Chris Chi

Tai Chi for health & wellbeing

 

 

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Hips And Waist Turns

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Getting beginners to turn their hips and waist when practicing boxing drills in Tai Chi is not easy.

What usually happens is they tend to use upper body and arm strength to power their punches instead of their waist and hips.

As this post is for beginners I’m only focusing on using the waist and hips and not on using the whole body to power a punch. That’s another post for later on.

In this drill you can work with a partner holding a hand mitt. If you haven’t got a partner, improvise – hang up a towel or a drape to use as your target.

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In Sight In Mind In Action

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When I need extra practice for my weapons forms I need a reminder to practice.

For example, the other day when I was practicing my sword form in the garden I felt I had drifted away from some of the postures into incorrect shapes.

So I checked my notes and yes, there were a couple of spots where I had been incorrectly performing the postures. And to get back on track I decided to add more practice time for the sword form.

I grabbed my wooden sword and placed it in my living room where I could see it and every now and again I’d pick it up and briefly run through the form.

Even while watching television, laying on the couch, I could see the sword and would occassional get up and practice the form.

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270 Degree Left Leg

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So far so good. My knees are holding up since I’ve got back into training the 360 degree spins on one leg.

My right leg can now do a 360 spin but I’ve only managed to do a  270 degree spin on my left leg. It’s still a bit wonky but with a bit more practice I’ll get a 360 spin in.

The 360 degree spin on one leg is part of my Tai Chi form and in the past I have practiced it in two parts to avoid further straining my knee. A 180 turn, pause and another 180 turn to complete the 360.

What I do now is practice in my socks indoors and do eight repetitions daily on either leg and pay particular attention to each part of the spin – relaxation, balance, kwa, rotation.

I’m determined to build up to 360 degrees without wrecking my left knee.

Only 90 degrees to go!