The Difference Between Yoga and Tai Chi

The former is a cultivation system that originated in ancient India and takes "connection of body, mind and soul" as its underlying logic, while the latter is an internal martial art that originated in China and takes "yin and yang movement" as its core. The two are fundamentally different from their origins, movement logic and final direction.

I spent most of the first six years in a yoga studio, doing basic Hatha exercises and Ashtanga flows. Later, I switched to Chen-style Tai Chi because of an old knee injury. When I first got into it, I secretly thought: They are all slow and soothing exercises. How big a difference can there be? Only after I started practicing did I realize that they are completely different things.

Let’s talk about the most intuitive action logic. I took my best friend who was good at the yoga studio to try a Tai Chi class. She has been practicing Ashtanga for three years and is used to reaching her own limit in every posture: downward dog requires her heels to be completely touching the ground, forward bending to have her chest to her thighs, and even side extensions to stretch her waist to its longest limit. That day when she was playing Yunshou, she subconsciously stretched her arms as straight as possible, shaking her whole body so much that she almost fell. The Tai Chi teacher laughed next to her: "Girl, in our boxing technique, the arms should have a three-point bend. The energy is wrapped inside, not spread out. ”Don't tell me, this point really hits the core: Most yoga postures pursue muscle extension and joint mobility expansion. Many static holding movements rely on isometric contraction of muscles to build strength. What is emphasized is "perceiving boundaries and gradually breaking through."” ； Tai Chi's movements are all in an arc, and there is no isolated local exertion of force. Every finger movement must be rooted in the feet, issued from the legs, and dominated by the waist. The strength is integrated, and the emphasis is on "looseness but not collapse, and strength not exposed."

Speaking of this, I have to mention the difference in breathing logic between the two. Of course, the requirements of different schools are also very different and cannot be generalized. When I practice Ashtanga, I have to maintain Ujjahi breathing in the throat throughout the whole process. The breathing sounds like gentle waves. Even when doing difficult movements such as crossing and handstands, the breathing rhythm cannot be disrupted. Breathing is the "anchor" of a stable state. But in the first half month of learning Tai Chi, my teacher didn’t let me adjust my breathing deliberately. He said that if I make the movements smooth first, my breathing will naturally follow. After I mastered the old tricks, I slowly talked about the coordination of reverse abdominal breathing. I also specifically mentioned that many schools of Tai Chi for health do not require me to adjust my breathing deliberately. Once you are comfortable, your breathing will be natural.

What’s even more interesting is that the cultural roots behind the two are not even the slightest bit different. The ultimate direction of traditional yoga is "the unity of Brahman and self". The popular fitness yoga we usually come into contact with actually only takes the two small parts of "postures" and "breathing control" from the eight limbs of yoga. In the traditional system, the first part of precepts and diligence, and the latter part of Prayana, meditation, and Samadhi are rarely mentioned in ordinary fitness classes. Tai Chi has been based on Taoist Yin-Yang theory and military martial arts since its inception. Each move of traditional Tai Chi has a clear offensive and defensive meaning. For example, "lazy tying" corresponds to borrowing and unloading force when someone grabs your wrist, and "single whip" is a movement of striking someone from the side. Nowadays, the simplified health-preserving Tai Chi practiced by uncles and aunts in the park mostly removes the core offensive and defensive strength, leaving only the shape of the movement, so some people think that "Tai Chi is slow-motion yoga."

Nowadays, it is also popular in the fitness circle to combine the two to do "Tai Chi yoga" classes. I have experienced one before, which combines the cloud hands of Tai Chi with the warrior sequence of yoga. After the exercise, it is really comfortable for the shoulders and back, and is suitable for office workers who usually sit for a long time. But the controversy over this fusion has never ended: an inheritor of Chen-style Tai Chi I know clearly disagrees, saying that every movement of Tai Chi is supported by "strength", and when it is changed to yoga stretching movements, the strength is completely lost, and it is not Tai Chi at all. ； There are also senior teachers in the yoga circle who feel that yoga postures are physical preparation for subsequent meditation, and casually adding Tai Chi’s force-generating logic will disrupt the rhythm of the connection between body, mind and soul. In fact, there is no standard answer. It just depends on the purpose of your practice.

For ordinary practitioners, there is actually no need to worry about who is better or more authentic. If you usually sit for a long time and have stiff shoulders and neck, and want to quickly improve your rounded shoulders and hunched posture, practice the shoulder and back opening sequence of yoga, and you will see obvious changes in half a month. ； If you usually get flustered, have cold hands and feet, and feel weak in your legs after standing for ten minutes, try Tai Chi Zhanzhuang. Stand for fifteen minutes every day. Within half a month, you will feel that your feet are much more stable, and you can even breathe more evenly.

To put it bluntly, whether it is yoga or Tai Chi, if you feel relaxed and at ease after practicing, it is a good exercise for you.