power you develop is massive in comparison, but offcourse there is a big emphasis on resolving matters verbally, or even just walking away from a fight, it is very self defense based. Common sense techniques with the benefits of chi, I reccomend it to anybody in the UK, or from anywhere who may have the opportunity to study it.