The Best Defense is A Good Offense… Or Am I Just Being Defensive?
It is often said the best defense is a good offense. You might wonder, “Does this apply to tai chi?” Let’s see.
Tai chi is a defensive art when studied from a martial perspective, the true intent of tai chi. Most people today however, study tai chi purely as a form of healthy exercise. This being the case, what is tai chi doing for someone studying it without interest or knowledge of martial applications?
Well if you’re studying tai chi strictly for the many health benefits, then it definitely is a good offense against poor health. By regularly practicing you’re oxygenating the body, increasing blood flow to the extremities, lubricating joints, releasing harmful tension, practicing good posture (preventing damage from misuse of the body), and a number of other things. So, yes this is an excellent offensive strategy to ward off physical problems.
There is still however the original intent of tai chi, which is self-protection. I guess you could say that practicing the martial applications of tai chi, push hands, and running through forms both slow and fast, you are taking the offensive. However, I think it’s more accurate to say you’re practicing a good defense because you ultimately wait for your opponent to strike and then use their own momentum and energy against them. Tai chi is reactive at its core.
I also prefer to see the glass as half-full, rather than half-empty. This brings me back to practicing tai chi only for the health benefits. You could look at this practice as promoting a strong, healthy body rather than staving off health problems. You might think I’m just being picky here, but really I’m not. Our thoughts have power over our lives. Which though would you rather feed, growing and remaining strong, or fighting off illness… which is always right around the corner?
The Master of Duhism, the infamous Bob Tzu, has a slightly different take on this topic. I’ll let him tell you in his own words.
“Angry? Write a letter to your enemy. But don’t mail it. Deliver it in person and see if you learned anything in that self-defense class.” Bob Tzu (click on the quote to visit Bob)
Your Thoughts?
John
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Jun 20, 2009 - 11:06:35Along the lines of your ruminations, I recall one time my teacher telling me that wherever I went, I should practice tai chi. I protested, saying that sometimes I was not dressed for it (in those days, I wore a suit to work). The reply was, “Always wear sweat clothes — that way, you can always do tai chi.” I think I said something like, “People will think I’m weird.” And my teacher said, “No, when they see you doing tai chi, they will be afraid of you, and they will leave you alone!”
I.e., the best defense is a good offense. Very yin/YANG.
The distinction between defense/offense is artificial; it just depends on the point of view. I think a lot of how society views the two as opposites comes from an association of offense with aggression, hardness, and anger; and defense as passive, retreating, and weak. But taiji teaches us that this isn’t necessarily true: our defense can be active, forward-seeking, and assertive; while our offense can be gentle, soft, and peaceful. Ultimately the goal is to blend offense and defense into simply acting. And then ultimately let acting blend into wu wei.
Don’t you think building a strong body IS staving off health problems?
Personally I think that the philosophy of building a strong body, rather than that of preventing illness is a stronger one as it’s a positive manifestation of intent. “I am well” feel so much more positive than “I am not sick”
tannage the taijiquan dude’s last blog post..Yang Taiji 24 - Play Guitar - Posture 5
Walt interesting story about your teacher. I’ve see my Master do tai chi in his dress clothes. Sometimes all he does is change his shoes. He’s also told all of us we can practice wherever we are and whenever we want, no matter what we’re wearing.
Thanks,
John
Kevin,
Everything is artificial. We give words our own meanings. Most people need a way to focus, and that focus often comes from words. The words are not so important as the meanings we personally give them.
Wu wei is a central tenet of tai chi. The way my Master teaches is that all the world is a part of us and we should not seek to be aggressive, but instead embrace, it and only defend aggressively when acted upon.
I think we’re saying pretty much the same thing here, just using different words.
Thanks,
John
Tannage,
I like the way you said one statement over another is “a stronger one as it’s a positive manifestation of intent”. You’re absolutely right. As far as building a strong body being a way to stave off health problems, I just prefer stating it in positive terms. Each of us has the choice of how we look at the world.
John