BLOCKING KICKS

As stated earlier, leg kicks are the hardest of all to block and so I will
start with blocking these kicks.
I will be covering ‘sticking hands’ (the t’ai chi version) later. I mention
this because this is also where we learn to block low knee kicks,
or at least try.
Two people stand as shown in Photo No. 164. Keeping your wrists
lightly touching, you now start to move around. One player should
kick slowly to the knee of the other. You should be aware of the kick
and pull your leg back quickly. Photo No. 165. I learnt this technique
from an old arnis master in Manila, (Antonio Illustrisimo); the
difference was that they would strike at each other’s legs with the
sticks. You must not look at your opponent’s feet, always take in the
whole body using your peripheral vision as later you will also be
putting in hand techniques. After only a short period of this type of
practice you will be able to perceive the attacks quicker and so you
163 164 165
will be able to speed up the attacks. After you have evaded the attack
you will be able to re-attack to his knee with another kick. The most
important thing in this training is not to allow it to become a mêlée,
keep it cool and learn.

SOME KICKS

THE FRONT HEEL KICK
This kick is the simplest kick of all but it is also one of the most difficult
to execute correctly. Usually upon trying this kick for the first
time, your foot will glance upward on the bag with not much effect
until you discover that you must thrust the waist inward so that your
heel is snapped in towards the target and not up and away from it.
Photo No. 151. Always put in the particular palm movement with
this kick, as you should always block before attacking.

POWER

Power is the most important aspect of any technique. If you are unable
to knock an attacker down with your first punch then you will
have to re-think your art. When you practice with a partner, try to
punch right through his blocks so that you are able to lightly touch
your target. This will also give your partner good practice at blocking
more realistic attacks. This is most important as many martial
artists only ever have practice in the school where-by the students
don’t throw full power punches. This is also where great control is
necessary so that you do not knock your partner out. You must of
course pull the attack short of the target so that no one gets hurt. Or,
you could invest in some GOOD protective equipment but even then
control is necessary, as nothing will stop percussion from a really
strong attack.

PENETRATION PUNCH

This is a very fast and powerful punch and is quite difficult to block,
as it is not quite straight or round. It is like a curved punch but on a
much less arc.
Once again you block to the left, Photo No. 149. Then the right fist
flicks out due to the turning of the waist and turns so that the small
finger is upward upon impact. Photo No. 150.
In this section I have covered only a few of
the easier punching techniques from t’ai chi.
There are others of course but they should
be taught personally. I have covered more
than enough punches to cover any situation.
Practice on a bag by yourself at first to understand
about timing and don’t go too hard
at first. Learn about relaxation and centrifugal
force. Then ask someone to throw a few
different attacks so that you are able to try
them out in a more realistic situation. Keep
in mind though, that nothing will prepare
you for a real fight. So just because a few of your techniques start to
work don’t become over-confident.

LOW REVERSE CIRCLE PUNCH

This punch is used to the lower abdomen and groin area and must be
used with a blocking technique, as it is not as fast as the others. With
your right foot forward you block to your right with your left palm
and as you do this you do a “change step’ i.e., your right foot is
quickly withdrawn and your left foot is advanced. At the same time
your right fist is drawn back in a circle and low. Photo No. 147. You
now punch up into the lower part of the abdomen with the flat area of
your fist. The palm side

BACK FIST

This type of punch uses the back of the knuckles and is the easiest of
all to understand the whipping principle. You should turn your waist
(for a right handed punch) to the right and allow your fist to be
thrown out. Just before impact, the waist is jerked back the other
way so that the wrist is caused to whip out. You must have a totally
relaxed wrist for this to work. You close your palm lightly upon impact;
the forward motion doesn’t have to be very fast, as it is the
back- ward motion that is the main movement for this punch. Photo
No. 143. Once again we always put in a block with this same fist before
the attack. So if you were striking with the right fist, you would
block across to your left with that same fist as if you are blocking a
left handed punch.

CROSS PUNCH

This is one of the other punches that uses the first two knuckles. This
punch is used to the hard bony areas and so it is a snapping punch.
This also starts out from a block with the other hand. Photo No. 141.
Notice the position of the punching hand before it punches. It is
placed in a vertical position. When the body steps in and turns at the
waist the palm is thrown out. Just before impact the waist is jerked
back the other way, which causes the fist to have the whip effect.
You then flick the wrist over and form a light fist so that the wrist
flicks into the object.

THE STORK SPREADS WINGS PUNCH

This punch is one of the most powerful punches from any martial
art. It is totally centrifugal and quite fast considering it’s distance.
This is one of only three punches in T’ai chi that uses the first two
knuckles, in T’ai chi we use the knuckles that most suit the position
of the palm upon impact otherwise we use extra muscles to hold the
palm into position and there-by lessen it’s impact. The front jab as
described earlier is not really a straight punch as aren’t any of the
T’ai chi punches. Upon impact the punch circles around and back so
slightly that some-one looking sees only a straight punch. This is
why it is some-times called a straight punch. The ‘Stork Spreads
Wings Punch’ however looks circular from the beginning. As with
most T’ai chi punches except the jab, it comes from a blocking
movement. Although we usually defend and attack with all of our
punches, this is the t’ai chi principle of defense rather than attack.
Although, in effect, a bad word or a wrong look can be interpreted as
an attack.
If you block with the right fist across to the
left against a left face attack with the left
palm underneath it, Photo No. 139, the left
palm then takes over the block while the
right fist is thrown out at the target with the
turning of the waist. Photo No. 140. Its use is
covered in chapter one.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CENTRIFUGAL PUNCHING

All types of t’ai chi punches are called centrifugal because of the
principle of the waist twisting to literally throw out the arm in a
punch, this is centrifugal and allows one to use the strongest/fastest
punch.
I have already covered the main ‘straight’ punch using the last two
knuckles. This is one of the fastest punches and has much power
over short distances and is good for in close fighting. You should be
able to use this punch from most positions but if you are in a position
where this punch is impossible there are some other punching techniques
from T’ai chi.

USE YOUR WAIST AND NOT JUST YOUR ARMS
Another excellent way of using equipment is to have someone hold
two mils in front of you. You should strike the mil and then the other
one. But, as soon as you have struck the first mitt, your partner
should move the second one to try and stop you from hitting it. This
is excellent training for both striker and holder because the holder
must be very aware of which mitt is being struck first in order to
move the other one.

One of the best training methods in boxing is the hard hand held
mitt. This is perfect for practicing punching to the face. Now you
must move the mitt when you punch as far as possible with the least
amount of arm movement. Try to strike the mitt starting with your
open fist only a few inches away. Don’t try to push your fist out, try
to move your body in a way that is likened to sneezing. This is what
we call in T’ai chi a ‘mah-jong’ or explosive energy movement; the
whole body must perform the action and not just one part.
Always remember to keep up your guard. When you punch with
your right fist, keep your left palm over the right side of your face.
When you punch with your left fist, keep your right palm over the
left side of your face.
When you punch, push forward with the rear foot lifting the heel of
that foot off the ground as seen in the last photo.
Punch the hand held mitt five times with perfect timing and always
bring the other palm back as a guard. Start out slowly at first, trying
to judge exactly how to place your fist so that you gain the maximum
amount of power. Then, you start to speed up the five punches so
that you are able to perform the five punches in about one second.
However, you must keep the timing of the five punches exactly the
same so that the time between each punch is the same. Also, and
most importantly, you must be sure that you aren’t losing power in
order to gain speed, make sure that the holder of the mitt feels each
punch.

T’AI CHI PUNCHING IS DIFFERENT

In T’ai Chi we try to use the least amount of energy to gain the greatest
amount of work. To do this we have to know how to use the body
and not just the arm to punch.
Chapter Two: Punching & Kicking: Page 40
If we do not use any muscle power at all and just have a totally relaxed
arm, we are able to turn the waist so that the arm will throw out
at great speed like the principle of the whip. The handle and larger
part of the rope is not traveling very fast but at the end when the whip
cracks, that small end piece is like lightening and has much power.
This is because there is a lot of energy being concentrated down into
a small area. We use this same principle in punching. All we have to
do is to control the fist using the least amount of muscle power so
that it hits its target.
In T’ai chi we use the last two knuckles, i.e. the ‘weakest’ (or are
they). Most so called ‘hard styles’ look in amazement when we use
these knuckles to punch very hard objects with no damage to the
bones. Wing-Chun uses these same bones but with the fist closed
tightly so as not to damage the bones. After many years of practice
we are able to use these knuckles without causing injury through lots
of practice.

WAVE HANDS LIKE CLOUDS

The classics say of this posture. “Advance three times demonstrating
skill with the top of the forearm.” This tells us about one of the
main uses of this posture, to block attacks to the side using the fore-
How To Use Tai Chi For Fighting: Page 29
81 82 83 84
arm but there is another use. As a low attack is being felt you should
block it downward with your left (or right) palm, Photo No. 83, then
in an instant attack with your back-fist. Photo No. 84. This can also
be used for a higher attack only you should use an upper block with
the rising palm as you attack to the groin with the other.

BLOCK LOW TO THE RIGHT (holding the ball)

This posture is sometimes done in the slow form with the lower
arm in the palm up position; this is only done to allow beginners
to understand where to place their hands. The correct posture is
done with the lower arm in a palm down position. Photo No. 9. In
this posture the harder area of the forearm is used to block the attack
and so not damage the soft area of the arm. There are times however
when the hold the ball posture is used.
You are being attacked with a left low upper punch to your right rib
area, (one of the most potent areas to attack). You bring the left arm
across to your right as you swivel slightly to the right in order to
keep your palms in your center. Your weight is placed on the left leg
to receive the power. You block the attacker’s arm from underneath,
keeping your right palm on top of your left to stop his hand from
slipping upward and re-attacking. Photo No. 10. You must keep
your left fingers relaxed to prevent damage. This technique can be
practiced on both sides one after the other as you swivel on your
heels to meet the attack and it can become quite fast. Photo No. 11.
This sort of blocking technique can be used to block all kinds of
middle area kicks followed up by an immediate attack, (covered in
the advanced section.) P’ENG

THE POSTURES:

PREPARATION
You are being attacked by either left or right lunge punch to the
head. Raise your both arms as in the opening posture of the slow t’ai
chi form and block the on-coming arm on either side as you step
slightly to one side and forward. See Photo No. 6.Mow take another
step to behind the attacker and using a squeezing motion from the elbows,
pull down onto the shoulder area, (Gall bladder and large intestine
meridians) to bring him down backwards. See Photo No. 7.
The pull down motion should be a quick Jerking motion and not so
much a pull backwards. Breathe out and expand the lower abdomen
as you attack, as you should with all of the attacking motions. ARM
(push) TO THE LEFT
I have already covered 3 of the uses of this posture earlier, there is
another. The attacker strikes at your face with a left fist. You
block with your right palm as your left palm comes up underneath.
Photo No. 8. Next, you attack his face with an open left
palm. This is in the case of an attack from the side area.

How To Use Tai Chi For Fighting

and precisely at first with the
main intention on direction and
timing. It’s all very well to be
able to perform a technique at
great speed in the classroom but
in a real situation if the power
with timing is not there, then the
fight is lost. I cannot tell you exactly
where to place your limbs
in order to derive the greatest
amount of power with speed; I
can only give you a guideline, as
everyone is different.
By doing it slowly we are able to find out exactly how to perform
the techniques in order to use the least amount of energy for the
greatest possible work. At first, break the blocking movement
away from the attacking movement in order to learn it correctly.
Then as you progress, the block and attack will become as one
where-by the block also becomes your attack. Remember that
some of these postures are very classical and need to be taken for
what they’re worth, i.e.: For the sake of knowing the real meaning
and for the health benefits derived from the mind sending ch’i
or energy into that area to do work. Some of these techniques are
quite good as they are. Some of them will require that you only
use a portion of the whole. Just practice them with a partner and
chose the ones that suit you the most. It is important to note that
although a certain technique may work against your friend in a
friendly situation, it must be tested in as realistic a way as possible.

The form or kata of t’ai chi is the first real physical method that
we learn. Once one is well versed in ch’i-kung, (see “POWER T’AI
CHI CH’UAN BOOK ONE” by Erle Montaigue) the form is the
foundation of one’s training. This form is made up of many different
postures all held together by linking movements to make one long
flowing movement which is likened to a great flowing river.
It has been said of t’ai chi, that unlike some of the ‘harder styles’
where what you see is what you get, in t’ai chi we only see 10% of
what is really going down. If we take for instance the posture called
‘push left’ from the Old and New Yang styles, we see a posture that
really doesn’t say much.

Oh yes,

that’s what is meant by that part of the classics
etc.” Don’t try to make the classics give you the technique; allow
the technique to give you the classics. “Stick to and not letting go” is a
famous classical saying from t’ai chi but if we try to do what it says then
it becomes a bit silly, we must use a training method to gain this way of
doing things so that it is totally natural and mindless. We don’t know
that we’re doing it. The training methods that give us the classics are all
of your t’ai chi training methods of form, push-hands, da-lu, san-sau
and in particular, ‘Long Har Ch’uan.’
When one starts his/her t’ai chi training there is no need to read the classics
because it will be too advanced. All the beginner should be con-
Introduction: Page 10
cerned with is teaming the movements in a mindful way with every
posture in its correct position. As the student advances in his/her training,
certain lessons are learnt. These lessons aren’t physical things like
where to put your feet and hands etc, but internal less-ons that just come
from doing it the right way. These internal lessons become a part of
one’s own body and mind and no words will be able to express what
these lessons are as everyone experiences something different. If one
practice in this way and doesn’t try to theorize too much or become a
cosmic person, then all of the great benefits to be gained from t’ai chi
will be yours.

For any martial

art to stay great there must be some element of
change built into its structure so that it is able to change as the general
standard of fighting changes and improves. All of the great classical
martial arts were founded in an era when all martial arts were still evolving
and people simply used different methods of attack and defense,
methods that were still very basic. The foundation of all the classical
martial arts were based upon the practice of certain forms or katas
which themselves were based upon the methods of attack and defense of
the time. T’ai chi is one of these great classical martial arts and as such
is also based upon these rules. Any founders of a martial art who had
some insight into the changing nature of martial arts would build into
their art some element where-by the practitioner was still able to use the
art in year to come and not be bogged down by classical maneuvers no
longer relevant to the time.

By Dan Inosanto

It gives me great pleasure to write the foreword for Erle Montaigue’s
book “HOW TO USE T’AI CHI (as a fighting art)”. This book should
be of great interest to both t’ai chi practitioners and non-T’ai chi practitioners
alike. A book on T’ai Chi as a “fighting art” is long overdue.
There are many people who still recognize and consider T’ai Chi as
only a health exercise. I feel that this book will be very informative to
the martial arts community and a must for everyone’s martial arts library.
BY DAN INOSANTO
26th November 1985
Dan Inosanto is one of the world’s foremost and well-known Martial
Artists and teaches at 4051 Glencoe Ave, Unit 12. MARINA DEL REY
CA 90292 U.S.A. (author).
How To Use Tai Chi For Fighting: Page 5
INTRODUCTION
Addenda to the original text: Please keep in mind that the applications
presented in this book are the basic applications and not the more advanced
Dim-Mak applications. This book was written back in 1984 and
first published in 1985. The original text has not been changed other
than fixing typing errors and spelling mistakes in the original text.