How to Use Tai Chi for Self Defense

Tai chi, an ancient form of movement designed to focus energy inward, may seem too peaceful and slow to be used as a self-defense technique. However, the practice has its origins in the martial arts, with every movement based upon combat techniques and defensive postures.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Use tai chi to prepare for any self-defense regimen by improving your posture and balance. Tai chi will strengthen the muscles in your back and legs. Known as a "soft" martial art, the practice teaches its disciples to develop strength internally and to work as a steady, immovable force.

2. Use tai chi to sharpen your focus and to improve your mental well-being. Many use the basic principles of the practice to engage in other disciplines, such as karate, aikido, judo and kung fu. Many kung fu dojos recommend tai chi classes to mentally prepare students for the rigors of kung fu or karate.

3. Apply the tai chi principles of strategy for self defense. All movements in tai chi are based upon fighting stances and defenses used in kung fu, such as techniques that teach you to react and move with an opponent and apply force in a slow yet unyielding manner. Students of tai chi are often taught to visualize an opponent, and to respond with tactics, strategy, defense and even offensive attacks.

4. Work with a partner. Use opposing movements you have learned during your tai chi instruction to react and counter the movements of your partner.

5. Enroll in tai chi training that emphasize rapid execution, and methods close to the fighting techniques used in martial arts. Some forms of tai chi implement a "pushing hands" technique, in which you learn to oppose force from a partner. Other types of tai chi may even involve the use of weapons, such as a sword, lance, lasso or whip.

Tips & Warnings

• In Chinese, "tai" means big or great, and "chi" refers to the life force that comes from within. The less formal interpretation of tai chi, however, is "strength through movement."

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[higglet]

on 3/19/2008 Ha, the chi in Tai Chi has nothing to do with Chi as in the mystical life-energy. The pinyin spelling of Tai Chi is Tai Ji where as the mystical energy is spelt Qi in pinyin mandarin, the two are not the same thing. A better translation of Tai Ji Quan (tai chi chuan) is Yin-Yang Fist. Tai Ji directly translates as something like Grand Ultimate and is the real name of the Yin-Yang twin tadpole looking symbol, idiomatically we are therefore given Yin-Yang Fist a much better translation than the 'strength through movement' pap given above.