Taijiquan, “Grand Ultimate Fist”, and Shaolin are among the oldest martial art forms. Legend has it that taijiquan is based on mortal combat between a crane and a snake. The essence of taijiquan stems from taoist philosophy, and the essence of taoism is based on the interplay of yin and yang. Just as yin balances yang, and vice versa, when practicing taiji one constantly strives for a balance between strength and yielding, emptiness and fullness. When the yin and yang energies are in perfect balance, the result is harmony.
The Yang Style forms are designed to be as comfortable as possible in order to erase all unnecessary tension and dispel all sense of urgency and mental pressure. The forms are composed of continually soft, slow, and steady motions with very little twisting or extending, and with no obvious techniques nor power displayed. The slowness of motions promotes circulation of blood throughout the body. The principle for practice is a serene heart and a concentrated mind. This allows the nerve center to rest, improving the ability to coordinate the functions of the various organs of the body. Relaxation of the entire body, deep and natural breathing, smooth arc like actions centering from the waist, and a training method aimed at conveying one’s inner force to the tips of the limbs by mental exertion-all these result in harmony of the inner and outer body.