13 areas of study | ||
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Tai chi is more than form
According to
The Journal of Asian Martial Arts, most tai chi
classes in the world offer solo form (a sequence of moves), and a bit of qigong.
Not many classes actually do pushing hands.
Some do sword form. Occasionally,
teachers speak of self defence applications. Things like 'san sau' are very,
very rare, and rarer still are classes that teach anything approaching an actual
martial art.
Tai chi chuan syllabus
Tai chi students study all 13 areas of practice:
Brain work (meditation, awareness, metacognition)
Neigong (whole-body strength)
Jing (whole-body power)
Chin na (seizing)
Shuai jiao (take downs)
Exploring these 13 areas of study will offer a
balanced comprehension of the art.
Qigong
Qigong offers beginners an opportunity to improve their health, balance
and coordination without being encumbered by the technical intricacies of form.
Virtually anyone can practice qigong.
Fitness
Being healthy is all about feeling good, relaxed and at ease. Aches and
pains fade. Your body is well-coordinated, mobile and comfortable to move around
in.
Fitness is different to health. The aim is to train all 3 areas of fitness:
cardio, strength and flexibility.
Form
Form is a training tool for whole-body movement and martial
sensibilities.
It enables the practitioner to train multiple skills in a systematic way without
the need for additional exercises.
There are 8 stages to learning form: pattern, biomechanics, shen, martial
applications, whole-body strength, whole-body movement, whole-body power,
natural-feeling body use.
Each form must also be mirrored.
Pushing hands
Pushing hands provides an opportunity for biofeedback. The student is
required to incorporate a wide range of technical skills in a relatively risk
free training exercise.
Principles
Tai chi principles must be understood and incorporated into
your training. Martial principles must be fully explored and implemented.
Slow motion movement, chilled out exercise or dance cannot be considered
tai chi. The art adheres to specific parameters, guidelines and clear rules of
practice.
An in-depth understanding of Taoism is also necessary. Taoism sprang from the
observation of what is.
From watching reality and understanding its character; the how, the Way, the
essence. It is about seeing what is in front of you and then moving in accord
with what is actually taking place.
Brain work
Working the brain is the real key to success. A strong, pliable,
flexible, adaptive brain is required for learning this art.
Brain work includes: meditation, awareness, clarity, composure, metacognition,
constructive reading, memory and rest.
Neigong
Tai chi requires the student to move the body in an unusual manner.
Many students never realise this and do the art as though it were yoga, wing
chun or karate.
As a student progresses through the syllabus, the neigong concerns become
increasingly intricate and subtle: with a small movement producing a
disproportionately large effect.
Jing
Jing can be translated to mean 'power'. Yet it is not power that you own.
It is power you can use. There is a difference. This quality of borrowing power
is 'te' in Taoism.
For a very long time, the student need only concern themselves with the
cultivation of 'obvious' jing. Gaining whole-body power and bona fide energy
expression will be an ample challenge.
Self defence
Self defence is the process of doing whatever you have to do in order to
survive a hostile attack. This is very different from fighting or brawling. It
is also different from learning a conventional martial art.
Defending yourself is about getting out of a bad situation, preferably unharmed.
This may not even involve combat.
Martial skill
Martial practice is about discovering how to use the tai chi. Without this
knowledge and ability, a student is doomed to repeat a meaningless set of
movements that serve no real purpose.
The main martial skills are: strategy & tactics, close-range combat, kicks,
punches, palm strikes, finger strikes, elbows, knees, throws, seizing, joint
locks, trapping, escape from holds, grappling whilst standing and on the floor,
being hit and striking.
Unlike self defence, martial skill is not just about avoiding harm. It teaches
skills from ancient China and not everything involves 'reasonable force'...
Chin na
Chin na involves: applications, misplacing the bones, dividing the
muscles, sealing the breath, cavity strikes, joint manipulation/leverage,
breaking, splitting, tearing, finishing off and flowing.
Students learn how to counter-act all chin na applications.
Shuai jiao
Shuai jiao is concerned with escapes, applications, combat throws,
tripping, sweeping, grappling whilst standing and on the floor.
Weapons
We focus on defence against a knife and sticks. Stick work involves a rattan stick
for drilling, form and partnered training.
Instructing
The process of passing-on knowledge requires the student to re-think
their own tai chi and examine how to explain things in a manner that makes
sense to somebody else.
This leads to a better understanding of the art. Teacher training takes time and
necessitates the watchful guidance of a skilled instructor.
Remember, when moving, there is no place
that does not move.
When still, there is no place that is not still.
(Wu Yu-hsiang)
Tai chi fighting method
A student seeks to explore all 13 areas of study. The experience will be quite
an adventure; demanding patience, tenacity, enthusiasm and curiosity.
There are many mysteries to be explored and secrets to be uncovered.
5
missing pieces
Many tai chi classes lack 5 important elements necessary in order for
tai chi to function as a martial art:
Neigong (whole-body strength)
Martial concepts (what combat constitutes and how to do it effectively)
Chin na (the art of seizing)
Shuai jiao (take downs)
Jing (whole-body power)
Without these 5 components, tai chi is lacking something and may not work in
combat.
Jigsaw
Sifu Waller has designed the
syllabus so that everything is interlocking
and interconnected.
The syllabus is like an enormous jigsaw.
Page created 29 May 1996
Last updated
16 June 2023