The ZigZag Path

The Zigzag Path

It would be nice if the true nature of things was just readily apparent but this is rarely the case. My first experience with Tai Chi was for its meditational value. I was trying to go to college, work full time, check in on two cancer stricken parents (at separate addresses) and my brother and I lived with my 83 year old grandmother who was largely self sufficient but still occasionally caused anxiety. I was twenty years old and working on an ulcer. I tried yoga as an elective at college, self hypnosis and meditation in psychology but I didn’t have the attention span or focus for them. My Sifu talked about how it relaxed him so I asked to try it and I haven’t had another stress induced stomach ailment since.
In the many years since, my study has gotten deeper and deeper. Master Ting opened up such vast potential that I felt overwhelmed, yet I trudged on doing the best I could. I started to notice that despite repeating everything Master Ting uttered, using his descriptions, his approach, myself and students were not progressing consistently but I just assumed this was the way it was.
To say I have not treated my body gently in my 51 years might be an understatement. Chronic back pain, loss of flexibility, the only time I didn’t feel discomfort was when I was performing the Tai Chi form. A couple of years ago I decided I wasn’t ready to be old and signed up for an obstacle course race. I very quickly realized that I was no longer twenty five and that I had some serious limitations. I have been blessed with some great friends with great insight which led to some intense research and epiphanies. I learned about the posterior chain and the function of the glutes and how the abdominals should be elongated and how the back muscles need to engage. Once I started making connections and felt the results I realized that I was in the Tai Chi posture. After 32 years I had finally cracked the code. The reason everyone has so much trouble achieving the Tai Chi posture was because their bodies were not being completely utilized. Almost half of our bodies are not engaged, and those muscles that are not firing are exactly the muscles needed to perform the movements correctly. I would go so far as to say that without an awareness and understanding of the underlying musculature, correct tai chi posture is not possible. I am sure that over a considerable amount of time some people may be able to overcome the natural favoritism associated with the quadriceps or a deltoid that is primarily used but I think most people will remain subject to the ingrained movement pattern. Over time I have noticed tremendous improvement in not just myself, but everyone who trains with me. One student with a large spinal fusion, and limited mobility has regained the ability to run, another with chronic knee pain has eliminated his need for a brace, another in her 70’s has regained mobility and now walks without her cane. All because we started working the neglected muscles and reengaged them into a unified body.  My goal is to spread this knowledge and help as many people as I can. This can be difficult because the course can seem intimidating. I try to lay out the issues and show a clear path on how to correct these conditions, and so far it has met with great success. It does not happen immediately, but with time and dedicated training, emphasizing these principles may yield great results for those willing to commit to it.
In conclusion, the Tai Chi system is a wonderful vehicle for people to reinforce correct movement patterns. My understanding of the art did not take a straight and predictable course, it switched direction unexpectedly but ultimately led to to the right place. It is not easy and it seems most people are reluctant to face the reality of hard work because it may seem intimidating, but if you break the work into smaller pieces, it is very attainable. We all have to make the choice whether we want to make the changes or suffer the consequences of letting ourselves go.  It is undeniable that modern convenience and the extreme amount of time people spend sitting in chairs has led to a breakdown in natural movement patterns. If you believe in yourself and are willing to progress slowly, you will see that the hard work is manageable. Without correcting these first, a practitioner has little hope of achieving the best results from Tai Chi practice.