Chen Xiaowang - "Have a strong will, strong consciousness and practice continuously" |
The
development of a Taijiquan practitioner from basic performance to an elite
level of accomplishment is a long and complicated process. To begin with we
need to accept the fact that ultimate mastery is built from a certain starting level
of innate ability and potential. In this sense Taijiquan is no different than
other disciplines be it tennis, wrestling or running. To reach the highest
levels of accomplishment talent needs to be identified and nurtured from an
early age. This isn’t to say that learners can’t make significant improvements
at any age, but starting early is clearly an advantage. I remember a lecture
given by Chen Zhenglei at his International Chen Taijiquan Training Camp in
Hebei province in 1999 where he spoke of the ideal process of learning
Taijiquan. He quoted the saying that to get the full benefits of Taijiquan a
person should “learn when you are young, train in the middle years and conserve
energy when you are old.”
Starting
at an early age students can fully develop their athleticism - that is the
physical qualities of strength, power, speed, mobility, agility, balance
coordination and endurance. Starting at a later age these qualities still need
to be developed, but in a way that is appropriate to the individual’s physical
capacity.
There
are other factors in play beyond the starting age of a practitioner. If we look
again into the sporting world, it’s easy to find instances where athletes with
the best technical abilities do not necessarily win. A strong mind, as well the
right social environment and optimal support can also be crucial factors in
triumph or defeat. Another Taijiquan saying advises us to learn the principles
and methods from a competent teacher and to consult with our “good friends”, read
fellow students, when things are not clear. The mental side of Taijiquan
training is as important as the physical side. Developing and fine-tuning
skills and reaching and maintaining high levels of performance over the course
of a lifetime requires many hours of training and with it the need to maintain motivation.
And not just the ongoing desire to train hard, but the attendant ability and
sincere motivation to identify discrepancies between one’s perceptions and
reality.
There
are many factors then behind the science of Taijiquan skills acquisition in
terms of – motor control and development and the strengthening of the psychological
aspects of an individual. In China’s Tai
Chi Renaissance, an article in an early edition of T’ai Chi magazine, Chen
Xiaowang listed the attributes and mindset required in an individual is to
develop a high level of skill in Chen Taijiquan. He mentioned five key points:
1. Be clear about the demands on all parts of the body.
2. Understand the main regulations, principles and theory.
3. Put the theory into practice.
In
the same article Zhou Yuanlun, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai Wushu
Association, emphasised the depth of the theory that underpins Taijiquan
stating that “Only by going deeply into the theory can you make improvement.”
In practical terms working out how to combine theory with practice by
determining the true meaning of the rules and advice that has been passed down.