by Patrick Trudell<\/p>\n
As students of Tai Chi, we recognize the importance of dedication to form.\u00a0 Physical technique and mental focus are fundamental to proper form.\u00a0 The Tai Chi student spends countless hours developing technique and focus in slow motion.\u00a0 The slow motion movement in Tai Chi demands discipline, as faults becomes readily apparent.\u00a0 To achieve proper form, the Tai Chi student is called upon to use the mind and the body in a methodical balanced way beyond where most athletics travel. In golf, there are \u201ccertain actions that must take place during the act of hitting if the ball is to be struck with accuracy and power.\u201d 3<\/sup>\u00a0 The haphazard uninformed player may occasionally hit a decent shot but he cannot \u201chope to compete with the man whose sound swing carries him time after time into\u2026[sound] position.\u201d 4<\/sup>\u00a0 The player with the sound swing \u2013 like the sound Tai Chi student- is the player who through countless hours masters movements that result in repeating proper form.\u00a0 It \u201cis utterly impossible to play good golf without a swing that will repeat.\u201d 5<\/sup>\u00a0 The repeating swing is mastered through the repetition of fundamentals in form that are right because they produce quality shots under all kinds of pressure. 6<\/sup><\/p>\n As with Tai Chi, proper golf form requires specific moves done in a balanced, relaxed, and focused way.\u00a0 The essentials of Tai Chi are the same as the essentials of golf. Through practice and application of the Tai Chi essentials, the golf player can achieve a higher level of physical and mental form.\u00a0 An analysis of The Ten Essentials of Tai Chi reveals fundamentals that, if practiced, will lead to good Tai Chi form and good golf form. If mastered, we have the Tai Chi form of Master Yang Jun and the golf swing of Tiger Woods.<\/p>\n 1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Light Energy at Top of Head<\/span>.\u00a0 This first essential requires the head to be upright and straight.\u00a0 There must be no \u201cstrength\u201d used so the neck and back remain relaxed and natural.\u00a0 This allows for the conscious intent to be natural and lively. 7<\/sup>\u00a0 Likewise, in golf the head must be erect with a feeling of naturalness. This feeling allows the golf player to be uninhibited.\u00a0 Tiger Woods stresses good posture.\u00a0 \u201cOne of the most important aspects of good posture is to hold your chin high at address.\u201d 8<\/sup> With his back fairly straight and a bit of flex in his knees Tiger\u2019s body is \u201cprepared to move freely in any direction\u2026\u201d 9<\/sup><\/p>\n 2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sink Chest Raise Back<\/span>.\u00a0 In Tai Chi, this means the chi (life energy) needs to stay in the back rather than flow into the chest which will cause top heaviness. 10<\/sup>\u00a0 Sinking the chest allows the chi to flow into the spine which creates strength in the spine.\u00a0 This also prevents the upper body from feeling heavy which results in poor form.\u00a0 In golf, for good form we also must eliminate any feeling of top-heaviness.\u00a0 Ben Hogan teaches that proper golf posture lies with the back being naturally erect.\u00a0 \u201cYour upper trunk should feel like it\u2019s an elevator dropping down a floor \u2013 the club head descends as your trunk descends.\u201d 11<\/sup>\u00a0 This, as in Tai Chi, allows for movement and power to occur from the foundation of the feet.<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Relax the Waist<\/span>.\u00a0 In Tai Chi \u201cthe waist is the ruler of the body.\u201d 12<\/sup>\u00a0 When the waist is relaxed the feet have power, and our foundation is stable.\u00a0 Movement of the waist leads to necessary change from full to empty.\u00a0 13<\/sup>\u00a0 A relaxed waist allows for the transfer of power.\u00a0 According to Bobby Jones, the most important movement in golf is \u201cto start the downswing by beginning the unwinding of the hips [waist].\u201d 14<\/sup>\u00a0 As in Tai Chi, there can be no power of accuracy in golf unless a relaxed waist leads the downswing. 15<\/sup><\/p>\n 4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Distinguish Insubstantial from Substantial<\/span>.\u00a0 \u00a0In Tai Chi, the practitioner must be able to distinguish movement and weight transfer from left to right (called empty and full).\u00a0 When we can distinguish empty and full our turning movement becomes light, nimble and almost without effort.\u00a0 When we transfer weight we must stay within the foundation of our stance.\u00a0 Failure to distinguish weight transfer and stay within our foundation leads to an unsteady stance. 16<\/sup>\u00a0 In golf we must shift from our target side during the backswing to our non-target side before initiating the downswing when we shift back to our target side.\u00a0 When we shift our weight no part of the torso moves beyond the feet. 17<\/sup>\u00a0 This can only be done by distinguishing between insubstantial (moving away from the ball) to substantial (moving back and through the ball).\u00a0 As in Tai Chi, when we do this our swing is almost without effort.<\/p>\n 5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sink Shoulders Drop Elbows<\/span>.\u00a0 Sinking the shoulders means relaxing the shoulders.\u00a0 They are allowed to hang down.\u00a0 Dropping the elbows means relaxing the elbows downward. 18<\/sup> This principle is also fundamental to the proper golf swing.\u00a0 This is what Ben Hogan is talking about when he says the upper trunk needs to have the feeling of dropping downward.\u00a0 Master Yang Jun continually teaches to \u201ckeep elbows down.\u201d This essential fundamental is the same in the proper golf swing.\u00a0 The elbows must be down at the initiation of the swing.\u00a0 Hogan teaches the elbows must point to the hips which means to be down at address.\u00a0 The elbows must continue to remain down throughout the swing so the swing stays \u201cconnected.\u201d This means the arms do not fly away from the body but are led by the body as they are in proper Tai Chi form.<\/p>\n 6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Use Consciousness not Strength<\/span>.\u00a0 Here we come to the higher level of both the Tai Chi form and the golf swing.\u00a0 This \u201cmeans we must rely exclusively on mind and not on strength.\u201d 19<\/sup> Superior Tai Chi form and golf form demands that the entire body be loose and open to avoid \u201cthe slightest bit of crude force.\u201d 20<\/sup> Only by being soft are we able to obtain hardness.\u00a0 \u201cNo one can do it for you.\u00a0 You have to do it for yourself.\u00a0 It\u2019s a matter of being in touch with yourself mentally, physically and emotionally.\u201d 21<\/sup>\u00a0 This is easier said than done.\u00a0 This fundamental is mastered by those at the highest level of Tai Chi and golf. It is the ability to move in the Tai Chi form and in the golf swing with fluidity – a natural uninhibited movement done without trying to aggressively hit the ball.<\/p>\n 7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Unity of Upper and Lower Body<\/span>.\u00a0 \u201cThe root is in the feet; it is issued through the legs, controlled by the waist and expressed in the hands.\u201d 22<\/sup> \u00a0\u00a0In Tai Chi and in golf, rooted feet provide a firm foundation which is necessary for stability allowing movement to initiate from the feet and progress upward.<\/p>\n 8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Unity of Internal and External<\/span>.\u00a0 Here we learn in Tai Chi \u201c[t]he spirit is the leader and the body is at its command.\u201d 24<\/sup> Thus, when the inner and outer are unified as one we have connection without interruption. 25<\/sup> This stands for the proposition that in proper Tai Chi form both the mind and the body are unified.\u00a0 The same is true for proper golf form.\u00a0 Years ago, a British golf professional, instructor, and writer dealt with this fundamental in his golf instruction book.\u00a0 As Percy Boomer explains as a young professional he recognized that good golf form has both physical and mental components.\u00a0 Initially he struggled to assign percentages between the two until he came to a revelation \u2013 \u201cwe never act purely psychologically or purely physically \u2026 every act is carried out in psychophysical unison.\u201d 26<\/sup>\u00a0 When this unison is properly functioning there is \u201cconscious control\u201d \u2013 a balance between mind and body \u2013 which is what is necessary for proper golf form and proper Tai Chi form.<\/p>\n 9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Continuity Without Interruption<\/span>.\u00a0 This fundamental continues to emphasize the mind.\u00a0 In Tai Chi, proper form requires the mind to be always present and control the urge to use strength in an external clumsy way.\u00a0 Proper form further requires that there be no interruption.\u00a0 We must be \u201ccomplete and continuous, circular and unending.\u201d 27<\/sup>\u00a0 \u00a0In golf, this fundamental translates to the requirement that for proper golf swing form we must have \u201cRhythm.\u201d\u00a0 As stated by Percy Boomer, rhythm is \u201cflowing motion.\u201d 28<\/sup>\u00a0 It is the continuous movement coordinated by mind and muscle to do the right form at the right time. 29<\/sup> \u00a0As in Tai Chi, Boomer teaches that slow continuous movement beats force every time. 30<\/sup>\u00a0 Mr. Boomer explains that to be rhythmic we must use our mind to control the urge to hit too soon at the ball (called hitting from the top) As in Tai Chi, this early urge to use excess force results in clumsy non-rhythmic form.\u00a0 Continuity without interruption is thus required to achieve the rhythm necessary for proper form in the golf swing.<\/p>\n 10.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Seek Stillness in Movement<\/span>.\u00a0 This fundamental recognizes that in Tai Chi there is movement but it is a movement in a slow, evenly paced form. 32<\/sup> \u00a0Here the Tai Chi is contrasted from the outward martial art forms such as Karate.\u00a0 Golf like Tai Chi is a slow moving sport.\u00a0 It is unlike rapid aggressive sports that rely on bursts of energy.\u00a0 Superior golf form demands a controlled even pace throughout the \u201cround of golf.\u201d As Tiger Woods says, \u201cmy creative mind is my greatest weapon.\u201d 33<\/sup>\u00a0 Slow paced focused movement in Tai Chi leads to good form.\u00a0 In golf good form requires staying in your natural rhythm and routine, and focusing solely on what needs to be accomplished. 34<\/sup>\u00a0 We do this by seeking stillness in movement.<\/p>\n I continue to practice and develop in the Tai Chi form.\u00a0 I continue to practice and develop in the golf form.\u00a0 Most recently, in both Tai Chi and golf, I am working on the pursuit of the form without worrying about results.\u00a0 This is what both are about.\u00a0 The greatest pleasure in both is derived from the pursuit of the best possible form.\u00a0 This continued pursuit \u2013 the means \u2013 is a life long quest.\u00a0 The result \u2013 the end \u2013 will take care of itself.\u00a0 As for golf the pursuit of the best form is enhanced through the application of The Ten Essentials.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Master Yang Zhenduo Verbatim: On Study and Practice<\/span>, Tai Chi Chuan No. 12 at \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2 (Winter 2003).<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Id.<\/span><\/p>\n 3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jones, Bobby Jones on Golf<\/span>, Chapter three, (The Purpose of The Backswing).<\/p>\n 4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Id<\/span>.<\/p>\n 5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ben Hogan, Five Lessons, The Fundamentals of Golf (The Fundamentals).<\/p>\n 6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Id.<\/span><\/p>\n 7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Fu Zhongwen, Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan<\/span> (Ten Essentials #1).<\/p>\n 8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tiger Woods, How I play Golf, at 121 (2001).<\/p>\n 9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Id<\/span>.<\/p>\n 10.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 D. Wile (Translator), Tai Chi Touchstone<\/span>:Yang Family Secret Transmissions<\/span>, \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (The Ten Important Points for Tai Chi Chuan – #2) (1983).<\/p>\n 11.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hogan at Lesson 2 (Stance and Posture).<\/p>\n 12.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Yang Family Secret Transmissions<\/span> at 11.<\/p>\n 13.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Id.<\/span><\/p>\n 14.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jones on Golf<\/span> at Ch. 4 (The Most Important Movement).<\/p>\n 15.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 See id.<\/span><\/p>\n 16.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Yang Family Secret Transmissions<\/span> at 11.<\/p>\n 17.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jack Nicklaus, My Golden Lessons<\/span> at 58 (2002) (Swinging Within Your Feet).<\/p>\n 18.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mastering Yang Style<\/span> at Essential 5 (Ten Essentials).<\/p>\n 19.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Yang Family Transmissions<\/span> at 12.<\/p>\n 20.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mastering Yang Style at Essential 6 (Ten Essentials).<\/p>\n 21.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Woods, How I Play Golf at 252.<\/p>\n 22.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Yang Family Secret Transmissions at 13.<\/p>\n 23.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tammy Armour, How to Play Your Best Golf All The Time<\/span>, at 81 (1953).<\/p>\n 24.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Yang Family Transmissions at 13.<\/p>\n 25.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Id.<\/span><\/p>\n 26.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Percy Boomer, On Learning Golf<\/span>, at 18 (1946).<\/p>\n 27.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Yang Family Secret Transmissions<\/span> at 13.<\/p>\n 28.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Boomer, On Learning Golf at 155.<\/p>\n 29.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Id.<\/span><\/p>\n 30.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Id.<\/span> at 158.<\/p>\n 31.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Id.<\/span> at 160-61.<\/p>\n 32.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mastering Yang Style<\/span> at Essential 10.<\/p>\n 33.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Woods, How I Play Golf<\/span>, at 255.<\/p>\n 34.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Id<\/span>. at 263.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Patrick Trudell As students of Tai Chi, we recognize the importance of dedication to form.\u00a0 Physical technique and mental focus are fundamental to proper form.\u00a0 The Tai Chi student spends countless hours developing technique and focus in slow motion.\u00a0 The slow motion movement in Tai Chi demands discipline, as faults becomes readily apparent.\u00a0 To […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-182","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-subs"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4RSsA-2W","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/2009.yangfamilytaichi.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/2009.yangfamilytaichi.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/2009.yangfamilytaichi.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2009.yangfamilytaichi.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2009.yangfamilytaichi.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=182"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/2009.yangfamilytaichi.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":188,"href":"https:\/\/2009.yangfamilytaichi.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182\/revisions\/188"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/2009.yangfamilytaichi.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2009.yangfamilytaichi.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2009.yangfamilytaichi.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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\nIn Tai Chi, technique must be clearly executed.\u00a0 In Tai Chi we strive to execute even the smallest technique exactly. 1<\/sup>\u00a0 As we practice the form continuously we work part by part connecting the parts together as the mind becomes focused and skill level and control improves. 2<\/sup>\u00a0 We strive to reach the point where we have physically and mentally internalized the form, and we have quality repetition.<\/p>\n