Articles

Various articles by Dan Docherty & Cheng Tin Hung

Introduction – What is Tai Chi Chuan

BY CHENG TIN-HUNG AND DAN DOCHERTY

Tai Chi Chuan is a Chinese form of exercise derived from Taoism, one of China’s oldest belief systems. The practice of Tai Chi Chuan is beneficial to health and it is also a subtle, sophisticated and scientific method of self-defence.

Since this system of exercise is suitable for people of all ages and requires little or no special equipment, it has gained an enthusiastic reception all over the world. Tai Chi Chuan evolved to help people improve their physical health, equip them to defend themselves against wild beasts and bandits, and also improve their powers of meditation. In other words, Tai Chi Chuan enables people to survive through fitness and self-defence.

Advantages of practising Tai Chi Chuan is good exercise which enables us to develop a healthy body as well as an alert mind. It is a system of exercise suitable for people of all ages. This exercise requires little or no special equipment. It can be practised in a relatively small area either indoors or outdoors. When performed in a slow and relaxed manner, the Tai Chi Chuan Hand Form offers a balanced drill for the body’s muscles and joints through the execution of complex manoeuvres in conjunction with deep regulated breathing and the contraction and expansion of the diaphragm. The deep breathing promoted by the slow practice of the Hand Form causes the diaphragm to expand outwards and downwards and contract inwards and upwards. This movement of the diaphragm gently ‘massages’ the liver and intestines. Deep breathing also promotes a greater intake of air into the lungs than usual. Thus a greater amount of oxygen is available for consumption which increases blood circulation. In so doing it also expands the blood vessels which serve the heart and intestines. Therefore Tai Chi Chuan helps prevent thrombosis and many other ailments of the heart and intestines. The performance of the Hand Form creates a tranquil state of mind through concentration on the movements. In the long term, Hand Form stimulates the central nervous system, which increases the well-being of all the organs of the body. As our muscles move when practising Tai Chi Chuan, they exert pressure on our veins, forcing our blood to flow towards the heart, improving our circulation. The exercise that the stomach muscles receive will improve the digestion, leading to an increased appetite and the prevention of constipation. The graceful movements of Tai Chi Chuan can lead to changes in our disposition, making us more even-tempered and slow to anger.

The Benefits of Learning Tai Chi Chuan

by Cheng Tin-Hung and Dan Docherty

Many city dwellers, owing to the pressures of work, traffic congestion and other factors do not take proper exercise. As a result, they become victims of mental strain, nervous tension and other maladies which detract from their efficiency in their daily work.

There are many sports and pastimes which cater to the desires of those amongst us who wish to acquire a fit and healthy body. However, it is difficult to find a system of exercise suitable for persons of all ages, which requires little or no special equipment, and which can be practiced in a relatively small area either indoors or outdoors.

Tai Chi Chuan is such a system of exercise. Those who practice it regularly will develop a healthy body and an alert mind. The improvement in their health will better enable them to concentrate on their routine tasks and to make effective decisions, all of which leads in turn to a greater success in their chosen career.

The Tai Chi Chuan Hand Form, with its graceful movements and alert actions, resembles a classic dance. Through the execution of complex manoeuvres in conjunction with deep regulated breathing and the contraction and expansion of the diaphragm, the Hand Form offers a balanced drill to the body’s muscles and joints.

Over a period of time, the central nervous system will be stimulated by the tranquil state of mind and dedicated concentration on the movements which result from the performance of the Hand Form. This serves to increase the well-being of all the organs of the body as their efficient functioning depends very largely on a sound central nervous system.

We can look upon the practice of Tai Chi Chuan in two ways. First it is a method of physical exercise. Secondly, it acts as a catalyst in that when performed by our body it causes certain beneficial reactions to take place. As our muscles move they exert pressure on our veins, forcing our blood flow towards the heart, improving our circulation. Meanwhile, the deep breathing necessary for the performance of the Hand Form causes the diaphragm to expand outwards and downwards and contract inwards and upwards, and this movement of the diaphragm gently `massages’ the liver and the intestines.

Those who suffer from indigestion will benefit from practicing Tai Chi Chuan, as the exercise which the stomach muscles receive will improve the digestion, leading to an increased appetite and the prevention of constipation. Middle-aged and elderly people will find this of particular comfort.

Since the breathing in Tai Chi Chuan is so deep that there is a greater intake of air into the lungs than usual, a greater amount of oxygen is available for consumption and this increases blood circulation. In so doing it also expands the blood vessels which serve the heart and intestines. Therefore Tai Chi Chuan helps prevent thrombosis and many other ailments of the heart and intestines.

The natural process of human life requires that we take in oxygen and all sorts of nutrients. After various transformations, these are conveyed to different parts of the body, through the medium of the bloodstream. Once they have undergone certain physical and chemical processes, part of the materials taken in are converted to waste products and then excreted. This process is called `substitution’ and without it the spark of life would be extinguished. If substitution is going on in an inefficient manner, arteriosclerosis and other complaints may result, as is often the case with the elderly. As Tai Chi Chuan strengthens the central nervous system, improves blood circulation, stimulates the operation of the heart and intestines and promotes better digestion, it also safeguards the process of substitution and helps prevent sickness.

The graceful movements of Tai Chi Chuan flow like the running water of streams and rivers, while the tranquility of mind is that aimed for in Taoism. It is this that can lead to changes in our disposition, making us more even-tempered and slow to anger. We can go a stage further. The philosophy of our art is to concentrate on the use of the brain rather than brawn, to let thought guide our actions, and this principle we should try to apply to our daily lives.

`Mens sana in corpore sano’ (a healthy mind in a healthy body) is what Tai Chi Chuan can give us, but only if we invest the necessary time and effort.

The Breathing Method of Tai Chi Chuan

by Cheng Tin-Hung and Dan Docherty

As we have seen the origins of Tai Chi Chuan lie in Taoism. The Taoists themselves used a special method of breathing modelled on the respiratory system of the tortoise, whose hard shell limits the outward expansion of its lungs. Its lungs are therefore forced to expand by extending the length of the body rather than outwards, thus making its breathing deep and harmonious. The tortoise may move slowly, but it lives a long time. This is why the Taoists and later the founders of Tai Chi Chuan adopted and adapted this breathing method.

Our heart and lungs work incessantly to keep our body alive and in good health. To maintain this state of affairs we have a duty to protect them from too much stress and strain when we engage in exercise. Most forms of exercise require lung expansion when we inhale. This expansion forces our muscles and ribs outwards thus increasing the chest’s capacity to take in air. However, this puts a lot of pressure on our lungs and we can easily tire out. In the same way, a car which is constantly travelling uphill will sooner or later develop engine trouble.

In practicing Tai Chi Chuan we do not use this common method of breathing which is particularly unsuitable for the sick and those who have passed their prime. We concentrate instead on making our movements relaxed and harmonious and our postures natural so our breathing will also be natural and not forced.

Constant practice of Tai Chi Chuan over a period of time will make our breathing slow and deep, while our internal organs will work in a gentle and harmonious fashion. When we inhale, our diaphragm will expand not only outwards, but also downwards in the direction of the abdomen, giving our lungs more space to expand downwards also. When we exhale, our lungs contract causing the diaphragm to contract also, both inwards and upwards. The rising and falling motions of the diaphragm help our lungs to function properly. At the same time the rhythmic nature of the diaphragm’s movements act to massage our stomach and intestines, gently increasing the circulation of blood and transportation of nutrition. This whole process of respiration in Tai Chi Chuan is called, `The downward extension of breath to the Tan Tin’ (a point 1″ below the navel). This is not to say that our diaphragm can or does expand downwards to the Tan Tin, but only that the effect of the downward movement of the diaphragm is to cause the other organs of our body to expand downwards or to contract in proportion to the movements of the diaphragm. This effect is most keenly felt at the Tan Tin. What has happened is that the constant practice of Tai Chi Chuan relaxes the muscles of the diaphragm enabling it to expand downwards instead of merely outwards. There is a common misconception that the air we breath is brought down to the Tan Tin. This is an illogical and unscientific notion. In breathing we should at all times both inhale and exhale through the nose. Our mouth should be kept shut and our tongue should rest gently against the roof of the mouth so that we can salivate and avoid a dry throat during practicing Tai Chi Chuan and reaping the benefits of doing so.

Tranquillity of Motion

by Cheng Tin-Hung and Dan Docherty

One of the main reasons for practicing the Tai Chi Hand form slowly, avoiding the application of brute force, is that we can harmonise our thoughts and actions by moving in a smooth and relaxed manner.

The Taoists said `seek tranquility in motion’. This means that the slowness of our physical movements when practicing Tai Chi Chuan results in peace of mind which enables us to concentrate on performing the exercise to the exclusion of outside distractions. Soft slow practice reduces tension and increases concentration. Thus, over a period of time our physical and mental health will improve.

If we are suddenly attacked, we must be able to react swiftly to prevent our opponent from completing his assault. This ability to react swiftly depends upon our body remaining relaxed in such a situation. By constant, soft, slow practice we can make our muscles and tendons relaxed. This will allow our joints to rotate smoothly, making us swift and agile in defence and counter-attack.

Lao Tzu said `The unbending breaks, the yielding survives’. Our softness allows us to yield before even the strongest attack. But just as the bamboo which has bent before the wind swings back when the wind has ceased, so too our defence must change to attack at the right moment.

There is no set length of time for practicing the Hand Form from the beginning to end. The young tend to exercise a little faster than the old, but fifteen minutes is about right.

The Method of Practice

by Cheng Tin-Hung and Dan Docherty

In order to derive maximum benefit from the practice of Tai Chi Chuan, we must first learn the correct method of practicing. The execution of each movement requires patient concentration.

Before beginning we must first relax and think of nothing else. Our movements should be slow and we should breath naturally. We must avoid tension. If we can do this our every action will become smooth and easy, our waist will turn freely and we will feel relaxed and comfortable.

Tai Chi Chuan is an exercise which aims at producing harmony of body and mind. To achieve this and to avoid the application of brute force, we must let our thoughts guide our actions. Constant practice can make this a habit with us. It is not enough to concentrate on the correct slow execution of individual movements such as raising and lowering the hands. Both our concentration and our movements must continue in harmony throughout the form. This will make our breathing deeper and help strengthen our body.

General Principals

At first it is difficult for a beginner to judge whether the styles and individual movements he performs are correct or not. In some cases beginners will find styles which are particularly difficult for them to master. However, there are some general principles to be understood and adopted which will help produce correct styles and movements:-

Throughout the movements our head should remain in line with our spinal column and not move up and down If we can do this our neck muscles will become relaxed;
We should not hunch our shoulders or fully straighten our arms when we extend them. When we retract our arms, the elbows should be kept close to the body and not allowed to jut out at all angles. We must keep our arms and shoulders relaxed in order to move smoothly. If we fail to do so our movements will be stiff and awkward;
We must relax our whole body and avoid stiffening the chest. If we can do this our breathing will become deep and natural and our movements alert;

If our waist is stiff and tense we will find it difficult to move in any direction and our co-ordination will be affected as we will be unable to transmit power from the waist to the actions of our arms and hands. If the waist is stiff, our bottom will jut out, making our balance unstable and preventing our movements from being graceful. Relaxation of the waist is essential;

With certain exceptions, most postures in the Hand Form require us to rest most of our weight on one leg, making it easy to move the other leg to change posture, and to shift the weight from one leg to the other as we practice. The photographs of the form should be studied carefully so that we get this balance right and are able to move freely.

Advice for the Future:

Try to practice daily to derive maximum benefit from the art;
Watch the instructor when he is teaching others and watch others perform so that by comparing techniques, good points can be adopted and bad ones corrected;
Think about and analyse the styles after learning them properly;
Ask the instructor questions about the styles to clear up any doubts or ambiguities.

Pushing Hands (see the syllabus)

Doing the Pushing Hands practice with a partner is the best method of training the Five Strategies and Thirteen Tactics mentioned earlier. This practice will develop the sensitivity of our arms enabling us to detect our opponents intentions. It will also help to speed up our own reactions.

Pushing Hands practice is not designed to train us to fight, though it does link the combat strategy and tactics with the practical application of the Hand Form. This training, using a limited number of actions in a number of situations, conditions us to respond to our opponent’s movements in a natural way. Only when we have a good understanding of the Pushing Hands should we start to learn the Self Defence.

The Tai Chi Chuan Classics tell us that once our opponent has just started a move then we should counter him before he can complete the movement. We can only accomplish this if we have attained a high degree of sensitivity which will allow us to detect any such movement. Such sensitivity can best be developed through the Pushing Hands practice.

There are eight types of Pushing Hands. Five are ‘fixed step’, meaning that the sole of the front foot may be raised or lowered provided the heel rests on the ground but that no other movement of the feet is permitted. The other three style are ‘moving step’ and develop our ability to move forwards, backwards and to the side in a nimble manner while applying the Pushing Hands Techniques.

When starting to learn Pushing Hands we must concentrate on adopting correct stances and postures and relaxing during the movements. Next we must ensure that we adhere to our opponent’s arms so that we can employ the ‘radar’ of our sensitivity to detect his intentions and then use the Eight Powers in combination with the Five Directions to thwart these intentions. We must affect his balance by using his own force against him and then attack his weak points. A good stance and sense of balance are crucial.

There are three main stages in Pushing Hands:-

The first and highest stage is where the sensitivity of our hands is such that our opponent’s intentions are an open book to us while our intentions are a source of mystery to him. He will be completely frustrated, unable to attack or defend.
The second stage is where our sensitivity is not fully developed and so we can only determine our opponent’s intentions at the last minute and so may not be able to react in time to counter his attack.
The third stage is where our sensitivity is so poor that we cannot detect our opponent’s attack at all. This attack will then be successful and we will be defeated.

If we are to be genuine Tai Chi masters, we must be able to apply and combine the Thirteen Tactics freely and fluently. Practising Pushing Hands with such a master is like rowing a boat in a rough sea, since our actions will always be beyond our control. Our attacks would be too slow and too obvious to be effective, while our defence would also be inadequate to respond to his attacks. In every martial art knowledge of techniques, in itself, is useless; constant, thoughtful, concentrated practice is essential. Only in this way can we reach the first stage in Pushing Hands.

Self Defence

Tai Chi Chuan Self Defence Techniques are the practical applications of the individual styles of the Tai Chi Chuan Hand Form. We know that practice of the Hand Form is good for health. Many ‘masters’ have a first class knowledge of the Hand Form, but little if any knowledge of how to apply the techniques contained therein. It is as if they learn to recite a beautiful poem without being able to understand the words.

Practice of Pushing Hands is not sufficient either, as this is only an exercise to train our bodies and minds in the Strategy of the Five Step Path and the Principles of the Thirteen Tactics. It is a preparatory step to learning the Self Defence Techniques. Furthermore, in a real fight our opponent will not engage in Pushing Hands with us, but will attack with fist and foot from all directions. If Pushing Hands practice was sufficient in itself, what is the purpose of the different styles of the Tai Chi Chuan Hand Form?

What we must try to do is to learn the application of these styles. Some Tai Chi Chuan ‘masters’ try to interpret the styles themselves or blindly follow the way the styles are used in the Hand Form, as they lack both the experience and knowledge of how to apply them practically. Individual interpretations of the styles from the Hand Form, in the absence of any practical fighting experience, can lead to disastrous results. The same applies where the Hand Form movements are blindly followed, as the requirements and purposes of the Hand Form are quite different from those of combat. If we are to learn the Self Defence Techniques properly we must follow a capable and experienced Tai Chi Chuan master. We also require a partner to take on the role of opponent. In the absence of another student the master himself will take on this role.

The next step is to learn the Self Defence Techniques, one at a time. At first we must practice slowly, learning how to respond and then counter attack when attacked by our opponent. With practice over time we will be able to use the techniques to respond to even the fastest and fiercest attacks of our opponent. Reaching this stage should make us confident of our ability to defend ourselves we need not fear any attacker. Once we have become well versed in one technique we can then move on in the same manner until we become well versed in all the Self Defence Techniques.

The final stage which we are aiming at is the ability to combine all the Self Defence Techniques and make them as one. This ability will only come with constant practice. What it means is that, following the Strategy of the Five Step Path and the Principle of the Thirteen Tactics, we should reach the stage where we apply the styles as a natural reflex action. In other words, just as there is no definite limit to the way we can be attacked, just so there should be no definite limit to the ways in which we respond to such attacks. It is senseless to think only in terms of ‘in the event of attack X use response Y’. We must be able to mix and merge the techniques as the situation demands.

Tai Chi Chuan Self Defence Techniques also include wrestling techniques which may be used when grappling with our opponent at close quarters or in response to an attempted punch or kick. We must apply these wrestling techniques speedily, with sensitivity and softness, so that we can detect our opponent’s force and use it against him while he is unable to detect ours.

We must learn to be soft and yielding where our opponent is strong, but to be strong where he is weak. In other words we must avoid his strong points and attack his weak points. If he is strong on the right side we must attack on the left. If his upper body is strong, we must attack his lower body.

To sum up, we must let our opponent move first, so that we can detect his weak points and use his own force against him in a devastating counter attack. If our opponent doesn’t move, we should use feints or draw out his attack and then deal with it in the same way as before. To apply this method properly we need to practice the Self Defence Techniques frequently and under the watchful eye of an experienced master who can advise and guide us in the practical application of the theory.

This is only a brief introduction to Tai Chi Chuan Self Defence Techniques. One cautionary note we should heed is that such techniques are only of value if we are in a fit state of health to apply them. This means that we must do Internal Strength training to build up our health and strength because, even if our reactions are good, if we lack striking power we will be unable to counter attack effectively. This is a particularly dangerous state of affairs if we are facing more than one opponent.

Internal Strength

In ancient times, Internal Strength (Nei Kung) was the first thing which a student of Tai Chi Chuan would be taught. IT provided a strong foundation on which to build the rest of the art. However, as teachers began depend on Tai Chi Chuan for a living and had to teach more students, Internal Strength was only taught to students of good character. It takes time to assess students so nowadays students will normally be taught the hand form and some pushing hands first. Internal Strength is the most important part of the art of Tai Chi Chuan, as well as being the most mysterious and least understood. When faced with more than one opponent, even if our defence is good, we must expect to take some punishment. If our body is weak we may sustain severe injuries, while our own blows are too week to have any effect. This means that before we can be good fighters we need to develop a strong physique.

The Internal Strength regulates breathing and improves blood circulation. Practice loosens and relaxes the joints, making our movements more fluid, which in turn leads to quicker reactions and greater speed in attack and defence. Our sense of balance will also improve with practice. There is a series of twelve Yin exercises and a complementary series of twelve Yang exercises. The Yin exercises are designed to develop health and physique. It is for this reason that the Yin exercises are taught first. The Yang exercises are designed to increase our power and physical strength.

Hand Form

A shorter version of the hand form was developed by Dan Docherty known as the Short Form.

The reasons for the development of this form are to provide:-

A form which can be learned in a shorter period of time. To cope with the impatience of western students.
A standardised form suitable for competition, where time limits are imposed.

The Short Form is not a simplified form, the movements contains are a combination of simple and complex. But it can be taught to new students in a fraction of the time required to learn the Long Form. So it provides an “attainable” goal for the new student, and after learning the short form they then go on to learn the long form. The skills they have learnt for the short form apply to the long form and help the student learn more speedily.

An Advanced Short Form has recently been created. The reason for the creation of this form are twofold:-

To give advanced students a more challenging form for their practice.
Provide a more technically demanding form suitable for use in competition by advanced students.

The Advanced Short Form contains a number of more demanding techniques and transitional movements. There is also greater scope to demonstrate balance, coordination and flexibility.

The Long Form consists of 119 sequences of movements and takes approximately 18 minutes to perform.

The Short Form consists of 34 movements, the Advanced Short Form consists of 38 movements. Both the Short Form and Advanced Short Form take only 4 minutes to perform, which makes both suitable for use in competitions.

Weapons Forms

There are three types of weapons taught in Wudan Tai Chi Chuan. As well having self defence applications they also train the body and mind.

The weapons provide a method of exercise quite different to that provided by the hand form. They can stretch out and relax the muscles and bones, promote the circulation of the blood, make the breathing smoother and longer, and are of great benefit to the health and constitution.

The sword nourishes the Chi, the spear promotes wisdom, the sabre cultivates the resolve.