Let's Cut the Cr** about Tai Chi

I don't usually do this kind of negative post, but:

Let's face it. There's a lot of gray area in the art of Taijiquan. It covers a lot of ground.

But there are some things that Taijiquan is, and there are some things that Taijiquan isn't.

Taijiquan is a martial art, whether you want it to be or not. You don't have to study it with the express aim of hurting people, but it's in there.

I get a lot of people showing up to my classes in the park angrily proclaiming that Taiji isn't a martial art. It's funny, because the people who developed it all seemed to think it is a martial art. Some of them even wrote whole books of applications.

You could argue whether it is an effective martial art or not. That's at least arguable, and I don't blame you if you think it isn't. But saying Taijiquan isn't a martial art is a bit like saying your parents never had sex because you dislike the idea.