I began learning tai chi with a book, Modified Tai Chi for Health by Lee Ying Arng. Every night I spent hours memorizing the form, trying to figure out the applications, trying to figure out the meaning. And, tell the truth, it didn't mean much.
So I went through Chen Man Ching, and Chen and Yang and Wu and Sun, but they all spoke this gobbledegook that didn't make sense. So I began doing my Karate, I had near ten years experience in karate, and the thing started making sense. I was using karate power to wake up the form, and it worked, and then I was able to translate what was happening into Tai Chi power.
More important, I was throwing out all the mysticism and bushwah philosophy I read in the books and using something called physics. The martial arts, you see, as transmitted with eastern methodology, are taught through the memorization of random strings of data. In physics you look for a reason, and you find a logic, and you look for a concept.
Now, ancient stories claim tai chi was created in a dream by san feng after he watched a fight between a crane and a snake. Or, it was created by an old, retired general in a village who wanted to make up games for the children. Neither of these concepts can be proven, but we can't just discount them out of hand.
Maybe the general in Chen village was old, couldn't do the martial arts the way they should be done, careful not to hurt himself, and actually came up with something. And the vision of the snake and the crane, though I espouse physics I would not disclaim the value of visions, which are the dreams and inspiration of the human race. Still, whether rehabilitation of the aged and injured, or big dreams, tai chi does not make sense without the application of physics.
So this is what I want you to do, I want you to get a book on physics. Make it a simple kids book, simple pictures for illustrations, that sort of thing. It would really help if it was aimed at describing a motor.
Now, peruse that book, and start comparing terms are the same as in tai chi chuan. Rooting is grounding, where is the generator, what are these things called leads and so on. Do that, and when the depths of your tai chi chuan start to alter, do not come complaining to me. - 31373
About the Author:
Al Case has studied martial arts 4O years. He began Tai Chi Chuan in 1974, became a writer for the mags in 1981, and originated Matrixing Technolgy, which is the study of physics in the martial arts. You can get a free ebook on Matrixing at Monster Martial Arts.
