Taichi, a mental way to fitness.
Good health possibly, but better than a work out?
The first thing that many people say to me when they find out I practice Taichi is, 'Isn't that some sort of slow oriental dance?' To demonstrate their knowledge and often in an attempt at fun they go on to say. 'Oh yes that's what loads of old Chinese people do early in the mornings in parks isn't it?' This is often accompanied by some slow motion ballet gestures. I have been studying Taichi for close to ten years and well yes perhaps some of these popular beliefs are true. But that's like saying premier league football is a game played by lads who don't need the exercise watched by a whole load of blokes who really could use a ninety minute kick about.
So how come I think Taichi is not a soft option? It is well known that the armed forces have used the stress position to interrogate prisoners the idea is to inflict pain without leaving any damage or visible marks. In Taichi training the some of the same principles are applied. Standing post means assuming something like a stress position; knees bent, back straight, not straight casual but vertical bolt upright. Position of the arms and hand varies according to the teaching and the style of Taichi. But the basic idea is to have the arms away from the body. Muscles like always in this soft internal martial art have to be relaxed. That's the first paradox, one of many in Taichi training.
Relaxed is an idea that has not done well in translation between the east and west cultures. In the west we have relaxed as an idea of kicking back on the sofa or with a few mates sharing a beer in the Dog n Duck. The phrase in Chinese that is used in Taichi is 'song' more a state of mental concentration and an absence of muscle tension. So there you are standing post and your teacher, if they are worth their salt will be telling you to relax 'be song'. After 10 minutes of standing in a stress position it is easier said than done. Your legs are beginning to beg you to 'stand up straight' and the muscles in your thighs have become fatigued. They feel like some one has slipped a jack hammer into your quads. If you give in at this point don't worry, it happens to the best of us. But you will feel like a total prat because the sixty year old woman, who is standing post next to you, is smiling appearing to be enjoying this torture. Guys have come into the class who claim to have done lots of sports some kick boxing but they have crumbled when we have started the session by standing still. The trick if you can call it that is two fold. Firstly it's all in the mind, Taichi or to give it a better translation Taichiquan (supreme ultimate fist) requires the mind and spirit to be trained. So being able to control your body and the posture using your will power is incredibly important; pain in the muscles can be overcome.
Secondly your legs are actually in no real danger it's just like the last set of reps in the gym, so paint a smile on your face and enjoy the burn. If your posture is correct you have nothing to worry about. Oh I forgot to mention that in Taichi terms you need to achieve 20 minutes a day for one hundred days. If you miss a day then just like in snakes and ladders you go back to the start. Day one, again. One famous martial arts teacher Master Yun Yin Sen, starts his day, everyday, without fail, with forty five minutes standing. Before the rest of his training begins. When I had the privilege of getting hands on with him I was able to swing my whole body weight off one of his arms. I am a little chubbier than I should be and weigh around thirteen and a half stone, eighty five kilos and am six feet tall. Master Yun Yin Sen, is about five foot five and without any body fat weighing closer to sixty kilos. It is difficult for many Westerners to gauge of the age of people from the Far East. I later found out, after having swung on his arm that master Sen is in fact sixty five. I had spent a Sunday morning abusing a pensioner. Or to be more accurate he had been abusing me, not my proudest moment, being pushed around by a senior citizen.
If you have had a stressful day at work complete with the mind numbing commute to get there and back, followed by a gym session or a competitive game of squash then gone on to meet some mates for a beer or two is a full on and complete day. Mates, earning money and staying in trim. What more can you do? How can Taichi fit in? Anyway what's the point of it, if I want a martial art I'll do something like karate, big punching and powerful kicks and if I want to live forever I'll take up yoga and swap lager for lentils! Well maybe, Taichi might just help you balance the needs of both. Like a good mate once you you've taken to each other it will be around forever. When the training at the gym makes your knees swell and the mixture of stresses at work and commuting make your doctor start talking about blood pressure then it's your mates that you can turn too. Taichi will help you get the balance back.
How do you make a start? The single most important thing is to find a good teacher. Far more important than the style you choose or the amount of time you are able to put in. The problem is it's very difficult to tell when you don't know much about Taichi who is a good teacher and who is a pretender. In my experience good teachers will let you know in two ways. One, they will let you get hands on with them. You can feel Taichi and when you have got hands on with a Taichi master you will definitely know. The fist time Master Lui Ji Shun demonstrated energy release to me I became aware that I was flying backwards without having felt him using any force to push me away, my feet cycling Scoobie doo style, as I flew back. Secondly they like you to ask questions, for them they can tell how well you are progressing by the questions you ask. Good teachers are really keen for you to progress. All they will ask of you is to be a good student.
When should you start? The best time to have started your training is twenty years ago. The second best time to start training is now.
Why do Taichi? It's good for the soul, and not quite as hard as golf.
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