Using muscles then releasing them

Whenever we move of course we use our muscles. However during t'ai chi we use muscles to make a particular movemement and then we should release the strength from those muscles before we begin the next movement. For example, if we take a step, after the stepping foot has landed we need to let go of the muscle strength and allow the leg to rest before shifting the weight. To begin with this means that you practice very slowly but the habit becomes natural before too long.

Dr. Chi liked to call t'ai chi 'resting in movement.'

Generally the body feel as if we have no strength. This feeling is produced when all of the muscles are as relaxed as possible. Using t'ai chi principles of movement the whole body moves as one piece so it feels as if we don't use any muscles but in fact we use all of the muscles in a coordinated way. When we do this we can't feel individual muscles working harder and it feels as if we don't use any.