Tai Chi Chuan . . . (or Tai Chi for short) is an ancient Chinese "internal" soft style martial art that has become well known in America for its stress relief and health benefits. Tai Chi practice, with its relaxed deep breathing, balanced postures, and slow motion sequence of movements, is also a form of "chi-gung," the traditional Chinese art of energy development for health, fitness, and longevity. Tai Chi can be practiced as a method of self defense, as a form of chi-gung, as moving meditation, or simply as a health exercise. Because of its non-strenuous nature, it can be practiced by people of all ages. The Yang family Tai Chi Chuan taught by Smiling Tiger is the most popular style in China and the entire world (being practiced by over 100 million people!) As a fighting art, Tai Chi stresses using an attackers force against him to maneuver him into a vulnerable unbalanced positon before counter attacking. Techniques include striking, kicking, throwing, joint locking, and attacking vital points of the anatomy. Smiling Tiger teaches Tai Chi both with and without the self defense element.