Books on internal part of the (Yang) Taijiquan???

Discussion in 'Tai chi' started by oldyangtaiji, Jul 3, 2006.

  1. oldyangtaiji

    oldyangtaiji Old Yang Taijiquan

    Is there any new book about Taijiquan principles (internal part)?
    I found that there are some new books that could be useful:
    - Drawing Silk: Masters' Secrets for Successful Tai Chi Practice by Paul B. Gallagher
    - Taiji Notebook for Martial Artists by Scott M. Rodell
    - Stalking Yang Lu-chan by Robin Johnson

    Anybody has some of the above books? Any recommendation?
    From the contents and the reviews the "Taiji Notebook" seems to be a real deal.
     
  2. inthespirit

    inthespirit ignant

    I found this very interesting:

    http://www.iliqchuan.org/Main/Images/Book Cover.jpg

    Can get it from them direct, its under products on their site: http://www.iliqchuan.org.

    A lot about alignment/balance and how to develop movement on the frontal, sagital and horizontal planes, then combine all three, also many other very interesting points and great training concepts. No waffle, very straight to the point.

    Edit: Not really Yang TJQ, but applies to any IMA IMO.
     
    Last edited: Jan 4, 2008
  3. oldyangtaiji

    oldyangtaiji Old Yang Taijiquan

    Seems a very good book! :) Can you write a little more about it? What principles are covered, the contents of the book, what is covered about the internal energy/power,..? Thanks.
     
  4. inthespirit

    inthespirit ignant

    Hey Oldyangtaiji, I'll bring the book with me on Monday and let you know in more detail, the training DVD's I got of that site are also very good and go great together with the book.
     
  5. oldyangtaiji

    oldyangtaiji Old Yang Taijiquan

    I am searching for a book that in a simple and direct way explains the internal principles and how tu use Taijiquan. I don't like to learn new movements, postures,.. but only how it works.
     
  6. unfetteredmind

    unfetteredmind Valued Member

    What interests you will be hard to get from a book.
     
  7. Dan Bian

    Dan Bian Neither Dan, nor Brian

    Great book for internal principles - "Tai Chi Theory & Martial Power - Advanced Yang Style" by Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming. Fantastic book, as it's companion volume; "Tai Chi Chuan Martial Applications - Advanced Yang Style".

    In fact, I would recommend any of Dr. Yang's work, especially his books on Tai Chi, Qigong and Shaolin White Crane.
     
  8. unfetteredmind

    unfetteredmind Valued Member

    I have a couple of his books on Qigong but found them pretty heavy going and never really got into them. I think I'll have to give them another go as I have heard a number of people speak highly of them and his other works. I guess I just need to be a bit more persistent.
     
  9. oldyangtaiji

    oldyangtaiji Old Yang Taijiquan

    I have many of Dr. Yang's books and they are very good. However when he is talking about Qi/Jin he coplicate too much (and in my opinion he miss the point)! OK he discuss about all possible meridians and power, what this Qi could be and so on, but I miss some essential things in his books.
    In some better books the author directly explain hot to develope internal energy and how to use it (some of this books are: The Way of Energy by Lam Kam Chuen, Ki in Daily Life by Koichi Tohei, Taijiquan: Through the Western Gate by Rick Barrett, Taijiquan Wuwei by Kee-Jin Wee). I am seraching for this type of books. From what I read in the reviews and from the extract of the book, seems that the Taiji Notebook by Scott M. Rodell could be such book.
     
  10. Dan Bian

    Dan Bian Neither Dan, nor Brian

    ^^^Another great book^^^

    I agree, YJM's books can be pretty intense,but they are full of really great info. His idea's and thoughts are really well presented.

    The only thing I might critisize is that some of his diagrams have a bit too much going on in one picture. Other than that, great stuff.
     
  11. tccstudent

    tccstudent Valued Member

    OldYang, how've you been? Have you discovered the secret yet? Just kidding. :) There isn't a book available that explains the real nitty gritty details if you ask me, but two of the better books that I've read on the subject are by Jan Diepersloot called Warriors of Stillness Vol 1, Vol II - Supposedly, there is a Vol III coming out someday.

    http://www.warriorsofstillness.com/shop/commerce.cgi?page=Qigong.html&cart_id=1199743203.15988


    In the meantime, keep doing Zhan Zhuang, it all starts from there.
     
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2008
  12. Dan Bian

    Dan Bian Neither Dan, nor Brian

    Worth quoting, as it can't be stressed enough.

    Zhan Zhuang is KEY!
     
  13. oldyangtaiji

    oldyangtaiji Old Yang Taijiquan

    I am very near the truth ;-)
    I have both Diepersloot's books. They are great.
    Yes I agree that Zhan Zhuang is fundamental.
    BTW, I ordered the Taiji Notebook. I think that contains many useful ideas.
     
  14. inthespirit

    inthespirit ignant

    Hey Oldyangtaiji, sorry for the delay in my reply, kept forgetting the book at home, anyway got it with me now, I think its preatty much what your after. Here are the contents:

    If your gonna get it, I recommend you get the "15 Basic Exercises" DVD as well, makes much more sense all together.

    Good luck! :)
     
  15. oldyangtaiji

    oldyangtaiji Old Yang Taijiquan

    From what I saw in the table of contents is a very interesting book! Yes could be a good choice, but I don't like to buy another book as many around (many theory without practical value). Did this book tells something about how to feel and use internal energy (or is only at theoretic level)?
    As I understand the DVD explains Basic Exercises (also shown in the book)?
    Please tell me if it is a short, dense and full of exellent informations? Is useful in general or is only applicable to the I Liq Chuan?
    I prectic a "realistic" form of self-defense that combine Taijiquan and Combatives and I am interested only in the practical part (what realy works and what can be used in real combat).
    Thanks for help.
     
  16. oldyangtaiji

    oldyangtaiji Old Yang Taijiquan

    In the past hours I was searching about "I Liq Chuan" on internet and i found it to be very interesting. It is based on principles and is said that is freeform. This is what I like :)
    It looks like a variation of Yiquan, but has nothing to do with it (as not for some same principles).
    I don't know if I like to go in details with this system. Maybe the book will be enough? Are this 15 Basic Exercises so essential and you recommend this DVDs? I have a lot of books and DVDs and I don't like to add more if they are not "the best".

    Can you tell me more about the essence of I Liq Chuan? Can you also enumerate few books (on principles and energy usage) that not so good as this?

    Thanks again for help!
     
  17. inthespirit

    inthespirit ignant

    This book is very hands on, just principles, exercises and a bit of theory, but you would need the DVD as some of the exercises are not shown in the book and need to be seen to be performed, for these the book only covers the principles. There is a section on "feeling", but it is relative to the other chapters, in the sense that to develop feeling you need to perform the exercises, i.e. feeling arises from correct practice. In my opinion it is applicable to any internal art, I Liq Chuan does not seem to be very stylized, i.e. its quite formless and practical.

    I don’t practice I Liq Chuan myself (other that whats in the book), in comparison to Yiquan, the training methods are quite different, but they work well together, though I think that’s because Yiquan can pretty much be integrated in to anything. I would say I Liq Chuan is a very stripped down version of Taiji, i.e. just the core principles.

    I would say the 15 basic exercises are essential to actual movement, but the book also covers other aspects such as feeling, mind, awareness and such. I would say if you only want to get one, ether DVD or book, probably DVD would be best as some of the principles and theory are also addressed, but primarily it gives you a good amount of exercises to play with and the principles behind them, but the book expands on this too.

    Regarding other books, well, put it this way, I have around 60 various texts on internal arts, and only this one, one or two of Frantzis’s books and a Yiquan book I have I found useful for actual training, everything else is just theory and has very little or no practical use.

    Hope this helps. :)

    P.S. Another good point is that the prices are in US dollars, and as the dollar is quite weak at the moment, its a good time to buy, or at least for us in the UK.
     
  18. oldyangtaiji

    oldyangtaiji Old Yang Taijiquan

    Thanks a lot for your help! I will get it.
     
  19. Steffan_de

    Steffan_de New Member

    Books on Internal Aspects of Tai Chi

    I have found Douglas Wile's book "Lost Tai Chi Classics from the Late Ching Dynasty" very helpful in gaining comprehension of both the internal and external aspects of tai chi. It is useful to search out many different translations of the original Chinese Classic texts in order to compare and contrast. Anatomy of Yang Family Tai Chi is another useful resource for students and teachers alike.
     
  20. oldyangtaiji

    oldyangtaiji Old Yang Taijiquan

    Can you tell me more about the book "Anatomy of Yang Family Tai Chi"? Contents, what it cover,..?
     

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