Here is some footage showing Dr Chi performing Push Hands with his students, the most notable was Alan Peck’s first teacher Master John Kells.

The Da Lu you see in this footage is the one we are currently learning and therefore it is of good note to study it and absorb the dynamics and quality of application.

Many people ask about Tai Chi and whether it is effective as a martial art. The answer is yes however that is not a simple and straight forward yes. Finding someone who has trained well to demonstrate the applications and execute them effectively  approaches a fuller yes. This is just the same thing as a weapon. If a weapon is not handled with skill it might be ineffective in what it can achieve, and therefore it may not harm anyone, but in the hands of someone with knowledge and experience it then has deadly application. However, demonstration of applications and technique can be very useful not just to verify fighting ability but also more real time co-ordination.

Here a couple of clips of some useful and interesting application of Tai Chi postures and Tai Chi principles.

Here is an interesting clip of Master Sam Tam who was a peer of Master Alan Peck and who both studied under Grand Master Chi Chiang-tao at the same time.

Interesting and old footage of Grand Master Huang Sheng-shyan’s public and some would say controversial fight against a famed wrestler at the time circa late 1950’s early 1960’s.

An interesting clip from modern day martial artist both internal and externalist Chris Crudelli demonstrating Tai Chi fighting techniques.

From time to time I will try to post up some other bits of applications or even form work from past Masters as although the quality of film may be variable we can learn from this documentation the Tai Chi principles being used in either combat demonstration of form work.

An interesting little clip here at the turn of the 90’s of Master Alan Peck’s first tai Chi teacher back in London demonstrating the emptying and issuing forces developed in Push Hands:

There are a few stylistic differences but this is the form we do that has been handed down to me and Chris in the school:

The classic are clear about how we generate Tai Chi force through the body: ” The force is rooted in the feet, channelled through the legs, the direction is governed by the waist, and up through the spine the force is expressed and issued out to the hands and fingers”. Sometimes the words of the classics seem theoretical and difficult to get a real feeling for. However have a look at this link showing the grand-son of one of Professor Cheng-Man-ching’s class mates Fu Zhong-wen. Here we can see that all moves are completely generated through accurate and sound generation of force from the ground through the feet and legs.

The form is a modified Yang style form and most postures should look familiar even if they don’t look exactly the way as Dr Chi Chiang-tao and ourselves practice it.

Enjoy: http://taichivideos.org/james-fu-qing-quan-performs-yang-28/