Yeah, I think this discussion is sort of irrelevant unless we define exactly what we mean by six pack and tai chi belly.
VR spot on there mate... I laugh when I see that sort of sucked in tense stomach thing... Zilla... good point... 6 pack... muscles showing in the abdomin area, but not necessarily tense Taiji Belly, relaxed and free moving But I think instead of 6 pack we should use tensed belly vs taiji belly... cos in both cases you can have a 6 pack its just better if it was in the taiji belly case... (of course in my case its more like 12 pack.. )
It could also be down to a simple cultural misunderstanding- in preindustrial countries, such as pre-19th century china, having a big belly(within reason) is interpreted as being a sign of being on top of your game, due to the excess fat put on by being a succesful farmer/aristocrat.
Im simply stating the facts as I see them. Some argue for 'its all lifestyle/training' others argue for 'its just the natural way of things' or 'you are what you are. The simple truth is both sides are not wrong but neither is totally correct. Look a the actual facts and then balance your view based on them! There are very few things that happen in the biological world (yes Im talking about you!) that is due to just one factor.
Look at the way a baby breathes. He /She will breath using it's abdomen. You can see the belly going out on the in breath and in on the outward breath. It is only through bad experiences,frightening situations (like having to pay the mortgage,not getting a job etc) that we 'forget' how to breath properly. So in essence we are not learning how to breath using the abdomen, we are trying to remember how to. Mark.
