What is the Most Difficult Tai Chi Move? Q&A

In 2021 I received the following question on one of my YouTube videos which demonstrates the Yang Tai Chi 10 Form:

Q:

"Andrew, random question, what do you think is the most difficult movement in tai chi -- whether it be because of balance, coordination, whatever..?"

I find this question quite interesting because there are different kinds of difficultly in Tai Chi training.  See my response to this question below:

A:

"Hmmmmmm......I am not sure I have a good answer for you. When I was teaching in-person classes it seemed that the Yang style's "Snake creeps down" movement is the one that most students would struggle with. When I was learning Lao Jia Yi Lu I would say that the "Dragon Rolling Downward" was the move I struggled with the most. 

I think the difficultly of movements changes during the course of one's training too. Things that seem difficult before, get easier and you begin to realize that there are a lot more layers to the things that seemed simple and easy before. If we are also considering competition Taiji forms, there are plenty of acrobatic movements that are ridiculously difficult. 

However, I would say the most difficult aspect of Taiji training is incorporating the correct movement principles into the body while training. Once that is accomplished Taiji becomes a whole new experience, but before that, it is just a lot of work that does not look impressive or flashy, and it does not really feel all that useful in the beginning and people tend to get bored with it quickly. So, rather than a specific movement, I think incorporating the correct concepts of movement into training is where the real difficulty lies in Taiji training..."

We can consider several types of difficulty. There is the difficulty of performing a complex or especially athletic movement.  Often this difficulty can be overcome and the movement can be performed without applying the internal principles of Tai Chi training.  So the difficulty only runs so deep and depends more on physical athleticism than on Tai Chi skill. 

Another type of difficulty is understanding the movement principles of Tai Chi to a depth that allows you to incorporate them into every movement, whether it is something as simple as "Begin Taiji" or as demanding as "Snake Creeps Down".  This level of difficulty instills a deeply transformative understanding of your own body motion and turns a movement that appears as simple as "Begin Taiji" into an entire universe of discovery.  This is where the real difficulty of Taiji training lies, but it is also the most valuable and beneficial pursuit in Taiji training.  

There is nothing wrong with learning, practicing, and performing impressive-looking Tai Chi movements, but if you want Tai Chi to transform you, strive to realize the Tai Chi movement principles in your body with every movement during your Tai Chi training. 

If you have always wanted to learn Tai Chi, but you do not have an instructor in your area, you are in luck. My YouTube channel offers over 300 free Tai Chi and Qigong instruction videos that can set you soundly on your path to learning Tai Chi.  Visit YouTube.com/AndrewPlitt today.