Tai Chi is one of the oldest styles of martial arts, and one of the hardest to find these days

Tai Chi is one of the oldest styles of martial arts, and one of the hardest to find these days. Just like other martial arts, such as Tiger Claw and Ninjutsu, it can be very hard to find a dojo that teaches the art. 

If you can find a dojo that teaches the art of Tai Chi, you really shouldn’t pass it up. It can teach you a lot about internal energy and your spiritual well being - learning more about yourself than you ever thought possible in the process.

Tai Chi is an ancient martial art, one that was practiced for centuries in China as an exercise, a martial art, and a way to improve the internal flow of energy in the body. 

It emphasis correct form and feeling with each and every movement, which is why it is always taught to be practiced in a slow and gentle fashion.

By involving the entire body with little to no impact, Tai Chi promotes strength, flexibility, and stamina. With the entire body being taught to move as a whole, Tai Chi cultivates the link among the mind and the body, helping to enhance one’s coordination and balance. 

It can also help with the joints as well, especially if an individual is very stiff in the joints.

Although it was developed to be a martial art, it involves very little striking, offensive, or even defense techniques. 

Tai Chi is a movement and breathing art that works all of the major muscles and joints in the body, helping to circulate internal energy, or chi. The Chinese believe that internal energy, or chi is what prevents or stops diseases.

When practicing the art, the body will remain very soft and relaxed, just like it was suspended from the top of the head with the joints being similar to that of a puppet. 

The mind of the student is focused on each movement, focusing on the flow of energy. By being relaxed and focused, you allow the energy to flow through your entire body.

Even though you are soft and relaxed, you are still constantly moving. The energy that flows through your body never stops, it keeps you moving. 

When you move in reality, it takes little to no energy to make a movement. By using your chi, everything you do seems as if it is weightless.

In combat, the Tai Chi student uses his opponent’s energy against him. The stylist is very relaxed, believing that the energy of the opponent can be used against him. 

There is little to no strength involved. When the opponent becomes weak and tires himself out - the stylist attacks. This way, there is very little energy left for defense or even attacking.

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Wouldn't you love to stumble upon a secret library of small business ideas?

The day someone steps out of the shadows to put a fist to your face, you'll instinctively see the benefit of the repetition. 

In a split second, you'll react, without even consciously thinking about it. This is the power of repetition. 

The Brain only learns through repetition and extreme danger. If there's extreme danger, the brain will store the information on a top priority basis. 

If the information isn't quite so life and death based, the brain needs repetition. Which is why you can always remember where to find the spoons in your kitchen but can't remember where you parked the car. 

And yet most people get bored with repetition. It's old hat they say. They listen to a learning audio tape once and then listen to the next one. And the next. Never learning, never implementing. 

I listen to most audio at least 5 times in a row and some tapes I've listened to as many as 50 times. You've got to learn, listen and implement. Then do the same thing 400 times. 

If you ever went to a Karate class, you'd think you died and went to hell. Not not heaven. Hell. Because you'd soon be pretty bored with the repetition. You see, in karate you don't learn 400 movements all at once. Instead you learn one movement 400 times. 

Do just three things. We've dedicated our year to just three things. 

1. Referrals 
2. Strategic Alliances 
3. Developing Content 

And every single day of the year, we make sure we do all of these three things. In a year, that's about 365 times, or more. Do just three things 400 times this year and you'll think you died and went to hell. 

And then..... then found heaven.

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All around the world, China is well known for martial arts

Throughout the world, Chinese martial arts are well known and well respected. China is a pioneer to martial arts, founding several excellent styles. Although Kung Fu is the most well known Chinese martial art, there are others that are just as good. 

China brought Kung Fu and Tai Chi to the world, which is something we are all thankful for. Even though Japan offers their unique blend of martial arts, many consider China to be the founding father of martial arts. The Chinese have been using martial arts for hundreds of years - providing just how dominant it can be as a means of self defense and a way to live your life in a peaceful manner.

Even though Kung Fu is the best martial art in China, there are many different forms and styles that originate from it. There is the Shaolin style as well, which offers several different styles of Kung Fu as well, including the world famous “5 animals system”. The five animals system is among the most popular in China and well known around the world for their devastating techniques and amazing power when used in combat.

Along with Kung Fu, both HSING-I and Tai Chi are great martial arts that help with endurance training and flexibility. A lot of Kung Fu students in China choose to study one of these arts as well, as it helps to add to their physical and emotional power. Students who study Tai Chi or HSING-I as well as Kung Fu, have a higher state of endurance and spirituality that simply cannot be matched.

Below, we will look at some of the other Chinese martial arts that aren’t as well known as Kung Fu.

HSING-I

This is actually one of the internal styles of Kung Fu, very closely in relation to Tai Chi. It teaches students to subordinate their bodies, creating powerful movements with a very little expense of energy. HSING-I isn’t well known about, although it is very powerful and well known throughout China. The United States and other areas aren’t that familiar with it, with little to no schools or dojo’s out there that teach it.

Just like Tai Chi, HSING-I has deep roots in Chinese medicine and the Chinese perceptions of nature. The blows that come from HSING-I come from the five elements of the Chinese - metal, fire, earth, water, and wood. Similar to other forms that originate from Kung Fu, HSING-I offers complex, dance like movements that are adapted from the way animals react and move. Due to the training being so demanding and rigorous, and the breathing exercises being so demanding, those who practice this martial art have astounding physical skills and amazing endurance.

Tai Chi

To those who live outside of China, Tai Chi resembles more of a dance. The slow and calm movements it teaches are balanced and exact, performed while the stylist is in a deep state of relaxation. While in this deep state of relaxation, the stylist will be fully aware of what he is doing and his movements, although he will appear to those around him to be asleep.

In reality, Tai Chi is an energy exercise that promotes strength, stamina, and flexibility. By using the deep state of relaxation, Tai Chi enables stylists to benefit emotionally and spiritually as well. Tai Chi also uses deep states of mediation as well, helping stylists to learn how to reach their high level of peace.

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Nobody who starts out is great their first day, but they can think big

All of our kids already have goals, but they may not share them with us. Our job as parents is to help them focus on the correct goals, help them achieve their goals, and later, we need to help them deal with the disappointment of not reaching their goals. 

Goal Setting With Kids 

The first thing we need to work on with all of our kids is education. For each kid, at every age, they can focus on their schoolwork; improve their skills, and getting their homework done on time. Of course, they can also work on their relationships with parents and their siblings – something that never seems exactly where it should be. However, as you know, we at SportsKids are all about youth sports – so let’s focus on sports. 

All the kids I know say they are going to be professional athletes. Now, there are some kids who say they are going to be doctors, lawyers, business people, the president of the United States, or something else, but again, this is SportsKids. My eight year old son, who doesn’t really know who Danny Ainge is, wants to follow in his footsteps and be both a professional basketball player as well as a professional baseball player. 

Now, maybe some of our kids will end up being professional athletes, but the statistics say otherwise. Most kids won’t be playing organized sports past the age of 12. Very few high school athletes will ever play NCAA Division I sports and almost none of those will ever play professionally. Knowing this, of course, shouldn’t diminish our kid’s dreams – that’s what they are supposed to be doing – dreaming! So, as parents we have to help our kids reach their potential. 

How Should We Help Our Kids? 

Keith Hirabayashi is a good friend of mine. Many of you may not know who Keith is, but if you like martial arts you would know; he has been five time Grand Champion at the US World and US Open Karate Tournaments. He was named Weapons Competitor of the Decade, thanks to his expertise with the staff, the broadsword, and the three-sectional staff. He's a member of The Black Belt Hall of Fame, The Inside Kung-Fu Hall of Fame, and The Fighter Hall of Fame. In addition, he's been listed among the 100 Most Influential Martial Artists of the Last Century by Black Belt magazine. I’ve had many talks with Keith about goal setting and how he reached the pinnacle of his sport. 

Nobody who starts out is great their first day, but they can think big. The trick, as Keith taught me, is to break your dream into manageable steps – something that’s hard to do, but achievable. When Mr. Hirabayashi first started Wushu as a boy, he couldn’t envision becoming “Competitor Of The Year” so he started with something easier. There was a kid in his class who was “great”. So, Keith wanted to one day be as good as that guy. One day, he was that good. Then, he wanted to be as good as the assistant teacher. 

Finally, he surpassed his teacher, became the best in the world and now founded Champions Martial Arts, a studio in Brentwood, California. 

In order to accomplish each of these resolutions and goals, there are a few rules that you need to follow. You need to know what you are trying to accomplish. The goal needs to be specific, measurable, and have a time limit. A person also needs to know why they want to reach the goal and then lay out a real, manageable plan on how to accomplish their goal. 

Being a great martial artist, or being great at anything, requires a plan. Start by setting small goals to ultimately reach a larger goal and understand each step. A kid needs to layout a plan for practice, competition and study of their sport. 

Realizing that practice makes permanent, parents need to make sure their kids are practicing the right fundamentals. Playing a sport only during the organized practices and the games won’t get a kid to reach their potential. If your child plays an instrument, you wouldn’t allow them to not practice between lessons. “Pistol” Pete Maravich, one of the 50 greatest NBA players, practiced literally all the time because he knew that some other kid was practicing and getting better than he was. Set small, measurable and achievable goals, lay out a path of how the goals will be accomplished, and then watch the results. 

Dealing With Disappointment 

Starting with the premise that our kids aren’t going to reach their ultimate goal of becoming a professional athlete should in no way diminish the benefits of dreaming, setting goals, and working to accomplish each of the resolutions. It’s imperative not to forget the many benefits to playing youth sports, including teamwork, good sportsmanship, developing motor skills, learning to win and to lose, and the friendships that are created along the way. 

Most of our kids will figure out and realize for themselves that they won’t be a professional athlete, but if we help them set small, achievable goals, practice proper fundamentals, and set out a specific plan to accomplish their goals, all of them will benefit and maybe some will actually be able to fulfill their dreams.

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The art of Tae Kwon Do is a great martial art

The art of Tae Kwon Do is a great martial art. Stylists can learn kicking, punching, blocking, and the spectacular movements the art is known for. 

Tae Kwon Do is practiced all around the world, meaning that there are just as many places to learn this art as there are Karate. For an art that won’t disappoint - Tae Kwon Do teaches self defense and a whole lot more.

Tae Kwon Do is a modern martial art, well known all around the world for it’s lightning fast, often high, spectacular spin kicks. 

Tae Kwon Do has been around for many years, originally founded in Korea. It translates to “the are of punching and kicking”, or the “art of unarmed combat”.

The martial art Tae Kwon Do has four disciplines - patters, self defense, break test, and sparring. It isn’t just one of these disciplines that make up the art, but a combination of them. 

All 4 of them are important, especially for those looking to advance in belt ranking. To advance in a belt, there are certain tests that students need to pass.

One of the great things about Tae Kwon Do is the fact that there are no age limits, and it can easily be learned by young children. Children of all ages will quickly learn fast reactions playing games, learn respect, and they will also learn their abilities as well as their disabilities.

The competitions however, are a bit different for children than they are for the adults. Even though the participants will wear full body protection, children can only kick and punch to the body, as no shots to the head are allowed. 

The competitions in Tae Kwon Do is what makes the art so very dominating. A majority of students that practice this martial art do so because of the competitions.

The competitions can be very exciting to watch, as they can get very competitive. 

Contrary to what many may think, the competitions aren’t deadly, nor are they anywhere close to being as dangerous as Muay Thai fights. 

Competitors will wear full protection, including head gear. For adults, kicks to the head are allowed, although a majority of stylists can block them before they make impact.

In order to participate in the competitions, stylists will need to have a certain level of experience. It can take years to become good enough, especially for those who win. 

Competitions are a great way to learn, especially if there are participating fighters from other areas of the world. 

The skill of a stylist is a very important factor with the competitions and tournaments. If you have a black belt fighter going against a white belt - the results will normally be quite obvious.

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Kicking and kneeing is the main objects in Muay Thai

All in all, Muay Thai is a great martial art for defense and competition. Thai is one of the best martial arts in the world, proving it time and time again - in both ancient times and anytime it is used today.

Muay Thai Also known around the world as Thai boxing, Muay Thai is an ancient art of self defense that was created and tested in battle by the fearless warriors of ancient Thailand. Today, Muay Thai is used all around the world. The United States Navy SEALs, Thai military, and even the CIA takes full advantage of the devastating and bone crushing techniques this martial art offers.

Through years of training and conditioning, Muay Thai fighters can become lethal and deadly weapons. A properly trained fighter can make deadly impact, meaning that his knees, shins, and elbows are quite possibly deadlier than a gun or other type of weapon. For this very reason - Muay Thai is one of the deadliest and most feared martial arts in the world.

The skills that are taught with Muay Thai are far more dominant to other striking based martial arts. Muay Thai uses very little grappling, but focuses more on crushing kicks, punches, and bone shattering elbows. Students of Thai fighting can often take an opponent down with just one shot, often times breaking bones and sometimes even killing them with just one lethal kick or elbow.

Unlike other martial arts, students of Thai don’t earn belts for their skills and their progression. Instead, their skills are tested in the ring. Since Thai fighting first began, the only things that the fighters themselves are interested in are the championship belts which showcase their dominance in Muay Thai fighting.

The reason why Muay Thai didn’t utilize ground grappling or submission holds is because it was developed in ancient battlegrounds where there were always multiple attackers. These attackers were knowledgeable in sword fighting skills, which made the need for a dependable martial art more or less a necessity.

Muay Thai used swords, spears, sticks, and hard strikes. In this type of environment, you didn’t want the fight to go to the ground. The strikes and weapon movements needed be fast, hard, and very precise. With these types of conditions and the type of environment, Muay Thai needed be a very fast responsive martial art with an excellent weapons system.

Even though grappling and submissions were planned for Muay Thai, the martial art became more of a ring sport before grappling could be implemented. With Thai originally being a martial art for striking purposes, a lot of martial artists have started using the techniques that have been proven time and time again with time boxing.

Although there are other martial arts that put a lot of emphasis on striking, Muay Thai is quite different. The first area in which Muay Thai differs is the effective use of both elbows and knees. The elbows and knees that are used with most Thai techniques are feared all around the world by boxers and other stylists.

Kicking and kneeing is the main objects in Muay Thai. In order to become efficient with kicking, the shins need to be conditioned - which can be quite painful. Once the Thai stylist has conditioned the nerves in his shins for impact, the shins can be used just like a club or a baseball bat. This is something you should really see for yourself in action - as the sound of the impact alone can send chills down your back.

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The martial arts are something that everyone should know. For the children, martial arts can mean a lot of things

Even though martial arts is great for adults to know and practice as well, it is also a great way for children to stay in shape and learn how to defend themselves from attackers. With crime at an all time high, knowing how to defend yourself is essential. The martial arts are something that everyone should know. 

For the children, martial arts can mean a lot of things. Besides martial arts can teach children how to defend themselves, it will also teach them self control and self confidence as well. 

A martial art can help a child develop a lot of essential areas, including self control and responsibility. The longer a child studies a martial art, the more goal oriented and responsible they will become. Martial arts are a great investment for parents and children - which is why they are so very popular.

If your child has a bad temper or low self esteem, learning a martial art can actually help them to get back on the right path. Martial arts will help children with life in general - which will take them a lot farther in life.

The first thing you will need to do when getting your child involved in martial arts is pick a style that they will enjoy. With several different styles to choose from, it can be a very difficult choice to make. 

Among the most popular for children are Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, Muay Thai, and Jiu-Jitsu. When making the decision, you should go by what your child has interests in, such as punching and kicking, or ground grappling and submission.

Once you have a style in mind, you’ll need to start checking out the local martial arts centers and dojo’s. If you live in a big city, you’ll have a lot more to choose from than those who live in smaller areas or rural towns. Those who live in smaller towns or rural areas may be very limited on the choices available for themselves and their children.

Rural and smaller towns are limited in choice, although what they offer is normally among the best styles of martial arts. The instructors are black belts and above, with the highest ranked students helping them instruct classes. 

If the classes are small in attendance, the instructors and student teachers can spend a lot of hands on time with the kids to help them improve in their weakest areas.

When you decide to enroll your child in martial arts, you should always check out the dojo or classes first. You don’t want your child to be in a class that isn’t goal focused, nor do you want them to have a teacher who doesn’t know what he is teaching. The environment is also important, as you want to be sure that the dojo and equipment are clean, and that everything is up to the latest and greatest standards.

Even though a martial art may be beneficial to your child, it won’t do them any good unless the facilities and the instructors are good. You want to make sure you get the best available to you, which is why it always pays to look around. 

If you look at all of your available choices, you’ll normally be able to find the best for both you and your child.

When it comes to children and their future, martial arts is a great way for them to start. Martial arts can help them improve in many different areas, not just self defense.

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