Tai Chi Theory and Martial Power, Third Edition: Advanced Yang Style Tai Chi Chaun (Martial Arts-Internal) (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: dan tian, nei dan, wai dan, Jin Figure, Spirit of Vitality, Listening Jin (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A must for advanced students.

Tai Chi Theory & Martial Power is the next level in Tai Chi Chuan training. This book is written especially for those who have learned the form, begun Pushing Hands, and now want to develop and refine their Tai Chi skills.

Tai Chi Theory & Martial Power focuses on the martial essence of Tai Chi Chuan, an aspect many other books ignore. This book explores in depth the subject of Jing (internal martial power), general Tai Chi theory, and the application of Chi in the Tai Chi form. Because Jing training is essential to martial Tai Chi, this work is a valuable reference that no serious practitioner should be without.

* A comprehensive training plan for Jing (power) development.

* Understand the difference between true Jing (internal power) and Li (muscular power).

* Learn how to accumulate Chi and Jing in the Tai Chi postures.

* Discover the essential role your mind plays in Tai Chi and Jing practice.

* Includes a special selection of Tai Chi poems, translated and with commentary by Dr. Yang.

Language Notes

Text: English, Chinese

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: YMAA Publication Center; 2nd edition (October 25, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1886969434
• ISBN-13: 978-1886969438
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #622,987 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book for those seeking the essence of Yang Taiji, April 14, 1999

By A Customer

It seems curious that the reviewer who gave this book one star did not offer any specific examples of where Dr. Yang was "incorrect". This book, and the companion volume, are gold mines of theory and application. Anyone who has learned the Yang style long form for health will be amazed at the almost infinite number of techniques, both apparent and hidden, revealed in these volumes. The four aspects of Yang Taiji, and indeed of all Chinese martial arts (punching, kicking, wrestling, and chin-na)are explored in depth, as well as the more fundamental ideas of the nature and generation of chi and the various jings. I have personally attended a number of Dr. Yang's seminars at his YMAA in Boston and have found them to be excellent. Dr. Yang, with a PH.D in engineering, is very well grounded in the Western concept of scientific proof. His writings are not only the result of his research into the ancient classics, which is extensive, but also his own practice, pondering and above all practical discrimination. I would add that Dr. Yang always cheerfully and humbly invites people to disagree with his theories and to offer alternatives. However, you might find it quite difficult to debate a subject with someone who has studied it perserveringly for 35 years. On a final note, it should be stressed that in these books, as well as in others by the author, the concept of personal morality, ethics, and the cultivation of the spirit are not just footnotes, but are central to the art.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent and practical book on Tai Chi, MUST READ!!!, August 18, 2004

By	Mark "Technology, Music and Movies" (East Coast) - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)

This book is not perfect and it does have shortcomings. I am a beginner in Martial Arts, and some of the criticism which states that this book is not as advanced as it claims to be may have some merit. However, as far as I could tell, this book has excellent content for both novice and advanced students of Tai Chi.

This book has some very clearly written content and outlines a large number of important movements. Most notably, the pictures are clear and contain all the necessary markings and arrows to help a beginner reinforce what he or she learns through instruction. Just for this aspect of the book alone, I believe it is first rate!

Where I feel the book does fall short is in publication quality. The paper stock was clearly very poor, and the binding quality was also poor. This contributed to bunching in the center of the book. However, for small lot publishing of niche products such as this one, such shortcomings are unfortunately the norm.

Overall, the book is comprehensive and covers a lot of ground. Perhaps for the very advanced this book may not help them get to the deeper meanings of some of the movements. Then again, perhaps the very advanced shouldn't be looking for such meaning in a book. Nevertheless, as a practical guide this book is a cut above the rest.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very practical and detailed, October 15, 2005

By	magellan (Santa Clara, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

Like Dr. Yang's other books this is a gold mine of good information. I find the few negative reviews puzzling, since there is plenty of quality information here. No book is perfect, especially on tai chi, but this is an excellent book. I suspect these people have never tried to read the real tai chi classics, which give far less. They are very difficult to understand in that they speak much more in metaphors and vague descriptions that are far more general and less specific than Dr. Yang's book.

Yes, the back leg needs to be bent springlike, as one person says, but Dr. Yang mentions that, and anyway, that's a very basic concept that almost everyone knows anyway. Dr. Yang's book goes beyond the basic principles and gives quite specific instructions on the more advanced ones. As far as good, practical, and detailed advice on many aspects of tai chi energy, power, speed, posture and body mechanics, form practice, martial applications, and so on, this is probably the best I've seen.

As far as actually how to generate fa-jing, or explosive chi power goes, I've never seen a book that does that, ever. Apparently the only way to get it is to either have that secret personally passed on to you or else to learn it from many years of diligent practice of the tai chi form. I suspect that most people who criticize books like this are looking for shortcuts and "secrets" and probably don't have the discipline and diligence to practice the form enough to get even the basic understanding and skills anyway, let alone the more advanced ones. The reality is that there are some things in tai chi that can't really be explained that well in words and simply have to be learned by practicing the form over a period of many years.

I had one specific comment, which is that I found the long section on the many different types and applications of jin energy very practical and useful. I had learned many of these from my teachers and had figured out others on my own from doing the form, but I learned somemore from this chapter.

So overall, another fine book from Dr. Yang that gives far more than any other volume on the subject I've seen up to this time. If there is a better one that lays so much material out so clearly on the subject of tai chi, I'd like to know what it is.