Snake style Tai chi chuan

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Snake style Tai chi chuan

Postby LIB » Wed Feb 26, 2014 12:05 am

I have a question about styles. In addition to the main four styles and their variations, there are other numerous combination styles that include Hsing I and Ba Gua, etc. I came across a teacher who teachers "Snake style" Tai chi Chuan. Supposedly this was taught secretly by Ip Tai Tak in Hong Kong.

I don't have much experience being able to discern what are correct or incorrect forms so how can one judge these combination styles or teachers for that matter. I don't want to waste my time either.

Thanks for any insights.

LIB
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Re: Snake style Tai chi chuan

Postby John the Monkey mind » Wed Feb 26, 2014 6:10 am

LIB wrote:I have a question about styles. In addition to the main four styles and their variations, there are other numerous combination styles that include Hsing I and Ba Gua, etc. I came across a teacher who teachers "Snake style" Tai chi Chuan. Supposedly this was taught secretly by Ip Tai Tak in Hong Kong.

I don't have much experience being able to discern what are correct or incorrect forms so how can one judge these combination styles or teachers for that matter. I don't want to waste my time either.

Thanks for any insights.

LIB


Don't take my word for it but I looked into the Snake style Taiji from Hong Kong and what people were saying about it is that the explanations and stories do not match the know facts or anecdotes for the lineage.

I looked at this a long time ago and have no proof either way. I tend to be hesitant about the validity of claims about secret styles. This is not to say that its no good as an art just I have doubts about authenticity of its claims.
Again I have no proof or facts just what I read from both sides of the dispute and that I found the people who said it is not a secret teaching but more modern to be more convincing.

Personally if a teacher is good and what he teaches is effective I am happy although I also like transparency and honesty about remixing. If they say my teacher studied a few styles and this is the Taiji he showed me I tend to be more at ease that if they say this is a super secret style only they know.

Combination styles can be good Yi Quan or I liq Chuan for instance are very good.
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Re: Snake style Tai chi chuan

Postby Dvivid » Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:32 am

I would focus on a core style like Yang or Chen. There's enough in those traditional style curriculums to train for your entire life, with high-quality study materials available and reputable teachers.

http://ymaa.com/publishing/tai-chi-dvd-book
"Avoid Prejudice, Be Objective in Your Judgement, Be Scientific, Be Logical and Make Sense, Do Not Ignore Prior Experience." - Dr. Yang

http://www.ymaa.com/publishing
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Re: Snake style Tai chi chuan

Postby Josh Young » Mon Jul 28, 2014 12:09 pm

I am going to slightly dissent and mostly agree with Dvivid.

My dissent is that the core styles of Yang and Chen make excellent foundations for learning further material. It is also my agreement. One has many options once one has learned the basics of these styles, which does take a few years. To master these basics takes years more.

One should pursue orthodox taijiquan before considering a more divergent branch of it and learning it well should take 6-10 years, though learning but not mastering basics should take 2-3 years of daily practice and instruction.

After such time moving in a more obscure direction with taijiquan is much more viable. Starting in an obscure style is likely going to lead to some very strong misconceptions and bad habits.
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Re: Snake style Tai chi chuan

Postby SCMT » Mon Jul 28, 2014 2:41 pm

I agree with John the Monkey Mind

I'm not a YMAA Taiji student, although I have studied there a few times, I am in the Tung Ying Chieh Line, Tung Ying Chieh being my Shigong.

I saw Snake style a while back and I asked my sifu about it and his response was he never heard of it, and felt there was no such thing and likely made up to make money under the banner of a "Secret Style"
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Re: Snake style Tai chi chuan

Postby Sanfung » Mon Jun 13, 2016 11:37 pm

If snake style is indeed of a modern invention, then are there any Sifu training students in snake style who portray it as such? For instance, in the world of Aikido, Hapkido, Judo, Kempo and other relatively modern traditions there are many people who not only recognize the fairly modern invention of these styles but also actually promote the study of their histories. Should snake style be like any of these others, then I wonder if there is anyone out there who does just that.
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Re: Snake style Tai chi chuan

Postby luislanca » Sat Sep 09, 2017 5:06 pm

hi all
It might not be of great help for the current discussion since my little knowledge comes only from reading available books in english but i recently came across some stories on the origins of taichi that not only question the main stream version as also question the definition of taichi styles in themselves. Names like snake and other animals for forms or gestures come across from an older society where the word taichi was not even in use or everything was called taichi including shaolin long fist like the forms that both yang cheng fu and his disciples practiced in closed doors including his less well known son.
I totally disagree with the regular styles approach and the only thing I would look for would be lineage since it comes with the benefits of a longer coherent line of individuals training over the same agreed principles no matter what the name implies.
Besides this, and with the variety of offer in todays larger cities I agree that a full 3 years training in one of the basic styles would be a good foundation for the needed further exploration
We have to keep in mind that in china the styles crossbreed for generations and are not artificially boxed like the Japanese martial arts.
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