Fighting application of Tai Chi Chuan

it has been a long while since my last update this blog.  Time flies.  There are many videos out there showing the fighting and combat application of taichi chuan but to my mind only a few capture the essence of tai chi chuan.  Tai chi chuan is an effective fighting art not because of its technique and how to apply, it is effective because of its principle.  When you are relaxed your movement is at ease and not restricted.  When you loose (Song) with alertness you are not rigid and your movement will be fast, agile and flexible.  When your posture is in harmony you will be steady, strong and powerful. Coupled with sensitivity developed in push hands or tuishou practice you will be spontaneous and arrive before your opponent.  Master Cheng Man Ching once said if you are not relaxed and song when encountering an opponent in a fight, you will lost your tai chi chuan.  Ponder on the principle not specific application.  The most effective technique is one which is simplest, fast and natural.  Have a good day everyone.

DOUBLE WEIGHT

Many people understand double weight in Tai Chi as distributing of equal weight on both feet. This is only partially correct. Double weight is more than that. The opposite of double weight is double float. I have explained in detail both of these deficiencies in my book - How To Master Tai Chi Chuan's Internal Skills. Suffice to say double weight is too much Yang and double float is too much Yin. We commit double weight fault only when we oppose force vs force. 50-50 weight distribution on feet is in itself OK. It is wrong only when we use 50-50 stance to withstand an oncoming force. Why? Because when the outside force lands on your body, according to Tai Chi principle you should neutralize it by playing with substantial and insubstantial, Yin Yang concept. When opponent is hard, you are soft and vice versa. Similarly when force lands on your body, that part of the body must empty out and become Yin. And corresponding to that, your Zhong Ding (vertical center) shift as well, this must be supported by distribution of weight in your feet. You cannot neutralize effectively with a 50-50 stance, in this stance you will inevitably fight force vs force to stay balance. Double weight also applies to hand, body and anypart that comes in contact with outside force, including Yi (mind). Double weight in another word is opposing force vs force.

Now that you know what is double weight is not opposing, double float is the opposite, i.e. using too much softness until you lost your body or stance structure and easily defeated. Bu Diu Bu Ding (not losing and not opposing) is precisely refering to these two deficiencies. Tai Chi is about Yin Yang interplay and inter exchange. Within Yin must have Yang and within Yang must have Yin.

LING KONG JIN (EMPTY FORCE)

Recently, with a few friends we’ve discussed about “Ling Kong Jin” or empty force. One who has mastered empty force is supposed to be able to defend against attacker without any physical contact. Master of empty force uses mind and Chi alone and there is no need to have any physical contact with the attacker. If you search YouTube on empty force or Ling Kong Jin, there are a lot of videos showing masters repelling attackers without touching. Among martial art friends who I’ve spoken to, many are sceptical. However, there are a few who believed. The sceptics argued that thus far there are no convincing prove of such ability exist, and what often been demonstrated by the so-called empty force masters are all on obliging students. None have ever applied, at least not publicly or willing to apply empty force on non-student. Therefore, the sceptic argued at best empty force is merely a psychological suggestive power works only on believing students. The sceptics also pronounced they have not met any empty force masters who can affect them. The believers on the other hand argued they have direct experienced empty force from masters and it is real. They also reasoned empty force masters are very very very rare breed and it cannot be demonstrated on ordinary people because it will cause serious injury. This left us with unanswered question if empty force or Ling Kong Jin is real. Personally, I’ll keep my cup half empty waiting for one find day when it can be filled by a real empty force master.

Ten Essentials of Tai Chi Chuan Explained eBook

Grandmaster Yang Cheng Fu (grandson of Yang Tai Chi Chuan's founder-Yang Lu Chan the invincible) written 10 guides to the correct practice of Tai Chi Chuan popularly known as 10 Essentials of Tai Chi Chuan. These guides are very important. They form and provide a framework within which Tai Chi Chuan should be practiced. In order to attain high level of proficiency in Tai Chi Chuan, one must internalize these 10 guides into the art. Failing which, one will not be able to breakthrough into the internal elements of Tai Chi Chuan.

As the original version of 10 Essentials of Tai Chi Chuan was written in abstract Chinese and not easily understood, Master Hiu feels the need to provide this important information in plain layman's language so that all fellow Tai Chi Chuan practitioners can understand. "10 Essentials of Tai Chi Chuan - Explained" is en ebook which will be sent to you directly through your email when purchased.

You may order by clicking the below payment button, at Facebook fanpage - Tai Chi Secret Movements or http://www.taichisecretmovements.com/

GET THIS eBOOK NOW FOR USD4.80 ONLY.

TC Book / eBook

Book - How To Master TC Internal Secrets $32.40 eBook - Ten Essentials of Tai Chi Chuan $4.80

FINALLY MY BOOK IS OUT!

After long procastination, my dream book is finally published - How To Master Tai Chi Chuan's Internal Secrets". Fellow Tai Chi friends have shown overwhelming supports and I am truly humbled. The publisher has agreed to give 20% discount on the book until further notice.

You may buy it by clicking the above payment button, at Facebook fanpage Tai Chi Secret Movements or http://www.taichisecretmovements.com/


The book aims at providing proper understanding and step-by-step training to develop Tai Chi internal strength (Peng Jin) which is the fundamental internal strength in Tai Chi Chuan. Hope it will be useful to fellow Tai Chi Chuan lovers.

GET A COPY NOW AT 20% DISCOUNT AND WITH FREE SHIPPING FOR USD32.40).

Please allow 12-16 days for the book to reach you as it will be shipped from Malaysia.

GAZE TO LEFT AND BEWARE OF RIGHT

Most Tai Chi Chuan players are fast to claim they know the form they are doing when asked. They will tell you it is 24 postures, 48, 36, 108 and so on. Nothing wrong with that, and when you ask them to show you the applications of these postures, many long time practitioners will be able show you how a posture can be applied to intercept an attack, often in a stationary manner. Often a ward-off posture is used to deflect a straight jab or punch. Try probe further by asking them how a ward-off can be used against a rain of multiple punches. I can guarantee you many would struggle to give you a satisfactory answer. Why? It is because ward-off cannot be used to defend against multiple punches, not in the way it is often demonstrated. If you are careful to scrutinize Tai Chi classics, it advises us never to oppose force with force, never to confront an opponent directly from front.



So what is missing? Most Tai Chi Chuan people lost touch of the transition movements in the form. Transition movements link individual posture together and they are very very important. It is here that hides the secret stepping application of Tai Chi Chuan. It is here that side stepping, gaze to the left, beware of the right, retreat and advance are hidden.

THE SECRETS OF HEN-HA SOUND

In most martial arts, shouting and yelling is encouraged when issuing force, but we often do not see this in Tai Chi Chuan. Shouting when issuing force or Fajin in Chinese was common in the traditional way of practising Tai Chi Chuan, however it is not done anymore because today people do not practise Tai Chi Chuan like they did in the past.

In fact, shouting in traditional Tai Chi Chuan was so important that special sounds were used so that the sounds correspond with Chi. This secret is revealed in Tai Chi classics too but often ignored. It is the secret sound of Hen - Ha. When force is used to pull inward, the sound "Hen" will be yelled. Dantian will contract and Chi will flow to Dantian. The sound "Ha" is used when force is exploded outward. Dantian will expand and Chi will rush out.

Try using these two sounds and see how your Dantian and Chi will react to them. Who knows, you may unveil the secrets of Hen-Ha.