WTBA Foundations Training Program

I just finished my first week Taiji and Bagua classes. Some thoughts I would like to share:

- The teaching... on a scale from 0 to 10, about 11. Eli is impressive in the detail and the facility for conveying small nuances that are all important. The best. There might be also other "the best" teachers out there, but this we have with the great and original idea of ongoing online classes.
- Learning Taiji and Bagua, and Sansau at the same time. I had no practiced Bagua before. although did a little Sansau (also with Eli's videos). I find Bagua interesting, and I will try to keep learning both, although this will probably mean I will go more slowly. I don't have 6 days available for classes, although working on it.
- The program... I feel very comfortable with the pace. I have been practicing the whole taiji form for years, but attending to new details, learning both the form on both sides, adding Bagua and Sansau and keeping all of it in may head is more than enough. I need this slow pace to digest all of it.
- The reverse form... This is a welcome must! I knew I had to learn the taiji form in reverse, but it was difficult and confusing, so I kept postponing it. I appreciate very much starting on both sides and look forward to doing both taiji forms in their entirely. Some day, I will.
- The fighting explanations... I understand they are needed, but somehow I don't feel engaged enough with them (this also happened with the "To the max series"). I have no partner to practice with, so I just have to watch lengthy explanations which breaks the rhythm of the class. I am not sure many students are able to go through the classes in pairs or group, so perhaps this also applies to them. I would prefer to have the fighting applications moved to the last part of the class. Thus the rhythm would be kept and the explanations still available. Not sure about this, just an idea.
- The sandbag... I am not sure I can put a sandbag in my flat, so I can't follow the practice. I can see, however, how it would be beneficial. I am looking for some solution or alternative.

So very, very happy with the classes and on to the second week.

Thanks for your kind comments mate :-)
With regard to the applications, I hear what you're saying, but for most people in my experience they like to have an idea of what the posture is doing, otherwise all the details don't make as much sense.
Probably you've not trained martial stuff before?
This I can understand, as someone who has no comprehension of fighting often doesn't benefit much from seeing the apps unless they can actually try them with a partner.
You could always just skip ahead though.

For the punching bag, you can get ones like this
https://www.rebelsport.com.au/p/everlast-powercore-freestanding-punching-bag-396320.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwytOEBhD5ARIsANnRjVhFAKi1PqI1vV0Hm5rwOQrGHjyd4av15zVOyonJHSh7BFUHikAs2akaAqRCEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I've had these type in small flats in the past as they don't take up much space and don't need fixing to anything :-)

I did practice my martial arts: judo, taekwondo, kendo... I don't doubt the need for understanding the martial applications, just that I can only watch without ever practicing. This is why I say the explanations break a little bit the class rhythm, not a big issue though. I am looking at the freestanding bags, more expensive though, but I think I will manage something.