Question
I have been doing "traditional" exercises - strength training, aerobic etc. I just bought your book, as I am very much interested in another way of feeling and being. If I follow a Tai Chi and QiGong program as outlined in your beautifully-wrought book, where does the other program belong? Is this an either/or situation or are the two methods compatible?
Thank you.
Answer
Hi Helene!
Excellent question, one that I often hear from prospective students of the "Internal" arts.
They are NOT mutually exclusive - you can certainly follow both programs of training at the same time. Just be aware of a few things-
1. It's often all about the "mind-set". Weight training, etc. "goes for the burn"; you want to go faster, harder, longer; you try to surpass the others in the gym/class/etc.; and, perhaps most importantly, you rely upon physical strength, what the Chinese refer to as "Li". The down side of this type of training is frequent injuries and the fact that as you get older, your muscles just can't do what they used to do. You "peak" at a certain point, and can rarely match the youngsters in terms of sheer physical strength. The up side - you DO become stronger physically; you can increase your cardiovascular capacity; you LOOK better :>)
With taiji and qigong, the emphasis is more upon the body's internal energy, the "Qi"; you learn to listen to your body; you start to realize that we're more than just physical beings, but also energetic and spiritual; you learn a much more effective way of moving; you increase balance, both physical and emotional; and you LOOK better :>) The down side - well, I'm prejudiced in favor of taiji, of course, but perhaps the fact that taiji doesn't emphasize muscle and strength is a drawback, one that can be addressed by continuing your "external" training.
Remember that, in the old days in China, when taiji was first taught, most students were already physically toned - they had spent countless years in "hard" martial arts such as karate and kung-fu, so they had already reached a peak of muscular strength. They studied taiji to add another "weapon" to their arsenal, one that would rely upon good body mechanics and internal energy, rather than physical strength.
So, short answer - you can do both - just try not to confuse the two appraoches, i.e.- don't use too much muscle in taiji, and don't go "soft" when you bench press 500 pounds!
Hope this helps, and thanks for your question!
