Many Tai chi schools utilise holding static postures (Zhan Zhuang) as a fundamental practice.
So why and for what purpose? 🤔
Well it’s a deep subject and not all Tai Chi practitioners agree or even believe that the practice has any real value. However it has been in existence for hundreds if not thousands of years.
My experience is that it is a powerful exercise if done seriously and correctly.
It trains a number of things.
At the basic level - posture, alignments, strength and will power.
At the next level it trains ‘song’ - the ability to release tension under pressure and ‘ting’ - the ability of the mind to penetrate deep into the body to be aware of what is happening.
Further the process of standing develops profound internal connections deep into the body know as ‘Jin Lu’.
Overall standing develops physical strength, power, robustness and a calm and disciplined mind.
It often makes the difference between tai chi practitioners who have real ‘nei jin’ (internal skill/power) and those that only practice for health or the aesthetics of the art.
In fact as the old saying goes ‘train for the power and the health will come’
This has been my experience certainly
More posts on this subject to come. 🙏🌅