MARTIAL ARTS : TAI CHI 1

TAI CHI : BLOCK LOW TO THE RIGHT

This posture is sometimes done in the slow form with the lower arm in the palm up position; this is only done to allow beginners to understand where to place their hands. The correct posture is
done with the lower arm in a palm down position. Photo No. 1. In this posture the harder area of the forearm is used to block the attack and so not damage the soft area of the arm. There are times however when the hold the ball posture is used.


You are being attacked with a left low upper punch to your right rib area, (one of the most potent areas to attack). You bring the left arm across to your right as you swivel slightly to the right in order to keep your palms in your center. Your weight is placed on the left leg to receive the power. You block the attacker’s arm from underneath, keeping your right palm on top of your left to stop his hand from slipping upward and re-attacking.







Photo No. 2. You must keep your left fingers relaxed to prevent damage. This technique can be practiced on both sides one after the other as you swivel on your heels to meet the attack and it can become quite fast. Photo No. 3. This sort of blocking technique can be used to block all kinds of middle area kicks followed up by an immediate attack, (covered in the advanced section.) P’ENG


P’eng is one of the main techniques in t’ai chi and it’s uses are many. I will cover many of the p’eng techniques in the advanced section. It’s usual use is that of defense but a more unknown use is that of attack. For p’eng see PHOTO No. 4. If we take up from the last block to the right, we are able to very quickly grab the left wrist with the right palm, quickly step up with your left foot and attack the ‘mind point’ (in acupuncture, the jaw) with back fist. Photo No. 5. double peng

If your attacker now attacks with right low upper punch to your left rib area, you quickly step back and swivel to your left with the weight on your right foot as you block using the same low block as in photo 3.

You then step forward with your right foot and the right fist comes up from underneath your left arm to attack with a downward back fist to the chin. Photo No. 6. Note that the left palm is guarding the attacker s right arm to sense what it will do next. For double p’eng see Photo No. 7.

TAI CHI : PULL DOWNWARD

The posture of double p’eng can also be used for the blocking technique to begin this next posture. You are being attacked by a right (or left) fist. You block using double p’eng with your right arm.Photo No. 8. The left palm now comes over the top of the attacker’s wrist and grabs it with some help from the right palm. Photo No. 9.


You then twist the attacker’s wrist in the direction that it does not want to go and pull him downward using the power from the waist. Photo No. 10

Be careful with this one when practicing as it can cause damage without even trying.

Another use of Lu is to use it only as a blocking technique. If you are being attacked with left low punch to your right rib area. Swivel to your right to keep your centers in line and slam down onto the opponent’s left arm with the back of your left forearm, keeping your right arm underneath to trap the arm. Photo No. 11.

If you are being attacked on your left side, swivel to meet it and as you turn, draw both arms in toward you slightly. Then as you meet the attacker’s arm, thrust both of your forearms downward to catch his right arm in a scissors block. The power for this comes from the straightening of the left leg. Photo No. 12. If you pull your hands apart you will see that the ‘LU’ posture is used here. NB: I will only show photos of those postures that aren’t so well known. Most of the major postures are quite well known.

TAI CHI : CHEE OR (Squeeze, sometimes called press)

From any of the last blocking or attacking movements, bring your left palm to the outside of your right wrist and use lifting energy to attack to his lower stomach area. This attack can either be a powerful pushing movement as in Photo No. 13, or it can be a snapping downward attack upon the abdomen at the junction of the diaphragm.