Tai Chi Quan: Building Blocks, Requirements and Expectations 

If there were 10,000 "like" buttons, I would click them all. Thank you for your videos 🙏

I consider you one my teachers because you teach and I learn so much valuable information from your videos. I love your videos, they are intergral to my practice, thank you very much!

Your Tai Chi demonstration is impressive. You clearly show it is a martial art and not only an exercise for good health. Thank you for sharing your helpful knowledge and experience.

Dear Yang Laoshi. Thank you for this clear and detailed video on Tai Chi. For the next Q&A, I would like to ask the following two questions: 1. Could you explain the differences among Yang Luchan, Yang Banhou, Yang Shaohou, and Yang Chengfu styles; 2. Could you talk about the influence of General Qi Jiguang on the Chinese internal martial arts?

I agree with the point about the difference and distinction of "Scientific" and "Cultural" in how Tai Chi was developed.

No need to apologize for wearing casual clothing in a demonstration. When most people unfortunately get into fights, they're mostly wearing what people normally wear. It adds to the authenticity, plus you got style.

Haven’t even watched it and I’m alerady pressing the like... thank you teacher

This is excellent advancement to Tai Chi awareness. Thank you for sharing👊😎👍

Thank you for providing such clear and organized information about the internal martial arts, Sifu. I admit that I know very little about Tai Chi Chuan. I've not been lucky enough to meet a Tai Chi practitioner who had learned and pursued it to the level of being able to apply its principles in a way that seemed effective on a martial level to any degree. The few Tai Chi people who I've met who did not just practice it as a form of exercise or energy practice were almost purely concerned with succeeding at forms or Push Hands competition and much of the vigorous Push Hands competition I've seen did not seem all that qualitatively different from wrestling with a very specific set of rules, somewhat like Japanese Sumo wrestling. It's strange to consider that despite its long history and development, Tai Chi's explosion in popularity around the world in this past century has perhaps led to a dilution of its original knowledge set, rather than a growth in the number of quality martial artists who grasp its entire martial system. Unfortunately, that does seem to be what has happened. I truly hope that more masters at your level will inspire their students to pursue studying the art beyond its health benefits because it's clear there is so much more to Tai Chi Chuan. I was struck, yet again, by your emphasis on the concept of 'active learning' and its importance relative to just the amount of time one has spent training. Many people will fall back on their many years of experience practicing a martial art as some sort of objective measure of their ability yet all this experience is not evident in any higher ability to apply or even explain the movements. I am not one of those who believes that the relative failure of traditional martial arts in the realm of MMA competition is a reflection of these arts being ineffective. For the most part, I believe it is almost entirely a function of your goals while practicing. If you want to be able to compete with professional fighters, then you have to be willing to train with the intensity and dedication of a professional fighter. This includes things like body conditioning and consistent sparring (with some actual contact). Constant hours of practice and training are put in by even entry level participants in sports like MMA, boxing, or Muy Thai, for example. The greatest technique in the world cannot substitute for developing the strength, durability, conditioning, and reaction speed that are the bread-and-butter of any professional fighter's training regimen. The current controversy regarding the MMA fighter Xu Xiaodong's matches with various TMA masters is a perfect example of these unrealistic preconceptions being challenged and highlighted. This is, of course, a much broader topic which is somewhat unrelated to the contents of this lecture, but your mention of 'active learning' did bring it to mind because many traditional martial artists do lose sight of that important concept. Many teachers grow complacent and passive in their approach to their practice and further development ceases to be a goal because of the endless amounts of praise and positive reinforcement they receive from their students. This is, in my opinion, one important reason why so much of the 'harder' parts of the traditional curriculum for many martial arts have been neglected and even lost in some cases. As you've stated several times now, body conditioning via strength and force training, weapons training, and application and sparring training were always a part of these systems. Otherwise, how could so many of these historic figures have been successful in pursuing dangerous occupations as bodyguards and bounty hunters, for instance? But much of those aspects of the traditional curriculum are often ignored or merely paid lip service but never taught with any sort of emphasis placed on their importance to truly excelling at your martial art. I truly appreciate that you always mention these aspects of traditional training systems and only wish that this knowledge was easier to find. As always, Sifu, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge, passion, and skill here on your RU-vid channel. I'm sure you're tired of hearing me say it (LOL) but it is a real treasure to anyone who loves and appreciates martial arts of any kind. I hope you are well.

Excelent educational content!

Haha that smile @45:35 🤣

Thank you sir, for that informative and fascinating lecture. I have learned a lot from it.

Yet again, a fantastic and inspiring lecture. Thankyou Sifu Yang!

Greetings Master Yang...Thank you for another excellent lecture on such a rich topic. Your efforts are very much appreciated. Kind regards from Australia...🙏

excellent vidéo for me one of the best thank's à lot

Excellent video. You have explained that Tai Chi, Bagua, and Xingyi are internal styles. I would like to see a video where you compare the “jin” used in each style. Do they all use the same jin? For example, Tai Chi is well known to use “peng”, “lu”, “ji”, and “an” jin. Does Xingyi and Bagua also use “peng”, “lu”, “ji”, and “an”? Some people say they do and others say they do not. I would love to hear your opinion. Thanks again for your great videos!

Sad to hear about the book subject when some of us don't have the opportunity of a truly qualified teacher such as yourself. Would video training help more or be the option for one in my predicament? I do know I learn so much from your videos. Thank you

Dear Master Hai Yang, have you considered making the connection between Chinese Martial Arts and Okinawan Martial Arts through Bushi Matsumura? I enjoy your academic teaching and would love to hear a lesson on Okinawan Karate and how it was influenced by Chinese Martial Arts.

Excellent video ! You can consider it a success. Thank you for taking the time to put together such well coordinated exposés. Does any english or other language translations exist of the classic books you’ve mentionned. To what extend do consider tai chi theory to transpose from one classical style to the next? I noticed that in your brief history, you leave out Wudang Tai Chi... Why? Also, if Zhang San Feng is a legendary character, how did tai chi make its way from Chen village to Wudangshan? Thank you again for the teachings :)

Thank you Hai yang for such a thorough explanation! Would you please advise a location for the three main tai chi books you have recommended? Thanks in advance.

I think you're right about your concerns of over the term "scientific" in "scientific stage". Perhaps a better term might be "the empirical stage".

Since I practice Yang Style Tai Chi, I was wondering there is a Yang Style counter part to the Chen Style Second Routine. If there isn’t, what would you suggest I do?

what are the fajing exercises for chen style? can u do a vid.

Excellent information. I would like you to clarify something. I believe you said in this video that of all the internal systems you think taiji is the best for your health. However in a different video I believe you said of all the internal systems you believe bagua is the best for your health. Maybe you love them both so much! 😊 could it be that you have changed your mind?

I readed in a Spain Tai chi Chuan book by Ferrán Tarrago president of the Nacional Tai Chi Chuan Asociación of Spain: The mistical aspect of Taichicuan Is an autentic work of internal alchemy. That work consist of various phases resumed in, first learm yo generarte energy in the tantien. Second learn to use and manipulate the Energy, driving it down and up throuth the "light ring". Third One of the stages of the Mystical development of Tai Chi would consist in suppressing the mental principle through making the intention affect the act, completing the Tai Chi chuan or Mystical Union of man with the cosmos. Could you Clarify these mystical works?

Hello, just curious to ask if you have an analysis like this of wudang Taiji ? Thank you for your knowledge 🙏🏽✨💖

Hello Yang Shifu, hope you're having a good day ! I noticed that you put the application part later on the building block in all three styles, so the training will be theory, forms, conditioning etc but still dont know how to use . If someone learns for 3 years and did not finish the forms and did not reach the application block will this person be able to defend him/herself in a real situation and will they be able to use that they learned even though they did not reach the application block, from what I am seeing it will takes many years to reach the application. Thank you for your time and have a great day ! :)

Do you know of a place where I may find a copy of Li Yiyu's book translated into English? I have not been able to find this in my research.

Where does Hong Junsheng's Practical Method fit into this, in your opinion?

谢谢您！谢谢您！谢谢您！ 现在对我来说更清楚!

This reminded me of a new student asking, how long he will need to master the Jian. Shifu answered: 'Three years.' The student looks crestfallen and then asks: 'And if I work very, very hard?' Shifu pauses to think - then says: 'Six years.'

The "Room of Probity?" is this supposed to be Property and Humility? Please clarify the misspelling.

Sir if you personally wanted to take someone as a indoor would u think it’s important for them to understand the nei jing tu diagram

Wu Yuxiang learned from from Yang Luchan but the essential technical from Chen Qinping.

Do you got DVDs person can learn Kung Fu what you're talking about internal martial arts please get back with me thank you