Ta chi is practised for health, relaxation, balance, meditation, and general wellbeing. But it is also famous as a martial art. The fact that this seems like a contradiction is due to our limited understanding of health, and a narrow view of martial arts.
It is wrong to think of a martial art as the practice of violence. In fact, a martial art should be seen as the cure for violence. The practice of medicine is not the practice of illness. A martial art is to violence what the practice of medicine is to disease.
Tai chi is often referred to as an advanced martial art. So much so that many of those who practice tai chi as a martial art, often neglect the more basic and mundane skills that form the basis of the advanced skills. That is one of the reasons why tai chi often fails to produce truly skilled martial artists.
There have been times throughout the history of tai chi when only experienced martial artists would learn it. They did not need to learn the basics because they had already practised them for years. So, nowadays, the typical tai chi curriculum doesn’t include the basic things that other martial artists learn in the very beginning.
For students who are practising tai chi for health, and who have no interest in learning the martial aspects of the art, I can skip most of the martial basics. These students might unknowingly develop skills and attributes that can serve them well in self defence. But they won’t realize it or be concerned about it.
For beginners learning tai chi for self defence, I include a lot of basic training and technique that are usually omitted from classical tai chi schools. Conditioning exercises, basic kicking and punching, throws, joint control, grappling, blocking, intercepting, blending, strength and endurance, strategy, tactics, philosophy, meditation etc.
For those students who focus on the martial aspects of tai chi, they will see the health benefits, and will be unable to deny it. They will feel better with daily practice.
Regardless of whether you practise the art for health, self defence, or meditation, you will get out of it what you put into it.
Gradually we work on more subtle and profound aspects of tai chi training. But because most tai chi schools start students with advanced exercises, those subtle and adaptable exercises that have become known for mental and physical health benefits, most students learn tai chi without learning what a fight is, or what a punch looks like. That’s fine. The benefits of learning that way are profound and broad. But as far as self defence goes, it is a bit like starting a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree without having any previous education.
To teach a beginner to use some practical self defence skills will take me about 1-3 months of consistent daily training. To teach a person to be a competent fighter, usually take 1-2 years of consistent daily training, (and you will get into shape.)
The health benefits will also become apparent over time. Some things will be noticeable within a few days or weeks, as you learn to improve your breathing, balance, posture, movement, and mechanical efficiency. Other benefits might appear after 1-3 months. Others might gradually improve over months or years.
As you continue with your daily practice, you will find that tai chi will teach you things about your mind and body that you could not imagine, and the new way of being becomes part of your regular life and activities, improving relationships, stress levels, and fortitude. Integrating tai chi principles will take time, and mastering those subtle and profound skills is a never ending process.