When both the self defence
aspects and the methods of training internal power are seamlessly
integrated, you are doing tai chi chuan.
(Bruce Frantzis)
Qigong
Qigong
involves a series of standing and moving exercises designed to assist and
develop qi
(energy).
By breathing and remaining relaxed, energy circulation improves.
Tai chi
incorporates qigong.
Neigong
As
well as breathing and relaxing, many other methods were found that augmented the
effect of qigong considerably.
These methods are called
neigong or
internal strength.
Neigong is designed to massage the body internally as a person moves.
Each neigong becomes part of how the body operates, providing a
continuous health benefit that extends beyond the class.
Self defence
Tai chi is an
internal martial art.
It was designed for self defence.
It relies upon gravity, softness, balance, rhythm and timing rather than speed
or brute strength.
To learn tai chi properly, you need to infuse the body with
neigong.
Self defence
is the ability to protect yourself from harm - it is not the same as
fighting.
The self defence
training does not involve brutality, the syllabus is explored
carefully and
safely.
Our style of tai chi is concerned with circumventing
strength, yielding to force and applying the system in a fluid manner.
People of all ages can learn self defence.
Body usage
Tai chi uses the body in a manner that conserves the use of energy.
This is accomplished in a number of ways:
No excess muscle tension is used
The movements are functional and economical
Good postural muscles support the weight of the skeleton
The larger muscles of the torso and legs do most of the work
Whole-body movement is employed rather than local limb strength
Students are encouraged to use less and less muscular strength; reducing
tension further.
This also calms the mind and relieves stress.
Postures
As a beginner, moving structures (postures) are used to
help the body find the optimal shape for the transmission of energy.
The 'postures' of tai chi are very different to yoga postures because they
are not fixed or held in place.
As you progress within tai chi the postures become more subtle.
Tai chi is about shaping these postural movements in order to use the least amount of
energy per movement.
This is accomplished by changing how we use the body and
is called 'neigong'.
A tai chi student keeps their muscles fairly soft at all times and relies upon the minimal application of
strength.
You eventually feel only the movements themselves rather than
your body doing the work.
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Page created 8 January 1999