6) Are weapons necessary to Taiji?

BOB WESLEY: "Each weapon highlights a certain aspect or function in the form, be it foot work or waist movement. If the weapon is not balanced or comfortable something is probably

VINCENT JONES: "From a Taiji point of view, I think it is important to remember that you are the weapon. In almost every weapon form, one of the earliest moves is a punch or a strike. The forms usually contain kicks (or at least moves that would facilitate a kick) the empty hand is often in a position to help your opponent loose his balance or to grasp him or his weapon prior to the strike with your own. We are not fencers or boxers relying only on our weapon or a small area of our hands. We are training to fight using (possibly) a weapon but our technique is equally valid and quite unchanging whether we are using a knife, a Guinness bottle, s sword or a ridgehand. Having disturbed your opponents balance you can turn your dantien left or right and strike with a weapon or a part of your body, the technique remains the same. The legal consequences, of course, might vary."

VICKY HOLDEN: "Yes! You can't kid yourself (or anyone else!) about the quality of what you are doing with a weapon in your hand. If your empty hand placement is an inch or two out, it will be at least a foot out at the other end of a seven-foot spear! When practicing, you might argue whether or not an opponent's hand technique would actually have done any damage to your arm, whereas an accurately-placed blade would have removed your arm!

CRAIG JACKSON: "When I was a beginner, I couldn't wait to get my hands on any sword or stick/staff but once I did I thought that they were to Taiji what cakes are to diets. But after a few years I have found that most of my empty hand form corrections have come from weapons training. I now think that weapons are very necessary. They teach various skills such as timing, focus, distance, confidence and also build up 'gung fu'. If someone can do five hundred broadsword coils and then five hundred spear exercises without complaining, then their mental training is getting somewhere." 

JOHN FOWLER:I think there are very important.  Each weapon and improve with the aspects of your Taiji.  For instance the broadsword emphasizes the waist, which helps students understand what their waist should be doing in the solo form.

7) Additional information you think may be interesting or important?

BOB WESLEY: "Sex is very important in life." (No Bob, I said important. Not
impotent! - Editor)

VINCENT JONES: "I make only two recommendations in the matter of staffs. Firstly, use the heaviest staff you can cope with. Secondly, keep a separate, tatty old staff for hitting your tire with because you will get black rubber marks all over it. I rarely train with someone else using a staff. Something not entirely safe for others comes over me when I face someone with a staff in my hands and it just doesn't seem like a good idea. This does not happen with any other form of training or weapon. I suspect it is some kind of reincarnation throwback."

VICKY HOLDEN:"Longquan broadswords and straight swords are better than the chrome-plated or aluminum varieties, and come in different blade lengths (26"/28"/30"/32" etc), however the shorter lengths can be difficult to get hold of. Good martial arts shops often stock these, but you may have to wait for some time as deliveries from the Far East can be patchy. Staffs (& spears) - white wax wood is generally the most resilient type."

JOHN FOWLER: "There has been a lot of talk recently about whether students should stick to a couple forms, or 'collect' many over the years and maybe forget some.  I am one of the lucky ones who once I know a form I tend to remember it.  (My memory for everything else in life is terrible, it's must be full of Taiji forms!!).
I think it's very important to learn a form thoroughly before moving on, and to practice it often, but those who say stick to that, I feel are missing the point.  Each form is a tool to help you understand how to use that weapon.  Ask anyone who has forgotten parts of a broadsword form for instance, and I'll bet they remember the moves that were different from the other broadsword forms they know. Also, learning something new is what it's all about. Having Fun!"

8) Thanks.

VICKY HOLDEN: "Your welcome!"