T'ai Chi (Tai Ji)

T'ai Chi "Rooted in the feet, moving through the waist, expressed in the hands"
Yang Chen Fu, Essential Principles of T’ai Chi

T'ai Chi (Taiji) is an ancient Chinese internal martial art sometimes known as Long River boxing. It is also a profound exercise system practised today by millions of people around the world for its health and longevity benefits.

Legend states that T’ai Chi was developed many hundreds of years ago by a Taoist priest of the Sung dynasty named Chang San-Feng, after a dream or vision he had, wherein he witnessed the sublime power of nature and learned that:

1. stillness defeats motion
2. softness overcomes hardness

What are the benefits to sports-people?

Athletes who run, swim, play golf or tennis, go weight-training, snow-boarding or train in any other sport, can enhance their performance by learning elements of T’ai Chi, which will increase their ability to release effortless power, by improving the efficiency with which they use their body.

T'ai Chi T’ai Chi training develops ground-strength (Peng), through the practise of rooting, which increases balance and lower body stability, leaving the upper body relaxed and with a natural elasticity, resulting in superior biomechanics and less energy expenditure.

T’ai Chi training also shows athletes how to generate spiral energy, by moving from their natural centre of gravity (T'an Tien), which acts as a fulcrum or pivot-point in movements such as the golf swing or tennis serve, thus developing greater speed and the release of whole-body power.

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