http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTSAx4rX8oQ
First, I thank Aboroth for posting this. Second, I admire Liang Shou-yu. he’s a gentleman and a scholar. I had the pleasure of meeting him a long time ago and I greatly respect his abilities. He’s one of those wushu guys that have extensive traditional training, as well. If he was anywhere near me, I’d be training with him. Third, anyone teaching apps along with the wushu 24 and 42 forms is to be commended. That’s one of the things the wushu taiji forms need greatly.
But having said all that, I think this is very poor display of taiji application. This isn’t the worst I’ve seen. Goodness knows youtube has MUCH worse. But compare this clip above to the quality of movement found in the previous clip I posted of Liang introducing shuaijiao to Sam Masich here. Look at the quality of movement and the spontaneity. Look at how there is no wasted movement in that clip.
This clip shows nothing but the most obvious, frankly useless apps from taiji. For example, notice in wild horse parts mane Liang steps in and then throws with the outstretched arm. Typical, right? But where was the shoulder strike (kao) that is hidden right there in wild horse? As he steps in to place his arm for the throw, the shoulder is right there for the strike. Why not tell people about that?
To Liang’s credit, nobody is really doing that. I guess people that know are saving these apps for themselves. But doing so makes this and other vids so much less than they could be. Serving up such milktoast apps reinforces the impression that taiji can’t be used in a fight. Doing what is shown in these clips simply isn’t powerful or useful enough to actually use. But the real applications are ALL right there in the moves. I know he knows them. He just didn’t show them.
Too bad.
3 responses so far ↓
1 hakchigi // May 30, 2007 at 2:19 pm
It seems pretty orthodox -they tend to stick to the traditional routines, don’t they?
Have you seen the ’single whoop’ vid?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=340X3YPMQ7E
What do you think of that?
2 C.J.W. // May 31, 2007 at 6:42 am
Most MA videos, in my opinion, are designed as introduction materials for beginners and laymen.
The applications shown in the clip are what I would think of as very basic moves that help students to memorize the form rather than effective martial applications fit for fighting.
I am sure Liang still has many tricks hidden up in his sleeves when it comes to Taiji applications, but normally a master would never allow that sort of information to circulate in public. That’s just the way it is with CMA.
3 enokidake // May 31, 2007 at 2:47 pm
I agree with C. J. W. that it is appropriate to start at the bottom of the ladder and once the student has body-knowledge they can proceed to nuance further up the ladder.
For example, in the shoulder strike in “parts mane,” perhaps there is a danger for a beginner to try to apply the shoulder force moving through the center into the opponents centerline (sending linear force away from my center) and THEN trying to control his center to apply the circular force as you open. When seeing beginners try these sorts of things, I have seen that the opponent usually flies off and the person trying to apply the techniques depsperately tries to apply the circular motion with the opponants center too far away to make it anything other than an shoulder muscle excercise. By teaching it in the basic form, the beginner can learn that one “secret” to applying the technique is the relationship between the right foot and the left hand connected through the throwers center, which is now the center of both men. SMall hip movement now makes a HUGE difference. If you bump the attacker away, the center of the technique is now in the space between you.
Of course there is a way to do both, but if this is for a beginner,I think this teacher took the right course.
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