Qi myths

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No belief is required

There is little scientific evidence to explain exactly what happens to the body as a result of doing qigong and tai chi.
However, many case studies (involving large groups of people) have recorded a significant improvement in health.


Panacea

Be wary of claims that qigong is a cure all for medical problems. There is no such thing. Qigong and tai chi were not designed to treat sick people. They cannot target ailments.
The exercises should improve the overall wellbeing and functioning of the body. Anything else is a bonus and not guaranteed.


Qi energy?

A lot of people interpret qi to mean 'energy'. Usually in The Tai Chi Classics it means breath. Maybe the confusion resides with the fact that deep breathing makes the body feel energised.


Science vs folklore/mysticism

The difficulty with the whole subject of 'qi energy' is that it is very controversial.
Does qi energy exist? Can you scientifically/medically prove it? Is it possible to improve qi energy flow? What precisely were the Ancient Chinese referring to?
Qi energy is akin to a belief system. Rather than rely on genuine scientific facts, people immediately resort to superstition and speculation.
This is incredibly lazy. It is far more honest to simply say that when it comes to qi energy you don't know for sure.


You cannot defeat your opponent using qi

Breathing alone is not going to defeat anyone. If it could, why bother to learn the system? Why not just hit people with your breath?
 

They muddy the water, to make it seem deep.

(Friedrich Nietzsche)

Qi is some sort of 'fairy dust'...

Some tai chi instructors talk about qi all the time. Qi is made to sound like 'fairy dust' - it can magically cure all ailments and impart amazing powers.
This is clearly not true.


Talking about qi

In our experience, people who spend a lot of time talking about qi seldom have anything else to offer. They struggle when asked to produce more concrete proof of ability.
No syllabus. No methodology. No depth of skill.


Let your breathing take care of itself

It is easy to chat about qi when no proof is expected. This hardly demonstrates a high degree of knowledge or skill. Taoism calls such behaviour "eating the flower and not the fruit".


Our classes

Our classes avoid speculation, supposition and opinion. Students are required to breathe deeply, exercise, improve awareness and understand human biomechanics.


Martial arts are dangerous

The British Medical Association Guide To Sports Injuries states:
 

Combat sports such as boxing, judo, karate or kung fu make tough demands on the body; training is intense, and participation requires all-round fitness. Regardless of the fitness of the participants, however, the aggressive blows traded between opponents means that these sports always carry a serious risk of injury.

Page created 3 March 1994
Last updated 15 March 2018

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