I finally found a teacher who understood Taiji as a combat art and teaches it that way. But today's article isn't about him. It's about how important it is to choose the right teacher. There is a saying that it is better to study under the right teacher for one year than to train under the wrong teacher for 20 years. The reason for this is simple: a student unavoidably comes to take after his teacher after a few years of study. Therefore, it's important that your teacher exemplify not just the kind of martial artist you want to be, but also the kind of person you'd like to become.
In some ways, the choice of a teacher is even more important that the choice of a style. Although wing chun and Brazilian jujitsu are known for their emphasis on practical fighting skills, I've met teachers of these styles who couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag - and their students are about the same.
On the other hand, although Taiji is not known (at least in the U.S.) as a style to choose if you want fighting skills, the students in my school, like their teacher, are perfectly able to use Taiji to win a fight.
I once heard of a respected martial artist who, as a boy, had injured his leg. As a result, every time he performed a particular technique, it caused a sharp pain in his leg, and he winced. One day, he noticed that almost all his students also winced when they performed the technique, even though there was no physical reason for them to do so! It was just a reflexive habit of his that the students had subconsciously picked up. While amusing, this just shows how big an influence a teacher can have on your skills.
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