How are tai chi masters able to push people across the room with a gentle touch?

How does this work? How are they able to able to use chi and force it outward as some sort of strength? Is it just an extraordinarily trained sensitivity of momentum?|||If you see anyone being launched across the room by a gentle touch or mere contact-less fingers wagging, it's a fake show. Like you suspected, real Taichi master should have highly developed sensitivity, reflex and timing. It's not magical, but sure looks that way when you see them redirecting and reusing forces "effortlessly." While it's futile to argue for or against the existence of Qi/Chi/Ki on Yahoo Answers, you can be guaranteed that if you can align your body parts perfectly to receive, redirect, and apply force according to the basic principles of mechanical physics, there are few Taichi guys in this world that could best you.|||play acting.|||I don't completely understand how it works, but I do know it does. And it's not play-acting. Westerners have a lot of trouble believing anything they can't measure, but Chi works and can be developed.


Basically, chi is vital energy. That thing you have that connects your mind to your body, so that you can will your hand, or finger to move, and it moves. You can then actually move another person with that same energy, by letting it flow through their body (or redirecting their Chi if they're attacking you).


If you find this hard to believe, think of it as momentum. Somebody comes straight at you, so you redirect their energy in another direction (So they're applying force towards you, but you simply redirect that force elsewhere, sending them in another direction). It can be very subtle (Brushing aside the person's fingers so that the body tends to follow, for example).|||Back in the old west they called this sort of thing grifting.|||It's to do with the mind, if they believe in it enough it will happen, (a little strength is needed) and of course the student will be willing!|||holy christ man!!! dont believe these fantasist, it isnt true....of course it aint true..... this is real life... not mortal kombat!!|||Honestly, I feel it is nothing more than a parlor trick. I have been to many such demonstrations. I have asked people to do these sorts of things to me and I always get an excuse, so I am a doubter until I see it and believe it with my own eyes. Until then I am going to keep practicing things like blocks and punches instead of chi-energy attacks.|||As you perform Tai Chi, you execute internal energy, called "chi" through certain parts of the body. As you practice this form, your physical strength is not the only one that develops, but your state of mind as well. As internal energy is combined with physical energy, believe that it's really powerful. The palm strike is the most powerful move in Tai Chi so be careful when you use it. Such a mighty blow can cause internal bleeding to your victims. The key to it is relaxation. That's how they do it, like Neji.|||It's real and it's got nothing to do with chi. It's extraordinarily trained sensitivity of momentum developed through "push-hands" training.|||I am wondering how so many people who have so little knowledge about the subject manage to find the audacity to post answers as if they actually know something about it. lol Read your answers and it is totally obvious that your knowledge is lacking.|||they showed this on mythbusters the other day (or some similar show.) if you believe in chi, you can be moved by chi.|||First of all it is not "play acting" Now I will admit that while training you do allow yourself to be thrown with less resistance, but by no means do you "fake it". You could answer this using pure science and physics or you could us more spiritual wording. I have a firm belief that it is a little of both. As simple as it gets it is all about position, leverage, timing and energy. I train in Aikido, Jiu-Jitsu, Kali and MMA. This ability does exist.|||I can teach a serious student within a few hours to direct energy, Its simple, its not all the hype and hoodoo like people think, good mechanics and timing is all you need, any reknowned martial art stylist can teach it. anybody with some sparring under their belt has experienced it, to one extent or the other. Get over it people, stop chasing ghosts.|||It's all balance - catching the other guy off balance.