Tai chi chuan is often compared to yoga, because of its many health benefits. Relaxation, breath coordination, the search for fluidity and a form of meditation in action are all points in common.
A certain mystique also surrounds both disciplines. However, it is in a Cartesian spirit that I wish to address the subject of the benefits of tai chi chuan. Indeed, Extraordinary is not Magic, since the teaching of precise techniques enables certain physical effects to be achieved, in terms of performance, and psychological effects, in terms of relaxation and improved cognitive processes.
Taichi has not yet reached the same level of democratization as yoga. Indeed, the relationship between cause and effect in the practice of taichi has been the subject of fewer scientific studies, which explains why we find rather generalist and vague explanations of its benefits.
However, the taichi master quickly joins the osteopath in his observation of the links between cause and effect: tai chi chuan teaching pays particular attention to the practitioner’s posture, which is in itself the first gateway to health.
In Dr Gérard Vallier’s Traité de posturologie clinique et thérapeutique, the analogies with taichi are immediately obvious:
Posturology is the art of rebalancing the human body.
The aim of a postural treatment is to reduce the asynchronism of the postural sensors at the origin of the postural imbalance in order to induce a more economical posture and an optimized motor pattern.
Posturology is the study of the geometric and biomechanical organization of the body’s various segments in space. It studies the regulatory processes that stabilize an individual in an environment during standing and movement.
Let’s take a look at the many benefits of tai chi chuan, a Chinese martial art, from a posturological perspective.
The treatise on posturology describes the purpose of the central posture system, and in so doing echoes perfectly the martial purpose of tai chi chuan :
Ensuring balance; providing a solid base for action; developing spatial representations to situate ourselves in the environment.
The practice of martial arts includes these 3 pillars: the search for balance, grounding and acuity to the environment (the opponent being one of the components of the external environment).
Body alignment in the sustentation polygon
The taichi student learns to place his or her body in what a posturologist might call the sustentation polygon: the body’s center of gravity must be at the center of this polygon, and the position of the head is essential (where the telereceptors that provide information on the external environment are located) for the body to respect vertical alignment.
Postural sensors are located in the eyes, spine, inner ear, feet and jaw joints, and in the skin.
This justifies the advice given by taichi masters on gaze orientation, plantar support, cervical alignment, major joint alignment (plumb line image), and relaxation of shoulders, jaws and joints in general.
Balance in motion
We also understand that the constant mobility of the body, sought in the fluidity of taichi sequences, pursues an objective that is not only martial. Here’s a link to Dr. Vallier’s website:
To maintain verticality, man must continually adapt his body to his environment, depending on the external signals received by his various sensory sensors… The upright human being is never in equilibrium; he stabilizes himself thanks to the postural plumb system, i.e. the postural control system.
Even within seemingly static postures, the seasoned tai chi chuan practitioner is not a body at a standstill, for the breath coordinated with alternating relaxations-contractions creates perpetual movement.
Joint health
Movement is necessary to maintain joint integrity, emitting the nutrient fluid needed to keep the joint in good condition and prevent deterioration.
However, and this is the whole point of the postural corrections made by the taichi master to his pupil, movements must respect ligamento-articular limits.
It is the role of the musculo-ligamentary brake that surrounds each joint to protect it by limiting extreme movements. Hence the anchoring work found in tai chi chuan and, more generally, in kungfu, to strengthen the muscles of the lower limbs and prevent mechanical injuries such as sprains.
And we know that slow muscle-building work is conducive to strengthening deep muscles. This is why the relatively slow movements used in taichi have a dual purpose: not only do they enable the acquisition of fine skills, but they also aim to strengthen functional muscles, thereby guaranteeing the physical integrity of the practitioner.
Breathing for muscles
The body constantly oscillates around its center of gravity, a physiological necessity since no muscle could withstand complete immobility. The fibers constantly need periods of relaxation and contraction to avoid contractures.
The work and coordination of the breath, in taichi as in yoga, accompanies and optimizes the visible contractions of the thoracic region and the finer contractions of the muscles and internal organs. Muscles are better oxygenated, gain in strength and flexibility, and are more resistant to trauma.
This article focuses on the health aspect of the practice, but it’s easy to see the benefits of taichi practice in strengthening both sporting and martial capacities.
Strengthening proprioception
In particular, taichi calls upon: in the static position, the podal sensors (feet), which adjust posture by controlling the body’s minute oscillations and preparing the body for the next action; in the dynamic position, information from the vestibule, the eye and the cervical spine to guide movement.
The postural system uses pre-programmed patterns. The repetition of movement sequences creates new abilities for the body in space, and is one of the keys to learning in many fields, whether artistic, sporting (see ki surf coaching) or martial. The basic exercises, repeated in every taichi session, are one of the keys to strengthening proprioception.
Calm for balance
Posturology teaches us that the limbic system (emotional factor) is also involved in postural regulation.
The dual benefits of taichi are clear: its work method is based on calm, relaxed movements that have a beneficial influence on the practitioner’s psyche. By forcing you to measure your movements, breathe calmly and not rush, taichi creates a routine that acts as an anti-stress and emotional regulator. The two balances – body and mind – are mutually reinforcing.
Of course, the body is not just a well-oiled machine, and tai chi chuan cannot be summed up in this simple postural approach. Nevertheless, it does help us understand the particular attention that taichi pays to postural rigor and movement. It also demystifies a rich and complex practice, all too often taken over by masters suffering from acute gurounitis.
Here’s a link to explanatory sketches that shed light on the practice of tai chi chuan.
