Monday, December 7, 2009

About Tai Chi Techniques and Training

By Walter McKibbin

Tai Chi is a practice that is derived from the concept of Yin and Yang. Over the years, it continues to uphold and managed to sustain the amenable and dynamic principles of learning way back in the olden times.

As a practice, Tai Chi's core training features 2 forms: first, the solo form, which stresses slow sequence of movements while keeping the spine straight and firm, maintaining the range of motion and constant breathing. The Push Hands being the second core of Tai Chi training involves training of the principles of movement in a manner that is more practical and convenient.

As the name implies, the solo form of Tai Chi, requires only one person to go with the flow of motion. With this form, you will go through a natural and complete range of motion while keeping your balance. If taken into regular practice, the solo form of Tai Chi can retain posture, promotes flexibility of the joints and muscles, and encourages proper circulation from any point of your body. The solo form is actually the basic of all forms. It is your first step to familiarize some of the important martial arts application sequences which you will face in the different forms.

Major styles of traditional Tai Chi have forms that somewhat differ from the others, cosmetically. Some differ in the wave of the hands, in the position of the legs, the reaction of the body and the pace of the movement. But these are all irrelevant because what is important to Tai Chi training is that it benefits not only the body but the mind as well. Although, there are many similarities coming from the point of their common origin that are obvious enough to recognize.

Solo forms, weapons and empty-hands are movements that are commonly practiced individually in martial arts application and pushing hands. Scenarios like these are intended to prepare the students for training of self-defense.

Tai Chi's Philosophy in training tells that if one becomes as hard as his opponent during a fight whether attending or resisting it, the clash will inevitably create physical injuries to both sides. A fight like this is greatly compared to fighting brutes, according to the Tai Chi theory - an attitude despised by Tai Chi discipline.

While in other martial arts force is applied to some measure, in Tai Chi, the use of subtle movements and softness in facing a battle is a great contributing factor in order to end up victorious. With Tai Chi, you just follow every attacking motion and in the end exhaust the attacking force. Such is the Tai Chi principle wherein the yin and yang is applied - the primary goal in the Tai Chi discipline.

Moreover, Tai Chi schools also focus on how the energy of a striking person affects his opponent. For example, the palm can strike physically with the same appearance and manner of performance but actually there is a difference of effect on the target.

Through your palm, you can strike and push the person either forward or backward, By doing so, lifting you opponent vertically off the ground and destroying their center of gravity.

After which, this technique can literary terminate the striking force within the body of the person with the dearest intention of causing traumatic internal damage.

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