Questions from Tai Chi Newbies

I recently have received a number of questions from beginning Tai Chi students.
So these questions and answers are somewhat basic. If you are already an advanced Player, they may be superfluous for you. In my next post, I will feature a few more FAQ from new Tai Chi students.

I want to learn Tai Chi, but have no idea how to find a class.

First, take a look at your Yellow Pages under the heading Martial Arts.
Many Tai Chi schools are listed in that category.
Second, check out your local YMCA, or local Community College continuing education courses.
Third, go to your natural food store or co-op and look at their bulletin board. Many Tai Chi teachers post notices on these boards.


How do I know if my teacher is teaching real Tai Chi? There seem to be many “versions” of Tai Chi—and they are all different!

The most important qualifier for a teacher is that s/he can demonstrate a “lineage” that goes back to a legitimate “style” of Tai Chi. There are the Chen, Yang, Wu, and Sun Styles, and the earlier, lesser known WuDang Style. The former are named after famous Tai Chi families who developed them. You can also find modern formulations from “Sports Committees” in China. These are usually called the “24,” “48,” etc. to denominate the number of movements in each Form. Generally, these modern forms are composites, adapting movements from the earlier traditional Styles.

The critical factor is that your prospective teacher can show that the form s/he is teaching derives from one of the Family Styles mentioned above, or from a recognized modern form. They should know the “lineage” of their teachers all the way back to a Family Style founder or modern form.


I have heard that Tai Chi is a martial art, but my teacher said Tai Chi is “non-violent” and is about health and meditation. I am confused…

Tai Chi originated as a martial art. And understanding it as a martial art is ESSENTIAL to successful practice. That is, in practicing any individual movement, you must understand its use in “application,” or self-defense, even if you do not actively practice the defensive aspects.

Remember, Tai Chi, by its very definition, is based on Yin and Yang. We could say that health and meditation are its Yin aspects, and martial application is its Yang element. The art is incomplete without a fusion of these two aspects.

That said, you can get many health benefits, even if you do not engage in the specialized training of Tai Chi as martial art. But you must at least understand the martial art meaning of every movement, or your energy will not be concentrated effectively.

If your teacher has "no clue" about the martial aspects of Tai Chi, I would respectfully look elsewhere.


My teacher got very angry with me the other day. I noticed that there was a back room in our Tai Chi school where some advanced students were practicing. I went over to take a look, but my teacher quickly pulled me back, saying that those students were practicing “secret techniques”—and that I should not look in there again. What did I do wrong?

Your teacher must be very traditional. In old China, before the 20th century, martial arts such as Tai Chi were often guarded very closely as family “secrets.” That is because the entire village or clan used their martial art as their “security system” to protect the people from attacks by bands of roving robbers. With the advent of modern weaponry, most traditional teachers are more relaxed about revealing what used to be “secret techniques.” Even a mediocre user of a pistol can defeat the most advanced expert in “secret” empty hand martial arts.

My own main teacher, T.T. Liang, was very generous in teaching all of his “secrets.” He said the only real “secret” was whether or not a student would practice deeply enough to “get” the technique.

In the case you mentioned above, just be sure to respect your teacher.


Is any Style of Tai Chi the ONLY REAL style? My friend is studying a different style of Tai Chi than I am and tells me his teacher says that his style is the only genuine style and that I am wasting my time. Is this true?

Some teachers have a great deal of pride in their lineage and style. There is nothing wrong with that. However, as long as a style has a legitimate lineage, as discussed earlier, it is a correct and genuine style. A more important question is whether a given style is the best for your own body and physical type.

After all, the original Styles were created by people of different strengths, body types, and personal temperament. They were geared to specific purposes. Some used smaller movements; some larger. Some stressed fast attack; others stressed “softness” and neutralizing attacks.

As long a your style has a proper lineage and is accurately taught, it is “correct.” And you can start with any style. At some point, after getting a solid base, you might want to branch out into another style, to see if it is a better fit to your physical type and temperament.

What is the most important element in learning Tai Chi?

In answer, I will defer to Grandmaster Cheng Man Ch’ing’s reply to the same question.
The most important is correct teaching, followed by perseverance, and natural talent.

NOTE:

I use the spelling Tai Chi in this blog because it is still the most recognized spelling in English, compared to the Wade-Giles “T’ai Chi” or the pinyin “Taiji.”

You can find some more advanced questions and answers about Tai Chi practice in my book Drawing Silk.

http://www.totaltaichi.com/Taiji%20Master%20Secrets.htm