Product: Taiji Pushing Hands 1 & 2 (YMAA Tai Chi) Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming (2012)
Rating: 5.0
Excellent Taiji Video for All Stylists
Although one of my good friends and training partners studies the Chinese martial arts and owns much of Dr. Yang's library, Taiji Pushing Hands 1 & 2 was my first direct exposure to this renowned instructor, and let me just say that I was utterly impressed. The supple and smooth, yet powerful and explosive, movements of his body are a sight to behold. Even more impressive is the fact that he can do them all while standing on the sides of bricks. Any martial artist, no matter what his or her style, would be happy to have this type of body control in his/her toolbox.And really, that is what makes this video so great - the content is really quite style neutral. Sure, its primary audience is taiji practitioners. However, anyone who watches this video with an open mind is going to find many skills, drills, and methods that will mold seamlessly into his/her style of choice. In fact, while watching the video, I was continually finding myself thinking things such as, "Oh, that looks like blank technique from so-and-so kata." In addition, Dr. Yang explains all of the movements in such a way that even someone with no prior exposure to pushing hands can follow along reasonably well. Really, the only place where the exposition is inadequate is during the Taiji Ball Qigong exercises at the beginning of Course 2. Although the viewer is referred to a separate video that specifically discusses these movements, some small amount of discussion would have been useful to fit them into the larger picture. However, this is only a minor issue and does nothing to detract from the way in which the rest of the material is presented.Furthermore, not only are the practices in this video well explained, they are also quite practical. Anyone who thinks that taiji is simply some form of relaxing "New Age"-y exercise that has no relevance to self-defense needs only to watch this video to see the fallacy of his or her argument. Not only does Dr. Yang give the viewer numerous pushing hands drills to practice either solo or with a partner, he also frequently demonstrates how the flowing movements from the drills can blend directly into a variety of joint locks and takedowns. Plus, he even shows a couple of different ways that a heavy bag/sand bag can be used to practice the pushing hands techniques. Watching the video, it is clear why pushing/sticking hands-type drills were once a central part to many different martial arts. Moreover, it is a great motivator for reintroducing them into styles where their practice has been neglected.Finally, unlike many martial arts videos, the production values on this DVD are quite solid. The picture is clear, and aside from a few sound pops here and there, the audio is good. Moreover, the menus are easy to navigate and allow the viewer to go directly to the specific drills he or she wants to practice. Overall, I give this video top marks and look forward to watching other Dr. Yang productions.