For instance, Taijiquan compresses the dantian to "inflate" and "plucks the bowstring" to fajin. What would the comparable internal methods of bagua and hsingyi be?

The audio on this video is really bad but I wanted to point something out for those struggling with the concept of not moving the hands in the form and moving from the kwa instead.

Watch the teacher's left hand. It looks like he's moving it along the student's arm independently. That's what people "see" when they watch tai chi. But if you look closer, his hand is not moving, he's moving his kwa.

https://youtu.be/-XZWkwuZs7w?si=wgR2Kz3jS2unNg_v&t=17

When you move your hands independently of your center, you lose your structure and have no peng jin and it can be viewed as using force. It is easily detected and that's why more senior students are detecting your movements and throwing you out. The old adages say when you're stuck, the answer is in the kwa, not the hands.

Anway, this guy posts good content and he's worth following for more clear examples of good tai chi.

Looking for recommendations for a school/teacher near Columbus Ohio. New so have zero insight into what makes a good teacher/school.

I practice Chen style and am very much focused on that for my form and weapons training, but I've come across Huang's loosening exercises multiple times now. I'm interested in trying them out but cannot find much that explain the exercises. Any suggestions?

Hi does anyone have any recommendations for a tai chi teacher in Chicago preferably one that understands the martial arts aspect of tai chi ?

Is it possible to remove a beating heart from a man's body using Tai Chi? and if so how can I learn how to do this? This is serious! I can pay in crypto for the right lessons, based in the Bay Area

Edit: serious replys(Marshall artists only)

Apologies for the atrocious-sounding title. Here’s another fun test for you all, again courtesy of He Jinghan, though this sort of dang springing I have seen in other places, unlike the previous exercise I posted about. You can see Yang Wenhu do it several times here, for example.

Unfortunately, there aren’t captions for this exercise, but the gist is to stand in horse stance with your thighs parallel to the ground (I know He isn’t doing that, but that’s what he says to do) and to make yourself hop so both feet clear the ground by using only the springing power of the dang. This is the first video in a series of shorts, which you can find by entering 馬步彈襠 into the search bar in the channel’s videos page. Chinese numerals are as follows: 一、二、三、四、五、六、七、八 in that order for those who want to check them out in order, though, again, there are no captions.

It really is easier to get this springing if you keep your horse stance low. As He says in other videos, your frame shouldn’t change as you hop, and your dang basically has to stay at the same height. It’s much more of a sudden explosive drawing in of the dang for me, which picks both feet up. I certainly can’t get the same clearance height of the feet as I see He Laoshi do, but I can definitely clear the ground. What about you?

I just stumbled upon this video of He Jinghan trying to get his students to use the kua to stand up from a chair and I think it’s a wonderful method, one that I hadn’t encountered before. I love these sorts of tests, especially since I don’t have a regular teacher, and they help me know if I’m on the right track.

Initially, I wasn’t able to get anything to happen externally, just internally. It took maybe five minutes of feeling around inside before I was able to get up with no momentum. If the test doesn’t give false positives, then I think I’m doing it more or less correctly. It’s a lot like the kua engagement needed to shift weight/step in TJQ, but just a lot more of that. Both kua need to engage pretty intensely and take the slack out of the torso going upward from the pelvis, kind of galvanizing the body. Letting the knees get drawn toward one another and toward the huiyin is key. My knee was hurting at first because I was placing my legs too close to me, so watch out for that. I can stand up without any momentum or even forward lean and can do it slowly as well as fast, but the exercise currently sends a lot of qi to my head, and it gave me a headache, so be careful there too. It seems to put a lot of pressure on the inside of the body, so don’t herniate anything! It also takes active concentration to not wind up on the heels but to be standing on the yongquan instead, which I assume is desirable.

I’m sure some of you guys can do it too. I’m interested in getting your views on the exercise. I intend to keep experimenting with it and work on stabilizing the internal pressure so it doesn’t reach my head.

https://youtu.be/-0LzTkNBZ1c?si=CBwBDO0_zc99LTNz

I still see videos of people moving from the arms when doing the form and push hands. This video is a pretty clear, although exaggerated, teaching of how to move in a connected way. This is good for two reasons, one -- it shows the generosity of a good teacher to show this and two, it shows how hard it is to do. Look how much the student goes back to the old habits of moving.

I watched this last night and thought it’d be perfect to share here 😂

https://youtu.be/LBE0NZfXL5M?si=izUD4busGkDORkCZ

I subscribed to this mostly aikido guy's channel as he has alot of interesting stuff to share. Here's an example of an obscure teacher explaining how to do some of the "magic" of internal arts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWV_AiuBdXE

Thoughts? Comments?

Looking to master so taijiquan concepts

I came in late to the recent discussion about Yiquan standing practice, so I'm reposting this interesting link here in hopes of hearing some feedback.

http://www.yiquan.org.uk/art-zz.html

I find it interesting that the above link specifically defines "song" as the state of using postural muscles as much as possible to support oneself, which I haven't seen elsewhere, but which makes sense to me at my current level of understanding.

Does anyone happen to know of any links to web cameras, such as those located in parks, that might show live taijiquan practice?

I've seen in Taiwan that many people practice taijiquan and qigong in the parks, usually in the mornings from about 7:00 AM.

I have been watching a couple of live web camera streams from Taiwan, and I found one where I saw live qigong practice on a Saturday morning (today) between 8:00 and 9:00 AM Taiwan time.

https://www.youtube.com/live/yQSmajHyMhU?feature=shared

Though I didn't see taijiquan today on the live stream, I think it is possible that on other days of the week, maybe some taijiquan groups might also practice there. (The park taijiquan in Taiwan tends to be Yang style.)

Does anyone else happen to know of any similar live webcam streams for watching taijiquan?

I’m going to be in the Bay Area for the holidays, and I’d love to find some people to push with.

There used to be a great group over at Ohlone park in Berkeley before Covid, but I guess it’s not going on anymore.

There also used to be a group that did stuff in Golden Gate park on Wednesday mornings, but idk of that’s still going on.

Anybody know where I could find some friendly folks to train with?

In addition to the well-known 8 Jin (or Ba Jin), sometimes, you will maybe hear that there are 36 Jin (三十六劲) in Taiji Quan as a traditional concept derived from the theoretical framework of internal martial arts and passed down through various lineages.

It refers to 36 distinct methods or qualities of force/energy that can be expressed, applied, or perceived. These Jin are often classified into categories based on their function, such as neutralization, issuing, adhering, and controlling.

The 36 Jin represent a comprehensive framework for understanding the diversity of forces in Taiji Quan. Mastering these Jin allows a practitioner to respond appropriately to any situation, whether it requires yielding, issuing, or controlling. These Jin are not isolated techniques but expressions of Taiji principles, cultivated through consistent training in forms, Zhan Zhuang, Tuishou, and - most importantly - Jinli (energy application drills). Also, remember that Jin doesn't always mean energy per se, but can also refer to skill or intent.

Unfortunately, there isn't a universally standardized text that lists them explicitly in ancient writings, as these teachings were often transmitted orally or through practical training. However, you can find references to the idea of Jin and its classifications in both historical and contemporary works on Taiji Quan.

So, here is my personal work in progress: a comprehensive list of 57 Jin (劲) in Taiji Quan for your reference. Let me know if something is missing:

#Foundational Jin (The Eight Basic Jin - Ba Jin, 八劲)

These are the core energies in Taiji Quan:

1. Peng Jin (棚劲) – Warding-off energy, expansive and buoyant.

2. Lu Jin (捋劲) – Rolling-back energy, yielding and redirecting.

3. Ji Jin (挤劲) – Pressing energy, focused and forward.

4. An Jin (按劲) – Pushing energy, pressing downward or outward.

5. Cai Jin (採劲) – Plucking energy, pulling downward sharply.

6. Lie Jin (挒劲) – Splitting energy, used diagonally to separate force.

7. Zhou Jin (肘劲) – Elbow energy, a close-range strike or control.

8. Kao Jin (靠劲) – Bumping energy, using the body to strike or control.

#Neutralizing Jin

These Jin focus on dissolving or redirecting the opponent’s energy:

9. Ting Jin (听劲) – Listening energy, sensing and interpreting the opponent’s force.

10. Dong Jin (懂劲) – Understanding energy, responding intelligently to the opponent's intent.

11. Hua Jin (化劲) – Neutralizing energy, redirecting the opponent’s force harmlessly.

12. Rong Jin (融劲) – Dissolving energy, absorbing the opponent’s force smoothly.

13. Tui Jin (退劲) – Retreating energy, moving backward to neutralize or evade.

14. Fan Jin (翻劲) – Overturning energy, flipping or reversing the opponent’s force.

15. Jiao Jin (绞劲) – Twisting energy, coiling to control or redirect.

16. Kong Jin (空劲) – Empty energy, creating the illusion of an opening.

17. Shun Jin (顺劲) – Complying energy, harmonizing with the opponent’s movements.

18. Jie Jin (解劲) – Dissolving energy, breaking the opponent’s force or intent.

19. Yin Jin (引劲) – Guiding energy, leading the opponent into emptiness.

20. Dai Jin (带劲) – Carrying energy, smoothly guiding the opponent's force to a disadvantage.

#Issuing Jin (Fa Jin, 发劲)

These Jin deal with projecting force outward effectively:

21. Fa Jin (发劲) – General explosive issuing energy.

22. Ding Jin (顶劲) – Upward issuing energy, as if lifting.

23. Tui Jin (推劲) – Pushing energy, steady and forward.

24. Tan Jin (弹劲) – Springing energy, sharp and sudden like a snap.

25. Pi Jin (劈劲) – Chopping energy, striking downward or forward.

26. Zhan Jin (斩劲) – Cutting energy, slicing in a sweeping motion.

27. Bao Jin (爆劲) – Explosive energy, a sudden burst of power.

28. Chong Jin (冲劲) – Charging energy, penetrating and direct.

29. She Jin (射劲) – Shooting energy, focused like an arrow.

30. Ba Jin (拔劲) – Uprooting energy, lifting or destabilizing the opponent.

#Controlling Jin (Kong Zhi Jin, 控制劲)

These Jin are used to dominate, immobilize, or restrain the opponent:

31. Dian Jin (点劲) – Pointing energy, precise and targeted.

32. Na Jin (拿劲) – Grasping energy, for joint locks or holds.

33. Qin Jin (擒劲) – Capturing energy, subduing the opponent.

34. Jia Jin (夹劲) – Clamping energy, compressing or pinning.

35. Zhi Jin (制劲) – Restraining energy, controlling the opponent's movements.

36. Duan Jin (断劲) – Breaking energy, cutting off the opponent's flow.

37. Feng Jin (封劲) – Sealing energy, preventing movement or counterattack.

38. Luo Jin (落劲) – Dropping energy, sinking to disrupt balance.

39. Chan Jin (缠劲) – Wrapping energy, coiling around the opponent.

40. Su Jin (缩劲) – Contracting energy, pulling inward to control

#Sticking and Adhering Jin (Zhan Nian Jin, 粘黏劲)

These Jin focus on maintaining connection with the opponent:

41. Zhan Jin (粘劲) – Sticking energy, maintaining light contact.

42. Nian Jin (黏劲) – Adhering energy, closely following the opponent’s movements.

43. Tie Jin (贴劲) – Clinging energy, staying in close contact.

44. Fu Jin (附劲) – Attaching energy, blending seamlessly with the opponent.

45. Zhong Jin (重劲) – Heavy energy, increasing pressure to destabilize.

#Advanced and Philosophical Jin

These Jin are refined expressions of Taiji principles:

46. Man Jin (慢劲) – Slow energy, deliberate and steady.

47. Su Jin (速劲) – Fast energy, quick and responsive.

48. Heng Jin (横劲) – Horizontal energy, lateral sweeping force.

49. Zhuan Jin (转劲) – Rotational energy, leveraging spirals and torque.

50. Fen Jin (分劲) – Dividing energy, splitting force to control multiple directions.

51. He Jin (合劲) – Harmonizing energy, blending your energy with the opponent’s.

52. Wu Wei Jin (无为劲) – Effortless energy, generated naturally through relaxation.

53. Ruan Jin (软劲) – Soft energy, yielding to transform force.

54. Shan Jin (闪劲) – Flashing energy, sudden and surprising.

55. Shou Jin (收劲) – Gathering energy, preparing for the next movement.

#Primordial Jin

According to Fu Zhongwen, these Jin are the two most fundamental Jin not called Taiji Jin. They are like the Yin Yang of Taiji Jin and give rise to the Taiji Ba Jin.

56. Hun Jin (浑劲) – Unified or Blended Energy

57 Qin Ling Jin (擒领劲) – Capturing and Guiding Energy

Thanks to u/Extend-and-Expand for bringing these two crucial Jin to my attention.

There are a lot of layers to what he's showing so it's actually good for everyone:

https://youtu.be/EfKyDJ6-Dvs?si=xq2lySpVU6nMcP8z