Is the ground letting you down?

A sports surface's performance can be described in a number of measures:

Rolling resistance: How it stops a ball rolling. (i.e. a bowling alley versus a soccer pitch.)

Rebound resilience: How much it cushions to a blow (i.e. a concrete screed versus a crash mat.)

Grip: How rough the surface is so you can grip it (i.e. an ice rink versus astroturf)

The best martial arts flooring has good grip to prevent slips. It also should have moderate rebound resilience to reduce hammer on joints.

But no matter how good your flooring, if it is not kept clean, it will become slippery and dangerous. The Japanese know this very well, and keep their wooden floor dojos spotless.

If you go to China, the majority of their martial arts halls are carpeted so that they do not become slippery when dusty. I have lost count of the amount of times a good class has been undermined because the students can't keep their grip on the floor.

Fellow martial artists, join with me and insist that the floors we use are clean and safe. Don't give in to the excuses of your centre manager and ensure they are aware of the risks of classes on slippery floors.

Don't Limit Tai Chi

I have read dozens of articles from tai chi instructors; all claiming that they are reclaiming tai chi by focusing primarily on the self-defense aspects. They all expound the virtues of their own personal systems, saying that they are the only shining beacon of martial intent in a sea of retired, wimpy, tree-hugging, lentil-eating hippies.

I'm going to make a bold admission here. When I started teaching Tai Chi, I made similar claims to my students. These claims were largely based on the fact that I only saw my own teachers training methods. When I saw other styles, they were at competitions, where I could only observe the external sense of peoples forms. Combat was only within the severe restrictions of pushing hands competitions.

But as my experience of teaching grew, I began to comprehend other systems and styles. I began to recognise a core set of principles that they all adhered to. I had to swallow my pride and realise that there are quite a lot of good teachers - all patiently teaching valid systems.

Even within the same style, teachers repeat the same traditional practices - just calling them by different names. Take Silk Reeling (the traditional family name for fixed step Chen style movement training)- I have heard it called "Silk Winding", "Winding", "Reeling", "Powering in Circles", "Spiral Training" and "Silk Twining". There seem to be minor variations on elbow position, based on different practical applications, but the exercises are all the same.

There are many forms of tai chi that concentrate on the medical and spiritual aspects of tai chi quan. To reject these practices is to completely discount an important part of the martial journey. By all means, split the disciplines into different exercises, but don't reject them. A martial arts teacher should be able to enable their students to look after themselves martially, physically, mentally and spiritually. It is worth remembering that all Chinese martial arts came from the establishment of Zen buddhist and yogic practices in China.

As well as tai chi, my teacher taught me aspects of first aid, diet, cooking, meditation, business, etiquette, Buddhism, Chinese culture and history.

I understand that all professional Tai Chi teachers need to establish a unique selling prospect - or "marketing". But to do this at the expense of other valid lineages or by rejecting spiritual practices is at best a lack of understanding of how other systems work - and at worst, betrays a severe inferiority complex.

Women in Martial Arts

For many generations, the Chen family produced highly adept female martial artists. For it is commonly known that Kung Fu is about skill, rather than brute strength. Women - like men can be equally skillful at anything. But one incident was to shape Chen family history for many generations:

Chen Ziaoniu had two older brothers, and trained along side them diligently, until she became better at the Chen family form of Taijiquan than they were. When she became old enough to marry, the son of a wealthy family made advances towards her. Ziaoniu's parents rejected him in favour of an honest young man called Zhao.

The spurned wealthy young man possessed considerable martial skill, and proceeded to persecute and harrass the Zhao family, damaging crops and attacking individual members. Before she married, Ziaoniu had made a promise to her father that she would not show her martial ability to her new family - and she stuck to this promise for a good number of months. But a person can only bear so much torment, and finally, she drew her sword and dealt with this bully and his entourage with considerable ease.

Now, if Ziaoniu's husband had any self-respect, he would have thanked her for helping his family out, and cherished her as a valuable asset. But instead, he blamed her for causing the trouble and waited until his father died before sending Ziaoniu back to the Chen family - disgraced. It is hard to believe in these modern times, but back then, this was the ultimate dishonour to be brought onto any woman.

Vowing to never practice Chen Taijiquan, Ziaoniu broke her sword in two. She was inconsolable, and after an extensive period of mourning, hung herself. She was buried with her broken sword. Following this horrible incident, Chen Xunru decreed that Chenjiagou Taijiquan would not be taught to women.

There are many things wrong with the way women are treated around the world - but looking at this tale reminds me that we have moved on a great deal.

London olympics will now hold women's boxing - for the first time. I am overjoyed. Up until now, the given reason why women weren't allowed to box in the olympics was "Women are unstable and cannot control themselves."

Perhaps we haven't moved far enough - yet.

Feet and Shoes!

One of the first tweets I made on twitter was as follows:

"Once you start Tai Chi, you begin a lifelong search for the perfect pair of shoes."

The post received a great deal of replies from the tai chi community - and rightly so. The feet are fundamental in the Tai Chi dynamic of rooting to the floor, and are pushed against the ground to create a "rebounding" force that travels up the body for release of energy for martial purposes.

Your toes should slightly grip the ground, and the heels should be in contact with the floor. This makes the foot substantial at the front and back, but hollow in the middle. The arch works as a spring, so it should not be pushed to the floor. This is achieved by keeping the foot relaxed, and not straightened.

Your foot should also remain upright, and should not roll, rock or twist. So before practicing, ensure your ankles are loose and warmed up.

To support the unique Tai Chi requirements, making sure you have the perfect pair of tai chi shoes is really important. They should:

• Support the foot, without constriction or padding the arch too much.
• Allow you to feel the ground.
• Improve the grip on your chosen practice ground.
• Cushion the sole without losing feeling of the ground.

So pay attention to your feet when you train. Take time to find the perfect pair of shoes. They really do make a difference.

Youthful Tai Chi

Tai Chi is concerned with nurturing pre-natal chi. This is the original life energy that we all receive from our parents at conception. As we get older, this pre-natal chi gets depleted or replaced by other, less vital forms, and the body decays as a result.

Now, this may seem far-fetched. You can choose to believe in the concept of chi energy or not. However, the concept of Chi is based on real measurable, experiential phenomena that were observed by traditional Chinese doctors over many generations. one things you cannot argue with, is the outcome.

I mean, how many octogenarians in the UK can do this?

Be happy.

Tai Chi Breathing

One of my tai chi teacher friends had a student who was very diligent in his practice (let's call him 'Bob'). When asked whether he was happy with the move he had learned, Bob would say the same thing...

"It's ok, but I will get it right when I learn the breathing."

He went to a seminar with Chen Xiaowang and asked "How can I breathe correctly?"

Master Chen said "Breathe in."

Bob breathed in.

Then Master Chen asked him to breathe out. Bob breathed out earnestly.

"Breathe in," Master Chen said.

Certain that he was on the verge of some great discovery, Bob breathed in again.

"Breathe out," said Master Chen.

As Bob exhaled, a smiling Master Chen said "You've got it." and returned to the rest of the lesson.

Some FAQ's about breathing

How to breathe?

Breathe from the stomach, like singers do. If your chest is being expanded and contracted, you are breathing wrong. As you breathe in, your stomach should expand, and as you breathe out, the stomach should return. There should be no excessive effort to the breathing, and there should be no point where the breath is held.

When to breathe

If you are practicing your form, you should breathe out when you are releasing energy - even if your movements are slow. Inhaling should be done when you gather energy for a strike. The speed of breath should indicate the speed of the movement. So an understanding of the self defense aspects of your movements is key to getting the breathing right. As most moves have more than one practical application, you can choose which point to exhale and inhale.

What if I forget where I am with breathing?

Believe it or not, this is a very common mistake amongst beginners - especially when they are concentrating hard. My advice is... If in doubt, breathe out.

What about reverse breathing?

This is not something I can teach you without one-to-one direct tuition. My advice is to seek out someone who can train you properly. Also, understand that reverse breathing, while excellent for training, can cause damage if you keep doing it outside the training room.

What is Hsingyiquan?

Hsing yi is a compact, effective internal martial art developed by Song dynasty General Yue Fei. It is a dynamic system involving moving forward and occupying the space of your opponent.

To strike, the practitioner pushes forward with his/her trailing leg and strikes before the leading foot hits the ground. This ensures that the landing of the front leg does not cushion the force of the strike.

Hsingyiquan forms are characterised by their linear movements and direct stepping. However, this 'direct' style disguises the 'soft' internal power that is the cornerstone of all internal styles (taijiquan, qigong, baguazhang and hsingyiquan).

The 5 elements of Hsingyiquan are as follows:

Splitting	劈	Pī	Metal	Like an axe chopping up and over.
Pounding	炮	Pào	Fire	Exploding outward like a cannon while blocking.
Drilling	鑽	Zuān	Water	Drilling forward horizontally like a geyser.
Crossing	橫	Héng	Earth	Crossing across the line of attack while turning over.
Crushing	崩	Bēng	Wood	Arrows constantly exploding forward.