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Square Tai Chi Vs Round Tai Chi

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When you begin to learn Tai Chi you are normally taught square Tai Chi.

Square Tai Chi is a stop start method where you learn the points of reference of a particular movement.

For example lets look at the square method teaching of the opening posture.

  • raise your arms up and away from your body
  • stop
  • sink your elbows
  • stop
  • lower your arms to the sides of your body
  • stop

Each stop is your point of reference. Stopping also allows you to check your posture.

Square Tai Chi is an easier method for beginners to learn Tai Chi.  And it’s usually taught throughout the form.

Once a beginner has mastered square Tai Chi the next step is to learn round Tai Chi.

And here’s how round Tai Chi works.

Instead of starting and stopping you round the form out.  It now becomes one continous rounded form.

It is a mistake to jump straight into round Tai Chi before you learn square Tai Chi because it’s  difficult and errors usually occur which will take more time to correct.

So when learning Tai Chi be a square. If you are you will become more rounded.

Fun Tai Chi for Kidz

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It’s been a very busy Tai Chi week.

I ran seven workshops and one short introduction on Tai Chi at a primary school.

The workshops are based on my ‘Pozitive Kidz are happy kidz’ program which focuses on building self-esteem from a Tai Chi perspective.

It was fun watching the prep students crack up laughing with my ‘teethy’ prop and ‘monkey brain’ explanation regarding self talk.

I’ve run these workshops for several years and learned earlier that teaching children Tai Chi in a traditional way is almost impossible.

They get too impatient and bored.

So I bring in my props, play games and use humour to teach and emphasise simple techniques they can do easily and quickly if they feel either stressed or lethargic.

It’s not boring because I never know what mood a class is in or what level of energy they have until I am standing in front of them.

So I have to quickly assess what needs to be done to capture their attention and maintain their enthusiasm.

And the best way to do that is to have my own Yin Yang energies balanced so my Chi can flow smoothly.

How do I do that?

I focus on having fun!

Instant Tai Chi

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It doesn’t take long to whip up instant mashed potatoes.

And it doesn’t take long to whip up some instant Tai Chi.

As mentioned in a previous post ‘every little bit helps’ – each weekday morning I go outside and walk down my driveway to pick up the newspaper. Before I get to the top of the driveway I make a detour to my garage and do about one minute of Tai Chi training on my punching bag.

I do about 20 light repititions of a defending and striking technique.

There’s no plan to my efforts as I do what I feel like working on. A welcome change from having a detailed schedule to follow.

So far so good.

I’ve been consistent and on the odd days where I haven’t time to do or complete my Tai Chi schedule I know that at least I have achieved some ‘instant Tai Chi’.

Which is better than nothing.

Shaky? Sink The Chi

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Quotes like ‘sinking the Chi’ can be obscure so the following is a a practical example to help you understand and feel the concept.

I regularly practice a Chi Kung technique which  I call ‘Shaky’.

I stand in the ’embrace the tree’ posture.

Then I shake my entire body for 60 seconds.

This sounds easy but it is very demanding. After about 30 seconds it’s normal to breathe heavily and feel tension in the arms and the shoulders.

When I start to feel these sensations I ‘sink the chi’ so I can remain calm for the entire 60 seconds and get a proper work out.

Here’s how I do it.

I focus on visualising, dissolving the chi down to my tan tien and keeping it there.

If the chi rises I repeat the process until I reach my target of 60 seconds.

This simple technique is important in any cardiovascula Tai Chi workouts such as weapons, self defence and general repetitive movements.

So if you are on shaky grounds, don’t forget to sink the chi.