Will taking Tai Chi hurt my Aikido?

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[langenoir]

I’ve been taking Aikido for the last year and a half. I had previously practiced other martial arts like Karate, Kendo, Iaido, American Boxing, etc, but that was 10 years ago. I'm just getting back into MA and I'm loving Aikido.

I’m trying to get my wife to exercise more. I’d love to take her to aikido, but I think the falls would be a bit much for her since she has a medical condition. She has done yoga in the past, however she is showing an interest in Tai Chi. I was thinking I’d do it with her for you know that positive motivation. I’m just worried about it muddling what I’ve already learned in Aikido thought I hope that maybe it will compliment it.

Thoughts?

[Michael Hackett]

Phil,

I don't think so. I began studying Qi Gong a few years back to inform my aikido. That was part of the "internal power" process that is such a debate. I think it was helpful to my aikido and I still practice it to relax. Tai Chi is a little different, they are pretty similar so I think you will have the same outcome. Of course, it is all up to you whether you muddle up your aikido training or complement it. YMMV.

[Larry Feldman]

My instructor teaches both and has for over 35+ years. He not only insists they are complementary, but will often show how an Aikido technique is done the same way in Tai Chi, and vice versa....He teaches Yang style for what it is worth.

I never studied Tai Chi with him, Aikido kept me busy enough. Now wishing I had spent some time on Tai Chi as well....

[langenoir]

Ok cool. Thanks for the input guys. I was kind of hoping they might have some similarities.

[Janet Rosen]

Totally agree with the others: Chinese internal arts are a good complement to aikido.

[rugwithlegs]

I do practice Tai Chi, and started around the time I started Aikido. I did study three styles of Tai Chi - Chen, Yang (most), and Wu/Hao. They are all very different. Another Wu style and multiple Chen styles, and a Sun style are very different again. My local teacher does teach a form of Chen as well as Aikido.

Aikido as I learned it initially had little in the way of solo practice. As a shift worker, I missed classes or couldn't get to class in time. I would be traveling, or without a Gi and mats. Tai chi was always possible, and tai chi was great for rehab from aikido injuries. Push hands, Da Lu, San Shou, and Henkawaza and kaeshiwaza are very closely related. Tai chi structure, if you have a good teacher, will help inform Aikido structure. Aikido informed my tai chi practice as many tai chi students never actually get into applications or feedback and aikido does that often. Beginning practice will likely look like a whole new animal.

The two are different enough to give me many headaches but much food for thought over the years. It will likely change what you do, and I don't always keep the two apart in my mind. Strict teachers of mine (not the best, just the most vocal) on either side of the fence have complained about the result over the years. I am happy.

[Brian Sutton]

Ikkyo Undo is Peng jing. Roll back and press(movements in T'ai Chi) are all over Aikido, found in alot of places in the art of Aikido . Tenchi Nage=White Crane spreads it's wings.. Very closely related. Like two peas in a pod..However, good instruction is needed in both arts to bring out the similarities.

[Dan Richards]

If you take real Tai Chi Chuan from a good teacher, it will actually improve your Aikido—anywhere from some to dramatically. Good Tai Chi students tend to have better grounding and fluidness than most Aikido students.

And not just doing the form, but also push hands ( tuishou ) and Chin Na ( joint locks).

Most of Aikido really comes from Chinese origins anyway. And if you get into the IS/IP aspects, it's almost all Chinese and rooted in Taoist principles.

[phitruong]

don't do it! if you do, then eventually you want to wear silk pajamas and start to do aikido in slow motion, in the park which won't make aikido combative (see other threads). Then you would want to call aikido techniques with sensible names like "old guy playing the flute", 'extra whip with double shot latte", "guy brushing his beard with metal wire brush", "brushing the horse mane and get kick in gonads", and so on and so forth. This wouldn't do for aikido since we already named techniques with logical names like first technique, second technique and so on.

my advice is don't do it!

now, where is my silk pajamas, since i heard my lady mentioned something about double whip. sounded painful. since aikido has taught me to enjoy pain, i might like this. :D

[Cynrod]

don't do it! if you do, then eventually you want to wear silk pajamas and start to do aikido in slow motion, in the park which won't make aikido combative (see other threads). Then you would want to call aikido techniques with sensible names like "old guy playing the flute", 'extra whip with double shot latte", "guy brushing his beard with metal wire brush", "brushing the horse mane and get kick in gonads", and so on and so forth. This wouldn't do for aikido since we already named techniques with logical names like first technique, second technique and so on.

my advice is don't do it!

now, where is my silk pajamas, since i heard my lady mentioned something about double whip. sounded painful. since aikido has taught me to enjoy pain, i might like this. :D

This is one thing that I miss about AIKIDO's AIKIWEB :D . Phi,,, I spilled my coffee on my keyboard and it's all your fault..

To the OP: Yes it will compliments your AIKIDO training in so many ways.

[lbb]

Aside from the influence on your aikido...if the purpose of tai chi is to get your wife doing it, you may find that your presence is an inhibitor rather than an encouragement. I don't know either of you, but it does work out that way frequently that someone new to an activity wants to do so anonymously, so to speak, with strangers rather than with people they know. So, trying to get your wife to exercise more comes from a place of caring, obviously, but there are still so many ways that that kind of encouragement can backfire. She may simply need her own place and her own thing that you're not a part of.

[Cromwell]

I did Taichi Chen Style. It did affect my Aikido, my technique and my footwork got lighter. I'm not sure if I am throwing stronger, however I can confirm that I moved lighter especially on Bukiwaza. If you ask me if I would recommend it to help your Aikido, I'm not sure. It may help your martial arts, however I can't guarantee it will improve your Aikido.

[fatebass21]

How did it go?

[GovernorSilver]

Interesting thread. I'm looking at starting Aikido training. One local dojo has Taiji class on Fridays, though there's no info on whose lineage it is, what style/branch. etc. Another one has hosted a workshop by a prominent Wu stylist.

It was also interesting to read about Sugawara-sensei's exploration of Taiji and incorporation of Taiji ideas into his Aikido (the 42-posture Aikido form, tanden usage, etc.).

[Mary Eastland]

I think that aikido offers the same centering focus as Tai chi.

[SeiserL]

Cross training always worked for me.
Only suggest is to keep them separate until they integrate themselves.
When doing Aikido, do Aikido.
When doing Tai Chi, do Tai Chi.

[langenoir]

I didn't realize this thread was still going. Thank you for all the input, I appreciate it.

I've been practicing Tai Chi a little, but I'm currently struggling in balancing it and making sure I practice my aikiken and aikijo. When I do practice it however, I have been doing this Tajizen style I found here

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM0r0a7_dI2N2PGfUcXbRtA

It's fun, but they only have 4 forms on the page. I do see some very striking similarities. Now I'm wondering which style to expand into. I see the Yang style come up frequently, so I'm going to expand into that, unless someone has a better idea.

[GovernorSilver]

I hear ya on the time management thing. My home practice time is split the kenjutsu and iaijutsu kata I started learning on bokken, and the dantien reverse breathing and "arm waving" silk reeling exercises from Taiji.

[Rupert Atkinson]

Not doing Taichi will hurt your Aikido :-)

[GovernorSilver]

I didn't realize this thread was still going. Thank you for all the input, I appreciate it.

I've been practicing Tai Chi a little, but I'm currently struggling in balancing it and making sure I practice my aikiken and aikijo. When I do practice it however, I have been doing this Tajizen style I found here

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM0r0a7_dI2N2PGfUcXbRtA

It's fun, but they only have 4 forms on the page. I do see some very striking similarities. Now I'm wondering which style to expand into. I see the Yang style come up frequently, so I'm going to expand into that, unless someone has a better idea.

Just noticed you're trying to learn Taiji from videos. That's like learning Aikido from videos instead of at your dojo.

See if you can find someone to teach you a "Taiji fundamentals" exercise like silk-reeling or even just pole-standing. The Taiji forms don't really "work" without the fundamentals.

[fatebass21]

Not doing Taichi will hurt your Aikido :-)

:)

[GovernorSilver]

The dojo continues to deliver. I was introduced to the gentleman who teaches the qigong class at the dojo. Turns out he teaches the Taijiquan of Chen Zheng Lei. I've described my little adventures with 6H/"internal" stuff elsewhere so I'll spare the gory details. Let's just say I was inspired by those adventures and couldn't resist the chance to study with a teacher in person. I've been studying with him for a few weeks now. He chuckled when I showed him the silk reeling and standing stuff I'd been practicing. I changed my "standing pole" posture (zhan zhuang) to his preferred one and have inched my way closer to the 20 min. mark in my zhan zhuang practice.

Zhan zhuang has been the key to eliminating the undesired tension from my upper body - especially the shoulders. I've progressed to where one of my shoulders can stay relaxed the whole time. My martial arts seniors have noticed that I'm starting to look more relaxed than before.

A fellow student under this teacher also practices Aikido. He kind of treats Aikido as applied Taiji. I'm not as advanced as my "brother" so I'm content to practice the two arts as separate arts. My Aikido teachers focus on certain martial applications, while my Taiji teacher also teaches applications. Interestingly enough, when my teachers in Aikido and Taiji show me a new movement, they explain possible scenarios for which the movement might work, and why certain angles have to be taken, where's the centerline, etc. because if something is "off", my opponent can do this or that to me.