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What, you mean the Tai Chi master vs the White Crane master fight? I saw that clip and it was a joke fight. Apparently the fight was a fund-raiser for charity. There was no prize-money for the actual fighters involved, so neither master actually wanted to make the other look bad and lose business over this, so they agreed beforehand to throw a only a mock fight. But the way they did it looked completely ridiculous. They should have done the pro-wrestling thing and put on a decent show at least. They decided to just wing it, and what we saw was a whole lot of circling around and hand waving. I bet those people left grumpy and didn't feel like they got their money's worth. It was a complete nothing fight. But at least the charity made money. Yeah, there are good and bad reasons for that. TCC is one of the most "conservative" and "closed door" styles there is. Usually the feeling is that "true skill skill should never go out door". You never show the real stuff outside. Just enough to drive publicity and interest so that the cash doesn't stop flowing in. Real martial skills are completely alien to what you see combat sports. It's not worth it to break the illusion. That just makes things more dangerous for everybody. I like true skill, and hate having my time wasted, but most people are unwilling to endure hardship, and cannot handle the truth of martial arts; that if you practice for real, you get hit. A lot. For a long time. It's uncomfortable and it hurts. Most people can't put up with that. But the Tai Chi Chuan teachers are still left with the problem of needing an income. So they have to get creative and teach other things first that are less than bread and butter material. Even if the TCC teacher knows what they are doing and want to teach the real stuff, if people aren't willing to pay for the real deal -- getting a beating everyday until they internalize proper structure and/or how to dodge well -- then the teacher will have to sell to people whatever it is that keeps students interested and paying their club fees. The teacher needs to keep a roof over their head. That's just the nature of needing to run a business. Unfortunately, the fluff subsidizes and precedes the real stuff usually. And it is true that many never get to the real content. That's why most martial arts clubs -- even in other styles -- tend to devolve into being glorified day-cares. The error comes when one is not able to recognize the difference between the two, and conflates the two together. There is stuff that you do because it is realistic to train and there is stuff that you do because it is safe to train. And there is stuff you do just for marketing and giggles. The trick is to know what belongs to which category, so you don't get the ideas crossed in your head.

Actually, the "learn" for money practice initiated the demise of TCMA. There are some small-ish enclaves of Hakka who do it for real.

What book from 1843?

Thank you. Yes, that lesson was recorded a few weeks ago. He’s in San Francisco. Currently, his lessons are on Patreon. He may teach an occasional private lesson.

Thanks

Could be

Good point. Thanks.

I think he means that in the past they would use kicks and leg sweeps during push hands, while today people only use their hands.

Yes, and it makes more sense when you see the whole lesson. What he’s really getting at is that Taiji, Xinyi, etc was used for fighting. They weren’t western boxing in the parks of Shanghai

In the 1970s where he was, 'push hands' was a collaborative drill to help each other deal with various incoming energies. Over the decades, it has become more and more of a *competitive* challenge, and the moves are modified contestant/winning goals.

Cool

Yeah, honestly most styles (that are good) have something like this, tangling hands, where you practice the messy stuff.

Yes, Goju is essentially White Crane and its purpose is CQB with upright grappling with strikes, kicks, throws etc. Taiji is similar but I think it was developed as a counter system to Hung Gar so uses longer range techniques.

Yes, I agree. Thanks.

crammed and distorted by the classical mess

Mr. Xu wasn't saying that boxing is superior. He meant that if he had to fight under a boxing ruleset, then he wasn't going to beat a boxer at his own game. 100% of a boxer's training transfer over the boxing rule-set, whereas delivering fists in TCC is only about 10-20% of the system -- so why bother going to a boxing match at such a training disadvantage, where the rule-set makes most of your skills useless? It's just applying artificial restrictions changes results. Imposing a rule-set incentives training some things and punishes training others. If punching is the only thing that gets rewarded by the rules then that's what you train and not kicking or wrestling.

when he started talking about boxing I was waiting for him to show it defending a 1-2 or similar, but I was just left scratching my head lol

Useless? No established martial art is useless. I have studied various western and eastern arts so I feel it is all in the application of the skills. Anyway this man looks like he has something to offer. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

Maybe they were not practicing it for self defense, but for health, or just like a past time, like bowling or something. If they found it enjoyable, why rob them of something they like doing. And he also said they were mixing a lot of different things, not just push hands

He’s describing and demonstrating the “external” taiji. I don’t think he has an idea of what the “internal” practice feels like. But, then again, most people don’t know what it feels like.

@@TheJofrica It is funny some people want to act like they only possess the truth. Fact is there are many truths within martial arts. Why limit yourself. I think this man is having fun. He cannot be faulted for that.

That’s essentially what M Xu has said before. But he doesn’t use the word spar. He says “test.” You test so that you don’t have to fight. But he’s known for fighting too. On one of the lessons he tells the story of how he came up with the tests as a way to bring the old masters together.

Thanks.

Exactly. He says “I know you, you don’t know me”

Thank you.

Yeah, you don’t want that.

Thank you

He just had a workshop in Italy. I don’t think he has anymore planned. You can reach him if you join the patreon group.

Glad you like it. And thank you.

You bet. And thank you.

Thank you so much.

Hi master, I just found you on TH-cam and didn’t know who you are. I am at a workshop and meta woman who was at one of your workshops in Frankfurt (Germany). What an coincidence!!! She told me great things about you and told me that I need to meet you. Is there still workshops,best would be Germany for me. Or other possibility’s to meet and train with you? Much respect

Thank you

Yes he is. And he just taught a workshop in Italy. But mostly he teaches through his lessons on Patreon.

@@goldengateliontiger8972 Do you know how we can get in touch with him?

Yes

It’s not me. He’s volunteering his time for this project, but I think he sounds like a pro.

@@goldengateliontiger8972 He absolutely does!

That sounds like the perfect way to train those in real life.

Thanks. It is cool how we can do this now.