trying out tai chi in nyc

**vinhthekid** · Posted On: 2/17/2012 2:52pm

hey,

so i don't really post very much about TMAs, don't know much about them either...

but a friend recommended that someone like myself, with a tendency to be high strung, anxious and stressed, should try out tai chi, as it is the closest thing to meditation that i am likely to do.

as i've tried regular meditation and failed miserably, i figure i'd give tai chi a shot.

is there any decent places in nyc? are there any cheap places where i can go to learn the basics? are the guys doing stuff in chinatown in the mornings worthwhile to imitate or learn from? am i going to learn to relax/calm down from tai chi?

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 2/17/2012 3:52pm

Originally Posted by vinhthekid

am i going to learn to relax/calm down from tai chi?

Hey, Vin!! Haven't heard from you in a while! How have you been? Obviously I can't speak about Tai Chi in NYC. But, I can speak a little about meditation and relaxation stuff. On a purely physical level, I always feel really relaxed after doing Tai Chi. I also enjoy the stress relieving benefits.

There is tons of stuff about helping blood pressure, balance, and stuff like that. But you probably don't care much about that.

As far as meditation goes, it depends on how esoteric the people you are learning from get. Some believe that in practicing the forms, you are experiencing the Tao wether you want to or not. Of course, that can be said about lots of stuff. When combining the physical movements with proper breathing... I think it is a lot like anything else, you get out what you put in.

Depending on who you train under and what style you are looking at. My style is Chen Pan Ling Tai Chi, and I like it alot. But it is not praticed as widely as say, Yang or Chen.

I'll look forward to seeing what you fing and how you like it. There was a cool article around here somewhere about the famous chess player that studied Tai Chi and BJJ and how they complimented each other well. I'll see if I can find it.

**Rivington** · Posted On: 2/17/2012 5:25pm

Go see Ren GuangYi. He'll hook you up.

http://www.renguangyi.net/

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 2/17/2012 5:30pm

the nineteenth generation standard bearer of the Chen Family.

Wow! That's pretty cool!

**Rivington** · Posted On: 2/17/2012 6:41pm

"Standard bearer" is a bit much. But he's hot, especially among the 20s in North America. He's definitely got the goods.

**JingMerchant!** · Posted On: 2/17/2012 9:57pm

Originally Posted by Diesel_tke

I'll look forward to seeing what you fing and how you like it. There was a cool article around here somewhere about the famous chess player that studied Tai Chi and BJJ and how they complimented each other well. I'll see if I can find it.

Josh Waitzkin.

This thread.

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 2/18/2012 8:09am

Originally Posted by JingMerchant!

Josh Waitzkin.

This thread.

Thanks! Yeah, that's a pretty good article.

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 2/19/2012 12:59pm

Originally Posted by vinhthekid

are the guys doing stuff in chinatown in the mornings worthwhile to imitate or learn from?

What you see the old people in Chinatown doing isn't necessarily Tai Chi, it could be various forms of qigong (chi kung) which is similar.

That said, there is very useful qigong and there is bullshido qigong. There are really old but effective sets like the seven golden passages, the eight brocades, and the yi jin jing that go back to the first millenium AD and are still used today because of their health benefits. There are "light" qigong sets for that sort of thing, and there are more demanding "martial" qigong sets for people who train in MA. There are even "iron body" forms of qigong that are very physically demanding.

This video is very close to the yi jin jing that I do each morning. This one is moderately physical and invigorating but relaxing at the same time. It's hard to explain without trying it.

If you follow, you'll see most of these fall into some sort of stretching/lunging category to a modern observer. Most involve stretching the legs, hips, waist, arms, neck, back, and shoulders while breathing deeply. The end result is a sort of self body "massage", hence the English translations like "Sinew Washing/Changing Classic".

I have found very positive therapeutic stress relief from doing this regularly. While I would not necessarily recommend learning these sets from a video, there are several legit organizations in NYC that teach versions of these qigong sets. Google is your friend.

**Jack Rusher** · Posted On: 2/20/2012 6:11am

Originally Posted by Rivington

Go see Ren GuangYi.

He's great, but he's also very expensive.

There are some decent players in the parks in Chinatown, but you can only tell which are the good ones if you already have some taiji. Try talking to Yu Guo Shun, 1-917-535-3916.