I am blessed to have a teacher who told us the first day if it hurts in Tai Chi you are doing it wrong and stop doing it that way. Tai Chi is to make you healthy not hurt. I got into it after a torn medial meniscus and it helps my balance and makes my knee not hurt in rainy weather like today. This was well put especially about the pelvis opening. It reminds me of my horse riding teacher who talked about keep your hands still and move your hip bones without exaggerated leg pressure and a dressage horse will turn in the direction you are looking at by "throwing your intention" ahead. I found Tai Chi made me a better horse rider due to a better core.
I started doing chi gong and taiji work in August 2009. At that time my left knee was arthritic, quite painful, and had required a steroid injection. Now, 5 years later, that knee is almost pain and stiffness free and is basically normal. From the beginning I have followed this master's dictum to never exceed 70% of my capability in any workout. I just want to express my thanks to Sifu Frantzis for his books and his internet videos.
@ lebarosky Which style of Tai Chi do you practise? I am interested to know because I have arthrities on both knees, and I did the Dr Paul Lam's simplified Sun Tai Chi for arthrities for more than 5 years already, but it didn't work for me.
An important part of this training is learning about the alignments and function of the cavities, fascia and energy gates and the direct perception (sensing and knowing) of these nei gung components within the body. All taught in the EnergyArts system.
That makes sense. My teacher is tall and skinny which allows him to go very low. But when I compare him to my senior teacher, he doesn't go down very low and he's the senior teacher. So it depends on body type.
Personal experience in BBT and other activities: proper footwear matters. If you have flat feet and your ankles roll in, the strain on the inside of the knee can cause much trouble. If you have bad feet, limit your barefoot training.
Japanese karate styles destroyed my knees. Kung Fu and Tai Chi cured them, and I am heavy and I go low. The posture must be correct and the weight must be balanced and pivoted on K1.
I have to do Taichi for competitions but I never got the appropriate training for it. I never understood the concept of the inner energy and qi and stuff so I'm not really sure what you meant by dropping your hip. I am expected to go lower for my form because it looks better but my knees are started to feel very achy and sore and I'm starting to have back problems. My sifu tells me my stances should be wider and lower but I'm not very light either. I'm very conflicted as to what to do. You're advice seems to be very reliable from what I could tell from the comments but I don't want to adapt the techniques and not being able to apply them to my actual form. What should I do about this?
+Cheryl Wan Only go as low as you can while keeping your knee from going past your toe and while keeping your butt tucked in. keeping your butt tucked in will keep your lower back stay straight and then you shouldn't over extend and you knee should be ok. Make sure your knee doesn't bend inwards, always try and keep it pushed out, toward the outside for your foot. When you start moving from one foot to the other, first move the knee you are moving to out and then turn your waist toward that knee as you transfer your weight. Your Sifu shouldn't make you go low until you are comfortable.
Your sifu shouldn't be forcing you to get hurt, I think safety is first, otherwise what's the point. You will do those very low stances a few times, maybe win a medal, then you can't walk anymore, good stuff uh? Check out programs like elasticsteel or easyflexibility to increase your flexibility and apply it to your competitive tai chi forms. Or practice tai chi for the martial arts, health and spiritual benefits.
At the very beginning of a turn, do you start moving from the pelvic girdle first or [move] from the knee - first? I am a bit confused. I had thought I have to move the whole body continuously as one whole? If that’s the case, then, the only safe way has to be moving from the lower pelvic area, right? Please advise.
I've recently started studying Chen style with one of the original family. We do large frame, which requires low stances, but she's always telling us to sit higher if there's knee pain. Of course I'm impatient and so I always go deeper than I should, so, surprise surprise, my knees hurt the next day. How long does it take to learn patience? ;) Thanks for the great explanation!
I was doing Tae Bo and my right knee started feeling like my legs were not attached. If I start balancing my chi with your stand up procedure, will it heal??..
I am blessed to have a teacher who told us the first day if it hurts in Tai Chi you are doing it wrong and stop doing it that way. Tai Chi is to make you healthy not hurt. I got into it after a torn medial meniscus and it helps my balance and makes my knee not hurt in rainy weather like today. This was well put especially about the pelvis opening. It reminds me of my horse riding teacher who talked about keep your hands still and move your hip bones without exaggerated leg pressure and a dressage horse will turn in the direction you are looking at by "throwing your intention" ahead. I found Tai Chi made me a better horse rider due to a better core.
I started doing chi gong and taiji work in August 2009. At that time my left knee was arthritic, quite painful, and had required a steroid injection. Now, 5 years later, that knee is almost pain and stiffness free and is basically normal. From the beginning I have followed this master's dictum to never exceed 70% of my capability in any workout. I just want to express my thanks to Sifu Frantzis for his books and his internet videos.
@ lebarosky
Which style of Tai Chi do you practise? I am interested to know because I have arthrities on both knees, and I did the Dr Paul Lam's simplified Sun Tai Chi for arthrities for more than 5 years already, but it didn't work for me.
An important part of this training is learning about the alignments and function of the cavities, fascia and energy gates and the direct perception (sensing and knowing) of these nei gung components within the body. All taught in the EnergyArts system.
That makes sense. My teacher is tall and skinny which allows him to go very low. But when I compare him to my senior teacher, he doesn't go down very low and he's the senior teacher. So it depends on body type.
+shadowknight132 There is a training process which players go through. You learn to go very low so that you don't need to go low.
Thank you for sharing such a valued knowledge!!!🙏🐼🍀
Thank you so much for this video!
Personal experience in BBT and other activities: proper footwear matters. If you have flat feet and your ankles roll in, the strain on the inside of the knee can cause much trouble. If you have bad feet, limit your barefoot training.
Thank you! Very important info! Much appreciated.
Great video Bruce ☯️🙏🏽☯️
Thank you
Japanese karate styles destroyed my knees. Kung Fu and Tai Chi cured them, and I am heavy and I go low. The posture must be correct and the weight must be balanced and pivoted on K1.
I agree going too low injures you knees.
I have to do Taichi for competitions but I never got the appropriate training for it. I never understood the concept of the inner energy and qi and stuff so I'm not really sure what you meant by dropping your hip. I am expected to go lower for my form because it looks better but my knees are started to feel very achy and sore and I'm starting to have back problems. My sifu tells me my stances should be wider and lower but I'm not very light either. I'm very conflicted as to what to do. You're advice seems to be very reliable from what I could tell from the comments but I don't want to adapt the techniques and not being able to apply them to my actual form. What should I do about this?
+Cheryl Wan Only go as low as you can while keeping your knee from going past your toe and while keeping your butt tucked in. keeping your butt tucked in will keep your lower back stay straight and then you shouldn't over extend and you knee should be ok. Make sure your knee doesn't bend inwards, always try and keep it pushed out, toward the outside for your foot. When you start moving from one foot to the other, first move the knee you are moving to out and then turn your waist toward that knee as you transfer your weight. Your Sifu shouldn't make you go low until you are comfortable.
Get another sifu
Your sifu shouldn't be forcing you to get hurt, I think safety is first, otherwise what's the point. You will do those very low stances a few times, maybe win a medal, then you can't walk anymore, good stuff uh? Check out programs like elasticsteel or easyflexibility to increase your flexibility and apply it to your competitive tai chi forms. Or practice tai chi for the martial arts, health and spiritual benefits.
At the very beginning of a turn, do you start moving from the pelvic girdle first or [move] from the knee - first? I am a bit confused. I had thought I have to move the whole body continuously as one whole? If that’s the case, then, the only safe way has to be moving from the lower pelvic area, right? Please advise.
I've recently started studying Chen style with one of the original family. We do large frame, which requires low stances, but she's always telling us to sit higher if there's knee pain. Of course I'm impatient and so I always go deeper than I should, so, surprise surprise, my knees hurt the next day. How long does it take to learn patience? ;)
Thanks for the great explanation!
I was doing Tae Bo and my right knee started feeling like my legs were not attached. If I start balancing my chi with your stand up procedure, will it heal??..
Jon Porter I