The Journey Inside: Transitioning to Tàijíquán from External Martial Arts

The Journey Inside: Transitioning to Tàijíquán from External Martial Arts

After decades of dedicated practice in external Martial Arts, many practitioners find themselves drawn to the subtle yet profound art of 太極拳, Tàijíquán. This transition, while challenging, often comes at a perfect time in a Martial Artist’s development, offering new perspectives on power, movement, and the very nature of Martial Practice itself.

 

The External Foundation

External Martial Artists typically bring valuable attributes to their Tàijíquán practice: disciplined training habits, body awareness, a deep respect for etiquette, and an understanding of Martial philosophy and utility. Whether from Karate, Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Jiujitsu, Kali, Silat, Savate, or other extraordinary Martial Arts, these practitioners have developed strong stances, efficient movement patterns, and an appreciation for proper structure. This foundation, while different from Tàijíquán’s approach, provides a robust framework for understanding new concepts.

 

Unlearning to Learn

Perhaps the greatest challenge for external stylists lies in releasing ingrained patterns of tension and forceful movement. Where the external Arts often emphasize maximum force production through muscular contraction, Tàijíquán requires a seemingly paradoxical relaxation to generate it’s power. The twin concepts of 鬆, Sōng & 棚, Péng are primary pillars of this Art’s philosophy. Often translated as Loosely Relaxed and Soft Expansion, respectively these cultivated skills deepen our abilities to both remain calm and centered under stress and duress. These cultivated skills also inform our ability to both receive and deliver foce safely and without a loss of balance.

The process involves:

- Learning to differentiate between necessary and unnecessary tension. Through Tàijíquán we learn to identify unhelpful, orrosive and erosive tensions in the mind, the heart, and the body.

- Developing whole-body connectivity through relaxation. Through Tàijíquán we learn to connect before, during, and after contact and that this skill develops in direct relation to our skill in releaxation. Our Mind-Intent is a key pillar of the Art and serves as a gardenbed for Empathy, Compassion, Healing, and Teaching.

- Understanding power generation through our circulatory and fascial systems rather than through the more obvious and readily accessible effort of muscular systems. The connective tissue system run deep and touches every structure and space of the body. Storing elastic energy and transmitting force, the connective tissues (once accessed) represent an often untapped well of power and flexibility.

- Cultivating internal awareness rather than external form. While it is true that most any Martial Art seeks to develop internal awareness, few Arts make internal awareness, cultivation, and expression such an integral element of their philosophy and applicability.

- Learning to value the How of a Process rather than the What of a Goal.

 

The Physical Benefits

As practitioners age, Tàijíquán’s emphases on mental and mechanical efficiencies are welcomed over the more obvious forces born of muscle and momentum. As wisdom is welcomed by a timeworn body that is busy shedding its hormonal expressions, energetic elegance, and efficiency shine a light on the path ahead – the path toward equilibrium and enlightenment.

The Art offers:
– Greatly reduced joint stress compared to high-impact training. Whatever state that the external Martial Arts have our joints in, let’s leave them be, yes?
– Improved balance, proprioception, & interoception. Remember, that the balance is regarding all aspects of self as well as all aspects of others. The same goes for the twin -ceptions.
– Enhanced mobility through gentle, continuous movement. Tàijíquán’s movements are frequently in smaller amplitudes and describe long and sinuous curves. Frequently, external Martial Arts favor and exhibit rather sharp curves, abrupt changes of direction, and rapid speed changes.
– Better posture through increased body awareness. Tàijíquán’s considerations of posture extend beyond the spine into both the Earth and Sky. These considerations also extend to the Psyche, the Mental posture we might take in times of stress, and the Emotional posture we may enjoy refuge in when our opinions urge us towards ill-thought-out actions.
– Sustainable practice well into advanced age. As Martial Artists we all know that only time can give us a shot at mastery and only time can provide sufficient opportunities to pass on our Art to new generations. So, a more sustainable Practice is best suited to our deep ambitions regarding our Art.

 

Martial Depth through Softness

Contrary to some perceptions, Tàijíquán’s soft approach doesn’t mean abandoning Martial efficacy. Instead, it offers sophisticated answers to Martial questions:
– Using the Strength of Sensitivity over the strength of youth neutralize force.
– Conserving power in the service of balance rather than spending our entire power budget on a given motion.
– Through softness, the Tàijíquán player seeks to maintain contact with a partner rather than disengage – contact is knowledge.
– Through continuous contact 聽勁, Tīng Jìn or Listening Skill is developed. It is through Tīng Jìn that the Tàijíquán player Grows to know the mind of an assailant even before the intent is obvious to the assailant.

 

The Mental Shift

Perhaps most significantly, Tàijíquán introduces her adherents to a different training mentality. Daresay I, a different life mentality? The emphasis shifts from external achievements to internal development:
– Play. The student of Tàijíquán is called a player, never a student or practitioner. Play, which can be serious, is the root mindset of the Tàijíquán player. With this in mind, we seek to age into a new youthfulness.
– Moving from a competitive mindset to self-cultivation. The Tàijíquán player is frequently driven by and devoted to the imperative philosophy of With rather than Against. This results in more Practices (and thus more growth) in the area of Self-understanding rather than the arena of other contesting.
– Focusing on the process rather than immediate results. The Tàijíquán player is not interested in both the goal and the process of a Practice as an external Martial Artist may be. The way of Practice itself is the point of it all. We might call this the Goalless Path.
– Developing patience with subtle progress. The Tàijíquán player knows that the software of this existence comes into sharper relief as the hardware inevitably falters. It’s also true that the software’s mastery requires more patience than ever before.
– All Martial Arts are best understood as a lifelong journey rather than simply as a collection of techniques. The Tàijíquán player knows that while the Martial Arts may have begun when we were young the role of Martial Arts in a life is powerful and profound during the whole of one’s life.

 

Integration Rather than Replacement

The wise practitioner doesn’t view Tàijíquán as a replacement for their external training but as a complementary practice that enhances understanding of both approaches. The precision of external Arts can inform Tàijíquán practice, while Tàijíquán’s principles can bring new depth to external techniques. Mixed Martial Arts is popular for good reason – the trick is not to become a student of Mixed-Up Martial Arts. Take notes, stay focused, and relax. You got this!

 

Beginning the Journey

For external Martial Artists considering Tàijíquán, several approaches can ease the transition:
1. Maintain a Beginner’s Mind and an open mind about new ways of…well, of everything. Remember: Tàijíquán can never replace what you’ve studied and it will make no effort to deny your prior Art. You can keep your earlier Art(s) and still invite Tàijíquán in to complement both your Art and your self.
2. Be patient with the learning process. What we are learning, where the learning is focused (it’s an Internal Art, remember?), and why we are learning, are all likely much different than when you were a ripening white belt.
3. Find a qualified instructor who understands both the external and the internal Arts.
4. Practice regularly, even if the movements seem simple. Remember: simple is not a synonym for easy and what appears simple often disguises profound depths.
5. Engage in Push Hands practice to understand and explore Tàijíquán’a Principles, Energies, and Martial applications… and have immense fun.
6. Remember that the philosophy of Tàijíquán is as important as any of the individual techniques within it. You will not produce Tàijíquán by attempting to mimic its motions while continuing to cling to philosophies you’ve come to love, but which belong to other Arts. Adopting and adapting to the mindset of Tàijíquán will be your key to the kingdom.
7. The author has created an online community with hundreds of free lessons specifically designed to introduce the Internal Arts to people at the very outset of their journey. “Let’s Learn Tai Chi” is a free Facebook group with links to hundreds of short and free lessons: https://bit.ly/LetsLearnTaiChi

 

Conclusion

The transition from external to internal Martial Arts represents not just a change in training methods but an evolution in understanding Martial Arts practice. Tàijíquán offers external Martial Artists a path to deepen their practice, preserve their health, and discover new dimensions of their Martial Arts (and Life) journey. This transition, while challenging, often leads to some of the most rewarding experiences in a Martial Artist’s life.

 

Of Course, there’s No Conclusion – Martial Arts is for Life. Inspire Others!

The transition from Harder to Softer systems or External to Internal styles also shows others that the aging Martial Artist’s willingness to change lives on well into their age of maturity. The Martial Artist truly committed to human study seeks to ripen rather than rot; to become a deep, sweet, & treasured wine rather than a soured vinegar. Our urge to grow, to broaden horizons, to deepen our understanding doesn’t have to calcify as we age. It is a remarkable thing to show those following us on their paths that our path is one of relentless education, eternal malleability, & an embrace of newness that thrives far into our twilight years.