Taiji San Shou: Free Style Boxing

Grandmaster William Chen has always emphasized the practical aspects of Tai Chi Quan, thus Push Hands, Practical Applications, and Free Style Boxing have been an integral part of his teaching.

Taiji Quan, to be effective, requires that one must immerse oneself deeply into this work. Forms practice alone will avail to nothing if you have never crossed hands with a live antagonist. San Shou provides practical training behind the skills acquired through Zhan Zhuan, forms practice, and Tui Shou. It allows trainees to actually exchange blows.

Training in Taiji San Shou is gradual; practice is conducted with boxing gloves and students usually wear mouthpieces. At a beginning level, students actually strike each other with no attempt to dodge or deflect the blows. The strikes have little power and are intended to build confidence in the students, who are encouraged to remain loose and relaxed while taking the blows.

Slowly the training progresses to heavier striking and to free fighting. Students learn striking combinations, develop good footwork, learn fighting strategy, and most importantly, build self-confidence and self-assurance, which are indispensable attributes needed in real fighting.

At the Chinese Martial Arts Center, Taiji San Shou training is offered to students who are interested in developing Taiji as a martial art; it is not a requirement for students who are mainly interested in improving their health.