BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF TAI CHI CHUAN FIXED-STEP PUSH-HAND

Abstract

Tai Chi Chuan is a Chinese traditional martial art. It is not only helpful to health (Frye, Scheinthal, Kemarskaya, and Pruchno, 2007) but also a fighting skill. After routine training for a long time, Tai Chi Chuan learners will do an advance sparring set training, that is, Push-hand. They are trained to use their tactile sense well and apply the ‘Eight Methods of Tai Chi’ to attack and defend in reality (Wu, 1994) in Push-hand process. Chan, Luk, & Hong (2003) revealed the kinematic characters while a master performing the push movement in Tai Chi. Most of the principles of Push-Hand were only recorded in Tai Chi Chuan ancient books and records. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to identify biomechanical characters in Push-hand process and to expound it scientifically.