# I've learned more about chi through Tai chi classes.



## Ironbear24 (Mar 7, 2016)

I can actually sort of "feel" chi now thought out the motions and forms of sun style Tai chi. Now my question is how do I use this knowledge of it to help me in regards to martial arts in general? 

When I speed things up in sparring or practicing. I don't feel chi, at least not the same way I do with Tai chi. Do you any of you have any input?


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 7, 2016)

It is much more about connections and semi-relaxation than anything one might refer to as qi.

How you get that energy/power/qi from your root to where you want it to go.


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## JowGaWolf (Mar 7, 2016)

Don't think of Chi (Qi) as something that you are going to use as a fighting tool.  Think of it as something that helps makes you better at things like striking, grappling, and sensing the slightest movement in your opponent even if they are connected to your body for short periods of time.  Don't expect to give of electric charges or anything like that.  What you can expect is that you'll be able to sense your opponents intention much better.  For example,  I threw the other instructor of in my school on the ground 2 twice within 10 seconds during free sparring.  I didn't plan or set him up for a throw and the throw wasn't luck.  My ability to sense balance through Tai Chi is what allowed me recognized when my opponent is off balance and which way I should move him to take advantage of that.  If you ask me, how did I do it, I will be honest and say, "I don't know" I just did it because that's what if felt like should be done.  

I know it wasn't a fluke because I did the same throw twice on a guy that was attacking me with punches.  Both times the throw was easy and I came away wondering if he just took a dive.  When you get it right your strikes and actions will have a similar effortless feel.  You won't get the same feeling that you get when you wrestle someone or muscle someone to the ground.  

From my experiences and just a guess, because I'm not an expert in this, the sign that you have used Qi correctly is when you have someone who is clearly using strength and muscle to attack you, but you someone end up using much less effort to deal with what they are throwing at you.  One you experience that then I would say you have just experienced using Qi in a fight.  

What you feel during practice isn't the same thing you'll feel during sparring or fighting. In practice what you are feeling is you learning how to control your energy flow.  You have always had energy flow through your body, but you haven't paid attention to until recently.  As you become more aware of how your energy flows through your body, you'll begin to tell how energy is flowing through your opponents body.

The best advice that I can give from a beginner stand point. Is to keep focusing on your energy and how it moves through your body.  Don't become concern with trying to make it happen during sparring or when speeding things up.  You'll just end up trying to force it when you should be just relaxing and letting it happen.

The times where I think I used Qi happened naturally and unplanned.  My body just recognized it, I listened, and allowed my reaction to flow without thought. 

I think one of the students was recording the free sparring match so if she caught it on tape then I'll show the video of it.  I'm curious to see it myself because those 2 throws were easy and I literally didn't feel the weight of his body as I threw him. 

Have patience with your training.  Tai Chi is not a fast path to fighting.  You'll spend years learning about yourself and your body before your actually get to the point where you can use the techniques you are learning at will.

The one thing that I do know for a fact is that the majority of your Tai Chi techniques are going to feel and be weak until you learn how to connect your energy and control the flow of it. It' most likely happen similar to how it happens to me.  I'm not at the skill level where I can use it on demand.  It just pops up every now an then, usually when the concepts of Tai Chi are far from my mind.


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## Buka (Mar 8, 2016)

I just started Tai-chi a couple weeks ago and I'm loving it. Did it for a bit back in the seventies but the instructor moved away. Other than teaching some fighting classes here and there it's probably the only Art I'm going to do moving forward.

As for chi or anything else related - I'll get back to you in five years or so. Until then, I'm just going to have me some fun.


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## Mouzalina Mahfud (Nov 13, 2016)

in Indonesia, we call it "Tenaga Dalam", similar system as QiGong


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## Steve (Nov 13, 2016)

In Bjj, we call it good technique.


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## Mouzalina Mahfud (Nov 13, 2016)

Steve said:


> In Bjj, we call it good technique.



Breaking with a sheet of paper money





"Getaran" (Vibravision) is an aspect of Silat Merpati Putih (MP) training that focuses on the development of heightened senses and intuition to the point where a Silat practitioner can effectively perceive their surroundings without the use of their eyesight.

This technique allows Silat practitioners to sense the sub-atomic vibrations of their surroundings and to differentiate between these vibrations. Silat practitioners are able to differentiate between the different energies and perceive the weight, volume, velocity, color, shape and substance of ANY object.


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## Steve (Nov 14, 2016)

I can stab a drinking straw all the way through a large, russet potato.   Impressive.  I know.    But once you know the trick, it's not all that hard.   Just takes some practice.


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## Mouzalina Mahfud (Nov 14, 2016)

Steve said:


> I can stab a drinking straw all the way through a large, russet potato.   Impressive.  I know.    But once you know the trick, it's not all that hard.   Just takes some practice.



ahahah what kind of trick ? putting your thumb over the end of straw ? pffttt hahaha, you must be joking if you comparing that with Tenaga Dalam hahaha

*Getaran demonstration*


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## Steve (Nov 14, 2016)

I admirebtye amount of training that is involved learning to do these things. 

I have a friend who is a magician.  Owned a magic shop back in the day.  He's shown me some simple sleight of hand stuff and a few magic tricks.  Takes two things to Do magic.  You have to know the trick and you have to practice.   Takes both.   Even though magic tricks aren't real, there is a tremendous amount of skill involved. I know the secret to the tricks but still can't do them.

These demonstrations are magic tricks.  If you know the secret and practice, you can Do them too.  Just like the potato / straw trick.


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## Jenna (Nov 14, 2016)

Steve said:


> I can stab a drinking straw all the way through a large, russet potato.   Impressive.  I know.    But once you know the trick, it's not all that hard.   Just takes some practice.


Aha and but that is a russet potato! see? russet potatoes are not trained to resist the straw like other properly trained potatoes are!  xo


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## Mouzalina Mahfud (Nov 16, 2016)

Silat Merpati Putih help more than 2000 blind people here in Indonesia

this is how Silat MP teach the blind


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## Bill Mattocks (Nov 17, 2016)

When you strike someone and they crumple to the ground even though you did not hit them very hard, your ki is working.  When you hit the exact same way in the exact same place and they do not react, your ki is not working.

This has been my experience to date.  I'm not Iron Fist, I can't yet call it up and direct it where I wish it to go.  Sometimes I am surprised to find that my strike has devastating effect even though I do not intend to hurt anyone or strike very hard.  I suspect relaxation is intimately tied to it, as it most often happens when I am NOT concentrating but just letting the technique happen.


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## Mouzalina Mahfud (Nov 18, 2016)

this is legit, no peek, reading ID card while blindfolded


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