Most readers' questions were about where to find Tai Chi instruction. The problem is that although there are now Tai Chi clubs in most major cities, the level of ability and the approach of the teachers varies enormously. I've replied to these letters individually and if they require more information they are welcome to contact me or one of the Tai Chi Union for Great Britain regional officers whose numbers are listed in Combat's Clubs Directory.
In addition, I'm attempting to address this problem myself by running seminars with a teacher training element in London and Manchester and also abroad.
Now to reply through Combat to some readers whose letters raised matters of wider interest.
Doug McGuire from Middlesex asks, "What is the Tai Chi ruler and what is it used for ?"
The Tai Chi ruler is a short stick 10" - 15" in length. There are two stories about its origin.
Most authorities credit Chu Man-yi, a student of Wu Jian -quan, with inventing both the Tai Chi ruler and the Tai Chi ball shortly after the First World War. His idea was that simple turning, twisting and circling movements based on Tai Chi form and Western Gymnastics could replace the form, which he considered too complex for some students.
In one of my Chinese martial arts encyclopedias, published in 1990, a gentleman named Zhao Zhong-dao, whose dates are given as (1843-1962) (?!!!), is credited with inventing what was known as Tai Chi Stick Chi Kung or Prior to Heaven Chi Kung Tai Chi Ruler.
The ruler should be gripped with both hands and can be trained sitting, standing and lying down. The movements of which there are nine major ones, should be soft and slow. There is no martial dimension to the training, although there is nothing to prevent you applying sabre or sword techniques with the ruler.
I don't practice the ruler as I find it pretty boring and not that useful compared with other elements of Tai Chi training.
Tsui Woon-kwong, one of my Tai Chi brothers in Hong Kong is the only practitioner I know personally who practices the ruler, he has also written a book in Chinese on the subject. He can be contacted at 5/fl., 10 Victory Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Hugh Byrne from Nottingham asks if I practice Chin Na techniques within my self defence system.
The answer is that we don't use the term Chin Na to describe the Tai Chi grappling techniques, but refer to them as Die Pu or Shuai Jiao. Most of the techniques used are also found in the hand form e.g. Raise Hands Step Up, Embrace Tiger and Return to Mountain, Sweep Lotus Leg etc.
The Die Pu techniques are largely used as counterattacks once you are inside or underneath the opponent's attack. This is also where the skills such as "Listening", which are trained in pushing hands, are of use. No matter what the style you can't be considered an effective fighter unless you have trained in Die Pu, which can be a much more devastating response than a simple punch or kick.
I 'll cover this subject in more detail in subsequent columns.
A Mr. Ketley from an H.M.Y.O.I. in Bucks. (he doesn't say whether he is an inmate or staff member) asks no fewer than five questions, which are almost entirely based on false premises.
1. He says that he has been told that Tai Chi is ineffective in a streetfight because it is based on forms as a moving meditation with have no spontaneity. He therefore asks, "Can one still study Tai Chi Chuan without losing fighting abilities ?
Firstly, every martial art has certain training drills and forms are just one example of this.
Secondly, he says that forms lack spontaneity; this is not so. Though the techniques in any form are set, the way that we do them is not. Likewise every martial art has spontaneous training too; whether someone knows and teaches this or not is another matter.
Thirdly, he asks whether Tai Chi Chuan art is effective in a streetfight. This, as in the case of any other martial art, depends on the person doing it, the type of training which they have been doing and the abilities of the opponent. A seven stone, 60 year old Kyoshinkai karate white belt would in my estimation have some problems dealing with three 18 stone lager louts.
2. He says that many martial arts teachers use no forms, though they still aim at spirituality so if both types aim for the same goal, "surely an experienced and well-seasoned Tai Chi expert after reaching inner peace can take care of himself, as well as adapt to new and unfamiliar situations ?"
I would have thought it unlikely that one could achieve "inner peace" overnight whereas, when I was in Hong Kong, I helped train Tai Chi students to fight with success in full contact competitions after six months training. I don't think any of them had achieved inner peace.
Furthermore, I don't know what Mr. Ketley means by spirituality so I'm not sure if most martial arts teachers are aiming for it.
3. He asks, "How many forms are there in Yang style Tai Chi Chuan ?"
The answer to that question depends on what we mean by Yang style Tai Chi Chuan. Yang Zhen-duo one of the better known 4th generation Yang family practitioners was recently interviewed by Tai Chi magazine. He was asked whether the fast form and the two person form practiced in some Yang style schools were part of the Yang style. He said no, that they were later additions. However, the persons practicing these forms certainly believe that they are doing Yang style.
Some people only know the Yang style Long Form; some know three or more variations of this and weapon forms as well. So the answer is that it depends who you ask.
4. He asks, "is Yang style a system within itself ?"
To my mind that means a complete method which can be used against hard styles with effect. Yang Lu-chan did do that successfully as did his sons. The Tai Chi which I do does come partly from Yang Lu-chan and we have also been successful in such fights.
Against that most Tai Chi practitioners have little or no knowledge of the martial aspects of their art. If you go to one hundred schools of Yang style Tai Chi Chuan, you will find a hundred different approaches, not all of them good and not all of them teaching a complete system.
5. He asked what more is involved in Yang style and for this I've referred him to some Yang style teachers.
Tim Homan from Devon writes that he is 13 years old, lives near a "normal" Tai Chi club and would like an explanation of what Tai Chi is and what I do.
Well Tim, I hope you're not trying to suggest that the Tai Chi clubs I run are not "normal", otherwise I might have to send the boys down to North Devon.
Tai Chi literally means "Supreme Ultimate" and this is the principle that the interaction of Yin (night, negative, soft, intellectual) and Yang (day, positive, hard, physical) control all matter in the universe. Chuan literally means fist, but here means a martial art. So Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art using yin and yang to complement one another; instead of using hard blocking we use evasion and counterattack - soft against hard and hard against soft.
There are five parts to Tai Chi Chuan. The hand form is a sequence of soft slow movements linked together to improve coordination and breathing and remind us of the fighting combinations. The self defence techniques include locking striking throwing and low kicks. Pushing hands is a method of training martial skill such as footwork, balance and flexibility with a partner. There are three traditional weapon forms in Tai Chi Chuan, spear, sword and sabre. Finally there are the 12 Yin and 12 Yang Nei Kung exercises.
Apart from the above there are various other exercises and conditioning methods that I teach.
If other readers, whether or not Tai Chi practitioners would like to raise any matters connected with Tai Chi Chuan, please get writing.