whats the best kind of tai chi?
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The best kind is the kind that was taught to you well, that you learnt correctly, practices everyday, and knows how to use. That said, here’s a short list of some of the popular ones.\n\nYang (Most popular system in the world today):\nPopular Traditional Yang Style – 88 to 108 moves in a single form depending who’s teaching it. Most learn it for health. Good luck trying to find someone who knows how to apply it.\nUnpopular Traditional Yang Style – One long 70-some-move form practiced fast or slow passed down by the older brother of the popular style creator.\nRoyal Yang Style – 10 Forms in all, passed down supposedly by the creator of the Yang style itself.\nZhengzi Yang Style – Single 108 move long form passed down by Taiwanese master Zheng Manqing. Fairly popular in the United States.\nModern Yang Style – 8, 12, 24, 36, 42, 48, 55, 72-move forms created for competition morning stretches and not good for much else.\n\nChen (Older sets, more difficult for beginners to learn):\nChen Old Frame – Two long forms, one fast and one slow, with traceable history as the oldest known Taichi style in the world.\nChen Small Frame – Variation on the Chen Old Frame \nChen New Frame – Yet another variation on the Chen Old Frame\nModern Chen Style – similar to the Modern Yang Style, fairly useless.\n\nSun (Combination of Taichi, Xingyi and Bagua) style is hard to master and non-Taichi moves are present from the other two internal systems.\n\nWu, the other Wu, and Zhaobao styles are branches off the Chen and Yang styles with minor variations and fewer people practicing them.
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Check out the links posted on these sites, and search:\n\nwing chun kung fu\n\nIt is an effective art form that is realitively easy to learn, and will get you in shape if you remain commited to it. \n\n\nhttp://www.wingchunassociation.com \nhttp://www.pacificwingchunassociation.com
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any martial art depends on how you train.  the ones you mentioned can be very effective, but nowdays the emphasis is mainly on health and gentle exercise so that the fighting aspect is left out, or not even known by the instructor.  finding a good sifu to teach you how to actually fight with them can be a challenge.  also, even if you do find a good sifu, it is generally acknowledged that becoming efective in fighting with the internal arts takes longer than other styles.  \n\n read wong kiew kit's website, he has a question and answer series, and deals with this kind of question often.  his opinion is that not only are they effective for fightig, but that the best health benefits are gained from training in the traditional way, ie for fighting.
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I'm a big fan of Kick boxing aerobics or tai bo, but I think that belly dancing classes would be alot of fun too. But, my roommates just bought a DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) game and it is tons of fun and has been keeping us up and moving for hours at a time ever since we got it.
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yoga, tai chi, mediation, deep breathing, warm bath, sleep
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Best one I know of is exercise.
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Muai Thai would tear up an Aikido practitioner... pretty much any art is effective against TKD, its not a fighting art, its a sport.
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No Martial Art is superior to another. They are all basically different paths to the same place. Tai Chi is a martial art that focuses on flowing movement and direction of the Vital energy (Chi). It includes very effective self defense techniques and powerful strikes and counters. Modern Kung Fu ( Acquired Skill) or Wu Shu (Martial Art) is based on the fighting of the Chinese monks. It also uses very effective counters, powerful strikes, locks and manipulations. A skilled martial artist from either discipline will arrive in the same place. In kung fu we start by working at the physical aspects, A strong punch a fast kick. Later on we begin to direct our chi energy to produce more effective techniques banish our fear and improve our health. A Tai chi practitioner will start with a focus on their Chi energy using movements that naturally stimulate it's growth and build your awareness of it's movement. After time these movements will become devastating punches and nearly impenetrable defenses. A great Master I know of is my Sifu. He has studied Kung fu his hole life. He moves as powerfully as a tiger and as nimbly as a monkey (the two main animals in our style). But more impressive is his mastery over chi energy. When one of us has been injured in class he has repaired the damage. He escapes from holds just by breathing.
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Tae Kwon Do\nHwa-Rang and Choong-Moo
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it is impossible to learn any genuine martial art from video, d.v.d or book.surely when the weather is realy bad or in the evenings there is time to attend a class with a good quality instructor. Either Wu Shu for flexibility or any style of Tai Chi would benfit you.
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I studied karate for many years, and then studied tai ji for a while. I am not specifically familiar with the Wu style, but in general I can say that Karate goes directly to the martial application. In other words, a given technique has obvious application as a punch or a block, etc. With tai ji, the martial application is more concealed within the technique. It takes a longer period of training to develop tai ji into an effective martial art, as well as a knowledgeable instructor to explain how a technique is applied. I found tai ji to be worthwhile, and enjoy the daoist philosophy behind it. But if my goal were to become proficient in self defense, for example, it would not be my first choice.
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Martial arts is a very personal thing.  Each style and type will appeal to different people.  Obviously you should try out several styles before making a decision.\n\nAs a general rule, Japanese martial arts are very "straight line" and "to the point".  Meaning they attack, attack hard, and don't waste much energy trying to look pretty.\n\nChinese martial arts are less direct, utilizing many circular movements.  Just as effective as Japanese arts, they also give a lot of emphasis to physical training and spiritual development.  \n\nI can't speak much about Korean or Thai martial arts.  But both Tae Kwon Do and Kickboxing are very popular arts.\n\nMy favorite Japanese martial art is Aikido.  It is a defensive martial art.  There are no attacking moves.  But if anyone violates your "circle of control" you will easily and quickly toss them on their ear, literally.\n\nMy next favorite Japanese martial art is Judo, particularly the Brazilian flavor. There is an Afro-Brazilian art called Capoeria which is very physical and will keep you in great shape.\n\nMy favorite Chinese martial art is Kung Fu.  There are many types of kung fu, so you'll have to do some online research to find the type that appeals to you.  Wing Chun is a popular style, once studied by Bruce Lee.\n\nMy favorite American martial art is Jujitsu.  This is one of the best martial arts ever invented.  It has a little bit of everything in it - ground work, kicks, throws, punches, you name it.\n\nKempo is an American martial art that is quite popular. It has many elements of similarity with karate and judo.  Throws, striking, kicking, etc.\n\nIf you want to get involved, just find the closest school or dojo and give it a try.  If it doesn't feel right, try another.  You'll quickly find the one that fits you.
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Aikido.\n\nIt's awesome, and even fat guys can do it (ie Steven Seagal).
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Hi and be blessed, I teach HapKiDo a corean martial art of self defense in the country of Panama and have been teaching this art for 29 years. The study of Chi or Ki as is called in Korean (Corean) is very interesting because it is a development that helps you besides increase the inner energy or life force, very important to learn it from a qualified teacher. \n\nThe best way to lear and increase your Ki is by breading and the best way is by inhaling slow and deep with out hearing the breath in your nose and exhale the same way out the mouth. It can be done in 4 basic ways: standing, seated, laying down or walking. \n\nYou must be patient ! To learn to increase the inner energy is a development thing so no rush. With time you will feel the Ki flow in your body, it is not a magic thing since all persons have Ki it is not an aout of this wold thing it is just some thing a person doing this activity dailly and with patience.\n\nAt first one must balance the breath. This means that the inhale and exhale must take the same length in time for example start wit 3 or 4 seconds inhale and balance the same exhaling and once this happens continue incresing the time span but make sure it feals confortable as you do this training since it really is not dangerous to do but it is a sencible thing to work with and it is true that doing it wrong can hert you like drinking water incorrectly.\n\nThis can be learned in HapKiDo, AiKiDo, TaiChi, Ki Gong or Chi Kung/Gong etc. Were ever you find the place and how to know if you found it is by doing this activity in a relaxful way ! Good luck.
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http://www.cam.ac.uk/societies/cukc/katapage/index.html\nCambridge University Karate Club\n\nhttp://home7.swipnet.se/~w-72482/Taikyoku%20Shodan.gif\nTaikyoku Shodan of Shotokan Katas\nhttp://home7.swipnet.se/~w-72482/page3.html\nOther Kata illustrations.\n\nhttp://www.shotokan-arts.com/katavid.htm\nKata vidz
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This link has all the hand styles for Taekwon-do.\ncheck it out...
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Thai Chi\n\nI have athritis in the knees and lower back, in my 30's.  It's amazing what only a week of Thai Chi did for all my joints.  I actually do it before I do Yoga (Yoga has been know to throw my joins out of place).