Is Tai Chi Bad For Speed Walking?
You bet it is! It will make you quicker too. Wait did I just contradict myself, or is it possible my multiple personalities are coming through? Yes, I mean no, I mean yes; no, I really mean no.
People used to tell me I walked too fast. Most had to work to keep up with me. I don’t know when it happened, but a few months ago I was walking with a friend who’s about a head shorter than me. Guess what? I really had to work to keep up with her. What happened?
Tai chi happened. Yep, good ol’ tai chi. It’s probably not for the reason you’re thinking either. Although we work on moving very slowly while practicing forms, that’s not what slowed me down. Tai chi taught me to balance. More on this in a sec.
If you watch most people walk, they’re off balance. They’re often falling forward just a bit. Once in a while you’ll even see someone who looks like they’re about to fall on right on face. If that foot doesn’t get there on time they’re gonna take one right in the nose. Now my friend doesn’t walk like that, but will say it is hard to see her legs move. They’re a bit blurred.
Most new students have a difficult time maintaining balance while on just one leg. They move forward by falling into the next step. This might be OK If you really want to commit to that step and go after your opponent, but that’s not what tai chi is about. Tai chi is about responding to your opponent; it’s a defensive art. When moving forward it’s important to maintain your center so you can instantly move back or to the side if necessary. To do this you need to become very stable while standing on just one leg.
I don’t remember how long it really took me to be able to do this. I just remember the feeling when I began to get the hang of it. A good way to think of this movement is demonstrated in the old movie “Kung Fu”. The young boy was being taught how to move across rice paper without tearing it. At first, just walking across the rice paper left tears then, years later he was able to perform complex moves across the paper without leaving a mark. He was in complete control.
I’ve been taught to set my heel very lightly before transferring any weight onto it, not to over-commit. As a result I’ve adapted my normal walk to resemble this somewhat. I’m much more balanced when I walk than I used to be. Everyone else I know who’s been doing tai chi for a while seems to say the same thing. This unconscious act has caused my walk to become a bit slower and I don’t trip as easily as I used to. This is also one of the reasons tai chi is promoted to elderly folk, a group where the leading cause of death is falling.
Now then, what about speed walking or moving faster? I’ve found that I can now move more quickly because I don’t tense up the way I used to. To be balanced and ready to move in different directions it’s important to remain loose, as well as centered.
While I did have to adjust my walk to keep up with my friend, I didn’t find it difficult to do. However, I do prefer to walk a little slower now. I find that now I can move in ways I couldn’t when I was younger. I was always pretty coordinated and had better balance than most people, but my balance was not nearly what it is now. As I continue to work on these aspects of tai chi I’m sure I’ll notice even more improvement over the coming years.
What’s your experience been with tai chi and improving your balance? If you you’re just starting out, what are you looking to get out of it?
John
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Nov 2, 2009 - 12:11:35try googling Chi walking. I’ve tried Chi Running, which is by the same person.
Shang Lee,
Yes I believe Chi Walking and Running are both by the same author. I’ve been meaning to get to those books of some time. Maybe next year.
John
I returned to my kung fu instructor after a four year break from teaching to foucus on my first love, tai chi. One of the first things that everyone noticed was how fast I had become. I thought that it was from years of practice. I see how it was the tai chi.
David
David,
Very interesting! I like it.
John