*blank stare*

[taennyn]

. . . . you think tai chi can't be aggressive?

Have you seen what those pretty airy movements translate to at speed? Have you seen the weapons that tai chi users have come up with? Star Trek based the Klingon weapons off tai chi work!

Reactive martial art, I will grant you--the tai chi user reacts to someone else's action. But not aggressive?

Comments

[larathia]

Nodhi is not aggressive. And he's never used tai chi offensively.

It's not just the moves, but how they're used. Nodhi is, first and last, a defensive martial artist - he doesn't want to hurt you, he'd just very much like to stop you from hurting him.

And no, I don't think he has seen the weapons. I strongly doubt he would ever have had cause to be taught their use. He was taught the martial arts he knows for self defense, and to learn balance and grace.

[taennyn]

. . if he's used tai chi defensively against a hard-style martial artist, I'm frankly surprised he's intact. Tai chi defense is offense. Deflecting the attacker into a compromising position, then following up on it.

*spreads hands* This may mean that he's attaching the name to an honestly defensive martial art. But tai chi, in its true form? Is a stunningly gorgeous, nasty fighting form.

[larathia]

He doesn't do the follow up, I think. Tai chi, akido, and judo are his forms, I think, and his use of them in sparring is his own.

Generally speaking, people that spar with him wind up throwing themselves into walls, or (today) into a tree. He ducks, dodges, deflects, and when he gets the chance to, disarms and/or throws his opponent.

...I think I've seen him use blocks and sweeps that knock people over, but he never does anything past that point. He's knocked you over, you're not being a threat unless you get up and attack again.

Bear in mind - he has NEVER used these skills, as such, in a true fight. It's ALWAYS been sparring, training or exercise based matches. In a true fight, I wouldn't be surprised he's intact because of how he uses the martial arts. I'd be surprised he came out intact after curling up in a little panicky ball.

[taennyn]

. . . . . . .

I'm sorry, he doesn't follow up? What, pray tell, is the point of learning a martial art if one isn't going to use more than two thirds of the potential of that art? There are forms of dance--ballet, for example--that teach grace, balance, and the like. And in a pinch, the ability to put one's foot over one's head at speed can do lovely things to one's opponent's nose.

[tearsofscarlet]

*Click*
*BAM!!!*

"Ow! My Training!!!"

[taennyn]

*eyeroll* So why bother with the fencing, then, o fellow killer-brained one?

[tearsofscarlet]

see the difference is, that word, killer-brained. If Im going to Kill someone, Im not going to give them the time of day for honorable combat. Im going to shoot, stab, or what have you, in their back when they dont even know Im there. Heck, Id even go so far as to say click a button. Both a rapier, pistol, sniper rifle, or cruise missile usually follow the principle of the quickest way between two points is a strait line. Its cutthroat utilitarianism. well, not really cut-throat, more house-detonating.

[taennyn]

. . . have I mentioned recently that you're seriously shiny?

Also, you might like silat.

*two shiny pennies*

[celeloriel]

My boyfriend, yi_sen, who trains in ninjutsu, said the scariest man he'd ever ever met was a four foot tall korean man who'd taught the korean special forces tai chi for twenty years.

[taennyn]

*nods* 'xactly. Low center of gravity, an ungodly number of years practicing the art . . . ph34r. :)