Tai Chi is most often taught for health, relaxation, and balance.However, most people recognize that the movements of Tai Chi are martial in nature. With some movements, that is quite obvious, while in other movements the martial aspect is more subtle. Tai Chi’s approach is pretty “easy-going and non-competitive”. The goal is harmony as is depicted by the yin-yang symbol. That does not mean that Tai Chi is ineffective for self-defense. Once one has a better understanding of the subtleties of Tai Chi, it is understandable why most Masters feel it is deadly and “one of the best self-defense systems out there” and why it has even been called “gruesome”.
Here comes the “however”….. traditionally, many practitioners feel that Tai Chi is practiced too slow to be used for self-defense in a true street fight. For example, although the moves are martial, there is no so-called “ground defense” being taught to most Tai Chi practitioners. These practitioners feel that the student/practitioner would need to know how to get back on their feet (while protecting themselves) including how to strike while on the ground. This may be true!
Another “however”…. let’s consider the “self-defense” aspects of Tai Chi.
As I mentioned in previous blogs, in Tai Chi we never meet force with force. In other words, we avoid force pushing against force, otherwise known as “yang against yang”. Instead, we yield to an attack, deflect our opponent past us or off to the side. You can then uproot and unbalance your opponent by using his incoming movement to your advantage. Moving might be actually stepping away, parrying, intercepting,blocking, and redirecting the energy of a strike, or even using your force to unbalance your opponent and redirect the energy of the attack. Blocking shields and deflects the force coming towards you. This requires adhering to the Tai Chi principle of body as a unit or full body movement in order to maximize effective movement.
In order to use Tai Chi for self-defense, it is necessary that the movements be full integrated. Fully integrated movements require:
Ability to move in a whip-like fashion
Rotation that comes from the center
Compression moving inward towards the center, followed by outward exploding force.
The fluid, graceful movements of Tai Chi allow you to remain rooted, balanced, and calm. Movements are circular which is quite helpful because we don’t always know our opponent’s target. As well, this will often mislead your opponent so that you can take advantage of the opponent’s momentum. It will also allow you to counter without using any extraneous movement of your body. Your other option (if you choose) is to walk or run away.
There are many ways to practice Tai Chi movements. One can visualize an opponent and concentrate on the movement in that fashion. It is also wise to practice while paying attention to breathing, posture, meditation, weight transfers, etc. There is no one perfect nor only way to practice as long as you incorporate the Tai Chi principles. The usefulness of Tai Chi for self-defense depends on the intent of the instruction.
Even if you have little to no interest in the martial aspect of Tai Chi, learning the martial applications helps you to understand and perform the movements more accurately. This will enable you to get the maximum benefit from the applications. Tai Chi creates a calm, relaxed manner, sensitivity, and awareness. This sensitivity and awareness is very useful in avoiding and/or detecting danger by being able to read your opponent’s intention and movement. Just be sure to keep focused, don’t step backwards, and fight the whole body (not a body part or weapon).
Adhering to the Tai Chi principles of yin and yang by sinking, rising, expanding, and contracting will enable you to avoid danger or when a strike is coming your way, to be able to move out of harm’s way. And, yes, even if you believe it will never happen to you, just knowing the applications has helped more than one practitioner (health or martial) when they are surprisingly attacked.
Most Masters and many instructors believe strongly that a student benefits greatly from learning the martial applications, no matter what the goal of the class or student is. In my last blog, I explained that Qi and martial arts fundamentals (not a fighting style) are applicable in all of “life’s battles” whether in business or in your personal life. It’s all about mastering (which requires practice) the fundamentals and the principles!
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