Internet-based Lessons |
Chen
Family style Tai Chi Chuan - beginners |
Eighteen
Movements form |
Choreographed by
Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei. He is very fond of seeing it done
correctly. |
We start at
attention with feet together. Raise the hands and do a salute.
Lower the hands back to |
a relaxed position on the thighs. Lean slightly to the right to
transfer weight to the right leg and free
|
the
left leg. Lift the left foot and move it to the left about 12
inches so that when you rebalance your |
feet will be at
shoulder width. Toes on the left foot finish pointed straight
ahead and parallel with the |
right foot.
Center your body between the feet just as if you were in WuJi
standing (because you are). |
Exhale slowly.
Pause for a second. With tai chi chuan whenever we want to do
something first we do |
the
opposite: earlier to go left, we first went right. Now, to go up
we first go down. So with the palms |
facing downward
press them very softly toward the ground. Now lift the arms
palms down as you |
inhale.
Keep the shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers relaxed. No need
to straighten the elbow. |
When your hands
get to shoulder level pause for a second and then lower your
hands as you slowly |
exhale. As the
hands descend gradually bend the wrists so the palms move up to
45 degrees to the |
vertical. You
might feel like a coiled spring or a drawn bow waiting to
release. |
Applications: (1)
when the left foot is stepping scan the ground to make sure it
is level and safe. |
If you need to
kick someone in the ankle - go ahead. A third possibility is to
step on their foot. |
(2) when the
hands and arms are rising this can be a block or two strikes
with the upper parts of |
your forearms
into the lower side of an enemy's forearms if he has tried to
grab your jacket lapels or |
near your shirt
buttons. (3) When the hands are lowering this can be a slap to
the enemy's hands if |
he is trying to
punch or grab you. A way to send two little messages up the
enemy's arms that |
maybe he should
re-think his plan to hurt you. While he still can. |
Here's a link to
a short YouTube video of this movement:
https://youtu.be/Uv7hS4i9RGQ |