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| 3 rules | ||
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Partner
work
There are three rules in partner work:
If you ignore these, your tai chi
simply will not work. Try as you might, nothing will be successful.
Tai chi only works if you follow these basic guidelines without
deviation.
Stay calm
If you lack composure, you will not see what is right in front of you.
Being calm is utterly essential.
You need to remain detached,
emotionally aware and at ease.
Do not rush
When you lack composure, you are easily startled.
This leads to hurrying. And anxiety.
Instead of patiently waiting to see what unravels, you dither, hesitate and
anticipate.
Competence
Rushing indicates a lack of competence and zero control.
It is obvious that the student has not put in the practice.
Force
When you rush, you force.
Forcing causes your opponent's nervous system to inadvertently tense-up in
reaction to your urgency.
This alerts them to your intention and makes them harder to manipulate.
Do not use tension
As soon as you use tension, you have failed.
Even if you eventually prevail, it has cost you an unnecessary amount of effort
and is not tai chi.
Correct use of alignment, timing, pressure and positioning will enable you to
skilfully defend yourself.
Muscles
Muscles serve two main functions:
They help to hold the skeleton upright
They move the bones
If you encounter resistance but
continue to push against growing pressure, which of these functions is being
served?
Power?
Consider Newton's third law of motion:
For every action there is an equal and opposite
reaction.
The more force you apply, the more resistance you will encounter.
This is clearly counter-productive. Slow, smooth, soft movements are a sure indicator of
skill.
A young
boy travelled across Japan to the school of a famous martial artist.
When he arrived at the dojo he was given an audience by the sensei.
"What do you wish from me?" the master asked.
"I wish to be your student and become the finest karateka in the land," the boy
replied.
"How long must I study?"
"Ten years at least," the master answered.
"Ten years is a long time," said the boy.
"What if I studied twice as hard as all your other students?"
"Twenty years," replied the master.
"Twenty years! What if I practice day and night with all my effort?"
"Thirty years," was the master's reply.
"How is it that each time I say I will work harder, you tell me that it will
take longer?" the boy asked.
"The answer is clear. When one eye is fixed upon your destination, there is only
one eye left with which to find the way."
(Joe Hyams)
Page created
18 April 1995
Last updated
16 June 2023
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