Tai Chi has to be so damn slow so the dog doesn’t end up with your ice cream cone. Yes it really is that simple. Now I can hear some of you saying, “What in the world is John talking about now?”
When you move quickly you tend to move in a habitual manner. You move in the way you’ve always moved. When you move slowly you notice things you don’t notice when moving quickly. Moving slowly, you move into the role of teacher… on at least some level.
When moving slowly it’s easier to notice how it feels to move in this way, or to move that way. As you notice how it really feels to move slowly in this way, you naturally try moving in other ways too. Moving slowly gives you options, options you didn’t know you had. Exploring new options while moving slowly allows you to relax and find the way that feels best, in other words “the way of least resistance”.
Remember though, just because you find a way that feels better doesn’t mean you’re done. All it means is that you’ve improved the way you move, a little bit. The more you move slowly the more you learn; the more you learn the better you get; the better you get the more freely you move; the more freely you move the more you remain loose; the looser you are the easier it is to move slowly; the easier it is to move slowly the slower you move; the slower you move the more you learn, and on and on it goes.
The goal in tai chi is to remain loose while maintaining proper structure. Whey you remain loose while maintaining proper structure you create less resistance, and less resistance means you move more quickly under speed. In other words, moving in more efficient ways makes you looser and faster. So practice your tai chi slowly and you’ll find you have better reflexes at important times… like catching the dog before he starts eating your ice cream cone. 
Your thoughts?
John
I’m not against the dog having ice cream, I just think he should have his own so I can be free to enjoy mine. I found this pic here: http://www.rlapl.org/kids/?p=240
Leave A Reply (10 comments So Far)
The comments are closed.
Sasa (3 comments)
597 days ago
Hi girls’n'boys, intreresting question about TCC paste… Actually, TCC DOESN’T have to be slow. There are many different speeds that you can practice your form, nad there is a fighting form – Cheung Chuan – taht is practiced just fast. Of course, you have to learn it slow, then speed up.
Slow speed of practice irons the movement, structure, root, stretches tendons to the max and builds up inner strenght and confidence. Remember, health benefit is maximised if TCC is practiced as a fighting art not a hypnotising set of movements.
Peace!
John Crewdson (479 comments)
594 days ago
Sasa,
You’re right. Tai chi should also be practiced fast or it’s just a nice dance. However, if a beginner spends too much time focusing on speed it hurts their form and their effectiveness. Slowness is a key practice in tai chi as a martial art. It helps develop the softness that’s needed to be quick and effective.
Too much focus on speed in the beginning puts the focus on external aspects and is much more like kungfu. Although kungfu is an external art it does focus on the internal over time. Tai chi starts with the internal.
Thanks,
John
Martin I. Saposnick (3 comments)
588 days ago
As a student of William C.C.Chen for 43 years I have given this much thought. It’s harder to control balance – requiring more control – if you move more slowly. Much like practicing the scales on the piano your muscles develop a type of memory….so that when you are practicing slowly the body form becomes almost automatic.
It has been my experience as I move more slowly over the years the moves become memorized – moving without conscious thought. I was riding in a taxi in NYC when the taxi driver demanded an extra fee because the trip took very long – heavy traffic. I refused, he came out of the taxi and charged at me. I didn’t have time to think but neutralized and hit him in the solar plexus all sutomatically – I was used to blocking as I was neutralizing.
The movements were automatic….they were practiced slowly for years!
John Crewdson (479 comments)
587 days ago
Martin,
Great comment. You’ve clearly given this a lot of thought, as you should over 43 years. We have a number of different forms in our style and I know what you mean about becoming automatic after enough practice. I also know how quickly it seems to fad into the back ground if not practiced.
I love the story about the taxi driver and your automatic reaction. It seems to me that you must have been thinking about applications over the years too. Although Master Cui says we can learn all we need directly from the form, I’d like to hear your thoughts on that as well.
Thanks,
John
Martin I. Saposnick (3 comments)
572 days ago
Well John I do not totally agree with Master Cui when he “says we can learn all we need directly from the form”. I think that the movements build muscle memory, so that your body moves easily in a familiar direction. William C.C.Chen calls it “memory shape”. However, I also see the need for practical applications.
The problem I see, when it comes to practical application, is that….. if you are not used to receiving blows…. it is easy to tense up. When you tense it slows you and it blocks energy flow or your chi. The problem is not only that it can slow your movements, you also cannot punch or kick with the same force or speed.
Part of my training with Master Chen has been one on one fighting with mouth guard, chest protector, and 16 oz boxing gloves.
Incidently, we have a clear boxing relationship….I hit him when he lets me, he hits me when he wants to!!!!!!
Marty
Come visit http://www.useldercare.com (mis@useldercare.com) or BklynTaiChi on twitter, Martin Saposnick on Facebook.
M
John Crewdson (479 comments)
569 days ago
Marty,
I have to agree with you on some level. Master Cui doesn’t just have us do form work, we also do long pole work, drills, push hands, sparing, etc. I don’t doubt him when he says this though. I’ve learned there is always a profound truth behind what he says… and like all masters, he sometimes likes to throw us off balance so we can learn how to maintain our center.
John