T'ai chi ch'uan was developed by pragmatic men who were determined to 'do unto others before they had it done unto them.' Unfortunately, the art has assumed a pseudospiritual veneer from its contact with the New Age movement. This romanticizing of t'ai chi, which is more than a little at odds with its rough and unromantic Chinese beginnings, has resulted in a tendency to ignore or obscure its martial roots.

In this book, author Michael Babin seeks to reverse this trend, focusing instead on the martial side of t'ai chi as opposed to taoist theory or solo forms. It is aimed at those who have learned and practiced one or more forms and want to explore new directions for their training, as well as those who have studied some of the martial aspects of the art and seek how to deepen their skill. It also delves into some of the controversial aeas of t'ai chi, including the use of internal energy, prarticularly ch'i-kung, or sexual energy, and the martial use of ch'i' the potential value of cross-training in compatible martial arts; and training methods and attitudes that will help students apply the fundamentals in a defensive manner, including sparring, the use of safety gear, and training for unarmed defense against weapons.

Contents

Foreword
Introduction
Chapter 1 Defining the topic
Chapter 2 Choosing a style and instructor
Chapter 3 Learning how to learn
Chapter 4 Solo form: The foundation of t'ai chi
Chapter 5 Ch'i for healing and combat
Chapter 6 Martial fundamentals
Chapter 7 T'ai chi self-defense training Part One: Core concepts
Chapter 8 T'ai chi self-defense training Part Two: Maximizing your training
Chapter 9 T'ai chi and martial cross-training
Conclusion