[Martial Arts] Seven Degrees Temperature Sweating Tai Chi Method

Author: Jeffi Chao Hui Wu

Time: 2025-7-14 Monday, 4:41 AM

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[Martial Arts] Seven-Degree Sweating Tai Chi Method
Every day around five in the morning, I appear by the seaside, regardless of wind or rain, cold or warmth. June in Sydney is early winter, with the seaside temperature only 7 degrees, and a perceived temperature of 2-3 degrees. I still wear summer clothes: quick-dry ultra-thin sports pants, a long-sleeve T-shirt, and a light windbreaker, along with a pair of hiking shoes.
After practicing Tai Chi and then the Tai Chi sword, by the end of the second round, beads of sweat have begun to form on my forehead, and my body feels warm all over. Many people cannot imagine how one could sweat in such low temperatures. But I know that the key lies not in the weather, but in the structure — I am not practicing popular performance routines, but the true "low stance Tai Chi method."
The traditional Tai Chi practiced in the community is mostly a "high stance" method, with minimal knee bending, smooth and flowing movements, suitable for the general public and easy to promote. However, this method is difficult to awaken the deep energy and blood within the body, let alone sweat in low temperatures. My practice is exactly the opposite; I re-examine and restructure every movement, building from the foundation: lower horse stance, deeper hip opening, and more stable center of gravity. Each move finds strength in "squatting" and transforms energy in "sinking."
This morning's practice is the best verification. In my first round, I performed a modified version of the 24-form Tai Chi, incorporating the original structure of the Zhang Sanfeng Thirteen Forms, and added elements from traditional old forms such as "horse stance silk reeling" and "turning and closing the hips." A complete set takes about five to seven minutes, and my body starts to warm up by the third minute, begins to sweat evenly by the fifth minute, and it’s not just localized sweating, but a feeling of the whole person steaming from the inside out — this is the manifestation of "qi transformation." It is not muscle heat, but rather the entire energy mechanism becoming transparent, leading to automatic sweating at the surface.
Many people practice Tai Chi for a year without ever sweating because they only move the "form" and not the "qi." Through long-term practice, I have discovered: as long as the stance work is truly integrated into the structure of Tai Chi, with each move standing firm and sinking down, combined with the rhythm of breathing, sweating is just a natural result. This is not about speed, nor intensity, but about the "communication" of structure. This point is best evidenced by sweating in seven-degree temperatures.
What’s even more special is my sword technique. It is neither a traditional routine nor a popular performance, but a practical swordsmanship I created based on Tai Chi principles. It does not "walk" on the ground, but "entwines" within the structure — entwining the hips, shoulders, and the flow of intention. Each move carries hip opening and body rotation, and each form embodies the transmission of relaxed sinking power. After completing a round in conjunction with the fist technique, not only does my energy and blood surge, but my mind and body feel exceptionally clear. While others feel fatigued after sweating, I feel invigorated and my limbs warm after sweating.
It is worth mentioning that my practice is not the general sense of "morning exercise," but a true "skill cultivation." I arrive at the seaside at the windiest spot every day at five in the morning, and I have been doing this year-round without interruption. After training, I stand still and listen to the sea, absorbing the energy of heaven and earth. This kind of cultivation not only strengthens the body but also exchanges breath with the universe.
I have said before, true Tai Chi is not about "punching," but about "standing." All the explosiveness, power generation, transitions, and sinking are cultivated through long-term stance work. In today’s practice, each transition of my footwork is actually a reconstruction process of "low horse stance." Rather than saying I am practicing punches, it is more accurate to say I am continuously reshaping my skeletal structure, muscle orientation, and energy pathways.
In the past, even sitting in a car at 17 degrees, my feet and knees would feel icy, and wearing thermal pants under jeans was not enough. But now, I can stand on the grass in autumn clothes and practice for over 1.5 hours, with warm feet, hot knees, and a lively body. These are not miracles, but the result of years of accumulation, a manifestation of how structural training truly transforms the body.
My Tai Chi journey is not about performance, but about returning to the roots. The "low temperature sweating Tai Chi method" is just one part of my long-term cultivation system; it is not a shortcut to quick success, but a grounded deep transformation. Its power lies not in the surface, but in whether it can truly penetrate the five internal organs and cultivate essence and spirit.
So I say: Tai Chi is not just about the fist; stance work is not just about standing; cultivation is not just about sweating — but about the overall renewal of structure, energy, blood, and spirit. If you can enter the structure of low stances in Tai Chi, you can sweat in seven-degree winds, warm up on the cold winter grass, and initiate a true reversal in seemingly simple movements.

Source: https://www.australianwinner.com/AuWinner/viewtopic.php?t=696855