Why do traditional martial artists, Tai Chi persons sometimes stumble in real fights? It has a lot to do with understanding the stages of a fighting encounter. When it comes to techniques applied in real usage, different applications serve different kinds of usage. I don't mean "this is to counter punch and this is to counter kick." What I mean is that there are different stages to an engagement, the beginning pressuring and exploring, the transitions that happen as that goes on, and finally the finishing techniques once you have your opponent where you want them and how you want them. You can see these stages occur throughout the first 3, middle 3, and last few rounds of a boxing match.
It's like playing chess where you initially pressure them with your advancing pawns. You use your knight and other pieces behind your pawns to exploit any weaknesses that appear as they deal with your pawns. And finally you mobilize your heaviest hitters to complete the traps and take their big pieces when they have over extended themselves. It's important to not rush out the gate with your queen and Rook. Jumping right into a fight with their biggest most dramatic moves is often how many traditional martial arts disadvantage themselves in real usage.
High Pat Horse, which you'll discover in this video that it has nothing to do with horses, serves the pressuring and probing function very well. It answers the question of, does Tai Chi have a jab? You will also learn in this video ways of using it as a finishing technique, should that opportunity arise.
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