Some key points to practice...

Some key points to practice:

*To practise any movement, the body should be divided into Yin and Yang, insubstantial and substantial, open and close, that is, expansion and contraction. For example, the left side of the body contracts, the right side expands; expand on the right, contract on the left; the upper body contracts, the lower body expands; the front expands, back contracts etc..

*The emphasis of practice is not on the fixed postures of a form. It is on the transition movements between the fixed postures.

*"Song chen" (release and sink) is not about the whole body sinking. Only release and sink from below the Mingmen. Above that there is rising.

*When there is a place in the body that cannot be released, stop thinking about that place and let go of the place above or below the place of tension.

*Always keep three places insubstantial, the middle of the palms, the chest and the centre of the feet.

*What is the right way to “release and sink”? Sink is not dropping like a stone. It should be like a light piece of paper falling to the ground. The left side sinks, the right side rises, then the right sinks and the left rises. Like this, it falls to the ground.

*Only on completion of one posture and all the movement criteria are in place, do you start the next posture. Be strict and disciplined.

*All movement begins and ends at the "midline" of the body.

*One way to loosen the shoulder, sink the elbow, and sit the wrist: first, relax the whole hand. Use the intention to open the shoulder joint. Imagine opening a valve in a water pipe, let a stream of water slowly flow through the shoulder joint into the upper arm. When the upper arm is filled with water, the elbow sinks under the weight of the water. Then let the water continue to flow through the elbow joint into the forearm. When the forearm is also full of water, open the wrist joint and let the water go to the palm. Open the hukou and let the water finally flow to the fingertips.

Select one key point to practise at a time. However a key point is only a means or a tool to help us achieve the requirements of Taijiquan . When a key point is understood and realised we should forget it and let it occur naturally.

Training Taijiquan Power

The power of Taijiquan is not just about strength. It is a comprehensive and integrated quality. It is strong and soft power generated by the coordination between internal consciousness (intention) and external movements. This power is changeable and flexible. Therefore, the improvement of power cannot only rely on training methods that increase the body strength. Training involves a holistic approach; not only to increase strength, but also to incorporate consciousness. In Taijiquan it is the consciousness that expedites power.

 

There are often misunderstandings about power training in Taijiquan, that it comes from fast and hard movements. In fact, contained within the process of form training in taijiquan are the potentials and intentions of power that are not often obvious. The theory says: "Taijiquan is a needle hidden in silk floss; gentle yet firm”. That is to say, although the external movements are gentle and slow, the internal support force is strong. The power of Taijiquan is embodied in the slow and gentle movement through the coordination of the different parts of the body under the direction of intention/consciousness. This is the kind of internal power training required.

 

To improve the overall skill of Taijiquan, the most fundamental is to improve the integration of the body’s frame and movement with the mind’s intention. That's the reason why through the generations Taijiquan masters practised the routines for a lifetime.