I'm at a time in life where I spend most of my time training on my own,though lucky enough to have large shed with room for both hanging bag and wooden dummy so I like to condition and train strikes and kicks using both. In taiji terms this also involves shoulder,elbow, palm, ridge and double handed techniques which are also developed with silk reeling in Chen. I thought I'd check out what youtube has to offer on heavy bag taiji training and enjoyed this explanation of power generation techniques and why this sort of training is an essential part of a rounded approach to developing applicable form ; Whole body coordination, Rooting and generating power from ground up Stepping ( or landing step ) with, or just before the strike Circular, smaller movements combined with controlled breath technique Correct alignment, sinking and turning hip focused intent ( yi ) Utilising the above to create jin are some of his points which I identify with ( although of course i'm sure not unique to taiji ) , anyone else find the heavy bag a good way to develop their taiji ? Anyway, enjoy the clip - I like his style !
I enjoy whacking a heavy bag, or a free-sparring bag, or a partner holding a strike-shield or focus mitts The key, as always, is in making sure you're generating power from the feet, flexing the bows, softening the core, rotating the joints etc etc in every punch.
Yes,focus mitts with a partner is great too, with the added element of spontaneity. Though for solo training the heavy bag has a lot of offer, and like the wooden dummy is the ideal training partner - always ready, never too tired to train !
I like the idea of a wooden dummy for certain training purposes; sticking, folding and the like. I just need to find the cash to buy one, and somewhere to set it up!
I built mine about five years ago so have grown an affinity with it. As you say, great for sticking ( though there are plenty of palm and ridge hand strikes usually pulling arm with other hand so always in contact ) developimg sensitivity and footwork. Got another couple of poles ready to go as a project when I have the time, planning an outside 'dead' dummy in the ground - maybe this spring
hey Ned, this isn't heavy bag per se, but 'bag training'. can certainly be used with heavy bag. posted this elsewhere and remembered your thread. one of my teachers, a mate and all round good dude Neil Rosiak; trained a few fighters (inc. Sami Berik).. and has Vale tudo fighting experience himself. Has a very long background in the wudang/PTTC style brought to the UK by Dan Docherty. A variation of Wu style, or perhaps a kind of hybrid between old school Yang and old school Wu.. but I digress. This is what he has to say about the drill: This is a superb drill for people studying Tai Chi Chuan as a martial art. It is one of the 48 San Shou exercises taught by Cheng Tin Hung. Cheng learned these drills from Qi Min Xuan, who got his Tai Chi from Ching Yat, student of Wang Lan Ting. Its a drill for understanding dualities of movements for attack and defence. the drill: happy training
Cheers Cloudz, that ties in nicely with some of the exercises I already do on my heavy bag so I'll definitely be trying them out ! (yeh I saw that thread on the other forum where I lurk, it appeared just after I started this one, what are the chances eh ! ) I used to compete in push hands at the wudang/ptcc comp in oxford , I was too old for the full contact but saw some good fights there over the years I've seen a couple of other good drills recently I'll see if I can find them again and stick them up.
