Wu style Short Form vs Wu style Long Form

[Anonymous]

I learned the BK Frantzis’s Wu style Tai Chi Short Form. For some months I practice it daily. It is an excellent exercise.
I’m wondering if is worth to learn also the long form or practicing the short form could be enough?
I practice daily up to 20 to maximum 30 minutes of Tai Chi. I do also some Yang and Sun Tai Chi drills. So what I do is a mix that I found very useful.

I never saw the Wu long form (the version of BK Frantzis) completely done. So I would like to ask what are the main differences (maybe except the duration) between the two forms.

So what are your opinions? Should I remain do the short form or should I began learning the long form?

[Anonymous]

Hi, Igor.

I’ve found that doing the long form is different than doing the equivalent length of repetitions of the short form. Bruce talks about the differences in his Tai Chi Mastery materials. You might also find some of his thoughts in this in the tai chi book.

Personally, I love the long form. It has a beauty and rhythm that gets deeper and deeper the longer I practice it.

Good luck,
Matthew

[Anonymous]

I was wondering if was better (because I don’t do only Wu style Tai Chi) to learn the Wu style long form or do the Wu style short form on both sides.
Surely the Wu style short form done on both sides is easier to learn. Maybe because I do also other Tai Chi (styles) this could be better for me.
Also the Wu style long form has probably more elements and requires more skills. But, IMHO, also the short form developes many skills, so working on that basis (and on both sides) could be also enough.
Opinions?

[Anonymous]

Meanwhile waiting for the definitive answer I began to learn the long form. I hope I will find time to learn the form and to add it to my daily routine. For now I learned the 1st section of the long form.

I do daily the 37 postures CMC form and I’m also learning the Wu and Sun forms. So now I practice daily Yang, Wu and Sun Tai Chi. It takes (now) about 15-20 minutes. When I will learn also the Wu and Sun forms it will take about 25-30 minutes.

For me the “principles” are the most important factor in Tai Chi practice. IMHO, in such way you can see if a style is good or not. The BK Frantzis Wu style Tai Chi is very good, and is difficult to find something similar so I would like also to learn the long form. Hope will find time.

[Anonymous]

Wu style long form vs Wu style short form on both sides
==========================================
OK, surely the “long form” is a more complete and intensive exercise. But, IMHO, the “short form” done on both sides is a compact version that also trains the main skills.
The long form take 20-30 minutes to be done and is more adequate to be a single practice. Meanwhile the short form (done on both sides) take 8 minutes and can be also used as a part of a rutine with other drills.
I’m really indecided what to include in my daily routine. The long form will take the most time of the routine, The short form is more compact and simple to add in the routine.

[Anonymous]

Now I’m learning the Wu style Tai Chi long form. If it is done fast it takes 11-15 minutes. Here is a video of Wu Ying Hwa (Wu Jian Quan’s daughter) doing it in less than 11 minutes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y18sTuexaTo
I already know the Yang style Tai Chi short form. It takes to be done 8-10 minutes. Here is the video of the form: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QteLbmtiRqA
Also I’m learning (now I’m on the section 6) the Sun sytle Tai Chi long form. It takes to be done 7-8 minutes. Here is the video of the form: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wGWezaY-nQ

So I think I can do all 3 forms in about 25 minutes. But I have to finish to learn the Wu and the Sun forms.

[Anonymous]

Is there any course from Energy arts for Wu Style LONG FORM by Bruce? What is the real difference between wu style SHORT form vs LONG form? I have been practicing the wu style short form through Tai Chi Mastery Program. Thanks in advance. Till

[Anonymous]

I don’t know for any instructional book or video on the Wu style Tai Chi long form (by BK Franzis).
There are just demo of the form. There is a demo on Youtube by “Longwater Tai Chi” and there is a demo DVD by Brookline Tai Chi.
The main difference between the two forms is that the short form has some movements (without repetitions) of the long form. The long form has more movements and also many repetitions. The long form is almost 4-5 time longer than the short form.
IMHO, the long form is more challenging than the short form. However the short form is more compact and simple to learn. If you don’t have time the short form is OK. You can do it also on both sides. If you can find some time to practice them the long form is better.

[Anonymous]

I think short forms are great when learning the style for the first time. One of the problems with learning these arts in contemporary society is that few people would be willing to spend a few years just learning a single form. I think, and I could be wrong about this, that the various short forms developed as a way to give people interested in tai chi a small, manageable amount of stuff to learn. Then, once they understand what it’s all about and can commit in a more knowledgeable way to learning a longer form (or the deeper art), they have a starting point. You can learn many of the core tai chi concepts in the short form. Then learning the long form you can apply those as you learn the new choreography. And there’s a lot of repetition in the long form so it’s not all that hard to do.

My first form was the Cheng Man Ching short Yang form. It was taught then in three basic cycles through the material: basic moves, corrections, and advance practice. It took me about 2 years to go through these three levels. Then I studied another old Yang style that didn’t have a short form. We started by learning the first section of the form, about 6 minutes, which took about 4 months. The second section, about 20 minutes long, took a year to learn. I never got to the third section.

The Energy Arts teachers are extremely adept and well trained in teaching the Wu short and long forms. There’s a sequence of courses in which you learn the short form that took me about 2 years. Then, I learned the long form in 3 1-year courses.

One thing to think about, after having done several different forms. If you’re interested in the whole of the Energy Arts system, the Wu long form is wonderfully integrated with all the other arts. Once you’ve learned the various qigong sets and tai chi forms, they all come together so that you apply Heavan and Earth in your form, aspects of your tai chi from in your sitting meditation, etc. It all works together in a really cool way.

I’ve never learned both sides of any form. The old yang form I studied was mostly symmetrical in that most moves were done to both sides. My teacher explained that some moves were only done on one side because of the non-symmetrical nature of certain internal organs. I am tempted to try to learn the short form on the other side, but I;m having so much fun with the long form that I haven’t committed to it. Maybe your posts will convince me it’s time.

Thanks and good luck with your practice.
Matthew

[Anonymous]

I consider the “form” mainly as a drill. The long form in a little more demanding than the short form. More movements and combinations.

However now I’m learning the long form. Latter I will see if I could do the long form in my daily routine or there is time only for the short form. Now I’m practice also the CMC form. Also I’m learnigng the Sun Tai Chi form. I found that they complement each other very well.

[Anonymous]

Today I did a long form (I learned almost half form) and after that the short form.
My feeling after the short form was far better. Maybe I fon’t know yet enough good the long form. However doing the short form and after the short form my energy was better.

[Anonymous]

Few days ago I learned all the Wu style Tai Chi Long form sequence.
Now is time for practice

[Anonymous]

Congratulations on making it through the journey

Testing of how-to practice (and what doing the form is like “new” vs as you get “practiced”.. might make a difference)… neat to have read your thoughts from your explorations.. (espec I’ve just been a Bagua/HsingI person myself, although i like to “learn” TaiChiChuan.. I haven’t practiced one of those forms.. and Bagua&HsingI are on both sides already.. so different issues).

An issue of what each “practice” develops as an energy quality (as a grosser lvl- a chigung set- can contrast with say a TaiChi form, or perhaps Wu Short vs Wu Long.. not just in more or less Energy, nor even in how connected-full you feel after… but what is the actual feel…. which can get subtler…
-at a grosser level. the idea that some chigung or HsingI forms can give a more dense feeling, and then TaiChi can gives a softer feeling.. thus switch to balance one out- if you recognize the feeling-affect, and analyze How-do-I-feel-today… as a self-diagnosis/prescription thing.. just a thought

luck

[Author]

Posts