THE CENTER OF MASS TRAJECTORY DURING FIXED-STANCE PUSH HANDS MOVEMENTS OF TAI CHI CHUAN

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) skills affect the whole body center of mass (COM) during Tai Chi Chuan fixed-stance push hands movement. Four TCC experts with push hands movement experience for 10.3±1.7 years and four TCC beginners with 2.5±1.3-year experience were recruited in this study. Three-dimensional kinematics data of the TCC fixed-stance push hands movements were collected and COM displacement and velocity during the movements were analyzed. The patterns of the COM between two groups during the push hands movement cycle were similar, but the COM displacement and velocity were different. Our investigation reveals that the experience-related differences in whole body COM transfers are reflected in the push hands movement cycle.