Using gravity and connection, we build a substantial structure. That structure must also be fluid and adaptive like water. Nothing is softer than water.
Tuesday
Soft means relaxed
'Soft' refers to the condition of pliability and the necessity of using the least amount of muscular strength at all times.
Only by being extremely gentle in our physical contact with others can we sense their movements fully and flow like water.
Hardness in our own bodies will prevent sensitivity and impede smooth movement.
You need a good tai chi teacher to adjust your posture physically, to help calibrate your alignment, to point out where you are holding tensions, and to note any musculoskeletal imbalances. The nonverbal physical adjustments you get from your teacher help you develop a level of self-awareness not accessible through solo practice alone.
(Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health Publication, May 2009)
Monday
Soft does not mean floppy
A taijiquan exponent seeks to have the supple, soft body they once had as a child. The joints are mobile and flexible, and the muscles move smoothly and easily.
Poise is good and the body is used naturally and comfortably. The mind is quiet and we listen to what the body is telling us.
The Chen form derived from battlefield military movements, where people wore medieval body armour that had to be compensated for. The Chen-style stances were specifically designed to achieve these compensations and obtain a workable position from which to realistically throw an armoured opponent.
By the time Yang had reached Beijing, times had changed. With the advent of firearms, battlefield armour became obsolete; hence, the need for techniques to deal with armoured foes had passed.
Yang and his students had to deal with situations encountered by bodyguards, not armies opposing each other.
(Bruce Frantzis)
Patience
How well you do is entirely down to you. Your capacity to coordinate the body, memorise, observe, comprehend and adapt will all be put to the test.
Yet, this is no competition. You do what you can, as you can. The class is for you. We are here to assist you. The process of learning takes as long as it needs to.
Friday
Professional
A professional syllabus is not the norm in tai chi; most schools do not have a formal syllabus. At best they have qigong, forms and drills - and these are taught in a habitual manner.
A curriculum needs to be very carefully thought through in order to build layer upon layer of understanding, body growth and internal development.
Interlocking
Every exercise has been systematically broken-down, explained and re-built. This is a very thorough process. All aspects of the syllabus interlock.
The material is self-reinforcing and challenges each student to understand tai chi for themselves.
Access for all?
The aim with differentiation is for all students to access the curriculum relative to each individual's ability. This means that those who struggle are assisted, those who do fine are developed and those who do well are challenged further.
Thursday
Harm
Nobody actually wants to be hurt. Broken bones, concussion, bleeding and damage are not going to be found when training with Sifu Waller.
Aggressive martial arts classes can cause their students more harm than a real life attacker would - instead of learning to defend yourself, you are beaten up every week.
Be honest with yourself: what do you really want from your lessons?
No blocks in taijiquan
There are no blocks in our taijiquan. Rather than block, we affect the incoming force in other ways.
Cotton-covered iron
Whole-body strength is commonly referred to as being "cotton-covered iron". The metaphor suggests a firm centre, surrounded by something softer.
This is the essence of what we are developing in taijiquan.
Wednesday
Focus
Being the martial arts equivalent of a bargain hunter will not get you internal skill. Focus on the one art, the one approach, the one system. This is the Way to skill. We teach the Yang system.
It involves learning qigong, form, and a whole range of ancillary drills and training methods. The material is extensive and thorough, relevant and related.
Holding fast/enduring
Progress in our taijiquan class is simply a question of tenacity. If you have the wherewithal to stick the syllabus, attend regularly and train at home, you will gain the skills.
Learning is not a haphazard process. Each student has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. We have designed a sophisticated syllabus. It is fully differentiated. All you need to do is practice.
Soft meeting
Taijiquan cannot work if you resist force with force. Yang (firm) must encounter yin (soft) in order for balance. This is not just philosophical, it has a basis in reality and can be illustrated in the class.
Soft meeting is sometimes called 'blending'.
Tuesday
Curriculum
Not everyone is as capable as everyone else. We all start from a different place and approach the material in our own unique way.
The curriculum we have devised ensures that every student who puts in the work will gain the skills. It is not a matter of natural ability, secrets or happenstance.
The syllabus is thorough and builds the necessary foundation. Everyone can benefit. Everyone can learn. Gaining the skills is not a matter of chance. If you have the commitment, we have the way.
Mastery?
Playing is the first step in mastering your own ego and overcoming your conditioning. Lao Tzu wrote: "master self before attempting to master others".
If you lack the control necessary to employ the taijiquan safely and carefully, you are still a beginner.
Humour is the greatest contribution you can bring to the practice; be good-natured, kind and light-hearted. When you stop taking yourself too seriously, you can begin to play in earnest.
If you can play for the fun of playing, then the syllabus will be an enjoyable experience.
Monday
Exuberant
Many studies have proven that 'exuberant play' is the most effective learning medium. With the stigma of violence, pain and injury removed, students are free to relax and explore at their leisure.
The paradoxical physics associated with taijiquan emphasises the importance of relaxing and letting-go.
Play encourages this.
Legendary skill
In a 2008 Stanford University experiment taijiquan expert Chen Xiang generated a force 14 times his body weight when striking. 0-60 mph in less than 3 seconds.
This 'soft' striking method is accomplished by keeping the muscles soft, the intention clear and undulating the entire body in a split-second wave of power. The body is soft, the effect is hard.
Peng
In taijiquan we cultivate an unusual quality of integrity by creating a loose network of body parts.
Should any part of the body be pushed, it will yield and move. However, the overall structural integrity remains intact and resilient. There is no resistance.
No pushing back or physical tension (contracted muscles).
Friday
Imagine waking up each morning full of energy and vitality yet also feeling calm and relaxed about the day to come. It sounds like a miracle yet this state of abundant health and wellbeing should be our birthright. In our natural state we would face each day with joy, peace, and a deep connection with our bodies.
(Jane Alexander)
Natural power
Qigong and tai chi training is renowned for improving stamina and endurance. Students can concentrate longer and sustain prolonged physical activity without fatigue.
They gain the ability to withstand hardship and cope with difficulty.
Awareness
Try resting at certain points throughout the day and then continuing...
Without momentum to carry you forward, you may realise just how tired you really are.
The brief rest centres you and lets you feel that you're fatigued and need to stop.
Qigong
Qigong is usually taught alongside tai chi. In moderation, qigong is very gentle and unlikely to cause injury or fatigue. It gradually builds muscular strength and stamina.
Thursday
Ergonomical
The more economical movement/body use favoured in tai chi reduces fatigue. It lessens the possibility of over-commitment and redundant movement.
It makes the tai chi more accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels.
Little & often
Tai chi advocates moderation; not taxing or tiring the body. Rather than train for a lengthy period of time, aim to practice little & often. 20-30 minute increments, with rest breaks in-between is ideal.
Instead of pushing your body hard and putting it under duress, just do a little exercise. Resting will keep your concentration sharp and offset fatigue.
There is a tendency to lock the psoas muscle in a defensive posture and fatigue the muscle by keeping it in a chronic contracted state. This limits the movement of the leg, encouraging the use of the lumbar spine and stops a person from performing effectively.
Being in the tai chi posture utilizes gravity to one's advantage.
(Liz Koch)
Wednesday
Numb
One drawback of exertive training is that it can dull your awareness. Yes, you feel strong and seem able to handle the training... but you've inadvertently lost your sensitivity.
Nervous system
Over time, the nervous system of most adults becomes faulty, and it provides the brain with inaccurate information.
Instead of applying only the necessary amount of strength to complete a given activity, it is normal and comfortable to use an incredible excess.
This fatigues the muscles, blunts the nervous system and makes you clumsy.
Local limb action
Forcing a local muscle (or muscle group) to do all the work is simply not as efficient as sharing the workload across the entire body.
Localised muscle usage leads to fatigue, strain and the risk of joint injury. Long after the task is over, the muscles are sore, tired and potentially damaged. The muscles compensate by shortening.
Tuesday
Running on empty
Often people are running on empty. They fail to take adequate rest. Many of the exercise methods they adopt lead to even greater fatigue.
Stimulants, sugar, caffeine and fatty food enable the individual to carry on when in fact the real solution to fatigue is of course energy conservation and rest.
Lifestyle problems
Lifestyle issues are often caused by a failure to see what is right in front of you. The truth can be unpalatable or inconvenient.
For example: people who suffer from fatigue usually begin by over-committing their time, being unrealistic about their capabilities, failing to rest, being poorly organised, unwilling to say No, not working on themselves...
Ignoring the truth
What do people do to off-set fatigue? Do they cut back their commitments, do less, rest, engage in milder forms of exercise? Not usually.
They drink caffeine drinks, eat sugary food and moan about being tired.
Fatigue
Modern life saps energy. People are often exhausted, unhappy, frustrated...
They are frequently emotionally, physically and psychologically unbalanced.
Feeling drained is commonplace.
Monday
Be realistic
Set aside talk about relaxation, qi, softness and other concerns... Your body is flesh and bone. It is moved by muscles.
In order to be strong, agile, flexible and adaptive in combat - you need to strengthen your body.
Conditioning
Being in condition entails:
• Increasing your strength
• Improving your ability to last (endurance)
• Overcoming fatigue
• Being fitter
• Being more efficient in your body use
• Being more capable
• Overcoming stress
Ideal form of exercise
According to the book The Blue Zones it is important to think of exercise in terms of what you can reasonably do long-term.
The ideal form of exercise is moderate enough that you can do it for the rest of your life. It needs to be joint-friendly, provide a gentle workout and be sustainable.
This sounds rather like tai chi, doesn't it?
3 areas
There are 3 areas of fitness:
Cardio
Strength
Flexibility
In order to exercise the body properly, you need to gain aptitude in all 3 areas. Many people can lift heavy weights but they are not flexible/breathing hard after mild cardio.
Friday
Wednesday
Daily exercise
Dr Michael Greger (author of How Not To Die) recommends 90 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every day.
The three doctors who wrote The Okinawa Program maintain that tai chi - with its ancient origins and incredible health benefits - is the ideal form of exercise for modern people.
Ancient China
In ancient China, Taoist sages searched for different ways to prolong life, maintain youth, fitness and vitality. They developed a wide variety of anti-aging exercises.
Tai chi is a product of this quest for rejuvenation.
Centenarians
Not many people in the UK live to be 100 years old but in Asia it is far more common. How come? Asia sees aging differently to the UK.
Tuesday
Optimal body
The aim of tai chi is to teach and encourage optimal body use. A body that is capable of spontaneous movement in any direction; comfortably, safely, with the necessary support and stability.
By sitting, standing and moving in a natural, healthy way you will feel energised, relaxed, comfortable and agile. We encourage students to be fresh and open, supple and curious...
Faulty
Over time, the nervous system of most adults has become faulty, and it provides the brain with inaccurate information.
Instead of applying only the necessary amount of strength, it is normal and comfortable to use an incredible excess. This fatigues the muscles, blunts the nervous system and makes you clumsy.
Bones
Correct alignment of the body will enable you to use your body with less effort and greater strength. Counteracting the force of gravity is a key consideration.
The vertebrae and joints must be free to move in a fluid, smooth manner.
Monday
Excitability
Students usually get a crude sense of tai chi quite quickly but never get very good at it. The reason why is simple... There are 3 considerations:
1. The speed/pace determined by your level of excitement.
2. The actual speed that your nervous system can currently handle.
3. How present you really are.
The discrepancy between the 3 is the issue. Your mind/emotions wants to go fast but your nervous system cannot cope. And maybe you're not fully aware because you're thinking about other things
Friday
Control
Tai chi requires the body to perform technically complicated movements in an extremely controlled fashion. Clumsiness must be transcended.
You must become very aware of your own body and make every single movement deliberate and careful. This is not to be confused with prissiness.
It is one of the reasons why some of the training is performed slowly.
Active change
Many beginners train tai chi for ages and never learn to become soft. Why? They pay attention to the end result and not the means.
This is foolish, since the means produces the end. If we do not learn to listen to our body, then it is easy to become injured. Strains, stress and discomfort are ignored.
Listen to your body
As you exert pressure upon an object, your body experiences resistance and there is biofeedback which tells you how much strength is necessary.
Most adults in the Western world have a faulty nervous system and the information it provides is inaccurate.
Instead of applying only the necessary amount of strength, it is normal and comfortable to use an incredible excess. This fatigues the muscles, blunts the nervous system and makes you clumsy.
Thursday
Strong or clumsy?
It is extremely common for people to confuse 'strength' with clumsiness. When someone exerts their muscles and imposes an excess of strength, they are often considered to be strong.
Yet, how is this a reflection of strength? Surely a skilled use of strength requires the appropriate degree of strength relative to the needs of the activity?
Is your instructor offering technical skills?
Every martial arts class should be be teaching a level of knowledge that goes way beyond the superficial learning of patterns and routines.
If your instructor is not providing technical information, what are they teaching you? All students benefit from a more thorough understanding of their given art. Age or experience is not a factor.
An over-50's qigong & tai chi group should be addressing as much technical knowledge as is relevant and appropriate.
A martial class should train every aspect of the syllabus in a manner that assures comprehensive understanding and skill.
What is stress?
Stress is a condition of anxiety caused by the inability to cope with a situation. A person feels to be under pressure and they become upset.
They are often encouraged to see themselves as being a failure when the pressure becomes too much.
Stress is so commonplace that we treat it as normal. Yet, stress is very harmful to your health and can lead to illness, psychological problems and premature aging.
Composure
Taoism and Zen help with composure. They put life and your relationship with the world into perspective.
Instead of accepting conventions, orthodoxy and received wisdom, these disciplines encourage you to find out for yourself. The approach is grounded in the tangible, in the substantial.
Everyone who trains our syllabus is changed by the experience. Their lives are more peaceful and they are less prone to depression, anxiety, anger and aggression.
They learn not to exert unnecessary strength and to yield in the face of force.
Wednesday
Daily training
Taijiquan was designed to be practiced daily. This is why the exercises are so mild: no strain, no pushing. Gentle effort. Little and often is the mantra.
Taijiquan students should be aiming to build strength carefully and progressively.5 mins = £100
Imagine if you were told that 5 minutes training would earn you £100... Would you do the exercises? Of course you would.
Yet, people are told that daily home practice = good health, fitness and better quality of life... and they dismiss it. Curious?
This illustration shows how many people value an obvious monetary reward but are unwilling to appreciate the value of health, vitality and fitness.
A commitment to health
If a person was overweight and sought to diet, would one healthy meal per week enable them to lose weight?
It seems unlikely. There must be a daily commitment. Taijiquan is no different to this...
Tuesday
You need a good tai chi teacher to adjust your posture physically, to help calibrate your alignment, to point out where you are holding tensions, and to note any musculoskeletal imbalances. The nonverbal physical adjustments you get from your teacher help you develop a level of self-awareness not accessible through solo practice alone.
(Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health Publication, May 2009)
Mild cardio work
Our syllabus contains mild cardio work. Nothing strenuous but just enough to get the heart beating faster.
Breathing hard?
If you are tired and out of breath after a few minutes of exercise, then you are simply not fit enough. You must improve your fitness considerably if you want good circulation.
This means training qigong and form regularly.
Oxygenate your blood
Breathing adds oxygen to your blood stream and this helps to keep you alive and healthy. Pay attention to the act of breathing and the quality of the air.
Rather than force the breath, feel it instead. Once you can feel the air going into your body, leave the muscles alone and let your body breathe by itself.
The less you tamper with the breath, the better.
Monday
Getting stronger
You can undertake the hardship of the walk without undue difficulty. You need to use just as much energy to complete it.
Yet, your body has grown stronger. More efficient. Compared to somebody who does not undertake daily training you will be far more capable of sustained exercise.
What is condition?
Consider this example:
You decide that you are unfit and you commit to a 3 mile daily walk every morning. On the first day when you complete the walk, you are out of breath and your limbs are shaky.
After two weeks you can finish the walk without losing your breath and you feel pleasantly energised.
Eventually the walk feels too easy and you look to try a more challenging route. What has changed?
Full contact
When people say 'full contact' they are typically referring to no-holds-barred combat, unrestrained, without rules... But what do they really mean by full contact? That they hit one another?
That they use full-power?• If you apply a break full-power then the bone will snap
• If you strike full-power then there will be internal damage or death
• If you throw full-power there will be concussion or serious injury
Our students are required to make contact, but are not permitted to use full-power under any circumstances.
Most people do not train martial arts in order to be injured or crippled. They want the ability to defend themselves in a varied, realistic manner. They do not want to get hurt in class.
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