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Mildly Extreme Yang Chair Chi

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chair-chi-training-picIn my previous post I mentioned an extreme form of interruption while running an aged care Chair Chi session recently.

Here are some mild extreme yang interruptions I’ve had since runnning Chair Chi sessions for low care and high care residents at aged care centres. Thankfully, the interruptions have been in the minority of the 350+ workshops I have delivered.

  • Opera music played over the PA system
  • A visitor with a large dog, walked through our circle of residents, unannounced, and not asking permission, sat down and just watched
  • A fire alarm sounding as we were practicing our calming abdominal breathing technique (an appropriate time to so)
  • People in the background conducting loud conversations during a session
  • Squeaky trolleys reverberating through corridors
  • A duck sound coming through a PA system as a prelude to an announcement
  • Staff preparing lunch while running a chair chi session in a dining room
  • Workmen drilling away in a corridor

It certainly has given me the opportunity to practice what I preach – stay focused and remain calm!

Tai Chi: Square Chair

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chair-chi-yinyangHere’s a handy tip for beginners who practise a Tai Chi form.

By the way, the term ‘square’ refers to the stop start method of learning a Tai Chi form.

Whenever you are in an upright posture, as you move throughout the form, imagine you are sitting on a high chair (feet flat on the floor). Make sure the knees don’t go over the toes when you ‘sit on the chair’.

This square chair method will help you align your body correctly; helps avoid the common problems of rolling your hips forward and sticking your tailbone out.

Here are some examples in the Wu Style form where you can practice ‘square chair’ in the form:

  • Beginning
  • Seven Stars
  • Cross Hands
  • Fan Through the Back
  • Pat the Horse High
  • Golden Cockerel Stands on One Leg

I thought of this technique yesterday when I was practising the round form (continous flow) and imagined sitting on a high chair for a very brief moment as I moved into upright postures.

However, if you are a beginner, square up your form with ‘square chair’ Tai Chi.

 

 

 

 

Tai Chi ‘Embrace The Tree’: Personal Time

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EmbraceTreeIf you look down this page you’ll see the following –  Embrace The Tree: Personal Time 33 minutes – Target 60 minutes.

So what’s all this about. Well, for those who are new to Tai Chi, Embrace the Tree is a posture that is held for a certain amount of time. It’s a very energising posture with many health benefits.

Until recently I could never do more than 5 minutes of Embrace the Tree posture due to knee pain (old injury). About two and half years ago I decided to try it again but this time using my brains instead of will power which caused me knee problems with the stance.

I started training 3 times a week, 30 seconds duration, adding 30 seconds to the posture each week. With correct application  I can now do 30 minutes of the Embrace the Tree posture, 6 days a week. On Sundays I rest.

Recently I started my journey towards achieving 60 minutes of Embrace the Tree posture. As before I’m adding 30 seconds to the posture every week.

I intend building the duration of the posture, three times a week and on alternative days  I’ll continue with 30 minutes. In other words; Monday, Wednesday, Friday build the stance – Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday continue with 30 minutes.

This slow rate of training is a safer approach and if my knees hold up and I achieve my 60 minutes then I’ll re-assess my stance duration and possibly aim for 60 minutes, 6 days a week. If I decide to do that it will probably take at least another year to achieve.

But for now – publicly recording my times each week gives me the incentive to not fall of the wagon or fall out of the tree 🙂

 

Footnote: The photo was taken early morning on a balcony of a hotel in Sydney. Sue and I were running Chair Chi Training workshop and A Taste of Appreciative Inquiry workshop and early morning was the only time I could fit my training in.

March: Push Hands in the Park

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Just a quick reminder of the next Push Hands in the Park. Unfortunately I won’t be there but I PushHands1hope to attend the April session.

Next Session Details:

  • Sunday – March 1st
  • 10.00 am – 12 noon
  • Fawkner Park – South Yarra (Armadale Road entrance), Melbourne, Australia
  • Friendly, non-competitive push hands (tui shou) practice and play for anyone – old, young, beginners, masters
  • Team up with someone and discuss what you’d like to do – and what you’d not like to do!
  • Ten minute exchanges timed by a bell – but you can rest as well!
  • Learn, share and enjoy.

All welcome.