Tai Chi With Attitude

A modernistic americanized approach to a meditative traditional Martial Art. Holistic, but without the New Age mysticism, Taoist, yet pragmatic. A completely different, real-world approach to an esoteric and difficult art.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

WILL THE REAL TAI CHI PLEASE STAND UP?

We live in the age of novelty, and reinvention. In some ways, this is a good thing, because creativity is an essential part of being human, the play instinct, the novel approach, the unique perspective.
This isn't ALWAYS a good thing. Balance should be used as some sort of yardstick.

Here's a perfect example of how NOT to modify a system.

There is, and I kid you not, a 'Cardio' Tai Chi, slapped together as some sort of makeshift Tae Bo, where the practitioners actually JUMP UP AND DOWN in some sort of ridiculous hand form, where the 'players' assume one pose, jump up, re-assume next pose, and so on.

In the words of Bart Simpson: "Aye Caramba!"

This system was put together by one Dr. Weng. I studied under him for two months, but was unimpressed with his Chang style Tai Chi. In a nutshell, Chang style TCC is a combination of shuai-chiao (Chinese wrestling) and TCC. There was far too much 'smack talking' for my taste, in short. This was some time ago, and perhaps the methodology is improved somewhat.

Dr. Weng learned shuai-chiao from master Chang Tung-sheng, who was also something of an expert in Hsing-I, Pa Kua, Shaolin, and a few other arts. Chang Tung-sheng is also mentioned in Robert W. Smith's Chinese Boxing: Masters and Methods.

Be that as it may, this is a common criticism of TCC as a form of exercise or martial art. 'It's too slow', or 'how can that even be CALLED an exercise', etc.

There already is an aerobic version of TCC. It's been around a while. It's called Chen Tai Chi. While other styles are anaerobic in nature, due to their soft, slow natures, Chen is punctuated by sudden, explosive movements (fa ching), and performance of the Yi Lu and Er Lu (forms one and two, form two also known as Pao Chui, or the Cannon Fist)forms are most definitely aerobic in nature. Combined with deep (broken horse) stances, and some jumping (Pao Chui), it's a great exercise, and it takes time before one is no longer winded at completion.

Now, some modification will occur in the process of learning. That's a given. We can see variances, for instance, in the Cheng Man-Ching methodology just by observing Cheng's senior students. Ben Lo is extremely strict about adherence. Abraham Liu is noted as going far deeper into his stances than most, and favors the Long Form. William C. C. Chen is notable as teaching TCC in a martial sense, straight out of the box.

Another great example is Wu Ch'uan-yü who, according to answers.com:
" (???, 1834-1902) started studying the martial art of T'ai Chi Ch'uan in his capacity as an officer cadet of the Palace Battalion of the Ch'ing dynasty's élite Imperial Guards Brigade under Yang Lu-ch'an in 1850. He eventually became the senior disciple of Yang's son, Yang Pan-hou, and was given permission by the Yangs to teach his own students in 1870."
As noted in the link given above:
"The Wu style's distinctive hand form, pushing hands and weapons trainings emphasise parallel footwork and horse stance training with the feet relatively closer together than the modern Yang or Ch'en styles, small circle hand techniques (although large circle techniques are trained as well) and differs from the other T'ai Chi family styles martially with Wu style's initial focus on grappling, throws, wrestling and other groundfighting technique; tumbling, jumping, footsweeps, pressure point leverage and joint locks and breaks, which are trained in addition to more conventional T'ai Chi sparring and fencing at advanced levels. Although historically derived from the Yang style, the Wu style has a unique appearance to observers and seems to share some features with Sun style, due to the long collaboration between Wu Chien-ch'üan and Sun Lu-t'ang. Another significant feature of Wu style training is its routinely placing the body's weight 100% on the yang or full leg, 0% on the yin or empty leg in forms and pushing hands, and maintaining a straight line of the spine from the top of the head to the heel of the rear foot when it is at an angle to the ground; an "inclined plane" alignment intended to extend the practitioner's reach. Other styles of T'ai Chi (with a few notable exceptions) train this leaning occasionally in their forms and pushing hands, but not as systematically as the Wu style does."

Or the Fu system:

"When Grandmaster Fu Zhen Song was young, he first learned Chen Tai Chi Chuan from the Chen Jia-Guo Village with Chen, Yan-Si (also known as Chen Hui-Jie). Chen was the 8th generation of the Chen Style Tai Chi. Fu is also the 3rd generation of the bagua zhang creator, Dong, Hai-Chuan. Later, he met the Sun Style Tai Chi Grandmaster Sun, Lu-Tang and the Yang Style Tai Chi Grandmaster Yang, Cheng-Fu. They became very close friends and exchanged tai chi, bagua, xing-yi, and weapons. With this valuable knowledge and achievements, Fu had progressed to the next highest level of internal martial arts.

In the 1920's, Fu created Fu Style Tai Chi Chuan. He started with the Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan as a basic foundation, then added Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan and Sun Tai Chi Chuan along with bagua zhang. Fu used the elite forms of the Yang Style Tai Chi, Chen Style Tai Chi, Sun Style Tai Chi, and bagua zhang to created Fu Style Tai Chi Chuan."

Note that while in all of these systems, a great deal of modification was implemented, these folks had oodles of martial arts backgrounds. Most of them were reknowned fighters, and actually sat down and learned the fundamentals, had the basics burned into their systems before they even considered making modifications.

Unfortunately, in this day and age, we have people who have eclectic backgrounds, little grounding in basics, playing mix 'n match because of course the in thing to do is to invent or whip up some new system after a year's worth of lessons, further diluting the art to the pedigree of being a mongrel, in an effort to appeal to novelty, thereby currying new students.

Mind you, I'm not a fanatical purist: everything evolves, whether it's the human, the art, the technology. BUT: before you start slapping in your own retrofits, get some solid grounding, no, let's skip that, some solid embodiment of the principles, burning them into your neural pathways for years, not months, before you start taking the art, and retrofitting it to suit your purposes.

This isn't to say: don't pick up various ways of doing a movement. I've incorporated movements from Ren Guan Yi, Chen Xiaowong (Ren does this fa ching movement, the small circle, in Warrior pounds pavement, that I've incorporated: I've also incorporated the simultaneous stomp in Pao Chui at Beast's Head pose from Xiaowong), even though I wasn't taught that way. These are tiny adaptations, gleaned from recognized masters.

Here's a for instance: I have seen a picture of William C. C. Chen doing what seems to be 'Snake Creeps Down': he's not squatting down on the back leg, if I saw a beginner doing it like that, well, we'd be going over that stance until your legs were screaming for rest.

Because, unlike you and I, he's earned the ability to do it any way he pleases. He's put in the time, the effort, the decades of pain, of embodiment. He's so far beyond you and I, he gets a free pass. He embodies the principles: they're now hard-wired into his system.

So, in short, you want to modify the form? Fine. Put in thirty years of hard work, dedication, 'no burn, no earn' as Ben Lo likes to say, practice constantly (6-7 days a week). Then you can start modifying the art, putting in your personal touches, retrofitting it, etc. Or you have an extensive background in other internal arts (like Sun Lu-tang, who was fifty before he learned TCC, but was a recognized master of Hsing I and Pa Kua), or at least 2 or more decades of knowledge in other martial arts.

But please, please, don't take a few lessons in one art, a few lessons in another, and create some Jambalaya Judo mongrel martial art simply because you're bored, or want to make a few extra bucks, or want to impress your friends.

Because that, my friends, dilutes the efforts of the geniuses who went before, and is the equivalent (in my opinion) of wiping your feet on the shoulders of giants.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

PRINCIPLES

There are principles in Tai Chi Chuan, which are numerous and somewhat difficult.

Here is a good link, that summarizes the principles in question.

Now comes the hard part:
How can you use ALL the principles in question (the ten listed) in the link provided?
The short answer: if you're a beginner, you can't. But don't despair.

If your instructor has taught you some movements, and you can remember them (and even if you can't), take just one principle, and try to work that in with your practice. For instance, when I was in China in 2003, and the tour and I were in training, Chen Xiaoxing pointed out that we were all leaning forward too much. Upon reviewing my DV tape, sure enough, we were all tilting forward FAR too much. Agh! So do this: practice whatever you've learned with a book on your head. Remember the 'charm school' that ladies went to, back in the day? Women were taught to walk around with a book on their heads. Why? Proper posture, is why. Try doing your movements as if you're being suspended from a thread from the ceiling.

Once you stand straight up, instead of leaning back or forward, your balance improves measurably.

And remember this: Fang kua, fang huo (relax the hips, relax the waist).

In this day and age of compartmentalization, we tend to use one part of our bodies to do something, rather than the whole. Some movements require it: you can't very well use your whole body to type at a computer, or drive a car (well you COULD, on the latter, but you may get pulled over). But in the simple act of opening a door, use your entire body to swing it open, not just your arm. Try using your whole body to perform mundane tasks. Just be careful at first.

Try not to stand flat-footed: agility is paramount, and 50-50 weight on both feet is anything but agile. Breathe through the nose, and direct your inhalation to the diaphragm (not so surprisingly, men have more problems with this than women, unless they're singers, actors, pro athletes). NOTE: when breathing, touch the tip of the tongue to the roof of the mouth (right behind that little knob before your upper teeth). This connects two meridian belts, the Ren Ming and the Du Meridian (strangely enough, one ends at the tip of the tongue, the other at the rooftop of the mouth). Plus, breathing through the nose soaks the membranes with oxygen.

Tuck the coccyx under, just a little, straightening the back.

Keep your elbows DOWN. Fingers are kept together, unless otherwise instructed.

Again, don't despair. You won't be able to do ALL of them. Pick a principle, any principle: stick to it for a week, a month. Choose one that your instructor criticizes you on regularly, or one you happen to think is your weakest. Once you've worn it into the ground, pick another.

Any questions?

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Tai Chi - Yes, it IS a Martial Art

I've run into this attitude on the web (most folks are too polite to say it to your face I'm still waiting for someone to make the comment): Tai Chi? Martial Art? You must be JOKING!

No, I am not.

There are a number of factors, where observing the art might deceive the casual observer, into thinking its anything but a martial art.

To which I reply, Frontis nulla fides: in appearances, put no faith.

The major misconception is simply in the watching of Tai Chi Chuan. The usual responses are fairly pat: A martial art in slow motion? How is that even exercise? Look, I can do that! It's easy!(The last is usually followed by a very, VERY poor imitation of one move, quick dismissal).

Thanks to TV, and movies (The Matrix, Jet Lee, Jackie Chan, etc.) where the hero does all these acrobatic, flashy moves that would result, in real life, in the hero being wheeled out on a gurney (from a fall, an interruption in tempo from a skilled foe, hell, getting booted in mid-flip: I can say honestly that every bozo whos ever tried to kick me in the head landed on his ass).

We also require instant results from a minimum of effort. Thats a large enough subject to be the scope of another article.

And also: faster is most emphatically NOT better. In many things.

Tai Chi Chuan originated in Chenjiagou (Chen village). It was/is a farming village. It was also a strategic military point. Ergo, many armies have trod down its streets. A little known fact is that young Shaolinmonks would be sent there (the Temple and the village are in the same province) to test their martial skills. The origins of TCC are shrouded in mystery, so I defer to the written documentation: Chen Tai Chi was founded by Chen Wangting (see here) in the 1600s. Wangting was a general, well versed in the martial arts, and incorporated many internal principles into his familys fighting methods.

There is an old Chinese adage: Tai Chi, ten years in the studio Hsing-I, one year, kill a man.

Also, in this country, we have such a wide diversity of applications vis-à-vis this wonderful art; its rapidly being watered down. Between the New Age movement, folks completely draining the art of its martial aspects (Tai Chi Chih), people with no formal training whatsoever taking teaching jobs in this art, the lack of standardization (this is everywhere, unfortunately), instructors telling their students theyre doing a WONDERFUL job (hey, any way you do it is perfect! Just keep practicing), well, dilution of this wonderful art is no surprise, sadly.

It can be used as a martial art. It takes time and effort, however. A lot of practice. Like everyday. Its said that ten minutes a day is sufficient for health. Martial arts? Do a long form 6-7 times a day. Enlightenment? At least 10 long forms a day (double the amount if you do a short form).

What most folks don't see, are the push-hands exercises, the Da Liu moving Tui Shou (a moving push hands set), the instruction of self-defense techniques, etc. See if you can find someone doing Chen style: the stances are deeper, more explosive movements (yes, it is indeed influenced by Shaolin, as mentioned before), it teaches a wide variety of techniques, including Chin-na (joint locking), throwing the opponent, and whats known as sealing the breath.

I will leave you with an old saying in Tai Chi: "In practice, you should be like a lady dancing, in combat be like a fierce tiger."

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

TAI CHI CHUAN AND SELF-DEFENSE

This is one of those topics that bears translation.

When self defense is mentioned, the automatic assumption made is one of battling one (or more) malevolent attackers with lightning fast kicks and punches (sometimes punctuated by some delusory Matrix/ThunderballZ levitational/magical movement: thanks, Hollyweird!).

Fact of the matter is: the one negative issue here, is that it takes some time before an individual can use TCC as a form of self-defense. Unless you have some real-time training in another martial art prior to practicing. That being said, here's a couple of pieces of advice for the ladies:

  1. First, invest some time in BAMM training, or Krav Maga, or something equivalent, and

  2. Second, I repeat the advice Bruce Lee gave on women's self defense: "If attacked, stomp on his foot, kick him in the shin, the knee, the groin, hit him in the solar plexis, the throat, gouge his eyes and slap him over the ears. After all this, run like hell." (paraphrased).


That having been said, I still say TCC is a viable tool for self defense. For instance: stress greatly impacts our reflexes. How so? Well, since we have an inborn fight-or-flight syndrome burnt into our neural pathways, being as we live in a civilized society, we are forced not to employ our natural responses. If my boss yells at me, I can't very well fight or flee, can I? I could, but it would probably have a negative impact on my job. So we suppress our instinct, to conform to society. It then becomes an artificially-induced response: when we see a ball coming at us, or drop something of value, the first reaction is to think about it: the second, to formulate. By then, the ball hits us, or the china shatters. Usually, what I term the 'flinch reflex' kicks in. We jump (automatic repression of response), we think, we fumble. TCC (or any MA worth its salt, for that matter) teaches us to respond, and respond appropriately.

And self defense isn't neccessarily combat: the car zooming in on us in the crosswalk: we do the three responses ingrained, and guess the result. Likewise, the falling china: a simple response, rather than jump, think, fumble will likely save the dish from shattering. The falling box, the heavy mailing tube leaning and falling on us, can be responded to as well.

And sometimes, the best response is to stand still, allowing the antagonistic movement to sweep past. Or to move an inch, instead of a foot.

Which is one reason TCC is done in slo-mo: it relaxes us.

I recall an episode from the TV series Kung Fu (no, the old one, from the 80's): deputy is some young guy, carrying on about Kwai Chang Caine, working himself up in a lather, talking to the sheriff inside the county jail. The sheriff is an older, laconic fellow, leaning back in a chair, boots up on the desk. He advises the younger fellow: "You should learn to relax." The deputy slaps gun leather. The sheriff has his gun out. "Helps your reflexes," drawls the sheriff.

So, in short, avoid jump-think-fumble (JTF). Simply respond. More likely as not, the natural response will be the appropriate one.