tai chi
Playing it Safe: How to Stay Injury Free on Your Martial Arts Journey
It is estimated that more than 5 million people in America participated in some form of martial arts training last year making it one of the most popular forms of recreational exercise. There are many benefits to training in martial arts such as improved strength, balance and coordination. Martial Arts training is also a great…
Quality, Not Quantity
Do you measure your martial art skill by the number of forms you know or the tournament trophies you won? I hope not. Because, if you do, you’re keeping yourself from ever reaching your top martial arts potential. It’s not how many sets you know, or how many people you’ve defeated at tournaments that makes…
Elements of Push Hands Practice
There are two sides to tai chi practice—the tai chi form and push hands (tui shou). Ancient tai chi scholars wrote that “You learn the tai chi form to learn to know yourself, and learn push hands to learn to know the opponent.” Forms practice teaches you your own proper relaxation, body position, breathing, and…
Yang Style Tai Chi’s Five Principle Points
Tai Chi or Tai Chi Chuan translates to “Grand Ultimate Fist”. It is a Chinese System of slow motion exercises designed to improve health, relieve stress, and build strength. Research shows that Tai Chi is effective in improving dynamic balance and reducing falls among older adults. Tai Chi can also be practiced as a martial…
No Belts in Kung Fu
This article originally appeared in the June 1991 issue of Inside Kung Fu Magazine, “Training for Life” by Grandmaster Doc-Fai Wong. You might say that in Japanese and Korean martial arts, the most important part of the wardrobe is the belt. The belt’s color designates the martial artist’s rank, making it a critical part of…
