One Breath, One Step
Training For Life
Inside Kung Fu February 1987
by Grandmaster Doc Fai Wong
Yang style Tai Chi chuan is the most popular internal form practiced in the world. Although the current rage in China and the United States is Chen Tai Chi, recently organized as the origin of today’s tai chi styles. Yang style still remains the leader among internal styles.
Why is that? Yang Tai Chi is popular with its slow even tempo and can be practiced by everyone. However, the Chen style, which bases it’s form on hard and soft and fast and slow movements combined with low balanced stances is strictly for more limber, athletic people.
Many Chen stylists believe Yang Tai Chi Chuan is no longer a fighting style. They say it’s too soft, contains no “ging” (external power) and its good only for exercise. However, there are knowledgeable masters of the Yang style who develop ging through special exercises and practice the tai chi form in a martial manner.
People in China today practice a form of Yang Tai Chi called the short form, which consist of 24 movements and takes four to six minutes to complete. The short form is not a part of original Yang Tai Chi. The one legitimate form of Yang Tai Chi Chuan has over 100 movements and is referred to as the long form.
Today, there is confusion over how much time it should take to complete the long form. Accounts of Yang Tai Chi legendary master, Yang Cheng Fu talk of a long form taking about 15 minutes to complete. Other stories return to forms lasting more than an hour.
Who is right? Both are right and wrong. As a martial art (the primary reason it was practiced by its originators), tai chi is an exciting style that requires pinpoint timing and the complete connection of the practitioner’s body into a unit of relaxed power. The only way to achieve those goals is to practice the form slowly and carefully, making sure all body movements fit together into a fluid pattern of soft power.
However, the form is practiced with intention and focus. Remember that tai chi chuan was originally designed as a martial art. Even as a health form it is more beneficial to promoting good health if some focus and intention are added to each movement.
For all indications, tai chi’s greatest masters took up to an hour to complete their forms. However, this way was not an hour of slow, even movement: it was 60 minutes of moving into one position checking and correcting the form, moving at regular speed into another position and repeating the procedure. The old masters also needed practice time to correct themselves.
The idea that the form should be slowed to last an hour is wrong. Performing the movements that slow will break the timing and natural flow of energy so necessary to tai chi chuan. When the Yang Long Form is practiced in this manner, it looses its martial art aspect.
In days past, practitioners were ready to move on to the martial form of Yang tai chi chuan only after spending years on the Long Form. As a rule, no matter how forceful or soft a fighter’s techniques are, they will all exhale after each strike. Their breathing patterns will naturally adjust to a one-breath, one-move rhythm, both to emit maximum power and conserve energy. Tai chi chuan is no different.
The Yang Long Form fits well into a pattern of one-breath, one-move actions, collecting and releasing strong connected power from relaxed movements. Remember, although this one-breath, one-move concept sounds easy, it will just be a jumble of unconnected, powerless moves without years of slow and smooth practice.
Yang style Tai Chi Chuan’s only form should first be practiced slowly to develop timing and coordination. At the higher level, the same form, with the same connected movements is blended with breath control to produce a ten-minute fighting form.
I have been discussing tai chi chuan as a martial art. There are many who are only interested in its health benefits. There is nothing wrong with that, but as long as you intend to derive its health benefits, why not, at the same time, receive everything tai chi chuan has to offer.
Doc Fai Wong is a columnist for Inside Kung Fu.
To learn more about Tai Chi Chuan visit: whitedragonmartialarts.com
Tags: Training for Life