| ntinued from “How to find a Tai Chi | | | | This article only covers a small fraction of what |
| Instructor (Part 4) | | | | the art of Tai Chi really has to offer. We will be |
| 22.Self Defense Applications | | | | going into more detail on some of these points in |
| - A Tai Chi teacher does not have to teach self | | | | future articles and hope to shed light on other |
| defense to students who do not want it but any | | | | aspects of Tai Chi training that have not been |
| real teacher of Tai Chi who can impart the real | | | | addressed here. |
| knowledge of Tai Chi to others must have at | | | | Tai Chi is Internal Kung Fu. A quote I have heard |
| least a basic understanding of how the | | | | from more than one of my teachers about this is |
| movements are really applied and be able to | | | | that “Many people have the choreography. |
| demonstrate it. This is a necessity as the moves | | | | Not many have the Kung Fu.” One of the |
| can only be truly understood if the practitioner | | | | major concerns/gripes of our Tai Chi teachers is |
| knows the basic fundamental applications for the | | | | that many people learn a Tai Chi set of moves, |
| move. Without this knowledge the Tai Chi | | | | practice it a bit and then start teaching Tai Chi |
| instruction really is a case of the blind leading the | | | | and that somehow over the last 45 years this |
| blind. | | | | has become acceptable in America. |
| Any basic Tai Chi instructor knows a minimum of | | | | This is the equivalent of someone going to a |
| 9 - 10 different applications for each and every | | | | Karate class getting their white belt and then |
| move and the applications range from very simple | | | | opening their own school offering Karate classes. |
| to very sophisticated. An advanced teacher will | | | | The average American would find this |
| often know a minimum of several dozen or more | | | | unacceptable and would not attend such a school |
| applications for each move that will include but is | | | | opting instead to go to a school where the |
| not limited to throwing, grappling, striking, seizing, | | | | teacher has at least a black belt from someone |
| controlling, pressure point strikes, take downs and | | | | who is truly qualified to bestow such a rank. We |
| slipping/warding off (soft blocking). | | | | believe the same standard of quality should be |
| Tai Chi began as a martial art and is still practiced | | | | true for Tai Chi instruction as Tai Chi is a martial |
| as such by the Chinese and any real teacher of | | | | art that has amazing health benefits based in |
| the art is going to have been exposed to this | | | | Traditional Chinese Medicine. |
| part of the discipline. | | | | A person claiming to teach Tai Chi or who is |
| 23Many other items to numerous to include here | | | | offering Tai Chi classes who does not have |
| and that can be found by reading quality books on | | | | knowledge or direct access to most of the |
| the subject and by searching and reading online | | | | training methods and principles mentioned in this |
| and by checking back with us as we continue to | | | | article is simply not qualified to teach even basic |
| write and offer articles for the general public. | | | | beginning Tai Chi. |