[Martial Arts] Can Tai Chi be used in real combat?

Author: Jeffi Chao Hui Wu

Time: 2025-7-14 Monday, 6:08 PM

········································

[Martial Arts] Can Tai Chi be used in real combat?
Can Tai Chi be used in real combat? I have been hearing this question for over thirty years, since I was young.
As a legitimate heir of the 12th generation of Chen-style Tai Chi and the 6th generation of Wu-style Tai Chi, as well as a practitioner who has long adhered to traditional martial arts practices such as Zhuang Gong, Xing Yi Quan, Tai Chi Sword, and Wu Ji Zhuang, what I hear most is not "Tai Chi is great," but rather "Can Tai Chi fight?"
Every time I hear this question, I do not rush to refute it, nor do I wish to argue. Because I know—this question itself has long deviated from the true direction of Tai Chi. But today, I am willing to sit down and systematically discuss this issue, and share some of my personal insights and experiences.
Whether Tai Chi can fight needs to be discussed on two levels.
First, from a historical perspective, Tai Chi is indeed a martial art for real combat. It is not a health exercise, nor is it a display of flashy moves, but a complete combat system summarized by generations of ancestors through bloodshed and hardship. Take Chenjiagou as an example; it is the fundamental skill of the entire Chen family for village defense. Looking at Yang Luchan and Wu Jianquan, which one did not gain fame in real combat? Not to mention the stories of "being undefeated in the capital," which have long become legends in the martial arts community.
In other words, the starting point of Tai Chi is life-and-death struggle.
However, the problem arises at the second level—how modern people practice Tai Chi.
Currently, there are hundreds of millions of people practicing Tai Chi worldwide, but how many truly train according to ancient methods and deeply study the way of combat? Most people practice in the morning for relaxation or float around in parks, which naturally resembles slow-motion dance, leading to doubts like "Can this really fight?" But can you say they are practicing incorrectly? No. Because the Tai Chi they practice is not "combat-oriented," but "health-oriented." These two paths are not contradictory; they are simply different choices.
Yet, the general public often mistakenly equates the common appearance of "health-oriented Tai Chi" with "all Tai Chi," even comparing it to free fighting or boxing, saying, "Look, they can knock someone out with one punch; can your Tai Chi do that?"
I often counter these people with a question: "Have you ever seen a centenarian still able to box?" And what about Tai Chi? I have personally seen elderly individuals over ninety years old who still practice Tai Chi twice daily, their steps steady as a mountain, their breath long and smooth. You say, isn't that also a form of "real combat"?—against aging, against illness, against time.
Of course, I am not avoiding the core issue. Let's discuss the most critical question:
Does Tai Chi possess combat effectiveness in "fighting"?
The answer is: of course it does. But the premise is—you must practice true Tai Chi, not just perform routines, not merely seek superficial smoothness, but genuinely cultivate internal power, relaxation, silk-reeling energy, listening energy, transformation energy, and explosive energy as part of a complete system. The master requires that we practice push hands three thousand times daily, perform a set of forms for 11 minutes eight times a day, and practice several different sets daily. How many people truly know a few complete legitimate routines? In modern busy life, how many can achieve this?
This is a complete system for transforming body structure, a combat philosophy based on the principles of "softening hardness, arriving first with the rear, and guiding form with intention." It does not rely on physical strength, nor on speed, but on the connection of "structure" and "rhythm"—this is the essence of Tai Chi.
The way Tai Chi generates power is not through "brute force," but through "integrated strength." To put it simply: it is not the arms that strike, but the power generated from the soles of the feet, the rotation of the hips, the unity of the whole body, exploding in an instant. Such structural training does not come from day and night hitting a sandbag, but from ten years of Zhuang Gong and a thousand days of focused intention.
Therefore, you cannot compare a beginner in Tai Chi with someone who has practiced free fighting for ten years and then say "Tai Chi is ineffective"—this is not the fault of the martial art, but of the individual's choice.
Another point many people fail to realize is that the philosophy of Tai Chi is not about "seeking victory," but about "not contending." In ancient times, it was practiced for survival; the goals of modern Tai Chi have changed, and the general public does not practice to be number one.
The ultimate goal of Tai Chi has never been to defeat anyone, but to "remain unperturbed in the face of change," "respond calmly," and "be as immovable as a mountain, yet move like thunder." This is a realm, an elevation of life state. If you must compare who can knock out whom, then you can practice Sanda, boxing, MMA, or even compete in the ring. But if you seek lifelong health, balance of body and mind, and wisdom in dealing with the world, then Tai Chi is your ultimate choice.
You need not believe me; you only need to observe those Tai Chi masters in their eighties, who can strike with a single movement, their gaze steady. If it comes to fighting, who says they cannot fight? But they no longer need to.
So, what I want to conclude with is: "Can Tai Chi be used in real combat?" This question is actually a trap. Because it has long confused "martial arts" with "training methods," "combat" with "health," and "seeking victory" with "internal cultivation."
Tai Chi is not about not fighting, but about not needing to fight. The true "combat effectiveness" of Tai Chi is not about defeating others, but about mastering oneself. Winning a match is easy; winning at life is difficult. And Tai Chi practices the latter.
I have also tried combat training, which is a form of full-energy output, muscle impact, and rapid rhythm "burnout training." After training, I would be drenched in sweat; the temporary stimulation indeed brings a sense of "stronger pleasure," but often leads to fatigue the next day, mental exhaustion, and even irritability. The body's excitement is the result of the nervous system being "overstimulated."
Practicing Tai Chi is different.
I practice for about an hour and a half each day, including 15 minutes of horse stance, followed by alternating practice of Tai Chi and Tai Chi Sword for four rounds each. After finishing, not only do I not feel tired, but I feel refreshed, my breath smooth, and my mind clear. The whole person feels as if recharged by the universe, rather than drained.
This is the fundamental difference.
The combat methods of fighting and boxing are about "overdrawing energy to defeat opponents"; whereas the combat method of Tai Chi is about "cultivating energy to master oneself." The former consumes life force in battle, while the latter nourishes life force in battle. Which is the true combat? It probably depends on whether you are a thirty-year-old fighter or an eighty-year-old practitioner.
I never claim that Tai Chi is invincible, but I can responsibly say: if you practice correctly and thoroughly, Tai Chi does not fear any martial art; even if you never use it to "fight," it can still become the deepest talisman in your life.
As for real combat? That is not something Tai Chi should prove, but rather a choice for those who practice Tai Chi.

Source: https://www.australianwinner.com/AuWinner/viewtopic.php?t=696864