| When the small tai chi master from China | | | | practiced in slow motion so students can |
| threw me to my basement floor, I realized the | | | | develop the body mechanics and structure to |
| real power behind this misunderstood martial | | | | deliver the self-defense techniques |
| art. I laughed at how easily he threw me | | | | powerfully. To the average observer, tai chi |
| down. He laughed, too. | | | | appears relaxed and fluid. Underneath, the |
| | | | body structure gives it an iron-like |
| I stood up and we touched wrists again. I | | | | strength. |
| stepped at him and again found myself on the | | | | |
| floor, looking at my carpet in a whole new | | | | I studied tai chi for a decade before being |
| way. | | | | introduced to the real art, and I was stunned |
| | | | at its power. In the years since I began |
| I was on the receiving end of a tai chi | | | | studying the Chen style, as my skill has |
| master's skill and power. | | | | increased, I've met many tai chi students who |
| | | | have been in the art for over 20 years but |
| Grandmaster Chen Xiaoxing (pronounced | | | | they don't know the proper way to move. Most |
| "shou-shing") is a direct descendant of the | | | | teachers don't understand the "secrets" of |
| man who created tai chi. He visited my home | | | | the art. As a result, students don't learn |
| for a week and I spent quality time finding | | | | real tai chi. |
| out first-hand why so many people | | | | |
| misunderstand this powerful martial art. | | | | The real secret of tai chi and the "internal" |
| | | | arts of China is simple: these are physical |
| Around the world, tai chi is used as a | | | | skills that take years to develop. Too many |
| slow-motion exercise for health and | | | | teachers focus on developing "chi," a |
| meditation, but that's not why it was | | | | mysterious energy they claim is circulating |
| created. Many martial artists call tai chi a | | | | through the body. Their students focus on chi |
| "soft" art, but that's because real tai chi | | | | and miss the body mechanics that can make |
| is rare in the United States. Every movement | | | | them powerful. |
| in tai chi is a self-defense technique. | | | | |
| | | | This lesson was driven home to me in my |
| The art was created in the 15th Century by | | | | basement as Grandmaster Chen kept throwing me |
| Chen Wangting, a retired warrior in Henan | | | | to the floor while he remained relaxed. I |
| Province, China. His family still practices | | | | began to realize what he was doing, and the |
| it as a martial art. They say you have to | | | | subtle way he was making me lose just enough |
| "eat bitter" to develop tai chi skill. Real | | | | of my balance that I could be easily thrown. |
| tai chi training, especially with the Chen | | | | It was a valuable lesson. After he left my |
| family, involves pain. | | | | home, I was more determined than ever to keep |
| | | | practicing so I could develop higher-level |
| The idea of tai chi is to break your attacker | | | | skill in this very hard "soft" art. |
| quickly and end the fight. Tai Chi is | | | | |