The “Fist” Applications

 

The teaching of tai chi seems to fall into two broad categories; the health/fitness and the martial art sides. Ideally, they’re taught as one but I’ve found many teachers separate the aspects. “Fist” sets are applications of the movements used for self-defense. You’ll find the difference in the label in a class being called a tai chi class versus a tai chi ch’uan class. Tai chi means Grand Ultimate, Ch’uan (ch-wan) means fist. When you see the whole tai chi chuan term used it usually means they teach the fist applications.

I like the martial applications, they appeal to me as a 40+ year practitioner of the martial arts. They are interesting and have value. As a teacher I have discovered that even my 80-year-old grandmother student’s eyes light up when they see another use of the moves they learned for exercise. Tai chi has been facetiously labeled as magic-arm waving. That term indicates is has no real value and that people do it expecting results beyond the realistic. Not so, Grasshopper.

Tai chi ch’uan did not become known as “The Gem of Chinese Culture” by magic arm-waving. It is akin to an onion in that you peel one layer and another appears. First you learn the basic physical movements to re-establish the proper body mechanics. I say re-establish because it older students who take up this art and they have to relearn much of what they have been doing for decades. The body begins to realign and strengthen, often along with some discomfort. After all, we’ve been doing it one way for years and now we have to do it another way. You become more flexible and strong. Internal systems are stimulated. All being connected, the body and mind reacquaint, shake hands and start working together. Along the way we are learning about how our body has changed, recaptured some abilities we thought we lost and feel better. Now, time to engage the brain a bit more.

If the moves are done “in the air” there’s a gap. It’s a visualization gap. By showing a fist application the brain gets a look at another way this move can be used. If I show you that this move can be a strike, lock or throw, the brain recognizes that and has reason to accept. When it does so, it becomes yours. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard some variation on “I get it now” after showing a fist application. Movement generally has a better quality if you genuinely “get it”.

Bear in mind that you’ll learn in stages, starting with the “arm-waving”, move into function, chipping away at better form, timing and touch on application. (The Gem includes philosophy, medicine, history and more.) The fist applications are layered, too. You’ll see the striking application, joint-twisting, takedowns, weapon work and more as time goes by. As a lot of time goes by.

The various facets of the art such as sword and push-hands serve to illustrate the other aspects. Your teacher will determine what, how much and how fast you will be exposed to it in order to get you the most benefit.

Until next time,

Lee