Ken Gullette's Internal Fighting Arts Blog

Tai Chi's Single Whip - Silk-Reeling and Connected Internal Strength

chen style taiji chens style tai chi chin-na tai chi silk-reeling Apr 22, 2014

Single Whip is a common movement in all styles of Tai Chi (Taijiquan) and, like all Taiji movements, it depends on some key internal body mechanics that give you relaxed strength. The body mechanics include:

-- Establishing and maintaining the ground path through all movement, including stepping.

-- Establishing and maintaining peng jin, an expansive force that is a physical skill (not mystical).

-- Whole-body movement -- when one part moves, all parts move, and they are connected through the body from the ground.

-- Silk-Reeling energy -- not actual "energy," but a spiraling movement that is another physical skill.

-- Dan T'ien rotation that is the center of all movement.

-- Opening and closing the kua.

There are many other skills and principles, but if you don't have these basic concepts, you aren't going to get very far in Taiji.

I'll show you a self-defense technique that you can practice with a partner using the opening part of the Single Whip movement, when you spiral ...

Author - Instructor

Ken Gullette

I have practiced martial arts since 1973 and began studying the internal arts in 1987. My goal is to cut years off your development time by coaching you in the real skills for high-quality Tai Chi, Xingyi, Bagua. To see more about my bio, click the "About Ken" link on the menu at the top of this page.

Ken Gullette's Internal Fighting Arts

Tai Chi's Single Whip - Silk-Reeling and Connected Internal Strength

Author - Instructor

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