Learning New Ways to Do a Taijiquan Form

I attend classes in Qigong and Taijiquan in Vancouver on Tuesday and Thursday morning conducted by Sifu David Fetyko.  He is teaching the 24 Taijiquan Yang form, the 19 Chen Taijiquan form, qigong sets, warmups and drills.

I learned the 24 Yang Taijiquan form in 1986, and have been practicing and teaching this popular Yang style Taijiquan form since 2000.  

Sifu Fetyko's 24 Form is beautifully done and is based on sound Taiji principles.  Sifu Fetyko is meticulous and precise in his teaching.  Each movement of the form has nuances of weighting and hand movements and angles that are slightly different in the version he teaches as compared with my habituated version.  

It is a challenge for me to pay close attention and get my body moving in new ways.  I have balance issues, so I also need to focus on this aspect of the form.  I have a lot to learn.  Some degree of clumsiness is apparent and felt internally.  Also, I need to get my knees to bend more and strengthen my legs.  

Learning requires some relearning, discarding old habits, patience, going with the flow, trusting in the teacher, enjoying the moment, and slowing down.  

Also, since I am recovering from recent surgeries to deal with my heart disease, my stamina and strength are far less than optimal.  I needed to sit and rest and observe the last 20 minutes of the last class because of fatigue.  

After three months of taking classes with Mr. Fetyko, I stopped taking his classes.  His style of teaching was far too slow for my tastes.  Too much time spent warming up, obscure explanations of Qi, expensive class costs, and too many tedious corrections of the student's form work.  Also, as you came to know Mr. Fetyko on a personal basis, your worldview and his Christian Fundamentalism and anti-intellectualism might not be compatible.