Putting the Quan back in Tai Chi
When thinking of Tai Chi Chuan one usually thinks of either old chinese people practicing in the parks of Beijing or healthy looking young models posing for the newest beauty craze. I was always intrigued by Tai Chi, the movements do look beautiful, but I could never decide to actually learn it. There is only so much time, and when training for a martial art I wanted to learn how to fight more than just pretty moves. So I skirted around Tai Chi for years, never really leaving it out of sight, but never pursuing it either.
This may change though after watching this clip on YouTube, in which Joanna Zorya from England shows in such a clear and precise way how each move of Tai Chi is actually related to an attack or defense. Though practiced slow, it feels like these techniques should really work. It also shows great body mechanics.
Joanna is the head teacher of the Martial Tai Chi Association which denounces the concept of Chi and strives to teach this ancient art like it was meant to be: a fighting art.
August 10 2007 | Smart Moves | No Comments »
