DVD: Tai Chi Chuan Classical Yang Style

Discover Traditional Taijiquan

Not only an instructional DVD, but a living document designed to preserve a cultural tradition from the original Yang Style lineage. Practice of this living and vital form will develop a healthy and relaxed body, a clear mind, and a strong sense of martial intent. This Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) program offers enough content to build a solid foundation for a lifetime of practice.

This bestselling DVD pushes the boundaries of what the DVD format is capable of, and offers multiple audio streams, many subtitle languages, and 4 hours of video content.

Comprehensive program includes:

• Fundamental Stances
• A Breakdown of the Thirteen Postures
• Taiji Qigong Primary Set
• Moving Qigong
• The Complete Yang Style Taijiquan Form
• Instructions on Breathing
• Taijiquan Theory Lecture by Dr. Yang
• Introduction to Taiji Qigong
• Introduction to Fa Jin (Emitting Power)
• Detailed Instruction and Analysis of Each Movement in the Form

SPECIAL FEATURES: Hundreds of Scene Selections • Interactive Feature: Click the Yin/Yang Symbol to open up In-Depth instruction of each movement • Over 2 hours of DVD-only content • Language: English, French • Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese • Interactive YMAA Product Catalog with Previews of all YMAA Videos • Biography: Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming • History: YMAA Publication Center, & much more!

YMAA PRODUCTION • DR. YANG, JWING-MING • "TAIJIQUAN, CLASSICAL YANG STYLE " • WRITTEN & PERFORMED BY DR. YANG, JWING-MING • PERFORMER: ROBERT WAS • EDITED BY DAVID SILVER AND MEDIAMANIC • PRODUCED BY DAVID SILVER • DVD AUTHORING BY MEDIAMANIC • DIRECTED BY DR.YANG, JWING-MING • DVD PRODUCTION DIRECTED BY DAVID SILVER

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AUTHOR(S)

Yang, Jwing-Ming Ph.D., is a renowned author and teacher of Chinese martial arts and Qigong. Born in Taiwan, he has trained and taught Taijiquan, Qigong and Chinese martial arts for over forty-five years. He is the author of over thirty books, and was elected by Inside Kung Fu magazine as one of the 10 people who has "made the greatest impact on martial arts in the past 100 years." Dr. Yang lives in Northern California.

REVIEWS

5 of 5 stars,"mountainbob" (Coeur d'Alene, ID)
October 4, 2003

"Marvelous !! A true Classic !! I began practicing T'ai Chi fifteen years ago. My first teacher was trained from childhood in China, then Taiwan, in the strict classical Yang Long Form. I began studying with him years later in a major U.S. city -- still Yang Long Form, still classical approach. That was a magical time, a magical experience that will be a part of me for the rest of my life. Periodic long-distance moves have since interrupted my study several times, but these have also required me to study with teachers of quite a few T'ai Chi styles and levels of expertise. Some were more fun, some more "practical," some much more "martial" in approach, and some were sadly "lightweight."

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming's video is truly "the real deal." From the first frame of his performance of the entire Form, I was instantly transported back to my first Teacher's class: not only is the sequence of postures and connecting movements EXACTLY the same as where I began, but the "spirit" and "feel" of T'ai Chi is also the same as it was then. With the wide range of styles and emphases in my classes since, I'd nearly forgotten how "pure" and powerful the classical Yang form truly is!

Other reviews here have accurately described and appropriately praised the comprehensive contents and unsurpassed structure of this wonderful video that is at once a marvelous teaching tool and a true archival record of this ancient art.

I'll summarize my opinion this way:

If you EVER outgrow this DVD, please produce one of your own, so we can all study with you!

Meanwhile, I'm gonna hang with Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming!!"

Taijiquan.com, Patrick Dickson, 2005

"Having owned the videotape of this offering from Dr. Yang, I was a little apprehensive about spending money to buy the DVD. I was very satisfied with the information offered on the VHS tape, but having already owned the material, it didn't make sense to purchase a DVD unless there was something added to the material. Generally, when a company releases a DVD of a previously released VHS tape, there is very little added to the DVD release. Fortunately, in line with the high quality of YMAA publications, this DVD has approximately two hours of material that was not on the original VHS. Combine this with the ease of access that a DVD offers and the Taijiquan, Classical Yang Style DVD becomes even more of a bargain.

The lecture is vital to anyone who wants to learn Taijiquan. Merely imitating the postures and movements, which sadly is how many people practice Taijiquan, without an understanding of the philosophy from which Taijiquan developed, would severely limit one's experience.

Dr. Yang discusses how Taiji is between Wuji (nothingness) and yin and yang. This concept is extremely important and vital to the performance and practice of Taijiquan. When you begin the form, you should stand in a beginning posture which represents Wuji, or nothingness/emptiness, during which you settle the body, relax the breath and bring all the parts of your body and mind into this Wuji state.

Then the thought/intention is born in the mind and the Taiji (which came from the Wuji) splits into the yin and yang. The dead hands and body, maximum yin, become alive and slowly inflate and expand to a balance between maximum yin and maximum yang, along with the whole body. Now the form begins. I see many practitioners walk up, stand still for one second and leap into the form without any understanding of where yin and yang spring from. The transition from Wuji to Taiji to the interplay of yin and yang is one of the more fulfilling and engaging aspects of Taijiquan.

Dr. Yang points out that Taiji, the theory of which is explained so well in this video, has been around for approximately four thousand years, whereas Taijiquan has been around for perhaps a thousand years. The use of this theory in Daoism is also explained by Dr. Yang. The link between Taijiquan and Daoism through their mutual use of the philosophy of Taiji was one of the initial reasons for my interest in learning Taijiquan.

Dr. Yang goes on to illustrate through the use of scientific formulas the relationship of Taijiquan and the laws of physics. This lecture is just the preparation to begin to use the other parts of the video. Too many times tapes are presented by martial artists with little thought for tying it all together and explaining the meaning of what is offered. This video is extremely well thought out and presents the viewer with a strategic approach that will enable them to go far in their quest to learn Taijiquan.

Throughout the video there are visual clues as to when to inhale and when to exhale while doing the form or the Taijiquan Qigong. The demonstration of the long form offers detailed instructions when you click on the yin-yang symbol.

I would have to write a ten page review to give justice to all the material presented on this DVD. A wonderful addition to Dr. Yang's presentations and a worthwhile purchase even if you already own the VHS version of this video."