Historians credit Taoist monk Chang San-Feng with the creation in the 16th century of tai chi, translated as "supreme ultimate fist." Tai chi uses internal force instead of the external force used by other martial arts such as kung fu. Tai chi, which combines movement, meditation and deep breathing, is part of traditional Chinese medicine and has grown in popularity in the United States since the 1970s, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The variations in the practice of tai chi make identifying and counting the movements, or postures, used in tai chi more of a challenge.
Tai Chi Concepts
Tai chi promotes health and fitness through its focus on achieving balance between the opposing and complementary forces of yin and yang. A blockage in the body's flow of qi, pronounced "chee," causes disease. Balancing yin and yang unblocks the flow of qi to allow for the achievement of health in all areas: emotional, mental, physical and spiritual, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Tai chi uses all of the major muscle groups and joints to perform the slow, deliberate movements. Tai chi's movements, which are low-impact and weight-bearing, are designed to improve balance, flexibility, strength and coordination. As you perform tai chi moves, you practice deep breathing and focus on a point just below your navel, which is believed to be the point from which all qi flows, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Styles
Tai chi styles include the short form, or small frame, which focuses on relaxation and performs the hand forms close to your body, according to Grandmaster Frank DeMaria of the American Center for Chinese studies. In large-frame styles, where the focus is on combat, your hand is extended to distances farther from the body. Other tai chi styles are chen, yang, wu, sun and their variations. Many styles evolve from existing styles and the movements included depend on the intention of the style's creator. Once you decide whether health or combat is the focus, DeMaria notes that the choice of style is mostly a matter of aesthetics as long as the style adheres to the principles of tai chi. Different styles have different numbers of movements. Some styles use 36 movements and others use as many as 180.
Forms
Tai chi movements are performed in combinations called forms. Forms have names that reference an element of nature, such as Grasp the Bird's Tail and Wave Hands Like Clouds. The name describes the form's overall action. Forms can include any number of movements, as few as 20 or as many as 100. For instance, the Yang Style Long Form uses 108 moves, or postures, and takes 20 minutes to complete.
Movements
Tai chi originally used 13 basic movements that imitated animal movements. Over the centuries, the number of movements has grown. A few of the standard moves include the Fair Lady, Separate Hands and Needle at the Sea Bottom, which continue to be used in nearly all tai chi styles. Some moves are performed only once in a form, while other moves -- like Brush Knee, Twist Left and Cloud Hands -- are repeated in the forms of some styles. The moves in some traditional styles are performed during a tai chi session once on one side of the body. However, variations in the style might include the moves on both sides of the body.
Tai Chi Sessions
Tai chi sessions last about one hour and often involve group lessons. Sessions begin with a warm-up period that uses special tai chi movements. Groups complete a form during a session, after which the group moves on to a wind-down period that includes meditation and relaxation. Individuals commit to daily practice of their tai chi movements at home in order to master the forms and movements.
Tips
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports that the practice of tai chi improves sleep, alleviates pain and stiffness, improves muscle strength and increases flexibility. Tai chi's low-impact movements benefit the elderly and individuals diagnosed with arthritis, heart disease, bone loss and fibromyalgia.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Tai Chi-An Introduction
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Tai Chi
- American Center for Chinese Studies: Part I The Foundation
- American Center for Chinese Studies: Part II Choosing a Style
- Patience T'ai Chi Association: Postures of the Cheng Man-Ching Tai Chi Form
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