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Redirect the Chi

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In Tai Chi language ‘rooting’ is the ability to connect yourself to the earth.

It’s an important skill to develop for two reasons;

  1. develop proper structural alignment and stance
  2. to redirect someone’s force against you

Let’s look at the redirection aspect.

Practicing with a partner is ideal but if this is not possible then a punching bag is a good substitute.

Here’s how I do it.

I align myself in an empty stance (one foot forward – the majority of the weight on my back foot) – in front of my punching bag.

Then I slightly push the bag forward with both hands and hold that position for a few seconds.  As I feel the resistance of the bag I relax my shoulders and elbows and redirect the force into my hands, arms, shoulders, spine, legs and into the ground.

Then I change feet and work the other side of the body.

You can do this exercise with any of the postures but I suggest you start with this simple exercise so you can learn easier.

Relaxation and proper alignment are the keys to correct ‘rooting’ and redirection of an opppent’s force (Chi).

Small Space Tai Chi

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Yesterday it was raining and muddy outside so I couldn’t go into the garden to practice my Tai Chi weapon’s forms as usual.

So the options were either miss training or improvise and train inside my house. Well, I wasn’t going to miss training so I decided to practice these forms in my hallway. I cleared the furniture and created some space.

In a narrow space I had to shuffle my feet back to the centre of the room several times as I did the form. The difficulty was to stay focused and keep the correct shape of each posture.

And also not to take out the overhead light with my Tai Chi weapon!

Although this is not the ideal way of  training it does  keep me to my schedule.

Winter has come early here with many wet days and training inside the house is the only option for me.

It really is a simple choice.

Practice or don’t practice.

Tai Chi: Arrow Visualisation

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In a previous post Tai Chi: Reverse Thinking I discussed a way of adding depth to your Tai Chi form by thinking in the reverse way of the direction you are moving.

Yesterday I was perfoming the Tai Chi from in my garden and a thought flashed through my mind of how you could use a visualisation technique to help you with reverse thinking.

As I moved throughout the form I imagined arrows shooting out the reverse direction I was moving. Just like arrows you see in a book indicating which way to move.

Only in this case  the arrows were shooting out in the opposite direction.

For example, when I moved my arms up I visualised these arrows shooting out of my arm downwards. This focused my attention in the opposite way I was going and I certainly felt  a slight resistance which added to a more balanced and connected form.

The arrow visualisation technique is a good method in taking your Tai Chi form to the next level.

Kitchen Clock Tai Chi

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After this morning’s Tai Chi hands form practice it’s time to get out my electronic kitchen clock.

I’ve noticed my time for completing the long form varies according to when I practice. Afternoon sessions are shorter than a morning session. Usually I complete the form between 15-20 minutes. More often closer to the 15 minute mark.

I need to get some consistency in my form practice so for the next few sessions I’ll use my little kitchen clock timer and focus on building the duration of the form to 20 minutes. And I’ll record each form session to achieve may target.

It’s easy to speed through the long form in say 12 minutes which is not a good workout. In the past the kitchen clock has slowed me down because I’m aware I’m timing myself.

When I develop a consistent 20 minute workout I’ll put the kitchen clock back where it belongs.

In the kitchen!