
In addition to its fitness function, martial arts also have distinct self-defense functions.
However, the fitness and self-defense functions of martial arts are both contradictory and unified, and the unity of fitness and self-defense functions of different types of boxing varies; accordingly, the opposition also varies. In other words, some types of boxing focus on fitness, while others focus on combat and self-defense; some types of boxing have strong fitness and self-defense functions; while some types of boxing have weak fitness and self-defense functions.
From this perspective, Tai Chi is different from other martial arts and fighting techniques, showing the characteristics of strong fitness and self-defense functions, maximizing the unity of fitness and self-defense and minimizing their opposition.
This feature of Tai Chi is manifested in two aspects:
First, the function of “health and well-being in one”. When the ancients gave blessings, they did not say “good health”, but “healthy body”. Because only “safe” without “health”, “safe” cannot last long; only “health” without “safe” will fail in danger.
To put it bluntly, if you are good at fighting, no one can mess with you and you will be very safe, but if you damage your body, this good state will not last long; on the contrary, although your body is very good and healthy, once you are in danger, your good body will be wasted.
Second, from the perspective of mechanism, the reason why Tai Chi can keep fit is that it follows the constant law of “yin and yang balance” in nature, and the balance of yin and yang is exactly the most fundamental fighting concept of Tai Chi, which is the fundamental difference between Tai Chi and other boxing and sports.
Historically, “civil” and “martial” were divided for a long time. Until a few hundred years ago, due to the increasingly widespread use of firearms, battlefield martial arts flowed into the folk, making the “civil and martial integration” before the Spring and Autumn Period reappear (before the Spring and Autumn Period, there were no special literati and warriors, and the “scholars” at that time were both civil and martial). The great summary of the laws of nature by the ancient philosophers – the Tai Chi philosophy of yin and yang balance, was gradually applied to martial arts, and then Tai Chi was produced and became increasingly mature.
At the beginning of Tai Chi, the health-preserving function in the process of practicing Kung Fu was fully considered, and it also has the function of high-level fighting skills. As Wang Zongyue said in “Thirteen Postures”, “If you want the heroes of the world to prolong their lives, you should not just practice the end of the art.” It emphasizes the health-preserving and fitness-building nature of Tai Chi, and highly integrates the fighting concept of Tai Chi into the fitness rules, which also emphasizes the unity of Tai Chi’s fighting skills and fitness from one aspect. Therefore, the reason why Tai Chi is widely respected and has such a strong vitality is precisely because of the high unity of Tai Chi’s fitness effect and self-defense function.
At present, many of our Tai Chi practitioners and inheritors believe that Tai Chi’s fitness and fighting skills are two different things, and there is no internal connection between them, so they adjust the practice methods of Tai Chi according to different needs.
This attitude of opposing and separating Tai Chi’s fitness and fighting skills will bring two results:
- Either abandon it and practice other fighting skills instead, because Tai Chi’s fighting ability is not the fastest to practice.
- Either change it and only keep the “slow speed”, “circular rotation” and “smooth” movement appearances of Tai Chi, while gradually discarding the functional core of Tai Chi’s yin and yang balance, making it a kind of “exercise”.
Because the pursuit of fitness alone often naturally abandons confrontational exercises, and even the most basic push-hands exercises.
The functional core of Tai Chi’s yin and yang balance can only be guaranteed and tested in a large number of long-term confrontations and push-hands practices. It’s not good to practice less, let alone not practice?
This is why many people who practice Tai Chi, even though they know they can’t fight in the ring, still want to push hands. It’s because they want Tai Chi fitness, not “Tai Chi exercise” fitness. Even if it’s just fitness, they subconsciously understand the difference between Tai Chi fitness and Tai Chi exercise.
From this, it can be seen that practicing Tai Chi and pursuing fitness and fighting skills at the same time is a scientific measure.