The 5 most important types of tai chi

Tai chi is one of the most practiced oriental martial arts in the world. It is not only a sport, but it is also considered a true relaxation technique that, being dynamic, gains thousands of followers every year.

Tai chi has its roots in yoga and Taoism, mixing exercise with philosophy, mysticism and meditation. and with the aim of ensuring that the user acquires full harmony and calm at the level of the body, soul and mind.

This practice is not homogeneous, having different modalities with different movements, rhythms and suitability according to the age and level of experience of the practitioner. Then we will see the main types of tai chi.

• Related article: "How to learn to meditate, in 7 easy steps"

What is tai chi?

Of all the sports of Asian origin, tai chi is undoubtedly the best known. Considered between a martial art and a relaxation technique, tai chi chuan or tai ji quan represents more than just a sports practice in China. For the Chinese it is a way to achieve balance between mind, body and soul in an energetic but not aggressive way, whose literal name means "ultimate ultimate fist." Those who practice it claim that it has positive effects on their health, reducing stress and improving flexibility.

Its origins are related to Taoism and yoga and judging by the way it is executed it can be seen as a kind of dynamic meditation, in movement. This is what has surely made it so popular in recent decades, being more entertaining than static meditation but not as exhausting as a high intensity sport. Despite its popularity, it was not until December 17, 2020, that UNESCO classified it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Tai chi is a heterogeneous practice having different modalities that are based on different principles and with varied therapeutic purposes. It should be said that although it can help the health of those who practice it, this sport is not a medical or psychological treatment, so it is not a substitute for any therapyHowever, the degree of well-being that this martial art brings can help those who practice it to be more calm.

Main types of tai chi

The practice of tai chi has five main modalities which vary in their repertoire of movements, postures and exercises which will be recommended depending on the physical condition of who is going to practice.

1. Tai chi chen

Tai chi Chen bears the surname of its creator. Chén Wángtíng (1580–1660) from Chenjiagou assimilated different martial arts techniques, combining them and giving rise to their own version of the sport that they called "pao chui" ("cannon fist"), with roots in the Shaolin martial art that received the same name.

As a result, we have a tai chi modality that consists of five routines with a total of 108 postures that provide it with great complexity although, if done correctly, the maximum point of relaxation can be reached in just one movement.

2. Tai chi Yang

It is based on the thoughts of Yáng Lùchán (1799-1872), whose lineage has given rise to three prestigious schools of tai chi, and who learned his art from Chen Changxing (1771–1853).

In this mode, tai chi Encourage long, calm movements, without changing the rhythm of the breaths or the impulse that is exerted and therefore it is recommended for very novice beginners and older people. The way it is practiced has hardly changed over the centuries.

• You may be interested in: "What is Mindfulness? The 7 answers to your questions "

3. Tai chi wu

Tai chi Wu is one of the most widely practiced. It has fundamentals very similar to those of Yang, but with modifications that have simplified it in its postures and with smoother movements.. Its name is due to Wu Quanyou (1834–1902), who was a student of Yáng Lùchán.

During the 20th century, small modifications were made, turning it into a martial art that consists of 37 movements, ideal for those practitioners who had neither the time nor the patience to learn the long sequences in the most traditional. Thanks to its simplicity, the tai chi Wu style is considered the second most practiced modality of this martial art.

4. Tai chi hao

Tai chi Hao is considered as a variation of the Wu style at the hands of Hao Yue-ru, a martial arts master who included slow and level jumps in the movements, but retaining fast movements of the original style.

There is also the idea that this technique was originally created by Wu Yuxiang (1812-1880), who had two brothers, Wu Dengqing and Wu Ruqing, both government officials.

The three brothers were interested in martial arts after learning the techniques of hung boxing from the Shaolin monks with their father. The three studied with Yáng Lùchán, whose children were cared for by Wu Yuxiang who would introduce a sequence of small structure into the technique.

5. Tai chi sun

Sun Lutang (1860-1933) combined the fundamentals of the martial arts known from his time, including Xingyiquan and Baguazhang, with the main movements of tai chi.. As in the rest of the modalities of this martial art, Sun contributed his knowledge about cultivation of the Qi (mystical energy) working it to, according to him and his beliefs, achieve the balance between body and soul.

This type of tai chi is one of the most recent and differs from the others by the fact that the body acquires a higher position, in addition to the point balance does not fall on a single foot but both are placed at an angle of 45º with the aim of achieving movements of greater flexibility and speed. Between movement and movement there is a transition of opening and closing.

Other modalities

The five previous modalities are considered the most practiced and widespread tai chi techniques in the world, although they are not the only ones. Among the other variations of tai chi we have the Xin Yi, Wu Dang, Zhaobao Taijiquan, Zheng Zong and Hulei styles, which at the As in the others, they share the objective of harmonizing body, mind and soul and bringing peace and calm to those who do it. practice.