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Not as easy as it seems

by Chow Kin Meng

Before I started learning Tai Chi from Master Chong, I always thought Tai Chi is for the elderly. Maybe it's because most of the people that I saw practising Tai Chi in the garden and Community Centres are mostly senior citizen. The pace of Tai Chi is also one reason why I thought it is more suitable for older people. When I got to know that California Fitness is offering Tai Chi class, I joined out of curiosity and see if it is really suitable for me.

At first I was quite skeptical about how Tai Chi could benefit me in any way, but after almost a year in the class, I came to realise that Tai Chi is more that just an external form. It focuses a lot on physics of the human body. The hardest part about Tai Chi is not about what we can see externally. To me the hardest part to master is the part where we can only feel. The concept of lifting your arm by sinking down to the ground are things that are quite abstract and profound. Just a simple concept relaxing your body and let the "qi" flow is already quite a feat for me.

I once heard on the radio "How difficult can Tai Chi be since the movement is so slow". Someone answered "Doing 10 push ups in 1 minute is easy. Try doing 10 push ups in 10 minutes. That's how demanding Tai Chi is". I am sure what I have learnt is just the tip of the iceberg, there is more to be uncovered along the way. I must thank Master Chong and all the instructors who have shared their knowledge with me in the class ever since I joined the it.

2010

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