Tai Chi for Beginners

If the orient would not have come up with these amazing martial arts, I think the whole world would have been deprived of some great forms of exercise and workout for mind as well as body. But thanks to them, we have been introduced to martial arts like kung fu, karate and in keeping the legendary tradition, tai chi. Tai chi is a form of martial art combining both hard and soft martial arts techniques. However, even if it is a martial art, it is mostly practiced for having a fit body and calm mind.

Tai Chi moves for Beginners

As a beginner, you need to first know its underlying philosophy, that is, if one uses hardness to obstruct or block violent force, injuries to some extent are inevitable. Thus, at the beginning, students are not taught directly how to fight an incoming force but to receive it with softness and relaxed posture, while following the motion, while remaining in contact with that force. This has to be done till the force of attack is exhausted or that is redirected. Now are you ready to get in to some action? Check out some exercises included in tai chi for beginners.

Kick start - Opening Move

To start off, stand with your feet shoulder apart. The knees should be slightly bent and back straight. Your eyes should be focused straight ahead and your chin should be tucked down just a bit. Then here are the steps you need to for one of the basic tai chi movements for beginners.

Raise your hands from your waist length extending in front of you, at the level of your shoulders, upwards.
Until you release your hands at the shoulder level, they should be perpendicular to the ground.
At this juncture the palms will face forward as they push down towards your waist back.
Now you would shift to palm Tai chi movements.

The Next Step

Lift your hands up slowly, in closer to your heart. Both the palms must face each other during this movement, resembling an action as if you are attempting to squeeze a ball of energy.

Drop your knees slightly and after your hands cover the heart, stay in that position as long as you comfortably
can.

Once you start feeling tired, do a rewind of your arm movements and get back gradually to the original standing position.

The next step is to get to business and check out some elaborate moves with regards to tai chi for beginners. These are Ward Off, Roll Back and Single Whip. Tai chi for beginners dvd would elaborate more on these movements. Read more on martial arts types.

Ward Off

Start off where you ended the palm move.

Now raise you right leg till your knees and then step with the same foot in the same direction (right).

Simultaneously extend your hands to the right. At this juncture your right palm should face your chest and the left should be pointing down and the fingers should be pointing to the right.

After you are done with these steps, you would need to be in the same position for the next move, that is Roll Back.

Roll Back and Single Whip

You are in the last position of the earlier move.

Now roll your right hand over, while pulling your weight back.

Bring your hands together and press and push towards right.

From this step, you move on to Single whip.

For the single whip move your hands across the body, until your right hand does not come back on the right side.

At the same time, make a crane head with the fingers, while you lift your left leg with it.
Read more on martial arts styles.

Then, tai chi for beginners classes have a very important aspect of concluding the tai chi exercises. Apparently, you have explored your energy channels and they have to be closed to keep a balanced mind and body. So what is done is hands are raised from your waist to the sides, above your head. Follow that by bringing the palms down and bending the knees, while pressing the air down.

These were the most fundamental moves when it comes to tai chi for beginners. There is a host of tai chi for beginners classes if you want to seriously pursue it. Or better still, you can get free beginners' tai chi exercises on the internet, which could also prove to be helpful.

Deadliest Style of Martial Arts

A search for a particular deadliest style of martial arts, is unnecessary, as every style can be deadly if used effectively. Every punk round the corner wants to be a 'Human lethal weapon'! Do you think that learning a few tricks or a few moves, from any one art could make you an ace fighter? Any martial art developed by people around the world, has its advantages and pitfalls because nothing is perfect. Everything in this universe evolves from a not so perfect form to a perfect one. Every martial art has a potential to be the deadliest, in hands of the one, who really masters it and learns how to wield it!

Being the best fighter, is not just mastering every move from any one art, rather it is mastering the mind. It is not the goal of a true martial artist to learn to kill or maim somebody, unless he has to do so, in self defense. They want to reach that state of concentration where the mind is totally aware and the body is in harmony with the mind. A state of total control over mind and body! Real power lies in being supremely aware and in the ability to anticipate and read the opponent's mind.

The best fighter has the ability to combat anyone, anywhere, anytime. Being dangerous or deadly may have nothing to do with what style of martial arts you know, its all about instincts and attitude. When a man is pushed to the edge of survival and provoked beyond limit, the animal instincts within him are on a high alert. Who would like to be cornered, but once done so, self defense is the only way out. Such a cornered man can be the deadliest, even though he may not have mastered any martial art.

Combat is a mind game first and then a physical game. It is about releasing the animal within you, if need be and also learn to keep him on a leash. Yes, at the start the martial arts styles were designed with the purpose of self defense but they evolved into much more than that. Many of them got integrated with a religion or a philosophy. Remember that every martial art is an art first and any art only liberates you! Art adds meaning and substance to your life and leads you on a path of self discovery. More than combat styles they became a way of life. Whatever may be your reason, self defense or self discovery, deciding to learn a martial art is a good decision. So the right question to ask, is not that which art is deadliest but which martial art style will suit you best!

How to Choose a Martial Arts Style

Choose a style that suits your temperament and constitution. Read and gather as much as you can about various styles. Inquire with friends and family. The dictum 'Go to the Masters' is always profitable. So meet the masters or teachers of a particular martial arts style and discuss with them. Attend a try out class for a particular style.

Check the credentials of the teachers of that style. If you have a good feeling about the way things go about, in a particular class, go for it. No matter which martial arts style you go for, be mentally prepared for rigorous workouts and subjecting your body to new levels of pain and endurance. Your endurance and pain threshold will go up if you survive the initial hardcore workout. The goal is to make your body agile, tough and responsive by loosening and strengthening every muscle. The last criteria is, follow the style which you enjoy the most! Don't choose a style just because your friend is doing so.

Different Martial Arts Styles

Here is a list of some of the best known martial arts styles. The complete list of martial arts will be endless, as almost every part of the world has an indigenous martial art style. The best way to know which is the deadliest martial arts style, is to learn every one of them, if possible and decide for yourself! Many prefer mastering just one which is a deadly enough task in itself!

Judo: 

Judo was developed as a style in Japan and has slowly become popular world over. The word 'Judo' literally means 'gentleness' or 'suppleness', ironically. It is a style which involves a lot of throwing maneuvers along with joint locking and chocking techniques that can subdue an opponent. It involves powerful kicks and punches along with the the use of weapons.

Aikido: 

Aikido literally means 'Unifying life force'. This martial arts style is unique in its philosophy. It is developed with the thought of neutralizing one's opponent, while taking care that he is not injured, as far as possible. An Aikido fighter uses and directs the momentum of an opponent against him. It involves a lot of grappling and throwing styles as well as joint locks.

Tae Kwon Do: 

Tae Kwon Do is a Korean martial arts style which literally means 'Way of leg and fist'. It is a holistic martial art style which integrates meditation, sport and combat as its essential principles. It is one of the most popular martial arts, practiced world over. It involves almost all the traditional techniques of kicking, punching as well as joint locking, along with throwing.

Kick Boxing:

 Kick boxing as the name suggests is boxing integrated with kicking techniques. It is a popular sport in USA and is a good technique for self defense which involves full body contact.

Jiu Jitsu:

 Jiu Jitsu or Jujutsu which literally translates as 'way of yielding', is the original ancient Japanese martial arts style, involving armed and unarmed combat that was mastered by the 'Samurai'. It is rather a huge family of martial arts styles that have evolved from the original Jiu Jitsu. It is the most complete warrior training program designed to create lethal weapons!

Kung Fu: 

Kung Fu or Wu Shu in Chinese, is a family of Chinese martial arts styles which have evolved over thousands of years as one of the most effective combative styles.

Karate: 

One more classic Japanese martial art that involves rapid leg thrusts, punching and open handed combat. Karate is a very aggressive style.

Each of these styles have a set of moves and techniques which need to be mastered one at a time. The most important thing is learning how to direct and divert the flow of energy. The base of all these combat styles is the development of higher levels of endurance and fitness, which is achieved through rigorous body strengthening exercises.

So all in all, I cannot say which is the deadliest martial arts style because to me all of them seem equally deadly. Still I can guarantee that mastering any one of these martial arts styles will make you a formidable fighter to the core. Not only will you be able to deal with bullies, you will also develop a renewed respect for yourself and gain confidence!