Tai Chi Slaps can be devastating. The majority of moves in the Tai Chi sets are performed with Open Hands. A true Tai Chi self defense artist is also an expert in the use of open hand strikes.
The Tai Chi Slap is trained in Tai Chi so that it can be thrown in any direction from any standing position. It can be thrown as a whip hand or as a piece of metal hanging from a rope. It can also be used to drop the Tai Chi practitioners whole body weight into the recipient. This will usually result in a 1 Hit or 1 Touch knockout technique as it really is the body weight of the striker being transferred into and through the point of contact on the other person. Even a 100 pound person who can do this can normally end a fight with one strike due to the fact that most people cannot take being slapped anywhere with a 100 pound shot that is designed to penetrate inside of them. The softer and heavier the strike the worse the recipient gets it.
Tai Chi Slaps also afford the Tai Chi practitioner the luxury of using their hands in a very natural warding off (I am referring to both hands in front of you to fend off unwanted advances – not peng) manner while being in an excellent position to strike from where you are. This is taught on our Combat Tai Chi Vol # 2 Rise & Fall.
Take a look at your Tai Chi postures again and think of the open hand applications as being slaps while utilizing your whole body weight. Let me know what kind of surprises and epiphanies you find. Great training to you.
Salutations.
Until Next Time.
Sifu
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