Tai Chi Dynamics: Principles of Natural Movement, Health & Self-Development

by Robert Chuckrow

Tai Chi Dynamics is intended for intermediate and advanced Taiji players. The author Robert Chuckrow Ph.D. experimental physics, has been a Taiji practitioner for over forty years. He applies logic and basic scientific principles of anatomy, physiology, and physics to muscular action, breathing, and alignment in Taiji movement and push-hands. He clarifies many perplexing concepts such as "correct force" by utilizing detailed explanations, illustrations, and photographs. Sayings from the Taiji Classics are quoted throughout, and exercises are provided to give readers a chance to confirm their understanding. Over a dozen self-defense applications of the basic Taiji movements are illustrated, and the effectiveness and completeness of Taiji as a martial art is candidly analyzed. Suggestions for many aspects of teaching Taiji are provided, which stem from over three decades of practical experience. A chapter on Zheng Manqing (Cheng Man-ch'ing), with whom the author studied for five years in the early 1970s, sheds light on Zheng and his students. A special chapter deals extensively with aspects of self development from a personal perspective, discusses how doing Taiji correctly is a precursor to spiritual growth, and compares religion, science, and spiritual teachings. A detailed chapter on health, self-massage, and healing discusses fasting (including the author's own experience with a twenty-eight-day fast), differences between Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, and provides exercises and methods of self-massage for head, legs, feet, and back. There is even a section on how to make your own footwear suitable for practicing Taiji. The book includes personal anecdotes and stories, and has over one hundred photographs and illustrations by the author.

274 pages, Paperback

First published June 25, 2008

About the author

Robert Chuckrow (born in 1936) has studied T’ai Chi, Ch’i Kung, and other movement and healing arts since 1970 under masters such as Cheng Man-ch’ing, William C.C. Chen, Elaine Summers, Alice Holtman, Harvey I. Sober, Kevin Harrington, and Chin Fan-siong. He has taught T’ai Chi extensively, is certified as a master teacher of Kinetic Awareness®, and has authored six books: The Intelligent Dieter’s Guide, Historical Tuning of Keyboard Instruments, The Tai Chi Book, Tai Chi Walking, Tai Chi Dynamics, and Tai Chi Concepts and Experiments. His The Tai Chi Book was a finalist among the three best books in the health/medicine category in the Independent Publisher Book Awards. His book, Tai Chi Dynamics, was honored in the martial-arts / alternative-health category by the Independent Publisher Online Magazine Highlighted Title Program, was a finalist in ForeWord Magazine’s 2008 Book of the Year Awards, won the Eric Hoffer book award, and won the best-book award in health: exercise and fitness from USA Book News. He has produced four videos, which in addition to his books on diet and historical tuning, are available from www.chuckrowtaichi.com.

Chuckrow, whose Ph.D. is in experimental physics, has taught physics at NYU, The Cooper Union, Fieldston, and other schools for forty-three years.

Reviews

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent treatment of the use of muscles and the principles of physics within the movements of Tai Chi Chuan. The best part is the way he describes how it happens rather than how you do it. He describes the mechanics at a level of detail rarely found in other Tai Chi books, and provides exercises that you can use to see how you can do it, or rather, to gain a deeper level of understanding how it works.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughtful, useful book.

[Will Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely one of the best books on tai chi you will find. Highly recommended as a follow up to Chuckrow's "The Tai Chi Book". A must have for Zheng Manqing stylists.