Tai Chi Chen style

[detroitrequiem]

Recently, my girlfriend and I discovered a Tai Chi master living here in Mi in Troy Michigan. He was a stunt man to Jet Li, a disciple of Ma hong from the Chen style. He also does Kung Fu and a few other things. He doesnt have a school just teaches privately for $20 for 2 hours usually. If anyone wnats to train with him let me know. He's one of the most incredible martial artists I've ever met. He moves like a shaolin master. We usually train on Sundays with him in a park in Troy on Sundays around 9am. chen style is very different from the usual Tai Chi that people see. It has a lot of springing and wipping motions and more complex and dynamic than the Yang style which is what most people associate when they see or hear of Tai Chi. He also took us to a real Chinese restaraunt "Golden Harvest" I think it's called near Ryan rd. The best damn chinese food in town and authentic. He also leads a Lion dance troop in the area. Come train with us! It's fun!

[Saephyr]

Just as soon as I'm able to move every joint and muscle without wanting to scream babe you got a deal!

I need some form of martial art just don't know which to choose? I'd like the discipline for sure but I'd prefer something like grapling so I can actually use it.

[Guest Game of Chance]

That is awesome. I studied Tai Chi years upon years ago...I might take you up on your offer.

[Draco1958]

I'm interested, would just need to adjust my work schedule.

[ManicQueen]

I'll have to let my boyfriend know about this.. we both might be interested.

[Rivers the Cleric]

what's his name? i actually might know him.

i know i'm from pretty far away from MI, but i've been doing Northern Shaolin for about 8-9 years now, and have been to a lot of random tourniments throughout the US, so i've met a lot of cool people.

here in MD my teacher ran the USAWKF, which is a large international martial arts organizeation. large tourniment every year, my job was showing people from other states/countries around the city... oddly enough, male or female the first place they always want to go is Hooters...

[detroitrequiem]

His name is Steven Cao. He is an indoor student of master Hong from China. He also did stunt work in Once Upon a Time in China with Jet Li. We train at his house in Troy Michigan. We will be training this Sunday at 9am (sigh). Sifu Chen is very laid back and charges around $20 for 2 hours of training. He really compliments our ninja training we do in Ann Arbor. By the way, IM so excited. I will be getting my black belt this Feb in ninjutsu. The free month of training is always open to anyone on this board for our Ann Arbor school. Just tell them Robert sent you.

The Tai Chi form we study is the Chen style which consists of 83 movements. Sifu also does shaolin kung fu, crane, a few others. I dont know all exactly. He also plans on teaching us some weapons forms once we get the 1st form down. I must say I have seen many great martial artists from all over the world. This guy moves like nothing I've ever seen. We attended national Tai Chi day in Royal Oak this past year to see the different schools in the area. At the end of the day, Sifu comes out and demonstrates the Chen form. It was incredible! No one else in the area moved like this guy. Come train with us!

[Rivers the Cleric]

sorry to say that would be somewhere around a 3-4 thousand mile trip to come train with you.

though who knows, i may make a trip out of it some time this year.

[detroitrequiem]

let us know and we will try to set something up for you

[Aralis]

My husband and I are taking Jui Jitsui classes. I hope I spelled that right. We are being taught by the guy that was taught under Master Banks. Master Banks brought this form to the United States and trained in China.

Jui Jitsui is not about strength. It is all about joints and pressure points which makes it a good style for women to learn. We have a good workout before class and then learn new techniques. The neat thing about the class is that all levels of belts are together.

[detroitrequiem]

At Quest martial arts in Ann Arbor we also cover joint locks and pressure points. Ninjutsu is really a combination of many different martial arts out there today. Best of luck to you in your training.

[cptdeath]

i have been taking thia kwon do for a few months now. i got a turney coming up the 16 in farmington so i rented mortal kombat deadly alliance to bruch up on some skills maybee see some new stuff to try. seems like it's all review.

about jujitsu: i studied jujitsu on my own for along time many years. at the same time my little brother dedicated his time to weight lifting. if your opponent is stronger then you you will not bend him. he must be subtley tricked into a flawless submission. since it's so hard to apply these moves to someone stronger i had to learn more styles like akido judo and wrestling. it was tough to learn wrestling becouse the mindset of the wrestler is so radically different. jujitsu is a good base.

when i started learning martial arts i started from the ground up as well. look at pro wrestling and you'll see so much jujitsu. then find what works for you and what does'nt.

about chosing a style: what are you doing? it does'nt matter what style or rank. as long as your doing something active. i chose thai kwon do because it's 5 minutes from my house and i can afford it. sadly i'm the oldest student with the lowest rank but as long as i have a good time i'm happy. it's doesn't define you. it doesn't change who you are. just couse i spent 2 hours last week throwing high kicks doesn't mean i won't box my buddy tomarrow or SCA sword fight this week end. you spend a day practicing something then you did not waste that day away.

doesn't matter were who or what they think style is only a restriction you can learn something new from anywere whenever you want. as long as your doing something it doesn't matter what you call it.

although i must say people tend to try to feel they represent there arts form or tradition. they still are all individuals and all have there own ever changing variants. other then that push ups are push ups you'll feel good after class. exercise helps me on an emotional level somehow. sure theres lots of animosity before class(should i go or skip it) i never really want to go but if i don't i feel depressed. if i do go i can manage to feel happy for a long time afterclass usually till the next day. art is an escape

[cptdeath]

the foult of jujitsu: if your opponent is stronger then you then many moves have a large window of oppertunity for then to be countered or reversed. it might be so easy for them that all they have to do is stand still or simply crush part of you.

jujitsu is a grapple style but if some one outweighs you even by as much as a few pounds then he doesn't need to be stronger then you if his center of gravity gets over yours you lose. it can be very difficult to squirm into a good submission from under some one as your stanima is drained by their weight. just be glad as you gasp for air that they don,t have a couple mor guy kicking you in the face why you lay under your opponent. trust me it sucks when that happens.

to get better at jujitsu try to learn ways to limit that window of oppertunity for your opponent to counter. certian move can be hit at certian times you have to watch others to see what moves they could have done and missed. watch UFC you'll see so many inexperienced guys miss great oppertunities to apply submissions. but you think of all thats going through there mind at the time (thoughts or fists) and you think O.K. maybee i would have missed that oppertunity for an armbar to at that point.

jujitsu is not like a striking style. everything is based on a reaction to a certian situation. should you not see that situation developing then you wont act.

they hardest part about jujitsu is creating the situation you want so you can start to try to apply jujitsu. you have to get an arm or a wrist before you can apply pressur at the right angle. if there stonger then you then just grabbing there wrist

can not help you. when that wrist doesn't bend you'll just start to panic. but if something else is happening and he needs that arm to support his weight but all the sudden its gone then he will start to panic for a second set up and control the reaction of a paniced opponent let him think hes pulling away as he bends the wrist for you let him focus on something else.

he cannot be aware of your attempt till he feel pain or else you lose to a stronger opponent.

most of the world could beat any jujitsu without training as long as there stronger then the practitioner and aware of your attempt. if your stronger then you they can overpower you with no knowledge of jujitsu despite your skill.

[Aralis]

From what I have learned and been told yes it could be harder to execute a move on a larger heavier person than yourself but this form does not rely on strength. Its all about skill and knowing what you are doing. There are always a few things you could do to that person varying in degree from warning them to killing them.

Pressure points work on most anyone. Bending someone's finger back the way it doesn't go is gonna get anyone's attention despite their weight for example.

Edited February 2, 2006 by Aralis

[Xvim]

cptdeath, I'm pretty sure you're thinking of Brazillian Jiu Jutsu, the style popularized by the Gracie family and widely viewed as the dominant style in NHB/UFC type fights. Agreed, that particular style, which is more derivative of Judo than our art (I'm Aralis' husband ) is indeed not all that great in real world situations.

What we study is sho bu do ryu jutsu, something about as far removed from BJJ as TKD is from Judo. We focus on 8 basic principles, the first 3 are a series of joint locks, the others consist of various throws, pressure points, nerves, arm bars, etc. Basically it's a defensive art that adresses just about any situation you might come across in the real world, our rendori almost always consists of avoiding or injuring and moving away from multiple attackers, with and without weapons. We even encorporate gun control, retention, disarms, and of course general gun safety.

[cptdeath]

i do appreciate the difference. i'm just saying depending on one thing like thinking"i'm a grappler" is not allways good. glad to see there is emphasis on other aspects as well.

also you can't bend someones finger back if there aware of your attempts and are stronger then you. if you initiate contact and attempt a submission and fail then not only will you get trashed you'll look stupid when it happens and people will remember it for a long time. at least thats my personel experience.

it's all situation based. the real trick is learning how to create a situation you know your prepared for. i'm just trying to help i mean no disrespect sir

attack by draw

[skyswoop]

Are you still learning from him? I am interesting in learning Tai Chi. How can I contact with Steven Cao?

[Invictus]

Judging by this thread, someone needs to organize a DGN sparring/training night.

Edit:

Aw crud. I didn't realize that this thread was necro'd by the previous poster. Skyswoop, you might try PMing the poster in question. He also talks a little more about his art in the Martial Arts thread which also may be found in this section.

Edited June 1, 2009 by Invictus

[detroitrequiem]

If anyone has any questions about Chen Tai Chi or Ninjutsu, please feel free to email me.

[Bill Oldham Jr.]

Hello.  I know this post is 15 years old and this is a long shot, but....is this guy still around?  I would love to train Chen style.  Thanks!

[gwen]

i just picked up tai chi qi gong it settles the mind balances energies

i suggest it to pagans as it encompasses elements and directional energies.

i had a good teacher named mike in ferndale dunno where he went the basement flooded

but

there are spears and swords to be weilded towards the end! you'd like it. its low impact.

 

[Scary Guy]

20 minutes ago, gwen said:

i just picked up tai chi qi gong it settles the mind balances energies

i suggest it to pagans as it encompasses elements and directional energies.

i had a good teacher named mike in ferndale dunno where he went the basement flooded

but

there are spears and swords to be weilded towards the end! you'd like it. its low impact.

 

Tha chi is good, but leave the woo woo energy stuff at the door.  There is no reason to add any of that into any martial arts.

I also saw something recently about low impact boxing for people with Parkinson's disease.

I think that there is something to be said for working the muscles as well as the mind, as it activates different parts of it rather than just thinking.  It's also good to keep in shape in general anyway.

[BladeOverBullet]

I've been doing martial arts on and off for most of my life, but haven't been able to practice in a long time due to the costs of joining a school and, well, life in general.

 

Does anyone here practice, whether it be traditional arts or more modern practices?