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What is Fists?
Fists The fist form of Tai Chi Chuan is the same as that of the other boxing schools in China. That is , the four fingers are kept together and doubled over into the palm, and the thumb is doubled over and inward across the second section of the middle finger. (Fig.4-2) Although Tai Chi Chuan stresses that hardness dwells in softness, it starts with soft movements. So, the hand should not be clenched too tightly. Whether it is tightly or loosely clenched, there should be an indication of cohesion, so that it cannot be opened when it is separated, and cannot be dispersed when it is struck.
The fist methods are divided mainly into fist with side up, fist with palm sown and fist with palm up.
After a period of practice, the beginner should learn the changes of the force points. For example, the fist with side up calls for the force to be concentrated on the central flat side of the second knuckle of the little finger, while the fist with palm down is extended with the force on the root section of middle finger. When the fist is pressed down, the force is on the second section of the middle finger. When the fist is punched upward , the force is on the root section of the middle finger . When the fist is raised with the tiger's mouth up or turned inward or outward with the tiger's mouth down, the force is on the second section of the thumb. When the fist is cutting down with the tiger's mouth up , the force is on the root section of the little finger . When the wrist joint is turned outward with the tiger's mouth obliquely down, the force is on the root section of the forefinger.
Force is applied to the fist, however the force points change from time to time depending on the directions and movements of the fist.
