Fung Loy Kok Tai Chi?

[Junior Western Bacon Chi]

Anyone have any experience with this school? They any good? I plan on signing up with them either next month or in October. They're the only place in my town that teaches Tai Chi so if I want to learn it's either them or teach myself. I figure I'm better off with a teacher so I plan on signing up either way, but I'd still like to get an idea of what to expect.

[GreytoWhite]

Avoid them, what they teach is not taiji and is likely to injure your knees. Too bad you are located in a remote area. I tried to find some good kung fu teachers near you but the closest I could find that I were confident of their skill were in Toronto or Detroit. :-( Were I you I'd try to make a trip out for a weekend seminar to one of those cities and practice at home.

 

I looked around for martial arts in your town and the hapkido folks are definitely dominating. Across the border is a Filipino martial arts school and it looks like you have a Gracie jujutsu school in town. Jujutsu is what I would recommend if you want to learn with dedicated people who want to be able to use what they learn. The Filipino stuff is good too, especially for blade work.

[Junior Western Bacon Chi]

Damn, that bad huh? Leaving town isn't really an option for me right now and my heart's set on learning tai chi. Not that I have anything against the other schools you suggested, might check em out later, but right now it's gotta be tai chi. I'm stubborn like that. I think I'm going to train myself for now. Any suggestions on books, websites, videos, etc. I should look into?

[RobB]

Yes - what GreytoWhite said. Avoid like plague. At best you'll spend some pleasant evenings making tai chi shapes. It's not tai chi and you wouldn't be learning tai chi by going there.

 

You could ask around here: http://www.rumsoakedfist.org They might be able to recommend someone in your area. In addition you'll see that a bunch of very experienced IMA practitioners have found lots of value in training in other arts and you may find your stubbornness becoming more fluid and - tai chi like!

 

Another alternative is long distance learning with someone like Serge Augier: http://urbandaouk.blogspot.co.uk

 

Good luck!

[GreytoWhite]

There are some wonderful videos out there that can provide you with concepts. Unfortunately, without the concrete instruction of a teacher to SHOW you what these things FEEL like your progress will be very slow. I recommend these exercises to help you start with the foundations of connected movement.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuPtOSNkJcFliXv6XvzcSbtbIz3o9QXrp

[ChiDragon]

I had watched the video, the idea was emphasized on stretching. IMMHO Extention of the arms and legs will not keep the body in balance. That is not what Tai Ji is all about. I expect the movements to be more soft and resilient with flexibility.


PS....
In other words, it is too much Yang(陽) not enough Yin(陰).

Edited August 16, 2014 by ChiDragon

[Slim]

Go for it. Their stuff is a good place to start out and with the right teacher you can go deep.

 

It's not classical tai chi, but it is neigong. The founder was a student of Liang Zipeng and definitely had something. A handful of his close students have also developed some deep stuff. The problem is many don't teach anymore, and the local teacher you have there might not have anything either. But still, better than a book.

 

Also they approach their art as Daoist cultivation. So there is a lot of focus on transforming the body, etc.

 

At the least you would get a good workout and begin preparing the body for other stuff. And who knows what teacher might blow your way in the future.

[GreytoWhite]

I would disagree that it is neigong, Moy Lin Shin's movements look empty. Just because he learned from Liang Zipeng does not mean he got proper transmission of the arts. It's like saying a car is good because it's a Ford - you can drive a nice Ford Fusion or you can drive a Pinto.

[PLB]

I don't like dissing schools or practices and my own learning process has been very haphazard and I am still in the search for a teacher but I do need to say some negative things about Moy Lin Shin as a Yang style artist:

He bobs up and down, going from middle to high frame as it suits him.

As a result of this mutable frame, he leans when opening in brush knee.

A good example of taking a large step and working within its frame is well shown by

Note the complete freedom of the unsubstantiated leg as it steps; the coordination of upper and lower; the sinking of the qi giving rise to the lifting movements. He does not lean.

[Junior Western Bacon Chi]

Thanks everyone. Appreciate it.

[Arnaud]

Hello,

 

Here is Serge Augier new website: http://www.sergeaugier.com/accueil-en/ You'll find plenty of information there.

 

If you happen to be in Chicago let me know, Serge is my teacher and I'll be happy to meet.

 

Happy training,
Arnaud