Today Taijiquan is well-known as a health system. However, it is also an effective martial art and was once taught to Manchurian Bannerman and Qing princes who ruled China at the time of Taijiquan’s rise to prominence.

Traditionally, martial artists in China tested their skills against other styles at lei tai events, where fighters would compete on a raised platform without ropes. Originally these contests would have been no-holds-barred. However, nowadays rules have been introduced to ensure the safety of competitors while still maintaining a realistic level of contact. Modern san shou  competition rules can be broadly compared to kickboxing with stand-up wrestling and penalties given for being driven off the platform.

The lineage of Oxford Wudang has preserved the Taijiiquan fighting heritage, and our club has had many members who have competed in full-contact competitions, including national champions.

This level of training is not for everyone; those who are willing to put in the effort and commitment can participate in sparring sessions during our martial classes, beginning with light contact and moving up to full-contact training as skill and conditioning progresses. All other aspects of the training – forms, pushing hands (grappling) training, practical applications drills, padwork &  conditioning training – feed into and inform this live training practice.

Below is a slideshow album of photographs taken during a recent sparring session (Photography by Steve Musselwhite).  Due to the fast-paced nature of bouts it’s very difficult to capture moments perfectly on film, so we’re grateful that Steve has managed to take some very good photos here…!