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.

The core training of Tai Chi features two forms: the solo form and the Push Hands. In solo form, slow motions are given emphasis while maintaining a straight and firm spine and constant fine abdominal breathing. Push hands, on the other hand, involve training with a more practical and convenient ways of motion.

As the word implies, the solo form of Tai Chi, requires only the one person to conquer the movements. It would take the students through a natural and complete range of motion over gravity's center. If repeated accurately, the practice of the solo form can retain posture, maintain honest flexibility going through the joints and muscles, encourage proper circulation from any point of the student's body, and let students be more familiarized with some of the important martial art application sequences that are usually implied by 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 form, weapons and empty-hands are the basic steps to start off with learning Tai Chi. Many other martial arts application do this in their trainings. This is especially intended to prepare the students for 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.

Unlike in other martial arts wherein force is applied to some measure, in Tai Chi, students are taught that instead of battling it out or directly resisting an incoming force, they should meet it with the most subtle movements and softness, following every attacking motion and in the end, exhausting the attacking force. This is all done while remaining at a close contact manner. This is the principle wherein the yin and yang is applied. If this method is done correctly, the yin-yang balance in combating is the primary goal of training Tai Chi.

Aside from discipline, Tai Chi schools also put their concentration on how the energy of a striking person will bring damage to his opponent. Say for example, you can use your palm to hit your opponent looking the same and performing the same but with a different impact on the target.

A palm can strike and push the person either forward or backward. It is done in such a way that the opponents are lifted vertically from the ground thus breaking and deforming their center of gravity.

After which, this technique can cease the striking force within the body of the person and resulting to a traumatic internal damage. - 31491

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