T'ai Chi Chuan is an internal martial art which has its foundations in Taoist qigong practices. It is sometimes termed as a "choreographed" qigong. There are several styles of T'ai Chi, and within each style, there are routines that can have from 12 to 108 movements. The most popular form of T'ai Chi is the 24-movement Yang style. T'ai Chi routines can be performed solo, with other "players" or with weapons: swords, fans, spears, staffs and sabres. Practitioners of push-hands T'ai Chi do so to develop an understanding of the applied principles of T'ai Chi, as well as to develop sensitivity to an opponent's energy, "sticking" to the opponent and thus aiding the ability to effectively redirect or take advantage of the opponent's weaknesses in offense or defense. This Mahalo page, provides various resources - links, blogs, tai chi videos and other material to assist you in understanding this ancient art. In addition, there is a section on today's Tai Chi and the health benefits that have been shown in clinical trials to accrue with practice. http://coltech88.webs.com/

1. Sink the shoulders and drop the elbows
2. Relax the chest and belly and round the back
3. Sink your Qi down to the dantien
4. Lightly raise up the head, look slightly down
5. Relax the waist and hip region
6. In your movements, differentiate between empty and full = Yin and Yang
7. Using the mind to direct your movements, not physical force
8. Connect the mind and the Qi
9. Keep a harmony between the internal and external aspects of your movement, the dantien connects with your movement
10. Have stillness within movement
11. Maintain continuity and evenness throughout the form, including coordination of upper and lower Parts of the Body

T'ai Chi Chuan is an internal (or "soft") martial art which had formative influences in Taoist and Buddhist monasteries in China. The intent of the movements follow the Taoist philosophy of Lao Tse, the author of the 6th century B.C.E book Tao Te Ching. An early 13-posture form was found outlined in the Tai Chi Classics by Zhang Sanfeng, who lived during the 12th century. Legends have it that Zhang Sanfeng studied Dao Yin breathing exercises from Taoist masters and martial arts at the Buddhist Shaolin monastery, eventually combining the two skills to formulate the internal principles that guide T'ai Chi practice to this day. Of the modern styles of T'ai Chi, the Chen form was developed first by Chen Wangting (1580 -1660). The Yang, Wu/Hao, Wu, Sun and other styles came later.

Today, most people practice T'ai Chi to improve their health. The slow motion routines, practiced with an intention to increase internal awareness, have been shown to build muscle strength, increase flexibility, and promote health, flexibility and longevity. Doctors and physical therapists recommend it for people with a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. Most importantly, practice of T'ai Chi improves your sense of well being, a factor which many believe is the key to most of its benefits. The range of medical conditions for which practice of T'ai Chi has potential benefits is remarkable!

Clinical trials of older adults indicate Tai Chi practice improves posture, balance, flexibility, muscle mass and tone, stamina, and strength. When a group participating in Tai Chi was compared to a group taking part in a stretching exercise class, the tai chi group had better balance and fewer falls than the stretching group. Another randomized clinical trial found that Tai Chi led to a sense of improved well-being and increased motivation to continue exercising. Improvements have also been seen for chronic diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and peripheral artery disease. Research has found that Tai Chi can reduce stress, improve sleep and provide the same cardiovascular benefits as moderate exercise, such as reduced heart rate and blood pressure. http://coltech88.webs.com/ Evidence also suggests that tai chi is helpful when used with conventional treatments for cancer. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3X_Tai_Chi.asp