Tai Chi for health & wellbeing
Here’s a very good explanation and demonstration of Push Hands and sparring by Guo Shufu.
I’ve watched this clip several times. The first few times I concentrated on reading the subtitles and then focused on the actual demonstrations.
It’s certainly a great resource if you want to learn the finer points of Push Hands and tips on sparring.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYFcUxep9TE&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
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
Is Tai Chi a miracle cure for your problems?
Is it the best fighting art?
In two words, no and no.
It’s not Tai Chi that will provide you with a miracle cure.
The miracles you are looking for may occur if you do two things.
Very simple concepts that are difficult to do because it requires discipline.
So the next time you read about the miracle of Tai Chi, ground yourself in reality and focus on the above concepts.
If you do your Tai Chi, wellbeing, and self defence skills will improve gradually.
Footnote: There are no free yum cha’s in Tai Chi. Only practice.
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?
A few years ago I ran short courses in self defence for women.
The courses were 6-8 weeks in duration, one hour per week.
When I sat down and created these courses I looked at my Tai Chi background to develop simple and practical techniques.
One technique I taught was from the Tai Chi essentials (body alignment).
That technique was ‘chin’ alignment.
You simply tuck your chin slightly in.
How can that be used as a self defence technique?
Well, it’s a preventative self defence technique that anybody can do.
Here’s my rationale.
Sticking your chin out can be interpreted as a sign of arrogance or you are looking for trouble (it tends to be a guy thing). You are actually inviting a reaction, particularly from an attacker.
Now, if your chin is tucked in too tightly, it will force your head downards into a submissive pose. Something that attackers tend to look for.
The Tai Chi chin alignment is not only correct body posture but it also gives out an assertive look that may cause an attacker to have second thoughts.
Inwardly you may feel nervous or fearful but when you adopt the correct body posture it can help deter attackers.
I made sure the course was fun by using the following exercise to practice the ‘chin’ technique.
I had women work in pairs. They walked past each other three times. Each time they would either adopt an aggressive, passive or assertive chin pose.
I got them to exaggerate the aggressive and passive chin poses to tap into the feel of the correct chin technique. And it also helped them to loosen up and have fun learning.
Oh, I did teach basic strikes, kicks, strategies with specific Tai Chi themes in these short courses but the emphasis was always on prevention.
And prevention to me is the ideal form of self defence.
In case you don’t know, Tai Chi is a self defence art and here’s a demonstration byGrand Master Cheng Tin – Hung.
It takes talent, dedication and several years practice to be able to use Tai Chi as a form of self defence.
However, from my experience most women neither have the time nor interest to learn self defence to that extent.
That’s why short self defence courses are ideal for many women.
It provides them with basic skills, strategies and confidence they may otherwise never have.