In the video below we see what happens when a Tai chi practitioner tests his skills against a Sanshou kickboxer and it doesn’t last very long at all.

Tai chi may have some general health benefits but as a martial art and self-defense system it is severely lacking.

On the other hand Sanshou, or Chinese kickboxing, is a much more modern, effective art. Sanshou differs from regular kickboxing as it involves the use of throws/takedowns and was originally developed by the Chinese military.

That’s why it is no shock that the Tai chi practitioner gets absolutely smoked in this video. Time and time again we have seen videos like this one where the Tai chi practitioner gets absolutely destroyed.

But does that mean Tai chi is completely useless? As a form of self-defense, it clearly is. However, as previously mentioned there may be some general health benefits associated with Tai chi. For elderly people, Tai chi can be a low impact form of exercise and may help them to stay active and get the blood flowing.

Perhaps there is some mental/meditative element to Tai chi as well. As a martial art/fighting style though it is one of the least effective and these Tai chi guys have got to stop fighting people who know what they’re doing.

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ABOUT TAI CHI:
T‘ai-chi (Mandarin: tàijí 太極, an abbreviation of tàijí quán 太極拳, literally “Supreme Ultimate Boxing”) is an internal Chinese martial art 武术 practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits. Though originally conceived as a martial art, it is also typically practiced for a variety of other personal reasons: competitive wrestling in the format of pushing hands (tui shou), demonstration competitions, and achieving greater longevity. As a result, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims with differing emphasis. Some training forms of t‘ai-chi ch‘üan are especially known for being practiced with relatively slow movements.[Source: Wiki]