Tai Chi Sword
Summary: The Tai Chi Sword art prominent use is now through sport competition.
There are several weapons employed in Tai Chi Chuan. Students may use a Chang, or spear; sometimes, staffs are preferred instead. Another choice is the Tao, which is a large one edged broad sword, much like a cutlass or a Saracen scimitar. And there is the Chien, a straight, double edged sword. Of the three, many Tai Chi practitioners consider the Tai Chi Sword as the deadliest weapon. It’s lightweight enough to afford speed and quick flourishes; the long blade gives the user maximum reach without sacrificing its lethality and the flexibility of its blade can be very misleading to an opponent.
Tai Chi Sword Art, or the Wushu, is often jealously guarded in Tai Chi history. Masters may teach students the Tao or the Chang, but rarely would they teach Chien. It is because the strongest combat element of the Tai Chi art lies in this sword-art form. Today however, most teachers allow students to begin learning the Tai Chi Sword after learning the basic Tai Chi forms. It is because the decreasing effectiveness of this art. But, as the masters tend to argue, there are times when the need to defend arises, and there’s nothing aside from things normally available in any situation such as umbrellas and walking sticks. They point that should that time comes, knowledge in Tai Chi Sword forms could be an immense help. The concept of Tai Chi Sword Art is the study of the forms and its application, and not of the weapon itself.
The Tai Chi Sword Art’s prominent use is now through sport competition, much to the consternation of traditionalists. They have complained the fact that the Tai Chi Sword Art has become more flamboyant than being functional, the graceful and flowing manner had instead degraded into more like a dance than a maneuver, emphasizing more on gracefulness than of martial energy. The Tai Chi Sword form has many subtle techniques that aren’t employed in tournaments since pretty wrist movement scores higher with the judges than the subtle flicks of the wrist. This effect, divergent sword-using sects have formed: those who do Tai Chi Sword Art as martial arts, those who do it as a dance, and those who do Tai Chi Sword Art as both.
Tai Chi Shoes
Summary: Get your Tai Chi shoes to complement your training… or just look cool.
In most cases, what you wear is enough to do Tai Chi. And of course for obvious reasons, some clothing are real awkward to wear during a Tai Chi session. But by large it is still a personal choice. After all, ancient Chinese warriors don’t prepare their clothes to do serious fighting, since fighting comes off the cuff. If it helps wearing your parka during Tai Chi sessions, by means go ahead. Maybe the added weight will give more quality to your exercise.
Tai Chi shoes came with the advent of Tai Chi into the world. While not as marketable as the art, Tai Chi shoes found a steadily increasing number of wearers who actually practice Tai Chi and those who think Jackie Chan is cool. Tai Chi enthusiast recommends getting Tai Chi shoes to complement Tai Chi sessions. Elderly Tai Chi practitioners get Tai Chi shoes because they are flat, comfortable shoes. Likewise hippies get Tai Chi shoes to complement their parkas.
Tai Chi shoes are soft cloth shoes with rubber or cotton soles, depending on the maker.
The women’s style Tai Chi shoes have a strap to securely hold the shoe, the men’s style has none. It is very light and flexible.
There are several online shops selling these cool Tai chi shoes. Hi-Qua offers a Baiky Tai Chi shoes for 12$. Click on this link to go directly to the page: www.hiquasports.com/taichi/shoes.htm
Tai Chi Finder also has various items on the catalog to complement every Tai Chi practice. They offer Tai Chi T-shirts, Tai Chi trousers Tai Chi suits and the all-cool Tai Chi shoes! The price for the Tai Chi shoes is 25£. The address is www.taichifinder.co.uk/allprods.php
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