THE WONDERFUL BENEFITS OF TAIJIQUAN
"Zhan zhuang", or stance training, is a very important aspect of Taijiquan
Question
I also do stance training. My sifu taught me stance training of the Tai Ji postures like Single Whip, and Golden Cockerel Stands on One Leg. I make sure to be relaxed.
I am capable of executing Fa-jing. The chi comes from the feet and rises to the arms to send the enemy flying. I have learned it after one year by practicing on hitting big water bottles filled with water by striking them with my palm and by calling the chi through my breathing into my hands and sending it into the bottles. I manage to hit the bottles far away with very little arm movement — with the Brush Knee Twist Step palm strike posture of Wu Style Tai ji Quan.
-- Jefferson, Netherlands
Answer
The key word in any form of stance training and internal force development is “relax”. Again, congratulations. You have done very well.
Question
I have been practicing for more than four years and have faced and easily defeated Karate fighters. But now my desire is to perform Tai Ji and Chi Kung just for longevity and health not just for martial application.
Answer
I am very glad of your combat efficiency. You are a good example that Taijiquan is an effective martial art.
Taijiquan is also excellent for good health and longevity as well as vitality if it is practiced correctly. How does one tell whether he is practiicing Taijiquan correctly?
Taijiquan is an internal martial art. You have internal force, as evident from your fa-jing (explode force) where you can send your opponent flying. This shows your Taijiquan is internal. You are also combat efficient, as evident from your defeating Karate fighters easily. This shows your Taijqian is martial. Hence you have been practicing Taijiquan correctly as it is, i.e. an internal martial art.
But how does genuine Taijiquan bring good health, vitality and longevity? It is because of internal force.
The most important function of internal force, which is also the function that many people may not realize, is to enusre life goes on harmoniously. The energy that digests the food you ate, that regulates your heart beats, that destroys harmful germs which attack you usually without your knowing, and that does other countless life-sustaining activites, is internal force.
Having maintained life, internal force enhances life, i.e. it enables all your cells, tissures, organs and systems to work better than those of other people who have less internal force. This means you have vitality to enjoy your work and play.
Then, as you increase your internal force further, you increase your reserve of energy supply. This means you have surplus energy to flow harmoniously for a long time. As life is a flow of energy, this means you have longevity.
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