Review

Applied Tai Chi Chuan

Sutton

Amazon UK ref: 0804831726 | Amazon US ref: 0804831726

Martial artists are naturally biased in favour of their own arts and systems, and this book is written with particular regard to the system developed by Grandmaster Cheng Man Ching. Notwithstanding this partiality, it provides a clear, intelligent and accessible introduction that will be of interest to all those who want a comprehensive introduction to Tai Chi in general, although it does not deal with Dim-Mak. Contrary to the popular assumption that Tai Chi is primarily designed for relaxation and health, this collection of mini-essays helps to re-establish its fundamental status as a martial art, and discusses many aspects of its nature. The basis of Tai Chi training is learning 'the form', a deliberately slow 'dance' containing all the various techniques of the art including punches, kicks, locks and throws, although these are not always obvious to outsiders or even those learning them. Unlike some other martial arts, the Tai Chi form is not flashy, and as Sutton amusingly points out, you are unlikely to impress your friends with how slow you are! Analysing the postures of the Yang Style form, Sutton notes the predominance of palm punches, an approach optimised for minimising damage to the practitioner rather than maximising effect on an opponent. One of the many paradoxes of Tai Chi - symbolically encapsulated in the Yin-Yang icon - is the importance of relaxation to swift movement, something which must be maintained in the stress of combat. Other areas covered include pushing hands (a close-quarters exercise of controlled sparring), the use of the whole body, the importance of flexibility at the waist, the maintenance of root and visualisation. The book concludes with some biographies and wryly amusing anecdotes about some of the author's teachers which provide interesting insights into the culture and tough nature of Tai Chi teaching in south-east Asia.

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