Karate and Tai Chi, Sleek and Stunning. The stick and the hammer of karate were the topics of the Patreon post. And it started a brief conversation about a trip hammer and its role in martial arts.

A trip hammer is a tool, used by a Blacksmith to create a repetitive motion. This hammer is used in pounding hot metal or iron during the shaping process. A trip hammer is thoughtless. The trip hammer motion takes little understanding it is clear. Often a trip hammer is built around circular motions becoming a linear act.

Karate and the Blacksmith — A blacksmith hand forging

To see what a tip hammer looks like in use and watch the motions involved, here is a link to a Youtube video. Watch a blacksmith forging using a trip hammer.

Finding The Trip Hammer in Tai Chi

It can be difficult to find the martial arts trip hammer. It is especially difficult in a softer system as it is not conducive to such observation. One way of seeing karate and tai chi is digital versus analog.

Tai Chi on the Beach — Analog verses Digital

You could look at the WUKO kata championships and see the stop and start of techniques. No such form of competitions are known about Tai Chi. The moment the trip hammer starting and finishing is easy to see in karate. These motions are not easily seen in some other arts when comparing them to karate. Both forms of martial arts are sleek and stunning. Ye...