How To Master Tai Chi Chuan

Tai chi chuan is a Chinese martial art that has been in existence for hundreds of years. Meaning "grand ultimate fist," it is one of the internal martial arts, or "nei jia," which emphasize softness, relaxation and body mechanics over brute force or physical strength, which is common in the external martial arts. It also focuses on the cultivation of "chi," the body's natural energy.

Step 1

Find the best teacher that you can. Traditionally, tai chi was renowned as a formidable fighting martial art before it became known as a method of maintaining health and fitness. A good teacher will understand the martial applications of the art, which will give him a better understanding of the body mechanics required and will be able to help you to master every aspect of the art.

Step 2

Focus on learning the basic movements as well as you can rather than trying to learn everything at once. The key to mastering tai chi is to master the relevant body mechanics, which is easiest to do if you practice a single movement repeatedly rather than trying to learn a whole form at one time. As the martial arts master Bruce Lee once said, it is better to practice a technique a thousand times than to practice a thousand techniques once each.

Step 3

Practice every day, as often as you can. Tai chi chuan requires you to have a high level of awareness of your body so that you can sense the alignment of your bones and your joints, as well as the tension in your muscles. Sensing this in the whole of your body is difficult to do, so you need to spend a lot of time practicing moving while keeping your awareness on your body.

Step 4

Learn the basic form so that you can practice. Each of the five main schools of tai chi have several forms that contain all the necessary movements to achieve mastery. Practicing the form allows you to practice moving with excellent posture and alignment, which will help improve your daily health.

Step 5

Learn other tai chi exercises such as push hands. In Asia, tai chi is still practiced as a martial art that resembles wrestling; many tai chi push hands competitions exist where the aim is to throw or unbalance your opponent. Push-hands drills are initially very gentle exercises designed to increase sensitivity and awareness in your body.

Tips and Warnings

Mastering tai chi is a lifelong pursuit. It can take several years to learn the full form, let alone to master all the intricate details. Learning to move your entire body in perfect harmony is a never-ending task that spreads throughout your daily life, so keep this in mind if you do not make quick progress. Keep practicing and adhering to the principles of tai chi, and you will make slow but steady progress.