This is the Wu Style Tai Chi form I practice.

It’s the traditional long form as demonstrated by Wu Yinghua (1907-1997), daughter of Wu Chien Chuan.

She was probably in her late eighties when she demonstrated the form. The video clip is of poor quality but you can get a flavour of the Wu style form by watching it.

She demonstrated about a third of the long form, from the opening posture to Left and Right Parting Leg (just after the first cloud hands).

Click here to view the embedded video.

Practising Tai Chi on a regular basis is important for improvement.

However its what you do away from your training sessions that will determine how much you actually improve.

For example when you are  working think of the Tai Chi exercises and/or principles you can use.

A simple job as sweeping with a broom is made easier when you focus on your tan tien and not your shoulders and arms to push the broom.

Lifting heavy objects can be made less stressful and safer by focusing on keeping the top of your head in line with your perineum – stops you from arching and straining your back.

Cleaning windows involves the waist leading the arms just like ‘grasping the bird’s tail’ technique in the Tai Chi form.

So use the  Tai Chi exercises and principles in your normal work day and you will add many hours to your training sessions.

And improve at a greater rate.

Heel breathing is a good energiser.

It can be done either sitting down or standing up.

I normally practice it sitting down as part of a series of chi kung exercises I do.

Sometimes I do it standing, whenever I need an energy boost.

Here’s how to do heel breathing.

1. Imagine you are drawing breath from your bubbling wells, acupuncture points located in the soles of your feet.
2. Keep inhaling and draw the breath/chi up through your body until it reaches to the top of your head.
3. Then exhale and guide the breath/chi down through the body to the bottom of your feet.

Footnote: Expanded from Tai Chi Tip #35 – I discovered this technique several years ago while reading ‘Complete Tai Chi’ by Master Alfred Huang.

In the early years of my Tai Chi training my instructor would demonstrate a technique quickly and wait for a reaction from the class.

If we were confused at what we had seen he would say ‘clear as mud?’ and then laugh.

I’ve been thinking of what he’d said and now realise there was depth in that remark besides the humour.

As a beginner, the techniques and most of the classical Tai Chi sayings were as ‘clear as mud’ to me.

I couldn’t see the correct technique or the meaning of a saying because of my inexperience and my tendency to analyse too much.

I now realise it’s about the doing rather than the anlaysing that will clear the mud away.

23 years since I started I still make pleasant discoveries of what appears to be a simple technique or saying by practicing more and analysing less.

It’s something I teach beginners – just do – and you will discover the meaning.

For safety reasons I keep a close eye on beginners so they don’t injure themselves.

As long as they’re within the safety limits of a technique I let them discover the meaning for themselves.

And this can be achieved by constant practice.

Otherwise, it will be ‘clear as mud’.

Here is a good technique to help you maintain a correct posture and it may even help you to ease back pain.

1. Stand in an upright posture
2. Imagine there is a string attached to top of your head gently lifting you vertically
3. Shoulders are relaxed
4. From your tan tien (just below your belly button), feel yourself sink into the ground but maintain an upright posture

I’ve found this a great technique  as it can be practiced anywhere.

I’ve even practiced this standing in a supermarket waiting in line to be served (get plenty of practice if I’m standing in the fast service line!)

It certainly helps my posture as I sometimes tend to be lazy and slouch forward and just thinking about this technique automatically corrects my posture.

It’s virtually a two way stretch -  top half of your body goes up and the bottom half goes down, at the same time.

So the next time you are standing around make sure you ’string it up.’

Footnote: Expanded from Tai Chi Tip #11

Put these two words ‘if only’ together and you have an instant recipe for regret and negativity.

Here’s my ‘If only …. list.

If only my knees were in good shape …

If only I was learning from a Wu Style Tai Chi grand master …

If only I had more time …

If only I was younger …

If only I had a regular training partner …

If only I had talent …

If only I had more hair …

If only …. ad nauseam (pass the smelling salts)

It’s easy to fall in the ‘if only’ trap and it is something that should be avoided if you are to stay positive and get the most from your Tai Chi training.

‘If only’ can demotivate you and lock you into the past and keep you there.

So the next time you catch yourself saying ‘if only’, challenge yourself and focus on where you are and what you can and are willing to do.

That way, you will get the most out of your training. And your life.

Hmm, now if only I can stop saying if only ……….

I was asked recently what is the ‘form’ in Tai Chi  so I thought now would be a good time to do a post on it.

The word ‘form’ in Tai Chi can have different meanings so let’s clarify that now.

There’s the Tai Chi form and there are weapons forms such as sabre form, sword form, spear form and staff form.

I’ll focus on the generally accepted view of the  ‘form’ as in the Tai Chi form.

The Tai Chi form is a series of mostly slow movements that are performed in sequence. See the clip below.

There are different syles or forms – the major ones are:

• Wu
• Yang
• Chen
• Sun
• Wu/Hao

There are two categories of forms:

1. The traditional form (long form)

• has 37 original postures ( e.g. Grasping the Bird’s Tail, Clouded Hands etc.)
• usually have 108 postures (movements) which include repeats of the 37 original postures
• about 15-20 minutes to perform, some are longer in duration
• 6-12 months to learn

2. Short Forms

• made up of postures from the traditional forms – could be any postures in any sequence
• 4  minutes or more in duration
• 6 or more weeks to learn

Other points to be aware of are:

• Each posture is a self defence movement (note – cannot be used as self defence unless modified – this is another post)
• Posture names may differ from style to style or even within a style
• Techniques of postures may differ from style to style
• Key principles of relaxation in Tai Chi are consistent across all Tai Chi forms
• There are fast forms

In this clip the late Master Ma YuaLiang performs a fast Wu form and at 2.20 Wu Ying Hwa Wu performs the slow Wu form. Both in their 90’s at the time and married to each other. Wu Ying Hwa Wu was the daughter of the founder of the Wu style, Master Wu Chuan Chien.

Click here to view the embedded video.

What’s Tai Chi? A question I’m usually asked when Sue and I go out and run our facilitation workshops and ‘Pozitive Kidz are happy kidz’ programs.

Here is a basic explanation of what Tai Chi is.

Tai Chi Chuan is an exercise, relaxation, meditation, philosophy (non religious) and self defense system.

The five major areas of Tai Chi are;

• The Form
• Chi Kung/Nei Kung
• Push Hands
• Self Defence
• Weapons (the basic weapons are sabre, sword, staff, and spear).

Tai Chi is based on the 2000-year-old philosophy of Taoism.

The Taoists believed you could achieve a harmonious life by seeking the Tao (natural way).

In practical terms this means you need to harmonize your mind and body with nature before you can find the Tao.

From Taoism came the Tai Chi symbol of Yin and Yang . The white represents Yang (man, strength, day etc.) and the black represents Yin (woman, softness, night etc.).

The Yin and Yang are opposite forces or energies, which are in constant motion.

One of the many interpretations of Yin and Yang is in the area of good health.

We achieve good health when our Yin and Yang energies are balanced.

Tai Chi consists of a series of movements and postures that are performed in sequence to create what is called the ‘form’.

There are five major forms or styles of Tai Chi; Wu (Master Wu Chien Chuan), Yang, Chen, Wu (Master Wu Yuxian) and Sun.

Tai Chi Chuan translates to ‘supreme ultimate fist.’