Tai Chi Chuan means "great, ultimate fist". It is, was, and will always be a martial art. Tai Chi contains kicks, punches, strikes, grabs and throws. Tai Chi is a Taoist art. Taoism is a belief in doing only what is necessary, nothing more. Tai Chi emphasizes control of distance, yielding to greater force. As a student of tai chi, you will be asked to remain calm and relaxed at all times and to use as little physical strength as possible. We always prefer finesse over strength, not the other way around.