Breathing in Tai Chi
呼吸
A.B.E. “Always Be Exhaling”
Tai Chi forms are
ideally performed in one breath, as a single, measured exhale. This is meant to hold for forms from 8
movements to 108. I can’t do this except
on short forms, and you probably can’t either.
Very few can.
So don’t worry
about the breathing at first—there’ll be plenty of time to work on that when
you can do the forms without thinking.
Most important
thing starting out is to stay relaxed.
Breathe naturally.
Why Exhale?
Exhalation is
optimal for striking because it causes contraction in the torso, adding tension
to connective tissue throughout the entire body. Exhalation is optimal for
countering because internal counters require a solid frame and, in some cases, fajing (focusing). Inhalation generally weakens the
root and can also weaken the frame if done improperly. Emptying the chest to neutralize the force of
a strike is less optimal when inhaling.
Inhalation supports “emptying”, one of the three mechanical principles
of Tai Chi.
Inhaling
Get your
inhalations silently, in transition. If
you start out with full lungs, and maintain oxygen levels with small quick
inhalations subsequently, you can go indefinitely without getting “gassed
out”. It’s when you forget to breathe or
start panting that you get into trouble.
If you feel yourself losing control of your breathing, relax,
“sink your chi”, settle your spirit, and let your breathing return to
normal. Never forget that Tai Chi is
also a form of physical meditation, not just martial art.
Hiding The
Breathing
At an advanced
level you want to hide your breathing so that opponents can’t gauge your level
of energy (or exhaustion) or take advantage of inhalations to strike. When you reach the point when you can conceal
your breathing, you should be aware of your opponent’s breathing, and exploit
indications of tiring, and time strikes to inhalations.
Natural
Breathing as a Martial Principle
The Zen Sword
Saint says the stance and stepping should be the same as your normal way of
standing and walking. This is a very good principle, but as Yang Chengfu points out in “Sizing up an Opponent” (Self-Defense
Applications of T’ai-chi ch’üan, 1931) we sometimes have to adapt our stance to compensate for an opponent’s
advantages, even in Tai Chi. A simple
example is the use of lower stance to compensate for an opponent’s greater
mass. Another is the necessity for a shorter player to step further to
effectively close distance against a taller player. In Bagua and Hsingyi the level changes are extreme, as is the method of
stepping. Straightsword fencing requires
quick, lively footwork, no domain moreso, and because
the weapon is optimized for thrusting, it is very often optimal to lunge. While we can’t always practice our art the
way we normally stand and walk, our breathing can be always natural, no matter
how strenuous a movement appears, nor how prolonged the training session, nor
how gruelling, because the the
goal is to be able to engage a stronger attacker indefinitely and always
tire them out. I can learn more
about a martial artist from their breathing than just about any other factor,
because styles and methods vary, but breathing is universal to all martial
practice.
Most
importantly: Stay calm. Be relaxed and natural.