A Guide to the Art of Taichi

The art of Taichi is one that is practiced today not only in the East where it originated, but also very popularly in the Western world. Basically the art of Taichi as it is practiced in the Western world today can best be thought of as a moving form of yoga and meditation combined, and is used primarily for relaxation purposes.

The basic of Taichi is to foster a calm and tranquil mind, easy anxiety and stress, and bring together mind, body and soul. The art of Taichi helps one to better walk, stand, run, and correct their overall posture, as well as be able to better defend their self if the need arises for it.

The Aspects

There are many different aspects that are included in the art of Taichi, and there are actually five different major styles that are used, which are Chen style, Yang style, Wu or Wu/Hao style of Wu, Wu style of Wu Ch’uan-yu (Wu Quanyuo) and Wu Chien-ch’uan (Wu Jianquan), and Sun style.

Although these are the five most major, there are now dozens of styles that are practiced, all of which originated and developed from at least one of these five. The core training of any form of Taichi involves two primary and basic features the solo form which is a slow sequence of movements that emphasize a straight spine and a natural range of motion, and different styles of pushing hands for training movement principles of the form in a more practical way.

The solo form is the most critical in the art of Taichi, and it should work by taking the student through a complete and natural range of motion over their center of gravity. The solo routine must be practiced repetitively in order for the student to completely understand it and be able to properly perform it. It works by retaining their posture and encouraging circulation throughout their body.

The Fighting Techniques

This is a form of martial arts that truly relies on the overall sensitivity of the opponent’s movements and center of gravity. Pushes and open hand strikes are commonly used here, and kicks should usually always be to the legs and never higher than the hip, although this can vary. As well in the art of Taichi, the fingers, fists, palms, wrists, forearms, and elbows are all commonly used to strike.

There are many different martial arts locations around the world that teach Taichi, and it is definitely one of the best available and one that everyone should try out at least once.