How do Tai Chi guys generate the power in their strikes?

MasterPain · Black Belt

Don't know about Tai Chi, but the power of about any strike comes from the ground up. Hips is a good answer, but the power of the hips starts from a stance rooted to the ground. A solid punch is like pushing a car. You can't push a car without good footing. If you're slipping in mud, you can't move the car, because your ability to generate power and apply a force greater than your own weight is dependent on your connection to the ground applying an equal force in the opposite direction of the force applied. You bend your knees to allow your quads to shove, which is connected to your hips- which get their power from the way your body is connected to the ground. Your torso must be aligned in such a manner as to continue the force from the hips. Your hands on the car need your arms to be aligned in such a manner as to transfer the power from your upper body, which is taking it's power from the hips, which get their power from the legs, which are taking force from your stance's connection to the ground. Essentially you punch with the earth.
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My fists bleed death. -Akuma

MasterPain · Black Belt

Oh, and roll a d20 constitution check for chi, or something.
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My fists bleed death. -Akuma

Alan Armstrong · Black Belt

Tai Chi Chaun power comes from leg muscles. Slowly transferring one's body weight from one leg to the other increases their strength but also more importantly it improves the person's balance simultaneously.

Tai Chi practices body and mind synchronicity in gentle continuous gentle martial art movements (Yoga while moving) Every movement has a yinyang aspect not apparent to the spectator.

Tai chi power comes from practicing Chi Kung exercises. Those that practice Tai Chi without Chi Kung exercises will not develop their power potential.

As many that practice Tai Chi these days are not practicing it to fight with, power is not as important as maintaing health.

Zaine · Black Belt

Alan Armstrong · Black Belt

It usually takes a Tai Chi student 3 months of practice to feel the chi flow through the body. The reason it takes so long to understand and learn is because it takes time to learn how to relax while moving gently and smoothly.

It is the nervous system that connects our mind intentions to the rest of the body through the spine and outwards to the limbs. Regular Tai Chi practice helps to promote and reinforce these mind and body connections.

The spine is the internal power stem. The stem/spine aligned correctly with regular Tai Chi practice is connected with the force of gravity. A slight twist or move with the stem in conjunction with the fist can knock a person out cold. This is internal power.

Many martial art styles use Chi Power, but don't recognize it as such. It is just passed off as good technique. Bruce Lee utilized this spine power/chi power phenomenon. As I hope it is safe enough to say, that Bruce Lee could see the Chi Power used in western boxing and utilized it for his JKD. Bruce Lee commented about how the dynamics of the twist of the human body was very powerful for punching.

Chi power utilization is very compatible with western boxing movements. Therefore those that discredit chi power existence (unknowingly) also discredit western boxing fighting capabilities.

A very slight (internal) twist of the spine moves the extremities of the body alot further with very little effort. Combined with the weight or mass being brought around from this twist gains some momentum that is transferred to the end of a punch as centrifugal force. So there are two forces a play here gravity and centrifugal.

We don't notice the mechanics of the spine for fighting with because it is so well protected with muscle. Yet if a person suffers any type of spine damage, fighting then seems like an impossible thing to do.

Using muscle power alone for boxing purposes, the fighter would tire out easily. However utilizing the twisting spine movements with synchronized punching combinations makes for an efficient and effective fighter.

Have you ever noticed a boxer that over extends and throws his shoulder in to the punch and the momentum of it almost throws him to the ground! This is all muscle power with zero Chi power. A Tai Chi practitioner would never let his or her muscles run away uncontrolled like that.

External power (mostly) uses muscles, where as internal power (mostly) utilizes bones and the spine is a large part of this equation. Chi power doesn't need to be wound up like a spring to work. To do it correctly, just connect your (quick) spine movement to your fist, it is direct and instant chi power. The benefits are that it takes very little energy to cause alot of damage, also telegraphing your intent to your opponent is eliminated. Short distance punches for instance are very difficult to stop and can pack a powerful blow.

As the car analogy has been used before, the term "put your back in to it" when trying to push one, might also be applicable here. Better rephrased as "put your spine in to it" from a Tai Chi perspective.

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