Advice when performing the Tai Chi exercise form

by John Chow

When performing the Yang Style and Wu Style tai Chi exercise routine, you should keep these basics in mind:-

1)  Before starting the form,  put yourself in ‘open focus’  empty mind, calm mind,  and yet alert and active. Try keeping the open focus throughout the form.

2)  Put your awareness on the Dan Tian, which is inside the abdomen, a little below the navel.  Let all movements originate from the Dan Tian, with the other parts of the body following.  Keep your awareness on the Dan Tian throughout the form.

3)  Move as if you were in water, being immersed in the ocean of Qi.  Feel the resistance of the air as if it were water.  Push, pull, squeeze, brush past the air which is felt as condensed air.

4)  Stepping forward is one with an "empty" foot - weightless, as if testing the ground or like a cat walking.  ease the leading foot first and turn the toes out before shifting the weight back to it again.  Only then you may step forward -  putting the heel down first, with weight on the heel, and then the outer edge of your foot down, and then the whole sole.

5)  Hands and arms are almost always in front of the torso during the form.  They do not initiate any movement, rather they follow the movements of the body, initiated by the Dan Tian.  

6)  Keep the shoulders and elbows down and relaxed. 

7)  Sink the chi down to the Dan Tian and the legs.

8)  When practising the form,  keep in mind the combat application of each of the movements,  imagining as if you are executing the movements in actual combat.  

9)  All movements are performed with an even pace.  Cheng Man Ching’s 37 posture form can be done in 6 to 7 minutes and the 108 Yang Style form can be done in 12 to 15 minutes.

10)  Adapt the height, width and length of the stances according to your capabilities or purpose. 

11)  Relax and let go of all tension during practice.

12)  The body should settle into “Central Equilibrium” always.

13)  Differentiate between Yin and Yang in the postures.  Within each posture, also differentiate between Yin and Yang. 

14)  Avoid awkwardness and “Double Weighting”.

15)  Breathing should be soft and gentle.  Breath in when retracting, and breath out when expanding.  If not possible,  just breath naturally, and do not control the breath.

16)  Practising twice a day will bring much health and psychological benefits.

17)  Be creative, find new ways of executing the movements within the form to make the movements smooth, relaxed, pliable, light,  and yet authoritative.  Light as a feather, yet heavy as a mountain.

Written by John Chow,  a TCM practitioner, masseur, healer, martial arts, Tai Chi Chuan, Chi Kung and spiritual teacher.

14 March 2005

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