tai chi

A grounded way to practice tai chi when life is busy

This article looks at a grounded way to practice tai chi when life is busy from a practical training point of view. It is written for readers who care about tai chi but do not want empty slogans or complicated language. The goal is to give you something useful enough to take into your next practice session. I focus on body position, timing, patience, and the small habits that make training feel more honest. Some parts are factual training advice, some parts are recommendations, and some parts are personal opinion based on what tends to help regular students stay consistent. If you are exploring Chen style tai chi and practical martial arts, this piece gives you a grounded way to think about progress without pretending there is one magic method. You will find simple ways to test balance, reduce wasted tension, and make each repetition more useful. The advice is meant for real practice, not perfect conditions, so it stays close to what a student can actually feel on the floor.

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The two Force within Tai Chi

    In Tai Chi Chuan, there are many techniques, among which "Smooth Force" and "Touch Force" are important. "Smooth Force" is about experiencing the circulation of one's own strength and mastering the formation of force circles in different body parts. This practice, traditionally referred to as "circle drawing" by the old masters, is essential for improving one's Tai Chi skills and physical fitness. In Tai Chi, "Smooth Force" is a technique that aligns the body's various parts. The power developed through this technique has unique meanings and content, differing from the usual ways of exerting force in daily life or work. Generally, innate force is called "natural strength," while the force obtained through martial arts training is called "acquired strength" or "internal strength." This acquired strength enhances the technical quality and various attributes of Tai Chi Chuan, making the body relaxed, supple, and coordinated.       "Smooth Force" is first experienced during form practice and stance training, using the mind to guide and harmonize spirit, mind, qi, and strength. This coordination balances the body's upper and lower, left and right, front and back. For example, when both hands rise in "peng," the body should have a downward intention, incorporating chest containment, back expansion, and sinking qi to the dantian. When pressing down with both hands, the body should have an upward intention, coordinating with shoulder relaxation, elbow sinking, head lifting, and sinking qi to the dantian. When pushing forward with the hands, the mingmen (life gate) should have a backward stretching intention. This duality of movement allows the practitioner to feel the internal force's extension and balance, creating a state of support in all directions, achieving a balance between movement and stillness, and preventing physical ailments from improper posture.

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What is Tai Chi

Nowadays, there are many people practicing traditional Tai Chi worldwide—reportedly several hundred million. As a representative of Chinese cultural heritage, Tai Chi has also been honored as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Such large numbers and market scale are indeed gratifying. It's certainly a good thing that the valuable practices left by our ancestors benefit more people.     From a health and wellness perspective, the value of Tai Chi is unquestionable. However, as a martial art, today's Tai Chi has strayed from its martial roots, becoming unrecognizable and far from authentic. With the widespread promotion of Tai Chi, there are very few who can truly be said to practice "traditional Tai Chi." Those who master the traditional skills are even rarer. The reason for this is simple: although many people practice Tai Chi, very few truly study what "Tai Chi" is. Many believe that knowing a few routines constitutes Tai Chi. Because of this, today's Tai Chi is often ridiculed as "Tai Chi exercises."

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How Tai Chi Breathing

      Regarding relaxation techniques, each school provides detailed descriptions, generally approaching it from two aspects. The first is "mental relaxation," which involves relaxing the mind to achieve tranquility. This encompasses clearing the mind of distractions and maintaining a state of calm and detachment, as described in the ancient text "Huangdi Neijing" which speaks of a state of serene emptiness and natural simplicity.

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I Ching and Tai Chi

    The I Ching states, "One yin and one yang are the Tao," and "it is the mother of all things under heaven." Tai Chi embodies the way of yin and yang, originating from the Infinite (Wuji), which generates the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji), and from Taiji arise the two forms, yin and yang. The "Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor" says, "Yin and yang are the ways of heaven and earth, the guidelines of all creatures, the parents of change, the origin of life and death, and the house of divine intelligence. To cure diseases, one must seek their root in the fundamental principles of nature." Yin and yang are the fundamental laws of unity and duality in nature, governing all changes and transformations; thus, they are where life and destruction begin.

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What is Wuji stance ?

Almost for all Tai Chi and any martial arts practitioners, the training is always begins with a fundamental stance. The Ma Bu, or "horse stance," is one of the most iconic basic learning. Why the name? Simple—it mimics the posture of a horse, with both feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, a steady and strong base, and a balanced, grounded position. Ma Bu is considered the foundation of martial arts training. In fact, there’s an old Chinese saying: “One year of Ma Bu is more beneficial than three years of practicing forms.”  how important to Ma Bu. The Wuji Stance is a another variation of Ma Bu, or at least shares similarities in its goals. While Ma Bu focuses on strength and stability, Wuji Stance serves a broader purpose in building your fundamental structure and mental focus , and the goal to get rid or remove the stiffness or  the energy prevent you from Tai Chi relaxation or call Loose . There’s also another foundational stance known as the Hunyuan Stance, often practiced by beginners in Tai Chi. Though Wuji Stance and Hunyuan Stance may seem similar, they are distinct in their purposes and practice. Many people confuse about the two stance, but understanding their differences is key.

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Three Core Secret of Tai CHi Practicing

Tai Chi Chuan is globally recognized as the foremost martial arts style, epitomizing the quintessence of Chinese martial arts. It ranks among the three major internal schools of martial arts in China—Tai Chi Chuan, Xing Yi Quan, and Bagua Zhang. As a vessel and emblem of traditional Chinese culture, Tai Chi Chuan manifests and interprets the wisdom of traditional Chinese philosophy through the physical form.

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Why cant you eliminated the stiffness after practice Tai Chi for so long ?

        In practicing Tai Chi, wanting to delve deeper into the art, the biggest obstacle encountered is the challenge of one's inherent force, which is the stiffness throughout the body, both inside and out. This inherent force affects the light and agile application of Tai Chi, presenting practitioners with the task of overcoming this barrier.

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