Most of the coaches and players I work with in my Sports Chi program consider Tai Chi, at first, as a slow moving relaxing form of meditation.

Of course I’m biased, because I teach Tai Chi – but the art has so much more to offer sports coaches and players. The principles and selected, adapted skills from Tai Chi can improve a players existing skills and contribute to consistently high performance both in training and games.

I find that when I’m presenting a sports chi session, the best way of getting players to consider Tai Chi as an added effective training method is to get them to practice a Tai Chi technique so they can understand it.

As the ancient sage Confucius once wrote:

I hear and I forget
I see and I remember
I do and I understand

With continued practice a player will learn a technique, and the next step is to focus on the feeling of the technique. Once players capture the feel then they are on their way to performing at a consistently high level when required.

But, before any of this can happen, a coach and a player need to come into a Sports Chi session with an open mind.

The term ‘void’ in Tai Chi means nothingness and this is a necessary state if you are to achieve your goals with as little effort as possible.

This concept of the ‘void’ can be applied to any human activity. In this post I’ll discuss it in terms of sport – in particular, the free throw in basketball.

Free throws are important in a game of basketball and the percentages made can determine the outcome of a game.

Those last few seconds of a game, when the scores are close and free throws are awarded to a player, are critical. Especially in a crowded stadium with opposition supporters making as much noise as possible to distract the shooter. The pressure can make excellent shooters miss.

During this scenario, a player’s mind needs to be in the void – state of nothingness – to improve the chances of making that free throw. There should be no thoughts about the external environment and your own internal state.

The void should cover the times before a player shoots the ball, during the shot and straight after the shot is either made or missed.

One of the techniques I teach players and coaches to help achieve this ‘void state’ is abdominal breathing – it’s one of the steps of a system I use.

There is a rich amount of knowledge and skills from the centuries old Chinese art of Tai chi Chuan (health and self defence system) that can be easily adapted to sports today. And the void is one of them, so don’t avoid the void.

Footnote: To get a better idea of my approach to teaching sports coaches and players, check out my flyer here.

Image courtesy of .Pedrojperez via morguefiles

I’ve avoided the very demanding low stance, because of a concern that it may strain my knees.

I’ve had a problem with my left knee in the past, but have strengthened that area with Tai Chi training so I can now stay in a high stance and mid level stance for a length of time .

A few weeks ago I decided to try the low stance and in my first attempt I couldn’t even get into position without starting to feel a strain.

But, after practicing three times a week, I’ve can now hold this stance in a relaxed mode for twenty seconds.

I started with five seconds and slowly increased my duration.

It’s considered that holding the low stance from between three to five minutes is quite an achievement.

My goal is to get to three minutes at least and I know that it will take me several months, if not longer, to reach that target.

That’s my challenge.

What’s your challenge?

I may develop my own staff training program so staff can teach aged care residents with restricted mobility issues, in the aged care sector – if there is interest

I never thought I’d use the word “secrets” in a post on Tai Chi because it’s usually marketing hype. Bu essentially I’m breaking my rule here.

I’m always sceptical when I see the word “secret” used in a title of a Tai Chi or Chi Kung book, post, or a video.

So I’m now going to reveal the three secrets I have discovered after thirty years of practice and teaching Tai Chi. Drum roll please …

Here they are in no particular order:

1. Practice
2. Practice
3. Practice

Now that I’ve revealed my three secrets, you’re welcome to ‘steal’ them. But you do realise they are useless unless you actually practice.

And to get a training effect you’ll need to practice your Tai Chi at least three times a week.

In my personal training I practice six times a week, sometimes seven times a week. The seventh time is usually my “catch up” Tai Chi training that I was unable to do during the week. I try and have one day off per week from training.

So forget about discovering ‘secrets’- just practice!

One of the personal benefits of developing a new program like my Sports Chi is that it gives me the opportunity to research and cross reference various Tai Chi themes and techniques.

Not only is this research beneficial for the Sports Chi program but also for my own personal training.

With a greater depth of knowledge I feel my skills are improving as I practice on a daily basis.

Rather than overload on the knowledge obtained, I simply take one theme or skill learned and apply it to a specific aspect of my training.

For example, one of the areas I’ve worked on is making sure my knees are properly aligned.

This is easy to do if you are stationary, but when moving from posture to posture in a Tai Chi form it’s difficult to do.

As I do my research on areas I already know, I’m reminded of what the famous former UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden, once said – ‘It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts‘.

One of the phrases I often repeat in Chair Chi sessions for residents in aged care is ‘don’t try to keep up – just keep on’.

I’ve found this eases the pressure to try and keep up with other residents and it helps them to perform at their own pace and physical capabilities.

Injuries can occur if residents try and keep up when they are unable to do so.

Sometimes residents will try anyway, so if I see any signs of discomfort I’ll stop them from doing the activity and repeat the phrase ‘don’t try and keep up – just keep on’.

I do have one resident who, regardless of what’s said, will try an activity she can’t do even though it causes her pain.

When that occurs I always say to her before the activity, ‘Now, Sue, don’t raise your arms above your shoulders – keep them lower’. And I’ll repeat that statement before every repetition of the exercise.

I suppose it’s human nature to try and keep up, but as a teacher of Chair Chi I have to ensure residents just keep on – and celebrate that as an achievement.

And celebrating their achievement is what I do at the end of each session!

This week I’m running a special one hour presentation for fifty grade five students at a primary school.

It’s part of the Pozitive Kidz are happy kidz program I run, and in this session the emphasis will be on leadership, self esteem and confidence.

All the skills I teach are based on Tai Chi. I simply adapt them to suit the various age groups I work with – from 5 years old to 103 years old!

As usual, I’ll have my props with me for the students to emphasise key points – Hammy Hamster, Spooky and Monkey Brain. I’ll also run a short conversation segment (based on the principles of Appreciative Inquiry) to highlight positive leadership experiences and skills.

To finish the session, I’ll use my favourite toy, ‘Jacques the Shark’, which always gets the students excited and laughing.

And I’ll bring my teachers’ aide to help – a two metre long Tai Chi staff.

In my Sports Chi program one of the areas we cover is to look at the practical meaning of various Chinese proverbs and/or quotes that can help athletes improve their performance.

One of my favourite quotes is ‘invest in loss’, which is thought provoking because it makes you think on a different level when it comes to success in contests and games.

Obviously you need to focus on what needs to done to be successful, but just as importantly you need to think about what you’re prepared to give up to be successful.

For example, you may have to give up time, money, energy or booze etc. to achieve your sporting goals.

Once you identify what you need to give up and take action on that, then you’ll understand and appreciate the true meaning of ‘invest in loss’ and move towards success.