13 Postures

Wardoff
Rollback
Push/Press
Squeeze
Pluck
Split
Elbow
Bump
Advance
Withdraw
See the left
See the right
Central equilibrium

Cross training

When I started training the internal arts of tai chi chuan, I found that my
previous experiences within external arts actually hindered my
progress.

It took a long time to lose the old habits of trying to use force
against force, strength against strength, I was so tense in the beginning.

The thought of mixing external martial arts with the internal art of tai chi and
baguazhang is counterproductive. How can you mix external with internal
when the principles are so different?

You must become soft and relaxed in body and mind to allow the incoming
force, not hard and blocking your opponent.

Mixing internal with external, there will always be an element of tension,
so you will never be completely soft. You will never truly let go of the old and
embrace the new.

Eyes closed walking

This drill allows you to feel your own balance and when you really need to step.  You must keep upright and not lean. 

Feel how sinking and routing considerably improves your stability. 

Moving slower than your partner will seriously drain their energy levels and this conserves your own energy by doing very little, only moving when needing to.

You must make sure that you are constantly relaxed and feel heavy.  Any tensing up or struggling with your partner is wrong.

Strength is wrong

If you use strength then your energy will be expelled very quickly.  This is a serious concern if faced with a real life self defence situation.

This is also the case with over-extending, contracting or exaggerating; the attacker has more chance of harming you. 

Even in solo practice, you will be putting a massive amount of strain on your body.

Tai chi and baguazhang should be trained so that it is good for the body and can be practised into old age.

Cultivating internal strength

Cultivation of internal strength is done through training and incorporating neigong.  All training from the beginning teaches us to cultivate internal strength.

We must strengthen our bodies internally so that when we move, each part of us is connected and working together for every movement we make.

Having strength and using strength are completely different.  If you try and force an outcome using strength then you will ultimately tense up, limiting yourself by locking muscles and joints into place.

Through training your strength will always be there while you are relaxing the muscles and allowing the joints to be free and mobile.

The aim is to use minimal effort (strength) to achieve the maximum outcome.  Through continuous training and experience you will find that your use of strength will lessen while the outcome will increase.

Whole body movement

Follow the teachings from the tai chi classics.
Your whole body is connected, do not disconnect your limbs
and let them move independently.

When one part of your body is in motion,
the whole of your body is in motion.

When one part of your body is still,
the whole of your body is still.

You must not be like a robot, connecting your body
with tension and stiff joints.

You must be supple, relaxed and allow your
limbs to be like boneless tentacles.

Perceptions

Some people perceive tai chi to be ethereal; others believe it to be a trick.  

Tai chi is an internal martial art.  As such, it is impossible for the untrained eye to observe what is truly happening. 

Partner work drills

Pushing hands, monkey paws and the yielding exercise can all appear perplexing when starting on the journey to learning tai chi.  It can be difficult to grasp the purpose of drilling these.

As students progress through the syllabus and understanding of the martial elements of tai chi develop, the ingenuity of these exercises becomes apparent.   

The skills developed from these drills become essential to combat.

Prevention better than a cure

The Western world offers lots of cures for ailments however tai chi, in line with Chinese practices, offers prevention. 

Why wait until something has gone wrong before taking action?  Surely it is better to act now, before things  become difficult.

Sword drills (few years ago)

Early morning training

Getting up in the morning can be quite difficult when it is cold outside and you are all cosy in a nice warm bed.

Make it a habit in getting up early to train before you go to work.

You will feel much better and it sets your day up with a positive start.