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The Yang family taught two separate tai chi systems. One for the public, another just for heirs. When Robert Boyd became a Disciple of fifth generation Yang family heir, Ip Tai Tak, he was allowed to learn the family system -- the snake style. Now he reveals this duality and introduces the snake style openly to the public.
Bob Boyd has been a martial artist for over four decades. He trained in Okinawan Uechy-ryu karate for 17 years, retiring as a fourth degree black belt. In 1983, he began studying the tiger style of tai chi and taught tai chi for 17 years. In 2001, Bob became the Disciple of Grandmaster Ip Tai Tak in Hong Kong, and was taught the snake style tai chi system. The snake style is the original, martial system of the Yang family that was taught only to male heirs of the Yang family. When Yang Sau Chung, the fourth generation heir of the Yang family had no sons, he took Ip Tai Tak as his First Disciple and heir. Grandmaster Ip chose to change the secretive tradition of teaching the snake style by giving his Disciple, Bao Tak Fai (Bob's Chinese name), permission to teach the snake style system openly. Now the snake style is being taught throughout the world thanks to the foresightedness of Grandmaster Ip. Bob is the Executive Director of the Bao Tak Fai Tai Chi Institute, Inc. and the founder of the International Snake Style Association (ISSA). You can learn more about Bob, the snake style, and ISSA by visiting www.ipfamilytaichi.org or www.snake-style.org on the internet. Bob is also a writer and a musician. He lives in South Hero, Vermont.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
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Really recommend this book to all Yang Style Practitioners whether you have many or only a few years under your belt. I studied with Yang Sau Chungs disciple Chu King Hung in the 80's, and his students in the 90's. I teach Yang Style in the UK, although I have practiced Wu and Chen Style with disciples.
The portion on the correct use of the spine will be of great benefit, or as I was taught 'bending the bow' {the spine-gather, store and release} to shoot the tiger'. The author obviously knows what he's talking about unlike some who write about tai chi.
An easy read from robert Boyd but my advice is - don't. After I read the book I did a workshop on his snake style which he claims is the secret tai chi form of the Yang family. You should google that and see what various Yangs think about it! I have practised Yang style under a senior master for ten years and this is vertical Pilates. (Nothing wrong with Pilates at all but it is not tai chi and, indeed has different goals.) The form is 'internalised' by telling you to move your 'core' around. You need to know quite a bit of anatomy too as Robert Boyd tells you which muscles you should be using to make the moves. Although chi is mentioned he seems to be quite disparaging of the the idea of chi projection. At the workshop I did, apart from the instructor who is very experienced and has actually trained under my master, I could not feel any energy in the studio. Everybody is looking for the 'secret' that will reveal 'true' tai chi. This is not it. It is not a book for beginners anyway but my advice to paractitioners at all levels is - don't.
Only a few techniques or clarifications introduced (3 to 5), some more interesting than others. Controversial as to whether it constitutes a separate stream of hidden Tai Chi. No immediately clear why he was chosen to be the 2nd disciple and pass on the skill. Google and Youtube for examples of Style.
I bought this book because of the the name Ip Tai Tak and now i wished i had ordered the other book Tai Chi Chuan Revelations Principles and Concepts. The price of this book made me think there might be more info in it. You have to wait till page 84 and Mr Boyd then says,
this book is not intended to teach anyone the complexities of snake style tai chi. Its meant to awaken the tai chi world to the fact that the yang family taught two tai chi systems.
I will show this book to my tai chi teacher who trained with master john Ding who was the 1st disciple of ip tai Tak. He might tell me that this is a great book on tai chi but i very much doubt it.
---------------------------------------------------------------- 12/11/2012 My Tai Chi teacher loved this book and said it might take me a few more years of doing tai chi before i understand whats in it. So I have now given it a 5 star rating instaed of 2 star
