October 17, 2011
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Stav, staff and Tai Chi
Stav, staff and Tai Chi
Martial arts
I had my second #Tai-Chi lesson today. Comparing #Stav and Tai Chi is interesting. The fundamental difference based on my little experience is that Tai Chi focus much more on power in the legs than Stav. My legs were jelly after the first session but less so today. The class master was friendly on me as a beginner. The classes started a while ago so I was literally thrown into the deep end. Tai Chi is definitely more complex movements and my left and right hands were often confused...but my stav training helped met to establish my focus and I was soon able to follow some of the movements. Tai Chi flow with energy while stav channel energy. Stav works more on the stomach muscles than Tai Chi. Although Tai Chi movements has got names, the sequence of moves sometimes have no apparent meaning and looks confusingly haphazard to my Western Mind. Stav is based on the runes with a fixed sequence. Both gives one opportunity to find balance and focus the mind. In that regard there are many similarities. I think combining the two disciplines gives one both a sense of structure and flow respectively, stav off course providing the sense of structure channeling energy while Tai Chi gives the flow of energy.
I bought myself a staff to practice Stav the day before my birthday. That is a whole different discipline. I practiced with the staff over the week-end and boy did I discover stomach muscles, that I never new I had. The staff is excellent for hand and eye coordination. Love the feeling of whirling the staff at a faster and faster pace. The staff is an add on. My main discipline will remain stav but it is great to be able to augment it with some new techniques and movements.
Comments (7)
My experience with Tai Chi is that it seems like it requires a lot from the legs but one must learn over the course of practice to continually focus energy generation through the lower Dan Tien (an energy point just below the navel and just inside the abdomen wall). When this is accomplished the legs (and the entire body) draw their energy from the Dan Tien and the body adjusts to structure that relieves the emphasis on leg muscle strength. Also, over the course of continual practice the entire form becomes a profound body memory, replacing the complex mental narrative of the sequence and performance of the various stages. Finally, if you can get practical martial instruction for the movements within the form it does help.
I have been doing a form of tai chi for several years now and read about stav here on your blog. I wish there was some place around me where I could learn stav. It sounds like the energy I need. I am a senior citizen ( 66 Yrs) . I do tai chi for balance and positive energy. Keep up the good work.
@dirtbubble - Thank you, I understand things in the same way but I it is too early to comment on the theory...with practical knowledge...but I wil keep it in mind as I progress.
@GoodGuyTheBoss - Stav is much easier (I think) to maintain than Tai Chi although Tai Chi proponents say you can go on with it until a very old age. If you search for "Stav postures" on YouTube then you will get an idea of what the postures are. Really easy postures to know and remember...connected with correct breathing it will most surely help at any age. You can aquire the basics without much external training. Stav is a practical thing that empowers you to do it on your own. There are even a set of positions for people who can no longer stand up. If you do decided to give it a try, then please let me know if it helped you. It does take a week or two before you begin to experience any results.
Tai Chi is simple but not easy (that's why it's hard). I've learned few Tai Chi techniques, but it's tough, so I gave up. But one thing I know about Tai Chi it teach you to pay attention to your body. In Tai Chi knowing your body is everything.
@RestlessButterfly - Very good observation. I have enjoyed the bit of exposure I had till now...I will still have to see if it becomes a passion, an interest ....or just a diversion.
@Zeal4living - I gave up Tai Chi and stick to jogging and workout in gym instead.
@RestlessButterfly - The most important is that you keep to a discipline of exercise.
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