When I first started Tai Chi I couldn’t tell the difference between Wu Style and a slice of bread.

It was only after I had started that I discovered that there were several styles of Tai Chi and I was doing Wu style Tai Chi.

And I continue to practice Wu style Tai Chi. Atlhough I have dabbled in Michuan Tai Chi and Yang Tai Chi.

I’ve discussed and read many points of view on which Tai Chi style is the best. And some of those views have been controversial.

What is the best style?

Well, with my limited experience and talent all I can come up with is this.

It would take several lifetimes to comprehensively review and practice all the styles of Tai Chi available. Unless you believe in re-incarnation then this is not possible.

As long as the Tai Chi you are doing obeys the Tai Chi principals then that is ‘the best Tai Chi’.

So the best style of Tai Chi is the style you are doing right now.

Regardless what style you practice, we all part of the Tai Chi community.

Separated by name only.

Footnote: Imagine the possibilities of Tai Chi if more time was spent on practicing rather than arguing which is ‘the best Tai Chi style’

One of the techniques I practice each day is the ‘push.’

And there is a difference between a push and a shove when it comes to Tai Chi.

In the Tai Chi Chuan Treatise by Chang San Feng there is a line ‘…. if there is a front  there is a back’  (‘When attacking or defending on one side, you must be aware of the other side’).

Here’s my interpretation of this in regards to a push.

When you are pushing an opponent forward be aware of the reverse direction.

Try this concept on a punching bag.

Hold your arms out in front of you, elbows bent and push the bag and see what happens.

If upon contact the bag swings away from you  then you are shoving and not pushing because you have not paid attention to ‘the other side’ i.e. the reverse direction.

Now try it again by focusing on the reverse direction while you are pushing forward.

If the bag hardly moves then you are correctly pushing and not just shoving.

It took me many attempts to get to a basic skill level.

It’s not easy, have a go and let me know what happens.

Footnote: Quote from Dr Yang Jwing-Ming Advanced Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan Vol. 1

Here’s a clip I discovered thanks to Jordan Keat’s recent tweet.

It features early Wu Style Tai Chi demonstration (1937) by Chu Min Yu who was a student of Master Wu Jianquan, founder of Wu Style Tai Chi.

What I particluarly like are the two sections on training sensitivity using equipment – horizontal rod supported by flexible ropes and a large swinging ball attached to a frame.

These are ideal exercises when you’re training on your own and If I can figure out how to build the contraptions I will .

Here’s  a breakdown of the key exercises in this 9.17 clip.

0.00 – 3.37
Demonstration of the entire Wu style form speeded up

00.38-3.37
Double Push Hands and Da Lu performed with a partner

4.58-6.00
Exercise with rod performed solo

6.02-7.15
Exercise with large ball performed solo

7.47-8.26
Kicking a shuttlecock continuously

A famous Wu Style master, Ma Yueh-Liang – (1901-1998) pushing hands with a younger opponent. I think he was in his eighties when this clip was filmed. Also check my previous post and you will see Ma Yueh Liang’s wife, Wu Yinghua demonstrating part of the Wu Style form.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This is the Wu Style Tai Chi form I practice.

It’s the traditional long form as demonstrated by Wu Yinghua (1907-1997), daughter of Wu Chien Chuan.

She was probably in her late eighties when she demonstrated the form. The video clip is of poor quality but you can get a flavour of the Wu style form by watching it.

She demonstrated about a third of the long form, from the opening posture to Left and Right Parting Leg (just after the first cloud hands).

Click here to view the embedded video.

A few years ago I was training with our instructor and a small group of students in a garage.

We were practising some techniques and my training partner mentioned an idea that I found unusual.

I didn’t give  it too much thought at the time but later on I started to use it in my training and found it to be very beneficial.

Although it may sound a bit weird, here is the technique.

1. Imagine there is a little man inside your tan tien.

2. Each time you practice a technique, imagine the little man doing exactly the same thing at the same time as you are, perfectly.

It’s a  simple concept and here are the reasons why it works for me.

1. It keeps my focus in the tan tien area – stops my mind from wandering.

2. My movements are more precise.

3. Improves my speed when practising a technique.

When I have reflected on this technique I’ve wondered if points 2 & 3 were part of my imagination or just a placebo effect. But it doesn’t really matter. If the only benefit I get from this concept is that it keeps me focused on my tan tien then it is worthwhile.

Before trying this technique make sure you have mastered the skill you are practising. If you don’t you could be fine tuning a bad habit.

If you decide to have a go, let me know if it works for you or not.

Footnote: re title – no, I was not influenced by Bob Dylan or The Byrds singing ‘Hey Mr Tambourine Man … Oh, hang on, maybe I was?

Interesting clip of Sifu Tony Chan pushing hands with his student.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I was asked recently what is the ‘form’ in Tai Chi  so I thought now would be a good time to do a post on it.

The word ‘form’ in Tai Chi can have different meanings so let’s clarify that now.

There’s the Tai Chi form and there are weapons forms such as sabre form, sword form, spear form and staff form.

I’ll focus on the generally accepted view of the  ‘form’ as in the Tai Chi form.

The Tai Chi form is a series of mostly slow movements that are performed in sequence. See the clip below.

There are different syles or forms – the major ones are:

• Wu
• Yang
• Chen
• Sun
• Wu/Hao

There are two categories of forms:

1. The traditional form (long form)

• has 37 original postures ( e.g. Grasping the Bird’s Tail, Clouded Hands etc.)
• usually have 108 postures (movements) which include repeats of the 37 original postures
• about 15-20 minutes to perform, some are longer in duration
• 6-12 months to learn

2. Short Forms

• made up of postures from the traditional forms – could be any postures in any sequence
• 4  minutes or more in duration
• 6 or more weeks to learn

Other points to be aware of are:

• Each posture is a self defence movement (note – cannot be used as self defence unless modified – this is another post)
• Posture names may differ from style to style or even within a style
• Techniques of postures may differ from style to style
• Key principles of relaxation in Tai Chi are consistent across all Tai Chi forms
• There are fast forms

In this clip the late Master Ma YuaLiang performs a fast Wu form and at 2.20 Wu Ying Hwa Wu performs the slow Wu form. Both in their 90′s at the time and married to each other. Wu Ying Hwa Wu was the daughter of the founder of the Wu style, Master Wu Chuan Chien.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I often share the following story with various groups when Sue and I are running our workshops.

Twenty-two years ago a friend of mine, who was a Tai Chi teacher at the time, tried to convince me to do Tai Chi.

At the time I wasn’t interested because I thought Tai Chi was for elderly people and besides who wants to embarrass themselves by prancing around.

Well, he kept at me ‘try Tai Chi, try Tai Chi’, and after two years of being pestered by him I finally gave in and said, ‘look, if I try it will you stop annoying me?’

He said, ‘yes.’

So I went to my first Tai Chi lesson here in Blackburn, Melbourne, Australia.

It was a church hall and as I entered the hall I noticed 20 other nervous beginners milling about.

My instructor yelled, ‘Big ones at the back and small ones in the front.’

I thought, ‘you beauty, I’m tall. I can hide down the back.’

After that one hour lesson I was hooked for life.

It’s now my passion,  part of our business AQ/KQ and an excellent way of maintaining good health.

I often thought why did it take me so many years to try Tai Chi.

I think the answer lies in what a Tai Chi master once said, ‘you will come to Tai Chi when you are ready.’

A short clip on the late Grand Master Ma Yueh Liang, Wu style Tai Chi.

This was filmed when he was 91 years old.

He says, “It took me 10 years to discover my chi but 30 years to learn how to use it.”

Patience in Tai Chi is certainly a virtue.

Click here to view the embedded video.