Tai Chi… Doesn’t The Army Do That In 3 Months?
I just read a sales letter for a martial arts video that made the statement, ‘The armed forces create soldiers in 3 months.’ The implication being that it shouldn’t take all that long to learn tai chi or any other martial art. While this may be true to a point it’s an interesting over-simplification.
I imagine if someone with a modicum of ability were put into an intensive training regime to study tai chi, where their core beliefs were torn down and replaced with more self-empowering beliefs, and they were told they needed a certain level of skill to survive, they could be reasonably competent in about 3 months. This would equate to somewhere around 300 to 400 hours of training over a short period of time.
Most serious students attending a tai chi school in their spare time would take around two years to complete a similar number of training hours. Training time that is also less focused, where rehashing what’s already been taught is needed because we tend to forget what we don’t practice for a few days, especially in the beginning.
I’ve noticed most students, myself included when first taking up tai chi, aren’t all that serious about training. It’s a hobby, not something you need to keep you from becoming a celestial dirt napper. Do you think a solider preparing for combat looks at their training as “just something to pass the time”? I doubt it, not if they intend to enjoy another day on the proverbial beach of life. If you were a soldier would you want someone watching your back that didn’t take their training seriously?
I don’t usually go off on tangents like this but I found this particular comparison to be a bit on the funny side. I know it’s just sales copy, and I’m definitely not against showing your best side in sales copy. If you’ve read mine you know what I mean. I think we also sometimes need to remember to laugh at ourselves. If we’re really paying attention we will never cease to be amused. It’s all a part of letting go.
A few days ago I went back and read some of my earlier posts. I was not impressed, and got a chuckle from a couple of them. I may not be prize winning writer, but then again I’m just an opinionated guy who’s really into tai chi. All that said, get up and go practice some tai chi. It’ll take your mind of the sand in your shoes… you know, the sand you picked up on the beach of life.
Your thoughts?
John
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Nov 15, 2009 - 04:11:49John:
You did not go off on a tangent. Wish you had! I would say there are martial arts taught in every small, medium and large town in Ontario,- my home province. If I included cities there would literally be thousands. They are not all top quality schools.
Three months! Perhaps with a talented Wing Chung instructor, and an extremely dedicated student, and perhaps thirty hours a week their knowledge and skills would show a good measurable increase. But just a mere beginning of understanding!
I may be wrong. I have very limited experience. Wing Chung I was told is a very simple but effective martial art. Very aggressive, vicious and some what unpopular with other martial artists. But easier to learn.
I think you were just being very polite. Anger can be good. What do you think!
Grant
Grant,
I don’t know too much about Wing Chung, but I’ve always believed simpler is better, especially in the beginning. The true test lies in the student, regardless of the art. I think a talented student who studies any art suited to their body style can be effective against most attackers.
Even though the military can produce a soldier in 3 months, they don’t produce masters in that time. You’re absolutely right that a student would just have a mere beginning of understanding in that time, regardless of the time they put in.
Thanks, and yes anger can be good sometimes.
John
I’d like to take 3 months and train, train, train. Tear up my beliefs, dip myself in cold streams, and train, train, train. Man, my Taiji would get good quick.
Hmmm.
Maybe next year.
Steven,
Let me know. I might like to join you.
John
Oh, man…you caught me wishful thinking. Now I’ll consider it seriously. And I will let you know.
I remember boot camp, the fun we had: hiking, camping, swimming, rock climbing and what great food! I can see the ad now, John’s Basic Camp Tai Chi. Start your mornings at 4:00 am with qigong breathing followed by tai chi walking for 20 miles.
I worked with a lady through my instructor that wanted to teach tai chi at her yoga school. She was attending classes everday, sometimes twice a day. In addition, she was getting priviate lessons twice a week. Like everyone else she wanted to know it right now. She was a terrible student for about 3 months until she started focusing on her training and not completing the forms. She is doing well now and completed the training program in half the time.
David
David,
That’s a good story about the yoga instructor. Being able to teach tai chi takes a lot of focus and time. It sounds as though she got that after the first 3 months. I would love to have the time to train on that type of schedule for a few months… then of course to pass it on.
John