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Outside Magazine, April 2005
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Bodywork: Martial Artist
The Chi in Me (cont.)

INTRIGUED TO LEARN what else my chi could do for me, I signed up for one of English's one-hour tai chi classes, which turned out to be unexpectedly tough. Even the simplest stationary posture—arms extended in front of the chest—taxed my brain and left my body quaking. But by my fourth class I was no longer feeling the pain, just the chi: a tingly electric current buzzing between my outstretched palms that seemed to elevate my arms without me even trying. Best of all, I had shut down my brain and tapped into a sweet and peaceful state of flow—a fleeting blend of physical power and mental might that I hoped would carry over into other parts of my life.

Later that summer, at a whitewater-kayaking school on the Klamath River in Northern California, I discovered that I could roll the boat upright after capsizing—a formerly iffy maneuver—in one clean, easy motion. The fluid loading and unloading of energy in my torso—not raw, muscular strength in my arms—was what righted the kayak and made me a better paddler. It was spiral power in action.

In the fall, I entered the Duke City Half-Marathon, in Albuquerque—my first 13.1-miler. I didn't know how to pace myself over that distance, so I decided to rely on my newfound mental stamina. As the miles clicked by, I felt strong and fast and focused—not on the finish line, but on each step, the woodlands near the Rio Grande, and my boyfriend loping beside me. Toward the end, when my quads ached and my rational brain scolded me to slow down or quit, I remembered my tai chi breathing and concentrated simply on inhaling and exhaling.

"Be unbeatable," I told myself, and I almost was. I finished second out of the 482 women who competed. To say the race felt easy would be an overstatement. But I have to admit that, like the tennis matches I was now winning, it did feel surprisingly effortless.

For more information about Jeff English's approach to tai chi and sports go to www.taichiforathletes.com where you'll find information on his three-day workshops being held around the country this summer.


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