Workshop with Dan Docherty 11th December 2011

Caroline and myself took ourselves down to see Master Dan for his first workshop in December.  Fortunately for us, we got to work inside his home whereas Katherine, Matt - and the other guys who chose to do sword applications were given the garden to practice in, with the instructions to 'keep moving to prevent them feeling cold' - and anyway, they couldn't do sword applications indoors!

We had a very specific goal for Sunday; to recap Five Element Arm and some applications.  We also learnt that Cheng Tin-hung's favourite weapon was the Sabre, and that personally he wasn't too keen on form himself.  Dan also talked about timing and distance in respect of applications and remarked that whenever he got into a fight, he always hit them first.  This is very sound advice!!!!  Why worry about reacting to an attack?

Skill overcoming speed

I often remark in class that in most sports speed of movement is the most feared weapon.  For example; the football team that can move the ball with accuracy and speed around the park will inevitably out-manoeuvre their opponents easily pulling players out of position to create gaps/openings.  The boxer who can rain down a combination of punches is always going to be a dangerous opponent.
Whilst reading 'Scholar Boxer' by Marnix Wells, I came across this interesting point:

"The hands have three gates.  Wrists are first - this is the great gate.  Elbows are second - this the halfway gate.  Upper arm roots (shoulders) are third - this is the inner gate." p.88

In Tai Chi practice we look to control our opponent's arm at the wrist and elbow.  If we remain in contact at these points we can respond appropriately to our opponent. 

So if you only have contact at the wrist, the opponent can withdraw the hand at will.  Therefore fast hands will always beat slow hands.

In the Canon of Tai Chi Chuan there is reference to this as follows:

"Other schools of martial arts are so numerous
although there are external differences,
without exception they amount to nothing more
than the strong bullying the weak;
The slow surrendering to the fast;
the powerful beating those without power;
slow hands surrendering to fast hands"

So how does skill overcome speed?
It is by using a combination of well-rounded training - that increases our skill, experience, trained strength and ability to respond appropriately which will enable us to defeat the bigger, stronger or faster opponent.

To p or not two p...

I am often asked what is the secret to learning Tai Chi.  This is not a new question, and seems to have been asked by students throughout history.  One Tai Chi Master when asked this question answered with one word 'patience'.  This of course is something that in today's modern, fast-paced, instant coffee, 4G, internet online shopping world we live in, is sadly in short supply!  This is what most people cannot bring with them when they try to learn tai chi.  Patience is one 'p' - the other I tell everyone is 'practice' - with these two 'p's you will learn tai chi.