Nà (拿), or Controlling/Seizing, is the point where the advantage gained through listening and neutralization is solidified into structural dominance. This is the quintessential Taiji skill, but it requires a crucial conceptual shift: Nà is not an action you apply; it is a state you actively maintain.

The Active Maintenance of Control

The internal adept understands that Nà is the continuous product of Huà and Suí. When you perfectly execute Huà to find the Zero Point, Nà begins. To maintain that control, you must continuously apply Suí (Following).

• Sustained Suí: To maintain Nà, the practitioner must constantly adjust their whole structure to precisely equalize and harmonize the pressure at the contact point. This relentless, adaptive following ensures that the opponent remains perpetually trapped in the Zero Point state, unable to regain their own leverage or structural integrity.

• The Nà State: This is the state where the opponent is captured—structurally compromised, unbalanced, double-weighted, or trapped—all without the use of bracing or external force.

Control Through Position, Not Force

The common, external mistake is attempting to achieve Nà through muscular grabbing, pinning, or pushing. True internal Nà emphasizes exploiting the opponent’s structural weakness and positioning—gained through superior Tīng, Dǒng, and Huà—to gain complete dominance.

The Rule: You seize control when the opponent is already compromised. You are not wrestling them into control; you are simply moving into the opening created by their structural defeat while Suí prevents their escape.

Nà: The Gateway to Effective Fā

The primary strategic importance of Nà is that it is the non-negotiable step before issuing power (Fā).

• If you attempt Fā before achieving Nà, the opponent remains balanced and structurally intact, making it easy for them to resist, absorb, or counter your power. The energy is wasted.

• Nà ensures control by unbalancing, trapping, or exploiting vulnerabilities, creating the optimal conditions for a decisive and efficient Fā.

In the internal martial arts, control must precede power. This step confirms that the entire interaction—from the first touch to the final release—is governed by skill and structural superiority, not brute strength.

The Universal Language of Control: Nà and Aiki Principles

The concept of Nà is the clearest conceptual bridge between Taijiquan and Japanese internal martial arts, particularly those derived from Daito-Ryu Aikijujutsu, such as Aikido. While the terminology differs, the functional goal is identical: to strip the opponent of structural integrity before applying a technique.

Nà is Kuzushi Achieved Internally

Kuzushi is defined as the art of breaking the opponent's balance. In Taiji's framework:

1. Huà (Transforming) is the sophisticated, internal method used to create Kuzushi. By neutralizing the opponent's force and controlling their Jìn Lù at the Zero Point, we instantly destroy their vertical stability and connection to the ground.

2. Nà (Controlling) is the structural, maintained state of Kuzushi. We are seizing the moment that balance is broken and holding it captive through Suí.

This reveals the core truth: The highest form of Kuzushi is Nà. It is not achieved by external pulls or pushes, but by forcing the opponent to become double-weighted or structurally compromised from the inside out, leveraging their own momentum and effort against them.

This shared principle confirms that regardless of style—be it Chinese internal boxing or Japanese Aiki arts—the path to dominance lies in first achieving and then sustaining complete structural control.