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Ancient knowledge
At the dawn of ancient Chinese culture people learned by observing nature.
This was called Taoism. Taijiquan combined Taoism,
biomechanics and martial insights to create a unique art.
Taijiquan students explore technical skills, martial application, weaponry
and unarmed combat. Health, fitness, strength, wellbeing, character
development and philosophical study are essential.
Martial
There are many taijiquan martial skills in the syllabus,
including:
Shuai jiao (take downs)
Chin na (seizing)
San sau (fixed sets)
San da (freeform combat)
Form application
The application of taijiquan always follows the guidelines presented in
The Tai Chi Classics.
Even though many of
the fighting skills are common to different styles
of martial art, a taijiquan student must perform them in a
taijiquan way.
Meaning & purpose
Every taijiquan movement, exercise and drill has a purpose. The student must
understand what they are doing, otherwise
the training is meaningless and most
likely incorrect.
What is the exercise for? How does it operate? We ensure that our
students gain a comprehensive grasp of the art.
What does qi have to do
with
fighting? Absolutely nothing. If you want to talk about qi in the martial arts,
I'd say that it doesn't have anything to do with the martial arts. They're
talking about intention mostly, and they're calling it qi because it sounds more
mysterious.
(Tim Cartmell)
The benefits of learning taijiquan
Taijiquan is not just about combat.
Daily practice offers a wide range of
benefits
that will affect your everyday
life:
• Get fit
• Youthfulness
• Stay calm
• Feel balanced
• Increased
stamina and
endurance
• Stress-relief
• Gain functional combat skills that rely upon intelligence rather than
brutality
• Off-set the effects of
aging (e.g.
sarcopenia)
• The release of deeply-held
muscular tension
• Boost energy
•
A way to use millennia old Chinese
wisdom in everyday
life
• Meditation
• Cultivate an unusual form of
strength
• Emotional composure in the face of confrontation and crisis
• Philosophical study involving some of the most
influential books ever written
• More confidence and
resourcefulness
You must get fit
All martial arts require the student to be
fit
for combat and taijiquan is no exception.
There are many
lazy tai chi
people in the world.
This is naive in the extreme.
You don't need to go nuts but you do need to be
fit enough to do the training.
A
balanced approach
For many people, their
fitness regime does
not take into account
agility,
mobility, relaxed
spontaneous movement,
balance,
ambidextrous body use,
joint
health, coordination,
emotional wellbeing or
psychological flexibility.
Often, injuries arise and bodies are
pushed too hard. Taijiquan is not like this.
There is very little risk of injury.
Tai chi advocates moderation in all things. If you do not train enough, there will be very little
fitness benefit.
If you train too much, the body will become
tired and
there is an increased risk of injury.
The ideal is regular practice using low effort. No
sweating. No
exertion.
No
taxing
the body. Tai chi
exercises both the
body and the
brain.
Cross-training tai chi
Our
taijiquan students train: core strength, massage, leg stretches,
cardio work, yoga, qigong, neigong, form, partnered work, martial sets &
drills, combat and weapons.
The training is done carefully, gently - in a
controlled manner - without
exertion or
strain.
It is intended to improve
health and
wellbeing through frequent, regular
practice using low effort.
Motor learning
Motor learning is about the process of using the body, rather than simply
exercising the body. Taijiquan combines exercise with motor learning.
Looking for a challenge?
In taijiquan, the main
challenge lies with understanding
ancient Chinese principles of combat and
body use, and putting these into
practice.
Sustained, on-going training and
commitment make this art both physically and
mentally engaging.
Seeker?
You get out of the art what you
put into it.
For the earnest student, taijiquan is a
lifelong
journey: a fascinating adventure of
discovery,
insight,
fitness,
longevity and
martial
power.
There is no concept of an
enemy or opponent in taijiquan.
Likewise, the emotions associated with either - anger, hatred, friendship -
also have no use and therefore play no role in this art.
(Scott Rodell)
In many martial arts schools the practice was carried out in secrecy and the
school's very existence was frequently concealed from the authorities. For
example, taijiquan is based on body of principles known to be around 2000 years old
yet it was not revealed until 1750.
When a master of
taijiquan faces an opponent he brings to the confrontation thousands of years of
philosophical, martial and practical thought. He has lived most of his life
according to the principles established centuries ago and in the process, he has
strengthened his body and probably earned a long and healthy life.
(Howard Reid)
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Page created 11 January 1993
Last updated
05 June 2020
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