mattmiddleton Posted March 29, 2010 Hi, just wondering if anyone here can tell me a little about the key things that differentiate Wu style tai chi from Yang style, what its core concepts are, how the moves differ, how its intent / focus differs etc etc... i'm just curious as i'm about to start up with a wu teacher. Of course i could wait and find out but as I said a little overview would be appreciated here. thanks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taomeow Posted March 30, 2010 Hi, just wondering if anyone here can tell me a little about the key things that differentiate Wu style tai chi from Yang style, what its core concepts are, how the moves differ, how its intent / focus differs etc etc... i'm just curious as i'm about to start up with a wu teacher. Of course i could wait and find out but as I said a little overview would be appreciated here. thanks! Wu is different in postural alignment and is known for its reliance on deep rooting. It is not very different in other respects from all other styles derived from Chen, they have the same core dynamics. Moves differ stylistically but not conceptually; intent/focus is a function of the teaching/practicing preferences, not of the style. I am a Chen stylist but I had a chance to push hands with Wu folks and when they are good, they are very, very good. It's much more important who the teacher is than what style he/she teaches. Find out about that -- to wit, who his/her teachers were, and their teachers before them, and how long and how hard your teacher studied with whoever taught him/her, and what his/her teaching experience is, and what his/her long term students can or cannot do. Good luck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taiji Bum Posted March 30, 2010 (edited) Wu style also has much narrower and higher stances than Yang style and also much less emphasis on the big sweeping arm movements. They say, "Wu for the city and Yang for the country.", because Wu style can be practiced with the very movement restrictive "royal court clothing". Thats my understanding anyway. All Tai Chi share the same principles like the 6 harmonies and 8 energies/5 elements. Edit: Spelling Edited March 30, 2010 by Taiji Bum Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted March 30, 2010 I was curious about this as well, I recall reading BK saying that Wu style was a better option for someone with a bad back. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cheya Posted March 30, 2010 Hi, just wondering if anyone here can tell me a little about the key things that differentiate Wu style tai chi from Yang style, what its core concepts are, how the moves differ, how its intent / focus differs etc etc...i'm just curious as i'm about to start up with a wu teacher. Of course i could wait and find out but as I said a little overview would be appreciated here.thanks! Hi Matt,If you sign up for Bruce Frantzis' tai chi newsletter at taichimaster.com, you get a free download of his article "Tai Chi Secrets," which includes an extensive analysis of the differences between 5 tai chi styles and how you can pick the one that is best for your goals, age, and physical condition. I found it an excellent read. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjjbecker Posted March 30, 2010 There are now numerous variations of the Wu (Quan You) lineage, so it is very difficult to generalise-same goes for the Yang. Yang Cheng Fu's line is noted for its wide, expansive movements, but other lines of Yang style are not neccessarily the same. Some branches of the Wu line have much more expansive movements and wider stances than the current main Wu family line. Different branches may or may not use different neigong practices also. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baiqi Posted March 31, 2010 Hi, although I am no longer in taiji these days, I used to practice this style with one of BK Frantzis students. One of the big differences between the two styles is...Wu style was not meant to be practiced by everyone. It is much harder for lots of reasons (one of them is smaller movements, way more difficult than large ones). Maybe that's a biased view, but I don't see many people doing the Wu style in China (of course there are some). From the martial point of view, Wu style emphasizes throwing your opponent more than the yang style.Which is why you have those leaning postures. (By the way, we are talking about the 吴 style, or the 武 style , also called Hao? I am talking about the first one...) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
