How to Do Tai Chi

How to Do Tai Chi

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Tai Chi Chuan (Taijiquan) is an ancient Chinese "internal" or "soft" martial art often practised for its health-giving and spiritual benefits; it is non-competitive, gentle, and generally slow-paced.^[1] Contrary to the Western concept of "no pain, no gain," one hour of tai chi actually burns more calories than surfing and nearly as many as downhill skiing, so it's definitely a veritable workout.^[2] But that's just one of the many benefits! By increasing strength, flexibility, body awareness and mental concentration, tai chi can improve your health, too.

1. 1 Warm up with proper breathing and centering. As with any martial art, it's not just how quickly and forcefully you can strike a board or knock a guy out. A huge part of it is having a firm grip on your mind. To clear yours, focus your chi, and tap into your potential, you'll need to start with proper breathing (which will, in turn, centre you).
   • Put your feet up to shoulder width apart, no further.
   • Place your hand on your lower abdomen, about 2 inches (5 cm) below your navel. Push in lightly.
   • Breathe in and out through your nose slowly (lips loosely together) from this area of your abdomen. If you can't feel this area moving, push in with your hand a bit more.
2. 2 Concentrate on all parts of your body one at a time. Once breathing like this feels normal, start relaxing every part of your body one at a time. Start with your feet and work your way up to your scalp. Get as tiny as you'd like -- down to your fingernails even. You'll find you were holding tension without even realizing it.
   • If you start to sway, that's actually a good thing! It means you're relaxing and your body isn't tensed to balance. If that does happen, consider slightly readjusting your feet or moving your concentration back to your balance until you're steady again.
3. 3 Root yourself. One of the concepts of tai chi is "rooting." It's fairly self-explanatory: imagine roots growing out from underneath your feet. You are a part of the ground, never losing balance, focus, or your centering. Your limbs sway like branches in the wind, never hesitating for fear or apprehension. You are rooted.
   • This does not mean you or your legs are stiff. Quite the opposite. Just imagine roots under you, a part of you, allowing you for freedom of movement because you cannot fall, you cannot fail, and you will always be a part of the natural world.
4. 4 Think about your frame. In Tai Chi, there are a few forms your positions can take. Generally, each style favors a specific form. Here's a rundown of the basics:
   • Small frame style. In this style (usually Wu or Hao versions) aren't very expansive. The movements are smaller (big surprise, huh?) and there's less extension in general. The focus is on correct internal energy to form correct movements and transitions.
   • Large frame style. The large frame style (Chen and Yang) involves low and high stances, more dramatic postures, and swinging arms. It emphasizes correct positioning of the body and alignment to channel energy.
5. 5 Experiment with different styles. Because all Tai Chi is good, it's more important that you do any rather than worry about which style is right for you. But once you get immersed in the world, you may want to experiment. Here's a brief rundown:^[4]
   • The Chen style mixes up the tempo, going very slow and then being explosive. It can be difficult for beginners.
   • The Yang style is the most popular. It has a steady tempo and, as discussed above, uses large frame movements. It's probably what you think of when you think of tai chi.
   • In Wu, the movements are almost microscopic. This makes it easy to do, but difficult to master -- there's a lot of focus on powerful flows of energy and inner, pressured movements. The movements are very slow and deliberate.
   • The Hao style isn't very widely spread. You probably won't find a teacher that practices it.

1. 1 Master the moves by understanding the philosophy and its makers. To understand the nature of Tai Chi Chuan (meaning "Supreme Ultimate Fist") we have to put it into context with the culture from where it has come. This means we have to look closer at the Chinese culture and, in particular, the spiritual tradition of Taoism which is where Tai Chi Chuan finds its roots and sustenance.
   • The art of tai chi is said to improve the flow of Chi (Qi), the traditional Chinese concept of a physically intangible energy or life force. In scientific studies, tai chi has been proven to improve a host of medical conditions including, but not limited to: muscular pain, headaches, fibromyalgia, cardiovascular problems, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Diabetes and ADHD. Though its low-impact workout is especially helpful to seniors, tai chi is for everyone and is deceptively simple in appearance.
   • The thing to keep in mind about Taoism is that it is about an attunement with nature. Not just nature outside of us, but also the nature within us. This principle is called Tzu Jan, or Ziran in pinyin, and it is the principle of being "self-so" or embodying one's "self-nature". So beyond the health benefits and stress relief, Tai Chi Chuan is also a means to tap into one's inner self.
2. 3 Try the single whip move. We're just going to outline a few here (there are tons), but a pretty standard one that is seen in every variety is the single whip. It's where every point along your arms and upper torso is part of a whip -- they could explode with a force of energy at any moment, becoming the end of the whip. Doesn't seem so effortless now!
   • For this move, generally one hand stays in the "beak hand" position. You can probably guess why -- it sort of looks like a bird's beak. Your four fingers should be lightly touching your thumb and your palm should be facing downward. As for your arms, each style of Tai Chi is slightly different, but generally, they're at shoulder height and spread like loose wings.
3. 4 Do the white crane spreads wings move. For this one, your weight should always be on one leg -- but both feet should always be on the ground. You'll be shifting back and forth as you test your balance. So to your arms should be opposite -- one should be moving fast and on different planes and the other should be slow and deliberate (but never flaccid and weak).
   • The name of this moves sounds docile, but it does have a fighting application. Think about it: your weight and arm position is always changing. And when you have 100% of your weight on one leg, it frees the other up to kick. There's your purpose!
4. 5 Practice "pouring." This can even be something you do waiting in line at the self-check out. You simply stand with your feet on the floor, parallel, shoulder-width apart. Then you pour your weight onto one leg and hold; after a few breaths in and out, you begin slowly pouring your weight onto the other leg and holding. Do this for a few minutes, clearing your mind and becoming aware of your balance.^[5]
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7. 8 Go from short form to long form. For most beginners, you'll probably want to stick to the short form. That's 13-40 moves long and generally lasts about 5-20 minutes. But once you get that down, you may be craving more. That's where the long form comes in! It's 80 or more moves and can take over an hour.^[7] Talk about stress relief!

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