(Taiji) Tai Chi Sword
from Forms to Freeplay

A taiji Jian

A taiji dao

Michuan Jian

Yangshi taiji Dao

Click on the thumbnails from left to right to view:

A taiji jian. This is the sword commonly used for training in Tai Chi Jian Form. It is best to do tai chi sword forms with a light wooden replica jian until your wrist and elbow ligaments are strong and your movements are accurate. When you can use a full weight wooden sword without tiring or straining, and when you have stopped accidentally hitting it into your leg, it's time to try a real steel sword.
A taiji dao, also known as a Chinese broadsword. I use this for training in Yangshi Taiji Dao Form. Since there are many movements in the form requiring you to touch the blade, a wooden replica is a good option unless you have time to clean the steel sword after each use. Many people use a thin wobbly version of the chinese broadsword, to do forms. This might be good for beginner training but if you want to train in the way the forms were originally designed, you will eventually need to be using a real, full weight sharp sword.
Richard is demonstrating a low stance from the Yangjia Michuan Taiji Jian Form. This is an eight section form that takes about twenty minutes to go through once. It is part of the complete Yangjia Michuan Taiji system, which has basic exercises, emptyhand form, push hands, martial applications, sanshou, sword and spear forms. Students of this system also learn martial applications of the sword movements, partner drills and full speed freeplay.
That's me on the end, doing a wrap movement used either as a deflection or a wind up into one of the cuts, such as the Shan cut. Yangshi taiji dao form is a tai chi sword form. It's fairly widely practised. When learning a sword form, taiji principles apply. It is also important to develop accurate martial skill by executing the cuts correctly. We sometimes practise test cutting to improve these skills.

TAI CHI HEALTH BENEFITS

There are many health benefits from tai chi practise. The slow movements and breathing exercises have a calming effect on mind and body. Since stress is a major cause of many diseases, it can be used as a preventative. Practising tai chi can help to lower blood pressure, for example. It can relax the muscles to relieve tension headaches. As a gentle exercise, it is useful to all ages and body types for health, fitness and flexibility.

Tai Chi is an art form that can express itself in revitalizing the body, mind and spirit. For more information about holistic medicine alternatives, check out HMA’s site concerning these three critical areas.

MARTIAL UNDERSTANDING

What many people do not know is that we get the best health benefits from practising mindfully.

Tai chi was originally designed as a martial art. Every movement has martial applications. In order to practise mindfully, a student must know and be able to focus on the martial applications while practising forms.

This goes for the empty hand forms as well as the weapons forms. A good place to begin martial art training for Chinese swordsmanship, is with sword zhan zhuang It develops good body mechanics and principles such as these:

AN INTERVIEW WITH THREE TAI CHI SWORD PRACTITIONERS

This interview about tai chi sword was conducted in 2008 with Scott Rodell, Zhang Yun and Dr Yang Jwing-Ming for Inside Kung-Fu magazine
Part 1 Taiji Weapons training.
Part 2 Why should practitioners learn Taiji Sword?
Part 3 Scott Rodell and others discuss student difficulties.
Part 4 Zhang Yun and others on taijiquan sword training benefits

WHAT IS THE MICHUAN?

Yang style tai chi sword and empty hand forms are widely practised. In fact, almost 98% of tai chi practitioners across the world, are doing some type of Yang style. Other well known forms are Chen and Wu. I practise mainly Yang Family Michuan taijiquan and jian form. It was developed by Yang Luchan before his more widely known form. The Michuan was kept a fairly well guarded secret for several generations. It was released to all who wish to know, on the instruction of Zhang Qinlin, to his student Wang Yen-nien, and is now practised in many countries of the world.

FROM FORMS TO FREEPLAY

There is a gap between practising tai chi sword forms and using their applications for real swordsmanship. Just because you can do a form with balance, flow and flexibility, doesn't mean you are good at swordsmanship. You have been working on the principles but now need to develop skill with training partners to turn the principles into real swordsmanship. Push hands isn't San shou, and sword forms aren't swordsmanship.

Tao of Tai Chi .Com

A great site if you have thought about trying tai chi, Or if you would like to increase your knowledge. Free tai chi information and sharing is what this site is all about. It does not matter what style you wish to learn or are learning. This site is open to, and has information on, all forms and will not be biased to one style over another.