tai chi
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…
The Ancient Roots of Modern Yang Tai Chi
Tai Chi is one of the oldest documented forms of martial arts dating back to the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). However, it might surprise most people to know that contemporary Tai Chi styles have much more recent histories. Chen Family Tai Chi can be traced back to the mid 17th century. Both Yang Family Tai Chi…
