Weapons

Sifu teaches sticks
Sifu Waller puts his attention on sticks: short stick, cane or walking stick. Different weapons, but still variations on a theme. The navel-height stick/cane/walking stick looks like its an extension of his arm.

Stick
The first weapon ever used by humans was probably a blunt instrument such as a short stick or a bone. It would have been something that was to hand. We adopt the same approach and train with sticks because they can be replaced by any suitable object you might find.

Taoist
A simple stick is the preferred Taoist weapon. It is defensive rather than offensive. In Taoist mythology, the Monkey King was armed with a staff.

Improvised weaponry
Improvised weaponry is practical. You reach out your hand and defend yourself with whatever you can find. If a burglar pulls a knife on you, you may well find yourself armed with a frying pan or a TV guide.

Tai chi sword
In kung fu, the straight sword (jian) is called a tai chi sword. This shows the long association it has with taijiquan.

Rachel teaches swords
Our students practice sword drills, the sabre form and the jian form. A heavy weapon offers a notable workout. It develops upper body strength, whole-body movement and wrist flexibility. Students learn how to extend their power through the blade. We do not teach the sword as a self defence tool.

Naturalness
Work with your preferred weapon until it feels like it is part of your body and can move freely, without self-consciousness.

Variety
Weapons training in our taijiquan syllabus includes:
• 2-person cane drill
• 2-person short stick drills (5)
• Chin na against a knife
• Countering a knife
• Disarming
• Escape from a knife hold
• Improvised weapons
• Jian form
• Jian form applications
• Knife drills (13)
• Sabre form
• Sabre form applications
• Shuai jiao against a knife
• Stick drills (20)
• Sword drills (15)
• Walking stick form
• Walking stick form applications