The Skater's Waltz and the Tai Chi Walk

by Chris Everett
(Drouin, Australia)

Tai Chi walking works the same way as the skater's waltz, giving us a stable base as we stride out. So next time you do the Tai Chi walk imagine you are doing the skater's waltz!

If you have ever ice skated, roller skated or inline skated then this is going to make a lot of sense - even if you haven't I am sure you can picture it!

I spent my teens in British Columbia, Canada where come winter you either skated and/or skiied. Each town had skating rink where the opposites of Yin and Yang played out all winter; Yin being the serene and beautiful figure skating and Yang the fast and very bloody ice hockey.

As anyone who has tried skating will have discovered normal walking with your feet parallel just won't work and you quickly realise you need to glide out on a 45 degree angle and soon you are doing the skater's waltz.

When you think about it, the skate's blade is 5 mm wide and initially it is pretty hard to even stand up, let alone move. Those blades will happily move forward and backwards presenting yet another challenge. So it is only by setting out on an angle that you can get any push forward as well as staying upright.

Doesn't this sound famiiar to us Tai Chi players? Tai Chi walking works the same way, giving us a stable base as we stride out once more.

So next time you do the Tai Chi walk imagine you are doing the skater's waltz!