Episode 195 - Taiji Wheels

This photo was taken recently during a walk to the Lung Fu Shan Country Park.

The Taiji Wheels in the photo can be played by 2 persons independently at the same time - each person operates a set of 2 wheels on his/ her side. Each wheel has a small handle. . The exercise is simple, you hold the handles with your hands and turn the wheels. The wheels should be turned together simultaneously - either turning to the same direction or to different directions. The purpose is to enhance body and mind coordinations. To get the most benefit out of the Taiji Wheels, you have to turn the wheels by utilizing the movements of the whole body and transfer the force as generated to the hands. Don't turn the wheels with your hands alone. The hands are simply the media between the wheels and the body movements - There is no hand in Taiji.

From a martial artist's perspective, I consider that the wheels are too loose and too easy to turn. If you know the rationale behind the Taiji Ball, you may still be able to obtain benefit from the wheels training to improve your level of coordinations. However, you won't be able to use them to increase the internal power.

As the wheels are easily available in most of the parks in Hong Kong, and it is not convenient to bring along a Taiji Ball for outdoor exercises, you can say my comments above are too picky!