CompleteMartialArts.com - Tai Chi Dynamics: Principles of Natural Movement, Health & Self-Development
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List Price: $20.95
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Manufacturer: YMAA Publication Center
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 796
EAN: 9781594391163
ISBN: 1594391165
Label: YMAA Publication Center
Manufacturer: YMAA Publication Center
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 180
Publication Date: 2008-07-25
Publisher: YMAA Publication Center
Studio: YMAA Publication Center
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Editorial Reviews:
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Intended for intermediate level Tai Chi players. The author, a thirty-seven year Tai Chi practitioner with a Ph.D. in experimental physics, applies logic and basic scientific principles to clarify many perplexing concepts in Tai Chi such as force, muscle contraction, breathing, and more. Discusses self-development, Tai Chi massage, how diet effects Tai Chi, the role of a teacher and many more common concerns of intermediate Tai Chi students. Supported with photographs and drawings throughout.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: "A string of pearls" in a lot of seaweed
Comment: *Disclosure- I received this book through YMAA for free to review. *
Although Robert Chukrow is billed as a Ph.D. in experimental physics, it seems that he has left behind the `experimental' ideal for the realm of anecdote and supposition. Dr. Chukrow states that "Many verifiable scientific principles have originated with conjecture." True enough, but they became scientific principles only after backed up by facts.
As an example, Dr, Chukrow places a great deal on the idea of `muscular extension'- the idea that a muscle can `push' or cause movement by extending, rather than contracting. The problem with this idea is that the mechanism of muscular movement is well described in cellular and molecular biology. Actin and myosin filaments within muscle fibers interact in a `ratchet' mechanism that only provides force by shortening, or contracting. They cannot provide force by lengthening. Dr. Chukrow provides a diagram of a possible mechanism of muscular lengthening, but his diagram would require that muscle fibers be arranged in a dramatically different way- one not found in real life. In addition, if `muscular extension' was so powerful, why are all axial skeletal muscles arranged in opposing pairs? Why not a single muscle that could do both active contraction and extension?
While this idea of `muscular extension' might be a good training tool for visualization, much like imagining the limbs inflating with air for the feeling of `peng', Dr. Chukrow seems to treat muscular extension as a physiologic fact, and bases much of his explanation of tai chi phenomena on this idea. However, until he gives me a better reason as to how `muscular extension' really occurs, I retain a significant amount of skepticism about his explanation.
Dr. Chukrow covers many topics in his book... perhaps too many. His chapters on self-defense and martial applications are fairly basic, but my impression is that Dr. Chukrow's main focus is not in those aspects of tai chi. Other topics, including fasting, dream interpretation, the nature of consciousness, and life after death, range far from the empirical world, and turn the physical exercise of tai chi into a near pseudo-religion.
Despite my misgivings about the presentation of many of his concepts, there are some very good things in this book. I thought his chapters on `seemingly paradoxical admonitions' that makes the student question those `always/never' statements, push hands, and teaching students were enlightening and worthwhile chapters for any tai chi player to read. I also enjoyed his chapters on relationships and dynamics in tai chi movement after I learned to take his ideas on muscular extension figuratively and not literally.
I leave with a quote from an Amazon reviewer of Dr Chukrow's previous writing "The Tai Chi Book"
"I was hoping for a book written by a smart man of Western science to provide some insight into this most esoteric of Eastern "mythological" topics. I was hoping for a breakdown of at least basic biomechanics, some Western-style research into physiology, so that those concepts would be used to elaborate on this author's insights into the learning process of understanding and mastering Tai Chi.
Not to be."
Dr. Chukrow does provide an answer of sorts to this reviewer, but I'm afraid that some of his biomechanical and physiological explanations are lacking. He continues to delve into aspects of philosophy and metaphysics that may or may not fall into your definition of the study of tai chi chuan, just as he did in his last book. There are some very good concepts in Dr. Chukrow's writings, but the reader has to separate the wheat from the chaff...
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Tai Chi Info for ALL
Comment: while this book is aimed at intermediate to advanced tai chi players i found it quite enjoyable and interesting. combining the physics and science of tai chi it makes for an informative read. the illustrations were helpful as well as the dr.'s explanations and photographs. i found the chapter dealing with tai chi as a martial art fasinating. a well written book which will benifit most readers in their quest to further their understanding and knowledge of tai chi.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A good addition to any Tai Chi library
Comment: Though I disagree with his theories on muscle extension, there is more than enough valuable information to make up for this. The chapters dealing with Health, Self Massage, and Healing as well as those dealing with Teaching are excellent.
I altered my foot massage to match the one he shows and had immediate positive results!
There are also many exercises provided to help strengthen a practitioners skill in push hands and footwork.
This book is meant for the intermediate or advanced practitioner of Tai Chi Chuan. It's only other drawback, and Dr. Chuckrow gives early warning, is that some parts must be read several times before they are understood. That's true with any complex idea.
I recommend that this book (and Exploring Tai Chi, by John Loupos) be included in any Tai Chi library.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Tai chi student
Comment: Tai Chi Dynamics is an excellent and erudite book written by a true expert. While most of the book is for the intermediate or advanced student, anyone with an interest in the martial arts can benefit from this reading. A beginner can also learn the basic precepts and goals of Tai Chi while the advanced student will obtain a deep understanding of the concepts and background of the art. The book should be read a chapter at a time in order to better absorb the contents as there is a great deal of information which the author imparts to the reader. This book is highly recommended for anyone who wants to go far beyond only practising the graceful movements of Tai Chi.
Customer Rating:
Summary: a dynamic addition
Comment: First off, this book is recommended for any level practitioner of Tai chi....but the ideas explained within can be applied in any other martial art. The author of this book has been doing tai chi for 40+ years, so you can consider him somewhat of an authority on the subject. Some of the sections in this book are written from a scientific standpoint, which is good and bad.....good because the author provides very detailed explanations to how and why things work, bad because its like a really really smart guy is explaining physics to you. So if you have that scientific mind set this will be an easy read, if not it might take a few re-reads to totally grasp the ideas....but it will be worth the effort. the books section on push-hands, and on dynamics of movement are fantastic and will provide beginners with a lot of insight, the section on breathing and on martial applications should appeal to the intermediate players, and for the advanced student/teacher there are sections on self development which contain ideas and recommendations for teaching and personal growth. There is also a wealth of other information to be discovered in this book. Be sure to check out the bibliography as well. A great addition to my collection.
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