I’ve just started to relearn another Wu style spear form and have found the count method makes it easier to remember the moves.
It’s a technique I teach beginners during my Tai Chi classes, private lessons and presentations.
All it involves is counting out aloud each movement of a posture. The number of counts depends on how many individual movements there are in the posture you are practicing.
For example one of the spear postures I’m learning has four separate movements. Here’s what I do:
- Count one – pause
- Count two – pause
- Count three – pause
- Count four – pause
The reason I pause after each count is to check to see if I am in the right position.
The count method can be applied to any form you are practicing; hands or weapons forms. Although the count method is a stop-start method of learning it’s essential for beginners to use. Trying to round (smooth) out your form too early can make it difficult to learn as you will tend to miss key reference points as you practice.
If you use the count method then you can count on learning your form effectively.
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