Tai Chi in Street Fights

Yes, the good old debate: some people reckon Tai Chi is a good fighting art, some reckon Tai Chi is useless.

In my opinion, Tai Chi when trained properly, is really good for street fighting. Why?

1. We are trained to be free. In a street fight, things could get very chaotic. So having a free mind and free techniques could be an advantage. Locked in rigid techniques could be a disadvantage.
2. We are trained to stay calm. So our mind stays clear to look for ways to get out.
3. We are trained to stay upright. Everyone knows if you fall down on a group fight your head basically becomes the other team's soccer ball.
4. We are trained to be sensitive, to the opponents as well as the enviroment.
5. We are trained to be plyable, hence minimizing damage.
6. We are trained to generate fair lot of power; well, soft power but powerful none the less.
7. We do have a lot of kick azz techniques in our form.

No matter how different we train in different schools and different ideas, most of us do seem to train up these attributes which is useful in street fighting.

Does anyone have further points to add to support this? Or anyone with disagreeing points?

Cheers,
John

I know a guy that did a style (not sure which) of tai chi chuan and was awesome. We were at a concert with five people. Four of us are longfist guys who were holding back the mosh-pit with a low front stance and arms out. The tai chi guy was starting to get bulldozed from all the movement and he just went with it and redirected it back with two palms. No exageration here, a good fifteen people when stumbling/flying about ten feet forward. That was the end of that mosh-pit and everyone enjoyed the show from then on out.

Is that from the push hands exercises?

Someone who knows nothing of tai chi,
Warren

Twice I've been glad I had Tai Chi as my primary arsenal when out on the town late at night.

Only two years ago 2 blokes probably in their mid 20's tried to jump me when I was in a telephone booth and started kicking the doors in.
When I got they came at me, one of them I used roll back on and the other I scrappily did repluse monkey hence my name and winded him.
My secondary aspect of my arsenal running kicked in just after and I got out of it scott free.

I don't like fighting but when I have used it as a last resort to free up a situation i'm so glad I trained for many years in Tai Chi.

I'm aware of the fact that many others styles have aided many people on this forum in similar scuffles in their own experience too. Just to big up the Tai Chi camp that does have the martial side to it, I'm so glad my years of training help me out.

Push hands can be invaluable to night spots.

RP.

Hi,

I have been looking to take TC.

The schools I have visited so far have not been what I'm looking for.

I want to learn and practice TC for the martial aspect, NOT the health aspect like so many schools.

I want to use it as a last resort self defense.

Any suggestions on where and how to find a school in my area, Philadelphia?

Marc

Hi Mate,

Hope all is well, hows life treating you?


Just a few questions!

What type of street fighting training you doing, pads, bag work, full contact sparring, fitness?

How do you train your Taiji for street during class when it aint a real street fight?

I think one should learn some ground fighting at some stage in there training, doesnt Taiji have it?

regards
Garry

Hey Garry! Good to hear from you.

I teach private Tai Chi Classes and public Bokken MMA (kind of) classes.

In the Tai Chi Classes, we practice mainly push hands and energy stuff.

In the Bokken classes I use the wooden sword to train up their power, footwork, coordinations etc and get them to do lots of punching, kicking, Qin Na'ing, throwing, and rolling around on the mat.

Although the Bokken classes may sound more fighting orientated, I think my Tai Chi students are better equiped when it comes to street fighting.

Although the Tai Chi guys learn less fancy techniques, they are more in tune with what's going on, generating a lot more power, more evasive, and better at handling being hit. I suppose the way we practice our push hands do get pretty heavy.

But true, wouldn't know for sure how individuals would go until a real street fight happens. But let's hope that we don't have to find out.

We should catch up one day.

Cheers,
John

Hey Mate,

Yeah love to catch up, when have you got time? I am on night shift starting fri and finish on tue morning then i have 4 days off, How is your time during the week days or nights next week?

Got some questions on Chi and related stuff for you when we do catch up too!;)

take care mate
Gaz:)

hey marc...


i used to study t'ai chi at a small mom-'n-pop kung fu/t'ai chi school in south philly. i forget the name & location (around 15th St, just west of Broad St - not the greateste neighborhood) - they can definitely help you with martial applications. i learned some weapon forms there , too.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Willow Palm

I know a guy that did a style (not sure which) of tai chi chuan and was awesome. We were at a concert with five people. Four of us are longfist guys who were holding back the mosh-pit with a low front stance and arms out. The tai chi guy was starting to get bulldozed from all the movement and he just went with it and redirected it back with two palms. No exageration here, a good fifteen people when stumbling/flying about ten feet forward. That was the end of that mosh-pit and everyone enjoyed the show from then on out.

Is that from the push hands exercises?

Someone who knows nothing of tai chi,
Warren

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What you described matches what my Sifu always tells me about Taiji, absorbing or going with the force and redirecting it. True Taijiquan (not the flowery modern stuff) is awesome; I love it!
Btw, to answer your question...yes, the push hands exercises are what help you develop this.

I love taijiquan, but really couldn't say how good most taijiquan is for fighting (on its own). It's defenitely enhanced my ability, but I had about 4 years of longfist training before, and I wasn't really in any physical condition to do even push hands when I started (had just had reconstructive surgery on my knee). Other than some Chen stylists, I haven't come across anyone that really fights with taijiquan... they've all had strong training in another style (chang quan, baji quan, boxing, San Shou, Shui Jiao, etc.), relly on silly qigong tricks, use push hands as a gauge of fighting ability, or fall into the "I'm too deadly" category. Doesn't mean real deal people aren't out there, maybe they just get overlooked in all the garbage.

It's true that Taiji is often trained alongside other arts (such as Baguazhang, Xingyi, or other kung fu styles), but it is a deadly art unto itself. Taijiquan means "grand ultimate boxing". In fact, there is a story that Mas Oyama's only defeat was at the hands of a Hong Kong Taiji master.

This is so cool that I'm also posting it in Successful Street Applications.

Quote:

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Grandma busts Tai Chi move to catch thief
By Coconuts Bangkok June 12, 2015 / 11:37 ICT

http://cdn3.coconutsmedia.com/field/image/22.png
A 70-year-old grandma revealed her secret identity as a superwoman with the power of Tai Chi when she caught a thief who stole money from a coffee shop in Chonburi.

Nipa Ratsopon was practicing Tai Chi at a park in front of Chonburi Provincial Court Wednesday when the coffee shop owner, Thanyaporn Sudsawat, 52, yelled out for help after a customer stole her purse.

Grandma Nipa promptly ran after the thief and busted out some Tai Chi moves to prevent her from escaping.

Things happened real fast, and the two women were able to hand over the thief, identified as 36-year-old Wanida Nakklai, to the police.

Thanyaporn told police Wanida had ordered coffee but grabbed the owner’s purse while she wasn’t looking, before walking away. It contained THB13,600 in cash.

Wanida begged the coffee shop owner not to prosecute her because she had just lost her job and committed the crime to feed her two kids. Her request was denied, as police reminded her that theft is a criminal offense.

The Tai Chi grandma, explaining her heroic move, said that she has been practicing the Chinese martial art for years, which is why she’s still fit.

Grandma said the thief didn’t fight back, but if she had, our superhero is convinced she would have easily won, Komchadluek reported.

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is 'Coconuts Bangkok' the reporter's real name?

Actually for Bangkok, that's rather tame.

One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster
The bars are temples but their pearls ain't free
You'll find a god in every golden cloister
And if you're lucky, then the god's a she
I can feel an angel slidin' up to me

;)