SHEN TAO T'AI CHI CH'UAN

Shen Tao T'ai Chi Ch'uan, literally meaning "Sacred Way of Supreme Ultimate Fist" is a master level study of several forms of Tai Chi Ch'uan (Taiji) taught at Imperial Combat Arts school in Denver CO. Tai Chi is a master level art, those who are martial arts masters and proficient in weapons can truly train Tai Chi for combat. While Tai Chi alone can teach some limited self defense, the ability to fight multiple opponents requires full martial training that can be obtained much quicker with the addition of other Wu Tang Arts such as H'sing I, than by Tai Chi Ch'uan alone. 
There is a big difference between a basic self defense spear-hand strike to the throat and one from an Imperial Combat Arts Master, with decades of bone toughening, who can break bricks with the tip of a spear hand. True Tai Chi Ch'uan is not nearly as "soft" as the mainstream public believes, and there have been many proven Masters of Tai Chi in martial arts history. Most of the Tai Chi schools around the world today have little or no interest in martial ability, but train Tai Chi for its well documented health benefits.

TAI CHI FORMS

Form-work is a very traditional and fundamental part of most Chinese Martial Arts. Aside from being used to teach students, the main purpose of training a form is to develop and perfect a series of techniques through daily repetition and periodic testing against an opponent until each move is mastered for combat. Every technique in the following forms is understood and demonstrated with full combat speed and ability by all Imperial Combat Arts Instructors. Imperial Combat Arts teaches several Tai Chi Forms as well as Pushing Hands, Tai Chi Chin Na, and weapons.

THE HIDDEN FIST FORM

The Hidden Fist Form is the largest Tai Chi Form taught at Imperial Combat Arts with 331 moves. The title Hidden Fist is descriptive for techniques that are deceptive in their application, or not initially registered by the mind of the opponent. This form teaches the Elemental Energies of the Wu Hsing (Wuxing) and all types of combat applications that can be developed at combat levels. Our Instructors demonstrate every move of the form on opponents at full speed.

TAI CHI KICKING FORM

The Tai Chi Kicking form is a rare form that uses just the legs for kicks and controls. This form trains 164 different kicks with their stepping patterns at a slow speed. This slow kicking, reaping, and sweeping develops incredible muscle control, flexibility, balance, and stabilizing muscles that transfer directly to the combat application. This form is trained on 64 posts set in a unique and guarded pattern. Imperial Combat Arts indoor and outdoor facility has all types of outdoor posts & equipment used in training.

TAI CHI HEALTH FORM

The Tai Chi Health Form is a short form taught primarily for health and moving meditation. The health benefits of Tai Chi are, stabilization and balance that decrease the risk of falling, flexibility, range of motion, breath control, and moving the body as one aligned unit. Tai Chi also helps increase awareness of the entire body to break bad habits and create a new self, as well as moving and controlling force that may harm the body, as common as a jumping dog or someone bumping into you.

ADVANCED TAI CHI

There are advanced and guarded forms in the study of Tai Chi at Imperial Combat Arts that are taught last and only to masters of the arts. Only with understanding and development of the highest levels of Tai Chi can one understand how to perform these styles with proper martial form and use the style against opponents. Some of these forms are performed full speed and move into matching. Others are weapon forms which are listed at the bottom of the page under Tai Chi Weapon Study.

TRAINING TAI CHI CH'UAN

Tai Chi training develops the whole body to work as a linked unit from a dynamic core or energy center known as the Lower Tan T'ien. The Tan T'ien is the human body's center of balance, and the foundation of rooted standing, breathing, and body awareness in Chinese martial arts, and other martial arts. Training the body to move in this way requires slow form-work as well as sets called Pushing Hands that ultimately lead to the full speed ability of fighting from core. This ability is then applied to all types of martial arts techniques. Tai Chi Ch'uan fights primarily from three of the seven strongest energy centers of the body usually referred to as the Lower, Middle, and Upper Tan T'iens. 
The lower Tan T'ien:
Yin and Yang rotate, while the core reverts to stillness.
  • Lower Tan T'ien (下丹田, Xià Dāntián): below the navel (about three finger widths below and two finger widths behind the navel), which is also called,"the golden stove" or the "cinnabar field", where the process of developing the elixir by refining and purifying essence into vitality begins.
  • Middle Tan T'ien (中丹田, Zhōng Dāntián): at the level of the heart, which is called,  "the crimson palace", is associated with storing Spirit (Shen) and with respiration and health of the internal organs, in particular the thymus gland. This cauldron is where vitality or Chi is refined into Shen or spirit.
  • Upper Tan T'ien (上丹田, Shàng Dāntián): at the forehead between the eyebrows or third eye, which is also called,"the muddy pellet", and is associated with the pineal gland. This cauldron is where Shen or spirit is refined into Wu Wei or emptiness.

PUSHING HANDS

Pushing Hands is a name for the two-person sets practiced in Tai Chi Ch'uan as well as the other Wu Tang martial arts of Pakua Ch'uan (Baguazhang),and H'sing I Ch'uan (Xingyiquan). Pushing hands is a training method used to enable students to understand martial aspects such as leverage, reflex, sensitivity, timing, coordination and positioning. This important part of training with a partner allows students to develop the sensitivity to feel the direction and strength of a partner's intention, and to redirect it in a way that opens the opponent up, and fuels a counter-attack.

TAI CHI CHIN NA

Tai Chi Chin Na further develops the learned ability of Pushing Hands, into a focus on Joint Locks. Feeling that the opponent is moving into a Chin Na move, and countering it effectively, is an ability mastered in this extension of classic Pushing Hands. In addition Tai Chi Chin Na trains to apply Joint Locks that are fluid and timed in such a way against an opponent that they work seamlessly without resistance. This skill requires intimate understanding and muscle memory reflexes in all areas of Chin Na. All of Imperial Combat Arts forms contain the training of Chin Na as one of the fundamentals of combat.

EXERCISES

Aside from Pushing Hands there are several exercises that help teach and test Tai Chi ability. Students routinely train blindfolded to develop less dependence on sight and heighten the other senses. Some of the forms are trained on patterns of posts raised on the school property. There is also use of rings and bands to teach compressed movements, and students may hold cups of water to test their fluidity and control. Other Tai Chi exercises at Imperial Combat Arts include painting, cooking, gardening, and tea craft. Ultimately Tai Chi is a meditative state of being that can be applied to all types of movement, even combat.

TAI CHI WEAPONS

Melee weapon training is a fundamental part of the study of Tai Chi. This advanced study includes a handful of traditional weapons such as the Straight Sword (Chien, Jian, Gim), Saber (Tao, Dao, Dou), and Cane. At Imperial Combat Arts these weapons are first trained at a fully immersive combat level then Tai Chi offers a refinement of skill. Tai Chi Weapon forms taught at Imperial Combat Arts are trained slow and in depth, as well as full speed. Every technique in our forms directly relates to fighting multiple armed opponents, and they are also used dynamically in sets and matching.  

MEDITATION

Tai Chi is a moving meditation and a form of Chi Kung or Qigong which aligns, breathing, movement, and awareness exercises with meditation. Tai Chi practice can create a sense of calm, clarity, and alignment with nature and the universe. Tai Chi training relives stress and helps maintain homeostasis. Perhaps the most enjoyable meditations are doing forms in a variety of terrain and locations, such as on the beach, on a mountaintop, in the deep forest, or in water. Each one a unique and memorable experience. There is also a 64 Taoist meditation system taught at Imperial Combat Arts with extensive online courses and class once a month.

IMPERIAL WU TANG CH'UAN

Shen Tao Tai Chi Ch'uan is one of the Wu Tang arts taught within Imperial Wu Tang Ch'uan. Imperial Wu Tang Ch'uan is a study of Pakua, H'sing-I, Wu Hsing, Tai Chi, The Black-Scorpion, & Grey Cloud. Every aspect of these styles are founded on fighting multiple opponents and involve the use of strikes, kicks, vital point attacks, knees, elbows, toughened legs, arms and hands, as well as evasion, blocks, and controls. These arts come from weapons masters and share the same lethal techniques by forming the body into a weapon. .. Enter Page> Imperial Wu Tang