I'm looking to order a DVD or digital download of a Tai Chi system that is relatively simple (because I can't access a live teacher) and cheap. I came across "Tai Cheng" on Amazon and was curious if anybody had a thought. Clearly this is watered down for novices, but hey that's me. This doctor seems to be legit enough to trust and knowing this is therapeutic vs combative oriented, I'm fine with that. Any input is welcome. Tai Cheng Workout - Tai Chi & Chi Kung (Qigong) - Beachbody.com
That seems pretty expensive. I'd recommend this: https://lineofintent.com/product/taijiquan-16-week-video-course/
There is also plenty of stuff on youtube to follow along with which has the plus point of being free! For example there is this series by David Dorian Ross taching the long Yang form over a series of 100 or so sessions.
Thanks. I went ahead and spent the money on Dr. Mark Cheng's DVDs. I'll post a review of them when I finish, which based on my current homebound daily routine, should sometime in May. Meanwhile, I've been watching some of his other videos and I have to say, I'm smitten.
A free Yang long form course from one of the people responsible for opening tai chi up in America, a cut price deal from one of the few westerners able to fight with internal arts who spent years out there, or beach body tai Cheng, and you went with the latter?! Really home it's worth it
Historically I'm not sure about "one of the people responsible for opening tai chi up in America",whatever that means exactly,and while I am certainly not saying he can't bring it I can't find anything as to his fighting abilities.All his tourney stuff is form comps. However I won't hold against him the fact that he made beach videos teaching the Gung Fu fraud Jake Mace ! Grond,sorry you spent the money.Ross and other people have some decent free stuff on youtube.Nowadays if you're gonna $pend there are some things out there that are teaching more than just the basic ideas and choreography.Also if you're starting TC be VERY careful about not twisting your knees.Possible to do it very slightly and not notice it....for awhile. Sidenote-Mark Cheng is a lineage relation to YouKnowWho in Shuai-jiao but I haven't been able to discern if he's a "nephew" or an actual student of John's(YKW).
Well on review, Dr. Cheng is apparently one of the most sought after Tai Chi instructors on the US West coast, and founded the UCLA kung fu club among other accolades. He just so happens to sell an at-home course for about $50 that is universally acclaimed. Whether or not it's worth the $50 remains to be seen, but I remain hopeful based on the videos I've watched. Remember, I am a novice so I doubt I could even learn a full Tai Chi form on Youtube. What I hope is that the DVDs segue me there, once quarantine is over I've pretty much settled on learning Tai Chi as my next art. Homepage - Dr Mark Cheng - Move Live Feel Better
Thank you so much, that is great info. Don't feel sorry about my money, right now it's mostly going towards take out, delivery, and beer so a few bucks thrown towards a new martial art is pennies on the dollar. By that I mean I need to start exercising way more than I am because quarantine is making me fat. Tai Chi seems to be one of those things where a little work will produce a lot of gains, even if that work is me dancing in my sweats in the morning to some slow Chinese beat.
BASICS "20 minute one-on-one consultation via Skype $699" I'll give him his due he is making the money, can't see his lineage in tai chi anywhere though can you post it?
Bloody hell !! Seven hundred bucks for twenty minutes with no venue,insurance or travel to pay out for I'd say he's a marketing artist rather than a martial artist (not saying he doesn't necessarily know his onions). It can be hard to unlearn bad habits, poor posture etc in tai chi. Videos don't give you any feedback, without supervision you can end up wasting your time and actually hampering progress when you manage to find a competent teacher. Don't want to sound too negative, just something to be aware of It'd a good idea to try and do some background reading (i.e the tai chi classics, 13 postures, tao te ching ) to increase your own understanding, as well the outline history of styles/famillies and of course see what actual choice of instructors there is in your area.
You could say the same thing about DVD's, the youtube videos can give you just as much, plus if at the end of the day you choose not to take Taji as your next art your not out of pocket!
I purchased Tai Cheng for my mother, who is in her 80s, she did some, but it was honestly too much for her with her level of arthritis. I looked at it, thought about it, and thought NAH!!!!. But then I have been doing Traditional Yang for over 25 years. It is likely exactly what it is billed as for assistance with building strenght and balance.... but taijiquan, no. If you want taijiquan, with the floor grid, get a DVD from Robert Chuckrow, at least he was a student of Cheng Manching and a few other. I also could not find any training background on Mark Cheng. But if you're just looking for something to do, and not really interested in learning taijiquan then go for it Also note he calls it Tai Cheng, not taijiquan
As Cheng was a Shuai-jiao practitioner it's possible/likely his TC background comes from Ch'ang, Tung-sheng's Yang TC. Grond,there are MANY known and sought after teachers in TC,doesn't mean they actually teach much beyond elementary basics despite what they may know or how good they are at teaching. I'll hazard a guess that Ned and Xue Sheng will second that emotion. So if we ever get outta this place shop around for teachers that teach more than choreography and some unrelated to TC ch'i gung breathing exercises.Unless that's what you want. Well.....he is a doctor.
From what I've gathered his lineage is that of his father (duh) and apparently some of MAP. What is "Shuai-jiao"? It's not Tai Chi, per se, but it's getting my butt moving. That's a fact. I've spent more on chili and beans than these discs. Another fact. Mark Cheng - USAdojo.com
In the article you linked to it states he started out with his father but going off that article his lineage for Taiji is through Professor Daniel K Lee.
Shuai-jiao is/are Chinese wrestling systems.YouKnowWho here on MAP is a highly respected veteran coach and champion.Check out videos of his,search John Wang. Dan Lee was a student of Tung,Fu-ling,the son of Tung,Ying-ch'ieh,disciple of Yang,Cheng-fu. A couple of people here studied with disciples of Tung, Ying-ch'ieh.
I'm one of those in the Tung Ying Chieh lineage people. my shifu was his student and a friend of Tung Hu Ling.
Thanks for all the great information, folks. For what it's worth I'm having an ok time with this little DVD set. Yes, it makes me feel like an old man to ache like I do, but what I really hoped to get out of this experience was the basics of what Tai Chi-ish stuff is all about on a physical level, before I really dive in with a local instructor. The slow movements and peaceful mind-body connection really do have a relaxing effect on my fascia. I'm definitely going to check out the other instructors mentioned. As far as my morning pajamas routine, Tai Cheng seems to be worth the $50. I read today that the jobless rate for Asian Americans in NYC just jumped 7,000%, so I'm willing to fork over sheckles for a brief taste of kung fu. Every coach I know personally is out of work at the moment. Heck, charging a few hundred dollars an hour for my own time sounds better every day.
WHAT!?!? "Peaceful"? "Relaxing"? No pain? No sweat? No shaking legs? What the heck kinda T'ai Chi is this? Nah,enjoy yourself,Grond. Yeah,I remembered,cuz. .My last teacher was a disciple of T,Y-c. Just thought I wouldn't mention us by name.
I just came accross this by accident after reading an article about Seagal by Dr Mark Cheng. He has a facebook page that answers the questions asked in this thread about his background Dr Mark Cheng About Speaker/lecturer on optimum human performance & orthopedic medicine through the lenses of Pavel Tsatsouline's kettlebell training methods, FMS/SFMA Functional Movement analysis, TRX Sports Medicine rehabilitative & strength training, traditional martial arts/combative systems, & traditional Chinese manual medicine. Creator of Prehab-Rehab, Tai Cheng, and K3 Combat Movement Systems. Awards - Senior SFG StrongFirst Girya kettlebell instructor - Functional Movement Systems faculty member - CA state licensed acupuncturist & PhD in Chinese medicine & acupuncture - Inosanto International Martial Arts Instructors Association member - American Combat Shuai-Chiao Association: Black belt ranking instructor - Gee Yung International Martial Arts Association: Los Angeles branch holder & instructor - Yod Khun Pon Thai Martial Arts Association: Instructor
