Taijiquan -beginner
Warm up exercises
- Brooming
- Polishing
- Blue Heron bends knees (Massage knees, Twena)
- Forward
- Circle right
- Circle left
4. Young Eagle leaves the nest (1st three known as Shanghai exercises)
- Back to center
- Forward shoulder height to center
- Full range front and back
- Side up and down
- Front up and out (shoulder high)
- Alternate in front
- Circle in
- Circle out
Note: To close, raise arms up to front, out to the side, back to the front, and down
5. SearchSeaBottom forJadePalace
6. Rhino looks at the moon
7. Reaching for the Stars / Plucking Fruit
8. Single Pushing Stone Table
9 Blue Dragon Waves Tail / Grey Elephant Swings Trunk
- Swing
- Hold for 3 count
Taijiquan
Yang Condensed Style
Open Taijiquan
Three Breaths
Raise Arms
Hold Ball in T-stance Position
Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane Left
Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane Right
Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane Left
Crane Cools Wings Toe Stance Position
Brush Knee Twist Step Left
Brush Knee Twist Step Right
Brush Knee Twist Step Left
Play the Fiddle in the Heel Stance Position
Step Back and Ward off Monkey Right
Step Back and Ward off Monkey Left
Step Back and Ward off Monkey Right
Step Back and Ward off Monkey Left
Step Back and Ward off Monkey Right
Step Back and Ward off Monkey Left
Ward off, Roll Back, Press and Push Left
Ward off, Roll Back, Press and Push Right
Single Whip Left
Note: The nothingness cannot be confined the softest thing cannot be snapped. Seek the truth and liberate yourself.
Wave Hands like Clouds
Single Whip Left
High Pat the Horse
Kick with Right Heel
Strike Ears with Both Fists
Turn and Kick with Left Heel
T-stance Position with Single Whip Hand Position (Transition)
Dragon Waves Tail Left
Stand on One Leg Left
T-stance Position with Single Whip Hand Position (Transition)
Dragon Waves Tail Right
Work at Shuttles Right
Work at Shuttles Left
Needle at Sea Bottom
Fan through the Back
Turn, Deflect, Parry and Punch
Apparent Closing
Cross Hands
Close Taijiquan
(Taijiquan Right)
Note: Like a new plan, it shall grow and mature, blooming with fresh flowers and new fruit.
Stretching Qigong
Stand in WuJi (Deep, relaxed breaths into the abdomen)
Open Taijiquan to shoulder width stance
Raise Hands to Shoulder Height (Inhale)
Open Arms (Exhale) – palms up
Lift Arms Above Head (In) – Shoulders stay relaxed and down
Bend at the Waist (Ex) – spine stays long – work the position: hold position for three or more breaths, lengthen the spine on the inhale, release further into the stretch on the exhale
Hold Ankles and Deep Leg Stretch (Ex) – work the position
Hold Ankle, Twisting to Look Up at the Sky; Left (In) – work the position
Hold Ankle, Twisting to Look Up at the Sky; Right (In) – work the position
Stretch Forward and Down (In)
Roll Up the Spine (Ex) – palms turn down when palms reach chest height, swallow the saliva and sink the weight
Push Up With the Hands (In) and Lean Back (Ex) – Work the position
Lean to the Left (Ex) – press out with the palms, work the position
Lean to the Right (Ex) – press out with the palms, work the position
Twist to the Left, Palms Pressing Up (Ex) – work the position
Twist to the Right, Palms Pressing Up (Ex) – work the position
Release the Hands (Ex) – Press out and away with the palms as you slowly lower the hands
Final Stance (In) – Palms face the Dan Tien, turned up slightly; elbows lifting up and out to the sides; sink the weight, sit down with the tailbone. Hold for a few breaths or several minutes.
Yichaun (Standing Meditation)
Embrace tree (Health stance and martial stance)
Low Embrace tree
Pressing out
Back to Embrace tree #1
Close
Start with 3-5 minutes on each position. Then work up to 1-2 hours pushing as much as you can while still relaxing as much as possible. If you start shaking, this is good, relax and let the shaking fade away. Don’t stop because of the shaking. If you push through, learn how to settle in and relax, you are moving to new levels in your training. Remember it is the quality not the quantity of time spent training so put 100% effort in every practice and you will see many things start to change.
Pushing Hands
Basic pushes:
- Horizontal circular push
- Figure eight push (rocking the cradle)
- Vertical circular push
When training push hands focus on being as relaxed and soft as possible. Yield to incoming force while maintaining your root and using minimal effort to deflect your opponent.
Qigong Philosophy
Qi= Term used to describe all types of energy. Vital force behind all things in the universe, it is the medium between and within all material substances.
Gong= The power to produce, an effect, an attainment of, or an accomplishment that is achieved with steady practice.
- Qigong= “attainment of Qi”
Used for:
- Healing and preventing Illness
- Developing incredible strength and abilities
- Attain greater consciousness, focus and peace of mind
*To attain a high level of cultivation in Qigong training one must not only practice Qigong, but also cultivate virtue
Four major approaches to training:
- Train the Body
- standing
- forms
- stretching
- walking
2. Train the Breath
- chest breathing
- abdominal breathing
- reverse abdominal breathing
- embryonic breathing
- small circulation
- grand circulation
- Dan tien conditioning
3. Train the Voice
- chanting
- mantras
- 6 healing sounds
4. Train the Mind
- Various combinations of the previous three with the intent to quiet the mind increasing your focus and enlivening your spirit
Dao= The “way” by implication of the “natural way”
Dao De Jing= Classic on the virtue of the Dao. Written by Lao Zi during the Zhou Dynasty (1122-255 B.C.)
Taiji= Grand ultimate, cannot be practiced
Taijiquan= Internal martial art
Wuji= “Ultimateless” or “Limitless”, but other versions are “the ultimate of Nothingness”, “that which has no Pole”, or “Non-Polar”.
*From Wuji comes yin and yang, Taiji is the force that is between Wuji and yin and yang (Taiji=Dao=god=force=mind in body or spirit side, these are all different expressions for the same thing)
Yin and Yang Theory is primarily used to describe the opposing, interdependent, waxing and waning, and transformational nature of all things in the cosmos.
Yin= The passive, negative, feminine polarity. In Chinese medicine it means deficient. The Yin internal organs are the Heart, Lungs, Liver, Kidneys, Spleen and Pericardium
Yang= In Chinese philosophy it is the active, positive, masculine polarity. In Chinese medicine Yang means excessive, too sufficient, overactive, or overheated. The Yang (or outer) organs are the Gall Bladder, Small Intestine, Large Intestine, Stomach, Bladder and Triple Burner.
Five element Theory is primarily used to explain characteristics, classifications, and the law of mutual nourishment and mutual restraint
Wood= is linked with active functions in phase with growth and increasing
Fire= expresses that the functions have reached a maximum state and are ready for decline
Earth= is associated with balance and neutrality
Metal= represents that the functions are declining
Water= symbolizes that the functions have declined and are ready for growth
Note: in practical applications yin-yang and five elements are used in conjunction with one another
Kanand Li
Li= One of the eight trigrams (Bagua) corresponds with fire.
Kan= One of the eight trigrams meaning “water”
Kanand Li means to use the body’s water and fire to adjust the bodies Yin and Yang
Dan Tian= Elixir field. Locations in the body that are able to store and generate Qi in the body. The Upper, Middle and Lower Dan Tians are located between the eyebrows (brain), at the lower section of the sternum, and a few inches below the navel.
Application for testing:
NWFA
Internal Arts – Phase I (Beginner)
There will be a thirty dollar fee due 1 week prior to testing
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Notes: